I was checking the CreateSpace royalty report for the paperback version of my novel this morning, and found that a copy has now been sold in the US.
I've gone global!
Showing posts with label PersonalExperience. Show all posts
Showing posts with label PersonalExperience. Show all posts
Tuesday, 28 November 2017
Thursday, 16 November 2017
KDP Reports
Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) reports make interesting reading.
The first report lists the number of e-books sold along with the date they were downloaded. From this I can determine whether a promotion has generated sales or not, and see if sales increased around the time of a particular tweet, Facebook or blog post.
The second report is labelled 'Kindle Edition Normalized Pages (KENP) Read from KU and KOLL'. It appears because the e-book is available to download through Kindle Unlimited and the Kindle Owners Lending Library. E-book royalties are payable for each page read, at the time they are read, but only on the first time of reading. This is an interesting report as it shows how many pages have been read and the days on which they were read.
Beneath this is a table showing royalties earned, and under this is a link to download the full report. As expected, the report details all the above information. More interestingly, there is a tab labelled 'KENP Read' which breaks down how many pages were read on each day, and in which country! It was only when I clicked on this tab that I discovered Orchard View is being read by a reader in Spain.
Does that make me an international author?
The first report lists the number of e-books sold along with the date they were downloaded. From this I can determine whether a promotion has generated sales or not, and see if sales increased around the time of a particular tweet, Facebook or blog post.
The second report is labelled 'Kindle Edition Normalized Pages (KENP) Read from KU and KOLL'. It appears because the e-book is available to download through Kindle Unlimited and the Kindle Owners Lending Library. E-book royalties are payable for each page read, at the time they are read, but only on the first time of reading. This is an interesting report as it shows how many pages have been read and the days on which they were read.
Beneath this is a table showing royalties earned, and under this is a link to download the full report. As expected, the report details all the above information. More interestingly, there is a tab labelled 'KENP Read' which breaks down how many pages were read on each day, and in which country! It was only when I clicked on this tab that I discovered Orchard View is being read by a reader in Spain.
Does that make me an international author?
Friday, 3 November 2017
Another learning experience Part II
Well, of course it is not straightforward...
I have paid DHL the £17.00 requested to have the parcel delivered and it was delivered the next day.
Today I thought I'd reclaim the overpayment. I started to fill in the BOR286 and noticed that at the top it says it is for Royal Mail and Parcelforce deliveries only.
So back to HMRC and their web chat. Again, it took only a few minutes to connect to an adviser and this time I was directed to Postal Form C285.
It appeared to be an online form so I started to fill it in. On page 2 of the form, I find that information HMRC needs is not on the waybill I have from DHL. So the only thing to do is contact DHL. The phone number on the waybill is 08442 09 01 02. It rings and a voice says 'The number you require has changed...' and reels off the new number and tells me I have not been charged for this call. I call the new number and and get the information I need read over the phone.
It is not until I reach the page where I am asked how much the overpayment is, that it tells me that they do not refund fees charged by the agent. I am now beginning to wonder if it worthwhile continuing as I am only going to get £6.85 back.
I called DHL again to find out if I can claim back the advance payment of £10.15 as I was not liable to pay the VAT on the parcel. The answer is no, but the operator gave me an email address to write to. I will email DHL because the payment was not due.
Back to the form. I have completed it and find it has to be printed and sent by post with supporting evidence to HMRC. A bit more expense! I expect a lot of people give up trying to get a refund at this point, because it is taking a lot of time and energy asking for such a small amount to be refunded.
This could happen to me every time I order copies from CreateSpace, so perhaps I should think about using a UK-based printer in future.
I have paid DHL the £17.00 requested to have the parcel delivered and it was delivered the next day.
Today I thought I'd reclaim the overpayment. I started to fill in the BOR286 and noticed that at the top it says it is for Royal Mail and Parcelforce deliveries only.
So back to HMRC and their web chat. Again, it took only a few minutes to connect to an adviser and this time I was directed to Postal Form C285.
It appeared to be an online form so I started to fill it in. On page 2 of the form, I find that information HMRC needs is not on the waybill I have from DHL. So the only thing to do is contact DHL. The phone number on the waybill is 08442 09 01 02. It rings and a voice says 'The number you require has changed...' and reels off the new number and tells me I have not been charged for this call. I call the new number and and get the information I need read over the phone.
It is not until I reach the page where I am asked how much the overpayment is, that it tells me that they do not refund fees charged by the agent. I am now beginning to wonder if it worthwhile continuing as I am only going to get £6.85 back.
