6
| Sep 2008 |
I got a new MacBook. Installed XP on it. Worked fine.
Now it won't work fine anymore. It's been exactly one week.
I've run like seven different diagnostics on it. I'd be so mad if all my important files get lost — all my project files, etc. Well, not ALL, but many of them will be lost.
Am valiantly trying to boot. Because Win XP won't boot normally, and it says my SLAYER file is corrupted! Argh!
4
| Sep 2008 |
“All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence; then success is sure.” — Mark Twain
Rather tongue in cheek, but true in many ways.
Look at myself, for example.
I've been thinking today how much I enjoyed writing when I first started. I had no doubt I'd be published and that what I was writing was good.
At that time, I wasn't worried about the market trend. I wasn't worried about making the NYT list. I was interested in who my characters were, what they were doing, and what they were about to face (as I was a sadistic girl back then — I still am, but that's for a later discussion).
I was so excited with my characters and my story that in two months, I wrote a full length novel—all 400 pages, formatted properly in Courier New 12 double-spaced to fit 25 lines per page. During that time, I wrote at least twenty pages a day — single-spaced in TNR 12.
But this was in 1996, and I was writing a futuristic romance novel, back when nobody was buying such things.
Then I discovered the online loops and RWA and everything else.
Many were very helpful and well-meaning. But what I heard the most (and very frequently) was that I was doing it all wrong. You see, nobody writes such things (futuristic or paranormal, etc) because it's just not fashionable to do so. The big NY publishers will NEVER publish them. I'm wasting my time. I'll never be published. Ever.
I belonged to a small critique group, and one of the writers there encouraged me to write category. Why? Because all the big names started there, and that's what I should be writing so I can pay my dues. Harlequin/Silhouette buys more manuscripts than other big single title publishers.
So I listened. I was a newbie. What did I know, right?
I read a lot of H/S, enjoyed many, didn't like some, and got exasperated with the rest. I tried my hands at writing them. I sucked. Big time.
Why?
Because after I decided to write category, the well-meaning CP said I couldn't write about musicians, artists, actors/actresses, sports figures, dancers, etc. She said I had to write something with cowboys, ranches, secret babies, amnesiac runaway brides, matchmakers, and more cowboys. She said there was a formula to writing category, and that I should study it.
When I asked for the formula, she couldn't provide one except that I should have at least two sex scenes and throw in more cowboys, ranches, secret babies, amnesiac runaway brides, matchmakers, and … you get the idea.
In 1997, I entered college. I tried writing again, but it became a chore to write to the “formula” because I couldn't care less about cowboys, secret babies, amnesiac runaway brides, matchmakers…and more cowboys. I have nothing against people who write them — after all, I found some that are really enjoyable. But I couldn't write them.
Sucks to be me.
So I stopped writing when spending time with my characters stopped being fun in 1998.
Then I discovered Dara Joy. But everyone said she was an exception and that I should never ever write futuristic or paranormal because I was never gonna sell if I did, and nobody wrote such things and expected to sell.
I listened.
Again.
I tried another “trend” again.
And failed. Again.
By then, I just gave up on writing romance altogether. I'd think up some other stories — most fantasy and science fiction. Why? Because nobody I know from SFF told me I'd never sell if I write about weird creatures or make up stuff about history or whatever.
As long as my story made sense and people enjoyed it, it was OK.
But I didn't write them because I wasn't sure if I wanted to be a writer at that time. Money was good in consulting although I worked hellish hours.
There are times I really wish I never heard of the words “market trends”. I wish people wouldn't tell me what the editors and agents are buying (the kind of stories they want) and what kind of stuff I should write so that I can become published.
Perhaps Mark Twain was right. All you need to succeed in life is ignorance and confidence.
2
| Sep 2008 |
This is the first article of the month of September. I'll be discussing how to hire a web designer, esp. after having done it once. :) I didn't do all these things, and I wish I had.
These days, it looks like every writer, aspiring or otherwise, has a website and/or blog. Here's what Kristin Nelson has to say about author sites & blogs:
I cannot stress enough how important it is to have a good website, with solid content, if you are going to have one at all. More on this in a minute.
If you don't have a website, that's fine too. I'll still ask for a full manuscript if I like the sample pages enough. There are pros and cons to footing the bill of a website before you are even published so don't stress about it or run out and get one right now because I don't think it's absolutely necessary.
But if you do have a website or blog and you are currently looking for an agent, or to make your first sale, or what have you, I can offer a couple of words of advice.
Don't have a website/blog unless it can be a professional one. The homemade sites look it and just make me cringe. It won't keep me from asking for your full (or if I like the novel, offering representation) but it's not putting your best foot forward and that's never a benefit.
I don't think Kristin's opinion is unusual. My own agent told me the same thing.
Anyway, let's say that you can't design your own website for various reasons. What should you do? Should you go out and just hire the first designer you find?
Before you ask for a quote from a designer, you must identify the following:
It's incredible how so many people never consider why they have a website. Don't have one just so you can tell everyone you have one.
What are you trying to do with your website? Are you unpublished and trying to showcase your commitment and projects? Are you contracted for a book and trying to attract readers? Are you published and use your site for self-promo?
Know why you need a website. It'll save you a lot of time and money.
This is so important. If you're an unpublished writer trying to land an agent, your audience will be different from a New York Times bestselling author.
You must know when your site is going to go live. Good designers are very busy, and they have a waiting list. Obviously the longer you can wait, the more designer choices you will have.
You must know how much you're willing to spend. Or else you'll end up spending more than you should. (This is something I learned from my years in consulting.)
If just reading the terms “HTML”, “PHP”, “DB”, “CSS”, etc. makes your eyes glaze over, you shouldn't be coding your own site, unless you plan to devote the next six months to mastering programming, etc.
Also, this may mean you need to hire someone to maintain your site for you after it's been professionally designed and launched. Do not try to do it yourself if you honestly don't feel confident about it. Sooner or later, you'll break the entire site layout.
That's it for this week.
Any questions, comments, tips, etc.? Feel free to share. Next week, I'll talk about identifying your website needs and design preferences, a.k.a. doing your homework.
30
| Aug 2008 |
My old Toshiba, which lasted almost five years, is so ancient, I can take a nice hot shower while it loads Word.
The bad thing is the data migration of course. I don't particularly enjoy it, but it has to be done. I can't believe I have so much !@#$ on my laptop!
29
| Aug 2008 |
I had to downgrade Firefox. FF3 is virtually unusable. I can take a long leisurely walk while it tries to load anything. Ugh. Forget it. It's too bad though since FF has been a very good program, but not sure what went wrong with FF3. :?
28
| Aug 2008 |
In no particular order:
