Creating vs. marketing

 

Tonto Country, Arizona back country  -- our photo

In trying to put together some words regarding my writing philosophy, I realized the initial ideas that came to me, first two paragraphs below, were about encouraging someone else to be a writer. 

That led me to try to change my focus to why might someone like my books and the third paragraph below.

My blog has had the first purpose, along with loving nature, and positive ideas toward life. Marketing my books has not been here so much. The thing I am wondering is can they be blended?

Writing romances is taking what you know, have loved, experienced, dreamed, along with the losses. mistakes and failures, adding a touch of fantasy, mixing it together with fictional characters, who use it to create their happily ever after.

 For writing romances, take what you have learned about life, the positive and negative, add to it imagination and characters you get to know as if they were friends. That’s basis of my work for what I value, love, honesty, which comes first? For me it's been the writing, but many say write to th, courage, strength, friends, and family—along with happily ever after.

 The basis for my romances, whether historical, fantasy or contemporary comes from what I value—love, honesty, courage, strength, friends, and family. I use what I’ve learned and dreamed—the easy and the hard with an added touch of fantasy.

Here's a question for writers and wantabes--  Which comes first, writing or marketing? It's taught by many that you need to know what the market is and write to that, if you ever want to sell. You need to learn what tropes readers want and make sure they are there.

As for me, I've gone the other way with writing to my interests, whether that was the historicals, contemporaries, or fantasies.There are popular tropes that turn me off totally for reading. How could I write to that. 

What I have believed is that my characters work through different problems and time periods (where research comes in), taking into account what changing outside forces might be impacting them. My plots do have a similarity to them with some suspense, conflict and, of course, the happily ever after romances require. But that's me as a writer. What about the reader, those who know what kind of story they want and are unsure if what I write, in a different series, will satisfy them.

Selling books has to be part of a writer's focus. For some writers, it supports their families, but even when living frugally in retirement, it's important as writing is about sharing the writer's voice with others. Selling means that happened. 

Some might say then make the books free or 99¢. That would be undercutting writers who are supporting their families. Another reason, to keep the price higher then that, relates to some believing a low price indicates less value in the book.

Other than for a sale, mine are priced based on lengths, as I believe they have equal quality. Novellas are $2.99. Novels vary from $3.99 to $4.99 based also on length. Their prices could be higher, many writers have their eBooks at $6.99 or more. 

Marketing is frustrating to figure out what is fair to writers and readers. Currently none of mine are in KU because they are wide to sites like B&N, Kobo, etc. Well, there is an exception to that, with the contemporaries, which I have only in Amazon, but not KU. That's because of Amazon rules regarding independent writers. I can't have any book in KU unless I do not have it elsewhere. 

For now, the contemporaries are where they are because I want to do editing, before I make them wide. I know that sounds confusing. It is to me, but I need to deal with their covers and maybe titles. I tend to not have enough commas, which had been a problem in the books I did just edit (the ones in the below poster).

It is a poster I made for the contemporary paranormals. I did it for my own satisfaction as not a lot of places I can use it. I like seeing my purposes and books together. Stories were set in Idaho, Montana, and Arizona, my beloved West.

 

 

 

times of misery

 by Rain Trueax

 

September was a tough month for me with the disastrous fires in my home state. Some of my favorite Cascade Mountain areas to camp or hike were destroyed. People lost their lives. Small towns like Talent and Phoenix were burned almost to the ground. My daughter said half the children in those school districts had lost their homes. California has suffered the same devastation. It's hard to get your head around the misery,.

Then came October and I made a big mistake. Tuesday, we ordered a chicken enchilada dinner from a nearby Mexican restaurant. Delicious.I knew that for me there was some risk as I learned a few years ago that I am nightshade intolerant.  I mentioned it in the last blog I wrote for here. When the symptoms hit you, it's one or two days after the meal. You have just taken something toxic into your body-- in short poisoning yourself. It got me Thursday which led to physical weakness, terrible headaches, throwing up-- in short, misery, a day mostly in bed as nothing helps-- well, except your partner sometimes also lying in bed to keep you company. Yes, misery does love company.

In researching nightshade intolerance, we did learn it's genetic and comes most to those who live or migrated from certain parts of Europe (happens to fit my ancestry).

