As you probably know, I am quite an admirer of Brian Jacques and his work. It has been a major source of inspiration for me in my own writing without a doubt. However, sometimes it is good as a writer to step back and take an objective view of the books etc. that we like, as it can help us identify what makes a story work as well as what to avoid.Continue reading “Five More Problems with the ‘Redwall’ Series”
Impression or Edition?
If you are like me, you’ve probably examined every page of some books up down and all around. One of the most interesting pages, of course, is that one with all the tiny print on it: the copyright page. Now, there is a lot to examine on that page, but in particular, I’m going to focus on the portion–usually toward the bottom–that talks about edition and impression. What is the difference, and why does it matter?Continue reading “Impression or Edition?”
Plans for March
February has been a very interesting month indeed, and fairly productive as well. I finally began recording my first audiobook, worked a bit on a rough draft, reviewed a couple of manuscripts, and made a few tweaks here and there to older works. Finally, and perhaps most exciting of all, I will officially be vending in the Dealer’s Den area at Free Fur All 2022!
This month, I hope to finish recording an audiobook, continue my rough draft of the next Sauragia book, and review a couple more older manuscripts. And of course, there are the preparations for my upcoming live appearance at the end of July. It has been a mild winter overall, but hopefully the weather will continue to see some improvement in March.
Illustrating Your Book
Last month, I elaborated on cover design, and how to go about finding someone who can help you out when it comes to making cover art for your book. But what about interior design? What happens when you write a book, but feel it could use a little extra something on the inside to grab and hold the reader’s attention? That is what I’ll try to discuss here today.Continue reading “Illustrating Your Book”
Redacted: When Editors Go Too Far
I recently had an article published in a magazine. Wonderful news, of course. It is always nice to know that others deem your work worthy of publication. However, on seeing the article in question, I was rather disappointed to find that some of my main arguments (this was an opinion piece) appeared to have vanished!
So, what does one do when something like this happens? Is it a good idea to tell the editor of your displeasure? Is it best to just grin and bear it? And what about criticism in general? All these questions I shall try to answer here.Continue reading “Redacted: When Editors Go Too Far”
Plans for February
January started out rough, but by the end things cleared up a bit, and I was able to accomplish most of my goals. Minor progress was made on a rough draft, a couple loose ends from 2021 were tied up, and some major changes to another project were laid out.
This February, I will be looking over my new series (the first installment of which I hope to have out this fall), examining a novella for possible publication this spring, and continuing my current rough draft. Additionally, I may begin the recording process for my first audiobook! Otherwise, there are no big plans. It is a relatively short month, after all, and a cold one besides.
‘The Mistmantle Chronicles’ (Or the Perfect Fantasy Series)
The Mistmantle Chronicles by M. I. McAllister is quite simply the perfect fantasy series, in my opinion. It has all the classic elements–good vs. evil, a fantastical setting, memorable characters, etc.–but it manages to put them together in just the right order. This is not a review, though at some point I may well review each of the five books separately. This is merely my explanation for why this, of all the book series I have read, is my favorite.Continue reading “‘The Mistmantle Chronicles’ (Or the Perfect Fantasy Series)”
How to Find the Right Cover Artist
Some authors are blessed with talents in both written and visual arts. For such individuals, coming up with suitable cover art for their work can be easier than writing the book itself. However, for most authors, illustrating is at best a secondary endeavor, and so there is a need to find someone else who can capture the essence of your story in a single, eye-catching image. Here I shall briefly discuss how self-publishing authors can find the ideal cover artist for their work.Continue reading “How to Find the Right Cover Artist”
DIY: Designing Your Own Cover
Greetings, and welcome to my first proper post of 2022! This is going to be the first of several posts on Do-It-Yourself aspects of book design for self-publishing authors. All authors write their own books and do a bit of editing themselves, obviously. However, there are certain aspects that most either let their publishers take care of (if they have one) or else hire someone else out to do. But for those on a budget, or who prefer to have as much creative control over their work as possible, there are other aspects of book production you can take on yourself, if you have the time and resources. The subject this week is how to design your own book cover.
Happy New Year!
Greetings all, and happy new year! May 2022 prove tenfold better than 2021…or at least no worse.
I don’t know about you all, but December was pretty awful for me. Between dealing with an annoying bug of some sort for the last couple weeks and just general chaos created by the holidays, I was able to accomplish very little. Thankfully, among that very little was my plan of action for January, which I am doing my best to implement despite still having my head a little stuffed up.
This month, I am looking to make serious progress on my rough draft, continue my much-delayed special project, and do some serious revisions of my series. Additionally, I would of course love to finish up what projects I was not able to finish up in December, and maybe even work on another rough draft or some short stories if I have time. We’ll see, though.