For those authors more in the beginning stages of creating their books, I understand what you're going through. I've been a hybrid planner for many years, part seat-of-my-pants and part plotter (knowing two things: as many as seven main plot points and up to sixty possible scenes). That's worked for me the three times I completed NaNoWriMo. But that resulted in three stand-alone novels in draft form, not Books 1 through 3 of the same series.
A series is a different animal. It takes forethought, much more so than for a single novel. To write a series, I needed a setup and a cast that I would enjoy working within and with for years. Also the wherewithal to add new characters. I needed an overarcing storyline that ran through each of the books (like murder mysteries solve the murder in each book, except I'm not writing murder mysteries), yet each book within the series was a self-contained unit. It's a major undertaking. You don't want to end up in the middle of Book 2 with no way out for your characters and no plausible plotline while staying true to the setup given in Book 1. Contemplating a viable series was daunting.
So I've written books to help me in plotting a single book, which I would apply to preparing my series, projecting even three books into the future. My latest publication was the BUILD-A-BOOK Storytelling Checklist which contains 110 items to make note of when plotting a book. I took gems amassed from myriad books on plotting, then took the best of the best and arranged them chronologically. My other releases that help me in plotting are my four volumes of quotations. To me, they represent writing prompts. When I'm stuck in the plotting process, one of the things that can help me the fastest is to read a few pages of quotes. Invariably I'll hit upon a theme, about which I can talk/write forever (spanning three or more books even, I hope), or I'll find a few quotes that evoke a rush of emotions. Then I play around with those themes and emotions, brainstorming and/or mindmapping to see where it leads me.
Invariably I have to let it simmer on the back burner of my mind. Then, in the shower, unloading the dishwasher, mowing the lawn or whatever mundane chore I'm doing, I'll have a moment of inspiration where it all falls together. It's wonderful when that happens.
At this magical moment, I have to immediately write everything down. Usually as a letter to myself, stream of consciousness fashion, just getting it on paper or into my laptop before I forget a thing. Afterward, I work through the Snowflake software, from a logline to a fully fleshed-out plot and scenes list.
Anyway, that's my process. And I've started Book One of my proposed series in my daily hour or two of downtime, with future books in this series becoming more and more apparent. I'm proof positive that the muse visits those while writing (not just waiting).
Hope this helps someone else get over the plotting hump. Take whatever resonates and toss the rest. Happy plotting!
Denise Barker
Author, Blogger, Freelance Copy Editor
LivingTheDreamPublishing@gmail.com
Showing posts with label Words Rule the World. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Words Rule the World. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Indie-Publishing Tips re Amazon and Barnes & Noble e-Book Uploads
Having just uploaded my fourth nonfiction to Amazon, this process is fresher in my mind. Here's some random tips to share with any newbie Indie-publishing authors reading my blog.
For the home page of the Kindle Boards, see: http://www.kindleboards.com/index.php (cut and paste in your browser).
Or click on it within my Favorite Links on the right-hand sidebar.
1. When you upload your cover JPEG to Amazon, it is blurred. Do not stress out. The published thumbnail found on the Amazon website a day or so later is much better. Except for my last one. It could be because this is the lightest background cover I've ever used (a fleshy peach-colored tone) or it could be because my new printer/scanner has a default setting that is not dense enough with pictures to capture a really good, pixel-rich JPEG. I've uploaded my new improved cover with a title utilizing bigger text that I hope fixes the readability factor once live on Amazon in a couple days. Will let you know.
2. My first three e-books were author-oriented so I posted them on Kindle Boards Book Bazaar where all the other authors toot their horns about their new e-releases. Here's that process in a nutshell: once you have your initial post up, you must wait for the Administrator's okay before you respond to anything (if I remember the rules correctly that I read half a year ago). Then you are only allowed to hit Reply once a week (if initial post was on Thursday, then every Thursday thereafter) which moves your Post up to position #1 on page #1. Unless you get a message from an interested viewer, then you get to Reply to each of those. BUT ONLY AFTER THE MODERATOR GIVES YOU THE THUMBS-UP.
