Trudging Through Hectic Times

Life has been crazy for me lately and I've neglected my blog, twitter, facebook, and updates for the website since the beginning of Summer (it's Autumn so what does that tell ya?).  I also neglected working on the editing for Sadie's War, which is the worst part of this.  Without the novel, the rest is pointless.

The break, although lacking in productivity, was good and well needed.  My life had been turned upside down with some family business and I needed to focus on my children and not my novel for a little while.  Thankfully everything has managed to sort itself out and I'm able to get back on the ball.

I think part of the problem is that, at the moment, I'm working very hard and not making any money.  When you don't have a steady paycheck, and know that it'll be many years before you do, it can be hard to keep yourself motivated enough to finish your project.

I've learned that there are 4 things I'm going to have to hold onto if I'm going to make it as an indie novelist.

1. Dedication
2. Hard Work
3. Perseverance
4. Passion

The dedication and hard work go hand in hand with this.  Without either of those, I won't be able to unlock my full potential as a writer.  It takes hard work and dedication to improve my craft and finish my projects.  Writing a novel is no small task, even for those who have been doing it for over a decade or two.  If I drop the ball and don't put in the full effort my books deserve, then I'm not going to get anywhere anytime soon.

Perseverance is important because, as a novelist, it can take years before I see any real profit from my novels.  For most authors who are just starting out, our names are completely obscure.  Hardly anyone has read our work (or only friends and family have read them ) and readers are what sell novels.  More dedication and hard work are needed after the novels are finished to help promote, market, and advertise.  Without perseverance I won't have the energy to continue putting in all of that energy with little payout.  But, with perseverance I can find the energy to continue, knowing that one day all of this hard work will pay off.

Passion, though, is the glue that holds it all together.  My passion for writing and the stories I produce is what allows me to write in the first place.  My passion for this craft is what will fuel the other three traits and keep me going over the next few decades.  I honestly can see myself writing until my brittle bones can't sit and pound away on the keyboard anymore.  Even if my novels never make a dime, I can't imagine not writing.

So, here I am, 3 1/2 months from publishing my first novel, and doing everything I can not to procrastinate.  The thing is, I've managed to finish all of the work I had intended to do on the novel even though I had taken a few months off from writing it.  Being able to view the work with fresh eyes helped considerably.  And, so long as I keep those 4 traits, I know my writing will take me on a journey I never expected.

I just need to keep on trudging through the chaos and find my way.

Set a schedule, you dolt!

The revisions for Sadie's War have fallen a little behind as of late.  The reason why isn't exactly a good one.  When it boils down to it, procrastination and a lot of distractions throughout the day are to blame.  That, in turn, makes it my fault.  I've just been lazy and unable to focus.

While I'm a bit of a procrastinator, I am also driven.  I know that doesn't make much sense.  Basically, I'm at constant war with myself.  Part of me wants to work while part of me wants to play or take a nap.  Unfortunately those two rivals have an equal amount of power so making the right choice can be difficult. 


No, I'm not complaining...just explaining what happens.  Don't worry, I figured out how to tame the beast.

I took a step back one other day and looked at what still needs to be done before Sadie's War is ready for print.  I discovered that the revisions had fallen more behind than I thought, and would only get worse if I don't kick it up a notch.  I was 3 chapters behind where I aught to be.  Thankfully, it's a small enough number to make it easy to catch up before January.

Last night I sat and thought about how it's always easier to get work done when I had a job.  I was always an efficient worker who finished my tasks on time (or early).  It's easy to see that the difference between that and working for myself is that I had an employer who told me what to do and when.  If I messed up I could get fired and that's never a good thing.  So, I worked hard.

Now, I'm my own boss.  There's no one out there who is going to kick my butt into gear or threaten to fire me if I don't do a good job.  There's just me, myself, and I.  So, I need to do what any good self-employed person would do and treat this that way I did working for another.

I've set a schedule and penciled in specific times for work.  I set an alarm on my phone that will let me know when to start, and when to stop.  I also made sure that on this schedule I had time for the things I need to do that are non-work related.  These include chores, doing things with the kids, doctor appointments, and playing.  Including the other things, and making the schedule for my whole day to fit it all in, helps me to stay on track a little easier.

I did forget to do one thing, and that is to make a list of what I need to get done for each work day.  That's the next thing I'm going to do.  Winging the rest at this point seems hopeless as I don't get as much done as I could.  To much time is spent planning in the moment instead of ahead of time.

