Why authors should use a Facebook Page and not a Profile.

I see the the debate go back and forth about Facebook. Unfortunately, I see a lot of authors misusing Facebook. That's a whole series of posts right there.

But as an author, especially if you're a romance or erotica author, you need to use a page and promote that rather than your profile.

Why?

Because lately, Facebook is getting wiggy and cracking down on authors who promote "adult" material. Now, in some of the cases, the crackdown was triggered by pictures posted on their profile that someone complained about.

In some cases, there were complaints about the profile itself, and because the writer was promoting "adult material," or because it was a "fake name" (ie pen name) they locked down the account.

This is one of the many reasons you need a PAGE.

You only get (as of right now) five thousand friends on a profile. Yes, you can have more than that with followers, but only 5k friends. Pages do not have that limitation.

Pages have metrics that profiles don't have. This is useful to see trends of likes to postings, new page likes, etc.

You can set pages to restrict ages (great for erotica authors).

You can get private messages through pages, people can comment on pages (or you can set them to not be able to comment). There are lots of features you can use on pages. You can even get the custom urls for them like you can profiles.

If Facebook yanks your page (and they have page designation categories for books, etc.) then, guess what? You STILL have your account. You start a new page.

If Facebook yanks your PROFILE... Well, you're totally starting over from scratch. There is a troubling increase lately in religious trolls who are friending romance and erotica authors and then reporting their profiles to Facebook just because.

I wish I was making that up.

If pages had been around when I first got my Facebook account, I would have used it from the start. You can interact with people on your page like you can on your profile. But it also allows you a little bit of protection.

So, seriously, get yourself a page for your pen name, and use THAT as your Facebook platform. Lock down your author profile so it's viewable by friends ONLY, lock down your friends list so ONLY you can see it, lock down your details as much as possible for privacy. Be VERY careful who you friend on Facebook, and please, do NOT spam people when you friend them/they friend you with a "please like my stuff" kind of message. Do NOT do that. It's rude, and it's tacky. It's like meeting someone at a party and they hand you a business card and say, "I sell insurance, you can come in tomorrow at 2pm for a portfolio review, right?"

Seriously. It's the SAME DAMN THING.

So knock it the fuck off.

Stop sending PMs to people with requests to like or buy your stuff. Quit sending invites to your pages. (Posting notices about asking people to like things to YOUR page/profile is okay. That's YOUR real estate. Don't put it on THEIR page or profile or PM.)

And get yourself over to Kristen Lamb's blog and buy her book Rise of the Machines, about social media for authors. Stop being your own worst enemy in terms of self-promotion.

And treat your readers like FRIENDS, NOT like commodities or customers. If you let them get to know you, they will eventually buy your stuff. But trying to force-feed it to them is only asking for trouble.

Worldbuilding 101

Whether you're writing a contemporary novel or a fantasy set in a make-believe realm, there's always going to be some aspect of "worldbuilding" to your writing. How extensive it has to be depends on your story.

Here are some helpful links to...well, help. Enjoy.

Chuck Wendig's terribleminds blog: 25 Things You Should Know About Worldbuilding
Belinda Crawford: A World-building Template for When You're on the Go
Belinda Crawford: The World-building Leviathan and a Scrivener Template
Holly Lisle: How Much of My World Do I Build?
Victoria Strauss: An Impatient Writer's Approach to World Building
Rebecca Zanetti: Five Blunders Authors Make in World-Building
Mellanie Szereto: Worldbuilding
Washington Romance Writers: Worldbuilding for Writers
SFWA: Fantasy Worldbuilding Questions
Sisters in Crime: One Writer's World-Building Tools

Grammar...it matters.

Just ran across a book blurb on Facebook for a book due out on 9/20.

Be proud of me, I didn't shame them publicly.

They wrote that the main character was born to "heroine addicted parents."

*blink*

*blink*

You know, I could have asked in the comments, "Which one? Wonder Woman? Batgirl? She-Hulk?" But...I didn't. I sent the poster a polite PM pointing out the error. Because, based on the blurb, I'm guessing the term "heroin-addicted parents" probably comes up more than once, and the word "heroin" might have been mistakenly replaced by "heroine" more than once if the mistake was made in the blurb.

