Jim Proctor's Blog
February 6, 2017
Authors and Publishers who pirate photographs
Copyrights. Authors and publishers expect people to respect their copyrights, and rightfully so. After all, a lot of time, work, and money went into publishing your book. You deserve to be paid for it. Yet from time to time, I see authors and even publishers use watermarked “free sample” stock photos in advertisements on twitter. There is a reason for the watermark. It shows that you have not paid for the use of the photo. When you pay for a license to use the photo, you get a clean copy with no watermark.
Would you be happy to find that someone was pirating your book? No? Then why would you pirate a photographer’s work? When you download a sample of a stock photo from Fotolia, Shutterstock, Dreamstime, or other web site, you are allowed to use that photo to mock-up your final artwork to help you decide if you want to purchase a license for that photo. If you use that free sample photo to advertise your book or your services, you are pirating copyrighted material.
I am disgusted by authors and publishers who pirate photographers’ work. I’ve started calling them out on it. I won’t ignore it anymore. It isn’t right any more than someone pirating their books.
Would you be happy to find that someone was pirating your book? No? Then why would you pirate a photographer’s work? When you download a sample of a stock photo from Fotolia, Shutterstock, Dreamstime, or other web site, you are allowed to use that photo to mock-up your final artwork to help you decide if you want to purchase a license for that photo. If you use that free sample photo to advertise your book or your services, you are pirating copyrighted material.
I am disgusted by authors and publishers who pirate photographers’ work. I’ve started calling them out on it. I won’t ignore it anymore. It isn’t right any more than someone pirating their books.
January 24, 2017
Writers Need To Read
Writers need to read. You’ve probably heard that before. It’s true. You may believe it, or profess to believe it, but have you taken it to heart?
There is a saying, often worded differently, sometimes attributed to other people, but in its original form (as far as my research can tell) it goes: “I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail.” – Abraham Maslow, 1966. In the field of psychology, this is called “Maslow’s Hammer” or the “Golden Hammer”, and is sometimes referred to as “The Law of the Instrument.”
Writers use tools. I’m not talking about pencils, pens, computers, etc. I’m referring to literary tools, linguistic tools. If, as a writer, your only literary tool is a hammer, then every story you write will sound like a nail. That statement, by-the-way, is a literary tool called a metaphor.
I read a lot. That is to say, I spend a great deal of time reading. I’m a slow reader, so it doesn’t equate to a lengthy “Have Read” list. It does mean I’ve spent a lot of time studying how other authors use literary tools. I was in my late forties before I began writing my first novel, but I fell in love with reading in my late teens. I write Science Fiction and Fantasy. Most of the novels I have read have been Science Fiction, followed closely by Fantasy. I have learned most of what I know about writing Science Fiction and Fantasy from these works. There is more to writing than understanding the mechanics of your genre. Beyond that, you need to know how to craft a story. For example, in a good Science Fiction novel, there will be other elements, such as drama, suspense, romance, intrigue, struggle, misdirection, and more. If you don’t handle these sub-elements well, the overall story falls short.
I’ve read historical fiction, and seen how writers fit a fictional story around real events or real places. If you understand now to do this, then you will be better at fitting your purely fictional story around fiction events and fictional places.
I’ve read romance, and seen how writers handle people falling in love, falling out of love, behaving toward each other while in love, and how they work those things into the story. These literary tools will make your story better.
I’ve read suspense-thrillers, and seen how writers lead a reader down a path to a shocking surprise that they never saw coming. If you plan to surprise your readers, this is a tool you need to know how to use.
I've read paranormal stories, and seen how writers make completely fantastical elements seem real. What better tool could a fiction writer have?
I could go on, but I hope you see my point. If you are a writer, you need to read, and not just your own chosen genre. Open your mind to other things. Every genre has something to teach you about your own.
There is a saying, often worded differently, sometimes attributed to other people, but in its original form (as far as my research can tell) it goes: “I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail.” – Abraham Maslow, 1966. In the field of psychology, this is called “Maslow’s Hammer” or the “Golden Hammer”, and is sometimes referred to as “The Law of the Instrument.”
Writers use tools. I’m not talking about pencils, pens, computers, etc. I’m referring to literary tools, linguistic tools. If, as a writer, your only literary tool is a hammer, then every story you write will sound like a nail. That statement, by-the-way, is a literary tool called a metaphor.
I read a lot. That is to say, I spend a great deal of time reading. I’m a slow reader, so it doesn’t equate to a lengthy “Have Read” list. It does mean I’ve spent a lot of time studying how other authors use literary tools. I was in my late forties before I began writing my first novel, but I fell in love with reading in my late teens. I write Science Fiction and Fantasy. Most of the novels I have read have been Science Fiction, followed closely by Fantasy. I have learned most of what I know about writing Science Fiction and Fantasy from these works. There is more to writing than understanding the mechanics of your genre. Beyond that, you need to know how to craft a story. For example, in a good Science Fiction novel, there will be other elements, such as drama, suspense, romance, intrigue, struggle, misdirection, and more. If you don’t handle these sub-elements well, the overall story falls short.
I’ve read historical fiction, and seen how writers fit a fictional story around real events or real places. If you understand now to do this, then you will be better at fitting your purely fictional story around fiction events and fictional places.
I’ve read romance, and seen how writers handle people falling in love, falling out of love, behaving toward each other while in love, and how they work those things into the story. These literary tools will make your story better.
I’ve read suspense-thrillers, and seen how writers lead a reader down a path to a shocking surprise that they never saw coming. If you plan to surprise your readers, this is a tool you need to know how to use.
I've read paranormal stories, and seen how writers make completely fantastical elements seem real. What better tool could a fiction writer have?
I could go on, but I hope you see my point. If you are a writer, you need to read, and not just your own chosen genre. Open your mind to other things. Every genre has something to teach you about your own.
January 12, 2017
The life and death of a tablet
After three years of flawless operation, the battery in my tablet finally died. For the past month, it hasn’t been holding a charge very well, and now it is completely dead. I love the tablet, and it’s still in perfect condition, aside from the battery.
