Ria Stone
SWF Writers
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Joined: Oct 30, 2013 14:12:26 GMT -8
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Post by Ria Stone on Nov 18, 2017 21:09:38 GMT -8
As I work on two articles, the advice from several known authors comes to mind. In essence they say -- Write everyday. Write what comes to mind. You can cut later. – Walter Mosley www.indiebound.org/book/9780316065498
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chelsfield
SWF Writers
Posts: 700
Joined: Mar 28, 2012 3:07:24 GMT -8
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Post by chelsfield on Nov 19, 2017 0:04:14 GMT -8
As I work on two articles, the advice from several known authors comes to mind. In essence they say -- Write everyday. Write what comes to mind. You can cut later. – Walter Mosley www.indiebound.org/book/9780316065498It's great advice. A part of writing is the skill of it, and skills need practice. You also need to know how to use the tools that are a part of that practice. Not everyone likes to hear it, but grammar is a tool, spelling. Then there are things like character development, dialogue, plotting... Not as easy as it sounds...
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Ria Stone
SWF Writers
Posts: 1,055
Joined: Oct 30, 2013 14:12:26 GMT -8
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Post by Ria Stone on Nov 19, 2017 6:47:56 GMT -8
As I work on two articles, the advice from several known authors comes to mind. In essence they say -- Write everyday. Write what comes to mind. You can cut later. – Walter Mosley www.indiebound.org/book/9780316065498It's great advice. A part of writing is the skill of it, and skills need practice. You also need to know how to use the tools that are a part of that practice. Not everyone likes to hear it, but grammar is a tool, spelling. Then there are things like character development, dialogue, plotting... Not as easy as it sounds... Chelsfield, I like your description of grammar as a tool. I think that is a better way to present the concept.
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chelsfield
SWF Writers
Posts: 700
Joined: Mar 28, 2012 3:07:24 GMT -8
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Post by chelsfield on Nov 19, 2017 23:54:29 GMT -8
I think it is the only way to think of it. You may be a virtuoso violin player, but if you don't know how to use a bow, one of the tools, it's not going to make much difference. Of course, you can say "I can always get a proofreader," but what if you want to convey things like class, origin through grammar? You have to at least have an understanding of basic grammar..
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Post by djmills on Nov 20, 2017 20:17:16 GMT -8
I say "write every day if you have time". I personally write Monday to Friday (when I don't have something urgent to do). It could be 2 hours in one sitting, or 3 lots of 30 minutes chunks between other life events (like full time job, etc), or one hour in the morning, and 2 hours at night. Set your routine and stick to it. Sit in front of the computer and write, even if you don't want or feel like it. I read over the last scene or last few pages to get my writing voice back, then write the next sentence. And the next sentence. I try to get each scene correct the first time I write, rather than ramble then cut the excess sentences later. That is practice but not efficient use of time. :-)
Use every tool you can to give readers a better reading experience. That is a given. :-)
Motivation: When sales are low, or I just think they could be better, I get motivated by updating my Return on Investment (ROI) spreadsheet.
Thank about it. I work x hours to produce a book which I calculate at $20.00 per hour, add in expense for cover and layout and make that the $ investment (cost to produce the book). I total the sales each month and calculate the ROI. eg: 1.2% return the first year can grow to 40% ROI over a few years.
See: I get 1.5 - 2% interest on my bank account at the moment if I keep money in the account. But all I put in to producing a book was time (that I valued) and the sales are the income off that time (pretend interest). I can keep selling for 50 years after I die. Good income. :-) You could value your time at $10.00 per hour. If you take 10 hours of writing time, pay $20.00 for an image, and 1 hour to make the cover, and another hour to upload to different distributors, you would have $100 + $20.00 + $10 + $10 = $140 to produce and publish the story. So, to break even (earn back your time used) sell it at $2.99 and you would only need around 70 sales to cover all your time. Any sales after that are pure profit. :-) I like to see where each story is each month. That is motivating. Write more stories in the genres with the best return (sales).
I am studying different areas of storytelling to improve so that I can see 10% ROI over time on all my future stories. :-)
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chelsfield
SWF Writers
Posts: 700
Joined: Mar 28, 2012 3:07:24 GMT -8
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Post by chelsfield on Nov 21, 2017 0:40:02 GMT -8
I envy your discipline!
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Ria Stone
SWF Writers
Posts: 1,055
Joined: Oct 30, 2013 14:12:26 GMT -8
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Post by Ria Stone on Nov 21, 2017 3:03:12 GMT -8
I say "write every day if you have time". I personally write Monday to Friday (when I don't have something urgent to do). It could be 2 hours in one sitting, or 3 lots of 30 minutes chunks between other life events (like full time job, etc), or one hour in the morning, and 2 hours at night. Set your routine and stick to it. Sit in front of the computer and write, even if you don't want or feel like it. I read over the last scene or last few pages to get my writing voice back, then write the next sentence. And the next sentence. I try to get each scene correct the first time I write, rather than ramble then cut the excess sentences later. That is practice but not efficient use of time. :-) Use every tool you can to give readers a better reading experience. That is a given. :-) Motivation: When sales are low, or I just think they could be better, I get motivated by updating my Return on Investment (ROI) spreadsheet. Thank about it. I work x hours to produce a book which I calculate at $20.00 per hour, add in expense for cover and layout and make that the $ investment (cost to produce the book). I total the sales each month and calculate the ROI. eg: 1.2% return the first year can grow to 40% ROI over a few years. See: I get 1.5 - 2% interest on my bank account at the moment if I keep money in the account. But all I put in to producing a book was time (that I valued) and the sales are the income off that time (pretend interest). I can keep selling for 50 years after I die. Good income. :-) You could value your time at $10.00 per hour. If you take 10 hours of writing time, pay $20.00 for an image, and 1 hour to make the cover, and another hour to upload to different distributors, you would have $100 + $20.00 + $10 + $10 = $140 to produce and publish the story. So, to break even (earn back your time used) sell it at $2.99 and you would only need around 70 sales to cover all your time. Any sales after that are pure profit. :-) I like to see where each story is each month. That is motivating. Write more stories in the genres with the best return (sales). I am studying different areas of storytelling to improve so that I can see 10% ROI over time on all my future stories. :-) My life has never lent itself to routine. Even in retirement, my life is full of surprises. But, at least, I have more opportunity to write. I tend to keep a notebook with me, so I can write while I wait in the doctor's office or when I get coffee, etc. Your description of how to calculate your time is interesting, reminds me of Amy Dacyczyn's Tightwad Gazette, she does something similar regarding her methods for saving money. I can tell by your blog you have found your niche and are wise in creating a series to build upon. Whereas I am all over the map. While I have always had writing tasks as part of my jobs, there is so much more to learn when you are trying to write fiction, essays or non-fiction, etc. I have more ideas than time. I had a completely different goal when I wrote Gina's Dream, which is an environmental manifesto disguised as a sci-fi/rom. I just want to the book to get into as many hands as possible. I have no illusions about my writing. I write to explore ideas, to experiment with words and structure, to practice or to learn better ways of communicating, to understand human nature and more. In my stockpile of unpublished works, I even have a comedy cooking show and I can't cook. I am glad your sales are meeting your expectations, I hope the trend continues.
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