So many of you have heard about the huffington post and its practices of late. No surprise, it’s been going around. Well recently, this happened. Here’s a link to an article by writer James Bloodworth, (twitter handle: @J_Bloodworth) CLICK HERE FOR ARTICLE.
We live in a world of OVER EXPOSURE! Look at twitter. Your exposure, if not generated properly, because let’s be honest, how many of you actively look at the name/credits of an article, won’t net you a damn thing!
Properly generated exposure comes from YOU being in control. Giving away your work at discount or free, to the RIGHT parties. Not, well, we’re a big million dollar company, and want to use YOU to generate revenue. Do not mistake this for an unpaid internship with another sort of business. The creative industry in many regards is different than other businesses. I know someone who interned at an investing firm, unpaid. Why?
Their employees actively, ACTIVELY, took time out of their own schedules (not paid hourly) to help newbies. Meaning, they were investing in employees at the cost of possibly generating revenue in the hopes that new employees would stick with them, and generate MORE revenue!
In the creative industry, more often than not, unpaid interns aren’t just learning skills, they are being used to produce material that is being SOLD for profit. Meaning they are working and generating revenue and essentially are being convinced to give their consent in working for without pay under the guise of internship. They’re not being invested in. They’re being told, make content for us, you get exposure to build your career, no pay.
…
Any traditional publisher pays even the newest and lowest author in their totem poll AND GOES INTO LOSS on that author. A small percent of new authors generate bombastic sales to offset the investment cost a publisher takes on an unknown newbie. That’s rare. Yet publishers still pay. You are an investment for their future. They hope in 5-10 years you will be a top tier author earning them 50 percent of their operating costs back, (the other 50 earned by mid tier authors that earn not extra revenue for the pub) as well as pure profit after that. They take huge risks and still pay.
Companies aren’t always taking a risk on a new writer. They’re tricking new writers. You DESERVE, to be paid! If you make it, and it earns revenue, you get a piece. STOP BEING SUBMISSIVE ABOUT IT.
You earned it! Go into any other field, new employees make some sort of wage, they do. Unpaid internships exist, normally with some other benefit than…exposure! Most are tie ins into securing a PAID position in the company.
And the sad thing is, authors, many, are accepting this crap. Like it’s normal. And because of that, many readers and other people are feeling like they are ENTITLED to someone’s intellectual property, creations, for free.
The hell they are! They need a cactus colonoscopy!
You have a choice. I ask you to believe in yourself, your abilities, and your dreams. You can worry about them, sure. It happens. It’s natural. And it’s not fun, is it? Or, you can indulge your dreams. I mean why not? Now I’m no one famous, special, or whatever. But you know what? Two years ago I published my first mess of a novel and set off on a dream to publish more, maybe make a living, the dream. Haven’t made the living yet. But, I have book one out. Book two is done and coming out in less than a month. I’m working on my third fiction novel for publishing (not my third ever fiction novel…I have files of old moldy crap) set in the same world but new series. So, I’m doing part of it. I’m still writing. I’m making an income, yes a paltry one, but I’m making it solely from writing. As my works continue to grow, as I grow in skills and fans/followers/supporters, I’m sure the income part will too. And then another part of the dream comes true. So I’ve been writing for 8 years. It’s slowly happening now. Now.
All our choices and beliefs are cumulative. They add up and yield certain results. Keep writing, and believing in your dreams. Because…why not?
I’m starting to do it. Some of you are just starting. In time, you’ll likely be where I am now, and I’ll be where some other nanos are now, those who are making a living off of writing. We’re all at different parts of the journey. But here, in this group, you can see across the spectrum. You have the proof. We can do it. You can do it. I know it. I’m doing it. Others have done it. You can too. You will. Maybe you already have.
Just remember to believe. Because I believe in you
Hey all, I’m back. I apologize for having been away for a while and not filling you up with motivating things. I’ve been busy with the release of Grave Measures, that’s right, book two in The Grave Report. It’s been awhile huh? Well here it comes as promised. It’s currently up and live for pre order on kindle. The official release date is April 15th. That’s right. Around 18 days.