3. You need to create your "signature" within the Kindle Boards. My signature is one thumbnail cover of each of my e-books (which when you click it, leads you right into Amazon's page for that particular book), followed by my name, and then one quote that I dearly love. To do your initial Signature, go to Profile tab, then locate the left-hand box entitled "Modify Profile" then click on "Forum Profile Information" where you will fill in your data, choose a picture to go beside your name (I chose one of my book covers), and other things. Then you need to create your signature by going up top and click on Link-Maker among the blue-gray words. Type in your name in the search box to retrieve your Amazon offerings, choose each book to add a cover link in your signature, one at a time, and click on one, then move over to the right and choose a cover picture instead of just text. Choose the size that is pretty much the thumbnail you see on Amazon. That seems to be the right size allowable within the Kindle Boards. Once your picture is seen, click on Select to get all the computer jargon necessary to pull up this book cover, copy it (Ctrl + C) and then bring your cursor back down to the Create Signature part and paste it (Ctrl + V) into the signature-creating box awaiting that info. While still in that info-needing box, put in a Return (Enter), type in your author name followed by another Return/Enter, and any pithy quote or life reflection or your tagline you wish to be associated with. HIT SAVE. Or Update or whatever seals the deal. That's it! Yeah, I know. A lot to remember. And believe me, I still have to jog my brain every couple months when I need to update my Profile signature. Hope this helps you. I know it will help me the next time around.
4. My newest e-book is a quotations collection so geared to a wider audience than just authors. If you are producing such books, then we should all visit the Kindle Boards Writers' Cafe to chat with other authors. Plus check out the Book Corner for reader discussions. NOTE: the only self-promotion site is the Book Bazaar.
5. You should read all the KB rules and regulations but I hope to share a few shortcuts here.
6. There is also an email to send to within the KB for a shout-out of each of your new releases. They do two listings: one alphabetical and one by genre. Pretty cool. But again, the moderator must have posted a Reply to your initial Post before you can do this step. It is found under the KB Book Bazaar as one of the always-at-the-top postings entitled: Official Master List of KB Authors, found at http://www.kindleboards.com/index.php/topic,27178.0.html (cut and paste into your browser) or see quick link on my sidebar under Favorite Links.
7. Also go to Introductions & Welcomes within the KB especially if you are a first-timer to the KB area.
8. BE SURE to preview your text upload to fix any glitches: too many returns, not enough returns, odd indents, odd fonts, run-ins, odd page breaks, etc.
9. ONE BIG THING within Amazon: use the Insert, Breaks, Page function for any page breaks between sections or chapters within your Microsoft Word document. VERY IMPORTANT.
10. FOR BARNES & NOBLE PUBIT! UPLOADS: you still need to preview the upload as it will appear differently than the one you saw within Amazon. Different software, I guess, produces different page layouts. Other than that, you need to upload a JPEG cover with very stringent specifications. The covers I upload to Amazon are not acceptable to B&N. Here's the specs:
~ ~
For now, that is all I've got. Enough to curdle the old brain cells, but not as much info as there is within the KB website, so I hope I've saved you some time and cut through to the kernels you need most.
On to day three of NaNoWriMo . . .
For the home page of the Kindle Boards, see: http://www.kindleboards.com/index.php (cut and paste in your browser).
Or click on it within my Favorite Links on the right-hand sidebar.
1. When you upload your cover JPEG to Amazon, it is blurred. Do not stress out. The published thumbnail found on the Amazon website a day or so later is much better. Except for my last one. It could be because this is the lightest background cover I've ever used (a fleshy peach-colored tone) or it could be because my new printer/scanner has a default setting that is not dense enough with pictures to capture a really good, pixel-rich JPEG. I've uploaded my new improved cover with a title utilizing bigger text that I hope fixes the readability factor once live on Amazon in a couple days. Will let you know.
2. My first three e-books were author-oriented so I posted them on Kindle Boards Book Bazaar where all the other authors toot their horns about their new e-releases. Here's that process in a nutshell: once you have your initial post up, you must wait for the Administrator's okay before you respond to anything (if I remember the rules correctly that I read half a year ago). Then you are only allowed to hit Reply once a week (if initial post was on Thursday, then every Thursday thereafter) which moves your Post up to position #1 on page #1. Unless you get a message from an interested viewer, then you get to Reply to each of those. BUT ONLY AFTER THE MODERATOR GIVES YOU THE THUMBS-UP.