I called DHL again to find out if I can claim back the advance payment of £10.15 as I was not liable to pay the VAT on the parcel. The answer is no, but the operator gave me an email address to write to. I will email DHL because the payment was not due.
Back to the form. I have completed it and find it has to be printed and sent by post with supporting evidence to HMRC. A bit more expense! I expect a lot of people give up trying to get a refund at this point, because it is taking a lot of time and energy asking for such a small amount to be refunded.
This could happen to me every time I order copies from CreateSpace, so perhaps I should think about using a UK-based printer in future.
Tuesday, 31 October 2017
Another learning experience!
The DHL courier has just tried to deliver a parcel containing copies of my book printed by CreateSpace in the US. Somehow this parcel has attracted VAT which DHL have kindly paid on my behalf and then added a fee for doing so. I am now required to pay £17.00 before DHL will give me the parcel.
The courier told me that people usually pay this and then claim it back from Amazon...
Not quite correct. I did some research and contacted HMRC on their web chat facility. It took me only 5 minutes to connect with an adviser who quickly dealt with my query.
Books are regarded as printed matter and are zero-rated. A full definition is found on the HMRC website.
I need to pay the £17.00 to DHL to get the parcel, and then claim that amount back from HMRC.
There is a form - BOR286 - Customs Duty and/or import VAT relating to imports by post - to complete and return to HMRC and that is Downloadable from their website.
It all sounds very straightforward...
The courier told me that people usually pay this and then claim it back from Amazon...
Not quite correct. I did some research and contacted HMRC on their web chat facility. It took me only 5 minutes to connect with an adviser who quickly dealt with my query.
I need to pay the £17.00 to DHL to get the parcel, and then claim that amount back from HMRC.
There is a form - BOR286 - Customs Duty and/or import VAT relating to imports by post - to complete and return to HMRC and that is Downloadable from their website.
It all sounds very straightforward...
Monday, 23 October 2017
Royalties!
On Friday I was notified by Amazon that they have initiated two separate payments in respect of royalties. One is for 9.05 Euros (5 paperbacks) and the other is for £1.55 (1 paperback) and covers all sales made in September.
All the sales we made in the UK, but the currency the royalties are paid in, depends on the country in which the book was printed. Those printed in Great Britain will be paid in Sterling and those printed in Continental Europe are paid in Euros.
It will be interesting to see what sum actually arrives in my bank account!
UPDATE 1st November.
I have just checked my bank account and found two credits. One for £1.55 and one for £8.01. It seems I have earned 5p more per book on those printed in the EU this time!
All the sales we made in the UK, but the currency the royalties are paid in, depends on the country in which the book was printed. Those printed in Great Britain will be paid in Sterling and those printed in Continental Europe are paid in Euros.
It will be interesting to see what sum actually arrives in my bank account!
UPDATE 1st November.
I have just checked my bank account and found two credits. One for £1.55 and one for £8.01. It seems I have earned 5p more per book on those printed in the EU this time!
Thursday, 19 October 2017
My first review is in!
Well, my first review on Amazon is in! Thank you Loveabargain for your encouraging words.
I do indeed have the bones of another story that I want to write, and am doing some research before I get too carried away and find the plot is totally implausible.
From concept to creation, I have learned a lot about writing and self-publishing, although I have probably only really scratched the surface there. There are a few things I will do differently with the next story, such as having a more detailed plan and timeline before I start writing. I spent too much time writing the story, then checking the facts I was giving tallied with those I'd given earlier, and there were a couple of times when they didn't! Had my timeline been more detailed at the start, I could have avoided that pitfall... perhaps?
I do indeed have the bones of another story that I want to write, and am doing some research before I get too carried away and find the plot is totally implausible.
From concept to creation, I have learned a lot about writing and self-publishing, although I have probably only really scratched the surface there. There are a few things I will do differently with the next story, such as having a more detailed plan and timeline before I start writing. I spent too much time writing the story, then checking the facts I was giving tallied with those I'd given earlier, and there were a couple of times when they didn't! Had my timeline been more detailed at the start, I could have avoided that pitfall... perhaps?
Tuesday, 17 October 2017
Marketing update
I allowed my book to be made available through bookstores and online retailers to reach the widest possible audience. I noticed the other day that Barnes and Noble are offering it for sale in the US at the same price as Amazon.com and that a number of resellers have picked it up and are offering it at varying prices. Interesting...