And it was not the only error in the blurb. Based on the blurb, no way would I buy the book, if it had that many errors in it.

This is why, self-published authors, you MUST ENGAGE THE SERVICES OF AN EDITOR!!!! If you don't, and you don't know your "heroine" from your "heroin," you might likely find yourself ridiculed (with only yourself to blame).

And if you don't know why "heroine addicted parents" is in NO way a suitable replacement for "heroin-addicted parents?" Well, bunky, then you really need to go back to school.

No, I'm not perfect. This is why I'm the FIRST person to know I NEED an editor. And I've been repeatedly told by editors that my edits are usually pretty clean. So if someone like ME knows I need an editor, then why would anyone feel they are above the services of an editor?

And no, I'm also not playing "Mean Girls" here. I'm trying to point out why you cannot get your panties in a twist if you are responsible for making a totally stupid, totally juvenile, and totally PREVENTABLE mistake in something you are putting out to SELL TO THE PUBLIC.

Don't turn your Alphas into A$$holes.

There's a disturbing trend as of late in romance and erotica books, of trying to push the envelope with "bad boys," or "dominant Alpha men."

Unfortunately, I've had an inordinately high number of DNF's  (did not finish) books over the past couple of months (no, I'm NOT going to name authors or books) where the hero was supposed to be some Alpha dude, and he actually comes off as an asshole.

#authorfail

Usually, this was because we didn't begin to see any kind of a redeeming feature in the hero until later in the book, if at all. And in many cases, if there was a "redeeming" moment, I missed it completely because I couldn't stand the hero and DNF'd the book.

Authors, you need to remember your readers do NOT know your characters the way YOU know them. YOU might know the hero isn't an asshole, and if they'll just hold on until later in the book, you'll prove it.

Unfortunately, if you wait that long to show the bad boy's snuggle-muffin side, you're really risking losing the reader.

Here's how you handle it: You need to show, either BEFORE the hero meets the heroine, or as soon as possible after (meaning IMMEDIATELY after) the hero's softer side. Whether it's you show him going in to volunteer at a Hospice house, or he rescues a kitten from a drainage ditch, or he does SOMETHING honorable/valiant/squee-worthy/"awww" worthy -- SOMETHING. ANYTHING. Because, believe me, if the heroine comes away from the first meeting thinking he's a douche nozzle, chances are your readers will, too. So you'd best salvage that bad boy's rep ASAP, or you'll be scratching your head over reader comments later saying how they'd like to roast his balls.

The hero MUST have an honorable streak of SOME sort. He MUST have a reason for us to like him. Even Hannibal-freaking-Lecter, A SERIAL KILLER, had people rooting for him!!!!

Let me repeat that. A SERIAL KILLER.

HAD US ROOTING.

FOR HIM!!!!

Yes, I'm shouting.

Why do we like Hannibal Lecter, besides Sir Anthony Hopkins' brilliant portrayal of him in the movie? Because he has his own twisted code of honor. If you're not rude to him, chances are, you won't end up on his dinner plate. He plays by a set of rules.

He's a freaking SERIAL KILLER.

And yet we root for him.

Have I drilled this through your head yet?

Here's what you need to ask yourself, and I mean REALLY ask yourself. If you met your hero on the street, and knew NOTHING else about him, and he interacted with you the way he interacts with your heroine, would you like him, or would you call him a fucking piece of smelly toe cheese and tell him to go fuck himself?

Quit whining. Seriously, quit fucking whining about this. I don't CARE what his noble intentions are. If I toss the book thirty seconds after he pulls his Sir Douchey of Cunttown act, it doesn't matter HOW much you redeem him in the last chapter of the book, because I've already chucked it and considered adding you to my "authors to never ever read again" list.

