So. This is happening: U.S. Sues Apple, Publishers Over E-Book Pricing (goes to the Wall Street Journal, so the link may expire).
For those of you who don't engage in regular discussions about the business side of publishing books, this is probably a case out of left field for you, but it's probably going to affect the consumer just as much as it does the companies involved.
By way of brief summary, here's what's going on:
Amazon sells books cheap.
Apple doesn't want to compete.
Publishers fear monopoly.
Apple and publishers accused of price-fixing.
If you want the slightly larger story, I elaborate:
(BIG FAT WARNING NOTE: I am not a lawyer. I am merely well-read. All of the information I'm giving to you has been condensed from other articles and essays and blogs elsewhere on the internet. Do not take what I have to say, word for word, as irrefutable truth. This is simply the situation as I understand it.)
Showing posts with label publishing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label publishing. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Monday, April 9, 2012
Sales Report for March 2012
Well, we're a couple months into this whole indie publishing project now, so I suppose it's time for another checkup.
As I said last time, I'm not posting these to brag, but to give a picture of how a career begins to take form and grow into a profitable and sustainable lifestyle. No idea when that'll happen, but I will get there in time. So, if you're reading this today, I'm hoping you'll hang in there with me. If you're reading this from the future (following a major publication or award, I'm sure), I hope this gives you a picture of how long it took me to get there.
Right, now with the numbers. I have yet to figure out an easy way to report all this information, so I'll stick with the overly long listing method.
"Reserved for War: Paradise Remnants Episode 1"
Kindle: 2 ($0.70)
Nook: 0 ($0.00)
Smashwords: 0 ($0.00)
"Divided by Victory: Paradise Remnants Episode 2"
Kindle: 0 ($0.00)
Nook: 0 ($0.00)
Smashwords: 0 ($0.00)
"Armed for Battle: Paradise Remnants Episode 3"
Kindle: 0 ($0.00)
Nook: 0 ($0.00)
Smashwords: 1 ($0.56)
"Antebellum"
Kindle: 0 ($0.00)
Nook: 0 ($0.00)
Smashwords: 0 ($0.00)
So, for March, we have a total of 3 sales earning me $1.26. Lets set that up against the numbers from previous months:
January: 6 ($2.36)
February: 4 ($1.61)
March: 3 ($1.26)
Yeah, not all that encouraging as a general trend. Diminishing sales is usually a bad thing, right?
But I'm trying not to be discouraged. Three months does not a career make, after all. And I'm sitting here with no outside advertising (like, from magazine or novel publications) leading readers to my indie material. That's something I aim to remedy in the coming months, but it's a process that takes time.
The other, more encouraging trend that I've noticed, however, has to do with which items are selling. While I may have only sold 13 copies in the past three months (hey, I broke double digits, awesome!), it's important to note that 9 of those copies are of the first installment -- "Reserved for War." What I take this to mean is that people are starting to see a series developing through my consistent releases and feel an urge to take a look. Whether or not they enjoy that first installment enough to continue reading (or to spread the word!) remains to be seen. And while this is hardly enough data to really prove anything (yet), I still find it an encouraging sign that the plan behind my whole gamble of "episodic releases" might actually be working.
That's all I have to say for this month. Now I'm off to prepare another release (slightly late due to Easter. Sorry.)
Until next time...
-joshua kehe
As I said last time, I'm not posting these to brag, but to give a picture of how a career begins to take form and grow into a profitable and sustainable lifestyle. No idea when that'll happen, but I will get there in time. So, if you're reading this today, I'm hoping you'll hang in there with me. If you're reading this from the future (following a major publication or award, I'm sure), I hope this gives you a picture of how long it took me to get there.
Right, now with the numbers. I have yet to figure out an easy way to report all this information, so I'll stick with the overly long listing method.
"Reserved for War: Paradise Remnants Episode 1"
Kindle: 2 ($0.70)
Nook: 0 ($0.00)
Smashwords: 0 ($0.00)
"Divided by Victory: Paradise Remnants Episode 2"
Kindle: 0 ($0.00)
Nook: 0 ($0.00)
Smashwords: 0 ($0.00)
"Armed for Battle: Paradise Remnants Episode 3"
Kindle: 0 ($0.00)
Nook: 0 ($0.00)
Smashwords: 1 ($0.56)
"Antebellum"
Kindle: 0 ($0.00)
Nook: 0 ($0.00)
Smashwords: 0 ($0.00)
So, for March, we have a total of 3 sales earning me $1.26. Lets set that up against the numbers from previous months:
January: 6 ($2.36)
February: 4 ($1.61)
March: 3 ($1.26)
Yeah, not all that encouraging as a general trend. Diminishing sales is usually a bad thing, right?
But I'm trying not to be discouraged. Three months does not a career make, after all. And I'm sitting here with no outside advertising (like, from magazine or novel publications) leading readers to my indie material. That's something I aim to remedy in the coming months, but it's a process that takes time.
The other, more encouraging trend that I've noticed, however, has to do with which items are selling. While I may have only sold 13 copies in the past three months (hey, I broke double digits, awesome!), it's important to note that 9 of those copies are of the first installment -- "Reserved for War." What I take this to mean is that people are starting to see a series developing through my consistent releases and feel an urge to take a look. Whether or not they enjoy that first installment enough to continue reading (or to spread the word!) remains to be seen. And while this is hardly enough data to really prove anything (yet), I still find it an encouraging sign that the plan behind my whole gamble of "episodic releases" might actually be working.
That's all I have to say for this month. Now I'm off to prepare another release (slightly late due to Easter. Sorry.)
Until next time...
-joshua kehe
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Recap and Follow-up to Meeting #2
Another week goes by...and that's another week of blog posts that I planned and never wrote. I'll get around to them eventually, but the actual writing (aka the fiction, aka the fun stuff, aka the stuff that will make me money) comes first and I'm finding myself with less and less time each week.