Having invited a bout of it myself, always hopefully it won't be so bad,  that basically meant another day or two, when the worst of the misery subsided, that I have little energy. I am hence going to use something I wrote in September for a group blog. The one plus I can say about such a miserable experience is first, it makes a person very sympathetic to people with longer lasting illnesses and second it makes one appreciate of feeling normal. It is something that it's easy to take for granted.

You might think what do you care about covers for books if you haven't written one yet, but you might someday decide to write a book of poetry, a memoir, the great American novel, book on nature, photography, painting, etc. The tips apply. The covers below will change for their title fonts (we bought some new ones to try), but my energy is depleted again. I'll  write more about them next Saturday when I will have been a lot smarter about what I eat.

What went right and wrong

by Rain Trueax

This is supposed to be about why my contemporary books haven't done well. It will be but first-- Happy Birthday to Ranch Boss, my life partner, and something that went right in my life. Today, he is the main reason any of my books sell as he does most of the marketing for them ;). He has learned probably more than he ever wanted to know about how to do ads and target words. I am very grateful for that but even more that we are life partners. It's been a good ride together going from virtually kids to a couple who will have their 55th anniversary in September-- god willing and the creek don't rise. I won't say it's all been smooth going but through it all, we have remained best friends-- most days ;).

I have some advice for anyone contemplating a divorce. Give it some time-- unless its about physical abuse and then get out fast.  Try to determine what has gone wrong. If your partner wants a divorce, ask them what are the reasons. Communication is a big deal in any relationship. Sometimes through talking things can be worked out. Not always. I'd hate though to leave any relationship without knowing why it was broken. I did that only once-- in high school when a friend just stopped talking to me. Never again. Ask what's up and try to decide if the reasons matter enough or can counseling or time fix what went wrong.

So the question I began with, I am back to-- in particular what might it be about my contemporary romances that has led to them not finding the readers my historicals found.  Most especially, when they went into Kindle Unlimited for borrowing, why did they not find readers even there? *big tear drops-- okay I don't really cry over books not selling but you get the point* What is it about them that doesn't click with readers?

They don't quite fit-- or something?

by Rain Trueax 

Why books find acceptance-- or not-- is a mystery to writers-- most of us. I mean we love everything we put out-- most of us. That is not always the case with readers-- most of them. So, this is about my failed contemporary romances, the ones without the paranormal elements, the ones that are all full-length novels-- all with suspense in the plot. 

Only one of these contemporaries was submitted to a publishing house. In the '90s, when I had sent a query on Moon Dust, one editor liked it enough to request the manuscript. This is a big deal as most queries don't end up going that far. Back then, it required printing it off, double-spaced, putting it in a box and mailing it with hope... It was rejected, but I did get a handwritten note with it (again not all do this). The editor said good things about the writing and suggested if I softened the plot, I could resubmit it. I understood the editor's concerns, as the book, while a romance, is also about divorce, consequences of abuse, and the militia movement. How do you soften any of that? 

After my extensive research, I especially saw no way to soften the emotional consequences of childhood abuse.  Some think molestation is only about women, but statistics say 10% of men have been abused. It's underestimated for its impact, given men are supposed to enjoy sex. Abuse is not about sex but control. It is as bad for males as females. I didn't resubmit the book and waited to bring it out-- un-softened-- when indie publishing became an option. 

It turned out to get very few readers; so that editor was probably right that romance readers want their books softer. You know most romance readers have complicated lives and often demanding careers. It's easy to see why they don't want to face difficult issues in their reading for pleasure.

I get that, but writers have to stay true to their muse, to their vision. Each of my books always has elements that interest me about the cycles of life-- not always enjoyable ones. I think this is because those are the books I prefer to read. 

So below are my contemporaries and why they were written-- what interested me in their themes as well as the characters. 

Bound for the Hills

by Rain Trueax

There was a time when I never wrote about my books in this blog. There was a reason for that. I thought if I mentioned them, readers would take it as me trying to sell them. I also thought-- those that do-- do. Those that don't, talk/write about it. Silly reasoning but for years, I didn't talk about my writing even to friends. A few knew I wrote but most probably did not. None of my friends at the time wrote or had interest in writing. Most didn't read romances if they read books of other sorts.