And here's another thing to ponder. If readers see your heroine FALLING for Tom Twatwaffle, they're going to seriously question her intelligence and self-esteem, and they'll want to slap the everlovin' crap out of her. Meaning you'll have a book where readers hate BOTH your hero and heroine.

NOT a recipe for success.

So if you're going to write a bad boy, introduce him FIRST. Make us LIKE him FIRST. Invest us in HIM. Then let him trip into the heroine during their first meeting and give us a REASON to see why he acts like a fucking tool to her. Then you'll have us rooting for HER to see the same goodness in him that we do, and you'll amp up the tension in the process, because we'll be biting our nails hoping they do get their shit together, and that he is able to drop the Dick Dilweed act for her and they'll end up with an HEA we can all love.

Got it? Good.

Now please, please, PEASE stop writing bad-boy-redeemed-in-final-chapter books! Kthxbai!

Friday Frappe

It's time for another Friday Frappe. Here is a list of links for your perusal. Enjoy!

Kristen Lamb: Brave New Publishing & Attack of the Feral Plot Bunnies
Dave Farland: Working With a Cast of Millions
Jane Friedman: The Problem With Overly Nice Characters
Jane Friedman: 3 Reasons Why a Facebook Page Can't Replace an Author Website
Rachelle Gardner: Those Annoying Exclamation Ponts!!!
August Wainwright: The Indie 50 - The 50 Best Sites for Indie and Self-Published Authors
Self-Publish 101: The most-annoying writing mistakes [Infographic]
Writer Unboxed: Strength in Weakness
Speaking to the Eyes: Chekov's Neglected Gun

Monday Mash-Up

Happy(?) Monday!

Here's your Monday Mash-Up of links that have hit my inbox over the past few days.

Enjoy!

Savvy Authors: Imagination and knowledge: The Basis of the Historical Novel
David Gaughran: 5 Book Marketing Myths You Need to Forget
Writer Unboxed: Marketing Outside the Box
Kristen Lamb: Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome -- Writers of the Digital Age
Babbling About Books and More: WTFery or Not? You Decide
Redwood's Medical Edge: New Stories for Authors: Cyanide and the Lottery Winner

Publishing Contracts: Red Flags and Warnings

Today, we're going to discuss contracts.

For crissake, get your fingers out of your ears and quit making "lalalalala" noises at me. If you want to make a living as a writer, contracts are part and parcel of the "not fun" part of writing.

So suck it up, buttercup, and deal with it. Once you understand them, believe me, they are NOT as scary as they appear.

You do, however, HAVE TO READ THEM.

Publishing contracts can sometimes be tricky to decipher, especially from traditional publishers. However, contracts for most indie publishers, especially if they offer digital-only, or digital plus print-on-demand, aren't so difficult the average writer can't decipher them. The truth is, unless your family lawyer is experienced in publishing law, they might be less than helpful to you for some of the clauses.

Off the bat, here is a quick checklist of things to look/look out for:

• Finite contract length should be specified in years and NOT dependent on flimsy sales thresholds or "in print" statuses that are easily rigged by the publisher to benefit them. Beware of "perpetual renewal" clauses. (Different from automatic renewal, which can be ended after the initial contract period.)
• Copyright must be retained by author. (And the contract cannot be for the "life of the copyright.)
• Rights the publisher exercises should be clearly specified, not broadly grabbed in non-specific, future-looking ways. Rights the publisher doesn't exercise should be specifically awarded to the author. (Note: Contracts that are overly broad in terms of grabbing all languages and all print binding types, as well as all media types, and merchandising, are definitely a red flag.)
• Royalty payment and royalty statement delivery timeframes should be clearly specified. (ie. every quarter, with the quarter end date specified, and a maximum number of days after that, such as 30 days after end of quarter, etc.)
• "Net" royalties should be clearly defined. (ie. the publisher says they pay you a percentage of the actual amount of money they receive, not some cloudy "net profit" with poorly defined expenses -- expenses should be borne by the publisher, not the writer, and already figured into their selling price)
• Payment method should be stated. (ie. wire transfer, check, fund type -- important especially for authors dealing with publishers in different countries and using different monetary types)
• Audit clauses. Do NOT sign any contract without an audit clause.
• Non-compete clauses. It is highly recommended you do NOT sign a non-compete clause, unless it's for a specific pen name you've already set up to write for that particular publisher. (That is not an uncommon occurrence, for a writer to contract a series under a pen name to a specific publisher, and it's also not a "bad" thing. AS LONG AS you understand up front what you're getting into and it doesn't limit you in any way to write similar types of books under other pen names for other publishers or self-published.) Any non-compete clause that limits you in what and how and where you can publish fiction under other pen names can be dangerous to your career if you don't understand it. For example, my pen name Tymber Dalton is now exclusive to my publisher for a set number of years for my fiction, but they allow me to self-publish non-fiction tutorials as Tymber. However, it does NOT limit me in any way to other pen names, publishers, genres, etc. Also, I participated in two special series with two different pen names created exclusively for the publisher, for those special series. Nothing in the contracts prohibited or restricted me under my other pen names.
• First refusal clauses and next book clauses. Make sure these are specific to a book/series, and not broad by genre/pen name.
• Kill fees.

