December 3, 2014
by InstaScribe
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By InstaScribe
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December 2, 2014
by punjacked
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December 1, 2014
by Jandré
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If you Google the word “Distraction”, the first result links to Wikipedia. This is not really surprising. The second result links to a page that promises to help you minimize distractions.
On the one hand this is nothing but great SEO, Search Engine Optimization, but on the other hand it correctly points us to the fact that many things distract us.
As authors we know what this means. We sit down to write a few hundred words. But excuses and valid reasons keep jumping at us. The best distraction excuse story I have heard is about a student who felt utterly convinced that he had to paint the washing line that very moment, before he could study for his finals.
Perhaps we should have a competition to find the Best Author Distraction story? What do you say?
The bottom line is that we are easily distracted. What are the different tools and strategies we can use to stay more focused on our work? The one obvious option would be to improve our time management skills.
Another option, and this is what we will be looking at, would be distraction-free writing tools (it’s ironic that the two dedicated tools mentioned here don’t exist (one is the ghost of Christmas Past and one is the ghost of Christmas Future) – which goes to show how much distraction rules our reality:
Discontinued in September 2013, this tool is a very cute portable, battery powered, word-processing keyboard. It didn’t stand a chance as a typewriter sort of word processor is nothing but a relic but for a short while it was a hit among NaNoWriMers. It’s small and doesn’t allow too much editing as you don’t see the whole manuscript that you type in and so instead of worrying about what you type, you just type it out. Since you don’t check your twitter and facebook feed, it helps you finish what you started. It has a good battery life too.
It’s a writing tool that should come back on the shelves.
The Hemingwrite is not yet in production, and the whole project is, technically, still a pipe-dream looking for financing.
This will perhaps be one of the most hardcore tools you will find out there for writers– the Bear Grylls-tool of writing if you want.
This is an E-Ink screen, think Kindle or Kobo attached to a mechanical typewriter keyboard, think mechanical keyboard with a battery, memory, WiFi and Bluetooth- allowing backup on the Cloud.
I can actually picture Bear Grylls writing about his later adventure on his Hemingwrite while hanging from a cliff, surrounded by his support team, the camera team, the helicopter that carries the camera team, the emergency health care team, etc. It just feels so real!
Alright, I will admit that it does look cute and the mechanical keyboard does create a certain amount of nostalgia. I remember how I struggled for a whole year to learn to type on a fancy Olivetti with a golf-ball typing head.
Whether you will like this “thing” or not, you can see that typing on a modified Kindle will definitely cut down on your distractions, especially as it does not do Facebook, emails or games.
The Hemingwrite takes away possible distractions by being technologically incapable of allowing them. No email or IM notifications, no Facebook, nothing.
One option would be to disable your Internet connection while writing. While it is true that we sometimes need to research a fact, it is not very often that we need to do it exactly that second.
Disconnecting the WiFi connection will mean no notifications from Twitter or Google+. Stumbleupon will not be able to send you an email telling you that they found something tailor-made for your taste.
There are various apps available that allow you to do the same, or something similar, without actually disconnecting from the ether.
Anti-Social is one of these apps. Another would be SelfControl.
Both these apps allow you to define which sites to block. You can also block your email server, Twitter and other IM services from updating.
You set a time, a few minutes to a few hours, during which access to all “naughty” sites that distract you are blocked.
This strategy focuses more on the carrot (more psychological) than the stick.
Again, you will be flooded with choice. Orzeszek Timer, Focus Booster and CookTimer are but a few of the free apps out there.
Commit yourself to a specific time– 5 minutes or 30 minutes. Yan easily convince yourself that a few more minutes won’t kill you but will greatly enhance the chances of your novel being written.
When it comes to software there is no niche with only one option. Just like in writing, there is no genre with just one (completed) book in it.
With this in mind a whole bunch of developers have come up with software aimed specifically at authors. OmmWriter, iAWriter, Byword, and Ulysses III come to mind.
I prefer Scrivener primarily because of its distraction-free composition mode. While in this mode, you have basically a single page in front of you on the screen and nothing else. And as easy as that you get rid of a whole load of distractions. The only problem is that Scrivener is not free and will set you back about $40.
In my opinion these tools and techniques can all play an important role in upping or sticking to your daily word count.
George R.R. Martin signing books in a bookstore. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
But it is also possible that these are used as nothing more than quick fixes. It is possible that you are not disciplined enough or that you do not manage your time as well as you could.
These tools may help you to not be indisciplined (not to be disciplined though). These might prevent you from wasting time but not necessarily using time wisely.