As a quick preview on some upcoming topics (because, hey, it might motivate me to actually write them), we've got:
Career Observations from "Rain"
Teaching Creative Writing: Instinctive vs Analytic
The Devil's Advocate Speaks! -- Tell, Don't Show
The Devil's Advocate Speaks! -- EXTREMEism
As a quick preview on some upcoming topics (because, hey, it might motivate me to actually write them), we've got:
Career Observations from "Rain"
Teaching Creative Writing: Instinctive vs Analytic
The Devil's Advocate Speaks! -- Tell, Don't Show
The Devil's Advocate Speaks! -- EXTREMEism
That should take me through the end of the month at my pace, right? :P
Anyways, the meat of the matter here is that we had another meeting of the Pre-Professional Fiction Writers Business Workshop Extravaganza Fantastique...et al. And this one was a highly productive one -- from my perspective. There was some engaging discussion and identification of areas that we will need to explore more thoroughly, as well as a brief (and then long, and then lengthy) presentation from myself on publication process (and then agents, and then indie pub, and then...it was over).
Below, you'll find a quick recap of the discussion's highlights (including the list of topics that we've identified to talk more about in the coming weeks), as well as some supplementary reading material that I sent out after the meeting for folks to look into if they're interested. Peruse at your own pace and discretion.
Anyways, the meat of the matter here is that we had another meeting of the Pre-Professional Fiction Writers Business Workshop Extravaganza Fantastique...et al. And this one was a highly productive one -- from my perspective. There was some engaging discussion and identification of areas that we will need to explore more thoroughly, as well as a brief (and then long, and then lengthy) presentation from myself on publication process (and then agents, and then indie pub, and then...it was over).
Below, you'll find a quick recap of the discussion's highlights (including the list of topics that we've identified to talk more about in the coming weeks), as well as some supplementary reading material that I sent out after the meeting for folks to look into if they're interested. Peruse at your own pace and discretion.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Sales Report for January 2012
This is going to be brief, since I don't really have much to say.
Hello everyone, and welcome to the next step of the journey -- earning money. As many of you know (or should, by this point), I published the first installment of an ongoing, serialized story on January 9th. It's available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, the iBookstore, and Kobo (still waiting for it to show up on Sony's bookstore) for $0.99 in eBook format.
I want to get two questions out of the way from the start:
1. No. I haven't sold very many yet. Just because it's out there doesn't mean people have found it yet.
2. Just because it hasn't sold very many yet doesn't mean it won't further down the line.
This is a long road, a journey that takes years -- even after making a successful (or even profitable) first publication.
So, with that in mind, I bring you my sales figures for January. I'm planning on doing this each month, not because I want to brag, but because I want to provide a window into the life of a writer taking the first steps on his career. (I'm getting better at this openness thing, right? Right?)
Hopefully, we'll be able to watch an upward trend toward viability over the next few months/years/decades. But I'm not in a position to make any promises.
All I can do is report the information.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Pre-Professional Fiction Writers Workshop -- Week 1 Readings
Hello, again.
As I said in the "Overview" email, this week's topics are:
1. Every writer is different.
2. You can make a living writing fiction.
3. This is a business; we need to adjust our attitudes.
We're going to dive right in, then. Below I present the topics again, with relevant links below. You'll find there are Primary readings, and Secondary readings.
Primary readings are those that I think do the best job of communicating the information we need to start having a conversation on the topic. It might not be the most balanced or accurate in terms of the picture it paints, but it'll definitely be the ones we try to talk about at our meetings.
Secondary readings are the "if you want more information" links. These are likely to come up in our discussions (I'm sure I'll reference them without realizing they're secondary), but are by no means required to understand the core of the topic. Sometimes, they present the same information from a different angle or in a different manner, so if you have trouble grasping the ideas or believing what the primary author is saying, then maybe looking at the secondary material will help you.
Again, as I mentioned in the Overview email, the schedule is fluid. If we want to expand our discussions of these initial readings into two or three weeks, that's fine. We'll just see how things go on Monday.
Okay, that's all I'm going to say. Here we go.
As I said in the "Overview" email, this week's topics are:
1. Every writer is different.
2. You can make a living writing fiction.
3. This is a business; we need to adjust our attitudes.
We're going to dive right in, then. Below I present the topics again, with relevant links below. You'll find there are Primary readings, and Secondary readings.
Primary readings are those that I think do the best job of communicating the information we need to start having a conversation on the topic. It might not be the most balanced or accurate in terms of the picture it paints, but it'll definitely be the ones we try to talk about at our meetings.
Secondary readings are the "if you want more information" links. These are likely to come up in our discussions (I'm sure I'll reference them without realizing they're secondary), but are by no means required to understand the core of the topic. Sometimes, they present the same information from a different angle or in a different manner, so if you have trouble grasping the ideas or believing what the primary author is saying, then maybe looking at the secondary material will help you.
Again, as I mentioned in the Overview email, the schedule is fluid. If we want to expand our discussions of these initial readings into two or three weeks, that's fine. We'll just see how things go on Monday.
Okay, that's all I'm going to say. Here we go.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Pre-Professional Fiction Writers Workshop -- An Overview
Hello, everyone.
Welcome to the PPFWW.
This is a new project I'm putting together for a group of writers here on campus who are getting ready to make the jump from student writer to published writer.
This is an area that I've been doing a LOT of research on lately, and it's my hope that by sharing this research with others and opening it up to discussion, we'll all be able to learn.
It occurred to me while I was working on the outline for this week (and the next few weeks overall) that there's little reason for me to keep all this information to myself. As a result, you get this series of blog posts. Basically, they're going to be the reading packets that I send out to the group each week, provided for your perusal. Lots of good links in here, so hopefully you all can learn something along with us.
If I think there's a particularly useful or exciting discussion at the group's weekly meeting, I might share some insights I gained from it, but otherwise you're going to have provide the discussion for yourselves.
And, with that introduction out of the way, check out the workshop overview after the jump.
Welcome to the PPFWW.
This is a new project I'm putting together for a group of writers here on campus who are getting ready to make the jump from student writer to published writer.
This is an area that I've been doing a LOT of research on lately, and it's my hope that by sharing this research with others and opening it up to discussion, we'll all be able to learn.