Today I Googled "Orchard View Deborah Miles" and was pleased to see that top of the search engine results page was my book on the Goodreads.com website. Further down the list was my last Google Plus entry, my Twitter feed, and the final entry on this results page was the link to buy the book on Amazon.co.uk.
Out of curiosity I looked at page 2 of the results and was rather surprised. There was an entry in Japanese, linking to https://www.kinokuniya.co.jp where they are advertising my large print book at US$14.50. I know it is available in Australia and Europe through the relevant Amazon site but I was not expecting that! I will have to have another look next month to see where else in the world it is being sold.
Today I Googled "Orchard View Deborah Miles" and was pleased to see that top of the search engine results page was my book on the Goodreads.com website. Further down the list was my last Google Plus entry, my Twitter feed, and the final entry on this results page was the link to buy the book on Amazon.co.uk.
Out of curiosity I looked at page 2 of the results and was rather surprised. There was an entry in Japanese, linking to https://www.kinokuniya.co.jp where they are advertising my large print book at US$14.50. I know it is available in Australia and Europe through the relevant Amazon site but I was not expecting that! I will have to have another look next month to see where else in the world it is being sold.
Saturday, 9 September 2017
Reading the Proof
Having read through the proof I was shocked to find so many errors as it looked perfect on screen. The formatting errors stand out better in the printed medium than on screen and I've managed to confuse the rules for writing numbers in fiction. Sometimes I have written 'he took 2 tablets' and at others I have used 'he took two tablets'. I have done a bit of research and discovered that generally, numbers 0-100 are spelled out and anything over 100 is written in numerals. But there are of course exceptions...
Today has been spent reading the printed version and making corrections, which I'm happy to report is now done. The next step is to redesign the book cover to include my new logo.
Today has been spent reading the printed version and making corrections, which I'm happy to report is now done. The next step is to redesign the book cover to include my new logo.
I am learning a lot about writing and self-publishing and I have to say that it's been very interesting and enjoyable. And of course, I am another step closer to calling myself an author and publisher!
Sunday, 20 August 2017
Uploading my Novel to Createspace
It is reasonably straightforward to upload a file, create a cover and submit it for review. However, I ran into difficulties when my browser did not let me see the whole page and so cut off the buttons I needed to click to save my work fully.
Here I am writing some steps to remind me, for the next time.
Log into your Createspace account and on Member Dashboard, either use the Add New Title button to create a new project or click the project name in the list under My Projects:
That takes you to the project homepage where you will be able to see which steps you have completed and what needs to be done.
Start by clicking the link to the Title Information page.
1 Title
On this page all that is required is the title, author name and language.
Work through each step:
Click Save and Continue to move to the next page where you will create an ISBN.
Remember to use the Save or Save and Continue buttons at the bottom of the page as you work through the screens to avoid losing your input.
2 ISBN
There are several options.
The free option is to use an ISBN from Createspace. Once it has been created, it is locked and cannot be changed.
3 Interior
This section asks you to specify how the book will look. You can choose black & white or colour print on white or cream paper. You must also give the size of your book. You can change you mind about any of the details here at any time before the project is completed.
You also upload your file or choose to buy Createspace services on this page.
When you have sucessfully uploaded your file, you will be presented with this screen:
You must now click the Launch Interior Reviewer to complete the process.
If there are any errors, the reviewer will let you know. You should still look through the pages in the viewer to see how it will look when published.
When you are happy, at the bottom of the page there is a Save & Confirm button. Click this to conform and complete the process.
Please note that on my first project I was unable to see this button using the Chrome browser. I had to close the bookmarks bar to make the screen area large enough to see it.
4 Cover
You can either create your own cover and upload the file, use their paid-for professional services or use their online design option - this is free and quite easy to use.
I opted to use the online cover design tool:
Launch the Cover Creator and work through the individual tabs. When all 9 tasks are completed, it will allow you to Save the cover by using the Submit Cover button. (This appears underneath the cover image and not visible in this screenshot)
That takes you to this page where you click the Complete Cover button to save your work:
The final step is to complete set up.
On this page you click the Submit Files For Review button.
There are a number of helpful videos and blog posts to guide users through the process. Just search for 'Createspace upload book'.
Here I am writing some steps to remind me, for the next time.
Log into your Createspace account and on Member Dashboard, either use the Add New Title button to create a new project or click the project name in the list under My Projects:
That takes you to the project homepage where you will be able to see which steps you have completed and what needs to be done.
Start by clicking the link to the Title Information page.
1 Title
On this page all that is required is the title, author name and language.