A replacement battery is $50, and I have to install it. Not a big deal, it’s not a hard task (assuming I can remove the back cover without breaking it). Unfortunately, many of the reviews for the battery say the new one only lasted a few weeks, then died. I suppose in our “everything is now disposable” world, I am going to have to buy a new tablet. That, or stop reading. Yes, it’s new tablet time.
On the subject of replacing rechargeable batteries, I would like to caution everyone about the dangers of poorly made lithium-ion batteries. This applies not just to e-readers, but to cell phones, laptop computers, etc. If not properly engineered and properly manufactured, lithium-ion batteries are firebombs waiting to go off. Do you recall all the reports of a certain smart phone that kept exploding and burning several months ago? That is what happens when lithium-ion batteries are not charged properly. Even if the charging circuit is properly engineer and manufactured, defects in the battery itself can lead to over-charging and explosion. I don’t recommend replacing the rechargeable battery in any devices with anything other than a replacement from the device’s original manufacturer. I also do not recommend recharging ANY rechargeable device unsupervised. This includes recharging it overnight while you are sleeping. I’ll plug my phone/tablet in to recharge at a time and place where I can be in the same room the entire time it is plugged in. If I have to leave the room, I unplug it.
And now, back to the “disposability” of modern electronic devices. I have to wonder if the rebounding popularity of print books is due, in part, to this trend. Are people growing tired of buying a new e-reader every couple of years because the battery won’t charge anymore? Have manufacturers designed themselves out of a market? I can remember when electronic devices had a removable cover where the battery could easily be accessed and changed. When was the last time you had a cell phone with a removable battery? I remember years ago, taking my first smart phone into the Sprint Store and buying a new battery for it. The phone had cost me something like $400, and the new battery was $27. Pop the back cover off, pull out the old battery, pop in the new one, and snap the cover back on. Done. $27 and my phone was like-new for another two years. My last two or three phones have had the batteries built in.
I enjoy e-books. I like that I can read on my tablet. Then, while waiting at the doctor’s office I can open the book on my phone and pick up where I left off. At lunchtime, I can launch the reader program on my computer and do the same. However, I still love print books, and I collect hardcover books by my favorite authors.
Will tablet and e-reader manufactures go back to having replaceable batteries? Will they stick with the “Battery? Pffft. You should replace your reader every two years, anyway” paradigm? Time will tell. In the meantime, I’m off to the store to pick out a new tablet. I’ll stop at the bookstore on my way home to grab a few new print books, too.
A replacement battery is $50, and I have to install it. Not a big deal, it’s not a hard task (assuming I can remove the back cover without breaking it). Unfortunately, many of the reviews for the battery say the new one only lasted a few weeks, then died. I suppose in our “everything is now disposable” world, I am going to have to buy a new tablet. That, or stop reading. Yes, it’s new tablet time.
On the subject of replacing rechargeable batteries, I would like to caution everyone about the dangers of poorly made lithium-ion batteries. This applies not just to e-readers, but to cell phones, laptop computers, etc. If not properly engineered and properly manufactured, lithium-ion batteries are firebombs waiting to go off. Do you recall all the reports of a certain smart phone that kept exploding and burning several months ago? That is what happens when lithium-ion batteries are not charged properly. Even if the charging circuit is properly engineer and manufactured, defects in the battery itself can lead to over-charging and explosion. I don’t recommend replacing the rechargeable battery in any devices with anything other than a replacement from the device’s original manufacturer. I also do not recommend recharging ANY rechargeable device unsupervised. This includes recharging it overnight while you are sleeping. I’ll plug my phone/tablet in to recharge at a time and place where I can be in the same room the entire time it is plugged in. If I have to leave the room, I unplug it.
And now, back to the “disposability” of modern electronic devices. I have to wonder if the rebounding popularity of print books is due, in part, to this trend. Are people growing tired of buying a new e-reader every couple of years because the battery won’t charge anymore? Have manufacturers designed themselves out of a market? I can remember when electronic devices had a removable cover where the battery could easily be accessed and changed. When was the last time you had a cell phone with a removable battery? I remember years ago, taking my first smart phone into the Sprint Store and buying a new battery for it. The phone had cost me something like $400, and the new battery was $27. Pop the back cover off, pull out the old battery, pop in the new one, and snap the cover back on. Done. $27 and my phone was like-new for another two years. My last two or three phones have had the batteries built in.
I enjoy e-books. I like that I can read on my tablet. Then, while waiting at the doctor’s office I can open the book on my phone and pick up where I left off. At lunchtime, I can launch the reader program on my computer and do the same. However, I still love print books, and I collect hardcover books by my favorite authors.
Will tablet and e-reader manufactures go back to having replaceable batteries? Will they stick with the “Battery? Pffft. You should replace your reader every two years, anyway” paradigm? Time will tell. In the meantime, I’m off to the store to pick out a new tablet. I’ll stop at the bookstore on my way home to grab a few new print books, too.
January 8, 2017
And now for something completely different
Tonight's blog post is a poem. Something I wrote last year, and tweaked a bit recently.
Dragon of the Great White North
Copyright Jim Proctor 2016
Wind slips through the barren boughs whispering your name
Desolate is the realm you rule with none but you to blame
Friends who came to sing your praise are nowhere to be found
And even your own precious scales have fallen to the ground
How bitter cold it must be upon your golden hoard
Silence fills the regal hall where once you were adored
All the words you craft with guile fail to find an ear
A dragon's words are her best tools, more than fire and fear
A flame that shone upon your realm you scarcely can remember
Kept alive by one who cared, though now it's just an ember
A winter comes without a spring for he who kept the flame
Beyond the realm of mortal pain he'll pass on without shame
He no longer wonders why you chose to cast him out
A caring friend, always true, loyal and devout
As he goes, his chin held high, he takes the lonely path
That leads away from pain and loss and dragon's unjust wrath
He gave you all he had to give, asked little in return
But taking is what dragons do with nary a concern
Gifts, they are a dragon's due, this is the ancient rule
And he who gave with open heart was nothing but a fool
Upon your hoard, alone and cold, you'll drink your bedtime wine
And weave the words that few will hear, thinking them divine
Though somewhere out among the stars, his flame will gently glow
In your hall deep under ground, its warmth you'll never know
Now and then you venture up from your hidden hall
At the threshold you look out, statuesque and tall
Your voice falls flat across the land, feeble and unclear
Some simple words that you thought up for faithful ears to hear
But barren land and broken stone are all that hear your call
Those who cared are all now gone far from lane and wall
Under the relentless sun you squint and look about
And wonder where your people went who once were so devout
One by one, they went away on business of their own
Those who used to bring you gold and place it by your throne
And praise you for enchanted words that touched them deep inside
Once beyond your influence, your yoke they won't abide
All alone you turn and crawl back to your bed of gold
You settle in and drink your wine and shiver in the cold
Darkness seeps into your veins from the ancient stone
You close your eyes and fall asleep, forlorn and alone.