George R.R. Martin, author of A Song of Ice and Fire, is a case in point, I would argue from my privileged position of ignorance. In an interview with Conan O’Brien he says that he uses a Dos machine and WordStar 4.0 because he wants to write and does not want to be distracted. The publication of Winds of Winter, the sixth book in the series, has been postponed and delayed repeatedly. Okay – I am not insinuating anything!
Combine these anti-distraction tools with a self-actualization process for the best results and, of course, with your best writing.
November 28, 2014
by InstaScribe
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November 27, 2014
by InstaScribe
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Some time ago, we wrote about e-book libraries. We compared Kindle Unlimited, Oyster and Scribd. After carefully evaluating various factors, we came to the conclusion that…
Read the article for yourself! IT is free after all!
What we want to do this time is think through the business model of these offerings and try and figure out if it can work or not. The reason we were interested in this analysis is because of the way Scribd and Oyster pay their authors, which is different from how Amazon does it.
The subscription fees for these services are quite low. Kindle Unlimited charges $9.99, Oyster will set you up for $9.95 a month and Scribd is the cheapest at $8.99.
KU offers you around 600 000 titles, Oyster 500 000 and Scribd 400 000. All of these come with the ever expanding tag. The vast majority of these titles are from independent publishers. Most of the major publishing houses are not part of these services.
Amazon pays the authors and publishers for the title in Kindle Unlimited program from a pre-allocated fund. This could presumably be based on the number of subscribers they have in the program, and hence should be in tune with the revenue they generate from it.
To understand the scheme, let’s assume that the monthly global fund amount allocated by Amazon is $1,000,000. All titles on Kindle Unlimited were read 500,000 times. Mr. X’s book was read 5000 times. Mr. X will earn 1% (5000/500,000 = 1%) of the total allocated amount, i.e, $10,000 for that month.
The more books borrowed per month means that payout per book will be lower. The opposite holds true– the fewer number of books read per months implies higher payouts. This means that authors cannot know beforehand how much they will get per sale. But Kindle Unlimited has capped its outflow to the authors beforehand.
The story for Oyster and Scribd is different. For an Independent author to publish on Oyster or Scribd they have to do it via Smashwords. The Smashword agreement with these two goes something like this:
The first 10% of every book can be read for free like a sample. If a reader reads an additional 20% more, author/publisher gets royalty for full sale of the book which is 60% of the price. Scribd also pays if the reader reads first 15% to 30% of the book and this is called a ‘browse credit’. For every 10 browses, author/publisher gets a full sale credit.
This means that the payment these services make to the authors depends on the price of the book (and number of times it was read, of course). This does not guarantee a cap on the outflow. If the readers read too much, these services could be in red.
If average price of the e-books is $3.99, then given how Scribd and Oyster pay out, it means that three books will wipe out the monthly subscription fee, leaving nothing for Oyster or Scribd. But, does it really work this way? Not really, say the numbers.
Statistics point out that the typical American reads only 5 books per year. “Heavy readers” who make 28% of the American population read 11 or more books a year. PublishingTechnology.com argues that for Scribd and Oyster clients to break even on their approximate yearly investment of $120 they will have to read between 15 and 17 books. We can assume from this that the average price of a book on Scribd and Oyster is roughly around $7.
Here’s a magical table that explains how Scribd makes money.
Note: Sribd charges a customer $107.88 per year (8.99 x 12)
| Average price of e-books(in $) | No. of books Average Readers read | No. of books Heavy Readers read | No. of books Optimum Readers read | Scribd’s Royalty Outflow per read(60%) | Scribd’s earning from Average Readers annually(in $) | Scribd’s earning from Heavy Readers annually(in $) | Scribd’s earning from Optimum Readers annually(in $) |
| 5 | 5 | 11 | 22 | 3 | 92.88 | 74.88 | 41.88 |
| 7 | 5 | 11 | 16 | 4.2 | 86.88 | 61.68 | 40.68 |
| 9 | 5 | 11 | 12 | 5.4 | 80.88 | 48.48 | 43.08 |
This table explores different scenarios and the amount of money Scribd makes in each. We have varied the average price of the books from $5 to $9. Depending on the number of books read and the average price, the money made by Scribd varies. But in all cases, Scribd does make money.
The average and heavy readers, however, do not utilize the money they have spent on the subscription service. If they had just bought the books they read, they would save money over their subscription fee. It is safe to assume that they will figure this out and over time gravitate away from the service. So we created mythical creatures called Optimum readers, who read just enough number of books to completely utilize the amount of money they have paid to Scribd. In other words, Optimum readers break even for themselves.
