Philippa Ballantine - Author

Award-winning Author of fantasy, science fiction, and steampunk

Rants and realities

5 ways to survive collaboration

appearance_2013My husband and I, Tee Morris have been collaborating together many years. First in podcasts, and then in writing. We’ve written 4 novels together (embarking on our 5th) and done countless podcasts together over ten years of knowing each other.

Back then he was just a fellow writer who also loved to podcast, it was only later it became something more…

Naturally, I’m not suggesting you marry your collaborator, but there are some tips that can be useful if your collaborator is your spouse, your friend, or a even a stranger you’ve been teamed up with on a writing project.

  1. Set a goal. When Tee and I set out to write the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences, it was going to a be a podcast that we were going to charge for. Though it changed along they way, when we set out we knew what we were aiming for.
  2. Set roles. In the Ministry series Tee and I chose to divide the work up, with me writing the female Point of View character, and he writing the male. This was great for when we were initially starting off, and also to tell who had the final say in the chapter. We always switched to edit each others, but the person who wrote the scene had the final say on the piece.
  3. Be flexible. Things change. Though our initial ‘you write him, and I write her’ scheme worked for the first book, as a ‘Ministry style’ began to evolve we began to become a little more sure of writing in the opposite characters head. Even primitive fish evolved, so can you and your collaborator. Just make sure to talk to out this new direction.
  4. Be aware of your hard lines. In writing you get very attached to characters, sometimes to the point of obcession. If you have an idea of a character, and you know the things they will and won’t do, then communicate with your collaborator. Getting these laid out in the start of the project is best of all.
  5. Know how to argue without losing your mind. This might be the hardest to pull off. Trying to keep personal feelings out of writing, which feels like an intensely personal thing, is quite a skill. When you get into an argument, try and think like a professional, and add a dollop of objectivity. By standing outside like this, look in and listen to what your collaborator is saying. Does it advance the plot? Does it make sense in terms of the characters? Is it going to break the suspension of disbelief? Is it necessary? If the answer is ‘no’ then you are free to argue your side from the point of reason rather than feeling, and hopefully your collaborator will be able to put themselves into that ‘outside’ point of view like you just did.

If you have any suggestions for how you’ve learned how to collaborate successfully then please leave them in the comments section!

My 8 Essentials for Indie Book Success

Line of books 2012I’ve stayed pretty silent on the independent fiction endevors of my husband Tee Morris and I—not because I don’t have opinions on them. I have mentioned in a few places online that I feel the hybrid author route is the one most likely to succeed.

Heck, I have plenty of opinions, but I always like to have some statistics behind me before I start holding forth on things. I’ve also had plenty of conversations with authors I know—some who are succeeding at indie publishing, some who are not so successful, and some who haven’t tried but are in desperate circumstances due to the bizarre metamorphosis now occurring in the publishing industry.

However, after pounding our own numbers for last year, and comparing them to 2012, I am starting to get an idea of what is working for us…and since everyone is jumping in with their opinions, it’s time for the kiwi to throw her hat in the ring.

First off, the usual…your mileage may vary…these are my personal opinions take them with a grain of salt…etc etc etc…yadda yadda…

Second, these observations are from a two writer household, one full time, one holding down a full-time job, so do bear that in mind if you use these to make your own decisions.

All of that stated, I can say that our numbers from 2012 to 2013 have gone up 50% — which as a business model is not half bad. It’s not our sole writing income, but it is definitely a sizable contributor. It is something that we are going to continue to build up and another 50% would be a win in my book.