It occurred to me while I was working on the outline for this week (and the next few weeks overall) that there's little reason for me to keep all this information to myself. As a result, you get this series of blog posts. Basically, they're going to be the reading packets that I send out to the group each week, provided for your perusal. Lots of good links in here, so hopefully you all can learn something along with us.
If I think there's a particularly useful or exciting discussion at the group's weekly meeting, I might share some insights I gained from it, but otherwise you're going to have provide the discussion for yourselves.
And, with that introduction out of the way, check out the workshop overview after the jump.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Legitimacy Bred by Rejection
Well, I can feel marginally more legitimate now.
Today I received my first rejection letter.
Yeah, personal little confession here. Even though I published on Amazon.com earlier this month, I still don't feel like I've really gotten my work out there. I don't feel all the way official yet.
Now, that'll come in time as I continue the story begun in "Reserved for War," but there's something about that external confirmation of an editor that's been deeply bred in the writer's psyche. While I've chosen to not completely shackle myself to the opinions of a single reader (i.e. an editor), I still hope to develop a positive relationship with the traditional publishing industry.
So, to that end, I've begun submitting my shorter fiction to the online magazines.
My first victim was the Hugo-award-winning Clarke's World Magazine. Competition is stiff there, as they only publish three stories a month. Think I'm crazy for even trying?
Hey, all they can do is say no, right?
I will admit that I chose Clarke's World more for their speedy turnaround (most submissions are read and replied to within the first three days), and I think this worked to my advantage. Rather than building up my hopes and expectations over weeks or months, unsure what to expect, only to ultimately be let down (or not, I guess), this way I was able to eagerly anticipate a reply and then move on.
Intense emotion packed into as small a space of time as possible.
Now I can stop worrying and move on with the writing. I received my first rejection. I am an official, legitimate contender in this journey now.
Just as publishing on Amazon was the first step on a new journey -- one of independent publication -- so this rejection is the first measurable step on a similar, parallel journey -- one of traditional publication.
Both are exciting, and I eagerly anticipate watching my own progress over the coming months and years.
(Hm, last statement = slightly narcissistic? Probably. [Shut up, inner editor.])
Until next time...
-josh k.
Today I received my first rejection letter.
Yeah, personal little confession here. Even though I published on Amazon.com earlier this month, I still don't feel like I've really gotten my work out there. I don't feel all the way official yet.
Now, that'll come in time as I continue the story begun in "Reserved for War," but there's something about that external confirmation of an editor that's been deeply bred in the writer's psyche. While I've chosen to not completely shackle myself to the opinions of a single reader (i.e. an editor), I still hope to develop a positive relationship with the traditional publishing industry.
So, to that end, I've begun submitting my shorter fiction to the online magazines.
My first victim was the Hugo-award-winning Clarke's World Magazine. Competition is stiff there, as they only publish three stories a month. Think I'm crazy for even trying?
Hey, all they can do is say no, right?
I will admit that I chose Clarke's World more for their speedy turnaround (most submissions are read and replied to within the first three days), and I think this worked to my advantage. Rather than building up my hopes and expectations over weeks or months, unsure what to expect, only to ultimately be let down (or not, I guess), this way I was able to eagerly anticipate a reply and then move on.
Intense emotion packed into as small a space of time as possible.
Now I can stop worrying and move on with the writing. I received my first rejection. I am an official, legitimate contender in this journey now.
Just as publishing on Amazon was the first step on a new journey -- one of independent publication -- so this rejection is the first measurable step on a similar, parallel journey -- one of traditional publication.
Both are exciting, and I eagerly anticipate watching my own progress over the coming months and years.
(Hm, last statement = slightly narcissistic? Probably. [Shut up, inner editor.])
Until next time...
-josh k.
Monday, January 9, 2012
The First Steps on the Longest Walk of My Life
"The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
And many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say."
-J.R.R. Tolkien
Well, one journey ends...and another begins.
Today I become a published author. The first episode in my serialized story Paradise Remnants, went live on Smashwords.com earlier this morning. You can now buy it for a buck.
Later today, it'll probably go up on Amazon.com. By the end of the week, it should be available on BN.com. And sometime this month, Smashwords will push it out into the rest of the channels. (By the way, Smashwords is the best site to go to if you're a reader outside the U.S. They don't add any kind of fees to the price like Amazon does.)
This is an exciting day, for sure. But it's hardly a stopping point.
Instead, it's almost like the true beginning. Everything leading up to this point is prologue. From here the real story of my journey as a craftsman begins.
Will it be a rough start? A triumph? A slow and steady pace?
I don't know. But I'm ready to see where this new adventure takes me.
And you can bet that I'll be sharing it with you along the way...when I have time.
There's writing to be done, folks!
Until next time...
-Joshua Kehe
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Coming Soon: Published Fiction
Reserved for War, Paradise Remnants Episode 1, will be published January 9th on all major electronic distributors (Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, Apple, Sony, Kobo, etc.)
Paradise Remnants is a 12-part military science fiction series set in the broken city of New Eden.
Reserved for War will be the first monthly release in this series. Read the blurb below:
"When the government needs to uproot a group of seditious rebels in the heart of their city, there's only one man the commander of the operation will go to in order to ensure the mission's success: a reluctant former soldier with deep regrets about his time in the military.
The mission that follows is the first episode in a tale of friendship, loss, and betrayal that continues in February's release, Provided for Victory, and will conclude with its intense finale December 2012."
Stay tuned for more announcements about this exciting new project.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
2012 Goal #2 -- Traditional Publication
Goal: Submit 12 short stories and 4 novels to traditional markets.
Deadline: 25 December 2012
Deadline: 25 December 2012
Monday, December 26, 2011
2012 Goal #1 -- Amazon Publication
Goal: Publish 20 items on Amazon.com through Kindle Direct Publishing.
Deadline: 25 December 2012
Deadline: 25 December 2012
Thursday, November 17, 2011
NaNoWriMo 2011 - Day 16
I am not pleased.
My writing has continued to slow more and more and more on each and every front this week as I struggle to make progress on not just NaNo, but also schoolwork, and blogging.
Obviously, seeing as this post is going up the day after it was due.
*grumble*
So, yeah. No quote today. No kitties. Barely even an update. I just don't have the time. (Or, rather, I've told myself I don't have the time, but that's a separate issue.)