Eventually, that changed some with this blog but still not nearly to the level writing/marketing encompasses my life and thinking. Conversations in the middle of the day with Ranch Boss often revolve around a marketing aspect, which makes sense as he's the main marketer behind my books and has been for several years (one reason more books are sold today than back then). When I wake in the morning, it's often with dreams that revolved around some aspect of writing.

A dream example was this week: I find a page where I can look at how much money each of the writers I know have already made that month. It turns out to be in the many thousands (and it probably is the case, given what they've revealed other places). In the dream, I feel a mix of pressure to do more to get my books seen and jealousy that they made so much. 

Finding a page like that would not make me happy, and there might even be one. IF so, I won't be reading it. *fingers crossed*. Well, I might, but it'd be happier if I didn't as comparing yourself to others, in anything, is always a lose/lose.

So for Saturday blogs, for a while, I am going to write about writing/marketing.  I hope it will be of interest to those who come, but understand it might not. I won't be doing this hoping more books will be sold from here (links are all listed alongside lol) but instead with the hope that it might inspire others to give writing a try or if they already write, ideas on how they could get their books out there and what that involves. I've learned a thing or two after getting into this in 2012-- some from my own experiences and some from what others have shared (writers who I looked up in the dream). It will also be because this is something important in my life.

book covers

 by Rain Trueax

At one time to buy a book required heading to a bookstore. For some, it still does. When browsing down the shelves, what you see are mostly splines. The author's name and a title either attract or you go on. Only when you draw out the book do you see the cover. The cover isn't the reason you pull that book out but seeing it might be why you read the back cover and a bit of text. In bookstores, covers might matter to readers; but they are not the initial draw. They are not the hook.

Today, many of us get our books online. As we skim along or maybe get an email encouraging us to purchase, usually, the first thing we see is the cover with its title. It then is very important as a turn on or off (maybe less so in non-fiction). The business of covers changed with eBooks and the addition of writers, who were not in corporations, where the choice of covers was given to "professionals".

Changes-- I got changes

by Rain Trueax

Not just indie writers sometimes change their book title or cover. It's, of course, easier for an indie because you only have to please yourself. I have a couple of books where the covers have never changed, titles worked from the get-go. Others just seem not to gel even though I had thought I had them right when I brought them out. The right title is a keystone-- those few words can kill sales or lead a potential reader to explore further. It matters even more that it depict what is in the book.

What was wrong with my book titled Enchantress' Secret was the meaning of the word enchantress. I had thought of it originally as connected to being a witch but also a beguiling woman. My heroine was both. The thing was-- she was not an enchantress, a rather negative word for those who are aware of paranormal meanings

"a woman who uses magic or sorcery, especially to put someone or something under a spell. Synonyms: witch, sorceress, magician, fairy, Circe, siren-- 'the enchantress put a curse on all the young men of Underwood Village'"

The business, of putting a curse or spell on someone, is not the nature of the Hemstreet Witches. They use energy and natural-born and supernatural gifts but only to do good. Sirens are another of those titles that many don't think of as evil but in the mythology, they were. 

"In Greek mythology, the Sirens were dangerous creatures, who lured nearby sailors with their enchanting music and singing voices to shipwreck on the rocky coast of their island. Roman poets placed them on some small islands called Sirenum scopuli."

Some might say I am splitting hairs, as aren't witches also bad creatures. There are indeed, many ways of seeing witchcraft, from those who don't believe it exists, to those who see it as Satan worship and intended for evil. It's never been my understanding of witches. When women were killed as witches in the dark ages, they were often natural practitioners using herbs and helping women birth babies. I thought this was a pretty good piece on how witches can be seen-- [What is a witch?]

Paranormal books are different than fantasies. Paranormals are set in a real world, our world, with those who have special powers. They share this world with other supposedly fantasy beings, many invisible to those who choose or are told not to see. A paranormal novel will have ordinary people sometimes caught up in a world they were told does not exist. 

In my Hemstreet Witches series, the women are human, with a natural life span, but born with special powers to use energy in ways most cannot. They have been taught to use it to keep the street safe for the ordinary folks, who might stumble across something that could hurt them. To be an enchantress would be regarded as evil and not remotely part of their charter. So how could I let the book be called Enchantress' Secret? What though could I use as a title that would let the reader know they would be stepping into a different world? 

