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    Indie Writer Companion
    Indie Writer Companion
    Indie Writer Companion
    Ebook93 pages1 hour

    Indie Writer Companion

    By Jade C. Jamison

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    About this ebook

    “My first thought when I finished reading was ‘Where the hell was this book when I jumped into self-publishing?’ I love the no-nonsense style that pulls no punches and keeps you interested. If you are thinking about self-publishing (or even going the traditional route) you should read this book before you hit publish.” – L.A. Remenicky, author of SAVING CASSIE

    Throughout her life, bestselling author Jade C. Jamison has worn many hats. One of the most noteworthy is her ongoing gig as a college instructor (focused mostly on writing—both academic and creative writing classes) which, paired with her career as a successful indie author, gives her the delusion that she is qualified to help other indie/self-publishing (and aspiring) authors become the best writers they can be.

    Jamison loves that indie publishing has opened the door to literally thousands of would-be authors, allowing them to share their creations with the world. In a realm that was previously shut off to a good many writers unless they could get their works through all the gatekeepers, most writers languished in obscurity or indulged in expensive self-publishing ventures and still failed to be read widely.

    Electronic publishing has changed all that, has, in fact, changed the face of publishing as we once knew it, revolutionizing reading almost as much as Gutenberg’s press hundreds of years ago. The publishing process today is democratic, in that anyone with a little know-how can make his book available to the world—and readers, not publishers, decide whose book will be the next bestseller. But, says Jamison, with great freedom comes even greater responsibility. In the traditional publishing world that still exists today, authors have editors scouring their manuscripts, offering corrections and forcing edits, most of which are designed to make the work better in some way, creating tighter writing and better pacing, making the manuscript error free, and other beneficial changes that happen to a book undergoing the traditional experience. Some indie writers follow their cue and take the effort to invest in their work by hiring an editor and continually improving their writing, yet there are literally hundreds (perhaps thousands or millions!) of indie books available today that, in the author’s opinion, aren’t publication ready.

    Jamison taught creative writing and composition classes for years. The underlying premise of this book is that every single story deserves to be told and read but writers should (and likely do) want their books to be the best they can be. This book delves into common indie publishing mistakes—errors that should be viewed as no-nos—and how to fix them. Jamison’s experience in the classroom with hundreds of student writers, as well as the years she has been involved in both indie and traditional publishing arenas, has given her a unique vantage point, and she wants to share her observations—as well as teach a few tips and tricks—with others in the writing world.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherJade C. Jamison
    Release dateOct 27, 2015
    ISBN9781519941039
    Indie Writer Companion
    Author

    Jade C. Jamison

    1. Imagine 2. Play some music 3. Write 4. Blow readers away 5. RepeatJade C. Jamison is a steamy romance author, heavy metal fangirl, wife and mom, coffee connoisseur, cat lover, and vegan foodie--not necessarily in that order. She loves life and believes we learn our wisest lessons when reading, especially if it's fiction. Her heroines are fierce, her heroes all but broken, both seeking redemption together. Whether in a small Colorado town or big city, she strives to take her readers' breath away...one story at a time.Find out more at www.jadecjamison.com ORhttp://www.subscribepage.com/JadeCJamison (newsletter)

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      Book preview

      Indie Writer Companion - Jade C. Jamison

      Author’s Note

      If you’re reading this, I imagine you’re either an aspiring author or an already published indie author.  Either way, congratulations.  It often takes a lot of courage to share your words (your babies!) with others; sometimes, it takes a bit of naïveté.  Either way, you have given birth to a story...or are getting ready to begin tapping one out on the keyboard, and you’re looking for some advice.

      I am not delusional enough to ignore the fact that there are hundreds—perhaps thousands—of writing books out there, some written by folks I admire (you might have all heard of Stephen King), many textbooks I have taught from, and likely dozens I will never lay eyes on.  So...do I think what I have to say is unique?  Probably not.  But I do know that, every year, dozens of aspiring indie authors approach me for advice.  Some of it, I have turned into blog posts and I even started a video series on YouTube when I realized I am a fricking writer...so my advice would do better in the form of written word.