And in your dreams your realm is full of people old and young
Who live and breathe their every breath to hear your silver tongue
They call your name and sing your praise with voices that do soar
This is how things aught to be for always and evermore
When you awake, you rush outside, recalling your sweet dream
But broken walls and empty lanes are all that can be seen
The wind through barren branches whispers in the lane
It sings a different tune now, it can't recall your name
Tears will never fill your eyes, your heart is made of stone
That is why you find yourself deserted and alone
But you are strong and fearless, a rock under the sky
Ask anyone and they will tell you, rocks don't cry
Dragon of the Great White North
Copyright Jim Proctor 2016
Wind slips through the barren boughs whispering your name
Desolate is the realm you rule with none but you to blame
Friends who came to sing your praise are nowhere to be found
And even your own precious scales have fallen to the ground
How bitter cold it must be upon your golden hoard
Silence fills the regal hall where once you were adored
All the words you craft with guile fail to find an ear
A dragon's words are her best tools, more than fire and fear
A flame that shone upon your realm you scarcely can remember
Kept alive by one who cared, though now it's just an ember
A winter comes without a spring for he who kept the flame
Beyond the realm of mortal pain he'll pass on without shame
He no longer wonders why you chose to cast him out
A caring friend, always true, loyal and devout
As he goes, his chin held high, he takes the lonely path
That leads away from pain and loss and dragon's unjust wrath
He gave you all he had to give, asked little in return
But taking is what dragons do with nary a concern
Gifts, they are a dragon's due, this is the ancient rule
And he who gave with open heart was nothing but a fool
Upon your hoard, alone and cold, you'll drink your bedtime wine
And weave the words that few will hear, thinking them divine
Though somewhere out among the stars, his flame will gently glow
In your hall deep under ground, its warmth you'll never know
Now and then you venture up from your hidden hall
At the threshold you look out, statuesque and tall
Your voice falls flat across the land, feeble and unclear
Some simple words that you thought up for faithful ears to hear
But barren land and broken stone are all that hear your call
Those who cared are all now gone far from lane and wall
Under the relentless sun you squint and look about
And wonder where your people went who once were so devout
One by one, they went away on business of their own
Those who used to bring you gold and place it by your throne
And praise you for enchanted words that touched them deep inside
Once beyond your influence, your yoke they won't abide
All alone you turn and crawl back to your bed of gold
You settle in and drink your wine and shiver in the cold
Darkness seeps into your veins from the ancient stone
You close your eyes and fall asleep, forlorn and alone.
And in your dreams your realm is full of people old and young
Who live and breathe their every breath to hear your silver tongue
They call your name and sing your praise with voices that do soar
This is how things aught to be for always and evermore
When you awake, you rush outside, recalling your sweet dream
But broken walls and empty lanes are all that can be seen
The wind through barren branches whispers in the lane
It sings a different tune now, it can't recall your name
Tears will never fill your eyes, your heart is made of stone
That is why you find yourself deserted and alone
But you are strong and fearless, a rock under the sky
Ask anyone and they will tell you, rocks don't cry
January 6, 2017
2016 in Books
Twenty-sixteen. What a year you were. I'm not going to dwell on the bad, though. Right now, I would like to talk about some of the books I read last year.
“The Standing Stone: Home for Christmas” by Wendy Steele is a wonderful scifi/fantasy story about three women living in three separate time periods, linked by a common bond. It is very well written, with great characters and settings.
“The Doorway – and Other Poems” by R.K. Pavia is an excellent collection of poetry, spanning the range from dark and ominous to bright and hopeful. Rebecca was a very talented poet and novelist, and a good friend. Sadly, we lost her to cancer. She was kind and caring, and a dear friend. I miss you, Bex. My favorite work of hers, which I read in 2015, was “The Sanctum of Souls”. If you enjoy good fantasy, with elves and dwarves, and mages and dragons, this is for you.
“Protector of Thristas: A Lisen of Solsta Novel” by D. Hart St Martin is an excellent fantasy novel. It carries on the story of Lisen beyond the end of the original trilogy. It can be read stand-alone, but in my opinion, you will want to read all four books, so start at the beginning with “Fractured (Lisen of Solsta #1)” and read them all. These are not to be missed.
“Burden of Sysyphus (Brink of Distinction #1) and “Fall of Icarus (Brink of Distinction #2)” by Jon Messenger are outstanding science fiction novels. These are stories spanning the galaxy, full of incredibly varied species, imaginative settings, original technologies, all combined with great characters and great storytelling. SciFi lovers, don't miss these. Read the entire series.
“Wolves of the Northern Rift (Magic and Machinery #1)” and “The Blood Thief of Whitten Hall (Magic and Machinery #2) by Jon Messenger are outstanding paranormal mystery thrillers. Take Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson, add demons, werewolves, vampires, and more, and put them into a steampunk setting, and you get pure brilliance. I read book 1 in 2015 and book 2 in 2016.
“Prayer for the Dead (Revenants in Purgatory #1), “Despite Serendipity” (Revenants in Purgatory #1.5), and “Aeonian Kiss (Revenants in Purgatory #2)” by Nicki Scalise. I read Book 1 in 2013, and read book 1.5 and book 2 in 2016. These are amazing paranormal stories, with romance, suspense, mystery, and anything else you could want in a great story. The imagination that went into this series is incredible. Great writing, great characters. Lovers of all things paranormal, I'll make it easy for you: Read everything Nicki has written.
