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The Value of a Paperback
So Many Indie Writers Don’t Understand the Value of a Single Paperback… So as a topic of the night here on a Friday night when few people will likely read this, I’m going to see if I can explain a little. And with luck, you will say, “I knew that.” But if you do understand the value, how have you acted on that knowledge? An Example: A couple days ago I walked into our north store and there on the counter was a stack of well-read books that Kris and I had written. All mass market paperback, all clearly read by more people than one. A bunch more. We had…
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Still Not Back
But Almost… Working on a blog post about the value of a single paper book to an indie writer. This one area is a big black hole for indie writers, so figured it was time to talk about it. I will return to regular blogging shortly, but in the meantime, don’t miss the Universe Between Bundle, or signing up for a workshop. The writing into the dark workshop still has openings. It must be August. (grin) —————- SEPTEMBER ONLINE WORKSHOPS… All have openings at the moment. Information at www.wmgpublishingworkshops.com Any questions at all, feel free to write me. And if you are confused as to which workshop to take first,…
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Had a Day Away
Did Some Picking, Saw a Movie… Sorry Josh and Dan and Billy, I went picking again. Nothing that I know of that is great, but a trunk-load of good stuff. Saw a really funny action/adventure movie called “The Hitman’s Bodyguard” which actually was better than we had hoped it would be. It had some pretty great heart, actually. So a fun day away from computer screens until I came here to do this blog and answer a few emails. Back full time at all this tomorrow. Night. —————- SEPTEMBER ONLINE WORKSHOPS… All have openings at the moment. Information at www.wmgpublishingworkshops.com Any questions at all, feel free to write me. And…
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Over Four Years
A Very Long Challenge… Just over four years ago I challenged myself, for some reason (now long forgotten) to blog every day. Often they were longer blogs, sometimes I have written books here, other times, such as tonight, they are short fillers. I have not missed a day for four years plus. Over 1,460 straight days. Now that’s a streak. I do plan on writing more nonfiction books here over this next fall and winter. And I also want to thank those of you who support this ongoing blog at Patreon. It means a lot to me. So onward into year #5. See how long I can keep this streak…
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Brutal Time Switch
Eclipse Was In The Middle of My Night… Normally I go to bed around 6 a.m. and get up between 1 and 2 p.m. The eclipse started here on the Oregon Coast a little after nine in the morning. So I headed out to the two south stories (included our new bookstore) to watch the eclipse out of the fog. Then I got the bookstore opened and worked it all day, moving stuff, packing, moving cabinets, and so on. And talking with a couple of nice writers who came in as well as a bunch of nice customers. Great fun. But after just a little over three hours sleep, I…
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How to Run a Bookstore in 2017
Some Top of My Head Tips… On ThePassiveVoice.com (a fantastic resource for all us indie writers) bookstores get slammed a bunch. I finally got sort of tired of the slamming of bookstores in general and decided to make a point that it is the bad management of bookstores that kills them, not bookstores in general. There was even a comment that bookstores are like a boat, a place to throw money. Well, if you run them wrong for 2017, yes, that is correct. If you run them correctly, with an open mind, no. So I got asked by two people in email what it took to run a modern bookstore…
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A Non-Event
No Eclipse Crowds at All… In fact, this weekend has less traffic and people than a normal August weekend. The hype and all the warnings clearly scared people away. Hotels have empty rooms, the roads are like a winter week-day. Every business, hotel, restaurant, and store was staffed up with people scheduled to work overtime. Lots of hours and work had gone into this for every business and government agency here on the coast. I have a hunch the grocery stores are going to take it the hardest with all the extra stuff they ordered, now rotting in the vegetable aisles and meat counters. All for naught. Nada. Nothing. Zero.…
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Three New Smith’s Monthly Issues
They Are In Production… Not much to talk about here today. I did reading for the challenge stories and novels and got a bunch of Smith’s Monthly PDF covers done for paper editions. That was fun. So three issues now in production and I will turn in a fourth this coming week. And I had a great time this afternoon out at the bookstore. It is really shaping around wonderfully thanks to incredible work by Dan, the new store manager. Shelly was there today as well, and Josh (from our North store) and Billy (manager of South store plus head of sales for WMG). Five book people, all working to…
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Read Kris’s New Blog Post
A Glimpse of a Day Around Here… Kris has a new blog post this week about negotiating and other topics. It has some stunning advice that if you follow will help you a great deal. She learned that from hard knocks, folks. Also, as you read her post, keep firmly in mind the Magic Bakery concept. But her blog also gives you a few hints of what a day around here is like. Kris and I talk about this kind of stuff she gets or I get. She makes the final decision on her stuff and I make the final decision on stuff like that coming to me. But we…
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Challenge Stories and Novels
Doing a Lot of Reading… At the moment I am finishing up novel after novel for the novel challenge that a number of writers signed up for. Everyone is doing great, getting more than they would have, they tell me. The challenge goes to the end of this month. I have not sent back many replies yet because I didn’t want my words in any writer’s head. But now, with two weeks to go, I will start sending out the ones I have finished over the next few days. I figure if the writer’s are going to make it, they are already mostly there. I still have a number of…