What Kindle Unlimited Means for Writers

The landscape of book publishing has been completely transformed by media innovators like Amazon with their Direct Publishing option, and they just might be doing it again.  Even though it is now incredibly easy and cost-effective to self-publish each and every manuscript that has ever flitted though a writer's mind, an inverse relationship has arisen between the ease of self-publishing and reader's immediate ability to separate the wheat from the chaff.  The average quality of books available for purchase has decreased due to the removal of the necessity of picky, if not expedient, editors and traditional publishers.  With this decrease came a reticence of readers to invest in a book that has a fair chance of being a disappointment.  Even with quality rating systems and the availability of book returns, it seems as though many readers just aren't as interested in taking a chance on an unknown author after having been on the receiving end of an object lesson in frustration, born from trying to convince themselves the book they are reading isn't "that bad".  Books stay with you.  Bad books stay with you too, whether you want them to or not.

When I'm procrastinating from writing my book I research publishing options for my book, and this particular issue has been a huge source of irritation for me.  Of course my book is going to be God's gift to readers (please laugh with me, otherwise it is just awkward), but how am I supposed to convince everyone of this if my credibility is called into question by all those poor examples of books out there?  I stumbled across Kindle Unlimited, and my first thought was, Yay! This is going to save me a ton of money!  My second thought was, Yay! Unlimited books at my fingertips, muhahaha!  Eventually, I started thinking like a writer and realized this might be the answer to us unknown writing entities to get readers to take a chance on us.

Kindle Unlimited is pretty much the Netflix of the book world.  For just under $10 a month subscribers have access to up to 10 of the over 700,000 titles at any one time.  Any author can include their book in Amazon's Kindle Unlimited program.  That doesn't, however, mean that sub-par books are out of the woods, so so speak.  In order to receive royalties, 10% of the book has to have been read before any money is earned or distributed.  This means my book still has to be kick-butt (at least the first 10% has to be reader worthy).  I'm okay with that.  I am just as concerned with the downward spiral of the quality of books on the market as the next reader, and writer, for that matter.  I think this system of checks keep the less impressive writing specimens from reaching the top of the reading lists while still allowing budding new writers their chance to leave a positive impression.







photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/9106303@N05/6187333553">Freedom to eRead, after Roger Roth</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">(license)</a>

War Paint? Nah, Ingenious Beauty Ritual

I have been on a mission for the last few years to "clean up" my family's lifestyle and get rid of chemicals as much as I can.  I will never be a candidate for for a completely all-natural lifestyle because I still like junk food and fancy schmancy cosmetics, but we have drastically changed our regular eating habits, switched out the vast majority of our cleaning products for natural (and often better functioning) counterparts, and kicked the full-time use of disposable diapers to the curb.  After reading articles like the one from ChemicalBodyBurden.org about how many toxins we taken in and carry, I was even more convinced that I needed to make some changes.

My beauty routine is another area of my life that has gotten the revamp.  Buying natural, organic products are holy-cow expensive, but I'm almost always up for the challenge of DIY.  That route is unbelievably affordable, often much more so than buying pre-packaged options, even the ones chocked full of good smelling chemicals (okay, I'm still a little in love with my fancy schmancy stuff).  In a further bid to get rid of toxins, I have been examining the benefits of using activated charcoal in my every-day life.

After drooling over Lush's Coal Face facial cleanser, I came across this DIY post for pretty much the same,darn thing, just much cheaper.  I took the plunge and made a batch for myself.  The in-progress results can be seen above.  The biggest take away, it really works!  I'm past the week of suggested adjustment by the original post's author and still having minor breakouts, but they are different from my typical issues.  They come to a head, only last mere hours, and don't leave marks behind.  This makes me think I may just have a lot of toxins to pump out.

My skin looks amazing!  On top of the suggested cleansing method I also do the added step of massaging my face in a circular motion for a minute before rinsing the mix off.  That gives my face some regular exfoliation.  Just ask Christy Brinkly how important daily exfoliation can be.  The dark red marks from past breakouts are rapidly fading, and I use significantly less of the CC cream I use to see daily glowing results.  I have big hopes for the continued benefits of this cleansing method.  I have high standards, but, so far, activated charcoal is standing up to the test.