“No Place Like Home” by Julie E. Czerneda is a thoroughly enjoyable science fiction short story. If you like science fiction and fantasy, you need to read Czerneda. Read them all. Julie is my favorite author.
“Reflections” by Cassandra Riley is a heart-warming story told in a series of reminiscences as an elderly couple sit on their porch drinking lemonade and recalling the great events of their shared life. I'm looking forward to reading more of Cassandra's work.
“Dreams Really Do Come True” by Kameron Brooke is a departure from my usual reads. I mainly read science fiction and fantasy. This is a steamy, explicit, lesbian romance short story. The writing is very good. It should have been longer (I mean that in a good way.)
“Fatal Retribution (Raina Kirkland #1)” and “Mortal Sentry (Raina Kirkland #2)” by Diana Graves are outstanding paranormal urban fantasy novels. These are spectacular reads, full of great characters, imaginative plots, great dialog, and all very well written. There are currently five books in the series, and I look forward to reading the rest.
Well, that about wraps up my most memorable reads of 2016. Check out these authors. They are all amazing.
“The Standing Stone: Home for Christmas” by Wendy Steele is a wonderful scifi/fantasy story about three women living in three separate time periods, linked by a common bond. It is very well written, with great characters and settings.
“The Doorway – and Other Poems” by R.K. Pavia is an excellent collection of poetry, spanning the range from dark and ominous to bright and hopeful. Rebecca was a very talented poet and novelist, and a good friend. Sadly, we lost her to cancer. She was kind and caring, and a dear friend. I miss you, Bex. My favorite work of hers, which I read in 2015, was “The Sanctum of Souls”. If you enjoy good fantasy, with elves and dwarves, and mages and dragons, this is for you.
“Protector of Thristas: A Lisen of Solsta Novel” by D. Hart St Martin is an excellent fantasy novel. It carries on the story of Lisen beyond the end of the original trilogy. It can be read stand-alone, but in my opinion, you will want to read all four books, so start at the beginning with “Fractured (Lisen of Solsta #1)” and read them all. These are not to be missed.
“Burden of Sysyphus (Brink of Distinction #1) and “Fall of Icarus (Brink of Distinction #2)” by Jon Messenger are outstanding science fiction novels. These are stories spanning the galaxy, full of incredibly varied species, imaginative settings, original technologies, all combined with great characters and great storytelling. SciFi lovers, don't miss these. Read the entire series.
“Wolves of the Northern Rift (Magic and Machinery #1)” and “The Blood Thief of Whitten Hall (Magic and Machinery #2) by Jon Messenger are outstanding paranormal mystery thrillers. Take Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson, add demons, werewolves, vampires, and more, and put them into a steampunk setting, and you get pure brilliance. I read book 1 in 2015 and book 2 in 2016.
“Prayer for the Dead (Revenants in Purgatory #1), “Despite Serendipity” (Revenants in Purgatory #1.5), and “Aeonian Kiss (Revenants in Purgatory #2)” by Nicki Scalise. I read Book 1 in 2013, and read book 1.5 and book 2 in 2016. These are amazing paranormal stories, with romance, suspense, mystery, and anything else you could want in a great story. The imagination that went into this series is incredible. Great writing, great characters. Lovers of all things paranormal, I'll make it easy for you: Read everything Nicki has written.
“No Place Like Home” by Julie E. Czerneda is a thoroughly enjoyable science fiction short story. If you like science fiction and fantasy, you need to read Czerneda. Read them all. Julie is my favorite author.
“Reflections” by Cassandra Riley is a heart-warming story told in a series of reminiscences as an elderly couple sit on their porch drinking lemonade and recalling the great events of their shared life. I'm looking forward to reading more of Cassandra's work.
“Dreams Really Do Come True” by Kameron Brooke is a departure from my usual reads. I mainly read science fiction and fantasy. This is a steamy, explicit, lesbian romance short story. The writing is very good. It should have been longer (I mean that in a good way.)
“Fatal Retribution (Raina Kirkland #1)” and “Mortal Sentry (Raina Kirkland #2)” by Diana Graves are outstanding paranormal urban fantasy novels. These are spectacular reads, full of great characters, imaginative plots, great dialog, and all very well written. There are currently five books in the series, and I look forward to reading the rest.
Well, that about wraps up my most memorable reads of 2016. Check out these authors. They are all amazing.
December 29, 2016
Inspiration for a character
It's rare when a character in one of my stories is inspired in one way or another by a real person. My characters usually create themselves without any outside help. While I was writing “Search for the Phoenix”, I reached a part where I needed to introduce a new character. General Lance Nelson was to make his first appearance in the story, and I still had no idea who he was, or even what he looked like. I was tempted to move on, continuing the story, hoping Lance would take form as I wrote. Instead, I decided to take a short break from writing and indulge in one of my other passions – music.
I began watching an episode of “Live from Darly's House”. It was the episode with Cee Lo Green. As I watched and listened, in the back of my mind I was still struggling with my friend, Lance. The band began playing “I Can't Go For That”, which started with Klyde Jones rocking his bass. Mr. Jones, with his shaved head, wrap-around sun glasses, muscles, and above all else, tons of cool, I knew I had found my elusive General. He made his playing look effortless, in spite of the tremendous skill involved. He looked like a man in charge. And smooth moves, he had those, too. I jumped back into my writing and created General Lance Nelson, a calm, cool, and collected man, in charge, never flustered, always thinking, making his hard work and careful planning look easy. Yep, he even had smooth, ebony skin, a shaved head, wrap-around sunglasses, and muscles.
Here is the segment of the show that helped to define Lance Nelson. You have to admit, the dude is cool.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoXxdO...
I began watching an episode of “Live from Darly's House”. It was the episode with Cee Lo Green. As I watched and listened, in the back of my mind I was still struggling with my friend, Lance. The band began playing “I Can't Go For That”, which started with Klyde Jones rocking his bass. Mr. Jones, with his shaved head, wrap-around sun glasses, muscles, and above all else, tons of cool, I knew I had found my elusive General. He made his playing look effortless, in spite of the tremendous skill involved. He looked like a man in charge. And smooth moves, he had those, too. I jumped back into my writing and created General Lance Nelson, a calm, cool, and collected man, in charge, never flustered, always thinking, making his hard work and careful planning look easy. Yep, he even had smooth, ebony skin, a shaved head, wrap-around sunglasses, and muscles.
