Search found 24 matches
- November 12th, 2013, 2:31 pm
- Forum: Self-Publishing
- Topic: On the intoxicating effects of a positive review:
- Replies: 0
- Views: 2903
On the intoxicating effects of a positive review:
Backstory: I briefly self-published my first novel through Amazon Kindle last year. I say briefly because I was embarrassed by meager sales and wanted to put my energy toward pursuing traditional publication. Anyway, during the time it was out there, it ended up on Goodreads. Today, in a moment of n...
- September 20th, 2012, 10:53 am
- Forum: Writing
- Topic: The hardest part of the novel
- Replies: 26
- Views: 12681
Re: The hardest part of the novel
When you get to the end of your mental notes, characters start doing things you didn't anticipate and you have to sort out the repercussions of those actions. It's hard, but also the most fun part.
- September 20th, 2012, 10:50 am
- Forum: Writing
- Topic: Using different fonts
- Replies: 5
- Views: 2775
Re: Using different fonts
The goal of manuscript formatting is clarity and ease of use. I don't think there's any sense tinkering with fonts when it's all going to be changed when the book is printed. Italics (or underlining, depending on which you're using) the sections in question should suffice.
- August 20th, 2012, 11:51 am
- Forum: Finding An Agent
- Topic: Is a low-selling self-published book considered baggage?
- Replies: 5
- Views: 20301
Re: Is a low-selling self-published book considered baggage?
Thanks for the helpful replies. Good advice.
- August 17th, 2012, 9:08 am
- Forum: Finding An Agent
- Topic: Is a low-selling self-published book considered baggage?
- Replies: 5
- Views: 20301
Is a low-selling self-published book considered baggage?
There have recently been a couple of helpful threads on the issue of seeking representation post-self publishing (See here: http://forums.nathanbransford.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=5087 , and here: http://forums.nathanbransford.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=5021), so I don't want to rehash what was c...
- May 31st, 2012, 9:48 am
- Forum: Self-Publishing
- Topic: Thoughts on retroactively switching to a pseudonym
- Replies: 2
- Views: 2128
Thoughts on retroactively switching to a pseudonym
Would any potential damage be done by taking one's name off of an already-published Kindle novel and replacing it with a pseudonym?
- March 21st, 2011, 10:19 am
- Forum: Social Media and Book Promotion
- Topic: Could self-promotion through social media be a bad thing?
- Replies: 9
- Views: 17271
Re: Could self-promotion through social media be a bad thing?
Thanks for giving me some different perspectives on this. Sommer, you make good points, and you've confirmed my suspicion that this may be a totally subjective thing. So while you, and I'm assuming a lot of other readers, might like that extra peak into a writer's world, I generally prefer to only k...
- March 18th, 2011, 12:22 pm
- Forum: Social Media and Book Promotion
- Topic: Could self-promotion through social media be a bad thing?
- Replies: 9
- Views: 17271
Re: Could self-promotion through social media be a bad thing?
Thanks for the replies. Re lvcabbie's and Nathan's points, I don't doubt that at all. Social media can be highly effective at getting word of mouth out about a product. I don't think you can deny that a a good viral campaign these days can be priceless. Re Claudie and Sommer Leigh, you both make goo...
- March 17th, 2011, 4:51 pm
- Forum: Social Media and Book Promotion
- Topic: Could self-promotion through social media be a bad thing?
- Replies: 9
- Views: 17271
Could self-promotion through social media be a bad thing?
I'm going to admit some confusion about the push for authors to self-promote via social media. I understand that this is the way things are trending, and I understand what a powerful tool it can be. However, in our culture people no longer become famous for doing something. They become famous for be...
- March 15th, 2011, 9:18 am
- Forum: Writing
- Topic: Does grammar matter, and will it?
- Replies: 17
- Views: 10161
Re: Does grammar matter, and will it?
I know I'm late to the discussion, but two things: 1. It sounds like the writer you corrected has an attitude problem and just didn't appreciated being told something he didn't know. Honestly, only someone who did not care at all about the craft of writing would say that grammar doesn't matter. If y...
- October 8th, 2010, 12:21 pm
- Forum: Writing
- Topic: Ambivalence and the murder mystery
- Replies: 7
- Views: 2860
Re: Ambivalence and the murder mystery
Personally, I'd much rather be slightly annoyed by an ending that I didn't see coming than bored to death by one that I'd seen coming for 50 pages. As long as the ending is logically consistent with the rest of the story (no "it was all a dream" BS), I think it's perfectly fine for it to e...
- October 7th, 2010, 11:20 am
- Forum: Writing
- Topic: Age Progression
- Replies: 13
- Views: 9168
Re: Age Progression
Comes down to whether or not the charater's childhood matters. The Phantom Menace sucked because it absolutely did not matter at all.
- October 7th, 2010, 11:17 am
- Forum: Writing
- Topic: Past Tense & Present Tense Blunders
- Replies: 25
- Views: 39619
Re: Past Tense & Present Tense Blunders
I do this too. There's no right or wrong, but the present and past tenses have an effect on the way a piece reads. Present tense (obviously) makes it more immediate, and gives it a sense of urgency. I guess my point is that there's no right or wrong, but the two tenses are not equal.
- October 5th, 2010, 5:43 pm
- Forum: Writing
- Topic: On Sharing Your Work and Avoiding Being a Clueless Jerk
- Replies: 0
- Views: 1125
On Sharing Your Work and Avoiding Being a Clueless Jerk
I hate watching kids sing. Don’t get me wrong--I love kids. I have two of my own and they are the world to me. But there are few things more uncomfortable than sitting through a nasally rendition of “Paparazzi” sung by a vamping eight-year-old; or worse, an emotionally overwrought Celine Dion solo s...
- June 4th, 2010, 12:24 pm
- Forum: Writing
- Topic: The rules of "stronger" writing... lol?
- Replies: 52
- Views: 18426
Re: The rules of "stronger" writing... lol?
For me, there are two basic "rules" that I use to assess the strength of writing at the sentence level: 1. The sentence or phrase should read smoothly and clearly. When you read the sentence, do you stumble over the syntax or become confused about what the subject is? For example, the reas...