Ironic Gifts

Where I'm at.

Where I wish I were.

I'm still deep in the editing trenches, and then I have an anthology submission to complete. I'll remain on hiatus through the end of January.

However, I wanted to share an experience I had the Christmas I was sixteen. We'd lost my mom eighteen months earlier, and my dad's mother had come to live with us to help care for me and my little sister who was eight years younger than me.

That year was my first exposure to something I call ironic gifts. 

• My grandmother gave me a five-pound box of candy. 
• My father gave me a set of bath scales.

So, at the end of this gift-giving season, what is the most ironic gift combination you've ever received or seen. Or maybe even given?

And Happy New Year!

My Epiphany and the State of the Publishing Industry

With this being my last post of the year, this seems a good time to share some of my reflections, both of the past year and my hopes for the new one.

Source: PowerPoint

Let me preface this by saying that I was already pretty old when I started this writing gig. I've always had a sense of my mortality and a wish to accomplish certain things before I go on to my "next great adventure". As a result, I've been carrying a hurry, hurry mentality.

You know why, don't you? They say one of the best ways to market your first book is to write a second book.

My problem? I'm not a fast writer. Oh, I can draft really fast. But I'm still stewing on the story and the characters, bouncing ideas around while I'm editing. The end result is in 2013 I took on too many things and spent too little time with my loved ones. That's going to change in 2014.

I want to take the time I need so I don't risk putting out crap.

Have you seen Dean Wesley Smith's post about what 2013 meant for the publishing world?

The US or European courts are still messing with the “First Sale” doctrine ... Right now, electronic books are not sold, they are licensed. (The person buying the book license has no rights to do anything with the book except read it.) But if the courts rule that an electronic book sale is an actual “sale” and “First Sale” applies, then things will shift dramatically in many, many areas. (The very least of which is “used electronic books.”) There are other aspects of “first sale” rulings coming as well that could affect international sales. This all has been in the works now for two years and we might see some cases come down in 2014 finally. 

Lots more stuff in the article, including sections on traditional, indie, agents, and writers. Whether you're traditionally or indie published, you might find it an interesting read. (click here)

How about you? Have you noticed any trends that could impact 2014? 

Any epiphanies about your writing?

Doing anything fun for New Year's Eve?

Happy New Year!

Blog Critique by Ali Cross

 And what better time to do some redecorating?

The amazing Ali Cross, author of Become, is also the tekkie person for a writing group I belong to. She offered to do some blog critiques, and I jumped at the chance.Over the last year, as I've read blogs all over the place and attended classes at conferences, I've picked up a few things, but I knew I could do much better.

Here's what she had to say (with my comments in blue):

FIRST IMPRESSIONS:

What worked:

• loaded fast
• pretty, bright and cheery
• nice layout
• good content
• comment form pops up and doesn't use captcha - good [At a writing conference I took a class by the awesome Elana Johnson. She said that since checking people's blogs can be time consuming, we need to make this as easy on our visitors as possible. I haven't had problems getting spammed since I took off that protection. Blogger's spam filter does a wonderful job--sometimes too good. The longer it takes to comment the fewer blogs you'll have time to visit.
• nice friendly picture of you :)

What could be improved:

• could use a header, incorporating both your blog name and your name [I've been working with one of my artist sons on this, and he's drawn a preliminary header, but it's not "there" yet, and I'm not sure it would fit the template I was considering at the time.]
• tab titles are obscure and don't immediately tell me what I might find there
• could consolidate like information together, instead of having it spread out. Use your sidebars wisely, by keeping "general" info in one column and "follow/about me" information on the other:
• LEFT SIDEBAR:
• site visitor map isn't important and, if you choose to keep it (I wouldn't), you could move it to the bottom of one of your sidebars [I moved this to the bottom right away. I love my little map]
• don't need to title the blogfest, let the button do the talking for you
• RIGHT SIDEBAR:
• the EVERNEATH and CATCHING FIRE buttons should move to the left sidebar
• nuke pageviews (they are really only interesting to you, same with the visitor map)
• I'm personally not a fan of the "share it" widget you have. I'd much prefer info on how to follow YOU, not your content. [Oooo . . . good observation here. Something I never considered.] However, this is personal opinion only. If you want to keep it, move it up to beneath your iWrite badge, so all your social networking items are grouped together. So maybe you'd have ABOUT ME --> FOLLOWERS --> NETWORKED BLOGS --> iWRITE --> SHARE IT --> TWITTER WIDGET
• reduce the number of updates on your Twitter widget [I also did this right away]
• you need to add an easy way for readers to follow you in all your places (FB/Twitter/g+ buttons, etc buttons
• COMMENTS:
• you could personalize your comment form with a message from you to your followers

PAGES:

Awards:

• If you're going to have this page, make it the last one [I added this page because I've received so many kind awards that it was too much to keep on the main page]
• either link each award to the post in which you acknowledged the receipt of the award, or (preferably), add a caption with the giver's name, linked to their blog

Writing Associations:

• this info would be more interesting in context with YOU [True]
• add it to an About Me page & don't forget to include your iWrite badge [Duh!]

Are You Talking to Me?:

• add these as a widget in your sidebar as mentioned above - then you could nuke this page

An Alternate Reality:

• should be on your About Me page with a description of what it is. That way people can choose if they want to click it or not.

I'm hoping Ali's critique may give you something to think about in regards to your own blog. I have a feeling I may be tweaking things here and there.

She also talked about the issue of branding. But that's a topic for another day . . .

Season of Celebration

Whether you celebrate this as I do.

This.

Or this.

Or even if you're just happy to be here.

During this special time of year, whatever special occasion you celebrate, I'd like to wish you all the best and thank you for stopping by. I appreciate the friends I've made in 2011 and how much you've all enriched my life. I'm off until January 1, 2012 (except for a book review post next week).

Has it really been that long since everyone was so excited about the Y2K issues?

So,

Merry Christmas,

Happy Hanukkah,

Happy Kwanzaa, and

Party on Dudes!

Happy New Year!