Amazon might not be the first site that comes to mind when you think about selling your artwork, but it is the world’s biggest e-commerce site. Amazon opened its art section in 2013, and it has become a legitimate way for an artist to get their work out there. The pages dedicated to artwork are searchable in various categories, such as artistic medium, price, and customer rating.
Before you can sell your work on Amazon, there is an approval process. Amazon has a list of approved mediums, one notable exclusion is 3D art, which means that the sale of sculptures is not permitted on the site.
There is a $39.99 monthly fee to keep your online shop open, and there are additional selling fees. When considering the cost, an artist should consider the reach of the e-commerce giant.
Artist who are selling their own work can join Amazon Handmade. Two benefits of Amazon Handmade are that there are no up front fees, and Amazon waives the monthly fee that they charge to professional sellers. Currently, Amazon Handmade does not allow the listing of digital and downloadable artworks.
Thursday, May 21, 2020
Wednesday, May 13, 2020
Artfire
Artfire is another site on which you can list your artworks, it is similar to Etsy. It was founded in 2008 by John Jacobs and Tony Ford as a site for artists to sell their artwork and build relationships with other professionals.. The site claims 300,000 unique visitors each month.
ArtFire takes the hassle out of building your own website, and uses a simple process to add new products. They also have great customer service, should you need assistance.
Artfire also allows artists to develop connections with other artists. This allows you to learn and share skills with other people working in your field.
Artfire also takes care of Search Engine Optimization (SEO). This means that your artworks are listed on all major search engines. A standard shop costs $4.95 per month, and you must pay 23 cents for each listing. The basic listing allows for 250 items and charges a 12.75% final valuation fee. The Popular Shop costs $20 per month, It allows for up to 1000 entries and charges a 4.5% final valuation fee. The Featured Listing promises most statewide exposure and costs $40 per month. It allows up to 2500 listings and charges a 4.5% final valuation fee.
ArtFire takes the hassle out of building your own website, and uses a simple process to add new products. They also have great customer service, should you need assistance.
Artfire also allows artists to develop connections with other artists. This allows you to learn and share skills with other people working in your field.
Artfire also takes care of Search Engine Optimization (SEO). This means that your artworks are listed on all major search engines. A standard shop costs $4.95 per month, and you must pay 23 cents for each listing. The basic listing allows for 250 items and charges a 12.75% final valuation fee. The Popular Shop costs $20 per month, It allows for up to 1000 entries and charges a 4.5% final valuation fee. The Featured Listing promises most statewide exposure and costs $40 per month. It allows up to 2500 listings and charges a 4.5% final valuation fee.
Double Subjects.
Every time I watch a football game, I am reminded that in the United States, English is taught as an art and not a science. I guess I should explain that. English as an art is more concerned about the free flow of ideas. English as a science is actually concerned about the rules of grammar. And since most sports casters do not know any better, they use double subjects. A practice that seems to have crept into almost all the shows on television.
There are some cases in which two subjects can be next to each other and it is grammatically correct. "The Grinch's heart, they say, grew three sizes that day."(Seuss, Dr. How the Grinch Stole Christmas. New York: Random House, 1957) In this case there are two subjects, but they do not describe the same entity. The Grinch's heart and They are two different things. Seuss wrote the sentence the way he did to maintain the rhyme scheme.
When it is wrong to use two subjects. "The Green Bay Packers Defense, they say, he is the best running back that they have faced this season." In this case, The Green Bay Packers Defense and they represent the same entity. What should the sentence look like? The Green Bay Packers Defense said that he his the best running back they have faced this season. OR They say he is the best running back they have faced this season.
If you can remove one of the subjects and still have the same sentence, take one of them out. Your sentence will look better and it will not look like you do not actually know English Grammar.
There are some cases in which two subjects can be next to each other and it is grammatically correct. "The Grinch's heart, they say, grew three sizes that day."(Seuss, Dr. How the Grinch Stole Christmas. New York: Random House, 1957) In this case there are two subjects, but they do not describe the same entity. The Grinch's heart and They are two different things. Seuss wrote the sentence the way he did to maintain the rhyme scheme.
When it is wrong to use two subjects. "The Green Bay Packers Defense, they say, he is the best running back that they have faced this season." In this case, The Green Bay Packers Defense and they represent the same entity. What should the sentence look like? The Green Bay Packers Defense said that he his the best running back they have faced this season. OR They say he is the best running back they have faced this season.
If you can remove one of the subjects and still have the same sentence, take one of them out. Your sentence will look better and it will not look like you do not actually know English Grammar.
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
How to create Pre-Launch Buzz
Once your book has been edited and you are getting ready to publish, one of the most important things you can do is create pre-launch buzz for your book. As a self-publisher you are not only responsible for writing your book, you are responsible for the marketing. The most important things you should remember are it is never too early to start, and the more self promotion that you do the more likely it is that you will create interest in your book.
Before you publish, it is important to have someone else look at your manuscript. Beta readers can help with content and editing, and some people have a professional editor look at their work. This is an excellent time to create pre-launch buzz for your work. Here are some ideas for this phase of the process.
Create Social Media buzz.
Establish a presence on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, LinkdIn, etc.
Announce a cover reveal.
Create a poll–Who would win in a battle between a dragon and a wyvern? This gives the reader the knowledge that the book is about mythological beasts and will probably contain magic.
Do a character interview–An interview for a mafia Don might include questions such as: How many people have you killed? How does your moral code compare to those around you? Are you a likable person? How do others see you?
Release quotes from your book. The quotes could give insight about the book’s topic, so a book about magic might include some sort of spell. The quotes might also give insight into a character’s personality or their motivation. If you release a quote, you might want to use a background. This site contains templates for all sorts of backgrounds, including holiday themes. https://get.promorepublic.com/bad-redhead-media/
Announce Giveaways–These could include signed copies of your paperback–remember Amazon allows you to request advanced copies. You could also give away ebooks.