It turns out that Scribd makes a LOT of money not only with average and heavy readers, but also with optimum readers.
| Average price of e-books(in $) | No. of books Transformed Readers read(7xAvg Reader) | Scribd’s Royalty Outflow per read(60%) | Scribd’s earning from Transformed Readers annually(in $) |
| 5 | 36 | 3 | -0.12 |
| 7 | 36 | 4.2 | -43.32 |
| 9 | 36 | 5.4 | -86.52 |
In this table, we have considered the worst case scenario for Scribd. We create another mythical creature – the Transformed Reader. This guy reads about 7 times the average reader (and 3.5 times the heavy reader) With the Transformed Reader, the whole business model of Scribd could be in trouble. Another scenario we can consider is if the average price of the books rises dramatically. This too could mean trouble for Scribd.
But we need to remember that these scenarios are purely hypothetical and highly unlikely. The number of books read by an average user is not going to rise so dramatically unless our governments decide to pay us to sit at home and read books. The average price of the books is not going to rise overnight either, especially if the majority of listed books are Indie. Even if the average price rises, Scribd can always increase the monthly subscription a little. For now, Scribd has gotten its math right.
It’s almost comparable to the gym memberships that increase during the month of January. While some will utilize it thoroughly, a big chunk eventually stops going to the gym but continue to hold the membership thinking what if I need it some day?
We had started with the question of whether the basic math works out for subscription services other than Kindle Unlimited, given that they do not cap their outflow. It turns out that unless the scene changes dramatically, it does work out for now. However, if these services become popular, they need to keep an eye out on the changes authors and publishers will make in how they publish e-books. Indie authors might choose to write shorter work as it is more likely to be read and bring credit. They might also increase the prices of the e-books, especially if subscription services start eating into their revenue from other channels. But then, if they do grow into an effective channel, they might learn an arm-twisting lesson or two from existing powerful players J and force authors into keeping the prices low.
Only time will tell!
Written by: Jandre, Jaya and Srishti
November 26, 2014
by InstaScribe
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By InstaScribe
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November 25, 2014
by punjacked
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November 24, 2014
by Jandré
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Almost everything in the market is mass produced in today. Even if it is a limited edition, often thousands are made and sold.
It is funny but iPhones (Apple products in general) try to create an illusion of exclusivity, in spite of being sold by the millions. This goes for all brands including Nike, Diesel, Toyota, etc. A market is made for an “exclusive” product, and then a flood of products pours out.
What are the things that are truly exclusive- that are still being created in real limited numbers?
Artwork. You can buy prints of a Rembrandt or Picasso but this is not close to owning the real thing. Even if the work is forged to such a high standard that it is close to impossible to distinguish between the original and the copy, a forgery is just that – a forgery.
How does this idea of exclusivity this work in the world of publishing? Some authors write very little while others seem to be doing nothing else.
The traditional approach is to spend more time on each book, perfecting the characters, the atmosphere, the language etc. And you can quite easily understand the logic. If the reader feels that the book is not well written or contains a lot of factual errors, it won’t bode well for the sales potential of the book.
Publishing is big business, and big business is about money, not literary art. But even from a business point of view it makes sense to bring better, well rounded products to the market than a cheaper Made in China counterpart. It might be more expensive to get there, but it would presumably also command better prices and profits.
James Herriot, British veterinarian and author of All Creatures Great and Small, spent years improving his writing. (Have a look that this post. It is full of good advice for all authors.)
Many writers have become famous with very limited output. Have a look at this list.
Apparently it took the man six years to research and write this book. Legal hassles with his geisha source followed. Golden hasn’t written another book since.
To Kill a Mocking Bird – Harper Lee
Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel, her only novel to date, tackles difficult issues like racism. Although she has written just one book, her novel is a staple in classroom syllabus and a path breaking work.
J.D. Salinger – The Catcher in the Rye
This famous book about the angst and alienation experienced by adolescents, the only novel by Salinger arguably created a new genre, or at least provided a new approach.
Ironically Salinger could not deal with the fame of the book. Fame also prevented Margaret Mitchell, who penned Gone with the Wind, from writing again.
Death, by way of tuberculosis, cut short the writing career of one of the most revered female authors, perhaps ever. But she is revered still!
In 2014, seventeen years after this novel was published followed by a series of non-fiction essays and books, Roy is remembered mostly for her debut novel.
According to The Guardian’s 2013 list of the 100 Greatest Novels ever, the top ten are:
(Note: I agree that a list like this is very subjective and that we would find a different Top 10 on virtually every other Best 100 list out there.)
Donna Tartt, author of TheGoldfinch, has been writing for more than thirty years and she has published only three novels. The Secret History in 1992, The Little Friend in 2002, and most recently The Goldfinch in 2013.
Not one of these authors could be called prolific with scores of titles in the market. It is possible to be a successful and financially independent author without having to publish every few minutes.
The common wisdom for indie authors is to write multiple books, write series and basically win the audience by writing a lot. But the idea of writing a lot pre-dates the Internet and the current Indie-author movement.