Here is the segment of the show that helped to define Lance Nelson. You have to admit, the dude is cool.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoXxdO...
December 13, 2016
Magic is Real
When I was a child, I loved to have books read to me. Some of my earliest memories are of my dad reading to me from a book of children's poems. My favorite poem was called “Little Orphant Annie” by James Whitcomb Riley. I'd wait patiently as he read poem after poem, until he finally got to my favorite. I was so young, I couldn't remember how far into the book it was. I just had to wait until he got there. When he had read a few poems beyond, I'd sometimes ask him to go back and read Annie again.
Another favorite was “Are You My Mother” by P.D. Eastman. My mom read that to me often. When I began to learn to read, I'd read it to her, and I'd make sound effects that made her laugh. Snort!
Perhaps my all-time favorite book of my childhood was “I Had Trouble in Getting to Solla Sallew” by Dr. Seuss. The story is about this little guy who suddenly finds himself on the receiving end of a lot of trouble from other creatures where he lives. He hears of a place called Solla Sallew where they never have troubles, at least, very few. He has a very difficult journey, but eventually gets there, only to find he can't get in. So, he travels back home, only he gets himself a baseball bat along the way, and he marches back into his land waving the bat, and saying, “Now my troubles are going to have trouble with me.” Hey, a baseball bat to the skull will make any troublemaker think twice about messing with you. This particular book was out of print for many years. I can't think why.
For some reason, I fell out of love with reading around the time I began to take an interest in girls. Books didn't have the same appeal anymore. I sometimes wonder if I might have been better off sticking with the books.
I had a wonderful English teacher in the 11th grade. We had to read a WHOLE novel and write a book report. Not just any novel, mind you. This teacher assigned us each a novel. It was like something from a Twilight Zone show, where someone knows exactly what you need and gives it to you. He selected a book for me called “Travels with Charlie: In Search of America” by John Steinbeck. The story itself wasn't anything Earth shattering. However, you can't read John Steinbeck and not fall in love with reading. By the time I finished this book, I was hungry to read more. I don't recall what I read next, but eventually I read “Dune” by Frank Herbert. This was the first book that completely drew me in. I would snap out of a reading session shocked to realize I was in my bed. I had just been walking through the sands of Dune. Really. I was there! I was sure of it. That was when I fell in love with Science Fiction. I quickly read the next two books in the series (that was the entire series, at the time). From there, I was constantly at the library or the book store browsing the SciFi offerings. “The Dosadi Experiment” by Frank Herbert was wonderful.
Years later, my dad suggested I read “The Hobbit” by J.R.R. Tolkien. As soon as I finished, I grabbed my dad's copy of “The Lord of the Rings” and dove in. Over the years, I've read LoTR more than 30 times. It's something I come back to, like visiting an old friend. It's been a few years since I last read it, so I guess it's time to dig out one of my many copies and crack it open. I have to keep buying new copies because I wear them out. Pages fall out. Pages turn yellow. I accidentally dropped my best hardcover copy, and the binding was ripped to shreds. I bought another hardcover.
Someone once said, “A good book makes you want to live in the story. A great book gives you no choice.” Find those books that grab you by the soul and drag you into their world. Go there. Live there. Find the magic. It's real.
Another favorite was “Are You My Mother” by P.D. Eastman. My mom read that to me often. When I began to learn to read, I'd read it to her, and I'd make sound effects that made her laugh. Snort!
Perhaps my all-time favorite book of my childhood was “I Had Trouble in Getting to Solla Sallew” by Dr. Seuss. The story is about this little guy who suddenly finds himself on the receiving end of a lot of trouble from other creatures where he lives. He hears of a place called Solla Sallew where they never have troubles, at least, very few. He has a very difficult journey, but eventually gets there, only to find he can't get in. So, he travels back home, only he gets himself a baseball bat along the way, and he marches back into his land waving the bat, and saying, “Now my troubles are going to have trouble with me.” Hey, a baseball bat to the skull will make any troublemaker think twice about messing with you. This particular book was out of print for many years. I can't think why.
For some reason, I fell out of love with reading around the time I began to take an interest in girls. Books didn't have the same appeal anymore. I sometimes wonder if I might have been better off sticking with the books.
I had a wonderful English teacher in the 11th grade. We had to read a WHOLE novel and write a book report. Not just any novel, mind you. This teacher assigned us each a novel. It was like something from a Twilight Zone show, where someone knows exactly what you need and gives it to you. He selected a book for me called “Travels with Charlie: In Search of America” by John Steinbeck. The story itself wasn't anything Earth shattering. However, you can't read John Steinbeck and not fall in love with reading. By the time I finished this book, I was hungry to read more. I don't recall what I read next, but eventually I read “Dune” by Frank Herbert. This was the first book that completely drew me in. I would snap out of a reading session shocked to realize I was in my bed. I had just been walking through the sands of Dune. Really. I was there! I was sure of it. That was when I fell in love with Science Fiction. I quickly read the next two books in the series (that was the entire series, at the time). From there, I was constantly at the library or the book store browsing the SciFi offerings. “The Dosadi Experiment” by Frank Herbert was wonderful.
Years later, my dad suggested I read “The Hobbit” by J.R.R. Tolkien. As soon as I finished, I grabbed my dad's copy of “The Lord of the Rings” and dove in. Over the years, I've read LoTR more than 30 times. It's something I come back to, like visiting an old friend. It's been a few years since I last read it, so I guess it's time to dig out one of my many copies and crack it open. I have to keep buying new copies because I wear them out. Pages fall out. Pages turn yellow. I accidentally dropped my best hardcover copy, and the binding was ripped to shreds. I bought another hardcover.
Someone once said, “A good book makes you want to live in the story. A great book gives you no choice.” Find those books that grab you by the soul and drag you into their world. Go there. Live there. Find the magic. It's real.
December 9, 2016
Indie Publishing
It's been said before: There is no substitute for having your book professionally edited. A lot of indie authors just “wing it”. They write their book, revise it a bit, and then publish it. I'm sorry to say this, but it shows.