Have drawing contests for your readers and post the winning pictures on your social media pages and blog.
If your new book is a sequel, you could have a quote contest. Who said this? The first person with the correct answer would win.
Announce the book on your blog.
Create Street Teams. These are people who will hype your book on social media platforms. Recruit your street team from among your friends, family, and followers on your social media accounts. After you recruit them, it is important to vet them. To do so, ask them a variety of questions:
On what social media platforms do you have accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads, LinkdIn, Reddit, Youtube, Tumblr, etc.) and how many followers on each?
Are you on any other street teams?
How would you like to see my book promoted?
What were the last three books you read?
A MONTH BEFORE LAUNCH
Recruit ARC readers with a Call To Action. The CTA is an agreement to have them review of Goodreads, Amazon and all the sites where your book is available. In order to have a Goodreads author page you must have a published work with an ISBN number, so your reviewers will have to wait to post there until your ISBN has been verified and your author page goes live.
Recruit Bloggers as ARC readers. It may take some time since most bloggers have long waiting lists, but they may also have long Subscriber lists so it is worthwhile to work with them.
Contact Youtube book reviewers. Youtube book reviews are growing in popularity and more young people are following them. If your book is written for a teen or twenty something audience Youtube reviews could be quite helpful.
*A note before you read this next section. I do not advocate paying for reviews to put them on Amazon or any other website. Paid reviews are unnecessary and in most cases, the site they are posted on will remove them if they discover that they are paid reviews. The sites below charge for their reviews, but the reviewers are professionals and an Indie author would look to them to have a chance of getting their books to a much larger audience. One more note, trading reviews is also a bad idea. If a trade is discovered, the review will be removed.
Some people ask about getting their books into libraries and bookstores. Locally, you could provide free copies to those locations, but if you are looking to take your book nationwide you may have to pay to have your book professionally reviewed. The sites below charge authors a fee to have their book reviewed, but their reviews are seen by book buyers and librarians across the country, and in some cases even beyond that.
EDELWEISS
https://www.abovethetreeline.com/
NETGALLEY
https://www.netgalley.com/
KIRKUS
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Before you decide to pay for a professional review, I suggest that you read the reviews of the sites and look into the experience that other authors have had with them. You might also want to consider other ways to spend the hundreds of dollars that the site will charge for the review. Remember, just because your book gets a good review does not guarantee that you will see an increase in sales.
Once your book has been published, you might want to consider doing a Goodreads Book Giveaway. Goodreads allows its users to mark books as To Be Read. Once a reader does this, Goodreads will notify them of contests and sales on that particular book.
Before you publish, it is important to have someone else look at your manuscript. Beta readers can help with content and editing, and some people have a professional editor look at their work. This is an excellent time to create pre-launch buzz for your work. Here are some ideas for this phase of the process.
Create Social Media buzz.
Establish a presence on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, LinkdIn, etc.
Announce a cover reveal.
Create a poll–Who would win in a battle between a dragon and a wyvern? This gives the reader the knowledge that the book is about mythological beasts and will probably contain magic.
Do a character interview–An interview for a mafia Don might include questions such as: How many people have you killed? How does your moral code compare to those around you? Are you a likable person? How do others see you?
Release quotes from your book. The quotes could give insight about the book’s topic, so a book about magic might include some sort of spell. The quotes might also give insight into a character’s personality or their motivation. If you release a quote, you might want to use a background. This site contains templates for all sorts of backgrounds, including holiday themes. https://get.promorepublic.com/bad-redhead-media/
Announce Giveaways–These could include signed copies of your paperback–remember Amazon allows you to request advanced copies. You could also give away ebooks.
Have drawing contests for your readers and post the winning pictures on your social media pages and blog.
If your new book is a sequel, you could have a quote contest. Who said this? The first person with the correct answer would win.
Announce the book on your blog.
Create Street Teams. These are people who will hype your book on social media platforms. Recruit your street team from among your friends, family, and followers on your social media accounts. After you recruit them, it is important to vet them. To do so, ask them a variety of questions:
On what social media platforms do you have accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads, LinkdIn, Reddit, Youtube, Tumblr, etc.) and how many followers on each?
Are you on any other street teams?
How would you like to see my book promoted?
What were the last three books you read?
A MONTH BEFORE LAUNCH
Recruit ARC readers with a Call To Action. The CTA is an agreement to have them review of Goodreads, Amazon and all the sites where your book is available. In order to have a Goodreads author page you must have a published work with an ISBN number, so your reviewers will have to wait to post there until your ISBN has been verified and your author page goes live.
Recruit Bloggers as ARC readers. It may take some time since most bloggers have long waiting lists, but they may also have long Subscriber lists so it is worthwhile to work with them.
Contact Youtube book reviewers. Youtube book reviews are growing in popularity and more young people are following them. If your book is written for a teen or twenty something audience Youtube reviews could be quite helpful.
*A note before you read this next section. I do not advocate paying for reviews to put them on Amazon or any other website. Paid reviews are unnecessary and in most cases, the site they are posted on will remove them if they discover that they are paid reviews. The sites below charge for their reviews, but the reviewers are professionals and an Indie author would look to them to have a chance of getting their books to a much larger audience. One more note, trading reviews is also a bad idea. If a trade is discovered, the review will be removed.
Some people ask about getting their books into libraries and bookstores. Locally, you could provide free copies to those locations, but if you are looking to take your book nationwide you may have to pay to have your book professionally reviewed. The sites below charge authors a fee to have their book reviewed, but their reviews are seen by book buyers and librarians across the country, and in some cases even beyond that.
EDELWEISS
https://www.abovethetreeline.com/
NETGALLEY
https://www.netgalley.com/
KIRKUS
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Before you decide to pay for a professional review, I suggest that you read the reviews of the sites and look into the experience that other authors have had with them. You might also want to consider other ways to spend the hundreds of dollars that the site will charge for the review. Remember, just because your book gets a good review does not guarantee that you will see an increase in sales.