Just keep writing. :)

Future Plans

The revisions for Sadie's War are coming along nicely.  I'm absolutely loving the changes and can't wait to be done!  The novel is still scheduled for release on February 23, 2014.  From the looks of things, we are right on schedule.

In the meantime, I've been also working on figuring out Tara's story.  That's been slow going because of the time I've spent recently on Sadie's War.  Rest assured, Tara's story will be worked on soon.  There are so many novels that I have planned to write and my mind feels as though it will explode if I don't start soon. 

My muse is a relentless Mistress who can sometimes be a fickle entity.  Yes, I sometimes think of her as someone real, standing over my shoulder and inspiring the words that flow from my fingers.  Those are times where I can sit at my computer all day and pound out several thousand words.  My breaks, then, are usually induced by my children needing something.  As I said, however, my muse is a fickle creature.  She will sometimes give me a month where I will write half of a novel and then she is gone.  I'm left sitting in front of my half finished novel and unable to write more than 100 words at a time.  For a month or two I'll agonize over my story, trying in vain to complete it.  Then, without warning I'll wake up at 5 am and the words will start to flow once more.

I mention her because lately I've felt the prose ready to dance across the page once more.  The revisions have been helping with that spark and my imagination has been on overdrive.  When I'm not working on Sadie's War, then I'm daydreaming about other stories that want to come.  Sometimes it's about Tara, sometimes it's about other stories that have nothing to do with The Supernatural Uprising Novels.

While I don't have all of the stories for the series figured out, I do know basically what I want to write.  I also know what I want for a few stand alone novels (fantasy, sci-fi, and urban fantasy genres), and a post-apocalyptic series that uses some fantasy and science fiction elements.

I thought I would show you some of what I have planned.  So, here is a list of upcoming novels...though not with the titles they'll be published under.

SU = Supernatural Uprising
PA = the Post Apocalyptic series that is yet unnamed

SU1: Sadie's War	The first of the Supernatural Uprising series of novels. This story is about Sadie, a blind traumatized teen who learns of love and then becomes the catalyst of a revolution between Supernaturals and the government.
SU2: Tara's story	Tara is a spy for the Supernatural Underground Movement. The plot behind this novel is that she, along with her boss's bodyguard, have to stop a supernatural terrorist while avoiding PSI-the government agency that now hunts supernaturals.
SU3	Still working on the plot for the rest of the series
Keenan	This stand alone book will be a supplement to the Supernatural Uprising Novels but not a part of the series itself. PSI (Paranormal and Supernatural Investigations) is a branch of the government who capture supernaturals and kills paranormals. While Supernatural people are humans with unusual powers, the paranormal community is made up of beings from other planes of existence. Keenan is an elf who came to our world to escape a war back home and has been charged with guarding a powerful and ancient artifact.
SU5
Tri-Chan	This novel's main character is another that I developed through role playing. The world I played her in will be different from the world where her story takes place. I'm working on the details however it looks as though it will be a science fiction genre book. Especially since Tri-Chan is an alien whose people are born when a star goes super-nova.
SU6
Moyra's Daughter	This is actually an old story of mine that I created back in 1997. It's a tale of Tier-Bal, an elf who doesn't know that her mother is actually the Goddess Moyra. Gifted with the ability to turn herself into a dove, an ability no other elf has, Teir finds herself on an adventure to find the truth about her parentage and save the man she loves.
SU7
Banished Goddess	This novel will bleed together both fantasy and science fiction elements. The 9 known worlds have all been destroyed by an alien intelligence known as Kor'ge. Thankfully, the people of those worlds have been spared from extinction by an ancient race of god-like beings. The survivors were placed on a planet that is saturated in magic. For generations they not only endured, but managed to live somewhat peacefully. That is, until Kor-ge learns of their survival and endeavors to finish what he started. It will be up to Allekia, a banished goddess who must find a way to defeat Kor-ge before it's too late.
SU8
PA1	In this series, the main character is Valnya. A young girl who has the power to control the weather. Such elemental mages are rare to find and regarded as high prizes amongst the war-lords that now rule what was once North America. Valnya's family are gypsy-like nomads who are known for their prowess when hunting and eradicating the mutated monsters that plague the land. In the series you'll watch Valnya grow and come to terms with her power and the many restrictions that naturally come with being born a mage.
SU9
PA2
SU10: Sal's Story	This will be the finale for the Supernatural Uprising. In this novel you will finally see things from Sal's perspective. Any questions that may arise about her in the other books will be explained fully here, or at least that's the plan. I have a lot of ideas for this book but I want to reach this point in the series before planning too much.
PA3	This series will continue for an unknown amount of novels. It may be 5, it may be more.

