The craft of writing demands creative plotting, character development, skillful pacing and the expert use of literary devices. Sometimes it just comes together and it’s good. Your BETA readers love it and your editors feel less harried. The series works!
Then you put on your Indie-publishing hat and start anguishing over final title, cover art, getting an ISBN and formatting (!!!) it so Kindle doesn’t reject you with vague explanations. There is marketing, promoting, and uploading your manuscript in multiple distribution outlets for maximum royalty outputs. You need reviews! And it takes lots of them, it seems, to “move up” the Amazon Best Seller list for your genre. They better be “verified” or else!
Um, did I get that out of order? Likely.
Don’t forget to market test your final title and cover design. In the end, the title and cover art are the FIRST decision makers in the ‘purchasing funnel.’ Lesson learned. Just cuz, I thought it was good, didn’t mean it was good enough. It wasn’t. The lack of sales demonstrated that salient notion.
The title “Mysterious Ways: A Murder of Crows” was NOT compelling enough in combination with its smoky, overcast, mountain top cover to launch THE JOHANNA KINCAID MYSTERY SERIES.
I needed to give Book 1 a second chance, quickly, because Book 2 is in my BETA readers’ hands and under the scrutiny of their eagle eyes. I retitled it and came up with a compelling new cover. Whew!
But that is only the starting point. I had to delete all “book-trailer”videos, ads and promos. Not to mention “de-listing” Mysterious Ways. It was a weekend marathon of accomplishing what creative writing professors call “murdering your darlings.” Now don’t get me wrong, I’ve taken a sharp scissors (and large swords) to scenes I loved but just weren’t quite right. I’ve rewritten entire chapters and even shelved an entire concept. Then there was the time the characters mutinied and refused to cooperate until I changed the plot.
But this was different. The book was up for sale on multiple outlets, had been reviewed, and (gasp) been entered in two Indie- contests! But out came the sword.
It took all weekend, but Mysterious Ways got axed. Murdered. Flushed. Thrown into the Abyss. I never shed a tear. It was done with deadly precision and forthright motivation. My book jacket formatter forewent his favorite pastime (surfing) and produced a full wraparound cover art file, agonizing over Kindle’s persnickety algorithm of random rejections. If only I could have paid him with the bucket load of chocolate with which I consoled myself.
It is done. Here we are. And “A Convergence of Crows” Book 1 of the Johanna Kincaid Mystery Series has a re-launch. It’s coming. After I approve each one of the four distribution channel proofs.
There is the art of word-crafting. Then there is the exquisite art form of knife-throwing, sword-wielding and axe-bashing one must cultivate.
So ha!
🐾 Anneka _,