Character Flaws

We all want to be strong and not have weaknesses.  We all strive to be perfect human beings don't we? 

Clue-in: perfect is boring.  Just like watching a perfect horse and a perfect rider do a perfect test.  BORE-ING.  Flaws are interesting.  It shows how very human we are.  But in real life everyone wants to be Superman without the Kryptonite flaw.  Did Superman ever try to become resistant to Kryptonite?  I can't say I've read all the comics but I'm going to guess no.  (P.S. -- If I'm wrong and you correct me, then you are totally missing the point.  Go back at the start and try again.) 

The point really being is; why do we concentrate on flaws?  In books the character makes those flaws into strengths.  But in real life have you ever done that?  For most, no.  You can improve flaws, you can know your weakness, but what about your strengths?  Concentrate on your flaws too much and the parts you have going for you slips.  I.E.  you practice on your front kick because it's weak but that movement starts to restrict your side kick which is really powerful and you know you can make a blow of 600 lbs or so with it but you practice the front kick to be "perfect".  The mentality of making your weakness your strength and becoming this super human with no quirks -- same as the perfect test -- BORE-ING. 

I want to find out what happens when I concentrate more on my strengths than my weaknesses.  Can I get my side kick to blow a 1,000 lbs?  And sometimes my obsessive organization (My strength) can be a weakness like when I drive my partner nuts from organizing his pens and he can't find them. They're in the pen holder hunny.  Yes, still too difficult to find, I know. 

So there's a new take on your weakness being your strength.  Maybe don't think of them as strengths or weaknesses but how you can use it to your advantage.  Maybe I won't get the perfect wrist lock on someone or ride that perfect test.  But I can side kick a knee into eternity.  I can ride a test on a horse that exuberantly jumps into the canter and tries to run out of the arena.  And, maybe someday I can leave my honey's pens alone.  :)

Quote Of The Day

Sunset by Donald Weller

Aspire to Inspire before you Expire.

Happy Thanks Giving

Even in the depths of despair I have always had something to be thankful for.  People have a great ability for negative and positive power.  When those powers are thought only of a benefit to oneself then you have no trouble seeing how thankful one can be for whatever happens to you.

This material world is but a level of a spiral.  Some see a spiral as going up or going down.  I like to see the curled rings as phases of a cycle that never ends.

This point of view allows me to say thank you.

Will Traditional Publishing Become The Niche Market?

Nathan Bransford's vote-post and everyone's replies got me thinking about the future of traditional publishing.  Writer after writer said either:

 

1) They want to pursue traditional publishing and are considering self-publishing if traditional publishing doesn't work.

or

2) They plan on bypassing traditional publishing.

or

3) They need help from a publisher to get to their audience and make their book the best it can be. 

 

Since anyone can brand themselves in any genre for self-publishing maybe the way publishers will go are "niche" markets.  Maybe the big five will coincide with Romance, Fantasy, Noir/Thriller, Non-Fiction and Technical.  

Traditional publishers might see self-published authors as a “test” market.  I’ve been hearing it’s all about platform and sales for the self-made authors.  I can see traditional publishing making their money because they have the power to take an author world-wide.  Yet all of this is possible without traditional publishing.  I think it depends on one thing:

 

What kind of professionals do you want around you? 

 

Do you want someone with a reputation of a traditional publisher that’s been tried and tested?  Or are you willing to do the re-search about the people you surround yourself with to produce your book?  Do want to build your team?  Or have one ready and waiting?

 

The way it looks, traditional publishers might want to wait for the self-publishers to build their readership then take them aboard.  It’s a great way to prove an author knows how to sell.  Still a team working with you OR for you is the only separation I can see from way over here.  I’m just spouting off—this whole thing is just a mystery until I claw deeper into the mind of the beast.  

Fires From Space

This link was fascinating and I had to share! It's a visual of forest fires from space.

Huge fires almost always look threatening and overwhelming from the ground, but it's often difficult to grasp the larger impact of, say, an agricultural fire in China or a series of drought-related fires in Texas. NASA's just-released visual tour of Earth's tens of millions fires shows just how large certain fires look from space.