Some authors say they can't afford a professional editor. Others either think they don't need an editor, or don't trust a stranger with their unpublished work. Remember this: YOUR name will be on the cover. It's your reputation you are risking. If you turn out a crap book, don't expect people to come back to buy your next release.
Some indies try to rely entirely on “beta readers” to pick up the editing slack. I suppose if you have the right team of people, you might get away with this. Chances are, though, you won't. The term “beta reader” is often misused. In the indie community, it has become a name for “anyone who will read your book for you before you publish it.”
My idea of a minimalist model for indie publishing looks like this:
1) The author writes the first draft.
2) The author goes through the draft several times, making revisions, producing the second draft.
3) The second draft is sent to “alpha readers”, who read the book and give comments. They are not editors. They are not going to catch your typos, punctuation errors, etc. They will tell you if the story makes sense, if it grabbed their attention and held it, if there were parts that “didn't work”, point out plot holes, etc.
4) The author takes feedback from the alpha readers and makes additional revisions, producing the third draft.
5) The third draft is sent to a professional editor. A professional editor does far more than simply finding errors. An editor will also suggest changes to help story flow, catch continuity problems and plot holes, and much more.
6) The author reviews the editor's suggestions and makes final revisions. Ideally, the editor should go through the book again to review the changes. The result is the final draft.
7) The final draft goes out to “beta readers”. Their job is to read the book after the editor has done her job, and tell you if it is ready to publish. Remember, if you don't use beta readers, you would be publishing the book at this point. Let that sink in for a moment. Without beta readers, this is where you would be asking people to pay money for your book. It had better be publication quality.
8) The author reviews feedback from the beta readers and makes any final adjustments to the manuscript. Again, ideally the book should go back to the editor at this point for a final check. If you use Change Tracking (and you should) this process will be quick and easy, as your editor only needs to review the little changes that have been made, not reprocess the entire manuscript. I can't stress this enough – USE CHANGE TRACKING. If you can get your alphas and betas to use it also, that helps. They can put comments right into the document where it applies.
9) Time to publish. Okay, there is more work to do, but the manuscript is ready to publish. You still have to write a blurb, have cover art done, format the manuscript, etc.
It is important to have a good team. Choose your alphas and betas wisely. Do not choose your team members because they are good “cheerleaders”. You don't need people to blow smoke up your ass, telling you how wonderful your books are. If your team members aren't willing to tell you what is wrong with your writing, you don't need them. You don't want them.
While the main job of your team is to help you get your book ready for publication, it is a plus if they will support you with the release, sharing your new book on their facebook page, on twitter, or on their blog.
Find a good, professional editor. How do you find a good editor? Good question. You probably know other indie authors. You've probably read some of their books. If so, you know which ones have good editors (though you may not know which ones have poor editors – more on this later). Ask for recommendations. Also, most editors will do a free sample edit. They will edit a brief section of your manuscript for free so you can review their work.
I can't stress this enough: With a few extremely rare exceptions, authors cannot edit their own work. I know a famous, traditionally published author, who also worked for many years as a professional editor. This author self-published a short story a while back, and I found half a dozen typos in a fifty-page published work. You cannot edit your own work.
A note about professionally edited books. I have seen books which I know were professionally edited receive reviews saying the book was poorly edited. Often, this occurs because the author does not accept many of the changes suggested by the editor, and then publishes the book without having the editor take a final look at it. Please understand, the editor does not “fix” your book and publish it. It is up to the author to do that. If the author chooses to ignore the editor's suggestions, the results is a poorly edited book, through no fault of the editor.
One thing I've heard almost universally from other indie authors is that having a book series is the best key to continued sales. If you hook them with book one, they'll buy book two. If book two is good, they'll buy book three. If you've written a book series and sales have fallen off exponentially with each new release, you might need to re-evaluate your approach to publishing.
I'll say it again: Authors, your name is on the cover. It's all on you. You are 100% responsible for the quality of your books.
Confession: I was one of those people who didn't use a professional editor. At first, I believed I didn't need an editor. Later, I said I couldn't afford an editor. Those books are no longer available. They were so embarrassingly bad, I took them off the market. I may rework them and republish them with the help of my editor. All of my currently available books were professionally edited, and I will never again publish without my editor.
Some authors say they can't afford a professional editor. Others either think they don't need an editor, or don't trust a stranger with their unpublished work. Remember this: YOUR name will be on the cover. It's your reputation you are risking. If you turn out a crap book, don't expect people to come back to buy your next release.
Some indies try to rely entirely on “beta readers” to pick up the editing slack. I suppose if you have the right team of people, you might get away with this. Chances are, though, you won't. The term “beta reader” is often misused. In the indie community, it has become a name for “anyone who will read your book for you before you publish it.”
My idea of a minimalist model for indie publishing looks like this:
1) The author writes the first draft.
2) The author goes through the draft several times, making revisions, producing the second draft.
3) The second draft is sent to “alpha readers”, who read the book and give comments. They are not editors. They are not going to catch your typos, punctuation errors, etc. They will tell you if the story makes sense, if it grabbed their attention and held it, if there were parts that “didn't work”, point out plot holes, etc.
4) The author takes feedback from the alpha readers and makes additional revisions, producing the third draft.
5) The third draft is sent to a professional editor. A professional editor does far more than simply finding errors. An editor will also suggest changes to help story flow, catch continuity problems and plot holes, and much more.
6) The author reviews the editor's suggestions and makes final revisions. Ideally, the editor should go through the book again to review the changes. The result is the final draft.
7) The final draft goes out to “beta readers”. Their job is to read the book after the editor has done her job, and tell you if it is ready to publish. Remember, if you don't use beta readers, you would be publishing the book at this point. Let that sink in for a moment. Without beta readers, this is where you would be asking people to pay money for your book. It had better be publication quality.
8) The author reviews feedback from the beta readers and makes any final adjustments to the manuscript. Again, ideally the book should go back to the editor at this point for a final check. If you use Change Tracking (and you should) this process will be quick and easy, as your editor only needs to review the little changes that have been made, not reprocess the entire manuscript. I can't stress this enough – USE CHANGE TRACKING. If you can get your alphas and betas to use it also, that helps. They can put comments right into the document where it applies.