Please keep in mind that things will change. Basically the plan is that after the 3rd novel of this series then I will start with some stand alone books as well. The stand alones will be published in between the series.  Naturally Banished Goddess isn't the last stand-alone I'll write, but it is one that I have a plan for.  After Sal's Story then I will start writing stand alones again.

Yes, yes, yes...Jayelle is going to be very busy...forever!  lol

A writer's work is NEVER done.  :D

Conversations With Characters--Tara the Supernatural Spy

I often have intense and fascinating conversations with my characters. They will sit with me and tell me about their lives, sometimes showing me scenes from things they have experienced. These daydreams allow me to really get into my character's heads, especially when I see their memories from their point of view.

Tonight I had such a conversation with Tara. She is the main character for the next novel in the Supernatural Uprising series. Tara is definitely an interesting woman and I'm really excited to learn more about her and her story. Her history and power make her perfect for the espionage division for the Supernatural Underground Movement.

I'm debating about how much I want to put on here about what I've discovered about Tara. On the one hand I really want to share with you her story. I'm excited and know it will be a while before her book is released. Patience, when it comes to creative pursuits, has never been my strong point. I have a habit of showing off a drawing or painting before it's done. I also have a habit of telling people too much about my stories before they've had a chance to read any of them.

I finally decided that I want as much of Tara's life and story to be a surprise for when her novel is released (hopefully by Summer of 2014). However, I still wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed daydreaming about her tonight. To be able to dream up another person, with their own personality and past, is a really amazing feeling.

When I dream of these characters and see their personalities begin to emerge, I also find reasons for why they behave the way they do. Eventually, this turns into a conversation mixed with scenes from memories and the emotions and thoughts that go with all of that. Sometimes I'm not sure what I enjoy the most, writing the story or developing the characters.

The next character I have to talk to is the man who will be the second main character, the love interest for Tara. For the moment I'm calling him 'Jordan' who actually makes a short appearance in Sadie's War. I plan to have many cross-overs between the novels, and as one of Sal's boys he works perfectly.

With Sadie you have a sense of what this war will be like for the average person who isn't involved. With Tara's novel you're going to find out what it's like from those who are 'in the trenches' of this war and some of the underhandedness involved. A sort of 'behind the scenes look' if you will.

I can't wait to start writing!

Sadie's War Cover art

As an independent author I have to take on all of the costs that the big boy publishers do for their authors.  Now, I'm not a rich woman.  I'm hardly middle class.  So, with a tight budget, it sometimes seems like I won't be able to afford to self-publish.  Especially after my last post about overhead.

So, I've decided to try and do as much as I can myself.  This isn't unusual.  However, I felt convinced that I needed to hire someone to edit and for cover art.  Well, I have a friend helping with editing for the price of a tattoo drawing and another friend who I am giving reiki to for editing as well.  But, when it came to the art I had to do it myself.

I've learned some things about photoshop over the years, but I never learned enough to be considered 'good' at photo manipulation.  Most covers these days are done with the use of several stock photos blended together in photoshop to create amazing artwork.  For a while now I've been teaching myself a lot of the same techniques used by the professionals.

Now, while I don't consider myself skilled or knowlegeable enough to be considered an expert in this field, I do think I did pretty well for Sadie's War.  Feel free to tell me what you think.  :)



In case you're wondering this took about 3 hours to do, not counting the amount of time looking for the right stock photos to use.

EDIT: Here's an updated version...

Lack of confidence or fear of rejection...why do I do this?

Confidence. The one thing every successful writer must have is confidence in the work they do. Why is it then that so many writers, regardless of what it is they write, are lacking in that department?

Perhaps it's because we put our hearts on our sleeve. For months to years we toil tirelessly with our writing, doing all we can to ensure that the reader gets what they were looking for. Those of us who write fiction need to also ensure that the reader is entertained by the story and identifies with the characters. That's not as easy to do as it sounds, and it doesn't sound easy at all!

Before I had ever considered writing a novel, I would be amazed to see what my favorite authors had achieved. The words on the page appeared to flow effortlessly and the plots fit in their proper places. The end result was a story and world that I could immerse myself in and characters I wanted to know more about. Those books were an escape from the world around me and a way to let my imagination take hold.