Heinz G. Konzalik (May 28, 1921 – October 2, 1999) published 155 novels, which sold 83 million copies. A contemporary of his Louis L’Amour (22 March 1908 – 10 June 1988) published 89 novels and sold more than 200 million copies.
They are both examples of how volume instead of quality per se makes you famous and financially independent. (Just for the record: I am not saying that if someone wrote a lot of books, those were automatically of bad quality.)
There are hosts of popular traditionally published authors who wrote many books, who went for volume. Terry Prattchet has two- books-a-year average. With more than 85 million copies sold, you cannot doubt his popularity.
Another example would be she of Harry Potter, yes, J.K. Rowling. The seven Harry Potter books were published over twelve years, but she wrote millions and millions of words. Add to that three supplements to Harry Potter series, one fiction for adults (The Casual Vacancy), two books under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith and two Harry Potter related short stories.
Arthur Conan Doyle Español: Arthur Conan Doyle Deutsch: Arthur Conan Doyle (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Perhaps Charles Dickens is the first famous serial-writer. In his day, a book like Oliver Twist was serialized. Every week a new chapter would be published. Remember that Stephen King did something similar with his novel The Plant. Although he made more than $500 000 with it, I doubt if it had as popular and lengthy a run as Dickens’.
Stephen King, Dean R Koontz, Agatha Christie, Arthur Conan Doyle, Jonathan Kellerman, Ken Follet are but a few examples of prolific writers who were/are very successful traditionally published authors.
Robert J. Crane, who claims to have sold 150 000 copies of his books argues for the prolific-writing approach if you are an Indie-author. He made his book Alone:The Girl in the Box free for download. In the six months that he tried to sell this book, he was ‘successful’ 42 times. Since the book has been free, it has been downloaded more than 320 000 times. (Note to self: See if it might interest me!)
The next books in the series have been bought for about $5 over 100 000 times. Crane is adamant that if he did not “free” the first book in the series, the rest of the series would have failed as well.
A free book is a way to do marketing, except that you spent hours and hours writing the free book. Somehow you have to create an audience that pays and that is where writing multiple books come in. The latter ones get paid for.
I don’t know if there is a winner. Asking this question is a bit like asking an American: Is Baseball, Basketball or Gridiron the winner? They are not even in the same competition.
If you are an Indie author initiate it is highly unlikely that one book will create an audience for you that will turn into dollars. You have to build a reputation over time. For that you have to write multiple books.
If you are planning to write just in your of time, and not planning to make a living out of it, then the one-book approach will probably suit you better.If luck strikes and you do become a high-earning, one-book wonder, well… Money doesn’t bite, does it?
Edited by: Neelima Vinod
November 21, 2014
by InstaScribe
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November 20, 2014
by Neelima
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A book is a recipe and has many components- essentials and condiments that make it yum. I won’t delve into all the essentials I found in this book but only the ideas that stand out for me and could help you.
One essential is plot. Wyndham gives us a few pointers in what she calls a Plot recipe, the sauce that makes your book good food for thought. It’s nothing but a list of questions:
Asking yourself these questions can be frightening, especially when all you are doing is shooting words on to a page, but having this dialogue with yourself gives your writing a bit of direction. You may not go where you want to go, but talking to your story opens doors.
Another tricky source of writer’s block is Dialogue. What’s the best way to write it? Better to rephrase that- what’s the best way to hear it? If you spend an entire day transcribing conversations you overhear, you will find a lot of incoherence. Believe me I’ve tried this once. When you rewrite those conversations, you pick those sentences which show more than tell.
Dialogue is a clue to the character and of course what happens next. Don’t forget the he said and she said; no taglines and the reader gets very confused after a while, not to mention the young reader. Learning to write dialogue requires a good ear. Watch plays, Lee Wyndham says. Today she would say: Watch movies.
We may light candles for world peace but every story requires conflict. Important problems could be:
How to revise
Stephen King’s revision rules have stayed with me. Wyndham lays out a plan to get back what was lost “from transcription to type”.
To read Writing for Children and Teenagers as a guide to writing today is unfair. It is a valuable guide to writing, no doubt, but writing and publication have changed. “Do not invest your own money for the publication of your book,” Wyndham says. How prehistoric is that?
Also any editors who chew their pencils, please comment on this blog! You are greatly missed.
In spite of references to white elephant typewriters and reference methods besides Google (yes there is a world of archives out there that writers should use), a good section of the book is relevant to NaNoWrimers and writers everywhere. Read with an eye to take in the most important stuff –a writer selectively tailors her experience of the world into a story.
Skip the examples and antiquities, and Writing for Children and Teenagers may just be a great find.
