Things that make you go "WOW"

A Los Angeles article surprised me http://graphics.latimes.com/finding-marlowe/ That states that Raymond Chandler and Dashel Hammet's Characters Sam Spade and Philip Marlow are based on an African American Private Investigator Samuel Marlow. The article shows the letters between the writers and the PI.


I just love stories like this. Glimpses behind the writing process. I love both of these authors and have been influenced by them. So basically a black Jamaican born Private Detective from the 30's is influencing my writing today.

Lessons Learned

In the Coast Guard, every time we did anything, drill, operation, Search and Rescue case. We would usually do a lessons learned debrief afterword. We'd sit around afterwards and talked about what went right and what went wrong. What we could do better next time and what we learned that we could teach others that might find themselves in the same situation.

Three Months ago I started down the Self-Publishing path. I figure it is time to do a lessons learned debrief.

1. Format the book in Smashwords. Follow their guide. This will fix all problems and make the file usable in other places. The first one took 4 hours. The second one 15 minutes.
2. Use the Smashwords file to create the Amazon file. Remove the Smashwords edition information. Convert to fully justified margins. Publish.
3. Use 6 points after paragraphs for create space. It looks better. Be careful of the gutter, mirror margins, etc.
4. When creating your cover for Create Space. Make sure there is no text near the edge. It will bleed over and won't be allowed in the print version.
5. Use free short stories to advertise your books. Put the first three chapters of your major work at the end of the short stories.
6. I make more money with Kindle Select and Kindle Unlimited than I do with full distribution through all the other sites. This might change later but for now all of my books are going into KDP select.
7. Follow Writer's Cafe on the Kindle Boards. You will learn a lot of inside knowledge that would take forever to learn on your own.
8. Make sure your books are listed in Goodreads. This community can influence others.
9. Have multiple books in the same genre available for readers. I have numerous reviews from the same reader.
10. Make sure your book is proofread. The readers will let you know if it isn't and hold it against you
11. Covers and blurbs are critical. A cover will get them to read the blurb. The blurb will get them to read the book.
12. If you don't publish you can't sell. Get off your butt and get your work out there.
13. It takes the royalties of six $.99 books to equal the royalties of one $2.99 book. Take that into consideration when pricing your book.
14. Stop following your sales chart every hour. Turn the TV off, Turn the internet off. Write. When you are done, write some more.

That is all for now. I will try and do another update three months from now.

 I have posted my short story "First" up at Amazon. It is a Science Fiction story that explores Man's first trip to the stars. Let me know what you think.

Prom Date Free

My book Prom Date is being given away for free on Amazon on 15 Oct. Prom Date

Nothing So Quiet FREE

I've put Nothing So Quiet onto Amazon for Free. It can be downloaded at


http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MG590VC

Joe Konrath's post about publishing.

Joe Konrath has and excellent post about he Amazon and Hatchett battle. Konrath As always he gets to the heart of the matter. Mr. Konrath reminds me of a Terrier after a rat. You know it's not fair, but it is so interesting to watch.




I add the comment below to his post.


 G.L. Snodgrass said...

Question. How many Scriptoriums are left. That is what is going to happen to the publishers. Guttenberg's Press wasn't revolutionary because it created more readers. It was revolutionary because it created more authors. Authors that could bypass the powerful church and speak directly to the reader. The number of books increased and prices decreased. Amazon has changed the supply and demand curve. Whenever that happens, the old ways of doing business die.

Indies Unlimited

The web site Indies Unlimited is hosting a Print Book pampalmousse with a list of indie print books on sale. I have included my Certain Rules.


Here is the site


http://www.indiesunlimited.com/2014/09/21/print-book-pamplemousse/