#am I really a indie author / artist now?

[hydralisk98]

About to reach a kiloword (2^10 aka 1024) followers...

First, thanks to all of you by so sooooo much for caring and sticking around, you are amazing sapient individuals and deserve my praise for it.

Now, I want to make myself and my income future-proof. So, don't mind if I start creating and selling a few products on a few online storefronts? I am still making free stuff for you all to enjoy, I just want to develop some more usefulness and improve upon my skills going forward.

PRODUCT IDEAS (the Nth list)

Syndicalist stickers, buttons & cutouts (derived from Kaiserreich) derived for a handful of countries in the world.

Contemporary legalism-compliant axis-victory world fan-merch (merely immersive feelies that avoid specific connotated patterns & malicious use intents)

Reprint templates for "Landlords Game" and its 1930s "Prosperity" ruleset

Custom ancients-style games & classic board games...

Memetic stylized personalized "branded" stickers

Customized iconography packs for autistic organization

Cardboard double-sided counters

Cutout sticker sheets

Memo pads & sticky note stacks

FontForge typefaces / fonts (in TTF, WOFF & OTF formats)

Artistic notecards

Regular playing cards and Tarot cards decks

Visualization decks / deques for colouring & gratitude

Animated yesteryear retroweb-like pixel assets for Neocities

Reality scripture worksheets with visualization tips & aids

New desktop theme customization packs (mostly aiming towards KDE Plasma & GTK-derived desktop environments, with limited support for macOS / Windows)

Printable stylized documents and their model source files in PDF & LibreOffice source file types form (with some Blender, Inkscape, GIMP...)

PNG / GIF / SVG graphical packs

OGG / OGV / OPUS multimedia packs (for physical media too!)

3D paper prints / papercrafts environmental packs

Hexagonal dotted grids for speculative world generation paradigms (TTRPGs-friendly)

Kid topics worksheets (w/ source files) for constructed languages & cultures...

(Add)venturing prompt / question / query modules

Construction toys & their thematic sets

TTRPG modules (game adventures, campaign settings, ruleset complements...)

Personalized computer builds (with both aesthetics and function in mind...)

Educational flashcards?

Art prints / posters?

Paper dollhouse packs?

Code snippets and scripts (GitLab / GitHub / Sourcehut)?

Visual previews for community review:

Farewell to soon!

[thenocturnenarrator]

since you asked for book description:

"Narra, or rather Emma, was a person who didn't really stand out from the crowd at first glance if you were standing next to her on the street. You might just think that she's just another regular teenager who looks strangely reminiscent of a certain pixelated character from a hit indie game. But if you delved deeper into her life, you would learn many interesting things.

No wonder such a nice person with a perpetual smile had yellow as her favorite color. Yellow color like sunflowers in the sunlight, like lemons that can burn your house down. Both comparisons were fitting for Narra herself, because she indeed loved the sun and the rays, but she could just as well destroy your apartment.

Narra, whenever she had time, was involved in art, her artistic soul poured out through her fingers and, well, through a pen, onto the canvas. Her drawings were as colorful and warm as she was, perfectly reflecting her personality. She was one of those artists whose drawings, after seeing them, you could confidently say what kind of person their author was.

Because everything around Narra was blooming like those yellow sunflowers in the sun's rays.

And Narra was happy."

Oh hell yeah

I’ve never heard that name before what are you saying. Don’t ya think I didn’t notice the chara reference I DO NOT LOOK LIKE CHARACTER IRL AND YOU KNOW THAT

I’m kinda yellowish too so. Hey now, I wouldn’t destroy anyone’s apartment! Unless…

Very true, unfortunate for learning in class but very fun nonetheless. UYTFUYTFUYTGUYTF shush! You’ll make me blush uytfuytf :>

Awww uytfuyt thankssssssss uytfuytfyutytv

After reading this? HELL YEAH I AM

[batmansymbol]

hello, my sweet sweet tumblr friends. i have a new book out one month from saturday. here we are together, the book and i:

this one was fun. i wrote it with my sister! when we were young, we were cutthroat competitive. she (older) would forbid me from reading the books on her shelves, and i (gremlin) would booby-trap her room, so you decide which of us committed the greater sin. now we have a blast.

our names are pronounced REE-uh-nock and SHEE-fra, and our book was pitched as THE PARENT TRAP meets THE VANISHING HALF. it releases August 15th, 2023. logline is "Two half-Chinese half-siblings collide for the first time at a summer art camp, not knowing they're related—and begin to understand who they are as artists, as brother and sister, and as Asian-Americans."

it's a book about summer camp hijinks, about passing, about what we long for and where we belong. it also says "Robinson & Robinson" on the spine, which makes us sound like an accidental injury law firm. sweet.