Work through each step:
Click Save and Continue to move to the next page where you will create an ISBN.
Remember to use the Save or Save and Continue buttons at the bottom of the page as you work through the screens to avoid losing your input.
2 ISBN
There are several options.
The free option is to use an ISBN from Createspace. Once it has been created, it is locked and cannot be changed.
3 Interior
This section asks you to specify how the book will look. You can choose black & white or colour print on white or cream paper. You must also give the size of your book. You can change you mind about any of the details here at any time before the project is completed.
You also upload your file or choose to buy Createspace services on this page.
When you have sucessfully uploaded your file, you will be presented with this screen:
You must now click the Launch Interior Reviewer to complete the process.
If there are any errors, the reviewer will let you know. You should still look through the pages in the viewer to see how it will look when published.
When you are happy, at the bottom of the page there is a Save & Confirm button. Click this to conform and complete the process.
Please note that on my first project I was unable to see this button using the Chrome browser. I had to close the bookmarks bar to make the screen area large enough to see it.
4 Cover
You can either create your own cover and upload the file, use their paid-for professional services or use their online design option - this is free and quite easy to use.
I opted to use the online cover design tool:
Launch the Cover Creator and work through the individual tabs. When all 9 tasks are completed, it will allow you to Save the cover by using the Submit Cover button. (This appears underneath the cover image and not visible in this screenshot)
That takes you to this page where you click the Complete Cover button to save your work:
The final step is to complete set up.
On this page you click the Submit Files For Review button.
There are a number of helpful videos and blog posts to guide users through the process. Just search for 'Createspace upload book'.
Sunday, 13 August 2017
Onto the next problem
OK, I have solved the template issue - more by luck than judgement. I found several helpful web pages that explained how to use headers and footers, page settings and styles and used this new knowledge to work on the template successfully.
So having sorted that out, I was ready to upload the finished manuscript to Createspace. It was all going too well... always a bad sign.... when the information for the interior and the cover would not save fully. No matter what I did, I kept getting the 'Action needed' message. Look as I may, I could see nothing that needed attention.
I found some more helpful web pages on the subject and watched a Createspace video on Youtube which helped to solve it.
When working in the Interior Reviewer, my browser does not show the entire page and I was unable to see the button I needed to save the project completely. I had to turn off my bookmarks bar to make the tip of the Save and Continue button visible on screen. On clicking that, everything saved as it should and I was able to move on.
I will be making some notes on the process later, as I bet I'm not the only one who had this trouble.
So having sorted that out, I was ready to upload the finished manuscript to Createspace. It was all going too well... always a bad sign.... when the information for the interior and the cover would not save fully. No matter what I did, I kept getting the 'Action needed' message. Look as I may, I could see nothing that needed attention.
I found some more helpful web pages on the subject and watched a Createspace video on Youtube which helped to solve it.
When working in the Interior Reviewer, my browser does not show the entire page and I was unable to see the button I needed to save the project completely. I had to turn off my bookmarks bar to make the tip of the Save and Continue button visible on screen. On clicking that, everything saved as it should and I was able to move on.
I will be making some notes on the process later, as I bet I'm not the only one who had this trouble.
Thursday, 10 August 2017
Nothing is straightforward
Well, I thought I was almost home and dry... but I'm not. I have been beaten by the Word template I downloaded from Createspace.
OK, it is set to check text in US English. I changed it to UK English. It can magically revert back to US English without me doing anything... HOW?
It starts some text at the top of a page and some in the middle. I have tried to delete pages but that doesn't work.
And don't get me started on formatting & styles!
I have spent many hours Googling why it behaves like this and have found lots of instructive pages telling me how to resolve these issues.
Basically the answer is that I don't know how to use Word properly. I've never had to use all the facilities it offers, so using someone else's template, who does know what they're doing, is proving tricky :)
I uploaded a draft to CreateSpace the other day and found two whole blank pages added. I can't tell if it is because CreateSpace insists on white space at particular points or whether it is something my formatted template is causing.
I have had a bit of trouble with the book cover as well, but hey, it's all a learning curve.
OK, it is set to check text in US English. I changed it to UK English. It can magically revert back to US English without me doing anything... HOW?
It starts some text at the top of a page and some in the middle. I have tried to delete pages but that doesn't work.
And don't get me started on formatting & styles!
I have spent many hours Googling why it behaves like this and have found lots of instructive pages telling me how to resolve these issues.