3. You need to create your "signature" within the Kindle Boards. My signature is one thumbnail cover of each of my e-books (which when you click it, leads you right into Amazon's page for that particular book), followed by my name, and then one quote that I dearly love. To do your initial Signature, go to Profile tab, then locate the left-hand box entitled "Modify Profile" then click on "Forum Profile Information" where you will fill in your data, choose a picture to go beside your name (I chose one of my book covers), and other things. Then you need to create your signature by going up top and click on Link-Maker among the blue-gray words. Type in your name in the search box to retrieve your Amazon offerings, choose each book to add a cover link in your signature, one at a time, and click on one, then move over to the right and choose a cover picture instead of just text. Choose the size that is pretty much the thumbnail you see on Amazon. That seems to be the right size allowable within the Kindle Boards. Once your picture is seen, click on Select to get all the computer jargon necessary to pull up this book cover, copy it (Ctrl + C) and then bring your cursor back down to the Create Signature part and paste it (Ctrl + V) into the signature-creating box awaiting that info. While still in that info-needing box, put in a Return (Enter), type in your author name followed by another Return/Enter, and any pithy quote or life reflection or your tagline you wish to be associated with. HIT SAVE. Or Update or whatever seals the deal. That's it! Yeah, I know. A lot to remember. And believe me, I still have to jog my brain every couple months when I need to update my Profile signature. Hope this helps you. I know it will help me the next time around.
4. My newest e-book is a quotations collection so geared to a wider audience than just authors. If you are producing such books, then we should all visit the Kindle Boards Writers' Cafe to chat with other authors. Plus check out the Book Corner for reader discussions. NOTE: the only self-promotion site is the Book Bazaar.
5. You should read all the KB rules and regulations but I hope to share a few shortcuts here.
6. There is also an email to send to within the KB for a shout-out of each of your new releases. They do two listings: one alphabetical and one by genre. Pretty cool. But again, the moderator must have posted a Reply to your initial Post before you can do this step. It is found under the KB Book Bazaar as one of the always-at-the-top postings entitled: Official Master List of KB Authors, found at http://www.kindleboards.com/index.php/topic,27178.0.html (cut and paste into your browser) or see quick link on my sidebar under Favorite Links.
7. Also go to Introductions & Welcomes within the KB especially if you are a first-timer to the KB area.
8. BE SURE to preview your text upload to fix any glitches: too many returns, not enough returns, odd indents, odd fonts, run-ins, odd page breaks, etc.
9. ONE BIG THING within Amazon: use the Insert, Breaks, Page function for any page breaks between sections or chapters within your Microsoft Word document. VERY IMPORTANT.
10. FOR BARNES & NOBLE PUBIT! UPLOADS: you still need to preview the upload as it will appear differently than the one you saw within Amazon. Different software, I guess, produces different page layouts. Other than that, you need to upload a JPEG cover with very stringent specifications. The covers I upload to Amazon are not acceptable to B&N. Here's the specs:
Web Results
It walks you through creating an account, uploading your eBook file, cover image, ... The sides must be between 750 pixels and 2000 pixels in length. ...
| |||||
~ ~
For now, that is all I've got. Enough to curdle the old brain cells, but not as much info as there is within the KB website, so I hope I've saved you some time and cut through to the kernels you need most.
On to day three of NaNoWriMo . . .
Monday, October 31, 2011
Words Rule the World, A Collection of Quotations - Volume One
My fourth nonfiction book has been uploaded to Amazon! It will not be available online for at least twenty-four hours. I will proceed with the Barnes & Noble upload another day. After you format your ninety Word pages into probably double that in Kindle screen loads, it takes a few hours to fix the quirks in spacing and formatting about 700 quotes/verses.
This collection has famous sayings and not-so-famous ones along with Bible verses--all geared to making a better man, and a better business. Since I love stockpiling great quotes, I foresee other volumes in the future.
But for now, I'm taking a deserved rest. Later on, I may meet up with an authors' group I have missed too many times because of one day job (now gone). And NaNoWriMo starts at midnight tonight! Thus, my downtime will be short and enjoyed immensely. Although one of my "rules" for NaNo is: To Have Fun. To Enjoy the Process.
I plan to follow my own advice.
Best wishes to all NaNoWriMo participants!
This collection has famous sayings and not-so-famous ones along with Bible verses--all geared to making a better man, and a better business. Since I love stockpiling great quotes, I foresee other volumes in the future.
But for now, I'm taking a deserved rest. Later on, I may meet up with an authors' group I have missed too many times because of one day job (now gone). And NaNoWriMo starts at midnight tonight! Thus, my downtime will be short and enjoyed immensely. Although one of my "rules" for NaNo is: To Have Fun. To Enjoy the Process.
I plan to follow my own advice.
Best wishes to all NaNoWriMo participants!
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