of all the books with my name on it, this one is probably the "book club"-iest. if you like coming-of-age novels or stories about the AAPI diaspora, you might like this one :)

you can preorder a signed copy from my local indie here, or non-signed copies from Bookshop.org, Barnes and Noble, or Amazon. i really cannot stress enough how much every single preorder helps, as i am what the industry calls "a midlist author," also known as "an obscure author who has difficulty placing projects with publishers because of sales figures lmao." (this is not to whinge. the majority of working authors exist in this financially & existentially precarious position)

alternatively, i would be totally thrilled if you reblogged this post, or mentioned the book to any teachers, librarians, bookstore workers, or other readers in your life :)

happy summer everybody—may it be the lazy river of your dreams. xoxoxo

[lesbianmarrow]

hey you seem to have a lot of knowledge about comics and their structure, I was wondering if you had any recommendations for some good comics? like ones with good flow/eyelines?

ahh thank you, i am so flattered! it's funny you ask because just yesterday i was thinking about the flow/eyelines in the book i was reading. it's called feeding ghosts: a graphic memoir by tessa hulls. it's a monochrome graphic memoir about the author's family history, the family's history of mental illness, and how that's all linked to the history of china. it reminds me a lot of fun home in some ways. because the author is describing not only her family's history but also her experience of learning about and processing her family's history, she'll often draw her adult self in the panel along with a young version of her mother or her grandmother. that implosion of linear time is a core theme of the book and the author uses some really interesting page layouts and ways of manipulating the eye around the page to emphasize that.

another book that comes to mind for me is laura dean keeps breaking up with me by mariko tamaki and rosemary valerio-o'connell. i remember being really impressed with the lettering in that book. it was really beautiful and fit the gorgeous, dreamy art while doing a stellar job of guiding the eye along the page in an unobtrusive way. so often it is the lettering that does so much of the heavy lifting in making a page visually legible to a reader - once i started noticing it, i couldn't stop. rosemary's art in that book is also so stunning. she has such an ornate, intricate style that nevertheless manages to be dynamic, which is what was needed for this book. also i'm biased bc i met both mariko and rosemary and got my copy of the book signed by both of them >:)

erica henderson is also a comics genius. i feel like i learned so much of what i understand about how comics function from reading her patreon posts. recently she did a harley quinn annual at dc, and it's just a one-shot story of harley quinn and zatanna on a cruise together solving a murder mystery. henderson wrote, drew, and colored the issue herself. she's a master of comedic timing and the story has so many amazing visual gags. and her page layouts are always very thoughtful and interesting. i wish dc would do more of that, just get a really great writer/artist to do a 40-page one-shot of some popular characters. i guess the black label minis are kind of a bigger version of that. but i do love a humble one-shot.

if you've not yet checked out the shortbox comics fair i highly recommend doing so! it's an annual online-only comics fair, meticulously curated, where you can browse their selection of all-new indie comics and buy pdfs of the ones you like. all money goes to the comics creators. it's october-only so now is a good time to check it out. i bought some comics from them at the beginning of the month and there was some seriously incredible stuff. personally i really loved in the fading light and wednesday's child.

finally if you're not already familiar with silver sprocket i recommend checking out their stuff as well! they publish a lot of comics that tend to be more experimental than stuff you'd find at more mainstream publishers and they skew pretty queer and trans. in general i like looking at what smaller presses are putting out - avery hill publishing and uncivilized books also have good stuff.

i hope that helps! i'm always happy to recommend some good comics :)

[andromedaexists]

It's Been a Week...

Seven days ago I introduced my book baby (Δάιος, you might have heard of it) into the world! On 10/10 Icky baby made his debut!!

So what has happened since then?

Well, my personal life has become a living hell but that's not what we're here to discuss. Today is all about self-publishing a debut novel.

Icarus came into the world on the 10th with a KDP ebook and paperback release. Those were soon joined on the 11th by an ebook, paperback, and hard cover wide release through the distribution channels of IngramSparks.

I have learned a lot with this process. Namely: IngramSparks is a fucking bitch when it comes to covers, Amazon will not provide quality author proofs so I have no way of knowing what my book will look like before it publishes, and that I need to give myself more time to work out the kinks next time.

Before I get too far into details, I want to highlight some numbers here. If you do not want to see publication numbers then you are free to go! Thank you for stopping by, though!

Okay, so here are my numbers so far:

I had sixteen (16) preorders on the Δάιος ebook through Amazon.

On release day, these orders processed. I also received another 3 orders that day, bringing the total number to 19.

Since that first day, I have received a total of 26 orders through KDP.

As you can tell, I had a significant dip right after pub day. This is mostly my own fault, as I am terrible at marketing and by virtue of my life going to shit I haven't even been shitposting about my book.

Of these 26 orders, 5 of them have been paperbacks

This is a lot better than I expected!! I think it's because I am so partial to physical copies that I tend to push those first and foremost before the ebook.

But these are just the amazon KDP numbers, I have also gone wide with distribution!

So how many orders have I gotten through IngramSparks??? None.

Not a one. That's to be expected though, a lot of indies sell through amazon first and foremost. I mostly set up ingram for two reasons: 1. I wanted to hold a hardcover edition of Δάιος in my hands but i really dislike the way that KDP doesn't offer dust jackets for their hardcovers and 2. Consignment

I just finished filling out some consignment forms for my local NE Ohio bookstores, we'll see if I get into any of them.