Invigorated

I absolutely love it when I come across something that inspires me so much that I want to run out and create something right away.  It doesn't matter what I create, I just know that the my world cannot go one more minute without my having given birth to something beautiful (hopefully) that didn't exist before.  I've been inspired to such a magnitude quite a few times this week.

If you haven't seen Ed Sheeran's Thinking Out Loud video, it's worth the five minutes.  If you are like me, it's worth a lot of five minutes.

I never really paid much attention to Sheeran, but I came across this video and changed my practices.  He learned to dance for this video, and the transformation in him is amazing.  Not only is he dancing, but he is performing lifts and keeping time for five minutes of serious dancing.  I realize his partner is doing the lion's share of work, but what Sheeran is doing is still quite incredible.  The whole thing is beautiful.

Obviously, I have a soft spot for books and writing.  Some of my best writing has occurred after reading something amazing from a fellow writer.  That happened to me when reading Night Broken by Patricia Briggs.

"I curled up around Medea and prayed as fervently as I ever had.  I had faith that it would help.  But death isn't a tragedy to God, only to those left behind."

For those of you reading after I dropped the "G" word, I'm looking at this from a philosophical perspective, not a theological one, and it's mind blowing.  A creator of the universe, ruler of before, during, and after wouldn't really think death was a tragedy, would he? I mean, if he loved the people left behind he would care that we hurt, but as far as death itself and someone no long being on this earth, it wouldn't look the same to him as it would to us.  Anyway, it's these kind of thoughts that make my brain work and makes me want to make someone else's brain work.  What better way to influence the world than to challenge it's view of itself?  Religion is a huge foundation of any society,  and death is an unknown that we are constantly trying to understand and qualify.

Another book that I drew inspiration from this last week was Valerie Plame Wilson's Fair Game.  I got quite a few things out of this book, but the biggest thing likely wasn't what she had intended.  I loved the vocabulary she used.  She used big, impregnated words.  I feel like so many authors these days avoid such words.  Keep it at the fifth grade reading level, you know?  That may be reflective of the books I choose to read, but nevertheless, I was inspired.  She used the word "cogent" casually in a sentence.  I challenge anyone to try that this week.

I would love to hear what inspires everyone else.  I'm constantly on the look-out.

Ready to Leave My Mark

While going through the notebook I use to hand-write the material for my book, I found a short journal entry, if you will, that I must have jotted down to purge my mind of some of the thoughts, extraneous to the point of my book's material, that were likely floating through my mind at the time.  It's not unusual for this to happen, and likely as not, these thoughts are later useful as pertinent material anyway.

Typically, I would keep these notes to myself as they are usually either personal or future material that I hope you and all your friends see when the hordes fall all over themselves to read the published copy of my book.  At least that is the fantasy I comfort myself with when I'm feelings a writer's block coming on.  In this particular case of mental purge, I am choosing to share my thoughts here and now in the spirit of follow-up from my previous post, Flashback.

This is what I wrote:

Everyday I find myself struggling to stay in the place I've put myself.  Something inside me keeps trying to jump out, a sudden and overwhelming urge to conquer the world.  I know that I'm made for more than I am right now, but I'm healing.  It's always hard for the doers of the world to tame their wanderlust long enough to complete their bed rest.  I could jump up and forge ahead full throttle.  And I would succeed.  But only at the cost of building deep, impenetrable scars.  Once made, they only ever go away by way of a miracle.  I'm trying to control myself long enough to heal naturally.  Then, I'll shake off the cobwebs and finish leaving my mark on the world.

This is in response to the way I felt after coming back from Iraq.  It was extremely difficult to spend time at home with my family, focusing on readjusting to my world rather than rushing back out for another adventure.  It was the right thing for me, and it was the right thing for my family.  I don't know who I would be had I not listened to my instincts, but I am ready to leave my mark.