Instead, here's a series of posts from Dean Wesley Smith (yes, again) about setting goals for your writing. Not only what types of goals you should be setting, but also how to set them and break them down into manageable chunks, as well as how to follow through with them and trick yourself into getting the work done.
They were a surprising find for me yesterday, and managed to teach me few new ideas. Considering and setting goals for next year is just about the one thing I have made progress on this week, so I hope I can pass on that productivity to you through these thoughts from Dean. I realize it's a bit early for many of you to be considering goals (or "resolutions") for the new year, especially since we're waist deep in the midst of NaNo. But like I said, this is about the one thing I've managed to do well this week.
My writing has continued to slow more and more and more on each and every front this week as I struggle to make progress on not just NaNo, but also schoolwork, and blogging.
Obviously, seeing as this post is going up the day after it was due.
*grumble*
So, yeah. No quote today. No kitties. Barely even an update. I just don't have the time. (Or, rather, I've told myself I don't have the time, but that's a separate issue.)
Instead, here's a series of posts from Dean Wesley Smith (yes, again) about setting goals for your writing. Not only what types of goals you should be setting, but also how to set them and break them down into manageable chunks, as well as how to follow through with them and trick yourself into getting the work done.
They were a surprising find for me yesterday, and managed to teach me few new ideas. Considering and setting goals for next year is just about the one thing I have made progress on this week, so I hope I can pass on that productivity to you through these thoughts from Dean. I realize it's a bit early for many of you to be considering goals (or "resolutions") for the new year, especially since we're waist deep in the midst of NaNo. But like I said, this is about the one thing I've managed to do well this week.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
NaNoWriMo 2011 - Day 15
"Read aloud. Look up words. Study grammar. These three things will take your writing to levels you never dreamed of."
-M. Todd Gallowglas
 |
| Sometime, this is how I feel. I sit there peering into the screen and inside I'm screaming, "WHY WON'T YOU MOVE, YOU STUPID, BLINKING CURSOR!!!" Sometimes, I get a bit over-dramatic with myself. |
I refuse to miss a midweek post. I absolutely will not stand for it.
So here it is. A bit late, because that's how the writing has been today. But here it is nonetheless.
Once again, lots of interesting stuff I've been reading today about self-publishing from all these lovely people.
Like I said, interesting stuff. Kinda scary that I'm considering this stuff again. But there you go. It's a scary, difficult road you walk as a creative person -- no matter which route you take.
Right, so, on with the reflections and advice.
Honestly, it's difficult for me to write this one, because I haven't gotten to the midpoint yet.
Wait, wait, backing up.
Let's talk about the midpoint!
(Okay, there we go.)
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
NaNoWriMo 2011 - Day 9
"If you understand the basic elements of crafting fiction, craft will help you find your way when you are lost in your story."
-M. Todd Gallowglas
 |
| But don't worry, none of them are about you... ...often. |
First, the above quote is from author and bardic storyteller Michael Todd Gallowglas. I met him at WorldCon in Reno this past August (for tales from my Reno adventures, take a look through my blog archive). He's been seeing some success with independent publishing and often has insightful things to say about the writing life on his blog.
Speaking of which, today he talked about "Why I Write," which is a question many of us authors have either asked ourselves or else been asked before. Like I said, some thought-provoking insights. So I encourage you to take a look at it and see what he has to say. While you're there, you can also find links to his works on Amazon. I haven't had a chance to read through it yet myself, but I've bought it and it's on my list and it all looks like some fun stuff. So go ahead and give him a look.
On my own side of things, I can now make my big, exciting announcement.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Welcome Back
Okay. So much for the productive summer.
Between class, work, and various social obligations to family and friends, I have not been able to maintain my writing goals during these summer months.
That's okay. It was all important stuff. I'm closer to graduation, farther from debt, and I've reconnected with those I've been absent from for the past semester (most of them, at least). Overall, it's a net-positive summer, even if it hasn't been productive for writing.
But now the summer is drawing to an end and it's time for me to buckle down to finish out the year strong.
This coming week I will be attending the World Science Fiction Convention (WorldCon) in Reno, Nevada. It's going to be first con, and I'm really excited. George R.R. Martin will be there, and Brandon Sanderson, and Lou Anders, and Writing Excuses, and Robin Hobb, and Kim Stanley Robinson, and Pat Rothfuss, and so many others. They're going to be presenting on topics of all kinds, from game design, to world-building, to film adaptation, and so on. Oh, and there're also plays, and films, and readings, and signings, and dances, and other shows and stuff.
Wow. I'm excited. Starts wednesday. Goes til Sunday. I return monday; I leave for school on tuesday. Busy couple of weeks here...
Once I return to school, I'll be starting in on three goals, both personal and professional.
On the personal front, I'm going to be reconnecting with the friends I haven't seen since last Fall; and a part of that will be through RPG campaigns. (Side note: I'm really looking forward to these campaigns this year. It's been far too long since I've run a campaign, and they're wonderful social events for me to practice my on-the-fly storytelling.)
On the professional side of things, I need to begin preparing for graduation. Everything should line up for me to finish school on time, and I'm hoping to have a job waiting for me when I'm done.
On both ends, I'm planning to rewrite and revise Runic in order to prepare it for submission to publishers in January. I'm estimating the final length of the book to be between 90k and 120k words. Which means I'll need to write at least 1300 words each day while I'm at school if I'm to get it done at all. If I want time to revise, I'll probably want to write between 2500 and 3000 each day. But we'll see if I have time after fulfilling all of my other daily goals.
I'm confident that I can get Runic ready for submission by January. I just need be consistent in my efforts...again.
Unfortunately, it doesn't look like this is going to give me enough to finish my year of words (for those of you who forgot, the goal was 500k words). I'm still going to try for it, but...well, my prospects don't look good. And I don't want to exhaust myself or depress myself by holding myself to a commitment that I can no longer keep. *sigh* It's disappointing, but a likely necessity.