There is one other place I sell, though: my website. How many orders have I gotten there? 6!!

one of those images is different, because on my website I can offer something that amazon and IS can't. Physical goodies. The books on my website come with a pack of 6 stickers, a thank you card, and my signature! And technically I have 8 orders, but one hasn't come through yet from a friend in person and the other is for Shane bb who is getting an annotated copy of the book (I haven't finished the annotations yet lol)

So now that we have all the numbers out in the open, let's talk about money. How much did it cost for me to publish δάιος? A lot. It is possible to publish for much less than what it cost me, but I went out of my way to commission a cover artist that I just knew I needed to have and that cost me a pretty penny.

All in all, I spent $2,920.16 ($1,703.02 is the cover alone after conversion from GBP)

And how much have I made back so far, just in week one?

$73.46 from KDP royalties and $44.82 from my website ($94.95 - $50.13 for the books alone, not even counting the goodies and packing supplies) for a total of...

$118.28!!! That's a lot!!!

I am very privileged to have a credit card I can put my expenses on as I slowly pay them off, and I do not regret anything I have done in the creation of my book. Even if it makes me cry a little bit at how much I spent.

Now that the numbers are over, what are some positive things that have come of this and some negative things? (pos first)

I have published my debut novel!

There are 4 people who have read my debut novel and liked it enough to rate it on goodreads! (it has a 4.75 star rating atm!)

My book is BEAUTIFUL

Icky baby has been unleashed on the world!

I feel like I've finally accomplished something with my life

DID I MENTION THAT I PUBLISHED A BOOK???

the negatives:

I really don't like that the colors of the cover don't print properly, every copy I've gotten either lightens the contrast so you can't see the title or it darkens the damned thing and you can't see Icarus

I also don't like that IngramSparks doesn't support any letters outside of the basic latin letters on the spine of covers, because that means that my baby is naked under the dust jacket and that's just boring

Amazon Fuckt Up my print proof (i will attach pictures) and I freaked out about it for a good 4 days

I just realized today that I published daios with a placeholder chapter title about halfway through the book... so I fixed that but there are already more than 30 copies of the book in circulation with that error...

Idk if it's just my bad eyes but I feel like the text is too small in the print books. I would like to make it larger when I publish the revised edition next year

INGRAMSPARKS IS A LITTLE BITCH THAT WILL YELL AT YOU AND REJECT YOUR COVER IF YOU LOOK AT IT WRONG

I can order just a regular copy of daios off amazon and it will be here in two days. So why when I order author copies does it take TWO WEEKS TO SHIP

I really hate that the hardcover can't have creme paper. Like, gimme the offwhite. It looks so much better with my cover and the vibes of the story. Lemme use something other than bleach white please i'm begging

All in all, I learned a lot with this!! I had my ups and downs, I think I've done everything in my power to make this book successful, and now I just have to roll with it!

I will check in again at the one month mark, but yeah! That's it! Thanks for reading through this long winded post!!

The pictures, as promised:

And just in case you can't immediately see what's wrong:

The colors are off, the title has like a hard demarcation when it's supposed to be a soft glow and you can't hardly see Icarus down there

My name is brushed up against the edge of the book when it's supposed to have a decent buffer room

The spine is shifted. Why is the spine text partially on the front cover?

The colors are off on the back as well, the text is hard to read and it's too close to the edge of the book when it's supposed to be more centered.

For reference, here's the finally front cover on a regular paperback purchased through amazon (I.E. what a normal customer would receive):

[chaikachi]

Hi, Chai! I've been following you for a bit, mostly for the RG content, and I've recently seen you talk about your other non-RWBY interests when I realized that I'm really curious on what other media do you like? (Be it shows, movies, music, games, books, etc.)

Oughh this is a very good question. I'll put them under a read more cause I have a feeling I took this question too literally and it might get just a little bit long because of that. 💦

I'm generally very passive with the media I consume and only draw as much RWBY as I do because RG has had me in a vice grip since V8E1 and isn't letting go anytime soon. 💀 But I do engage with lots of other stuff too! This isn't an exhaustive list, just ones I like lots or re-watch often enough.

Anime

I probably watch this stuff more than anything else. My favourite of all time is probably The Eccentric Family, both seasons. The art direction and the messages of the story just hit very hard for me and I re-watch it pretty much every year. My second favourite is Kekkai Sensen (i prefer the first over second season as they switch directors).

As for others enjoy:

Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood

Silver Spoon

Yona of the Dawn

Snow White with the Red Hair

Kyousogiga (recommend if you liked Kekkai Sensen)

A Lull in the Sea

Chaika the Coffin Princess [Now why does that name sound so familiar 🤔]

Anohana

Been really enjoying this season's shows and am looking forward to the Winter 2024 lineup (Dungeon Meshi and Yubisaki to Renren at the same time!!)

Shows

Dragon Prince

The Owl House

Good Omens

Games

Nier (2010),

Transistor

Pyre

Zelda Series (Ocarina of Time & Spirit Tracks are my favourites)

Nier: Automata

Honorary mentions to Grand Chase (an old MMO i used to be obsessed with), Avalon Code (a niche DS game that I really liked), Fire Emblem Awakening (a classic) and Animal Crossing (that I played like it was my day job in 2020).