Basically the answer is that I don't know how to use Word properly. I've never had to use all the facilities it offers, so using someone else's template, who does know what they're doing, is proving tricky :)
I uploaded a draft to CreateSpace the other day and found two whole blank pages added. I can't tell if it is because CreateSpace insists on white space at particular points or whether it is something my formatted template is causing.
I have had a bit of trouble with the book cover as well, but hey, it's all a learning curve.
Monday, 7 August 2017
It's all beginning to feel very real now...
I have transferred the final draft into the book template that I downloaded from Createspace, and have added acknowledgements, a dedication and copyright notices. Suddenly, it looks like an actual book.
I am about to generate an ISBN number for my book and trying to work out how to design a cover. It will then need proof reading.
After that comes the pricing and marketing bit.
All very daunting but exciting.
I am about to generate an ISBN number for my book and trying to work out how to design a cover. It will then need proof reading.
After that comes the pricing and marketing bit.
All very daunting but exciting.
Thursday, 3 August 2017
The 3rd Draft
2 weeks ago I was faced with rewriting my ending following helpful feedback from one of my reviewers. I have since heard from 4 more; one did not think there was a hook in the first couple of chapters so has not read any further; two thought it worked well as it was; and the fourth said the writing was of the same quality as published authors on her bookshelf.
So it looks like the story appeals to some. What do I need to do to make it better?
I was told that I had a plausibility issue in the first draft, and it was suggested that I frighten a character into having a heart attack rather than using my chosen method to bring it about. The only way I felt I could do this was for one character to threaten the other in such a vile manner that it would cause a heart attack. I dreamed up a way of doing this and happily wrote it down, tying it up with the existing story-line quite nicely.
The following day, as I was reading it back, I decided that the threat I had used would cause me to react quite differently, so I scrapped the second version and rewrote the whole thing.
I then tried to work on another piece of advice received, but did not think I could write something interesting and entertaining about the characters' feelings for an inanimate object... so I brought the object to life, gave 'her' a gender and a voice. I think it works well and that the third draft is the best to date. One reviewer, so far, thinks V3 works well. Let's see what the others think.
Oh! I bumped into another friend online today, who has also agreed to review it.
So, now to work on the book layout, while I wait for a few more of my wonderful team of unpaid readers to tell me if this version works better than the last. It should do... there's an additional murder to add to the tally!
So it looks like the story appeals to some. What do I need to do to make it better?
I was told that I had a plausibility issue in the first draft, and it was suggested that I frighten a character into having a heart attack rather than using my chosen method to bring it about. The only way I felt I could do this was for one character to threaten the other in such a vile manner that it would cause a heart attack. I dreamed up a way of doing this and happily wrote it down, tying it up with the existing story-line quite nicely.
The following day, as I was reading it back, I decided that the threat I had used would cause me to react quite differently, so I scrapped the second version and rewrote the whole thing.
I then tried to work on another piece of advice received, but did not think I could write something interesting and entertaining about the characters' feelings for an inanimate object... so I brought the object to life, gave 'her' a gender and a voice. I think it works well and that the third draft is the best to date. One reviewer, so far, thinks V3 works well. Let's see what the others think.
Oh! I bumped into another friend online today, who has also agreed to review it.
So, now to work on the book layout, while I wait for a few more of my wonderful team of unpaid readers to tell me if this version works better than the last. It should do... there's an additional murder to add to the tally!
Saturday, 22 July 2017
First review received
My first review is back already. They do say ask a busy person... and I did!
The reviewer had some good things to say about it, and made some helpful suggestions, but like me, she felt the ending wasn't right. After our chat I realise that I need to rethink how I kill one of my characters. The reviewer's certainly given me some food for thought.
My problem is that I have found it difficult to stand outside of the story and look at it like a reader. It is very much my baby and I'm naturally protective of it. I did read somewhere that as writers, we should not insist on keeping everything we write in a story, as sometimes it doesn't help the story. I have previously ditched a whole chapter because it wasn't taking the story where I wanted it to go, but now I need to rethink the ending because it's not as strong as the rest of the work.
I will now sit and think about what I can do with the characters to bring it to a stronger close.
The reviewer had some good things to say about it, and made some helpful suggestions, but like me, she felt the ending wasn't right. After our chat I realise that I need to rethink how I kill one of my characters. The reviewer's certainly given me some food for thought.
My problem is that I have found it difficult to stand outside of the story and look at it like a reader. It is very much my baby and I'm naturally protective of it. I did read somewhere that as writers, we should not insist on keeping everything we write in a story, as sometimes it doesn't help the story. I have previously ditched a whole chapter because it wasn't taking the story where I wanted it to go, but now I need to rethink the ending because it's not as strong as the rest of the work.