Once your book has been published, you might want to consider doing a Goodreads Book Giveaway. Goodreads allows its users to mark books as To Be Read. Once a reader does this, Goodreads will notify them of contests and sales on that particular book.
Tuesday, May 5, 2020
Hooks
The beginning of your story is probably the most important part of your manuscript, because you have to convince people to keep reading. In order to get a publisher or an agent, you must sell them on your story, and they will only read a part of the story before they make their decision. That is why you have to write a great hook. The hook sells the reader on the story and makes them want to continue reading. So, here are some great hooks.
Start your story with the description of a place. This does not sound like it would hook the reader, and does not sound very exciting, but it works. A great example is the Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien. Tolkien begins his book with the description of Bilbo’s hole and tells the reader how it differs from the average hole. Once you read the description of the hole, you learned about hobbits, the next thing you knew you had a wizard drawing pictures on the door to the hole, and a company of dwarves coming for dinner.
Begin at a life changing moment for your main character. This could include coming of age stories where the character has to step into adulthood because of a tragic event.
Present the readers with a mystery. Keep them wondering about a character’s motivation for doing something. Tell them about something they do not understand. Everyone in town knows about the house at the end of the street—well, the reader doesn’t and if you paint a great picture of that house they will want to know.
Create sympathy or hatred toward the main character. Everyone who read Cinderella felt sympathy for the poor girl. Her stepmother made her do all the work, while her stepsisters got to do whatever they want, including going to the ball to meet the prince.
Begin with your main character in a state of confusion. They could awaken or come to consciousness in a strange place. Perhaps they woke with a gun in their hand or blood on their clothing and have to piece together what happened.
End the first chapter with a cliffhanger. Many agents will take one chapter of your novel, and if you impress them with your writing and leave them at a point in the book that is unfinished, they may want to see more. What happened when the girl opened the door? What sort of terror is lurking in that dark basement?
Start your story with the description of a place. This does not sound like it would hook the reader, and does not sound very exciting, but it works. A great example is the Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien. Tolkien begins his book with the description of Bilbo’s hole and tells the reader how it differs from the average hole. Once you read the description of the hole, you learned about hobbits, the next thing you knew you had a wizard drawing pictures on the door to the hole, and a company of dwarves coming for dinner.
Begin at a life changing moment for your main character. This could include coming of age stories where the character has to step into adulthood because of a tragic event.
Present the readers with a mystery. Keep them wondering about a character’s motivation for doing something. Tell them about something they do not understand. Everyone in town knows about the house at the end of the street—well, the reader doesn’t and if you paint a great picture of that house they will want to know.
Create sympathy or hatred toward the main character. Everyone who read Cinderella felt sympathy for the poor girl. Her stepmother made her do all the work, while her stepsisters got to do whatever they want, including going to the ball to meet the prince.
Begin with your main character in a state of confusion. They could awaken or come to consciousness in a strange place. Perhaps they woke with a gun in their hand or blood on their clothing and have to piece together what happened.
End the first chapter with a cliffhanger. Many agents will take one chapter of your novel, and if you impress them with your writing and leave them at a point in the book that is unfinished, they may want to see more. What happened when the girl opened the door? What sort of terror is lurking in that dark basement?
Thursday, April 30, 2020
Shopify
Shopify is another website for those who are looking for a place to sell their art. If
you already have a strong following, you may just want to sell directly
from your own website instead of via a third party vendor. Shopify is a
great choice for e-commerce software, and is flexible and easy to use.
It can also be fully integrated into your website, so customers won’t be
able to tell that you’re using Shopify.
There’s no limit on the number of products you can list on your site, so you can start small and (hopefully) expand year on year.
There are currently over 600,000 businesses using Shopify technology, and over 1 million active users resulting in a total of $55 billion in sales, so you know you’re in experienced hands with this software.
There’s no limit on the number of products you can list on your site, so you can start small and (hopefully) expand year on year.
There are currently over 600,000 businesses using Shopify technology, and over 1 million active users resulting in a total of $55 billion in sales, so you know you’re in experienced hands with this software.
Shopify offers a 90 day free trial, no credit card required, just provide them with an email address and agree to receive their newsletters.
If you decide that shopify is for you, prices begin as low as $9 per month with their "lite" plan. The regular plans start at $29 for the basic package.
In all, there are five plans to choose from:
- 'Shopify Lite' — $9 per month
- 'Basic Shopify' — $29 per month
- 'Shopify' — $79 per month
- 'Advanced Shopify' — $299 per month
- 'Shopify Plus' — fees are negotiable, but generally in the region of $2000 per month.
A shopify storefront provides you with a choice of over 70 themes, a site that is mobile commerce ready, 24/7 customer support, expert design help, and a blog platform.
Here is the website:
Here is the website:
Sunday, April 26, 2020
Self-publishing platforms
I have not looked into any of these publishing platforms, other than to research them, so I cannot endorse or steer authors clear of any of them. Many of these are do-it-yourself platforms, but some offer a-la-carte and full service publishing. In all cases, the author retains the ownership of the book and can terminate the contract at any time.
1.) MindStir Media
2.) Barnes & Noble Press (formerly Nook Press)
5.) Smashwords
9.) Apple Books (formerly iBooks)
1.) MindStir Media
- Ranked as the #1 self-publishing company website and platform according to Penny Matters, BestTechie and iTech Post.
- Won numerous awards and, for over a decade, MindStir’s self-publishing services and consultations have helped thousands of authors.
- Authors enjoy access to top-notch services: book design; editorial; distribution to around 30,000 booksellers, retailers and wholesalers in over 100 countries (through Ingram); marketing and publicity.
- Mentoring provided from a bestselling author.
- This is a one-stop shop platform for self-publishing paperback, hardcover and ebook formats.