Movies

Can only think of two live actions and the rest are animated/anime 😭

Stardust

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

Howl's Moving Castle

HTTYD (1 & 2)

Kubo and the Two Strings

The Wind Rises

From Up on Poppy Hill

Penguin Highway

Books

I don't read as much as I did when I was a kid, but my top three are probably Runemarks, Howl's Moving Castle, and Stardust (I like the last two a lot because I liked their movies).

Webcomics

Used to be really into these and wanted to write my own before Webtoon kinda... gentrified the entire industry. But hey, I can still talk about some of my favourites!

Shaderunners (queer heist in a roaring 20sish setting)

Witchy (queer south East Asian inspired fantasy adventure)

Kochab (sapphic story between a skier that gets lost and meets a fire spirit I think? It's final updates are going up this month!)

Lady of the Shard (all time favourite. queer polyam lovestory between a goddess and her acolyte. Complete. I reread it every year, I love it so much. The rest of the authors work is also great, you might know them from Cucumber Quest).

Then lastly...

Music

I mostly listen to indie/folk more than anything else, with a bit of jazz/R&B thrown in for flavour. Favourite artists are probably:

San Fermin

Flock of Dimes/Wye Oak

Of Monsters & Men

Maggie Rogers

Florence & the Machine

Paper Kites

Matthew and the Atlas

Halsey

This list obviously isn't exhaustive because I have the memory of a goldfish but those are the highlights that came to mind at least.

Sorry for the long list, but thank you for the question!! It was fun to put all these in one place.

[musiclover638]

Hazbin Hotel

I want to talk about Hazbin Hotel as a Christian. I have been religious my entire life. I believe Jesus died on the Cross and rose again in three days. If you don't agree with me, I don't care. I am happy being a disciple. I am happy with my religion.

Now, I have been seeing that some religious people are criticizing it from a religious POV. If you see anyone doing that, don't let that shape your view of other religious people. They are not truly righteous if they are looking at it in that lens. I know the show is based of an idea that Viv made up. It's not affecting me, my view of Lucifer, Adam and Eve, heaven, hell, etc. It's not doing any of that. In fact, I am proud and happy of Viv and how far she has come in her journey as an artist. Making a pilot on YouTube then getting the change from A24 to make her idea a reality is amazing. Go Indie animation! (We got a win, Y'all!)

I really enjoy Hazbin Hotel. It's well animated, has a fun cast, and great music. I do have a problem with the pacing but I don't blame Viv or her team. (Eight episodes is not enough to tell a story like this. Hopefully season two has more episodes.) Some songs are't... great and some are absolute BANGERS and some things that were revealed were revealed fast. But these are the kind of criticism that are deserved and needed. There is nothing wrong with criticism and everyone, from artists, musicians, and authors alike must accept it.

So, yeah. This has been on my mind for a while and I just wanted to say something about it.

[maridiayachtclub]

i went to a con this past weekend. didn't go to any panels or anything, just wanted to browse the vendors and artist alley. which i did, with two primary goals:

the first was to find some comics and books by little indie outfits i have never heard of. and there were several of those, and i picked up a couple of books from local (or quasi-local. two states over counts as "nearby" when it's Montana) authors, but i guess i was hoping to see more? there weren't as many comics as i was expecting at The Comic Con. like, it's been a good number of years since i've been to one of these, but much more than the last time i went, it felt like the crowd consisted of (and the vendors catered to) people whose engagement with geek culture is mostly Star Wars and D&D by way of Stranger Things. like a very big presence hinged on big corporate-owned media, compared to indie and creator-controlled stuff. merchwise, there were far fewer handmade tchotchkes than there were kinda samey looking things made with 3D printers and CNC routers. i'm not trying to be snooty about it, but there was something alienating about the whole thing that i'm trying to figure out.

the artist alley was at least closer to what i was expecting, though i didn't find much that i actually wanted to spend money on. this was the other thing i was looking out for: FFXIV-related art. and there were like, two artists (of like 50 or so booths, plus however many more scattered throughout the vendor hall) that had anything FFXIV-themed at all, as far as i could tell. one artist had a bunch of prints of rather lovely watercolor-esque portraits of major characters (plus a landscape of the Crystal Tower, which I bought a print of), and someone else had acrylic charms of the standard set of fan-favorite characters in a cuter anime style that had different appearances on either side. but overall, the FFXIViness levels were disappointing, both in quantity and in selection.

overall the experience was very... whelming. i was kinda underwhelmed, but not so much i am officially disappointed. i would summarize my trip as "an unusual way to spend a saturday afternoon." it was a thing that happened.

the local anime con is happening in a month or two and i was kinda thinking of going to that. being in a nerd crowd, at least, was nice, and i kinda want more of that. but if i'm out of touch with nerd culture, i'm double plus out of touch with Anime culture. i'd probably be saving some trouble if i didn't go. like if i wanna see a buncha Genshin Impact art that i don't care about i can already go to twitter, right now, and do exactly that. don't even need to buy a ticket or anything

admittedly the whole experience was colored by attending the con with someone who was in a shitty mood, didn't like the crowd and was constantly trying to avoid it. maybe i woulda had more fun if i wasn't spending 40% of my mental energy worrying about that, or feeling like i had to keep offering excuses and apologies every time i wanted to stop and look at something, or trying not to get caught showing an untoward amount of interest in something that's too cute or feminine or pink. performative gender clown act BS. nah yeah now that i think about it, that was really biting into how much fun i was having

anyway, regardless, it still sucks that in today's economy you can reliably get pictures of one of ffxiv's numerous government-issued boyfriends but not a single wee doodle of Ysayle....