  1. You need the numbers. And by numbers I mean a large body of work. We have mixed it up with short stories, probably close to 90 between us, but I think it would need to double before it is more of a viable income. If you are doing novels then you would need less since you get more for a novel, but still that’s a lot of work so don’t quit that dayjob until you have those numbers.
  2. You need variety. Thank goodness for pen names! Don’t restrict yourself to just one genre. Bear in mind you will need to build up each pen name separately unless you want people to figure out it is you, but you should really spread yourself wide over as many genres as you think you can manage. Romance. YA. Crime fiction. Dabble…honestly—it’s fun.
  3. You need S & C. Selection and collection. Readers love series! Seriously, the more series the merrier. The first might do OK, but write a second and it’ll give the first a bump, and so on with each additional book. Also, readers like to spend time with characters they love, so when they look up your name and see a series they are comforted that you haven’t left them out to dry. Once you have series you can then bundle them neatly into collections. Make sure to knock of a small amount for those that shell out for collections, it is a nice bit of encouragement.
  4. You need patience. Alright everyone knows about Konrath and some others who is making huge bucks with ebooks…but they didn’t get there overnight. Of course there are exceptions, but from my research those that are making crazy dollars at indie publishing have also put in the hours in the basement telling friends and family to leave them alone.
  5. You need quality. Sure the erotica market doesn’t seem too discerning with cover art, but other genres are brutal if you get things like the cover and editing wrong. Some people might be able to look past it, but why take the chance? Find some professionals to help you if you haven’t got the skills. Most importantly, do not be the only person to edit your book. You need someone else. Seriously.
  6. You need to make it easy for readers. Whatever format and whatever location the reader wants to find your book, that is where it should be. It may also take more effort, but you should definitely have it available in print. The Amazon Kindle program where you sacrifice spreading your book over all platforms, for the chance to give your book away for free and increased readership, used to be really useful. I think it’s about done. I stopped doing it in 2013 and noticed no change in income. If you must do it, then use it in a series where you make the first one free.
  7. You need to keep track. Make Excel or some other program like it your friend. I keep a spreadsheet for every year, with all sales of all titles month by month. It helps me know which titles have earned back the money we put into them, and which ones have not. I also can spot trends in the different genres, which I color code on the spreadsheet.
  8. You need to remember tax. Absolutely. Do not forget this bit. Even if you are only get a car payment in a month, it adds up, and no one wants a nasty bill at the end of a year of success.

 

So this is the path Tee and I are following. If we get another 50% increase I will be very happy…if we do better than that I will be nigh on ecsatic.

What do you think? Have I missed anything you think are also essential to make decent money at Indie Publishing?

Cats…and getting to know you.

One of the first things that we warn folks before they come to our house is ‘we have cats…five of them.’

It’s a strange thing that folks (readers and listeners) who don’t know me personally know about me. I share quite a bit about my life, and I was worried that I talked about the aforementioned cats a little too much. Then I went to FenCon.

Two seperate people asked about my cats. Then I got an email asking about them- wanting to know why there were no pictures of them on the site.

It made me think about what we are all seeking in this day and age of instant access with people all over the world. The same thing humans have always wanted. Connection with other human beings. We like to know personal details no matter how silly they may seem.

It’s a curious thing about being a podcaster; you’re in peoples ear drums, in their car, in their bedroom, entertaining them. It’s a very personal thing. You start to wonder about folks and feel a personal connection with them. It’s something about someone reading to you.

I have not (as yet) had a bad personal experience with listeners or readers. I’ve been very lucky that so far, everyone I have met has been kind, generous and very sweet. They talk, not just out about my writing, but about my life. I am still sorting out that boundary for myself, but so far the most intriguing question is about the cats.

This weekend at FenCon in Dallas, Texas I realised perhaps it wasn’t just me. It was revealed in the art show. Cats are big in fantasy. We like them on covers. We like them with jetpacks. We like them dressed up like people. It’s a thing…and I as a fantasy writer am almost required to have cats. Luckily five have chosen us to carry out their orders.

Who am I to fight the power. So, I think I will just post a picture of Sebastian and Viola, and let you judge what kind of person I am from that…

 

Now I am off to hang up a picture of a cat wearing a jet pack…

Be a gentleman…

Or a gentlewoman.

As a steampunk author I am particularly keen on proper manners. I try and observe them as much as I can, so recent events have been rather disappointing.

Politeness and civility go a long way in publishing. You want to be known as a professional, not as that person who bailed up an editor at a con and tried to thrust your manuscript down her throat. Even though she had both hands full and was talking to her friend at the time.

Don’t go to social events with so little social skills you break into conversation with your relentless desire to pitch. (Yes, agents, editors and publishers are people too!) Get to know people a little, take the time to observe the social niceties, and then most likely people will ask you ‘what are you working on?’ (That’s your cue)

Proper manners are also something that should be observed in all your online dealings. I like the think of myself approachable. Online I answer emails and questions in as a timely a manner as I can. I’m on Twitter and Facebook and am pretty easy to find. However…that doesn’t mean it is an open season to bombard me with requests—especially when I have politely said I don’t have the time right now.