I will now sit and think about what I can do with the characters to bring it to a stronger close.
Friday, 21 July 2017
Finished my first full draft!
Well, that's it. I have finished my novel and have asked a few people to offer constructive criticism on it. I am having a crisis of confidence, thinking it is not 'good enough', but I have done the best that I can and await their comments.
I know exactly what it is that is making me doubt myself concerning the story-line. I have a character going unpunished and I don't like that. But then, it would be less true-to-life if everyone got what they deserved.
I know exactly what it is that is making me doubt myself concerning the story-line. I have a character going unpunished and I don't like that. But then, it would be less true-to-life if everyone got what they deserved.
Thursday, 20 July 2017
All the right words but not necessarily in the right order!
Well, I've done it... or done something. I have a piece of virtual paper with lots of words typed on it, which I hope brings my story to its close.
I am going to go through it today and tomorrow to make sure all the subplots have been concluded to my satisfaction, and then it can be added to the main draft, ready for my already overworked husband to proof-read.
It is most definitely not the story I thought I would write when I started out, back in February of this year. The basic plot has evolved over time, with the addition of sub plots, which I think makes it more credible as a piece of fiction. Life is not a straight line - certainly mine isn't! Events impact all the time - sometimes barely noticeably, and sometimes they become the focus of attention. I hope my story reflects this adequately.
I am going to go through it today and tomorrow to make sure all the subplots have been concluded to my satisfaction, and then it can be added to the main draft, ready for my already overworked husband to proof-read.
It is most definitely not the story I thought I would write when I started out, back in February of this year. The basic plot has evolved over time, with the addition of sub plots, which I think makes it more credible as a piece of fiction. Life is not a straight line - certainly mine isn't! Events impact all the time - sometimes barely noticeably, and sometimes they become the focus of attention. I hope my story reflects this adequately.
Wednesday, 12 July 2017
Back to the story
Yesterday I sat down to write the concluding chapter of my novel. I had the plan clearly set out in my head and started to write. The plan was to kill some more people, and for the killer's family to make a discovery which should have made them wonder about the killer's involvement in all of the other deaths.
Could I do that? No I could not! Instead I have accidentally introduced a new character, who is going to have to ask questions which may lead to him working it all out. I feel that now I have created this new character that I have to explain his relevance in the story and provide the reader with a conclusion to his subplot. A subplot I haven't fully formed myself yet!
Does it matter if the reader does not have all the loose ends tidily tied up at the end of the story. Is it OK to leave one or more of the subplots without a conclusion, leaving the reader to imagine their own ending? Will the reader feel cheated? I think I would.
Throughout the story, I have provided endings for my subplots, in so far as would be known. For example, where I might have said that two people got in their car and headed off to their new home in Wales, that is where I have ended their subplot. Whether they actually made it there in one piece, or had the mother of all rows in the car which led to him killing her or divorce proceedings later on, was not relevant to my story, so it has not been told. My problem at present is that this new character is trampling all over the crime scene and I feel obliged to tell the reader that either he missed all the clues or he pieced it all together.
I may have to end the killer-character and come back to the new character to see how much he needs to tell the reader for the conclusion to be satisfactory.
This is where I wish I had drafted a story plan, detailing exactly what happens and when, before I started to write. My imagination is running away with itself and bringing in a new character this late into the story is not helping me to take the story where I want it to go.
Oh well, tomorrow is another day...
Could I do that? No I could not! Instead I have accidentally introduced a new character, who is going to have to ask questions which may lead to him working it all out. I feel that now I have created this new character that I have to explain his relevance in the story and provide the reader with a conclusion to his subplot. A subplot I haven't fully formed myself yet!
Does it matter if the reader does not have all the loose ends tidily tied up at the end of the story. Is it OK to leave one or more of the subplots without a conclusion, leaving the reader to imagine their own ending? Will the reader feel cheated? I think I would.
Throughout the story, I have provided endings for my subplots, in so far as would be known. For example, where I might have said that two people got in their car and headed off to their new home in Wales, that is where I have ended their subplot. Whether they actually made it there in one piece, or had the mother of all rows in the car which led to him killing her or divorce proceedings later on, was not relevant to my story, so it has not been told. My problem at present is that this new character is trampling all over the crime scene and I feel obliged to tell the reader that either he missed all the clues or he pieced it all together.
I may have to end the killer-character and come back to the new character to see how much he needs to tell the reader for the conclusion to be satisfactory.