[tryslora]

Do you have any suggestions for making book covers without having to pay someone?

If you know since you're pretty much the only writer person I follow

(sorry I'm nervous to ask out of anon 😅)

No worries, don't be nervous, anon! Totally cool question.

I will say that I tried making my own covers originally, and uhhhh I have standards I couldn't reach, so I failed at that and went the paid route (and OMG the artists I have found are AMAZING, I just have to say that the fandom community ROCKS).

First things first, start by looking at covers of books in the same genre that appeal to you. Look at what you like about them, and what's consistent about them. Are they clipart type graphics? Are they simplistic? Is it photorealistic? Are there images at all other than scrolls and flowers?

What are the placements and sizes for the title and author name? Usually the author name is smaller than the title unless it's a super famous author who gets to be more important than the title.

Also, if you put a subtitle or series on the cover, and you plan to sell the book, this information MUST be listed in the records for selling (like your ISBN). KDP has been known to bounce books for not matching up.

Anyway. Some things I know people have used.

Canva (you can get a 30-day trial of the paid version, if you need to). They have templates, graphics, all kinds of things available. Check licensing!

Actually, pause here for a sidebar, because that's a huge theme for all answers--always check what licensing is available for any graphics/art/font you're including. Depending on how you're using your cover, you may need a different license. If it's for personal use, you only need basic personal use licensing. But if it's for sale (paperback or ebook) it requires to be allowable to be used commercially.

Anyway, back to Canva. I know some indie authors who swear by it and put together really simple text and graphic covers.

I've collected a small group of links I use when I do need something quick, or I need a graphic for use online. Some of them I haven't played with fully myself, so for all of them, look carefully at what they offer, what their licensing is, and how and whether they include AI (and check for things tagged AI vs not).

DIY Book Covers - I found this one linked from an indie writing site. I have not played with it.

BookBrush - this one is for creating social media images once you have a cover.

Pixabay and Unsplash are two sites I use all the time for graphics. They have started to have more AI art on them in recent times (and beware of links that lead to images that do cost--they are mostly free, but have advertised paid links, too). Last time I looked, the AI art was tagged. All the promotional images I do when I'm getting ready to launch a new PHU book come from these sites.

Pexels looks to be similar, but I don't think I've used it much. I have a bookmark for future me tho!

There's also Wikimedia but in my mind, that one's more for personal use than commercial. I've linked to their page on licensing.

So. You've found imagery, and now you need to put it together.

In terms of free graphics editors, I can only list the ones I'm most familiar with. I've already mentioned Canva. I have used Adobe Express (it's actually handy for stripped down video editing). I know folks who swear by GIMP.

I... know there are places to get cool fonts, but um, I don't have them bookmarked. Sorry!

All of this covers the basic cover image at the front, and not constructing the actual wraparound book cover you need if you're doing a print edition. Most places (I've dealt with DraftToDigital and Amazon KDP) have a template that you can download then edit in GIMP or Adobe Express and those contain instructions.

And I know you don't want to pay someone, but I am going to mention one site that has come up often in indie/small press panels I've been on this year: GetCovers. I have not used them, and cannot vouch for them. I don't know whether they do or do not use AI. But I do know the folks who have spoken about them were happy with their covers, and with the service. And depending on what you need, they are super inexpensive compared to other options.

This does mean that they are using art they've bought and that your cover might have the same art as someone else (this happens a lot where stock photos are concerned--I read two books this year from different authors where the covers obviously came from the same photoshoot).

But anyway, they are an inexpensive option if you get frustrated with doing it yourself.

Best of luck, nonnie, and I hope your book adventures take you far!

[lousirs]

What kind of music do you think the dolls will like? Like their genre of music (hopefully it's understandable cuz I have no clues what I just said 💀)

nah nah u good :D

hm... i mean from the get-go i'd say all the characters who have singers as their voice actors would probably listen to their singer's style of music. for instance, i can totally see lou listening to nick jonas and kitty listening to charli xcx. but aside from that...

moxy would totally listen to pop music. but like, that really cheesy pop music from the 2010s that tells you that you are beautiful just the way you are, ya know? britt nicole is someone who comes to mind (every time i listen to her song 'gold' or 'headphones' i just think about moxy). but alsoooo going back to what i said with characters listening to their voice actor's music, i find it amusing if moxy listened to rock as well, as kelly clarkson is kinda pop-rock (or used to be i haven't listened to her entire discography yet). she's just jamming out to some electric guitar or something lmao

i'm not too sure about babo (my mind is saying smooth jazz but idk if that works with him) but wage and lucky bat would totally listen to those 10 hour relaxing ambient music with the windchimes and piano... lucky bat would listen to relax, and wage would listen to ease her nerves.