Want some more info? Run a Google search for "publishing contract red flags" and you'll find a bunch. Here are just a few resources:

EPIC's Red Flag/Yellow Flag List

A Contract Primer: Red Flags

Your Book Deal and Publishing Contract... Red Flags to Watch Out For!

Writing Contract Red Flags

Contract Red Flag: Net Profit Royalty Clauses

There are plenty more sites out there, those are just some of the top ones.

Never be afraid to go back to a publisher and ask for clarification on a clause. And if there is a clause in a contract that you don't like? Ask to strike or change it. If they won't, don't be afraid to walk away.

Friday Frappe

Happy 4th of July Friday. (Yes, I know I should have posted a note yesterday. Sorry.)

Anyhoo.

Here's your Friday Frappe list of linkage that whizzed through (not on or in, thankfully) my inbox recently.

Enjoy!


Dave Farland's Daily Kick in the Pants: Ten Easy Ways to Get Rejected
The Business Rusch: Selling Books Elsewhere (foreign rights and new publishing paradigms)
Dean Wesley Smith: Helping Readers Find Your Work
Julie Glover: Miss Spelling and Tricky Words
Jenny Hansen: Figuring Out Your Story's Turning Points
David Gaughran: How to Avoid Publishing-Assisted Suicide
Galleycat: Literary Agents Share Manuscript Wish Lists
Feral Intensity: Amazon's Ripping Me Off! (no, not really, but catchy title)
Real Business: How I Got a Blank Book to the Top of the Amazon Charts
Chuck Wendig: Tweet #100,000 (Or: "The Terribleminds Guide to Life") (Seriously, WHY are you not following him yet?)
Chuck Wendig: Search Term Bingo Peed in Your Gas Tank (yes, he gets two mentions this time around)
Kristen Lamb: Freedom isn't Free--5 Common Tactical Errors in Self-Publishing

Friday Frappe

Happy Friday! Here is a list of various links that have crossed my inbox.

Want to write the next Dark Crystal novel? (Galleycat): http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/win-a-contract-to-write-a-dark-crystal-novel_b72556

A "traditionally published" author denies that self-pub is "destroying literature" as some would claim. (Laura Resnick): http://lauraresnickauthor.wordpress.com/2013/06/18/self-publishing-is-destroying-the-world-oh-nooooooo/

How to avoid comma splices. (Grammar Girl): http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/common-comma-error.aspx

We're marketers, not soldiers. (co.Create): http://www.fastcocreate.com/1682406/we-re-marketers-not-soldiers-how-combative-competition-is-killing-creativity

The three NEVERs of Social Media. (Kristen Lamb): http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/2013/06/19/the-three-nevers-of-social-media/

Writer Beware: Crimson Romance

Reports are starting to filter in about problems at Crimson Romance. Do your research before you sign ANY contracts.

http://accrispin.blogspot.com/2013/06/authors-concerns-at-crimson-romance.html