One final note, I'm going to be offering frequent updates from my trip this week. Today and the next few days are going to be spent in the San Francisco area here, and then Wednesday through Sunday will be a flurry of fan excitement streaming forth from WorldCon. (Excitement!) Following that, I'll be back at school and back to work. And hopefully I'll be able to continue offering updates then as well.
Until then, thank you for your time.
Between class, work, and various social obligations to family and friends, I have not been able to maintain my writing goals during these summer months.
That's okay. It was all important stuff. I'm closer to graduation, farther from debt, and I've reconnected with those I've been absent from for the past semester (most of them, at least). Overall, it's a net-positive summer, even if it hasn't been productive for writing.
But now the summer is drawing to an end and it's time for me to buckle down to finish out the year strong.
This coming week I will be attending the World Science Fiction Convention (WorldCon) in Reno, Nevada. It's going to be first con, and I'm really excited. George R.R. Martin will be there, and Brandon Sanderson, and Lou Anders, and Writing Excuses, and Robin Hobb, and Kim Stanley Robinson, and Pat Rothfuss, and so many others. They're going to be presenting on topics of all kinds, from game design, to world-building, to film adaptation, and so on. Oh, and there're also plays, and films, and readings, and signings, and dances, and other shows and stuff.
Wow. I'm excited. Starts wednesday. Goes til Sunday. I return monday; I leave for school on tuesday. Busy couple of weeks here...
Once I return to school, I'll be starting in on three goals, both personal and professional.
On the personal front, I'm going to be reconnecting with the friends I haven't seen since last Fall; and a part of that will be through RPG campaigns. (Side note: I'm really looking forward to these campaigns this year. It's been far too long since I've run a campaign, and they're wonderful social events for me to practice my on-the-fly storytelling.)
On the professional side of things, I need to begin preparing for graduation. Everything should line up for me to finish school on time, and I'm hoping to have a job waiting for me when I'm done.
On both ends, I'm planning to rewrite and revise Runic in order to prepare it for submission to publishers in January. I'm estimating the final length of the book to be between 90k and 120k words. Which means I'll need to write at least 1300 words each day while I'm at school if I'm to get it done at all. If I want time to revise, I'll probably want to write between 2500 and 3000 each day. But we'll see if I have time after fulfilling all of my other daily goals.
I'm confident that I can get Runic ready for submission by January. I just need be consistent in my efforts...again.
Unfortunately, it doesn't look like this is going to give me enough to finish my year of words (for those of you who forgot, the goal was 500k words). I'm still going to try for it, but...well, my prospects don't look good. And I don't want to exhaust myself or depress myself by holding myself to a commitment that I can no longer keep. *sigh* It's disappointing, but a likely necessity.
One final note, I'm going to be offering frequent updates from my trip this week. Today and the next few days are going to be spent in the San Francisco area here, and then Wednesday through Sunday will be a flurry of fan excitement streaming forth from WorldCon. (Excitement!) Following that, I'll be back at school and back to work. And hopefully I'll be able to continue offering updates then as well.
Until then, thank you for your time.
Monday, March 7, 2011
A Dance With Dragons Release Date!
So... I had something completely different planned for today, but I just found this out, so it obviously takes precedence:
"A Dance With Dragons," the fifth book of George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" series, finally has an official release date! This isn't just an expected release year, or even a month. It's the exact day.
12 July 2011
So very, very soon...
As anyone who has read Martin's fantasy epic knows, this is huge news, highly anticipated, and about time. Martin has been writing this book for over five years now, and a lot of skeptics have been saying that it will never come out. True, it's still not done yet, according to the man himself, but it's on the last stretch, so it'll be done soon. And Bantam Spectra has been waiting to publish this book since the last one was released (I imagine), so they'll be more than willing to put the tome together in a matter of months.
Seriously, people, I cannot stress how monumental this is. Those who have read the series, as I said, know how big a deal this is. For those of you who haven't, this is easily the most anticipated fantasy release of the year -- and probably the most anticipated fantasy release since the last Harry Potter book (the only other books I can think of that come close are "The Wise Man's Fear," Day 2 of the Kingkiller Chronicles, by Patric Rothfuss, and the final Wheel of Time book [which is actually three books now, long story.])
Okay, I'm calming down now. For real.
...
I'm gonna go write something now.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Lessons from Andrew Crofts
Today, in my "Writing for a Living" class, freelance writer and ghostwriter Andrew Crofts came as a guest speaker. He wrote one of our textbooks, The Freelance Writer's Handbook, and generally knows what he's talking about. Like much of the older generation of current professional writers (folks who were trying to get started in and around the 70s or so), Crofts had to find his own way of doing things -- sentiments shared by other creative writers that I've mentioned on this blog (Dean Wesley Smith, Kurt Busiek, Stephen King, etc.) I found Mr. Crofts to be a very knowledgeable person and I'm going to take this opportunity to share what I can of that knowledge.
Perhaps the most important thing I got out of Mr. Crofts lecture is an excellent description for both what a craftsman is and also what a craftsman does.
As you know, this blog is entitled "The Craftsman's Journey," and some of you may be wondering: Well, what's all that about? It's not just a whole lot of flowery language (although it does sound rather nice, in my opinion). It actually does mean something. Essentially, my goal is to chronicle my efforts to learn various crafts, with writing being the primary one among them.
And yes, writing is a craft. It can be learned, it needs to be practiced, and you have to market it. (I know, I know. I've been harping on this a lot lately. It's just where my attention has been at, that's all.)
Mr. Crofts summed this up quite well. He said that, as a writer, you can view yourself in one of two ways.
1. "I am an artist."
2. "I am a craftsman."
He then put these two mindsets into a practical light by using the carpenter as an example.
As a carpenter, if you are an artist, you'll likely go out and create a beautiful piece of furniture. Maybe you have an interest in old, English-style wardrobes. You know, like in Narnia. You'll spend several thousand dollars purchasing the high-quality mahogany and polishes and finishing solutions that are necessary materials. You'll of course need the tools, if you haven't gotten them already. You'll probably make a few mistakes the first time you cut a few pieces and so you'll have to do those over -- which will cost you more time and money. And, of course, you still have to live and eat, so there goes a few thousand more dollars.