Now that I write, I've come to realize that what I once perceived as being effortless actually takes a lot of time, mental anguish, and perseverance to create. The authors of my favorite novels didn't sit down to the computer one day, type up the story, and then send it off. They slaved at that computer, or over pen and paper, till they had the best story they could design. Even then, they weren't finished.

Writers are artists and our medium is the written word. We create, either from our own minds or with influences from the world around us, and we design. We weave a tapestry that tells a tale and hope that you, the reader, will be caught up in the imagery we provide.

With all of the work and dedication that goes into writing, I suppose it's easier to understand why many aren't as confident as they would like. I can have a thousand people praise my writing and tell me how amazing of an author I am, yet it would only take one person, with a harsh complaint and who hated what I wrote, to destroy how uplifted I felt from what those thousands had said.

We truly do put our hearts and souls out into the world with the hope that others will connect with our words. Logically speaking, it's understandable and even expected that there are those out there who won't be pleased with our writing. Still, that fear of rejection follows us and messes with our minds.

I have had a lot of people praise my work. While no one had said that I'm terrible, I still wonder how I will react when someone finally does say that. It's inevitable. I don't have a large readership yet since my novel has yet to be published. All I am going on is what others have said, both in real life and online. So, I know that one day I'll get an e-mail or comment that will shatter what little confidence I've built.

I hope that when that day arrives, I will be able to handle it with grace, poise, and not let it get to me. I can't please everyone. And while my confidence is something I would like to build up, I know that the foundation of it will one day shake. What I feel I need to keep that foundation strong is to remember is why I write.

I write because I have something to say. I write because I have stories in my head that need to come out. I write because I want to entertain others and hope that they will enjoy reading my novels as much as I enjoyed writing them. I don't do it for posterity or fortune. I do it because I love to write and create.

That is my focus. That is how I overcome obstacles such as a lack of confidence or fear of rejection. I remember the reasons why I write. I remember the reasons why I'm independent. Most of all, I remember that for every person that hates my stories there are plenty who will like or even love them. Because truly, when it's all said and done, those readers are the reason behind what drives me to put out the best novels that I can.

The Overhead of an Indie Author

Lately I've been trying to figure out the cost of everything I'll need for the first three novels that I publish, including this one. I'm also figuring what I would need for the business portion as well. At first I had thought that I would have very little overhead. However, the more I learn about publishing the more I realize that I have to pay for a lot more than I initially realized. Self-publishing is more than simply putting your book on createspace and then sitting back to watch the $$$ roll in.

First, since I will be selling my novels from my website, I had to get a business license and file for a DBA and Seller's Permit. Thankfully, since I'm using my last name and industry as my DBA I didn't have to pay and the seller's permit is also free. But the business license was $52.

Next comes the editor. For this novel I have a friend who is a retired editor working with me. I am realistic, however, and I know she may not be able to work on future novels. The average price for good professional editor is around $750 for a novel my size.

The cover art is also expensive. The artist I am working with is charging me $400 for both the e-book and print covers. That is $200 more than I wanted to spend but based on the quality of her work I'm willing to hand over the extra cash.

Now, to be able to sell on my website I should have some of the books on hand. Because of this I decided to have 10 books in my inventory at all times. To get the initial 10 books I will pay approximately $55 (not including tax). Thankfully I don't need books on hand for the distributor, they will get it directly from the printer.

Speaking of distributors, the one I am going to use through createspace is $25.

The website will also cost a bit. I am designing it myself which will help. In the future I plan to hire someone to make it look more professional. Even still, the domain registration and host fee will be around $80/year.

Now, I'm not including the prices for marketing and promotions since I'm still figuring out a plan for that.

So, in total, for my first three novels and business fees, I am looking at spending approximately $3200. That includes the business tax/license and website fees for next year as well. Separately, and without the cost of doing business, each novel will cost me about $1230 if I hire a good editor.  That's without any marketing, advertising, or promotions.

Man! And to think I have a goal of 1-3 novels a year. I know I can afford to have everything done if I save each month in anticipation of the next novel. It's not easy and I'm going to have to give up one or two things but I feel it will be worth it.

Now I know why many say it's easier to traditionally publish (even with the piles of rejection letters that EVERY author endures when they go that route). Still, I like the road less traveled. I feel a sense of accomplishment when things go right.

Sadie's War is underway for publication

I finally have a projected release date for Sadie's War, the first part of a series entitled The Supernatural Uprising. This is the novel I've been talking about. September 1, 2013 the novel will be available through me. It may take a day or two for it to also be available through Kindle, Amazon, and Smashwords. After a while it will hopefully be available through some online and RL retailers as well. I'll keep you updated on those little factors as they are made ready.