- Packages for paperback publishing start at $1899 and go up from there.
2.) Barnes & Noble Press (formerly Nook Press)
- A redesigned, user-friendly online platform.
- As a leader among self-publishing companies, Nook Press helps authors self-publish Nook eBooks, paperback and hardcover formats.
- Distribution is limited to BN.com and Nook devices.
- This is a do-it-yourself platform. They do not provide services such as editorial, book design, marketing or publicity.
- A renowned platform that helps authors self-publish in the ebook format only.
- eBook distribution around the world in online bookstores in over 190 countries.
- They seemingly do not offer any sort of services like book design, editorial, marketing or publicity.
- This is a do-it-yourself platform.
- An award-winning self-publishing platform that specializes in helping authors become bestsellers.
- Full-blown distribution through Ingram makes the book available to thousands of retailers.
- Comprehensive marketing and publicity campaigns built-in to its Best Seller package.
- Authors keep 100% royalties.
- This is a one-stop shop platform that provides services for all aspects of self-publishing.
5.) Smashwords
- Mainly a distributor of eBooks. Their distribution makes eBooks available to major retailers and thousands of libraries.
- Clients get their own “Author Pages” where they can promote their work.
- eBooks must be uploaded according to their Style Guide.
- Since this is a do-it-yourself platform, there’s no hand-holding whatsoever. You must bring your own cover design to the platform and your book will need to be edited elsewhere. Also, the marketing and promotion is on the author.
- An online platform for small self-publishers.
- Assists authors in self-publishing paperback, hardcover and eBook formats.
- Distribution is powered by Ingram.
- Files must be uploaded according to their in-depth File Creation Guide.
- This is a do-it-yourself option. Authors should come prepared with their own book designs. Also don’t expect self-publishing companies like IngramSpark to help with marketing or publicity.
- Online tools can help authors create template-based book designs.
- Ideal for small self-publishing projects or photo books.
- Plenty of different trim sizes and paper types offered, including glossy interior pages.
- This is a do-it-yourself platform that doesn’t appear to offer in-house editing, marketing or publicity services.
- One of the oldest self-publishing companies and providers of print-on-demand books.
- Publishing in paperback, hardcover and eBook.
- Distribution through Amazon, B&N and Ingram.
- They offer a do-it-yourself model as well as a one-stop shop option. On one hand, authors can provide their own edited files and designs and Lulu will print books based on those files. Alternatively, Lulu offers additional a la carte services such as cover design, editing, marketing.
9.) Apple Books (formerly iBooks)
- eBooks available through Apple Books app.
- Must have a Mac computer to self-publish through Apple Books.
- No print publishing options available.
- This is a do-it-yourself platform.
- eBook distribution to Android users in over 50 countries.
- Books published through Google Play can be previewed through Google Books.
- This is a do-it-yourself platform.
Saturday, April 25, 2020
Artplode
Maureen McCarthy founded Artplode in 2014 as an alternative to high-priced art galleries. Galleries charge commissions on sales that can be as high as 40%. Artplode charges a one off fee of $60 to list an artwork. Artplode also allows sellers to deal directly with perspective buyers, so they can answer questions about the listing, and arrange payment and shipping of the work themselves.
Artplode caters not only to artists, but to collectors who want to sell artwork from their collections. This means that aspiring artists have a chance to have their artwork listed along with artwork from well-known artists such as Andy Warhol. Warhol's work Marilyn 26 was listed on the site by a collector for $126,000.
Here is the information about selling on Artplode:
When you sell your art on Artplode you keep 100% of the price the artwork is sold for. Artplode will never charge sellers or buyers commission to buy or sell art on Artplode.
Artplode charges a low one off flat fee of $60 to advertise each artwork. The listing stays on the Artplode website until the seller removes it. You may also elect to pay extra to have your art included in one or more of our featured categories.
The site has been carefully designed so visitors can easily browse by the country of origin of the artwork and the location of sellers as well as fine art category, subject, style, price size and era of artworks. This means visitors can quickly find works of interest whether they are international collectors or collect works from your country.
On Artplode you control every aspect of the sale of your art - the information and photos included in your ad, contact with people interested in purchasing and arranging payment and shipping of the work to the buyer.
Artplode welcomes listings of works by established and emerging artists selling their own works, art galleries, dealers and private sellers worldwide. Private sellers can maintain their privacy when selling art because Artplode doesn't require your full name be included on listings.
If a private seller isn't sure what price to ask for their artwork for a small fee our Artplode Assistant can provide a guide on pricing your art.
Some busy private collectors might prefer that an experienced art consultant manage enquiries about art they are selling on Artplode and or handle the sales transaction. You are welcome to contact any of the fine art consultants who advertise their services on Artplode to discuss the fee that they might charge for handling enquiries or managing the sale of your artwork listed for sale on Artplode.
Here is the link:
https://www.artplode.com/
Artplode caters not only to artists, but to collectors who want to sell artwork from their collections. This means that aspiring artists have a chance to have their artwork listed along with artwork from well-known artists such as Andy Warhol. Warhol's work Marilyn 26 was listed on the site by a collector for $126,000.
Here is the information about selling on Artplode:
When you sell your art on Artplode you keep 100% of the price the artwork is sold for. Artplode will never charge sellers or buyers commission to buy or sell art on Artplode.
Artplode charges a low one off flat fee of $60 to advertise each artwork. The listing stays on the Artplode website until the seller removes it. You may also elect to pay extra to have your art included in one or more of our featured categories.
The site has been carefully designed so visitors can easily browse by the country of origin of the artwork and the location of sellers as well as fine art category, subject, style, price size and era of artworks. This means visitors can quickly find works of interest whether they are international collectors or collect works from your country.
On Artplode you control every aspect of the sale of your art - the information and photos included in your ad, contact with people interested in purchasing and arranging payment and shipping of the work to the buyer.