BUT, after a few months of dedicated work, or maybe even a year or so depending on how large and ornate this wardrobe is, you'll find that you have a gorgeous piece of furniture. I mean, it's just ridiculous how magnificent this is.
Now, many of us (or at least myself) would be more than happy to have crafted such a beautiful piece of art that we would likely keep it in our home, proud of such an accomplishment. But if you're a carpenter, you need to sell it. You need to support yourself and recoup your losses and continue perfecting your craft in order to sell more and support yourself and... well, you get the idea.
So now you go out to sell it.
Except... between the costs of the materials and the food you ate and everything, you're going to need to charge quite a bit of money for this piece in order to break even. And, of course, you still need to eat so that will drive the price up even more.
Well, you certainly don't know anyone with the kind of money who would be willing to pay thousands and thousands of dollars for a wardrobe -- even if it is the nicest one you've ever seen, if you do say so yourself. And then there's the whole issue of space. Who do you know who has a house or a room large enough to put this blasted thing in? I mean, it's enormous!
That's the artist's approach. It's rather daunting, I know. But that's where the craftsman comes in.
See, the craftsman will go around the neighborhood (or whatever your equivalent wants to be) and start talking to people, saying "What can I make for you?", "What do you need me to make?", "What do you need from me?" They'll print up little pamphlets and business cards that say: "Andrew Crofts, Carpenter, Whatever you want me to make." Or something similar.
Sure, maybe the craftsman doesn't make any connections with the first round of business cards. Or even the second. But eventually, someone, somewhere, is going to want some handmade wooden furniture. And then, when they go looking around for a carpenter, they'll find your business card, with all of your contact information, and they'll get in touch with you and say "Hey, I want a chair."
So then you say "Great," and you make a chair. Sure, it's not quite what you were hoping to make, or be known for, or whatever. But it's work, and it's work in the field you're passionate about -- carpentry, wood-working. It might not be your favorite project ever, but you do it, because that's what people want and need.
After you finish the chair, you deliver it, and then you've got a happy client. That client talks to his or her friends about this wonderful new chair they've got (because you always make sure that you produce quality merchandise) and pretty soon other people are wanting high-quality woodwork from you, Mr. Marketing Craftsman Carpenter.
And how knows? Maybe you'll be reworking the cabinets in somebody's kitchen and you'll look over into the next room and there will be this nice big space that's just begging for a mahogany wardrobe to fill. And then you can tell your clients about your wardrobe -- maybe even offer to make another one in a smaller size if that's what they'd prefer -- and they might ask you to make one for them.
Of course, they might not. But that's the chance you take.
Now, how does this relate to writing? I would hope it makes sense, but I'll go ahead and provide some more direct advice from Mr. Crofts.
First, if you want to be a full-time writer, it seems to be vitally important that you possess an extreme dislike for having a real job. You need to really not want a job in order to have the tenacity to become a full-time writer. Otherwise, you'll likely just give up and leave all the writing jobs to other professionals, who have just a little bit more patience than you. This is what Brandon Sanderson did. He didn't want to have a day job, and so he worked constantly at a really high level of production all through college and for a number of years afterwards in order to get his writing up to a publishable level. And now look at him. (He's basically a superstar of Fantasy right now, if you don't already know.)
Next, it is very important for you to write as much as you can and to do interesting things. A writer is someone who introduces a world of readers to interesting experiences and/or ideas that the reader might not have encountered otherwise. It's hard to do that if you spend all of your days locked in a cupboard, hunched over a desk, staring into a flickering screen (much as I am doing right now.)
Now, taking those two factors from above, we apply them to the metaphor of the craftsman.
A few principles:
It's important to identify the difference between selling your work and marketing it.
If you're selling your work, you're basically producing something that you think is interesting or otherwise of value, and then trying to find someone to buy it. This can work, and it's generally the kind of thing you do with a career in fiction, but it's very difficult and requires multiple attempts and a really thick skin.
When you're marketing your work, you look around and try to find out what people need. Then you find a way that you can give it to them. Filling slots in magazines and newspapers, who need to produce the same quantity and quality of work each day, week, or month, is a great way to do this. Find the stories that no one else wants to write, or the places no one else wants to go, or the perspective/angle/idea that no one else has, and see if you can fill that role. After that, it's just a matter of contacting the editor and selling the article (oh, yeah, and you'll need to write it once they've approved the idea.)
Whether or not you're trying to sell a novel or market your services, it's important to shop yourself around constantly. Always have stuff in the mail (and always keep track of where that stuff is). You're not going to sell any writing by leaving it sitting there on your dining room table or (even worse) on your hard drive. If you have something to sell, it needs to be sitting on an editor's desk, preferably with the editor's eyes scanning the lines of text. If you have writing services to sell, then your name needs to be on that editor's desk, preferably with some writing samples and a list of recent publications attached.
That's another thing. Anything you can get in print is going to be money in the bank later on. Don't be too proud to take a writing job, of any kind. Even if it's just a small features piece in the local news paper and it isn't going to pay a dime, it's worth it. At least in the early days. You need to build up a portfolio of public, professional work that you can reference when you're querying editors. Whether you're trying to pitch an article idea to them or you're trying to sell them on your finished manuscript, editors like knowing that they're going to bet on someone with a track record. They want to know that they're working with a professional and have some reassurance (however small) that the writer can deliver what they're promising.
Wow, this post has gone on for quite a while. In case you haven't been able to tell, I've been spending a lot of time lately learning about the business side of writing. I'm still doing a lot of actual writing, of course, but that's really only half of the job here. I wouldn't be surprised if I found myself writing more articles on this subject in the future. For the time being, however, I'm not going to make any promises.
Perhaps the most important thing I got out of Mr. Crofts lecture is an excellent description for both what a craftsman is and also what a craftsman does.
As you know, this blog is entitled "The Craftsman's Journey," and some of you may be wondering: Well, what's all that about? It's not just a whole lot of flowery language (although it does sound rather nice, in my opinion). It actually does mean something. Essentially, my goal is to chronicle my efforts to learn various crafts, with writing being the primary one among them.
And yes, writing is a craft. It can be learned, it needs to be practiced, and you have to market it. (I know, I know. I've been harping on this a lot lately. It's just where my attention has been at, that's all.)
