Writer's Are Not Authors

Lady Alene - my first published story

It took seeing my first short story on the Amazon site for me to be able to know the difference between a writer and an author. At first I thought calling oneself an author was a bit, well, pompous? Self-righteous? 

But, during my journey I found authors and writers are two different things. Now, I know one person can be both, or either.
 
1) Writers produce words. They are not authors, yet, With out a completed and produced work on paper or digital.
 
2) Authors have gone through the process of publication, no matter how minimal.

Writers push pen across paper or tap keys and read from a screen. Writers create, study, research, analyze the next scene, phrase or the perfect word. 

Authors are a conglomerate of marketer, destiny maker, creator and in their spare time--writer. Or cower in a corner while biting their nails from the pressure of now being published.
 

I attest the difference of writers being mom's-to-be, while authors have already given birth. It's the "now what?" situation. 

The now what is for you to get out there and make friends! Ten should do. And I mean ten really avid friends. Because ten will turn to twenty, to a hundred, to a few thousand. When you were "just" a writer you had time. It might not have felt like it, but now you know the truth! Author's have even less time! But Author's have one thing that writer's don't. They have a finished product. they have a child to show you. 

Author's are a proud bunch and should be, especially if they self-published. Author's have something to show for their hard work! I know all you writers want to be authors so don't let anything stop you! Now, all you writers I'm ready for arguments! And all you author's, show my your baby!  

Expert Marketer!

In marketing I found it's not so much about who is the "most" expert, but who makes the most sense. 

Who breaks it down in your language and presents it in a way you can understand? 

The reason why I got so confused is because I couldn't determine what was a strategy and what was a tip. 

Strategies encompass wide concepts and will feel vague. I was so confused, that I tried implementing tips without a strategy. 

What does a strategy look like? 

Those are the articles that say--research what people want, then write the book. 

*TANGENT ALERT*

While all good to do research for what the masses want, that's not my style. I don't research what my next book is about in terms of what every one wants but what everyone is NOT talking about. 

My brand is Social Taboos. I write about things people are too embarrassed to talk about. So this "Strategy" doesn't apply to me or many of my fiction author friends. Refusing to believe that my book was down the drain because I hadn't marketed before I put pen to paper, I designed my own strategy. Because I believe in one step at a time. So, I wrote the book. Then got a strategy. That's pretty much the plan. 

Write, then find my readers. Oh so many marketers are going to say I did it backwards. I really don't give a flying spaghetti monster about where the horse goes on the cart because whether the horse pulls or pushes, he's still moving the cart. 

*TANGENT END* 

Have I lost you yet? No matter. What I'm saying is, the huge strategy is:  

- write book. 
- Find readers for book. (Instead of the other way around). 

The "How" is where the tips come in. Those tips include KDP, book blog tours, tweets, free days and being proud of the book I wrote.  

Separate in two columns, strategy and tips. 

Vague ideas=strategy. 
Action items that cost money or time=tips. 

Separate these two things, and you'll have a clear mind on how to promote a book! 

What Are Agents Looking For?

Recently, Writers Digest inquired for submissions to writer's looking for agents. Ever the interested in Writer's Digest I looked upon the email and had to roll my eyes at some of the descriptions as to what they are looking for. 

Their specifics were a bit intimidating. Now, don't think I'm oblivious to brand. I get it. I really do. I also know it's really difficult to explain one's taste--i.e. I liked reading RR Martin, but not Tolkein. But trying to describe one as fantasy and the other as, well, something fantasyish with a darker story is like trying to describe how pinapple and coconut taste the same. 

What she's really saying is, please don't bore me with long-ass prose that goes nowhere--very politely. The funny thing is IMO -- both RR Marting and Tolkein wander a bit in their own right.  

Perhaps what I'm saying is I think agents trying to tell you what they want in a story can only go so far. It really is preference that you can't pin-point or nail down, only get a general feel for.  

Writing Rant...

I hardly ever do this, but I must get it out...

I say "potatoe" you say "patatoe", let's call the whole thing off!...  :) 

What one likes another hates. I know a woman who loves dry scholar books, another likes to read complete and utter nonsense. I also know a dyslexic writer who won't stop writing even though people tell her to stop (and I encourage her to get an editor to help her but to keep writing because that's what she wants to do). But I agree with the type of writing that can't be fixed is the non-writing.