9) Time to publish. Okay, there is more work to do, but the manuscript is ready to publish. You still have to write a blurb, have cover art done, format the manuscript, etc.
It is important to have a good team. Choose your alphas and betas wisely. Do not choose your team members because they are good “cheerleaders”. You don't need people to blow smoke up your ass, telling you how wonderful your books are. If your team members aren't willing to tell you what is wrong with your writing, you don't need them. You don't want them.
While the main job of your team is to help you get your book ready for publication, it is a plus if they will support you with the release, sharing your new book on their facebook page, on twitter, or on their blog.
Find a good, professional editor. How do you find a good editor? Good question. You probably know other indie authors. You've probably read some of their books. If so, you know which ones have good editors (though you may not know which ones have poor editors – more on this later). Ask for recommendations. Also, most editors will do a free sample edit. They will edit a brief section of your manuscript for free so you can review their work.
I can't stress this enough: With a few extremely rare exceptions, authors cannot edit their own work. I know a famous, traditionally published author, who also worked for many years as a professional editor. This author self-published a short story a while back, and I found half a dozen typos in a fifty-page published work. You cannot edit your own work.
A note about professionally edited books. I have seen books which I know were professionally edited receive reviews saying the book was poorly edited. Often, this occurs because the author does not accept many of the changes suggested by the editor, and then publishes the book without having the editor take a final look at it. Please understand, the editor does not “fix” your book and publish it. It is up to the author to do that. If the author chooses to ignore the editor's suggestions, the results is a poorly edited book, through no fault of the editor.
One thing I've heard almost universally from other indie authors is that having a book series is the best key to continued sales. If you hook them with book one, they'll buy book two. If book two is good, they'll buy book three. If you've written a book series and sales have fallen off exponentially with each new release, you might need to re-evaluate your approach to publishing.
I'll say it again: Authors, your name is on the cover. It's all on you. You are 100% responsible for the quality of your books.
Confession: I was one of those people who didn't use a professional editor. At first, I believed I didn't need an editor. Later, I said I couldn't afford an editor. Those books are no longer available. They were so embarrassingly bad, I took them off the market. I may rework them and republish them with the help of my editor. All of my currently available books were professionally edited, and I will never again publish without my editor.
July 25, 2016
To my twitter followers
First, I want to thank you all for following me. I am honored that so many of you have chosen to watch my insanity in action.
When I started out on twitter, I adopted a “pay-it-forward” approach, retweeting books and book related information from authors and bloggers. I love supporting fellow authors and supporting the people who support us. Things have gone well. Extremely well. In fact, my twitter following has grown far faster than my wildest dreams. That is wonderful. Thank you.
This rapid growth has caused one small difficulty for me. I am now spending four to six hours each day retweeting material for the wonderful folks who have shared my books. In addition, I frequently reach my tweet limit, and several times my account has been locked because my retweeting activity looks like my account is an automated tweet bot. I am sorry to say, I can’t keep up this pace. I have barely managed a few pages of writing during the past month.
I am sorry, but I am going to have to cut back on my retweeting. I don’t use any of those automated services to retweet for me, and I don’t want to start now. Every tweet and retweet you see in my feed is there because I personally put it there.
I am going to try to find some way to strike a balance between twitter and my writing, my family, and my health.
Thank you all for your understanding.
Jim Proctor
When I started out on twitter, I adopted a “pay-it-forward” approach, retweeting books and book related information from authors and bloggers. I love supporting fellow authors and supporting the people who support us. Things have gone well. Extremely well. In fact, my twitter following has grown far faster than my wildest dreams. That is wonderful. Thank you.
This rapid growth has caused one small difficulty for me. I am now spending four to six hours each day retweeting material for the wonderful folks who have shared my books. In addition, I frequently reach my tweet limit, and several times my account has been locked because my retweeting activity looks like my account is an automated tweet bot. I am sorry to say, I can’t keep up this pace. I have barely managed a few pages of writing during the past month.
I am sorry, but I am going to have to cut back on my retweeting. I don’t use any of those automated services to retweet for me, and I don’t want to start now. Every tweet and retweet you see in my feed is there because I personally put it there.
I am going to try to find some way to strike a balance between twitter and my writing, my family, and my health.
Thank you all for your understanding.
Jim Proctor
January 28, 2015
To my indie author friends:
Before I start, I want to be clear that this post is NOT about me urging you to hire a professional editor. I think you should, of course, but that is not the point of this post.
I am an indie author, and I have made a lot of friends in the indie community. If you are one of my indie friends, I think you will agree that I am always willing to do whatever I can to support you and promote your work. I share your work on my page. When you have a release party, I donate whatever I can afford for giveaways. I think you will also agree that there are never strings attached. I don't think anyone can say that I ever offered to share your book if you would share mine, or that I would donate to your event if you would donate to mine. I'm not like that. This post is in that spirit of no-strings-attached support.
I know how expensive it can be to hire a professional editor. As indies, we often make next to nothing on book sales, and we can't all afford to pay hundreds of dollars for editing, or even less expensive proofreading services. Instead, we build a “team” of people we rely on. This team may include family members, close friends, other authors, and sometimes people who just come in from “nowhere” and offer to help. I have done this, more than once. The results were less than stellar but, hey, it was free. Okay, I mean free in terms of up-front costs.
There are several types of people who may be on our team. One of the most common is family members – Mom, Dad, Brother, Sister, even our kids. If you are lucky, one of these people may be a decent proofreader. Unfortunately, this isn't always the case. Often, these people lack the skills to properly proofread your work. That isn't to say their language skills suck. Proofreading is a very specialized skill. When reading, the human mind fills in missing words, or substitutes the right word for a wrong word. Mistakes get passed over, unnoticed. These people mean well. They probably have your best interest at heart. They just don't always have the skills needed. Also, they often don't have it in them to tell you when something is bad. Love and a desire to help are no substitute for the necessary skills and frankness.