In my paranormals, I try to put truths about the 'other' side that I have been told exist from those with more powers than I certainly have. To many humans, those other elements are illusions or are they? Are we just not aware of what shares our world? Many religions do believe in the supernatural world also, like angels and a god who intervenes with prayer. What we believe often is based on what we have been taught and which words make us comfortable.

Guest Author: Charlene Raddon

Thanks to Rain for hosting me. I’m thrilled to talk about my latest release, Divine Gamble. This book has been a labor of love. Back when I was writing for Kensington Books, I sent a proposal for Divine Gamble to my editor. He rejected it and asked for a story about a widow with a couple of kids and a drifter. That’s how To Have and To Hold came into being. But I loved Divine Gamble, so I dragged it out now and then and worked on it, always laying it aside because something else demanded my attention. Finally, my chance to finish the book came this year, and I’m excited to say it is published and doing well.

DIVINE GAMBLE,  a gritty, sensual American historical western romance.

As a girl, Maisy Macoubrie witnessed the murder of her beloved father. She's been running from the killer for fourteen years. If only she could provide a safe home for her and her son… but she'll never get rich dealing faro in saloons, with a cold-blooded killer on her trail.

The Preacher never meant to become a gunman. Sometimes life deals a man a hard hand. Always alone, always hunted, he dreams of all he’s been denied—peace, family, love.

The moment Maisy and The Preacher meet, their lives change once more. United in battle against a powerful enemy, they fight side by side, but can they beat the odds they face? Is love worth the biggest gamble man has ever known?

Divine Gamble 99¢ sale for today

~~^~~

Excerpt:

The air shifted, and a breeze fanned the back of her neck. Someone had entered the saloon. Seeing Marshal Jake Harker look behind her and frown, she stuffed the bank draft into her pocket. The hair on her neck rose. She turned slowly, expecting to see death staring her in the eye.

A new stranger, built like a freight wagon, stood just inside. Small eyes squinted out from under bushy brows. Dirt and grime smeared his square, pugnacious jaw. He reminded her of Quasimodo, minus the hunchback, but with an ugly scar angled from the corner of his nose, and down across a fat-lipped, down-turned mouth, exposing a jagged tooth. Her father had played Quasimodo once on a beer-soaked stage in Wichita, frightening a five-year-old Maisy near to death. Did he seem familiar to her because he reminded her of that unnerving experience?

The newcomer gave her a bold once-over. He took what looked like a photograph out of his pocket, glanced at it, at Maisy, and, wearing a grisly smile, started toward her. Something behind Maisy caught his attention, and he stopped. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Harker staring at the stranger. The Quasimodo look alike cursed under his breath, spun about and left.

Maisy laid one hand over her heart and pressed the other to her lips as if that would keep her from falling apart. The man had gone but might be waiting for her when she left at quitting time. He must have seen Harker's badge and figured now wasn't the time to grab her. Maisy's heart raced. She closed her eyes and reminded herself of the other times she'd survived Gold's henchmen. She would survive this time, too.

A sudden urge to leave town assailed her. But the stage had left. The ore train from Telluride wouldn't arrive until morning. Why had she ever thought she'd be safe in a dead-end canyon like Pandora occupied? Yes, she had friends here, but she couldn't risk endangering them.

She discreetly closed her bag to hide the card box inside. "Snake eyes! I forgot my card box. Would you keep an eye on things, Jake, while I go back to the boarding house for it?" 

"Let Delilah do it. I'd better go with you. You never know what gun-happy drunk might—"

She forced a laugh. "I'm a big girl, Marshal. I've been walking dark streets, storm or no storm, all by myself for a long time now, and I have my Deringer in my reticule. I don't need anyone holding my hand. Besides, Delilah's busy."

"Still, I think..."

"Don't be silly. I'll take Hock. He won't let anything happen to me."

As if comprehending her words, the dog rose and swiped a wet tongue over the back of her clenched hand.

"All right." Harker bent to pet the dog. "I think he'll make you a good guard dog. He knows you saved him. Get back here soon, though."

"I only need ten minutes, I promise. I'll take the back way, and no one will even see me." Slinging her cloak around her shoulders, she took up the bag and headed for the rear door of the saloon, the dog at her heels. The rest of her faro gear would have to remain here. Replacing it all would be expensive, but, if she took it, Harker would know she didn't plan to return and demand to know why.