Complain about bad writing all you want--everybody's got a belly button, and many people want to show it off. If you force yourself to look and don't like what you see, perhaps you need a vacation. We all started somewhere and though a "bad" MS got published and you might think it only good for the burn pile, those writers got a taste of publishing and they either quit or learned how to get better. Because if you want to keep writing, you need an audience. If you have an audience, you're doing something right.

YELLING AT YOUR BOSS IS GOOD FOR THE SOUL...AND THE COMPANY

No--this is not a license to arbitrarily or deliberately yell at your boss. This is not the go-ahead to tell your boss they are a crappy leader. 

Bosses are people too. No matter how irritated or intimidated you feel towards them.

But there is a time and a place to voice your opinion. If you are afraid to speak up, this is a reflection on you, not how "bad" your boss is. Living with integrity means not demeaning yourself or your thoughts. Being afraid to speak up is saying you have nothing of worth to say and that's bullshit.

I've found two main categories of bosses. 

a) Bosses who don't want to be questioned.

b) Bosses who want to lead a team.

Both types have an ego. Sorry, but bosses are bosses because they feel they can do a job better than anybody else. Take ego in mind when you speak to them. But always remember they are your umbrella getting shit on while your in a safe dry cuby-hole. They shoulder more weight than you, the worker, care to take on. Never forget that. But never deny your ideas and thoughts are valuable. 

You know the Boss "A" type ~ don't tell them what to do because they don't want to hear it. Projects will be done their way or the highway. Sometimes it's difficult to tell Boss "A" from Boss "B". When your boss is proven wrong, the light of which one they are will be apparent.  Boss "A" ignores you, throws a fit, etc.  Boss "B" will be shocked and then say, "hey, whatever works!"

When you want to yell at boss "A" don't threaten or question. Present your "yelling" in words of "Hey, take a look at this data, I found it interesting..." the report proves its point and everyone saves face. These bosses may (not always) take your ideas and make them their own. If it's good for the company that keeps you employed, you win. However, if you are in need of recognition...may I suggest you become a boss. 

When you do yell at boss "B" they tend to get a twinkle in their eye that says, "I love a fighter." These bosses are usually overbearing, demanding and disguise themselves as a Boss "A". But there are fundamental differences. Boss "B" will give you credit and then pile more responsibility on your shoulders. Boss "B" will listen to your rant and then tell you to do it their way anyway, but they will give you tools to help. Boss "B" is looking to streamline your process. 

Now, you might say to me, but my boss is nothing like that, she's so nice. That's more of a doormat than a boss. A true boss, even one that deserves your respect, will still invoke a bit of fear or awe in you.

What ever type of boss you have doesn't matter. Bottling up suggestions, feeling abused or feeling you can't say anything because you'll lose your job doesn't help the company. Good workers don't stay in an environment of abuse or neglect. Feel your worth and voice it ~ but choose your words carefully ~ bosses do cry, feel they've let you down and can generally feel crappy about having to be hard on their people.

The goal is to be a team. Not scream at each other.

Do Manners Mean Having To Change Who You Are?

Example: I'm boisterous, I'm myself, but when someone takes my pen, I track it with hawk's eyes. When someone swipes I pen I bought, or was gifted to me, sometimes I don't concentrate on their conversation and only concentrate on when I'm going to get my pen back. Mostly because people don't give me my pen back. 

I believe we can agree that giving my pen back is only courteous, but so many people forget. Things other people do is touch the knobs on my dash while in my car. But what about when I'm being my boisterous self? When I'm too loud in public sometimes I need to be shushed. When friends shush me, sometimes I do pipe down, sometimes I don't. It's because of my passion. So what do you think? should I shut my mouth? What things might people want to curb for etiquette? Tell me! I'd be interested to know!

Learn To Love Being A Superhero

Ladies stop being a victim. Realize your power. Maybe you didn't want your super power and influence, but unless you get a sex change, you need to take responsibility for it. 

You are one beautiful, sexy, persuasive woman. This super power you have IS BEING A WOMAN. Because you are a woman, you have tremendous power over men. More so than you'd like. More so than ever desired. But you do. It's there and it's there to stay. 

Nothing you can do will obfuscate your super power. Not baggy clothes. Not freaky make-up. Not a breast reduction. Not walking hunched over. Not eating bucket fulls of chocolate. Not looking away from every guy in the universe. N-O-T-H-I-N-G. Not anything but maybe a sex change. If you want to be controlled, become a man.

Unless you're willing to go to extremes, you have a responsibility. You can abuse that power and responsibility, or you can walk tall and be the power within.

