Cover Art is Taking Longer Than Expected

Looks like I'm missing my own release date for the 1st of May.  Admittedly it was an arbitrary release date, but what I've been struggling with is copy editing.  And obviously I'm still waiting on the cover.  I think next time I'm considering actually spending some money on the cover art, I just wish I knew how much money I could be making--I hate the idea of going into the hole on this.  I think about how I've already spent a little something, other than my time that is, just in the money it took me to print copies for writing group.  That last part has actually been getting pretty expensive.

I'm officially sick of working on this novella, it's slowly killing me how much it won't go away and be finished.  So, surprise surprise I'm fucking editing Bad For Business again.

Missing Deadlines, Making Excuses

I missed my deadline for group last night, couldn't finish the second chapter of Lost Lamb.  It bugged the ever-loving crap out of me.  I couldn't stand it.  I was kicking myself in the ass all day over it.  I tried excuses or rationalizations--even good ones like the fact that I've worked overtime everyday this week--and none of them made me feel better.  I guess it wasn't really that big of a deal, other members in the group did mention that I had read every week since we'd started meeting, and that it was understandable for me to miss a week.  That wasn't good enough for me.

I feel like there's some underlying reason why I want to write so bad, I can't really place it.  I've wondered before if it's a side effect of getting older--the need to see one's dreams become at least a little more solid if not completely true.  I'm wondering now if that isn't it, I've always wanted to create, for a least as long as I can remember.  I've never been very good at art, drawing, painting--whatever, terrible at it.  Mediocre at best.  But I've always been good with words.

I read a study about "the raisin effect".  I won't summarize it here, you can look it up if you're interested, but the conclusion was one about experiencing vicariously through another person.  What they found was that the centers in the brain fire identically, when you're hearing a story, as they would if you'd experienced it for yourself.  I suppose as a writer I want to give others the experiences that I have in my own head, fiction lets me do that in a small way.  They are still your thoughts and emotions but I may have inspired them.  I think that's cool.

Expanding My Internet Presence (e-presence?)

I decided that while I can't make the shift to Twitter yet, I have made a "professional" Facebook page.  I'm excited about getting my first like--it will probably be from myself, but I guess I have to start somewhere.  It was easier than I thought it would be to write about myself, I guess that's what I do here.  It's disgusting to think about it that way.  But in the words of Mel Brooks, "Moichendizing!"

I am freaking floored that I may make some money from my writing.  I've been looking up income reports from indie authors and I have to say that some of them look bleak.  A whopping twenty percent report no income.  That's a one out of five chance that I will make no money in a year.  But I guess I'm balls in it now, might as well keep on going.

I've decided to include an excerpt from Lost Lamb in Bad for Business, I see a lot of other authors do that.  It's kind of a no-brainer really.  Next time on this show--this stuff happens.  After that I'm going to get some more work on Chapter 2 of Lost Lamb, it's cool to finally get to shift gears.

Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/StevenJayHamiltonAuthor

Bad for Business is Really Done This Time

I get excited every time I think I'm done with Bad for Business.  These revisions have been like bubbles in wallpaper, each time I think I've got one down I find myself turning right around for another one.  I do have the story in chapters now, today I wrote the forward and the about the author section and all that.  I have a headache if you haven't noticed.  I figured I should consider some other media for promoting my work, I'm worried this blog isn't reaching a very wide audience.  I'm reluctant to join Twitter, though it does seem to be where everyone is going.  I guess the idea of it sickens me really, I want to reach people that want to read.  If you need your reading mashed into 140 characters, my style probably isn't for you.  Still, I could be reaching more readers.

I've been thinking a lot about this urban fantasy novel, I think have some new angles for the narrative to take.  Hopefully I can keep getting usable ideas, of course, if it's short then it can be short--no biggie.  Sometimes I wish someone could just tell me how to write.  What the characters should do and how the story progresses should be accessible.  I know there are formulas to writing fiction, but then you end up with formula-driven fiction.

I guess sometimes I wish writing was more like following a recipe.  You need a brooding hero, a smart villain, a dash of intrigue, and a sprinkle of sexual tension.  Let these simmer over an interesting setting and add sidekicks to taste.

Still Here

Been working but not really writing about it, I'm hitting crunch time on Bad for Business (still no cover yet, AHGG!) Chapters are almost finished...not really, more like two thirds finished.  It occurs to me I should have been writing in chapters all along, but I didn't know I had been working on a novella until a month ago.

I read the first chapter of Lost Lamb to the group on Thursday, it seemed to go over well.  They think I should focus on that before continuing Adrian's outer space adventures.  I couldn't agree more.  I do have a sharp story in my head for Adrian, when I get back to him he'll definitely have shit to do.  I'm thinking I'll work on Lost Lamb until I get sick of it, then take a vacation back to space with Adrian.  I love writing.  And hate it.

Market Research Findings, Apprehension

Recently I discovered the Author Marketing Club, apparently they will do non-biased book reviews so that I don't have to burden my friends.  I think I'll still reel in about a handful of the people I've asked to review, but I will also post on AMC.  I'm hoping this venture works out, I really am.  As I approach the finish line on this piece, I feel that I should be taking a rest before I start the next.  I have no plans to do that.  I already have a clear story in mind for the next Adrian installment and I have a few others on the back burner.

Over the last day or so I've been doing some market research to see what sells the best--I am largely unsurprised.  My findings suggest that Romance, Thriller/Suspense, and Mystery are still among the highest grossing genres.  Figure that's a no-brainer.  The new kid on the block, as it were, is Paranormal fiction, a genre that is largely choked with 'tween romance and straight-up supernatural erotica.  To my surprise however, the Urban Fantasy market is actually quite slim.  This bothers me greatly.  I am still working on my Urban Fantasy project (Lost Lamb) but now I'm wondering if anyone will buy it.  Much of the Urban Fantasy that I've tried to read is actually quite disappointing.  I'm still having trouble finding another Dresden Files to get into, which I love of course.

Random Unrelated Post Title

I premiered the final installment of Bad for Business to the group, receiving actual applause when it was over.  Our meetings are very encouraging and constructive, each time I come away from one I feel like I can write anything.

Regardless, I thought the novella's climax could have been sharper and deeper.  During revision today I added a new thread to the story that I felt made the climax more meaningful.

I'm hoping I can get a hardcore detective fiction buff to do an early review, I'd really like to know what someone familiar with the genre would think.  It's seems that several of the group members are saying they know little of detective fiction but they still enjoyed it--that's what counts.  Anyone should be able to read a good piece of fiction of any genre and still enjoy it.