Approach me as you would any other person. Don’t expect me to know or have the keys to the publishing kingdom. I don’t, because if I did I would have used them long ago myself. I have deadlines and commitments in the real world that mean I can’t say yes to everything- much as that pains me. It’s no reflection on you or your work that I don’t have the time to read it. It hurts me to turn people away, but as things get busier for me I have to not only fit in writing, but also time with friends and family.

Writing might seem like it’s bon-bons and caviar, but it is like any regular job in that it takes time to do.

In other words. Be a person. Interact with politeness and interest to the other people around you- most especially when they are agents, publishers, fans and fellow authors. That is networking- not a relentless shoving of your own interests first. Done properly, people respect you and like you, not run away at the first tweet or Facebook message. Then they decide you are a person who they want to do business with, not someone they complain about to their peers.

Yes, being rude gets you a name. A bad one.

Writers getting smart

This is the first in a series of blogposts, where I talk about what I have learned about the publishing industry, writing, and things I see that just irritate or make me want to pull my hair out. I’m not exactly known for my rants, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have those moments. They are usually inspired by something I heard someone say, something I read, or something I saw someone do. Hang onto your hats!

 

Mama I wish you’d told me it ain’t easy. Oh I wish you’d said the pain don’t go away.

Or so goes the line in Hollie Smith’s heartfelt song, Mama from her album Humour and the Misfortune of Others. Watch the video here, seriously it’s a lament of artists everywhere might understand.

Being a creative individual is not an easy path; it is one that is fraught with danger, missteps, and is certainly not for the faint of heart. Unlike Hollie’s Mama I’m going to tell you that now- but sometimes creatives are their own worst enemy. In this day and age of social media, forums, email lists and everything in between, some people are still throwing hard earned money away.

It seems that everywhere people are trying to make money from creative folks hard work, be they unscrupulous publishers, dodgy agents or people that offer to make every door open to you. Writers, for example are constantly barraged with messages to do this course, or pay this high profile agent to make you and instant bestseller. Sometimes it feels like the industry to make money off writers dreams is larger than the publishing industry itself. (Honestly it amazes me how some new writers are willing to give away their hard-earned money to practically anybody- even people with no proven track record in the field)

Don’t be taken in by the big talk, their pointing at their non-existent credentials, and their promises of a pot of gold and a pony at the end of the rainbow.

If you are going to shell out money for anything that will ‘improve your writing’ (and that isn’t a given that such a thing will happen) examine first the credentials of the person shilling. Have they got a bestseller under their belt (and I don’t just mean calling themselves bestseller- I want to know where and when that happened!)? Who can you contact who has been through this course, and make it someone whose name your recognize, or whose judgment you trust. What are they offering you? (If it’s to make you a bestseller or sell you ‘the secret of publishing’ then please…run don’t walk AWAY!)

Think about Clarion. Yes it is expensive. Yes, you have to live on campus for 6 weeks. But look at the people they have teaching—known names in the speculative fiction field. Check out the people that have been through Clarion; Cory Doctorow, Octavia Butler and Tobias Buckell.

If I was starting out, I would rather save my money for something like Clarion then spend it on a dozen folks who promise you the world. But there are certainly reputable places where you can find cheaper ways to improve your craft. Someone like Holly Lisle, who has a huge number of books under her belt, and a history of training other authors.

Sometimes we only have our selves to blame. Honestly. Please. We know you have dreams and aspirations. We know that they are dear and personal to you and are a shining light in your life. That doesn’t mean you have to throw money at that flame heedless. Take a step back. Breathe. Evaluate the person, what they are offering and if you can afford it.

Please don’t drive yourself into debt because some shyster is telling you he can get you on the New York Times list, or some other impossible claim. Keep at least one foot in reality.

Let’s get smart folks. We, as a group need to do something we are good at; research. Yes, those same logical skill we apply to our writing we should turn on this industry. Don’t take people at their word that they can make the world your oyster.

That’s your job and while it might be exciting to imagine someone has that backdoor to publishing superstardom. No one does. It’s a sad hard fact.

Here’s my experience. I had to work at this. Yes, there were times I wanted to give up, but I kept going, kept writing. And eventually I got my first contract, then my second, hey my third and fourth just recently. I don’t have the answers, but I know it certainly didn’t happen overnight. Like anything you have to work at it. Alot.

Now, get back to writing. That’s where you’ll really learn and improve. And you know what…it’s free!