tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post5740018322820890598..comments2024-03-27T10:02:56.747-04:00Comments on Fiction University: What Makes an Indie Novel a Success? Janice Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-88339076407335531852017-09-21T16:54:04.310-04:002017-09-21T16:54:04.310-04:00In a perfect world, right? Since we don't live...In a perfect world, right? Since we don't live in a perfect world, it's nice to at least have a path to follow. I floundered a bit while starting out - publishing in multiple genres, never quite finding my foothold - but now I think I've finally found my path, and I'm happy to see sales improving. Thanks for the reminder to keep at it!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-9964854653393376622017-09-08T13:45:39.618-04:002017-09-08T13:45:39.618-04:00Just a quick note...Dario is currently out of the ...Just a quick note...Dario is currently out of the country, and he tried to respond and the internet apparently ate it. He says that he will reply when he has more a stable wifi connection :)Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-69886207666133198972017-09-08T04:19:06.745-04:002017-09-08T04:19:06.745-04:00Hello Vero ~
Thanks for your comment. Yup, I agre...Hello Vero ~<br /><br />Thanks for your comment. Yup, I agree some reality CHECKS are nice...lol. Sales *are* a validation, and an important one. But the act of creation and exploration and creating worlds and charcyers nobody else would have, and chronicling their story is hugely rewarding in and of itself. But we all need to eat.<br /><br />I know that Janice, among other authors I know, has been to the Surrey conference and found it hugely helpful. Unusual and imaginative as your literary work is, I think this is a really good venue for you to network.<br /><br />As for the genre-hopping...*smiles*... I'm glad I'm in good company. Although it's not the easiest way to build a fan base, at least we are writing what we care about and what interests us. That's worth a lot.<br /><br />Warmest,<br />DarioDariohttp://www.panversepublishing.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-24845216320958280832017-09-07T11:26:11.443-04:002017-09-07T11:26:11.443-04:00Hi Dario
Congratulations on ‘Drown the Cat’ (alth...Hi Dario<br /><br />Congratulations on ‘Drown the Cat’ (although I have to say the title rankled my animal rescue tendencies). I highly recommend it. <br /><br />Personally, as I’ve done it too, I consider ‘bouncing’ from genre-to-genre as positive. It’s exploring. It’s creative. How else can we know if our storytelling will click with a selective niche audience. We cross genres to find our ‘zone’… and hopefully, several zones. Storytelling is expansive. Therefore diversely inspired writing adapts to capture whatever the muse sends. A successful muse is never stingy.<br /><br />Completing several manuscripts to a professional publishing standard, is commendable. You are a success. You are a successful editor. This I know from personal experience. So, many thanks for your insight over two years. <br /><br />I don’t ‘read’ versatility as a reason for lack of sales. The immense competitive field for published books is hardly conducive to being discovered. It takes one special reader to break the invisibility spell and create a buzz. And there are far too many ‘brightly-colored’ books with no ‘scent’ to distract the bees. <br /><br />But speaking of ‘reality checks’… I have to say, I would like a few that I could deposit in my bank account. Tangible income is an important aspect of the business of producing novels. Yes, I would (and do) still write for the joy of words, but it would be my definition of success if writing paid my way. I’d settle for that, and continue to dream infinitely higher. <br /><br />I’ve enjoyed writing time-travel adventures for middle-grade to young adult, and a fanciful biographical series about the true ‘Mona Lisa’ where my formal studies of art history merged with fiction, and paranormal time-slipping to the Italian Renaissance initiated encounters with lost portraits that speak. <br /><br />I’ve created a liminal world at the foot of Hadrian’s Wall where a sentient building opens a door to Ancient Egypt for teens. <br /><br />I’ve been inspired by a pair of baby shoes from a Titanic exhibit in a museum and allowed a unique romance of reincarnated children to evolve over several years. This ‘Titanic’ novel is considered literary fiction according to one famous agent I pitched at the Surrey International Writers Conference (Vancouver) last year. And although nothing contractual came of it, I gained a huge unexpected boost of confidence. Pitching and hearing positive feedback from several distinguished authors of bestselling books on writing, made that a hugely successful conference for me. <br /><br />I am attending the same conference this fall to pitch two new manuscripts (one for middle-grade and another Renaissance historical). Let’s see what happens. Success begins and continues with a positive mindset that I continue to produce worthy self-published books that span several genres, from manuscript to designing professional cover art. <br /><br />Most days that makes me feel successful… now about those ‘reality cheques’.<br />Veronica Knoxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17333425074452436614noreply@blogger.com