Another type of person who ends up on our team is the self-proclaimed “experienced proofreader” who offers to help you, often coming out of nowhere. Maybe they saw one of your books on a blog, or they are just an avid reader of your genre, and they offer to help. If you are lucky, they have the skills they claim, and they genuinely want to help you. Unfortunately, this often is not the case. More often than not, these people are not nearly as good as they claim to be. Even worse, they often are not genuinely looking our for your best interests. Too often, then are posers who just want to be “part of the team”. They say all the right things and seem eager to help, but in the end, they end up hurting you more than helping. Here are some of the tell-tale signs of these posers:
1) They proofread for you, and maybe even find a couple of errors. You publish your book, and suddenly you discover from readers that your book is full of typos.
2) You publish your book, and these posers don't post any reviews for you. You may even beg them to post reviews, yet they are reluctant to do so. Weeks or months may go by after the release, and they still have not posted a review on any of the retail sites.
3) If they post a review, they often state right in the review that they helped you. “They consider themselves lucky to be a part of your team” or similar statements.
4) After the “hoopla” of your book release, they suddenly disappear until you have another book ready to proofread. They are only around to wave the flag while the excitement is high and people are watching.
Do you understand why these are tell-tale signs? It is because they never really proofread your book, they only skimmed it. They caught a couple of really obvious errors and proudly pointed them out to you. They missed most of the errors. They are reluctant to post a review of your book because they only skimmed it. They don't really know what your book is about. They want everyone to know that they helped you. That is what is important to them.
These posers are a real danger to your reputation and to your future as an author. YOUR name is on the book cover, not theirs. You accept them at their word, trusting them to proofread. You publish your book and it is riddled with errors, and who looks bad? Their name isn't on the cover.
If you rely on a team of people to help you produce your books, PLEASE pay attention to the quality of their work. And if you have been taken in by one of these posers and someone tells you that your book is full of typos, FIX THE TYPOS. Right away. Fix them and upload a revised version.
More than once I have pointed out errors in a fellow indie author's book. Often, the author is grateful (good for you). Sometimes the author ignores the errors. That's okay, it isn't my name on the cover. I tried. I can promise you this: If I have told you that there are errors in your book, there are errors in your book. I am not making anything up. Typos are verifiable. Why would anyone tell you there are errors in your book when there are not?
I wish you luck. I hope you will use a professional editor. If you don't, I hope you will be extra careful. Your name is on the book. Your reputation is at stake.
I am an indie author, and I have made a lot of friends in the indie community. If you are one of my indie friends, I think you will agree that I am always willing to do whatever I can to support you and promote your work. I share your work on my page. When you have a release party, I donate whatever I can afford for giveaways. I think you will also agree that there are never strings attached. I don't think anyone can say that I ever offered to share your book if you would share mine, or that I would donate to your event if you would donate to mine. I'm not like that. This post is in that spirit of no-strings-attached support.
I know how expensive it can be to hire a professional editor. As indies, we often make next to nothing on book sales, and we can't all afford to pay hundreds of dollars for editing, or even less expensive proofreading services. Instead, we build a “team” of people we rely on. This team may include family members, close friends, other authors, and sometimes people who just come in from “nowhere” and offer to help. I have done this, more than once. The results were less than stellar but, hey, it was free. Okay, I mean free in terms of up-front costs.
There are several types of people who may be on our team. One of the most common is family members – Mom, Dad, Brother, Sister, even our kids. If you are lucky, one of these people may be a decent proofreader. Unfortunately, this isn't always the case. Often, these people lack the skills to properly proofread your work. That isn't to say their language skills suck. Proofreading is a very specialized skill. When reading, the human mind fills in missing words, or substitutes the right word for a wrong word. Mistakes get passed over, unnoticed. These people mean well. They probably have your best interest at heart. They just don't always have the skills needed. Also, they often don't have it in them to tell you when something is bad. Love and a desire to help are no substitute for the necessary skills and frankness.
Another type of person who ends up on our team is the self-proclaimed “experienced proofreader” who offers to help you, often coming out of nowhere. Maybe they saw one of your books on a blog, or they are just an avid reader of your genre, and they offer to help. If you are lucky, they have the skills they claim, and they genuinely want to help you. Unfortunately, this often is not the case. More often than not, these people are not nearly as good as they claim to be. Even worse, they often are not genuinely looking our for your best interests. Too often, then are posers who just want to be “part of the team”. They say all the right things and seem eager to help, but in the end, they end up hurting you more than helping. Here are some of the tell-tale signs of these posers:
1) They proofread for you, and maybe even find a couple of errors. You publish your book, and suddenly you discover from readers that your book is full of typos.
2) You publish your book, and these posers don't post any reviews for you. You may even beg them to post reviews, yet they are reluctant to do so. Weeks or months may go by after the release, and they still have not posted a review on any of the retail sites.
3) If they post a review, they often state right in the review that they helped you. “They consider themselves lucky to be a part of your team” or similar statements.
4) After the “hoopla” of your book release, they suddenly disappear until you have another book ready to proofread. They are only around to wave the flag while the excitement is high and people are watching.
Do you understand why these are tell-tale signs? It is because they never really proofread your book, they only skimmed it. They caught a couple of really obvious errors and proudly pointed them out to you. They missed most of the errors. They are reluctant to post a review of your book because they only skimmed it. They don't really know what your book is about. They want everyone to know that they helped you. That is what is important to them.
These posers are a real danger to your reputation and to your future as an author. YOUR name is on the book cover, not theirs. You accept them at their word, trusting them to proofread. You publish your book and it is riddled with errors, and who looks bad? Their name isn't on the cover.
If you rely on a team of people to help you produce your books, PLEASE pay attention to the quality of their work. And if you have been taken in by one of these posers and someone tells you that your book is full of typos, FIX THE TYPOS. Right away. Fix them and upload a revised version.
More than once I have pointed out errors in a fellow indie author's book. Often, the author is grateful (good for you). Sometimes the author ignores the errors. That's okay, it isn't my name on the cover. I tried. I can promise you this: If I have told you that there are errors in your book, there are errors in your book. I am not making anything up. Typos are verifiable. Why would anyone tell you there are errors in your book when there are not?
I wish you luck. I hope you will use a professional editor. If you don't, I hope you will be extra careful. Your name is on the book. Your reputation is at stake.
