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You Might as Well Try and Capture the Moon

18/6/2018

2 Comments

 
Good morning, Readers!
Picture
This piece by deviantart.com user Scott-Kane is just absolutely beautiful. It's available as a print. Click the image to got to the artist's deviantart.com page to see more awesome stuff by them.
Publishing is hard, guys.

The odds are not stacked in your favour.  In fact, it's the exact opposite. Everything is against you.

There are so many blockades on the path to your dreams, and people on the outside looking in simply do not see them.  I have had so many conversations with new writers (or, at least, new to trying to get published writers) who are despondent or indignant about the fact that they haven't been snapped up by a publisher yet.  Part of it, for one person, is perhaps an overestimation of both their abilities and just how "easy" it's supposed to be.  They've bought into the weird propaganda that writing and getting published is easy.  That anyone can do it.  That it's a simple way to make bank.

While I would never discourage anyone from chasing their dreams, I feel obligated to smack people with a dose of reality.  Or several.  Publishing is not a game of skill.  Certainly, skill in the craft will get you further (though sometimes not. We've all read those books which makes up stop and wonder just how the exactly that drivel got published, but that's another story).  But that's barely even half the battle.  You have to get your work out there.

How you get out there is really up to you.  You can face the trials and uncertainty of submitting to the large gatekeepers; the big six (or is it five now? Four?), and the well-known magazines for you short stories.  But everyone is trying to get in.  Your work is up against a plethora of writers and their works, and a significant portion of those writers will be better than you, or have a fresher idea, or have some indescribable pull that will mean your work gets passed in favour of theirs.  This road leads to a lot of rejection and disappointment.

Until it doesn't.  And you score that coveted contract.

You could go the small press route, but that has a number of risks on top of the competition, and therefore possibility of rejection.  Many small presses do not last long.  They either overreach or can't sell, and the press collapses.  Often they're poorly run, and you end up in a fight to get the rights to your own damned work after this happens.  To be clear, that's not every small press.  I've been fortunate with Renaissance, for example.  I love working with them, too.  Then there is the issue of getting the public to pay attention to you.  Small presses generally do not have the budget, the expertise or the staff to market your book like crazy.  They won't be taking out ads on your behalf.  They will have a smaller list of resources, like bloggers willing to accept books for review.  Fewer award programmes will be willing to consider your books (even in awards that claim otherwise.  I've heard stories, people.  Stories).  Certainly, snobbish book reviewers of larger magazines and papers will be less interested in looking at your stuff.

This gets worse if you self-publish.  Sure, you won't face the rocky seas of submission and rejection, but you will have to spend an exhausting amount of time creating book covers, doing the editing, interior formatting, the registering of ISBNs, the selling and distributing.  If you are not savvy enough (waves furiously), then you will have to hire someone or a few people to do that for you.  All that time and expense spent on things other than writing.  And then, it's even harder to get noticed, reviewed, or considered for awards.

If that's not bad enough, no matter which route you take, there is absolutely no guarantee that your work will take with readers.  It is entirely possible that your book, despite all the hurdles it has jumped thus far, will fall at the last one.  No one reads your book.  If you're with a publisher, they will likely drop you, and you're back at square one.  If you're self-published, your dreams of being recognised will fall and shatter.

I'm not saying don't do it.  At all.  What I am saying, is you need to work.  Work on your craft, yes.  But also work hard to be seen.  Don't give up.  Don't get bitter.  Writing is not an easy thing to do, and doing it does not mean that all your hard work will be so much as glanced at by lady luck.  All that work, and it may never get seen.

That is the reality.

Not an especially thrilling one is it?  If this had you depressed, then consider this: for all the challenges, hurdles and blockades put in your path as you fight for your dream, imagine how so very sweet it will taste when your finally achieve it.

If you want to win at the publishing game, you just have to keep at it.  But be aware, there is a chance you might never win.

Do it anyway.

Right, that's all I wanted to say.  I'm off to edit a video, and get started on the next set of beta readings I have promised.  Then... Well, then, I get to start writing again.

Ciao!
2 Comments

Almost There...ish

14/6/2018

0 Comments

 
Good morning, Readers!
Picture
This beautiful piece is by deviantart.com user PhoenixtheParrot. Click the image to see more beautiful piece by the artist.
I'm almost done!  I'm almost caught up on all my video editing!  I can get back to reading and writing soon!

YAY!

Until then, things are very dull around here.  I'm doing nothing but video edits.  While I appreciate the break from the pretty heavy subject matter of my The Great Man series, I feel like my brain is starting to rot.  I need to get back to my literary pursuits.

This should happen next week, if I can just get these last two videos edited together by the end of this week.

I should really get onto that.

It may not happen today.

Also, I just want to sleep.  I'm blaming the cold, rainy weather.  It is my favourite weather, but only when I can snuggle up with kitties and tea and a good book.

Right, since I have nothing of note to say, I'll just leave you all alone and get on with... procrastinating, let's be honest.

​Ciao!
0 Comments

A Happy Accident

13/6/2018

0 Comments

 
Good morning, Readers!
Picture
This beautiful piece is by deviantart.com user Grimmla. Click the image to see more awesome stuff by them!
So, yesterday.  Yesterday, instead of editing together a highlight reel and being finally caught up there, I instead started mucking around in my drawing software, trying to figure out at least a bare-bones idea for a book cover.