This is where I wish I had drafted a story plan, detailing exactly what happens and when, before I started to write. My imagination is running away with itself and bringing in a new character this late into the story is not helping me to take the story where I want it to go.
Oh well, tomorrow is another day...
Tuesday, 4 July 2017
Post holiday. As life returns to normal...
Recently I had an exchange of emails with a friend which caused me to think about a second story, and to write an outline for it. I don't think it will work as a novel, but it might make a nice short story.
I may have a second short story in the offing too, as JC has provided me with a scenario to end one of the characters in my novel which doesn't exactly tie in with how I want to do it. The idea is too good to waste, so I will see if I can work a short story around that. Thank you JC.
My mind is not fully focused on my novel as I'm still in holiday mode and have more excuses for not thinking or doing anything about it than the sea has fish. I'm hoping that when all the mundane tasks are out of the way and life returns to some semblance of normal, that I'll be able to quickly pick it up again.
I have now asked several people to read my novel and give me constructive criticism. Most have very politely said that it is a good story. However, they have not said what they most like about it or which bits would work better if they were rewritten. So, I was delighted to get a couple of emails from one reader, who has provided me with a considered and meaningful critique. Thank you so much EB.
I may have a second short story in the offing too, as JC has provided me with a scenario to end one of the characters in my novel which doesn't exactly tie in with how I want to do it. The idea is too good to waste, so I will see if I can work a short story around that. Thank you JC.
My mind is not fully focused on my novel as I'm still in holiday mode and have more excuses for not thinking or doing anything about it than the sea has fish. I'm hoping that when all the mundane tasks are out of the way and life returns to some semblance of normal, that I'll be able to quickly pick it up again.
I have now asked several people to read my novel and give me constructive criticism. Most have very politely said that it is a good story. However, they have not said what they most like about it or which bits would work better if they were rewritten. So, I was delighted to get a couple of emails from one reader, who has provided me with a considered and meaningful critique. Thank you so much EB.
Thursday, 22 June 2017
No Internet...
The internet has continued to be intermittent and today it decided to go completely. The landline has gone with it. It is only when something is taken away that we truly appreciate how much we have come to rely on it. I can’t access my novel because it’s stored on Google Drive. I can’t email anyone; watch Netflix or catch-up TV and I can’t phone anyone. None of the tablets or mobile phones will connect, even using mobile data. It’s like we’ve been put under a glass dome that does not allow us to connect with the outside world. [It’s a bit over the top, but I’m extremely hot and irritated at this point]
I had set today aside to sort out my holiday clothes and pack my suitcase but I’ve spent most of it on my mobile going through various routines, trying to locate the issue with the help of Sky.
I was asked where the master socket was. I know where it is, but it’s in a room we are currently using for storage, so I had to pull out dozens of boxes, a couple of cupboards, a sofa and a set of drawers to access it. Called back and spoke to a second operator who told me to take the front panel off the master socket and connect the ADSL lead to the hidden socket. Did that and it looked good for 5 minutes then died.
My daughter is going crazy as she has to meet a friend in a pub called the Parrot and doesn’t know where it is. The friend has printed off her timesheet for work because without wifi she can’t print anything. She has texted some friends who have told her “it’s near the dolphin”. Sadly, she doesn’t know that one either. People have forgotten how to say “it’s in Mill Lane” or “on the corner of Wells Street and North Road” which would enable us to look the road up in a map book. She has just set off in the general direction of the town centre and hopes to find it by running in circles.
On a lighter note, the lady who was trying to help me today asked me to load a web page to check whether the internet was working or not. I muttered “Google search... Cannabis, that will do,” which made her laugh. I felt I should explain that I was writing a novel and had Googled lots of off things to help me kill off my characters. As the police haven’t arrived at my door I guess she believed me!
Well, I’m off on my holidays on Friday for a week and I hope the internet issue has been resolved by then. The engineer is coming after I leave and there’s no wifi where we are staying, so I won’t know the outcome until we are on our way back. I am leaving 3 very sad little faces behind...
I had set today aside to sort out my holiday clothes and pack my suitcase but I’ve spent most of it on my mobile going through various routines, trying to locate the issue with the help of Sky.
I was asked where the master socket was. I know where it is, but it’s in a room we are currently using for storage, so I had to pull out dozens of boxes, a couple of cupboards, a sofa and a set of drawers to access it. Called back and spoke to a second operator who told me to take the front panel off the master socket and connect the ADSL lead to the hidden socket. Did that and it looked good for 5 minutes then died.