Can you wait? I can’t and heck, it’s my novel. The paperback will go live that day as well if all goes to plan. So why am I here? Well to ask for your help, if you’d be so kind. I’m running a thunderclap campaign to make Grave Measures blow through the rankings on release date and get the hashtags, #Gravereport and #Gravemeasures to trend if possible. Can you help me with that? It’s absolutely free followers. All you need to do is click below where it says—
>>— Thunderclap <<—click that. It will take you to my thunderclap campaign which for two days was number one in the world. Who knows, maybe with your help I can make Grave Measures hit the number one spot. I’m currently around 160 supporters out of the 250 I need. Can you help? This is a call to action, a call for aid. Here’s hoping you come to mine. If you’re interested and can’t wait to click on the purchase button for book two, grave measures. The link is below in the title, just click it.
Grave Measures << CLICK to be taken to the amazon kindle page. Thank you all so much. My career has been steadily growing. Here’s hoping you lot can help me rise higher. It means the world. Thank you once again.
Today I’m going to make you believe, not in me, not in anything crazy, but something endlessly important—you!
This lesson is coming from an amazing, and inspirational man I was fortunate enough to meet at a writing seminar. That man is James Artimus Owen .
He’s the man behind an impressive bibliography of books and illustrations. A career artist, author and motivator. An impressive list. The lesson he taught me that still resonates with me today, believe in yourself.
He’s a man who followed his dreams even when the world and people seemed to stand in his way. You know what came of all of that?
He made it. He’s arrived. He’s achieved the things we dreamers want.
What’s he doing now that he’s done all that? Sharing his wisdom and experience with us. Not something to be taken for granted. But, going through the trials he has, he’s made one thing clear, it’s important to believe in yourself. Why?
Because sometimes not everyone will, but you can. You can always believe in yourself. It might be hard at times, but hard isn’t impossible. It can be done. And you need to believe in yourself first. Because when you do, others will see that, they will step aside and out of your way. Or…some of them come to your side, they help you, push you, believe in you. But it has to start with you—always.
Just like the dream needs to come from you, so does the belief. But hey, I’m a bit of a cheater, so why don’t I kickstart you.
I believe in you.
I believe in you.
I believe in you.
I believe in your dreams.
I believe in your capacity to reach, achieve, and create them.
I believe in your skills and wondrous talent.
I believe you’re the right person to make them happen.
I believe you deserve to have them happen.
I do.
It’s true.
You’ve got this. I believe in you.
And if you want to read the stories and life behind what made James the amazingly inspiring man he is. Please check out his kickstarter and support it if you can and share.
Hey-O oh mighty blarghers and readers of my wordiness. What’s up?
Oh this random out of the blue post? Yeah, about that. Well you know how much I love to motivate, and help new authors too. Well that’s what this is. Today is a freebie for a new debut author in the urban fantasy genre. His name is James Baldwin. Remember it.
Blood Hound is a dark, gritty, noire tale. It follows the occult hitmage Alexi. Russian mafia, occult urban fantasy with dark magic. James knows what he’s talking about, well, I guess I should say writing about. It shows in the novel, and definitely in the reviews. Imagine the dark world of John Constantine, but with John Wick thrown in. Occultist magic. Guns. Dark themes and dry wit. It’s something to check out. And today, it’s free. You might want to grab it. Who can turn down a free kindle book. Oh, did I mention it’s quickly on the rise and has surged into the top 100 for its genre and moving up the ranks? Wonder why?
Oh yeah. Because it’s more than free. It’s good. According to the reviewers. It’s great. Fantastic. Gritty and dark. As an Urban Fantasy reader myself, I say go grab it.
Here’s the link. Please help share this if you can. Why not help a new and upcoming author out? It can make their life. And definitely makes their day!
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B019EE6PW4
I’ll see if I can get James to drop by with a blog hop tomorrow!