ugly dog i can see listening to latin music (cause ya know...pitbull mr worldwide 305) and prolly some rock and heavy metal thrown in there for good measure.

ox would be country. for obvious reasons (yeehaw)(i found out about blake shelton through ox so everytime a blake shelton song comes on all i see is ox rotating in my mind)

with lou... you'd probably catch him listening to classical or cafe jazz, but when he's alone he'd listen to most things, i'd say. ...and also he'd listen to electro swing because i said so and i am the voice of authority I MAKE THE CANON /j (but i can see him listening to electro swing). ohhh and songs from musicals too. he is soooo a musicals fan. dunno what musicals he'd listen to tho, i'm not too knowledgeable on them uh

mandy would listen to lofi and indie music... if there's a niche artist who makes nice songs, mandy probably knows of them.

nolan... nolan is a wildcard honestly lmao. he seems like he'd listen to both acoustic and electronic music (daft punk vibes)... actually. just remembered something. you know that sound that plays when the spotlight centres upon nolan? that sounded like dubstep for a moment, and i just remembered thinking that nolan listens to dubstep because of it... so now he does. nolan listens to dubstep too.

all the spy girls would listen to pop, but probably different kinds of it. kitty would totally be hyperpop, no doubt in my mind (probably because charli xcx is more hyperpop nowadays). tuesday is similar to moxy in those 2010s songs, but it would be only the love songs and she'd imagine lou and her singing them together. lydia... probably hip-hop or funk-pop.

that's all the main and side characters... idk what michael and mehgan would listen to uh... also jazz???? maybe??? i don't know enough about tray or icebat to say what they'd listen to... BUT GIBBERISH CAT WOULD LISTEN TO BREAKCORE MUSIC HANDS DOWN

[byfurries4furries]

Lyre (Fantasy Romance Visual Novel)

This is going to be a bit critical, but this will still be an overall recommendation. This game has some major problems though.

I've said before of other visual novels that they have poor pacing at first, but Lyre has a glacial pace for most of its playtime. It's not a case of something like Remember the Flowers or Adastra where the natural pace of the author is kind of leisurely, but for Lyre, it just doesn't have stakes for over half the game. In Adastra, it's less than 2 hours in where you get introduced to the basic stakes: Pretend to be a good dumb trophy husband for the alien wolf who kidnapped you and help him become emperor so he can get the power to send you back home. In Lyre, you're a lord sent over from one fantasy kingdom to another to become a royal accountant with some gala coming up. Also you get a wolf bodyguard named Lyall who's got a moderate bubble butt (moderate by furry standards at least). There's just no actual stakes for most of the game. However, by the time the game tries to pick up, it sort of overcompensates and has too many pivotal scenes happen too close to each other in a way that lessens their impact somewhat. It's not too bad, but once it finds its footing, it does start get a good pace going with shifting perspectives, flashbacks, and plenty of narrative momentum. So although it takes a while to see, the game does get very good eventually.

There's a few more nitpicks though. The romance suffers the most from pacing issues. It's extremely gradual, but in a very flat way. Up until the chapter that tries to do way too much at once, there's no obstacles to overcome in their romance, at least none that are apparent at first. The fantasy setting is relatively okay with homosexuality, Lyall and KnotSlut69 (If the game wanted me to name him Richter, it wouldn't have let me name him at all) are of relatively equal status, and their attraction is clearly seen by both of them as mutual. It isn't until the chapter where stakes are actually introduced that any significant roadblocks or insecurities over their romance come into play. As for other nitpicks... there's a human character named Elizabeth with some pretty wonky looking sprites. Am I the only one who finds it weird that Western furry artists often give anime eyes to furry characters but not human characters?

That said, the story does eventually get good. The political drama, the twists, the mysteries, and eventually the romance. It all makes for a pretty good experience. Also while it is finished, it is only the first part of a much longer series of fantasy furry visual novels. I have a lot of faith that things will turn out better for the next novel now that the author seems to have improved quite a bit since then. It's not the best, but it's certainly a pretty good one for anyone who's already done with most of the better VNs in the scene.

Also, I just want to take a moment to appreciate the soundtrack which was partially done by Augustovich. His music is really beautiful, especially because he makes amazingly calm music. A lot of FVN composers tend to struggle with that because they seem more comfortable with shoegaze-y indie rock, but he brings a really great classical sense of composition to his work. A big drawback to the pacing issues is that his atmospheric tracks are very overused, because his other contributions don't get used enough to break up the musical pallette of the game as a whole. It is a shame because all of his contributions are well done. They really help to make the game feel like an RPG, just one where you fiddle around the starting town for four hours trying to figure out how to get the main plot to start, but no one's used that as a knock against Twilight Princess's soundtrack. Anyways, I bring him up here, because he unfortunately passed away due to complications from COVID before Lyre was able to be completed. It is sad to see any creative mind go before they truly get a good chance to shine. Exias, his replacement, shouldn't be discarded though. He brings more of a grand aura to his music that does fit the later parts of the game and he does well at mimicking Augustovich when new compositions can't clash with old ones too much. However, I think he can be a bit extra sometimes, which certainly isn't helped when the game uses his compositions in weird or funny ways (I couldn't help but laugh when the triumphant sounding part of Kjærlighet started playing as Lyall was having his ass groped). They do have a great cinematic feel and they would probably feel more natural in a game where it can be the establishing musical pallette. But I should stop nitpicking. I just really do have a lot of passion for music and I wanted to give some praise to a musician who could have and should have had more time to make many more wonderful songs.