Artplode welcomes listings of works by established and emerging artists selling their own works, art galleries, dealers and private sellers worldwide. Private sellers can maintain their privacy when selling art because Artplode doesn't require your full name be included on listings.
If a private seller isn't sure what price to ask for their artwork for a small fee our Artplode Assistant can provide a guide on pricing your art.
Some busy private collectors might prefer that an experienced art consultant manage enquiries about art they are selling on Artplode and or handle the sales transaction. You are welcome to contact any of the fine art consultants who advertise their services on Artplode to discuss the fee that they might charge for handling enquiries or managing the sale of your artwork listed for sale on Artplode.
Here is the link:
https://www.artplode.com/
Wednesday, April 8, 2020
Deviantart
Don't let the name scare you away, Deviantart is a place where artists, photographers, and writers can share their work with a large community. People who post on the site range from teenagers to adults, and from amateurs to professional artists, photographers, and models. There is an adult rating for nude images and or adult language.
It is a free site, but there is a paid option, if you wish to avoid advertisements or want more options when viewing art. I believe the paid option allows you to add more options to your page.
Under the free option, you can:
Showcase a particular piece of art or writing.
Write entries to a journal to allow your fans to know about upcoming events or just tell them about things that are going on in your life.
You can post travel notices, if you are planning trips so your fans can come to shows or signings. It is also a good way to schedule time with an artist, photographer, or model.
The site allows you divide your gallery of work into folders, so your fans can see images or painting of a particular person, place, or thing.
It is a great place to showcase short stories, and you can get feedback on your work.
Here is the site link.
www.deviantart.com
It is a free site, but there is a paid option, if you wish to avoid advertisements or want more options when viewing art. I believe the paid option allows you to add more options to your page.
Under the free option, you can:
Showcase a particular piece of art or writing.
Write entries to a journal to allow your fans to know about upcoming events or just tell them about things that are going on in your life.
You can post travel notices, if you are planning trips so your fans can come to shows or signings. It is also a good way to schedule time with an artist, photographer, or model.
The site allows you divide your gallery of work into folders, so your fans can see images or painting of a particular person, place, or thing.
It is a great place to showcase short stories, and you can get feedback on your work.
Here is the site link.
www.deviantart.com
Tuesday, April 7, 2020
Terrain and Tactics
Although you may not wish to teach the art of tactics and importance of terrain in your story, you should know how they will affect your battles. Knowing the types of ground and basic tactics will allow you to describe your battles more fully.
Sun Tzu said: The art of war recognizes nine varieties of ground: (1) Dispersive ground; (2) facile ground; (3) contentious ground; (4) open ground; (5) ground of intersecting highways; (6) serious ground; (7) difficult ground; (8) hemmed-in ground; (9) desperate ground.
When a chieftain is fighting in his own territory, it is dispersive ground.
When he has penetrated into hostile territory, but to no great distance, it is facile ground.
Ground the possession of which imports great advantage to either side, is contentious ground.
Ground on which each side has liberty of movement is open ground.
Ground which forms the key to three contiguous states, so that he who occupies it first has most of the Empire at his command, is a ground of intersecting highways.
When an army has penetrated into the heart of a hostile country, leaving a number of fortified cities in its rear, it is serious ground.
Mountain forests, rugged steeps, marshes and fens--all country that is hard to traverse: this is difficult ground.
Ground which is reached through narrow gorges, and from which we can only retire by tortuous paths, so that a small number of the enemy would suffice to crush a large body of our men: this is hemmed in ground.
Ground on which we can only be saved from destruction by fighting without delay, is desperate ground.
On dispersive ground, therefore, fight not. On facile ground, halt not. On contentious ground, attack not. On open ground, do not try to block the enemy's way. On the ground of intersecting highways, join hands with your allies. On serious ground, gather in plunder. In difficult ground, keep steadily on the march. On hemmed-in ground, resort to stratagem. On desperate ground, fight.
In common terms, Sun Tzu tells us not to fight on our own territory. In enemy territory near your own borders, keep pushing forward. Do not fight on ground that does not provide a distinct advantage to you--this covers not only contentious ground but open ground. When deep inside enemy territory, take all that you can--gold, food, and resources. On ground that is difficult to maneuver, keep moving. When you are in a desperate situation resort to strategy. And, finally, when you are pressed and your back is against the wall, fight like there is no tomorrow, for if you lose there will not be one.
Sun-Tzu. The Art of War. Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1964.
Battlefield Tactics.
Envelopment. Launching a holding attack on the center of the enemy line, while making your main attack around the enemy flank with the goal of attacking them from the rear.
Double Envelopment. A holding attack on the center of the enemy line, with flanking attacks on both sides of the enemy line.
Refusing a Flank. A defensive tactic in which the end of the line swings backward to form an L, so that a new perpendicular line is formed on the flank of the old line.
Feigned Withdrawal. Having the center of your line give way, while having your flanks hold their ground. When the attacker pursues your retreating troops, they turn and hold their grounds while your flanking troops attack the flanks of the enemy.
Sun Tzu said: The art of war recognizes nine varieties of ground: (1) Dispersive ground; (2) facile ground; (3) contentious ground; (4) open ground; (5) ground of intersecting highways; (6) serious ground; (7) difficult ground; (8) hemmed-in ground; (9) desperate ground.
When a chieftain is fighting in his own territory, it is dispersive ground.
When he has penetrated into hostile territory, but to no great distance, it is facile ground.
Ground the possession of which imports great advantage to either side, is contentious ground.
Ground on which each side has liberty of movement is open ground.
Ground which forms the key to three contiguous states, so that he who occupies it first has most of the Empire at his command, is a ground of intersecting highways.
When an army has penetrated into the heart of a hostile country, leaving a number of fortified cities in its rear, it is serious ground.
Mountain forests, rugged steeps, marshes and fens--all country that is hard to traverse: this is difficult ground.
