My website: WHERE DRAGONS FLY is up!

Everyone loves the site.  It's beautiful and informative. You can even read 4 chapters of the book there.  You can also get a FREE ebook reader for your PC or MAC.  And, for a limited time, you can download a free copy of it (WHERE DRAGONS FLY - Book 1: Night of the Drackin).

After you read it, PLEASE leave a review on Smashwords, Barnes & Nobel, and Amazon.  My website, www.robertghent.com. has direct links to these sites and my book.

Enjoy

Ready To Put New Web Site On Line

I used Intuit to develop a website for myself and WHERE DRAGONS FLY.  It is complete enough to publish.  That should happen by the Oct 26.  Backstory for the main character is complete. I still need that for three other characters plus by profile page.  Reviewers will be getting the story shortly, thus the rush to finish the site.  Look for robertghent.com in a couple of days.

PUBLISHING ON SMASHWORDS

Getting your document published on Smashwords can be trying.  EVERYTHING has to be soooo perfect.  See the Smashwords link to the right under my pages and learn how to simplify the process.

Marketing WHERE DRAGONS FLY-Book1: Night of the Drackin

As you might expect, no one is finding this book by accident.  It takes marketing and that's what I'll be learning next.  Stay tuned!

WHERE DRAGONS FLY is FREE on Smashwords with a Coupon

The book is on Amazon, Barnes and Nobel, and Smashwords.  It can be purchased for FREE on Smashwords until the last of the month with coupon number RQ36F.  Be sure and enter the coupon before checking out.

I am offering it for free for a short period to encourage readers and get their review.  If you enjoyed reading it for fee, and don't mind, please leave a review then visit my site at Amazon and Barnes and Nobel and do the same.  Easiest way is to copy your first review and paste into other sites.  Please be honest and thanks so much.

NOW BUILDING A WEBSITE

I need a website for readers to learn more about my book, WHERE DRAGONS FLY, and me.  I am building the site now.  My book is listed only on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.  After I finish building my new site, I'll put the book on Smashwords, which will also place it on several other sites.

Now on Amazon - Barnes and Noble

WHERE DRAGONS FLY Book 1:  NIGHT OF THE DRACKIN is on Amazon, and Barnes and Noble under Fantasy for children's books.  Downloading my DOC file was easy but I should have looked closer at all the options.  After I listed the book on these sites, I  wanted to make changes.  Fortunately, they were  easy to make.  Both are good sites.

The New Book Cover - Revised

The original book cover was too crowded.  I removed the smaller dragon.

WHERE DRAGONS FLY - The Book Cover

New Book Title

Replaces: DRAGOOLEND

SEE THE BOOK COVER

The book cover is complete and, as you'll see, I've changed the name of the book.  DRAGOOLEND was too hard to pronounce.  Click the book cover link to the right to see the new cover.  If you have any thoughts about it, leave a comment.

Thanks

Now Creating my eBook Cover Page

If you have a reasonable amount of experience with a full featured paint shop type program, then you might want to create your own cover page like I am.  There are many web sites where you can purchase royalty free photos at a very low price.  You will need them to compose your book cover.  Just learn the important aspects of page design for composition.  Again, check out Zoe Winters' book on publishing for her tips on this.

I'll post the book cover in about a week after I've run it by my mentor and our writers group.

Print and ePublishing - A good book

Zoe's Winters' SMART SELF PUBLISHING covers both print and ebook publishing.  I found it on Amazon.com for $3.99.  She has lots of very good feedback and so far it seems to be answering a lot of my questions about ebook publishing.  There's more to it than you might think!

In case you are not aware, you can download Kindle reading software for your PC or MAC at Amazon.com.  It's free and works very well.

Researching How to Publish an E-book

With the tremendous growth in ebooks, it's time to find out how to publish one.  That's what I'm doing while a few more beta readers finish DRAGOOLEND and provide their feedback.

Check back often and see what I've learned about publishing ebooks.  The problem is with all the dis-information, scammers, and thiefs that out there.  My first shot at this will be with Amazon.com.  Let's see what I learn.  I'll provide updates as I go along.  When I'm done, I'll try to complete a simple to follow, step-by-step process that anyone can use.

5 Beta Readers have read DRAGOOLEND

The first two readers were 11 year old neighbors.  This reader was a 15 year old girl.  The 4th is a 12 year old boy, and the 5th, a 10 year old girl.  They are all avid readers and their feedback is helpful.  Each have pointed out one common area of concern for 8 tand 9 year old readers.  I'm looking at this now.

I gave each a questioneer for likes and dislikes and their comments are surprisingly good.  Each one has also marked up typing errors they found.  Consider using Beta Readers for your book.

Because of the fast growth of e-books, it seems like a good way to go while I look for an agent.

Three beta reader have finished

The library is providing young readers to preview my DRAGOOLEND.  My target audience is age 9 to 12 (My characters are 13).  This reader is 15 years old, but my library contact assured me this reader would not mind the younger age of my characters.

