Ears Wide Shut

Since I'm in the final steps of edits for my second book, I've been searching out blogs and articles on the subject. From that search I've found my new favorite tool.

A Little Background

Unfortunately I don't have many reviews posted for my first book but they all seem to have a similar theme. Good story. Developed characters. Too many editing issues. Mostly three out of five stars.

Now, I promise I've read through the book multiple times and used a professional editor. So what gives?

My working theory has been: When I went through the editing and formatting process I created multiple versions. My day job is as a systems analyst so I've been taught to save each step, giving the files incremental numbers so I can always go back to an earlier version if needed. Maybe somewhere along the way I stumbled and used a version that wasn't completely edited. I checked my versions and posted an updated file. Surely that will fix my issue.

Or not... and please, don't call me Shirley.

This second book has to be pristine when released. I've kept careful track of my most up to date files, ensuring nothing gets mixed up. All the while I've kept my head in the sand where the first book is concerned.

Honestly, I've read and re-read the thing so many times I didn't want to visit it any more. It's in the wild, on its own. Let it be.

So what's this new favorite tool? Text-to-voice.

I've seen others post that the best way to edit is to read your manuscript out loud or have someone else read it to you. Yeah, not gonna do that. But when I saw a post about a technology that could do it for me, I jumped.

Now, I know text-to-voice is nothing new, but I'd never really thought about using it to edit. I said something to my wife and she immediately told me some of her author friends have been using it for years. Once again, I'm late to the party.

I downloaded a free version of "Natural Reader" (not a plug, it was at the top of my Google search) to my PC and got my headphones ready for a listen. When I opened the folder with the most current version of my new book, I saw the final file for the first one sitting in the corner, untouched for a few months, acting ashamed and abandoned.

Should I get out the shovel and unbury my head? Should I open my ears to that loved but deserted story?

I loaded the dusty file and sat back. Holy Crap! I still subscribe to the theory that these words were fixed at some point but it was a mess. I can no longer pretend it didn't happen.

The last week has been spent going word for word through the file. Using text-to-voice brings both senses into play; visual as I follow the cursor across the page and auditory as I listen to the programs voice.

Next Week's To-Dos:

I've got to reformat this newly edited version and get it loaded to Amazon, Nook, and Smashwords. It will be almost like a new release without the fanfare, tweeting, or any hope for attention. There may be only a handful of downloads still coming but I owe my first born story that much.

Next, I'll be using the same method (although I may try a different program) to pick through the second book before releasing.

In another blog I read that a writer isn't really an author until they've written 1,000,000 words. By the time I finish my current book-in-progress I'll be more than a quarter of the way there. After this learning experience I'd like to add another line to that mantra.

You're not an author until you've listened to 1,000,000 of your own words.

Keep your ears wide open and never stop believing in yourself.

(And yes, I used text-to-voice to proof this blog before posting.)

C.L. Blanton

Categories and Key Words

Signs and tags drive the world today. I'm pretty sure the sign pictured here is trying to tell me something but I'll keep going until I can figure it out.

Street signs tell us to stop, merge, turn here for yummy fast food.

Twitter hashtags let us know what's trending.

Categories and Key Words hold some kind of mystical power over how items are displayed in Amazon, Google, and most internet search engines.

Now, let's be honest. With the online world we've come to depend on, if we didn't have a powerful search engine telling us we want yummy fast food, feeding us directions to obtain said unhealthy delight, and the necessary prompts to tweet our crave to get #itscrappymealtime trending, we'd be doing something utterly boring like sitting around a table looking at family members eating meals actually prepared in the same house. How discouraging.

My foray into writing keeps digging up new items to be added to a "Lessons Learned" list. Recently I've added a new entry near the top in big letters, "CATEGORIES", which sits only a few lines above "Key Words".

CATEGORIES

These are the magic words spoken as you waive your wand before the unmovable rock blocking your path.

The categories used to tag your book in Amazon (and other sites) determine how it will be promoted. I've seen in multiple places that you (the author) need to identify your audience (the readers) and target your efforts at reaching that group. Sounds easy enough, but in this magical online world how do I find and zero in on that group? Categories.

In doing some research and reading blogs about how Amazon prioritizes it's items, I've learned I needed to rethink how I choose a category and that periodic category changes can be a good thing.

I will soon be changing the categories for Absolution's Curse to Religion&Spirituality->Fiction->Science Fiction & Fantasy (think Frank Peretti mixed with Stephen King's The Gunslinger).

It's a dance. Play with your categories, try to find those that aren't saturated by drilling down to sub-categories where your work can stand out.

Key Words

This doesn't get all big letters but it's still important. These would be the words uttered by our wand holding reader to determine which rock needs to be moved to clear a straight path to your book.

My biggest "a-ha" moment (other than the music video of "Take On Me" which popped up when I googled "a-ha") was the idea of using author names, book names, or characters that are similar to your book's themes or characters.

For Absolution's Curse, I will be adding references to Stephen King's Dark Tower series and Roland since I believe that character closely matches Frank's journey.

The biggest caveat is to make sure any category or key words you use, especially if you use author names or other books, are valid. Don't list J.K. Rowling as your key word for your bloody vampire romance novel.

So watch your signs, give your categories and key words their due respect, and stay away from late night Crappy Meals.

I wonder what happens after I get to the dead end?

C.L. Blanton

The Egg and Basket Dilemma

Shark Week my dorsal fin, it's time for another installment of

"Shameless Plug Week"

(I decided to go with a picture of cozy eggs instead of lunging sharks to emphasize my point. Did it work?)

First, I'd like to announce that Absolution's Curse will soon be available on Nook.

That's right. I'm removing a few of my eggs from Amazon's over-sized basket. Now all you Nook owners can join the journey. Still working on Apple and Kobo.

I'll update this post with a link as soon as it's available on those sites.

Second, I've joined a site for readers and authors called Story Cartel. Visit this link and download a FREE copy of Absolution's Curse. Three lucky readers will be chose at random by the site to receive a $10 Amazon Gift Card. (Yep, throwin' them eggs right back into the big A's baskets.)

What's the catch?

You will receive a request to leave an honest review of the story. Visit the site for details then click around to find other books waiting to be downloaded and reviewed. I did. (I'm looking forward to reading Secondhand Sight by Rocky Leonard.)

Each book stays available for roughly twenty days so go get my book then check back for more offerings from some great authors.

Now it's back to the writing desk for me. My goal for this weekend is to complete the final outline for my work-in-progress. Wish me luck.

C.L. Blanton