My daughter is going crazy as she has to meet a friend in a pub called the Parrot and doesn’t know where it is. The friend has printed off her timesheet for work because without wifi she can’t print anything. She has texted some friends who have told her “it’s near the dolphin”. Sadly, she doesn’t know that one either. People have forgotten how to say “it’s in Mill Lane” or “on the corner of Wells Street and North Road” which would enable us to look the road up in a map book. She has just set off in the general direction of the town centre and hopes to find it by running in circles.
On a lighter note, the lady who was trying to help me today asked me to load a web page to check whether the internet was working or not. I muttered “Google search... Cannabis, that will do,” which made her laugh. I felt I should explain that I was writing a novel and had Googled lots of off things to help me kill off my characters. As the police haven’t arrived at my door I guess she believed me!
Well, I’m off on my holidays on Friday for a week and I hope the internet issue has been resolved by then. The engineer is coming after I leave and there’s no wifi where we are staying, so I won’t know the outcome until we are on our way back. I am leaving 3 very sad little faces behind...
Sunday, 11 June 2017
A kick up the proverbial
We all need a bit of a push sometimes, to get on and do something, and last week I met up with Cathy Shuter who reignited my enthusiasm to write.
Cathy has published several books herself, and I wanted her to sign a couple of copies of "Oh Ollie", which I bought to give as Christmas presents this year - yes I am organised! I also wanted to know about her experience of writing and publishing and told her that I was also writing. Within a few minutes, Cathy had me believing in myself, motivated me to get on with my novel and consider self-publishing.
She also kindly offered to help me by reviewing my work and show me how to set up an account to self-publish; which reminds me, I must send her a link to read the story so far.
My daughter has, to date, not had time to read it, but I am hopeful that she will be able to soon, as she has a week's holiday coming up and usually tears through a couple of books while she is away.
Another source of encouragement: In conversation with a cousin recently, I learned that he enjoys writing short stories and he gave me one of his to read. It was really very good and I asked him to read my story and critique it. I saw him yesterday and was delighted that he had made time to read it. He said he thought the story line was good, and encouraged me to carry on with it. He talked me through the plot of his latest story, as far as he has got, but says he has now hit a brick wall. I told him that I had my plot mapped out but I am being influenced by people and things around me as to how I write my story. As an example, a conversation about my parents' wedding led to a description of the bridesmaids' attire. The hats, I was told, were 'Dutch caps'. That caused a bit of hilarity and it was confirmed that that was also the name of a contraceptive device. The phrase opened up a train of thought which helped me write a particular character and bring her to her untimely end. JC, something or someone will provide the inspiration you need to break down that brick wall.
This morning, despite my broadband doing the Hokey Cokey, I have set up an account with CreateSpace - which was as easy as Cathy said it would be - in readiness for when I finish my novel. Now to crack on and finish it...
Cathy has published several books herself, and I wanted her to sign a couple of copies of "Oh Ollie", which I bought to give as Christmas presents this year - yes I am organised! I also wanted to know about her experience of writing and publishing and told her that I was also writing. Within a few minutes, Cathy had me believing in myself, motivated me to get on with my novel and consider self-publishing.
She also kindly offered to help me by reviewing my work and show me how to set up an account to self-publish; which reminds me, I must send her a link to read the story so far.
My daughter has, to date, not had time to read it, but I am hopeful that she will be able to soon, as she has a week's holiday coming up and usually tears through a couple of books while she is away.
Another source of encouragement: In conversation with a cousin recently, I learned that he enjoys writing short stories and he gave me one of his to read. It was really very good and I asked him to read my story and critique it. I saw him yesterday and was delighted that he had made time to read it. He said he thought the story line was good, and encouraged me to carry on with it. He talked me through the plot of his latest story, as far as he has got, but says he has now hit a brick wall. I told him that I had my plot mapped out but I am being influenced by people and things around me as to how I write my story. As an example, a conversation about my parents' wedding led to a description of the bridesmaids' attire. The hats, I was told, were 'Dutch caps'. That caused a bit of hilarity and it was confirmed that that was also the name of a contraceptive device. The phrase opened up a train of thought which helped me write a particular character and bring her to her untimely end. JC, something or someone will provide the inspiration you need to break down that brick wall.
And Finally...
This morning, despite my broadband doing the Hokey Cokey, I have set up an account with CreateSpace - which was as easy as Cathy said it would be - in readiness for when I finish my novel. Now to crack on and finish it...
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