She filled out my critique form and I was very impressed.  Never underestimate a 15  year old.  Every question was filled out in full detail with excellant clarity.  She also marked up many typing errors I didn't find.

I strongly suggest using beta readers to help you.  Make sure to provide them a critique form to fill out!

First two beta readers are 11 years old.

While waiting for them to finish: I found a problem with my writing.  It's hard to believe that I keep finding errors at this late date. (Or is it?)  This revelation comes from reading other similar stories and gaining experience.

The Problem:  I was way too heavy with compound and complex sentences.  Hence:   The word "And" shows up on every page like splattered ink.  I went through the story and either replaced or restructered about 80% of the compound sentenses and many of the complex ones.  It reads much better now.  See tip #9 in "Tips" link.

The Lesson: Grow your skills by comparing to similar published works, look at everything in your manuscript, then rewrite, rewrite, rewrite.  Don't rush to a premature finish.

Avid Young Readers From The Library

The children's department of our local library keeps a list of young readers who also help in in the library.  I asked the department head to survey the children and see if any would like to read DRAGOOLEND and provied some feedback.  I am happy to say that several did.  My most heart felt thanks to them.

Over the past two months, I rewrote the first five chapters, and these have the least amount of edit sessions.  I'm a little worried that if I didn't find most of my mistakes, the story might not be as rewarding to them as I would like.  But, outside eyes could also be a big help.  I'll know in a few days.

Why You Need To Be In A Writers Group

I thought I did a good job of editing my rewrite, but . . .

This is the value of a GOOD writing group that will point out your errors.  Many thanks to my fellow writers.

Overall, if your group is not finding as many weak points as strong points in the your writing, then changes need to be made.  If you can help your group be more critical, then great.  If they can't come up to speed, it might be good to look for another group.  For unpublished writers, the blind leading the blind is never good.

Writers Group Approves First 10 Pages

The rewrite was well received by the group, and I'm feeling better.  Tonight is meeting night and we'll cover the next five pages.  They were also heavily rewritten and if they fly with the group, then I think I'm in good shape. 

Also gave the book to an eleven year old girl that is a big reader.  I should have it back in a week.  So far, I'm impressed by how specific the kids are about the parts they like and dislike.  It's helpful.

DRAGOOLEND is kid approved!

Gave the book to a brother and sister that are nine and twelve years old, and avid readers.  According to their parents they couldn't put it down and the kids told me they loved it.  They especially liked the cliffhangers at the end of every chapter.

BUT!  (There's always a but isn't there?)  When I reviewed my rewrite, I still found work that needed to be done.  So, I fixed that and now I'm happy with everything but the critical first ten pages.  We all know how perfect those have to be.  Hopefully, my writing group can give me their thoughts.  Maybe it's just me.

Found some writing time.

The first three chapter's rewrite is going well.  Wow!  I can't believe I found some time in the midst of moving prep.  It's amazing how leaving the story incomplete nags at the back of your mind.  Ahhhh, I feel sooo much better.

It's Official - I'm Moving!

Writing takes another backseat.  Working on the house getting it ready to sell.  Lots and lots and lots of work.  Darn!

Oh to Have Nothing to do but WRITE!

My rewrite is going slower than I want just because we live in a dynamic world.  The injustice of it all!

Querying Agents - My Philosophy was right!

I've received five rejects to Dragoolend.  From what I understand, this is nothing.  But . . . that has caused me to think.  The rejects came from agents that requested ten pages with the query letter.  Is there a week spot in those first ten pages?  As it turns out,  YES!  I think I might have been in such a hurry to call the book done and get query letters out, that I let a weak spot slide.  We all know it only takes one weakness to get the rejects flowing.  And . . . it was a serious weakness that started on the second page and continued for another eight pages.  Well, thank goodness, I still have lots of good agents to send the revised ten pages to.

Ten Query Letters Sent

I sent out another five query letters about five weeks ago.  I have been following my philosophy of not flooding the field early on.  If I find that I need to make changes, I'll still have many good agents to query.

I Sent Out Five Query Letters as a Start

Sent queries to my short list of agents in December. While waiting, I'm completing a few more edits.  Next round of query letters will be to 25 more agents.  See philosophy in previous blog.

Querying - The Philosophy

You've identified 100 perfect agents for your book and sent query letters.  Two months later, all 100 sent you a nice, "No Thanks!"  Now what do you do?

Reality:  There is something wrong with your query letter.  (Out of 100 agents who want books like yours, some should have requested pages) You could redo the letter, but who are you going to send it to?  You've used up your 100 best picks.  What should you have done?

Here's my philosophy:

1.  Research (good, real, and reliable) to find the best way to write your query letter.  Start with Query Shark.  Do this!!! And, make good notes on what you should do and SHOULD NOT DO.

2.  Write (or rewrite) your query and have your peers review it.  A published author is BEST!

3.  Now, here's the key - send out 20 (Not 100).  Limit to NEW agents ( 2 years or less as an agent).

If all twenty (and these should be the perfect agents for your story) decline, then maybe your query letter is not as good as you thought.  You can redo the query and you still have 75 agents left on your list.