Flashback

Maria (June 5, 2008) No to War - s Attribution - Non-Commercial - Sarealike Licence




Yesterday Christopher and I went to see American Sniper in the theater.  We are pretty cautious when seeing modern-day war movies because they often stir up memories and feelings from our own deployments to Iraq.  This time was no different.  Usually SEAL movies resonate more with me due to the particulars of my experiences in the military.  In the same vein, Christopher is typically effected most by Army movies.

Before seeing American Sniper, Christopher asked me if I really wanted to.  The last movie we watched hit us both pretty hard, and, lets just say, a lot of alcohol and a late night followed.  His question just made me more determined to watch it.  If I can’t stand to face the feelings such movies elicit, how can I believe that I’ve moved on from those feelings?  Maybe it’s a habit of self-masochism to make myself face those feelings, but I don’t think so. 

Patriotic movies always remind me of why I did it in the first place.  They give me a sense of commitment to my past and a feeling of self-righteousness for the decisions I have made.  Perhaps I don’t deserve that, but, it is what it is. 

This particular cinematic experience effected me differently.  This time, I identified more with Chris Kyle’s wife, and I viewed Christopher more from the aspect of  the deployed individual.  That is unusual for me.  Since I experienced Christopher’s deployment never having deployed myself,  I had no concept of what he went through overseas or upon coming home.  I kept thinking, did I act like Chris Kyle’s wife?  Is that what it was like for him?  I hope I fought for Christopher as hard as she fought for her husband, but I’m sorry that I made things harder by not understanding the effect my words and demands had. 

I sincerely hope that the popularity and honesty that these movies possess will cause the world to become educated on the challenges veterans face both overseas and upon coming home. Those challenges easily pervade every aspect of a veteran's life, and they definitely change them forever.  Those who haven’t deployed are hard-pressed to understand the challenges and account for them in a way that will make the world a better place for veterans.

You Heard it From the Greats

In an effort to ride the motivation roller coaster on a continual high, I have been researching advice from well-known authors who have weathered the storm that I'm coming to know as writing a novel.  In all my 30 something years of life the only other time I've ever felt so out of my depth has been parenting.  Those of us who have been on that particular ride know that its often daily that we say, "what the hell just happened," then move on cautiously like prey in the presence of a possibly hungry predator.   A couple of years ago I gave birth to a novel, and now I'm trying to raise it.  Since I've kept it locked in the basement for a long while, I don't think I'm doing so hot.

So, like any modern day parent knows, when you aren't sure you are raising your child right, Google it.  I Googled and found a great article from Cody Delistraty at thoughtcatalog.com.  This is the advice that stuck with me:

1. Get through a draft as quickly as possible. Hard to know the shape of the thing until you have a draft. Literally, when I wrote the last page of my first draft of Lincoln’s Melancholy I thought, Oh, shit, now I get the shape of this. But I had wasted years, literally years, writing and re-writing the first third to first half. The old writer’s rule applies: Have the courage to write badly. – Joshua Wolf Shenk 

I think this might be the most important piece of writing advice that I have ever received.  I've been stuck making the very mistake this warns against.  I'm putting my foot down and having courage. 

2.  The first draft of everything is shit. -Ernest Hemingway

I will use this quote to console myself after following Shenk's advice.

3. I would advise anyone who aspires to a writing career that before developing his talent he would be wise to develop a thick hide. — Harper Lee

This is also advice after following through with Shenk's challenge.  I'm putting this one in my back pocket.  I think it's going to take some practice to accomplish when it comes to my writing. 

4. Writing a book is a horrible, exhausting struggle, like a long bout with some painful illness. One would never undertake such a thing if one were not driven on by some demon whom one can neither resist nor understand. — George Orwell

I found great solace in knowing I'm not crazy.  It's not just me.  The great George Orwell knows my demon and my pain.

5. If writing seems hard, it’s because it is hard. It’s one of the hardest things people do. – William Zinsser

I think I already waxed and waned about this above.  Just in case any of you think I'm kidding, I'm not.  Writing is hard, but it's worth it to kick that demon off your back.

6. Here is a lesson in creative writing. First rule: Do not use semicolons. They are transvestite hermaphrodites representing absolutely nothing. All they do is show you’ve been to college. – Kurt Vonnegut 

Well.  Awkward.  I like semicolons.