Mr. Crofts summed this up quite well. He said that, as a writer, you can view yourself in one of two ways.
1. "I am an artist."
2. "I am a craftsman."
He then put these two mindsets into a practical light by using the carpenter as an example.
As a carpenter, if you are an artist, you'll likely go out and create a beautiful piece of furniture. Maybe you have an interest in old, English-style wardrobes. You know, like in Narnia. You'll spend several thousand dollars purchasing the high-quality mahogany and polishes and finishing solutions that are necessary materials. You'll of course need the tools, if you haven't gotten them already. You'll probably make a few mistakes the first time you cut a few pieces and so you'll have to do those over -- which will cost you more time and money. And, of course, you still have to live and eat, so there goes a few thousand more dollars.
BUT, after a few months of dedicated work, or maybe even a year or so depending on how large and ornate this wardrobe is, you'll find that you have a gorgeous piece of furniture. I mean, it's just ridiculous how magnificent this is.
Now, many of us (or at least myself) would be more than happy to have crafted such a beautiful piece of art that we would likely keep it in our home, proud of such an accomplishment. But if you're a carpenter, you need to sell it. You need to support yourself and recoup your losses and continue perfecting your craft in order to sell more and support yourself and... well, you get the idea.
So now you go out to sell it.
Except... between the costs of the materials and the food you ate and everything, you're going to need to charge quite a bit of money for this piece in order to break even. And, of course, you still need to eat so that will drive the price up even more.
Well, you certainly don't know anyone with the kind of money who would be willing to pay thousands and thousands of dollars for a wardrobe -- even if it is the nicest one you've ever seen, if you do say so yourself. And then there's the whole issue of space. Who do you know who has a house or a room large enough to put this blasted thing in? I mean, it's enormous!
That's the artist's approach. It's rather daunting, I know. But that's where the craftsman comes in.
See, the craftsman will go around the neighborhood (or whatever your equivalent wants to be) and start talking to people, saying "What can I make for you?", "What do you need me to make?", "What do you need from me?" They'll print up little pamphlets and business cards that say: "Andrew Crofts, Carpenter, Whatever you want me to make." Or something similar.
Sure, maybe the craftsman doesn't make any connections with the first round of business cards. Or even the second. But eventually, someone, somewhere, is going to want some handmade wooden furniture. And then, when they go looking around for a carpenter, they'll find your business card, with all of your contact information, and they'll get in touch with you and say "Hey, I want a chair."
So then you say "Great," and you make a chair. Sure, it's not quite what you were hoping to make, or be known for, or whatever. But it's work, and it's work in the field you're passionate about -- carpentry, wood-working. It might not be your favorite project ever, but you do it, because that's what people want and need.
After you finish the chair, you deliver it, and then you've got a happy client. That client talks to his or her friends about this wonderful new chair they've got (because you always make sure that you produce quality merchandise) and pretty soon other people are wanting high-quality woodwork from you, Mr. Marketing Craftsman Carpenter.
And how knows? Maybe you'll be reworking the cabinets in somebody's kitchen and you'll look over into the next room and there will be this nice big space that's just begging for a mahogany wardrobe to fill. And then you can tell your clients about your wardrobe -- maybe even offer to make another one in a smaller size if that's what they'd prefer -- and they might ask you to make one for them.
Of course, they might not. But that's the chance you take.
Now, how does this relate to writing? I would hope it makes sense, but I'll go ahead and provide some more direct advice from Mr. Crofts.
First, if you want to be a full-time writer, it seems to be vitally important that you possess an extreme dislike for having a real job. You need to really not want a job in order to have the tenacity to become a full-time writer. Otherwise, you'll likely just give up and leave all the writing jobs to other professionals, who have just a little bit more patience than you. This is what Brandon Sanderson did. He didn't want to have a day job, and so he worked constantly at a really high level of production all through college and for a number of years afterwards in order to get his writing up to a publishable level. And now look at him. (He's basically a superstar of Fantasy right now, if you don't already know.)
Next, it is very important for you to write as much as you can and to do interesting things. A writer is someone who introduces a world of readers to interesting experiences and/or ideas that the reader might not have encountered otherwise. It's hard to do that if you spend all of your days locked in a cupboard, hunched over a desk, staring into a flickering screen (much as I am doing right now.)
Now, taking those two factors from above, we apply them to the metaphor of the craftsman.
A few principles:
It's important to identify the difference between selling your work and marketing it.
If you're selling your work, you're basically producing something that you think is interesting or otherwise of value, and then trying to find someone to buy it. This can work, and it's generally the kind of thing you do with a career in fiction, but it's very difficult and requires multiple attempts and a really thick skin.
When you're marketing your work, you look around and try to find out what people need. Then you find a way that you can give it to them. Filling slots in magazines and newspapers, who need to produce the same quantity and quality of work each day, week, or month, is a great way to do this. Find the stories that no one else wants to write, or the places no one else wants to go, or the perspective/angle/idea that no one else has, and see if you can fill that role. After that, it's just a matter of contacting the editor and selling the article (oh, yeah, and you'll need to write it once they've approved the idea.)
Whether or not you're trying to sell a novel or market your services, it's important to shop yourself around constantly. Always have stuff in the mail (and always keep track of where that stuff is). You're not going to sell any writing by leaving it sitting there on your dining room table or (even worse) on your hard drive. If you have something to sell, it needs to be sitting on an editor's desk, preferably with the editor's eyes scanning the lines of text. If you have writing services to sell, then your name needs to be on that editor's desk, preferably with some writing samples and a list of recent publications attached.
That's another thing. Anything you can get in print is going to be money in the bank later on. Don't be too proud to take a writing job, of any kind. Even if it's just a small features piece in the local news paper and it isn't going to pay a dime, it's worth it. At least in the early days. You need to build up a portfolio of public, professional work that you can reference when you're querying editors. Whether you're trying to pitch an article idea to them or you're trying to sell them on your finished manuscript, editors like knowing that they're going to bet on someone with a track record. They want to know that they're working with a professional and have some reassurance (however small) that the writer can deliver what they're promising.