That's all I have to say for now so until next time, keep on yiffing.

Links

Itch.io

[mermaidsirennikita]

Do you have favorite romance covers?

What do you think of the covers nowadays? I see the one from the historical romance were painted and beautiful and look at the ones we have now...they are not even well done pictures

Edit: omg I got so aggressively bitchy I forgot to mention my favorites lmaoooo TYPICAL

I love a Lindsey cover. Silver Angel, Defy Not the Heart, Tender is the Storm all come to mind. Any naked man cover.

I love the original cover for Indigo by Beverly Jenkins.

I LOVE the original cover for A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux, that shit fucks so hard.

I love the original covers for A Hunger Like No Other and Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night by Kresley Cole. Those are both werewolf books, and damn if it doesn't look like those guys are about to literally eat their heroines alive.

I have a lot of issues with covers, both as someone who enjoys art and as a creative who works with creatives.

So first off--outright, I hate AI covers. I do not automatically jump to blaming authors, especially trad authors. Trad published authors usually don't have the final say on their covers. And even when they do have influence (which is typically restricted, beyond a bare "what do you like?" to big names) they aren't usually instructing "and use this graphic designer" this artist, etc. They don't have that kind of power. I don't think that most of them know AI is being used for their covers until they know.

And even indie authors, I don't want to automatically assume are using AI. There have been vocal AI defenders out there (Kerrigan Byrne, Elsie Silver, though I don't know if either has used AI covers yet). But I'll be real, I know that the vast majority of indie authors outsource, and there have absolutely been cases in the past in which authors have been tricked by designers or cover manufacturers. I can think of one such case in which Laura Thalassa, a fairly known indie author at the time, found out after the fact that her cover designer had reused or stolen a cover that was already sold to a different author. She had to replace the cover. That wasn't her fault. I don't expect authors to know AI off the bat, either. I am fairly certain that there are designers and manufacturers passing off AI covers to authors who don't know any better.

I absolutely know there are authors intentionally using AI for covers, and not only does it create a poorer quality product--it deprives creatives of jobs and also often steals from existing imagery without compensating the original artists.

ANYWAY. That aside, I generally am disappointed with a lot of book covers today, and not just with historicals. Obviously, I prefer the old school stepbacks with painted covers and the gorgeous work of artists like Robert McGinnis and Pino. I majored in art history; I love art; I think romance novel covers are so unique and have their own special space, and I think that we are absolutely losing that art form, and it makes me sad. I love stepbacks, I miss stepbacks. I collect old school covers. I don't think we will ever get those back, because publishing is so dominated by capitalism and it is obviously more expensive to make those covers.

(I'll also add--paranormal romances used to have some killer illustrated covers too, which have been replaced by more digital, photoshop heavy covers. Take a look at the original A Hunger Like No Other cover. SO GOOD.)

But even the digital photographic stepback and covers are fading out, and I'm sad about that too. I really dislike these cartoonified covers from authors like Evie Dunmore (Tessa Dare and Suzanne Enoch have also been getting cartoonified covers or re-covers). I hate them for contemporaries, too. Like, I would take a million covers with shirtless guys on them versus the cartoony covers. I think the cartoony covers are confusing, they make it difficult to know a book's heat level, and they express a level of shame about the genre that I can't get behind.

Like, honestly? If you're that embarrassed to be reading romance a) do you really love romance or b) use your e-reader or audiobooks. I don't get this concept of like... hiding what you're reading from the world.

So yeah, I have an issue with current cover trends visually, ethically, morally, and like... societally lmao

[annarcaccia]

I've been Debating whether to postpone my books release because of the writer (now also actor) strikes.

I decided I'm not going to postpone the release. I support the strikes, I really hope writers and other artists get what they deserve. I am an indie author and if I postpone it will hurt me a lot (emotionally) in regards to the fact that I am completely very much so unknown... And if I do nothing, publish nothing, it will only hurt me, not anybody else...

Within the means of the strike I am utterly insignificant...

But to those who are not getting the pay they deserve, the credit they deserve, the credit they earned, I support you 💯

[talenlee]

Decemberween 2024 — Music

I try to make sure every year I keep some degree of stock of the songs I’ve been listening to over the course of that year. Nothing here is going to be surprising, if you know anything about my tastes, or have been reading this blog throughout the year, but if you’re wondering what I pump through my headphones while I’m head down and working on things, it’s gunna be stuff like this, this year. Note that none of this is necessarily ‘new’ but it’s new to me.