Go to this link below:

Fires From Space

Webinar's Done Right; Seven Secrets of Successful Self Published Authors

The latest free webinar from Writer's Digest was "Seven Secrets of Successful Self Published Authors".  Our hosts were Chuck Sambrio (Yay!  Love him!) and Keith Ogorek.  

As a presenter I thought Keith had some imperative information not only for writers who want to self publish but also for those that want to go the traditional route.  

He gave us the seven secrets of successful self-published authors and they all are self explanatory to the point it hurts!  I can phrase it in a sentence.  When you want something go get it.  So let's take a look at the steps to do that! 

 

1) Describe Your Reader.
Do you have in your mind's eye the person that will read your book.  "Every man, woman and child" is a lofty goal, and Kevin respects that, but let's narrow it down a little from that.  Who is going to read your book?  Are they 30-ish professional women with no romantic life or guys with a lazy streak and want to know how to do (fill in the blank here) fast.  Figure it out!  If you don't know who to market to, how do you expect to reach them?

2) Believe In Your Work.
Who doesn't believe in their work really?  You wrote it for a reason, right?  But this equates to not giving in to the fear of "If I don't get a traditional publisher I'll fail."  Kevin says NO WAY!  Believe in your work.  Let the reader decide.  Ultimately it's the readers who will tell you if your work is worth reading.  Not a publisher, not an agent, not an editor.  They ARE important, but Kevin says it's better to have that book out there than die with a manuscript in your desk drawer.  I agree!

3) Set A Deadline.
I'm at fault on this one.  I figured I'd work on my skill--I estimated ten years really, but now I'm thinking of pushing past that mentality.  A deadline whether it be by next years Comic-Con or my birthday doesn't matter.  It does matter that I have one.  This will push me to get it out there.  While I'm trying to "perfect" my craft I realize I will be spending my life perfecting my writing.  I will set a deadline but if I don't make it, I'll at least have pushed further and gone farther.  True I'll go down the route of looking for a home for my manuscript when I feel it's time, but having a date gives the goal more meaning. 

4) Understand Your Goals and Options.
Kevin says--what do you want for your book?  I say, You've got options!  Your bona-fine.  I say what do I want in my writing career?  Be clear.  Do you want to live off of your soul-exposing art?  Or do you want to write a book a year and build a platform for traditional publishing?  Understand self-publishing and traditional.  Look into each and see what you like about both and decide.

5) Social Media
Kevin isn't the only one who says social media is a plus for your book.  He also explained how you can get people involved with the issues surrounding your book--fiction, non-fiction your book is about something!  Blog about it's issues.  I'm thinking my first question might be, "Would you let your daughter marry a demon?"  Okay that's an interesting topic.  *snicker*  He also says, don't forget about word-of-mouth!  Still the best social media you can get!

6) Make A Marketing Plan BEFORE Your Book Is Published.
Read it again.  See how the word "BEFORE" is stressed?  Let's write it again class--Make a marketing plan before your book is published.  That means I'll need help--possibly from Abbot press (Kevin's company) if self-publishing is the way.

7) Party Hardy.
Yep you read it right.  Musicians are celebrated.  Performing arts are celebrated.  Novelists need to celebrate too.  When your book gets printed, do a book-lift-off!  Party!  One author based their book around a certain restaurant and had her book party at that restaurant.  Now a meal is on that restaurant's menu you can order.  Awesome!  Think about your party and how you can make it unique. 

Kevin went through much more detail than my above abbreviations.  Chuck said over 1,000 people attended!  That's great marketing for Abbot Press...and you know what?  I didn't feel marketed to.  Fantastic job Kevin!  Thank you Writer's Digest! 
 

It's Just A Number...Or Is It? (Hug A Vet Day)

11/11/11 looks like an ominous date.  Everything I've seen from the number eleven means angels are trying to speak to you.  The sum of this date is number 6.  Here's what I've determined from numerology:

Number 6 is the number of compassion, harmony, and responsibility.  Sounds appropriate to show compassion on Veteran's Day.  Or my termonology--hug a vet day! (or even a little bit more as the case may be). I'm only free to express my gratitude to you all on the forums and not in a carnal way so...I'd like to thank my Veteran's out there!  You are awesome!