It has been quite the process, getting this novel ready. There is much that I have learned about writing, publishing, and even myself along the way. The valuable information that I have gleaned so far has been insurmountably helpful.

Currently Sadie's War is with an editor. In August I will pay for the novel cover. I have already decided to start a business for myself so I may sell and distribute my novels through my site as well. The name of my little business is Cochran Novels. I know, not very original. But, money is tight and using my last name in this manner allows me to not be charged for a DBA. :) Ah yes, just one of the little business details that I've had to ensure I worked out.

While Sadie's War is being polished all nice and shiny for you, I have started the second book of the series. This story seems to be quite different from Sadie's and I'm curious to see how it will turn out. Just like with the first novel, this story seems to be coming from nowhere.

As I said, I'll keep you updated on the goings on. :)

Priorities!!! Where are my priorities!!! (I ordered them an hour ago...)

One of the most distressing things for me as a writer is the unmistakable fact that my house is crazy. Two children, three dogs, a husband, and two roommates make for a lot of noise and tons of distractions. The worst is when I'm at the computer typing away and on a complete roll. Then, out of the blue someone comes and asks me a question. It completely derails my train of thought and leaves me a total mess. It's hard sometimes to get back on the train once it's gone off the tracks.

With all of this in mind, can someone please tell me why I was playing on facebook all morning? I woke up at 6:30 without meaning to. Everyone in the house was fast asleep. The morning was blissfully quiet and still. Unable to fall back asleep, I got up and decided that this was the perfect time to knock out a chapter or two before the chaos of my day began. After all, it's a Saturday so I won't get much quiet time later. Use it or lose it!

I sat down to the computer, popped in my USB drive, and started Word. I did a little stretch and was ready to begin.

“Chapter 33,” I wrote. Then I sat there and stared at the screen.

I couldn't think of what to write. I read over the last few paragraphs of chapter 32 which usually helps. But, my mind was blank. So, I decided to play around on facebook for a while. Anyone who knows me knows that I can easily get hooked on sharing memes and commenting on issues. Yes, I'm one of those people.

It wasn't long until it was 8:00 and my son woke up. I wanted to bang my head on the desk. 1 ½ hours of silence wasted on a social networking site. I can write a hell of a lot in 1 ½ hours of uninterrupted time.

Now I can easily blame it on writers block or something similar. That's not entirely the issue. The issue was that I wanted to putz around. I have ways around writers block that don't include sharing memes of cute cats or posting about civil rights issues.

Now it's 8:30 and everyone is awake, except for one roommate who isn't home. The husband and the other roommate are going to an anime convention today. So, I can't even crawl into my cave (IE. The garage) to write.

Ah...my dear priorities...how I missed thee. Now, get your arse in line!

Frustration Abounds

I am so incredibly frustrated at the moment. 

I had been on a roll.  The words were flying from my fingertips and onto the computer screen with amazing speed.  The story ebbed and flowed.  The characters were lively and engaging.  Then, 2 months and 74,000 words later it all came to a screeching halt.

I had reached a point in the story where it was at a major climax.  I couldn't figure out how to continue.  One of the issues with not having an outline when you start is that when you get stuck you don't have a roadmap of where to go next.  I was lost and that in turn caused a huge amount of anxiety.  Basically, I despise writers block.

It's been a few months since I've written.  About 2 days ago I began once again to write.  My goal is to finish this novel within the next two months.  I'm not concerned with how I will edit it.  I am only concerned with finding out how my story will end.  Yes, I'm not entirely sure about how that will come about either.

I've managed to get over what was causing my writer's block and I like how the story is moving.  My issue, however, is that I don't want to sit at this particular computer to write.  Unfortunately I don't have another that I can use at the moment.  I have considered talking the hubby into buying a new one.  A laptop or netbook for me to sit and write wherever I want to.  The only issue with that is what to buy.  I have no idea.

I love technology but please don't ask me to look at a site with hundreds of different types of machines and then tell me to pick one.  I understand what all the specs mean and the technical jargon.  However, I'm not very good at making a decision in a non-emergency setting.  Pretending like someone's life depended on it isn't going to help either.

So, I'm venting on here and then I'm going to return to my writing.  Perhaps I can talk to the hubby when he gets home and see what he has to say.  Maybe he will have a better idea as to what will suit my needs and our finances at the same time.

For now...I'm going to just keep writing.