Ground which is reached through narrow gorges, and from which we can only retire by tortuous paths, so that a small number of the enemy would suffice to crush a large body of our men: this is hemmed in ground.
Ground on which we can only be saved from destruction by fighting without delay, is desperate ground.
On dispersive ground, therefore, fight not. On facile ground, halt not. On contentious ground, attack not. On open ground, do not try to block the enemy's way. On the ground of intersecting highways, join hands with your allies. On serious ground, gather in plunder. In difficult ground, keep steadily on the march. On hemmed-in ground, resort to stratagem. On desperate ground, fight.
In common terms, Sun Tzu tells us not to fight on our own territory. In enemy territory near your own borders, keep pushing forward. Do not fight on ground that does not provide a distinct advantage to you--this covers not only contentious ground but open ground. When deep inside enemy territory, take all that you can--gold, food, and resources. On ground that is difficult to maneuver, keep moving. When you are in a desperate situation resort to strategy. And, finally, when you are pressed and your back is against the wall, fight like there is no tomorrow, for if you lose there will not be one.
Sun-Tzu. The Art of War. Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1964.
Battlefield Tactics.
Envelopment. Launching a holding attack on the center of the enemy line, while making your main attack around the enemy flank with the goal of attacking them from the rear.
Double Envelopment. A holding attack on the center of the enemy line, with flanking attacks on both sides of the enemy line.
Refusing a Flank. A defensive tactic in which the end of the line swings backward to form an L, so that a new perpendicular line is formed on the flank of the old line.
Feigned Withdrawal. Having the center of your line give way, while having your flanks hold their ground. When the attacker pursues your retreating troops, they turn and hold their grounds while your flanking troops attack the flanks of the enemy.
Thursday, April 2, 2020
How to write about epic battles
When writing about epic battles, you
need to remember that there has to be a reason one side prevails over the
other, and the fact you want that side to win is not a good enough reason for
the average reader. The rules about when
a battle can take place are the same as those for single combat, so a review of
that post would be helpful before you lay out your battle.
In
the real world, battles are won or lost for many reasons. Some battles are won by technology. Even though the Aztecs were one of the most
powerful civilizations in Central America, they had no chance against the
Spanish Conquistadors who possessed armor and muskets.
Sun
Tzu wrote about the advantage to taking the high ground in his book The Art of
War. He wrote of the advantages of forcing
an opponent to attack uphill. He also
described nine types of ground, and how commanders should conduct themselves
when fighting on each one. (see the next post about terrain and tactics)
Another
reason is that one side or the other either followed or failed to follow the
Principles of War. Carl von Clausewitz
outlined the nine principles of modern warfare in his treatise On War. The nine principles of warfare are: Mass,
Objective, Offensive, Surprise, Economy of Force, Maneuver, Unity of Command,
Security, and Simplicity.
Mass: Concentrate combat power at the decisive
place and time. Even though he was
outnumbered, Hannibal won the battle of Cannae because he concentrated his
cavalry on one wing of his army. His
massed cavalry overcame the Roman cavalry on that side of their lines, and his
horseman crushed the Roman cavalry on the other wing between them.
Objective: Direct every military
operation towards a clearly defined, decisive, and attainable goal. When the Germans attacked the allies in the
Battle of France in World War II, their objective was to drive to the coast as
quickly as possible. By doing so, they
were able to cut the allied armies into two parts and destroy them one by one.
Offensive; Seize, retain, and exploit the
initiative. Always take the battle to
your enemy, so you can decide where the battle takes place. The German armies went on the attack in World
War I, and were able to fight most of the war on enemy territory, and not on
German soil.
Surprise: Strike the enemy at a time, at a place, or
in a manner for which he is unprepared.
Stonewall Jackson moved his corps through a heavily wooded area at the
Battle of Chancellorsville. Because the
Union commanders believed that the wooded area provided them with a secure
flank, he was able to surprise the Union 11th Corps, and drive them
before him, causing confusion among the other corps of the Union Army.
Economy of force: Allocate minimum essential combat power to
secondary efforts. This principle goes
hand in hand with the principle of mass.
If you mass troops in one location, you will have fewer troops in
another location. This force is usually
called a masking force. Their job is to
hold the line while the massed troops break through the lines of the enemy
force.
Maneuver: Place the enemy in a position of disadvantage
through the flexible application of
combat power. One of the reasons
that the Germans prevailed in the Battle of France in 1940 is that their
armored units were operating independently from their infantry and at their top
speed. The allies had divided their
tanks evenly among their infantry divisions, and drilled the tank units at
slower speeds, so the infantry could keep pace with them.
Unity of command: For every objective, ensure unity of effort
under one responsible commander.
Security: Never permit the enemy to acquire an
unexpected advantage. This principle
boiled down, means that a commander must keep their plans, movements, and troop
numbers a secret. One of Robert E. Lee’s
commanders lost their battle plans when they dropped their cigar case before
the Battle Of Antietam. The Union
victory at that battle would have been more decisive had the Union commanders
believed that the plans were actually real.
Simplicity:
Prepare clear, uncomplicated plans and clear, concise orders to ensure
thorough understanding. Everyone involved in an attack must
understand the part that they are to play in the attack, and must understand
the goals of their immediate commander.
If plans are too complicated or not met, the whole battle may be
lost.
On War. Clausewitz, Carl von. Princeton NJ, Princeton University Press, 1976.
On War. Clausewitz, Carl von. Princeton NJ, Princeton University Press, 1976.
Tuesday, March 31, 2020
How to write about combat
When I was younger, I remember playing a game called Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots. Two players controlled robots, each intent with hitting their opponent’s robot beneath its chin and popping its head off. The next step was to push the losing robot’s head back down and begin the battle again. Combat was very simple in that game, the goal was defined, each robot could only throw punches, and there was a definite winner and loser. Combat in the real world is not so simple, and in order to write a good combat scene there are many things that you should keep in mind.