Every instinct screamed for her to leave Pandora now. But she had to hang onto her wits, had to make plans. One choice would mean a steep and dangerous trek over a trail that zigzagged up the cliff and over the mountain. No, the train remained her best bet. She could only hope she'd be safe in her room until departure time. At least she had her reticule, the bank draft Harker had given her, and her Derringer. She'd managed before; she could do it again.

She had to.

 ~~^~~

An avid reader, Charlene Raddon never planned to be a writer. A vivid dream changed that. She dragged out a portable typewriter and began to put her dream on paper. Originally published by Kensington Books, Charlene is now an Indie author. All her books have received high accolades, contest wins, and awards. When not writing, she designs historical book covers at her site, http://silversagebookcovers.com where she specializes in westerns.

Charlene’s website: http://charleneraddon.com

Facebook: http://facebook.com/CharleneRaddon

Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/Charlene-Raddon/e/B000APG1P8/

covers and titles

With my work in progress having taken a hit due to outside forces (let me count the upsets we've faced as citizens of our country and of the earth), I've been writing but doing more with re-creating book covers. Writing a first rough draft requires control over a period of days (for me), and this summer has had limited time for that. Stuff happens, and that is a fact of life.

Having control over the covers is one of the pluses I receive for being an indie writer. I can do them myself, buy them already made, or hire someone to make them. Amazon offers a create your cover app that lets you use their tools to create one. For some writers, the choice is impacted by finances; but in my case, I like doing covers and have done them from the start using my photos, digital techniques, and purchased, royalty free images. I've had successes and failures-- and likely that will continue to be true.

Currently, after redoing the cover for Arizona Sunset, first in the Arizona historicals, I became interested in doing them for my novellas. I had the fourth in that Arizona historical series that had a banner in the middle. That is what I wanted as a way to set the novellas apart from the full length novels.

As part of the process, Sonoran Christmas, also got a new title-- Frederica's Heart. It's eighth in the Arizona historical romances. Sometimes, when a book is written, I am caught up in writing it and miss the deeper message. That was the case with that novella. It was set during the Christmas season, but it wasn't really about that as much as two people who had given up on finding true love and then... well, that's why people read the book.

The cover started out to be simple with a landscape. Next, I tried the couple, but nothing quite worked until I decided to go with the energy-- her fine culture and his gun. This was also their conflict, of course. Neither was quite who the other thought-- that's pretty typical of any intimate relationships in my experience.

In creating a title or cover, the problem is always how to get across what the book is about. In the next one, the novella follows a longer book, From Here to There. The couple's marriage started off a little badly-- with the bride asking for an annulment before the reception. The book moves from Boston to Montana and ranch living is at its heart along with the romance. 

A Montana Christmas continues the story of that family and takes that couple into what is effectively a long epilogue (novella at 27,000 words) about family and can it be healed when things have gone so wrong? Christmas was the right season, and I know a thing or two about ranch living, having lived on a small one for nearly 40 years. If you are interested in family dynamics and what ranch life is really like, you might enjoy this book. It isn't a new romance, although a new one is possible from some of its characters in the future.

The cover I had for A Montana Christmas was okay, but I like better this one that mixes the hope she feels with the work that never ends on a ranch. I used a purchased image for her, with photos I'd taken to create a painterly app for Montana ranch life.

eek!

 While writing the last chapters of my WIP, I had posted about the covers I had in mind for the paranormal romances. I thought I had that problem solved... Turns out not so much. The problem with books that bridge genres is they aren't easy to nail down for what should be on a cover. Well, not necessarily easy even when they don't, but especially difficult when they do. 

Paranormal can be a genre. Likewise, so can romance. When it's both, what do you emphasize on the cover? It's even more complicated for writers not on the A list, writers whose names alone won't sell their books. Covers are big reasons why potential readers will check out a book. 

changes ahead

For me, one of the cool things about being an indie writer is the option of creating my own covers. I've written about this before. It's not just a budget that makes me want to create mine. I like the control. To add to it, I am not fond of the cookie cutter images that are popular with so many. Doing my own helps me find new insights into my story, often seemingly coming from nowhere. 

