E-Publishing and Self-Publishing

This is something that's been on my mind lately so I thought I'd discuss it here today.

Up until recently, I've been against self-publishing. I mean, when I was 12, I thought it was cool and had this ridiculous idea that I was going to self-publish my WIP. That idea quickly left my head. But, as I've grown up and entered the review world and read a few self-pubbed books...my thoughts were always along the lines of "Self-published books suck. The author is just trying to find an easy way out, instead of querying and waiting and having their work edited like a normal person. If the story was good, they'd have an agent."

And, to a point, I still believe that. I believe that many times, people publish their rough drafts just to see their name in print. I believe a lot of the self-published books out there are books that need a lot more editing and rewriting. But, I also think that sometimes, self-publishing might be the right choice for someone, IF their work is edited, IF they've tried to get an agent and queried and queried and queried, IF the book is READY to be published.

I've had similar beliefs about e-publishing and e-books as well. My father wanted to get me a Kindle two years ago and I told him no way, absolutely not. I love my books. I love the smell of my books, I love how I can take a book off my shelf and pet its cover (yes, I do that) and flip to my favorite pages. I was upset when publishers started sending out e-galleys instead of ARCs. I wanted nothing to do with something that wasn't in book format.

But now...Now, I don't see it as such a bad thing. I don't think books will go completely out for a LONG time. I have the Kindle app on my iPod and I really wouldn't mind having a Kindle. I think that e-books can allow people to purchase books cheaper, especially when the publisher lowers the price to .99-2.99.

I've noticed a lot of times, e-publishing and self-publishing are becoming the same thing. Karly Kirkpatrick did it. Now Jessica Ashley (aka Jessica Burkhart) is doing it. Both of these authors are also taking it a step farther. Along with two other authors, Karly Kirkpatrick has created DarkSide publishing and Jessica Ashley and her BFF created Violet and Ruby. I'm really intrigued by both projects and I'm looking forward to following both to see what happens.

So. Thoughts? What do you think about self-publishing? E-publishing? What about the Violet and Ruby idea? I'd love to hear everyone's opinions!

Harmony

Saturday Gets Some Action

Or: Man, I need a makeout scene. 36k (and counting) and none yet.

First, I'd like to do a tiny bit of shameless self-promotion and tell you guys that I have a contest at my book blog. It's international, doesn't have a ton of entries, yada yada.

Anyways, you remember how I whined about not having a makeout scene two Saturdays ago when Berserk was at 17k? And I guessed I'd have one by another 10k? I'm at almost 20 and I still haven't had one. So, yeah, still going a bit bonkers over that.

In that post, I mentioned action-type scenes and that's what this post is going to be about.

I hate action scenes. (Laina-speak definiton: action scenes aren't necessary battle scenes or fighting or what say you. They can include things like two girls going shopping or working or... something I could think of if it wasn't nine in the morning. You know what I mean?)

They aren't easy for me. It usually takes me at least three tries to get the skeleton of an action scene right, and then another two revisions to get to a point where I don't hate them. However, certain people seem to like them when I finally get to the point of not hating them. I think it's because I know they're one of my weaknesses so I spend more time on them then I do on scenes that are easier.

Why do I include them? Because you can't write a book that's all kissing scenes. Well... you can... but people have to be 18 to buy them.

So today I'm asking you guys: What kind of scenes do you like best? What kind do you like least? And how do you deal with the ones you're not great at?

Peace and cookies,
Laina

So, I Can't Review Books Now?

There was a chat a few days ago on twitter where a few agents said that if a book reviewer queried them and the reviewer had given one of their clients a bad review- the agent would reject them. There were also a few authors who said that they wouldn't blurb someone who gave their book a negative review. I can understand why the author wouldn't want to blurb that persons book, but what I don't get is the agent-part.
As an aspiring author who loves reading, I find it hard to come to terms the fact that because I review books online, I can't get representation from some agents. I can understand where the agents are coming from, but I disagree with it. If someone ends up writing an amazing book that should be published, and you reject it because that person doesn't like one of your other clients books then it seems unfair to the querying author.
People have the right to dislike books and discuss them online. I've been reviewing for more than two years, and writing for three or four years. If I had to choose between being a published author and reviewing books, I don't know what I would choose. To me, it seems harsh. People don't have a right to share their opinion, at the risk of being turned down by an agent.

I know this post isn't totally writing related, but as someone who wants to get published someday- I'm worried about being turned down because I'm a book reviewer. What do you all think about this?

The Triangle

So I hear love triangles in YA fiction are becoming a trend. Which saddens me, really, because I adore love triangles. I’ll readily admit I’ve used them in pretty much every book I’ve written. They’re just so fun to read and to write.

On further deliberation, I decided that I disagree with this. Love triangles aren’t a trend; they’re an element of plot. This isn’t some new thing recently dreamed up by an author. Triangles have been used in novels for generations, haven’t they? Shakespeare, Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters, Charles Dickens. On and on. If we’re going to call the love triangle a trend, we’re saying that the greats used them too, right?

I’d like to think that a triangle can be unique. Maybe what we find trendy is the way they’re unfolding and the characters that are involved. Some strong, beautiful girl and two opposite, beautiful boys. Okay, it’s easy enough to shake things up! Consider making it a boy being fought over by two hideous, weak girls! (Maybe not, but you get the point.) We’re writers. We can defy the trends. Even after all this vampire hype, people are still coming up with new angles for them. Even after it’s been said that werewolves are on the outs, new werewolves are entering the scene.

Trends are silly things, especially when we can find ways around them.

Musicals

I'm probably writing this post because my superfantastic friend Tasha gave me a superfantastic holiday/birthday present: a ticket to see Fiddler on the Roof. Tonight. TONIGHT. I'm just so frickin excited!

I've been a fan of Fiddler for a while. A long while. Probably over a decade. My parents played the CD when I was young, and I've hummed/listened to the music ever since. Recently I saw the movie, and now I get to see the performance--YAY--which boils down to an I-love-fiddler-on-the-roof.

Because, not only does it have catchy songs--"Matchmaker, matchmaker, bring me a match" "If I were a rich man, yahadidididididididididum" "Tradition, tradition!"--it has a really interesting storyline. This is also true for my other favorite musical, Hairspray. Great songs--"You can't stop the beat!" "Little darlin', I've got to be the ladies' choice" "Nicest kids in town!"--and a super storyline. Even Cats, told totally in song, has an interesting, if confusing, plot behind the music.

I consider a musical to be a piece of literature. Someone wrote the script, the lyrics, and the music. So what is it that makes these musicals (and others) so neat? Is it the songs? The storyline? A bit of both?

Kieryn
www.kierynnicolas.com

Daydreaming

It's 9:00 PM and I just finished school an hour ago. That would be over 12 hours of math and chem and finals and other icky things. My brain = fried.

But, I think a fried brain can be a good thing. After I post this, I'm going to get my iPod out, curl up under a thousand blankets (we're in the middle of the coldest weather in 6+ years, currently), and daydream. I might daydream about my current book characters or maybe about that crush of mine or, who knows, about something random, like what it would be to meet some celebrity. I guarantee that no matter what it is, it will be something crazy and random that will never, ever come true. But that's okay.

"What if" are the two most important words for a writer and there's no time like the time right before you fall asleep to think up all the crazy possibilities.

Which is exactly what I'm going to do now. Who knows what kind of plot holes I'll work out or what book ideas I'll come up with.

So I leave you with one of my current inspirational songs. (Note: STRONG use of language in the lyrics. Be warned!)