Imagine for a moment that you couldn't cry. No cathartic tears could ever grace your cheeks. Imagine everyone saying you are disposable. You are the wall between death and your family. Imagine you were never taught, nor allowed to process or deal with the emotions inside you. Pretend now that you were discourage with pain, humiliation and brutal emotional fierceness never to show your feelings. 

If you can image all that, if you can pretend you could live in a world as such, then you understand men completely. 

Because even though men were taught to deal with their testosterone poisoning with physical contact, restrained by hazing, and beaten down to hide every emotion they go wild for women. They go out of their minds crazy. Men near women = crazytown. 

All their restraint -- gone.

Women have the power to unwind all training and careful practice with just their fingertips. 

That is a super power. 

It's not their fault, ladies. It's just that your capabilities can render men to do very stupid things. They will shout at you to get your attention. Their brains will short circuit and they will say the most inane things in the history of man. They will turn perverted because you have a direct line to their mid-waist.

Ladies, this is a serious responsibility. You can not go in the den of men willy-nilly. Because they are desperate to please you, you must smile and let some of those nerdy things they do pass without judgement. Such powers as yours must be kept in control because men are fragile. They will fall all over you at the crook of a finger. And, no, they simply can not leave you alone. Because as I said--you short circuit their brain, training and restraint. 

Please take care with your power. The worst thing you can do is ignore a man trying to get your attention. This will only make them more desperate. Acknowledge them. It is a failing of theirs but it is the price you pay for your super powers. You have the control. You own it without fail. Nothing you can do will turn off this power. You have it even after you die. Men will mourn. Shout at the sky and generally go crazy if any harm came to you. 

Accept who and what you are. To be female is to have control over the greatest super power ever (even beyond Superman). Don't let anyone tell you different.  

Deep Thought

This may seem odd, but Doctors that want to help 3rd world countries aren't going there to "be green" or "live off the land". 

They are going there to raise the health of the people that don't have higher technology. I think about this when someone claims advancement has ruined everyone's lives. 

Really? 

So teaching people good with a scalpel how to remove cataracts ruins lives? All immunizations ruins peoples lives? Burning clean fuel for fire ruins peoples live? 

Technology, like many things, has two sides. A simple life is not an easy one. Nor is epic laziness, the epitome of where all technology comes from. 

But does all technology improve lives? 

-snort- 

No. 

But I seem to recall people saying things like "if he'd had this kind of cancer ten years ago, he'd be dead right now." 

Maybe life is advancement. Advancement is growth. But like a bad cell gone wild, not all growth is good. Nature demands we grow or die. I still think of that T-shirt "Save the planet, kill yourself".

Perhaps that is what people who blame technology want. They are welcome to the death that comes with stagnation. I will be happy to live in my air conditioning, selecting foods I deem safe for my body and burn clean fuel for heat, driving my electric car and communicating to all my friends in different states via Google hang-out.  

You don't know what you're missing!

Why Space Travel Is Necessary

Space travel is necessary because one day, a black hole is going to swallow our world...

Black holes exist! They spin too--Myth-Busters proved it! 

I've been watching the forums for Curiosity and my conclusion is people of the space verity are freaky scary.  Not chase you with a knife scary, but we didn't really go to the moon terrifying.  Mr. Armstrong punching out one of the reporters claiming he didn't really go to the moon is my sentiments exactly.

And then there are friends I have that really scare me with their intelligence. People that figure out the velocity and speed a black hole is turning. To all you people you are amazing. And scary. 

You tell me things like our galaxy is swallowing another galaxy and we're all being tossed around in a galaxy vs. galaxy universe-cage fight. You tell me don't worry, the sun won't burn out for millions of years. By then we'll be off the planet or extinct.

Got me wondering about our last days alive or the launch escape from earth... 

Would I go or stay? Chaaa...like I wouldn't take the chance to go! What about you?

Shit Jobs

I am queen of receiving the "Inconvenient", "I don't wanna", and "somebody else needs to do this carp (or crap) of a job". 

I take them all! It doesn't matter how crappy, I put my muck shoes on and go in with a smile and a shovel. When you pass by,you'll think...man, she's got it easy. When in reality all that's different is I enjoy the things I do. Even if they aren't wonderful, fantastic tasks. They are often tasks that must be done. Taking out the trash is a dirty job, but that doesn't mean I can't have fun with it.

So take heart if you find you're doing something you don't want to do. I'm sure you can find that pony in there somewhere!