Before the combat even begins, you should be able to answer the following questions:
Who is offering combat?
What is at stake?
Why now?
First the who: this is the attacker. And this leads directly to what is at stake. The person who begins the fight must have something to gain. But not only will the stakes determine why the combat is taking place, it will also determine the endgame of the battle. The more there is to gain or lose, the more likely it is that the fight will continue. A person with little to lose will probably end the combat shortly after the first injury, while a person who is fighting for their life will leave nothing unused in their bag of tricks. And now for the important question: why has the attacker chosen this moment? Something must have changed, or else the person bringing the combat would have done so earlier, or would have waited for a more opportune time.
Once you answer those three basic questions, it is time to choose your weapons. Fists are an obvious choice, but fists may not be appropriate for mortal combat.
Here is a website that describes many medieval weapons and their usage.
https://www.swordsknivesanddaggers.com/medieval-weapons-glossary.html
Choice of weapons will do several things:
Determine the duration of combat–Wielding a sword is heavy work, especially those made for swinging rather than stabbing. When writing combat you must take into account how long a person could actually continue fighting, which will be determined by: the weight of their weapon, how it is used, are they wearing armor, using a shield, and has one of the combatants been in combat recently. King Harold Godwinson lost the battle of Hastings because his men were tired having defeated the army of King Harold Hardrada and then marching almost the length of England to engage the troops of William of Normandy.
Determine the location of combat–-How a weapon is wielded will determine where a battle can take place. A weapon that is swung requires more room than a weapon that is thrust. Ranged weapons require wide open spaces, otherwise there is a chance that the terrain will determine the effectiveness of the weapon. Any kind of cover will limit the effectiveness of arrows, bolts, spears, javelins, etc.
Determine the sequence of combat–It requires more time to bring a heavy weapon into play than it requires to bring a light weapon. A combatant swinging a battleaxe will be able to strike once, but someone using a dagger should be able to attempt to stab their attacker several times while they are swinging their axe.
Now it is time for the combat to begin, and time to get creative.
Use all five senses.
Sight–the glint of chainmail, the flash of the blades, the lines of troops, flags, pennants, smoke,
Smell–a battlefield is chock full of smells: smoke, blood, sweat, burning flesh, oil and other flammable substances, propellant, etc.
Hearing–clash of blades, the sound of metal impacting wood, the sound of metal impacting flesh and bone, the thunk of an arrow,
Touch–the aftermath of the impact of a weapon on a body part
Taste–blood, sweat, tears
Describe the effects of combat on the combatants. They should be getting tired, their arms should start feeling like lead weights, their weapons should be getting slippery from sweat and blood.
Is there magic involved? Make sure you define your magic, does it require an implement such as a wand, does it require gestures, are there spell components?
Are there animals involved? Horses for jousting.
Are there magical beasts?
Here is a decent list of them:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lists_of_legendary_creatures
Before the combat even begins, you should be able to answer the following questions:
Who is offering combat?
What is at stake?
Why now?
First the who: this is the attacker. And this leads directly to what is at stake. The person who begins the fight must have something to gain. But not only will the stakes determine why the combat is taking place, it will also determine the endgame of the battle. The more there is to gain or lose, the more likely it is that the fight will continue. A person with little to lose will probably end the combat shortly after the first injury, while a person who is fighting for their life will leave nothing unused in their bag of tricks. And now for the important question: why has the attacker chosen this moment? Something must have changed, or else the person bringing the combat would have done so earlier, or would have waited for a more opportune time.
Once you answer those three basic questions, it is time to choose your weapons. Fists are an obvious choice, but fists may not be appropriate for mortal combat.
Here is a website that describes many medieval weapons and their usage.
https://www.swordsknivesanddaggers.com/medieval-weapons-glossary.html
Choice of weapons will do several things:
Determine the duration of combat–Wielding a sword is heavy work, especially those made for swinging rather than stabbing. When writing combat you must take into account how long a person could actually continue fighting, which will be determined by: the weight of their weapon, how it is used, are they wearing armor, using a shield, and has one of the combatants been in combat recently. King Harold Godwinson lost the battle of Hastings because his men were tired having defeated the army of King Harold Hardrada and then marching almost the length of England to engage the troops of William of Normandy.
Determine the location of combat–-How a weapon is wielded will determine where a battle can take place. A weapon that is swung requires more room than a weapon that is thrust. Ranged weapons require wide open spaces, otherwise there is a chance that the terrain will determine the effectiveness of the weapon. Any kind of cover will limit the effectiveness of arrows, bolts, spears, javelins, etc.
Determine the sequence of combat–It requires more time to bring a heavy weapon into play than it requires to bring a light weapon. A combatant swinging a battleaxe will be able to strike once, but someone using a dagger should be able to attempt to stab their attacker several times while they are swinging their axe.
Now it is time for the combat to begin, and time to get creative.
Use all five senses.
Sight–the glint of chainmail, the flash of the blades, the lines of troops, flags, pennants, smoke,
Smell–a battlefield is chock full of smells: smoke, blood, sweat, burning flesh, oil and other flammable substances, propellant, etc.
Hearing–clash of blades, the sound of metal impacting wood, the sound of metal impacting flesh and bone, the thunk of an arrow,
Touch–the aftermath of the impact of a weapon on a body part
Taste–blood, sweat, tears
Describe the effects of combat on the combatants. They should be getting tired, their arms should start feeling like lead weights, their weapons should be getting slippery from sweat and blood.
Is there magic involved? Make sure you define your magic, does it require an implement such as a wand, does it require gestures, are there spell components?
Are there animals involved? Horses for jousting.
Are there magical beasts?
Here is a decent list of them:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lists_of_legendary_creatures
Tuesday, March 3, 2020
Facebook E-book Authors Promo
Most facebook groups only allow self promotion on certain days of the week, if they allow it at all. E-book Authors Promo is a group that is solely for the purpose of self promotion. So, it is there when you publish and it is there when you want to advertise your special rates during promotions.
