The Nonplus Adventures of a Self-publishing Writer:
Things I’ve Learned (PT 1)
I’ve been writing now for several years. In no way is this an exclamation of superiority, or to imply I know what I’m doing. Frankly, most of time it feels just the opposite, but all I know to do is keep, ‘doing.’
A writer friend told me that there is a dynamic that occurs somewhere around ten published books. In other words, after publishing around ten books a writer begins to see some kind of traction in sales. I suspect one can increase this traction by adjusting marketing strategies; book signings, press releases, and lots of time on social media but writers often feel they have little time for that so- ten books.
In getting to my ten books, there is one thing I believe, kind of my North Star, that it will all be okay if I just tell a good story, while staying out of the reader’s way. I whole-heartedly believe that people will forgive grammar and spelling errors IF the writer can hook them with the story. Now, before all the Grammar Nazis slip on their jackboots and come beating on my door, I don’t mean a writer doesn’t need to understand sentence structure, spelling, etcetera. What I mean is that the story is overwhelmingly the most important part of the process, then the grammar, spelling and such, because a poor technical part can get in the way of the good story part. Regardless of the awesomeness of ones storytelling, a reader will only put up with so much confusion.
“I” am a reader. “I” read/listen several books a year, and I can tell you that I have overlooked MANY technical issues because the story grabbed me. I have even purchased several books in a series, even after crossing swords with a crazy sentence or three. Now, there is no reason to decrease the odds of book sales with stupid spelling and grammar mistakes, so do your best the first time through, use Find and Replace (a lot), and get a good editor, but remember, its all about the story.
Develop the characters, give your reader someone with whom to identify. Make them do interesting things, and describe those things well. Throw in some tension- Will Rupert make it to the train on time? Can Sally hold back the demons of Yoremonger? Will Jake sell enough peanut brittle to afford to take Beverly to the dance? Regardless of genre, tension makes the story interesting. And end it well. I like to leave the story in such away as to allow a second in a series, but be sure to put a bow on the first one.
A friend once told me that I was a good starter, now (referencing my writing), I had to be a good finisher. Go therefore and be good starters AND finishers.
AD Faircloth, Pensacola, FL, 11/2015
Go to anthonydfaircloth.com and check out my books and short stories you’ll only find there.
First, find out what your hero wants, then just follow him!” – Ray Bradbury
Read more at Writer’sDigest.
SEE MY SHORT STORIES ON ANTHONYDFAIRCLOTH.COM
Story Spotlight- Nick Saint (So sue me, its my newsletter!)
Nick Saint, a normal guy working at a Chicago mini-mart, begins having dreams and soon finds himself embroiled in a mystery across time and two continents . See, there’s this machine he found in his attic that trapped the intelligence of several people sixty years ago and now they want out. Nick, Frankie, Ricky the raven, and the ladies of Bledsoe House, must solve the mystery and fix the machine to free those trapped.
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Born in 1962, Anthony D. Faircloth grew up in the farm country of East Central Indiana. After graduating from Wes-Del High School in 1980, Anthony joined the United States Navy Submarine Service where he served for 10 years. Anthony currently lives in Pensacola, Florida with his family.
Find Nick Saint and Anthony’s other books on Amazon.