Wow, this post has gone on for quite a while. In case you haven't been able to tell, I've been spending a lot of time lately learning about the business side of writing. I'm still doing a lot of actual writing, of course, but that's really only half of the job here. I wouldn't be surprised if I found myself writing more articles on this subject in the future. For the time being, however, I'm not going to make any promises.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Myth-Busting with Dean Wesley Smith
So... this is going to more a self-serving post. I've recently read through all of Dean Wesley Smith's posts on "Killing the Sacred Cows of Publishing," and there are a few I want to keep track of as I begin to make intentional strides toward getting myself started in this business (and yes, it is a business).
Overall, I found Smith's articles on the publishing to be thought-provoking and informative. His ideas certainly challenged long-held beliefs of my own and they have encouraged me to learn a variety of new things and to never stop learning, regardless of the subject.
A few of his thoughts appear, currently, to be a bit over-the-top. However, I am certainly not going to challenge him on what has worked for his career thus far.
More to the point, there are over a dozen articles that I found especially helpful and applicable to my situation and set of assumptions about the writing/publishing business. These are deep-rooted concepts that have guided me in my attempts thus far and seeing them challenged is painful, enlightening, encouraging, and all manner of other emotions in between. Thus, for my benefit (with the hope that some of these things might interest any of you as well), I am compiling them here in an order that makes sense to me.
Here we go:
Making Money Writing Fiction
The Myth: Can't Make Money in Fiction
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=607
The Myth: Only 300 Writers Make a Living
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=1121
The Publisher's Perspective
The Myth: New York Works as a Quality Filter
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=2251
The Myth: You Can Only Sell What's Hot
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=1793
The Myth: Follow the Rules to Get Published
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=956
The Act of Writing
The Myth: Writing is Hard
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=576
A Note: Speed
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=310
The Myth: Writers Don't Need to Practice
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=931
The Myth: Rewriting
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=329
A Note: Not Rewriting Does Not Mean Sloppy Writing
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=1826
The Myth: Researching Fiction
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=1053
The Career of Writing
The Myth: Rejections
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=1088
The Myth: Self Promotion
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=398
The Myth: Self-Publishing is a Bad Idea
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=2013
The Dangers of Agents
The Myth: Agents Can Help With Careers
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=816
The Myth: Agents Take Care of Your Money
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=909
A Note: Agents and Contracts
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=1213
A Note: Agent Agreements
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=740
And Finally
The Myth: "You Have It Made When..."
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=2525
I just want to say, once more, that I think the entire series is worth reading. These here are just the ones that stand out or really speak to me, personally, as a writer and a person. By all means, let my sample here interest you. But I hope that it encourages you to read the rest of the series if you have any interest at all in the writer's life, the business of publishing, or the potential livelihood of a loved one who may have chosen this profession. Mr. Smith here may not know everything, but he knows enough to paint a stark picture of what this career holds in store for those who seek it.
Until next time, then.
EDIT: 13 Feb 2011 -- I was poking around the "Writing Excuses" website earlier today, and I found an episode the guys did responding directly to Dean Wesley Smith's series of articles on agents. It's an excellent counterpoint to Smith's extremism. The comments, as well, are well-reasoned and insightful. Definitely worth a listen and a read if you're more interested in this ongoing debate about the worth of agents.
LINK: http://www.writingexcuses.com/2010/01/31/writing-excuses-4-4-agents-do-you-need-one/
Overall, I found Smith's articles on the publishing to be thought-provoking and informative. His ideas certainly challenged long-held beliefs of my own and they have encouraged me to learn a variety of new things and to never stop learning, regardless of the subject.
A few of his thoughts appear, currently, to be a bit over-the-top. However, I am certainly not going to challenge him on what has worked for his career thus far.
More to the point, there are over a dozen articles that I found especially helpful and applicable to my situation and set of assumptions about the writing/publishing business. These are deep-rooted concepts that have guided me in my attempts thus far and seeing them challenged is painful, enlightening, encouraging, and all manner of other emotions in between. Thus, for my benefit (with the hope that some of these things might interest any of you as well), I am compiling them here in an order that makes sense to me.
Here we go:
Making Money Writing Fiction
The Myth: Can't Make Money in Fiction
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=607
The Myth: Only 300 Writers Make a Living
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=1121
The Publisher's Perspective
The Myth: New York Works as a Quality Filter
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=2251
The Myth: You Can Only Sell What's Hot
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=1793
The Myth: Follow the Rules to Get Published
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=956
The Act of Writing
The Myth: Writing is Hard
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=576
A Note: Speed
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=310
The Myth: Writers Don't Need to Practice
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=931
The Myth: Rewriting
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=329
A Note: Not Rewriting Does Not Mean Sloppy Writing
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=1826
The Myth: Researching Fiction
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=1053
The Career of Writing
The Myth: Rejections
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=1088
The Myth: Self Promotion
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=398
The Myth: Self-Publishing is a Bad Idea
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=2013
The Dangers of Agents
The Myth: Agents Can Help With Careers
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=816
The Myth: Agents Take Care of Your Money
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=909
A Note: Agents and Contracts
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=1213
A Note: Agent Agreements
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=740
And Finally
The Myth: "You Have It Made When..."
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=2525
I just want to say, once more, that I think the entire series is worth reading. These here are just the ones that stand out or really speak to me, personally, as a writer and a person. By all means, let my sample here interest you. But I hope that it encourages you to read the rest of the series if you have any interest at all in the writer's life, the business of publishing, or the potential livelihood of a loved one who may have chosen this profession. Mr. Smith here may not know everything, but he knows enough to paint a stark picture of what this career holds in store for those who seek it.
Until next time, then.
EDIT: 13 Feb 2011 -- I was poking around the "Writing Excuses" website earlier today, and I found an episode the guys did responding directly to Dean Wesley Smith's series of articles on agents. It's an excellent counterpoint to Smith's extremism. The comments, as well, are well-reasoned and insightful. Definitely worth a listen and a read if you're more interested in this ongoing debate about the worth of agents.
LINK: http://www.writingexcuses.com/2010/01/31/writing-excuses-4-4-agents-do-you-need-one/
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