The group is made up of authors who want to promote their books, and while that would seem to limit your audience, many authors on the site will list the promotions of their fellow authors on their facebook pages.
It is also a place to promote your blog, your author page, and any other pages associated with your printed works.
Here is a link to the page:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/656775824520920/?ref=bookmarks
The group is made up of authors who want to promote their books, and while that would seem to limit your audience, many authors on the site will list the promotions of their fellow authors on their facebook pages.
It is also a place to promote your blog, your author page, and any other pages associated with your printed works.
Here is a link to the page:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/656775824520920/?ref=bookmarks
Friday, February 14, 2020
Facebook Group Authors and Writers Helping Each Other Grow
Authors and writers helping each other grow is a Facebook group devoted to answering questions that surface during the writing process. The group does not allow self promotion. The basic requirement for any type of post is that it asks for or gives advice about specific topics dealing with writing. The group now has close to 27000 members, and is a great place to get advice about all of the issues that plague writers.
Here is the link to their page:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1976793849262471/about/
Here is the link to their page:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1976793849262471/about/
Facebook Groups Beta Readers
Beta Readers and Critique Partners is a facebook group where you can find other writers willing to help you develop your work.
Critique partners, or alpha readers, are there to help you from the beginning of your work. They can help with story and character development and are there to help you understand the good parts of your work verses the parts that need some further development. Pairing with a critique partner usually involves an exchange of manuscripts, so it is important to find someone whose story interests you, and who find interest in your work.
Beta readers come after critique partners, and they look at a polished manuscript to give you feedback on your polished story.
Beta readers and critique partners is a facebook group that has over 9500 members who are willing to help develop and polish your manuscript.
Here is a link to their page:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1782619931753141/?ref=bookmarks
Critique partners, or alpha readers, are there to help you from the beginning of your work. They can help with story and character development and are there to help you understand the good parts of your work verses the parts that need some further development. Pairing with a critique partner usually involves an exchange of manuscripts, so it is important to find someone whose story interests you, and who find interest in your work.
Beta readers come after critique partners, and they look at a polished manuscript to give you feedback on your polished story.
Beta readers and critique partners is a facebook group that has over 9500 members who are willing to help develop and polish your manuscript.
Here is a link to their page:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1782619931753141/?ref=bookmarks
Wednesday, February 12, 2020
Agent Query
Agent Query is a great site to begin looking for a literary agent. The site lists both AAR and non-AAR agents. Agent query also provides up to date information about whether the agent is accepting queries at the time, and the query format that the agent prefers.
Beyond just listing agents, Agent Query provides information about self publishing, how to write query letters, and many other tips for writers who are hoping to either self publish or traditionally publish their books. There is also a page dedicated to spotting publishing scams.
Here is a link:
https://www.agentquery.com/default.aspx
Beyond just listing agents, Agent Query provides information about self publishing, how to write query letters, and many other tips for writers who are hoping to either self publish or traditionally publish their books. There is also a page dedicated to spotting publishing scams.
Here is a link:
https://www.agentquery.com/default.aspx
Diabolic Shrimp--A great place for a book review.
Joshua Grant runs a website called Diabolic Shrimp for authors and readers.
For authors, it is a great place to get your book seen. He also reviews books that he purchases off Amazon, and will post the review on his site and leave a review on Amazon. It is a great place to get a review and get your book some free advertisement. There are opportunities to have your book on the main page of his site, and to have your book in the spotlight for a month.
For readers, it is a place to find new books to add to your ever growing TBR list. Each month he purchases a book from Amazon and give readers a chance to win a copy of the book of their own.
Here is a link to the website:
https://diabolicshrimp.com/
For authors, it is a great place to get your book seen. He also reviews books that he purchases off Amazon, and will post the review on his site and leave a review on Amazon. It is a great place to get a review and get your book some free advertisement. There are opportunities to have your book on the main page of his site, and to have your book in the spotlight for a month.
For readers, it is a place to find new books to add to your ever growing TBR list. Each month he purchases a book from Amazon and give readers a chance to win a copy of the book of their own.
Here is a link to the website:
https://diabolicshrimp.com/
Tuesday, February 11, 2020
Association of Authors' Representatives
The Association of Authors' Representatives, or AAR, is a professional organization of author representatives. Professional agents who join this organization have to abide by rules that protect the agent and the authors that they represent. Membership in this organization is one way to determine if an agent is legitimate.
There are reasons that legitimate agents do not belong to the AAR.
1. The agent may not have worked long enough in the field. The AAR requires
two years of author representation to become a full time member.
2. The agent may not have executed enough publishing agreements to belong.
The AAR requires the execution of five publishing agreement in the 18 months
prior to requesting membership.
3. Author representation may not be the primary business of the agent.
To determine if an agent is a member of the AAR, you can check here:
http://aaronline.org/Find
To see the guidelines that agents who belong to the AAR must follow, you can check here:
http://aaronline.org/canon
Remember, AAR membership is one way to see if an agent is legitimate. If the agent belongs to the AAR you can be assured that they are a legitimate literary agent.
There are reasons that legitimate agents do not belong to the AAR.
1. The agent may not have worked long enough in the field. The AAR requires
two years of author representation to become a full time member.
2. The agent may not have executed enough publishing agreements to belong.
The AAR requires the execution of five publishing agreement in the 18 months
prior to requesting membership.
3. Author representation may not be the primary business of the agent.
To determine if an agent is a member of the AAR, you can check here:
http://aaronline.org/Find
To see the guidelines that agents who belong to the AAR must follow, you can check here:
http://aaronline.org/canon
Remember, AAR membership is one way to see if an agent is legitimate. If the agent belongs to the AAR you can be assured that they are a legitimate literary agent.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)