Back to dates...I'm not inclined to think anything exponentially tremendous, good or bad, will happen today but I do know that the number eleven is a number in which Angels try to communicate to you.  On this day you might get a tap on the shoulder with no one being behind you or you might miracoulously be saved from an accident.  People might get a feeling of spirituality.  

It's also a good day to perform visual, musical or performing arts.  I'm going to include writing 'cause it's visual.  Riding horses could be a form of performing art.  Yeah that's it!  So while the date might be a peculiar oddity it's really just another number...or is it?

What Is Success Made Out Of?

You've heard it before: Success comes with hard work, persistence, perseverance, patience and determination.  But what about those that success comes to them overnight?  

I've looked into it and "overnight" means ten years of perfecting a craft.  Even those who seemingly just picked up a pen and started writing novels that sold straight away to a publisher--they were English teachers for ten years.  

That super talented rock star that can pick up a new instrument and start playing it in ten minutes had a crap load of studying different musical influences and worked with them all.  

Then there's beginners luck.  Here I agree with Paulo Coelho (author of "The Alchemist") when King Solomon says "The universe wants you to succeed...".  It's true.  You're gifts are revealed to you and because it's easy you think you can do it...and so you can.  As the road gets harder you must remember that whatever is attained by work becomes precious to the laborer.  (Would mother's still love their children if there was no labor involved?)

So yes success is made out of blood, sweat and tears.  What better motivation than to earn self-respect.  What better way to weed-out those who don't truly want it. Success is made out of the core within you.

Balance Does Not Mean Equal

I came across a tid-bit of information I found interesting.  A doctor told me trace amounts of sionide in our bodies is necessary for our good health.  This made me realize that balance does not mean equal parts but rather amounts of things that come together to make the whole ideal.  

Ideal is another objective word.  Ideal is not perfect or even excellent but rather what one wants in a situation.  Ideal for one may not be ideal for another just like excellence but ideal is separate because it's a situation that does not require your all.  

I only stray from the original thought to make clear that ideal and balance both sometimes have misconceptions placed upon those poor little words.  So when I say one must have a ratio of balance between work, marketing, and training for a small business I dont mean split the time up in equal parts.  

As I discussed before markeitng, training, customer service and actual work is summed up in not parts of 25% each but rather larger and smaller chunks.  This is the balance I'm talking about.  Everyone's balance is different.  You might be able to balance a healthy diet of 55% vegetables and 45% candy.  So when you see the scales think of justice not balance because half and half won't even out if one scale has an elephant and the other a mouse. 

 

10 Minutes At A Time

I can't recall how many times I've read this term.  When I plan on sitting down and writing I don't think of time, I think of scenes.  All I ever want to do is write one scene a day. 

Sometimes that can take as long as eight hours.  Knowing that can give me mind cramps.  Eight hours?  I don't often have eight hours to write.  Heck, I don't often have eight hours to work most days.  But what pushes me to start is "10 minutes". 

It's not a case of attention span, it's a case of cramming every bit of life in a day.  I never say something will take me just 10 minutes.  I don't lie to myself like that.  I say I'll work on it for 10 minutes.  It's enough to get over the anxiety of not working on something else and get writing.  Somedays I can write for eight hours just sticking to the 10 minutes rule.  I get interupted like anyone else but roll with it.  Breaking down a story by scenes helps me create the best book possible.  Every scene is important.  I look at it from the perspective that I can come to it fresh.  I don't write like a mad woman for those 10 minutes.  I ponder my route, I think of what I want to say and I might get a sentence on paper.  But I don't compare my progress to others. 

I write how I write and sometimes I can only write that one 10 minute sentence in a day.  Hey look I wrote this post in ten minutes and I've written one novel like that.  If I can do it...

All Saints Day

Today is the day I go all spiritual on your azz.

Last night was my holy night; a night of family and of looking forward to the coming year end.  This marks the first day of the last months.  

This month’s beginning represents not of a rush for presents, but of reflection and gratefulness.  

My every-other day blogs are an offering to you of me and who I am.  Writing is my sacrament.  On this day where every exalted being finds a way to make miracles known, I recognized each one of you as a saint.  For each one of you has performed a miracle worthy of saint-hood in my lifetime.  

Q4U:  What Saint/Angel do you most identify with?