In Facebook, when I wrote something about the next book coming in June, one of the readers said she loved the cover I'd put with it-- except that wasn't the cover I'd planned. It was the kind of image I use for inspiration in writing. I explained, and we both laughed.

Then I began to think-- I liked it too. And when I looked at the cover I'd planned, I didn't like it nearly as much. Until Dreamscope, I had been using photograph type images, as many do, but that didn't really suit me. As when I began publishing books, I wanted something more painterly. But, changing that one had a complication-- what about the others in the Hemstreet Witches series? They should look like they belonged together. I could explore the options-- no risk there.

Cropping the images I'd been using, I would try one and when it looked odd, I'd crop again. With Dreamscope, I never know what to expect. In between image work, I'd write a few hundred words on the WIP. Eventually, I found what felt like a mix between photograph and painting. The results are on the banner on top.

Then something else happened, which can occur when you do your own. I saw new approaches to the last two books. Until then, I couldn't get excited about what seemed it'd be more of the same. The covers changed that. Now, I am looking forward to each of them with this whole new slant-- and all thanks to a reader who helped me see things a new way. :)

That change also led to new covers for my two other paranormals-- Sky Daughter and Diablo Canyon. I hope these non-traditional covers will help readers see the fantasy angle to these stories as well as the couples who face something they hadn't expected.

For anyone in Amazon Kindles Unlimited, all my paranormals are or will be available there for those with memberships and interested in trying something new without having to buy the book. If you haven't tried out KU, there is a $9.95 monthly cost but then unlimited borrows. For readers with voracious reading habits, this works out to be a good deal-- even though not all books are available there. For indie writers, you must have your books exclusive to Amazon. I only did that for the paranormal/fantasy/metaphysical contemporary romances.

One thing I enjoy about being an indie writer-- changes are always possible.

unconventional

One of the problems I faced with my books was knowing I wasn't of the mindset of many other readers of romances. What I like to read is not what is most popular. In fact, the books selling the most are often boring with stale story lines-- to me. This complication extends to covers for books.

This last week a successful writer said nobody should do their own covers as they don't have the graphic sense of a pro. The writer said some indie covers were losing readers and had been told as much by one of her readers in an email. 

The thing is the covers by the pros are often cookie cutter in my view. Many of them do hint that the reader will get a sweet story; but if your story isn't sweet, what is that going to do for you? I can pretty well tell who made many of those covers without a name getting the credit-- they look the same.

So from this writer's perspective, I should get one of those graphic designers, pay the going fee, and have what everyone else has. Maybe it is what the readers want.

I've mentioned this problem before and redid the paranormal covers to a painterly view. I put them up and can't say if they are liked by potential readers.  I haven't done much of a push to get them seen.

Then, last week, I thought about another book, brought out late last year, that has had few sales. Can I blame the cover? I might, as it was a pretty cover but not exactly saying much about the story. I thought it'd work because it has a magical feel, which goes with Christmas season. 

Well, it didn't. So I began playing with other options-- even though I don't plan to redo the rest of the historical covers. I like having them work together, but this book is a bit different anyway.

Jeremiah Taggert was in the other three Taggert historicals (set in the early 1900s). He's the patriarch of what had been an outlaw family. He more or less chose to go straight because other options had run out by 1901. He saw the handwriting on the wall of a dying business (if you can call robbing stages, banks and railroads a business). 

It hadn't actually occurred to me that he was romance hero material. Yet, every time he was in a scene, he kind of stole it. The question is what kind of woman would be able to handle the old scoundrel-- reformed or not?

 She was sixty to his sixty-five and right there I had a problem for using them on the cover. There are not many senior models that suit a tough old bird or an aging but still lovely society lady, who has her own set of problems. 

Then, I thought, why not use Dreamscope apps to see what they could do to a photo that I had bought some time ago. It was in a western setting with an older couple but not quite old enough. The app would disguise that. 

I tried several of the options before deciding one worked best at least for me. Will it work for romance readers? 

Well, the other one didn't, so why not give this a shot. I think it's a good story, novella length, bringing back some of the characters from the earlier Arizona historicals. Setting it at Christmas added to my fun in writing it. Sometimes writing has to be its own reward. I'm pretty sure that having an unconventional cover will have some never giving the book a try. Still, it's a cover I like and maybe it'll draw in the unusual romance reader. I can always hope :). Available at Amazon