Today is hump day! We're over the mid point of the week. It is also goal day for me. I have good news.....and not so good news to relay. The good news is that I've exceeded my weekly word count goal! The novel is progressing better than I could have dreamed. The bad news is that I have procrastinated in the unhappy task of typing .....total words typed.....Zip, Zilch, Zero, ________ (add your word here). This is a problem. I'm certain (I have it on good authority) that I will be cursing myself when my fingers are cramping and my wrists seize up in agony after barely scratching the surface of the tens of thousands of words stretching before me, but for the life of me, I cannot bring myself to feel the least bit perturbed about it today. All I can think about is sitting down to write the torrent of words that swirl around my mind, compelling me to put them to paper. You may all laugh at me when I dare to complain later......I'll take it like a champ (I think...)
Today was to be Title Day.....but alas, you'll have to wait until Sunday for me to reveal the novel's name. Three names remain in the running, and I must have the input of my closest 'advisors' before I make my final selection. (Let's hope they don't all choose a different fav....that would throw me into yet another conundrum!) I think two options will be the leaders, the third just keeps coming back to me, like a bad penny.
Nearing the end of my first novel, the question of publishing is in the fore of my thoughts. To submit my work to a traditional publisher or strike out on my own and self-publish, is a decision that must be made. Hours of reading around various writer's blogs has enlightened me to the pros and cons of each, but it is the experience of one writer in particular that is nudging me toward self-publishing. Being a bit of a control freak (I get it honestly....thanks, Dada), I like the idea of having complete authority over my novel. I like knowing that the edits, cover, trailer, publish date, and promotion will be in my hands. Sure, I'm a novice, but how else will I learn but by doing? Deciding to take a serious look inward to discern my motives for writing this book, I discovered that in the end I write because I believe my stories are worth telling, worth reading. It gives me pleasure, a sense of satisfaction, to see the story unfold before me, and I guess I'd like to say, "I did it! Story concepts - check. Novel written - check. Book edited (I will have my grammar nazi team/beta readers in on this part) - check. Cover designed - check. Finished product to be promoted - check!".
Thanks to Gabrielle Bisset and Pavarti for great reads on the subject. Julius, your witty, logical thoughts are always appreciated. Weigh in on the issue. I'd love to hear your thoughts. ~ Nadja
You know my opinion. Loved Pavarti's list. I second everything she said and add #10: I refuse to take the chance that someone who thinks voila is spelled wha-la or someone who is less educated than my students will be editing my work. LOL!
ReplyDeleteOn the other note, I hope to get Love's Master done soon because I have a million ideas waiting to spill out on the page for the new one! :) Maybe Thursday.
But we won't be able to view our whopping weasel! Heavens! LOL
Congrats on meeting your goals, Nadja! And stop this wretched torture of waiting for the title, I'm dying to know! I'm debating on traditional or self-publishing, and have the feeling that the decision will be riddled with yes-no-yes-no-yes-no. I'm honored to have given my two cents, and highly value those you've given me as well.
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Exceeded word count? Woot!
ReplyDeleteI've been writing morning pages by hand and, wow, I'm having a hard time writing for ten minutes straight. My hands cramp so quickly. Give me hunt and peck typing any day!
I see publishing options as, well, options. I started out when the only choice, aside from vanity presses, was traditional publishing. I'm inclined to try to sell my novels that way first. My first novel was published by a small press. The experience has been mixed. The second I submitted around and, knowing it's a hard sell, eventually decided to publish free in installments and might turn into an ebook in the near future. Otherwise, I'm looking for an agent, and submitting short stories. To me, that's the business. But that's not what everyone wants to do and that's cool. The industry is changing. It's an exciting time!
People who write longhand impress me so! Whenever I try that, I become impatient with how slowly my hand moves. But maybe, if I could learn to grit my teeth and bear getting used it, the slower speed would be good for me. Maybe I'd choose my words more thoughtfully; maybe the revisions process would be less involved. Things to ponder!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on exceeding your word count, Nadja! You're doing great! I can't wait for your title reveal. :)
You write LONGHAND??? Holy cow, lady. How do you do that with 5 kids???
ReplyDeleteThanks for the encouragement on that front, btw. I should be looking to my mom, I'm the oldest of eight. Maybe she'll have some good advice for me.
As for whether to indie publish or traditional publish, I've looked at the numbers myself. I think if you are new to the industry and you have quality work, there is nothing but benefit to going it on your own. Marketing sucks, but I've read SOOOO many firsthand horror stories of how those big guys treat midlist and newbie authors. If you're not a blockbuster, you're not worth time and effort. And if something bad happens, good luck getting them to rectify it in a timely fashion.
If something goes wrong with my book or the format gets messed up, I can fix it myself.
As for small press, yes, they will probably treat you better, but they can't get the same numbers that a biggie can get, and yet I haven't heard of ANY that are giving better royalty percentages.
Indie suits my personality, but every person has to decide what suits their own situation. Good luck finding your place!
Sorry to everyone whose comments are just....well....missing. I did get to read them before they disappeared! ~ Nadja
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