It took me all day.  I painted stuff, rearranged free images, played with settings, bought the license to a spaceship image, mucked around with that, switched stuff around, switched it back, crashed my computer twice (it's old and can't handle the software very well)...

By the end of it, I had an image I kinda liked.  The more I looked at it, the more I liked it.  I sent it off to my publisher to get their opinion, and they liked it.

So... uh... It looks like we have a book cover for Skylark.  Quite by accident.

I'm not sure how I feel about it.  Looking at the book cover idea this morning with fresh eyes, I still like the image, but I can see every flaw, and I'm worried about the licensing of that spaceship because I don't know how any of this stuff really works...  I paid for it, I swear.

But, hey.  There is a book cover.

There will be a book cover reveal soon-ish, I guess, since we kinda have a book cover now.  By accident.

And the blurb is all written and stuff, so...

I guess that means that other than the last of the edits and the interior formatting, the book will be pretty much ready to publish this year.  Whether or not it'll actually be published this year is another matter, since it relies on the publishers schedule (and they're booked pretty full).

I will email them and request as much of a buffer as possible, so we can set up a pre-order thingy for those who want the book the minute it comes out.  That might be this year.

It is still likely to be next year.  If you're waiting with baited breath, please don't!

Okay, now I have to do the work I neglected to do yesterday.

​Ciao!
0 Comments

Yet More Video Editing

12/6/2018

0 Comments

 
Good morning, Readers!
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This made me snort my coffee this morning, and I HAD to share it! It's by Cryptid-Creations on deviantart.com. Click the image to see more awesomeness by the artist.
I still am no closer to a book cover, but I am getting an idea.  I will be playing around with it for a bit to see if it's an idea that works.

As of right now, however, I have three more videos to edit together, and then I'm all caught up.

Due to having nothing to report, I'll be leaving my Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice highlight videos here for you to waste your time with.  This game terrified me, enthralled me, and made me cry a solid twenty minutes after it ended.  Also, the combat system was the best I've played yet.
Okay, now I'm going to start editing together the Rise of the Tomb Raider highlights.

​Ciao!
0 Comments

A New Struggle

11/6/2018

0 Comments

 
Good morning, Readers!
Picture
This gorgeous image is by deviantart.com user QAuZ. Click the image to see more awesome stuff by the artist.
Things with Skylark are moving so much faster than I could have imagined.  This weekend, I talked to my publisher about book covers.

At the suggestion of the incomparable Cait Gordon, the first draft cover was simply the painting of Commander Skye that I had done, with a great title.

It's alright.  It'll do in a pinch.  It's not great.  It's not what I want (the font of the title, however, is bloody spot on).

The problem is, though, that I have no idea what I actually want to cover to be.  It was so damned clear with Daughters of Britain.  That's not the case here.  I just don't know.  It's resulted in a fairly sleepless night as I tried to come up with ideas.  I went to the gym this morning, and was slower than normal, because I was trying so hard to come up with ideas.

I've got nothing.  I do have a few suggestions, some sketches from my friend PY, who read the manuscript and helped me gain faith in it again, but nothing even remotely approaching what I consider to be a solid design idea for my book cover.

I had intended to start writing once I was all caught up on my editing of highlight videos from my weekly live streams.

There goes that idea.

Instead, I'll be playing around with ideas for book covers and seeing if I can't strike on something that appeals to both myself and my publisher.  I really hope it's not a long, hard process.  It was so damned easy with the last one.

And now I'm pissed off, because this feels like it's going to be a struggle.

Grrrr.

But on that note, I have a highlight reel to edit together.

Ciao!
0 Comments

Go. Vote.

7/6/2018

0 Comments

 
Good morning, Readers!
Picture
This piece is by deviantart.com user AntonKurbatov. Click the link to see more stuff by the artist (and a like to buy him a coffee if you enjoy his work).
This is a message for everybody for always, but specifically for people in Ontario today:
GO VOTE
This has been a PSA. You may now return to your regularly scheduled programming.

No, but seriously, Ontario.

We have a Trump clone with absolutely no platform vying to become our next premier and people are voting for this clown.  You need to get up and do something most of you have never done before.  And that's go vote.  Particularly you, young people.  We are a substantial number now, and if we all vote, we can change things up.

So do it.  Go vote.

​Thank you.
0 Comments

All Peopled Out

6/6/2018

0 Comments

 
Good morning, Readers!
Picture
This gorgeous piece is by deviantart.com user Grobelski. I selected it because of the horse, who reminds me of one I've written. I'll not leave any spoilers here. Those who've read it will know. Click the image to see more amazing pieces (and they are spectacular) by the artist.
I have done a lot of peopling this past week and a bit, and I'm all tuckered out.

Don't get me wrong, they've all been fun, and the people have been fantastic.  I really enjoy my various circles of friends, and the activities I participate in with them, I just need a lot of quiet and solitude, and I haven't really been getting that much of late.  It does put a strain on my nerves, and I tend to get exhausted and crotchety.  Luckily, I'm only at the exhausted part, but with another full weekend ahead of me, I think I'm going to scream.

I might have to take Monday off and just sleep the day away.

If any introverts have any solid advice on surviving a schedule that is a little too full, I'd be thrilled to hear it.  Drop me a comment or three, because I'm staring at my calendar wanting to cry.

​Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a book to finish reading and four movies to watch.  But first, video editing!

Ciao!
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    S.M. Carrière, a Celtic Studies enthusiast, writes fiction.  And this blog.

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