      I am not focusing on what many creative writing books do (plot, setting, characters, dialogue, etc.).  I am also not going to talk about generating ideas.  There are lots of other books that do those things—and probably better than I would.  Instead, I am homing in on what I perceive to be problems in many indie books.  Just because there is a desire to write (and I think you should if it’s there) doesn’t mean your story is ready to be published right out of the gate.  A lot of newbies seem to think that just because the words are on paper, it’s ready to see the light of day.  But I counter with this:  If you’re ready to publish, don’t you want your story to be the absolute best it can be?  (Would you serve a potato that was only half baked or eat a green banana?)  That’s where I come in.  I’ve advised hundreds of students (who paid me via college tuition) and dozens of wannabe indies (who simply asked questions) on how to make their stories the best they can be.

      This even applies to me, because I can tell you I’ve broken a few of my own rules.  Hey...we all have our moments.

      So...this book is a resource for you after you’ve written your first draft...and before you click Publish.

      Whether you read a chapter or scour this entire book, my hope is that it helps you improve and grow as a writer—for isn’t that what we all want from ourselves?  Continual growth, progression, improvement?  Yes, of course, it is!  So let’s go!

      Part 1: Make Your Story as Good as It Can Be

      Some of you who haven’t heard of me (or who have heard very little or perhaps even have heard unfavorable opinions) might wonder who the hell I am and what the hell makes me qualified to write this book.  Some of you who do know me might not know my varied history and also wonder what the hell makes me qualified to write this book...so here it is, in a nutshell (or not so much...).  If you don’t give a crap, feel free to skip ahead.

      Before my age was in the double digits, I wrote...and I knew I wanted to write.  Even before I could read, I knew I wanted to write words.  I was always fascinated with the written word and the magical powers those words possessed.  I remember telling my grandma I wanted to write and how she had me drawing swirls between two lines on paper...but it wasn’t enough.  It wasn’t nearly enough.  I knew there was magic in words, and the swirls she had me drawing were but child’s play.

      When I finally got the chance to write, it wasn’t long before I was writing lots.  I was seven when I wrote my first poem—and I kept writing poetry (what I’d call rhyme nowadays) all throughout my childhood, into adulthood and beyond.  The first time I was traditionally published was when a magazine editor initially rejected the batch of poems I sent him and told me that one of them (a darker piece) was along the lines of what he liked.  I immediately sent him five more better suited to his tastes and found myself a published poet (don’t look for Jade C. Jamison the poet, because I was traditionally published under another name).  Over the years, I published more and more poems and short stories, as well as getting what I’ve always called nice rejections (and not-so-nice ones too).  The nice ones are the ones where the editor or publisher or agent (whoever’s rejecting your work) takes some time to explain why your work didn’t make the cut and encourages you to keep trying, sometimes giving you advice for future submissions.  I spent a few years writing academic pieces and traditional journalism as well, and I think writing regular articles helped me get used to writing not only a lot (volume-wise) but writing a lot (frequently).  Ha!  I love when I can do that.

      I also, after giving birth to four children and finding immense dissatisfaction in my day job, went back to school.  I already had a bachelor’s degree (one of my majors was English with a literature emphasis) and was returning to obtain a master’s degree (also in English).  Because I wanted to teach college, I continued my education after getting my MA so that I could earn one last degree, an MFA in Creative Writing.  All this education pointed to one thing—knowing how to write and how to teach writing.

      Now...if, up to this point, you’re not impressed with my credentials, let me tell you some of my accomplishments as an indie author.  Up until 2011, I continued halfheartedly submitting a story here and there to a publisher or an agent, but I had mostly given up on what I call big fiction.  I hated—absolutely loathed—spending weeks perfecting a synopsis and query letter when that time would be better spent writing a story.  At the end of 2010 and beginning of 2011, I wrote yet another book (you might know it as Tangled Web), and I let it languish on my computer, as many of my books often did, trying to decide if I wanted to query publishers...again.  After all, I thought, I had more credits under my belt than last time (you always do when you

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