7. Write drunk, edit sober. – Ernest Hemingway

I added this in here more for the benefit of my readers, particularly those following my blog.  I happen to agree with and follow this advice on occasion.  Please beware and bestow me with understanding.   

8. Start telling the stories that only you can tell, because there’ll always be better writers than you and there’ll always be smarter writers than you. There will always be people who are much better at doing this or doing that — but you are the only you. ― Neil Gaiman 

This is another piece of advice that I find great solace in.  I have a story to tell, and it is mine.  No one can out me me.  I'm the most me out there.  I'll use that for all me has.

9. You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you. ― Ray Bradbury 

I'm trying, Ray, I really am.  Your words and the words of your peers are a fine malt whiskey for me.  In some cases "fine" may be a stretch, but I don't mind until the hangover.

10. Don’t take anyone’s writing advice too seriously. – Lev Grossman 

Done, and Done.  Well, it might not be THAT easy, but I'm sure as heck going to try.  When you pour your soul onto a page its easy to get a bit sensitive.  That's equally true for wanting your soul to be the most beautiful thing on Earth as it is for not wanting criticism.  At some point, I will have to accept that like any child, it will not be perfect, but it's mine to raise. 

It's So Hard to Grow Up (Financially)

This last year has been one of the most difficult for so many reasons.  First and foremost has been dealing with Pixie's (my one year old) health.  I don't think anyone is prepared to have their child be born with health issues.  I learned this last year that there is no scale to determine your right to feel upset about your child's health issues.  While those of us who aren't on a daily cycle of wondering how long their child will live or if they will ever be a productive part of society have ample motivation to thank God every day, we still hurt for what our child and our family has to go through every day.  I think our pain is just that, our pain, and watching your child suffer for any reason should be the binding on the circle that all parents enter into when we first look into the eyes of a child that is one hundred percent dependent on us for their every happiness and need.

Now that I have you all thinking of the first time you saw your child (or hopefully some other tear-jerking moment) I'll get to my point.  Our house is dealing with another health issue.  Financial health.  Right now, it feels terminal.  We have been sitting by it's bedside while listing to the beep of life support machines.  The nurses check in periodically to see how it's doing, and the distant family members are arguing over who gets it's car.  It feels that bad.

How did you let it get that way, you ask.  Well, once upon a time we decided to get a Land Rover Discovery.  I would say that was the beginning of the end.  Little did we know, this Land Rover needed a new engine and a plethora of other comparably minor, yet expensive, things.  We had some contingencies that meant low-interest borrowing, but the unnamed national chain automotive mechanics (also known as Satan's minions) didn't reattach the ground when they put the new engine in.  This led to an escalating series of issues with my Land Rover that derailed vacations mid-trip, caused long-term car rentals, and eventually the purchase of a new vehicle that was warrantied up the wazoo for our protection.  Long story short, the mechanics had to pay for "all" of the repairs.  Unfortunately, the damage was already done and we began sinking ourselves financially before it was all said and done.  There's a lot more to the story, but if I had to put my finger on a beginning, that's it.

We are one year out from moving onto our next duty station and we don't have two pennies to rub together.  That's a horrible situation to be in.  That is how you end up living in the ghetto because you can't afford nicer accommodations.  I don't like the ghetto.  I plan to move on from here with ample financial flexibility to live wherever the heck I want-as long as the Army says I can.  That's a whole other story-I seem to have a lot of those.

After many threats, both direct and cleverly disguised as banter, with my husband we finally started Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University.  They make a military addition that the Army gave us a couple of years back.  We are all over that like white on rye.  I am determine to dig ourselves out of this hole.  I'm under no delusions that this will be painless, but I expect it to be effective.  I winced when I saw the dreaded envelopes. If you've heard of Dave Ramsey you know about the envelopes.  You've probably made fun of the envelopes.  It's hard not to feel like a child when you are walking around with your allowance in a tiny white piece of paper.  I'm going to put my big girl panties on, hold on tight to my envelope, and grit through this.  Wish me luck!