M.E. Kinkade

Publishing & Marketing Realities for the Emerging Author by Christine Rose
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The good thing about Christine Rose’s book is that she is telling the truth that she lived. The bad thing about this book is that, whether because the industry is changing too quickly or because Rose can only report on the way she’s done things, it can be inconsistent, daunting, and overwhelming.

I found a recommendation for “Publishing & Marketing Realities” on an agent’s blog, which seemed like a pretty solid endorsement. Right from the start, I was surprised by Rose’s definitively negative outlook on traditional publishing. It seemed to be a case of “the lady doth protest too much.” Granted, her concerns seem valid–long, slow process designed to slow incoming writers down and keep them out–but that negative view from the outset tainted my perception of the rest of the book.

She publishes through her own independent publisher, which she earnestly claims makes her something in between an “indie” publisher and a self-publisher, all while claiming that self-publishing no longer has such a stigma. Rose does an excellent job of listing out her perceived pros and cons of each style of publishing, and it was a great beginner’s guide to an overly complicated system.

I would have liked a more clear analysis of the amount of money she spent creating her own press and marketing herself. While she does drop dollar amounts periodically (and they all seem absolutely astronomical), it’s hard to get a sense of how much she is spending, on what, and whether she is even seeing a return on her investments–or if we should all just stay home and learn basket weaving instead.

The book really shines when it gets to the second part, explanations of all the marketing avenues available and how to use them. She has really done her research (though I had to laugh at the bit about how exciting a Kindle might be…while I was reading the book on a Kindle), and was extremely detailed in her how-to portions. It’s a great synopsis of what’s available (though, again, the industry is changing in great leaps and bounds right now).

I’m glad I read her book, but… I’m not sure I trust all of her advice. There are some inconsistencies throughout that make me question whether this is a “how to” book (as it is advertised) or more of a personal memoir of how she did it. The detail she devotes to her cross-country caravan to sell her books (at a cost of $65,000; don’t even get me started) is confusing when you realize later that she made more by staying local. Additionally, her schedule for marketing sounds exhausting, like a recipe for certain burnout. I’m okay with hard work, but this recommendation seems both expensive and improbable.

There’s just not a lot of “life” in her work-life balance.

There doesn’t even seem to be a lot of writing, for that matter.

Her chapters on working a day job while performing all these writing and marketing activities also seems ludicrous…until she reveals that her day job is as an English professor at a community college. That makes a little more sense.

I was also concerned about her revelations about her secondary persona, O.M. Grey. While earlier she says not to latch on to a trend just because it might be marketable, this is exactly what she does by adopting the Steampunk genre. I don’t participate in that culture, but I would be pretty insulted by the way she talks about it, particularly the conventions. I believe she means it to be endearing, while also showing authors who haven’t ever been to a genre con what it’s like, but her teasing references to men in superhero costumes struck me as unkind. Furthermore, she seems to have adopted the trappings of the Steampunk genre just for money-making purposes; she doesn’t seem to really “get” it. This rankled me; it seems to lack integrity to co-opt someone else’s interests, but apparently she’s been quite successful, so perhaps it is my compass that is wrong.

In summary, this book has a lot of information, but whether or not it will actually be useful is going to depend a great deal on the reader. That said, I thank Ms. Rose for her courageous and thorough work on how-to-be-a-writer, and I’d like to gently recommend she take a short vacation. It will be good for her mental health, and I’m sure she needs the rest.

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On Writing by Stephen King
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was leery of this book: It was recommended a lot, and I don’t read Stephen King (it’s his fault, his stories scare the bejeezus out of me), and I was afraid it was going to be full of platitudes and useless, generic advice.

I have never before been unable to sleep because of a book, nor have I ever finished a book only to immediately go back and read it again — until now. This book is outstanding, both as a memoir and as practical advice for writers. I recommend it to everyone who is literate. I’m serious.

“On Writing” is 2/3 memoir and 1/3 writing advice, and it will leave you feeling as if you’ve just enjoyed a long and intimate chat with repeat-best-selling novelist Stevie King over a cup of tea on the back porch. In some cases, it’s as if he actually unzipped himself and let you step in and see the world from his eyes. It’s incredible.

While I loved the introductory “C.V” section on his childhood and his life up until the publication of “Carrie,” the book really endeared itself to me when King proclaims he does not believe every person can be a good writer, or that any good writer can become great. This was the first time in all of the many writing blogs, tools, etc., that I’ve read that someone has admitted that not everyone is cut out for this work.

WHAT A RELIEF! (Of course, I’m fervently hoping that I DO make the cut one day, but at least I can believe King because of his honesty). I am beyond exhausted with this “everyone can be a great storyteller!” meme because it’s so patently false–even in an age where loose spinoffs of “Twilight” see mass publication and sales, not everyone can get that (and in some cases, those that do shouldn’t).

He doesn’t say it is easy even for those who are writers, but he opens the door for hard work and practice. Even though this sounds like negative advice, I found it uplifting and energizing.

Even though much of his advice runs directly counter to other advice I’ve heard/read/picked up along the way, I believe him wholeheartedly. Perhaps it’s because I’m a wannabe writer born in the wrong time period, making my belief in his methods self-serving.

Some of his thoughts:
-He doesn’t put much stock in writing seminars or criticism groups.
-Write “with the door closed” (I interpret this as counter to the “post everything immediately!” trend in blogging)
-It’s ok to do your research after you’ve already completed a draft.
-You ought to expect to (sometimes) change your draft based on your first readers’ reactions.
-He recommends a general form letter for query letters (I have a feeling these would be rejected now, but my attempts to ask agents have gone unanswered so far. Still, it’s a relief that even those who know what they’re doing seem to have no idea how best to get an agent’s/publisher’s attention. It’s all a crapshoot).

And, which resonates most of all:
-Don’t write a story just because it’s currently popular or trendy or selling. Write it because you love it.

It’s possible that if Mr. King were an aspiring author today, his experiences would be different–but I hope that isn’t the case. This book invigorated and inspired me more than any other I’ve read, and I hope to replicate well the lessons here learned.

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