Original Music

Tom Cardy//Transcendental Cha Cha Cha - Official Music Video

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Meanwhile, one of those Australians that non-Australians know, Tom Cardy, has been working on an album that is, for lack of a better word, ‘serious’ — rather than a series of comedy songs that build around his usual themes of uh, anxiety? I think it’s reasonable to summarise most of his work as being about anxiety.

First song of that we got was Transcendental Cha Cha Cha, which is, for lack of a more complex description, a really fun track that feels like it has underneath it, a statement against being too anxious to dance.

ADEQUATE WORDSMITH | Adequate Rapper Raps Adequately | 1,000,000 SUBS SPECIAL!

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The Stupendium is an artist who’s been pumping out songs for going on eight years now, and now they’re at a million subscribers. That led to this song, which is about having a million subscribers and about being what is, for lack of a better word, a paid rapper. It’s a pretty good song, and it reignited my interest in the stuff the Stupendium does in general. Some of the songs I’ve added have been remasters (like the remaster of Shelter From the Storm) and some of those remasters have driven me to go back to listen to the originals (like The House Always Wins).

Also, The Stupendium is a genderfluid creator from England, which means that their songs have a different grammatical structure and familiarity. It’s nice to hear the phrase ‘my mum’s around’ in a song. Also, this has the background line I love my work but I hate what it’s done to my art and that’s a really good description of creating on the internet.

The Ultimate Hazbin Hotel Sing Along | Hazbin Hotel | Prime Video

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Oh hey, I really liked Hazbin Hotel and it’s a musical. Turns out I like the songs in Hazbin Hotel, let’s just put that one in there. Yep, turns out a professionally made electroswing musical with Christian imagery and at least one very thotty monster boy was going to hit me just right.

Gio Navas - "Apocalypse" (Official Lyric Video) | A Locked Tomb Fansong

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And speaking of Christian imagery and hitting me in my bones, there’s this Locked Tomb inspired piece of fanwork by Gio Navas. I am a little concerned this song won’t hit anywhere near as hard if you haven’t read two doorstopper books, both Gideon the Ninth that sets up a character dynamic and then you have Harrow the Ninth that makes you mourn that dynamic.

Still, I have read them and I do feel that, and that rules.

Hey doctor doctor - Milk in the Microwaver

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I’m a little uncertain about how to properly attribute this song. One of the weirder things the Youtube era has allowed for is the kind of ultra-indie production that enables basically, ‘musical shitposts.’ I really like this song, it’s a powerful little metaphor, and it’s very singable.

It’s probably about depression or just about the way that autism means you engage with the world fundamentally differently and the resultant harms of that experience.

YOASOBI「セブンティーン」Official Music Video

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I apologise to all my friends I’ve already told this story. There was this literary project in Japan, about ‘the first time,’ where four authors were asked to write a story from just that prompt. Each of those stories was then turned into a song by Yaosobi, and then each of those songs was turned into a music video, short film. Three of them were about something boring. This one was about The First Time You Fell Under Suspicion.

The ensuing short story is about two girls – or rather one girl from two parallel timelines – who falls through a slip in reality and witnesses a crime, then has to go on a rampage to rescue herself from a life and give herself a second chance to go back to the important task of just being seventeen.

Danny Don't You Know - NSP

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Ninja Sex Party are dorks. This is a well known thing. By no means is Danny Don’t You Know a new song, and by no means is it expressing a new sentiment. It’s in the widely populated genre of fully grown adult artists in the music space I like that are not over high school. What sets Danny Don’t You Know apart however is a truly fantastic musical dropout that makes me happy every time I hear it.

There’s more from NSP this year, a band I already kinda liked, but they got a lot more listening this year from me.

Sidle Up

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A long time ago, one of my favourite bands, Reel Big Fish put a gag track called Drunk Again on their album Why Do They Rock So Hard. It was great but it was very out of type for the group, being a downbeat, mournful bigband ballad style song performed by Scott Klopfenstein, the character being teased in the song Scott’s a Dork instead of upbeat ska (which is also, statistically, not over high school).

I found out about Scott’s solo work in The Littlest Man Band a few years ago, but this new track, Sidle Up is just a concentrated, matured version of the singer in Drunk Again.

A Bunch Of Anime Music

More and more I find that the fastest way into my music collection is being part of an anime I liked.

GIRLS BAND CRY - Opening [ Wrong World ] by Togenashi Togeari | Lyrics (English-Romaji-Kanji)

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Hey, it’s the opening theme to Girls Band Cry, about how making music is a way to connect in a space even if you can’t rely on it being permanent!

YOASOBI「アイドル」 Official Music Video

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Hey it’s the opening theme to Oshi No Ko which goes shockingly hard and includes story points that are meaningful to the greater context while also just being a good song about Idol Culture in Japan!

YOASOBI「勇者」 Official Music Video／TVアニメ『葬送のフリーレン』オープニングテーマ

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Hey it’s the first opening theme to Frieren which didn’t get an article this year because I don’t think it’s any good.

YOASOBI「祝福」Official Music Video (『機動戦士ガンダム 水星の魔女』オープニングテーマ)

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Hey it’s one of the openings to Gundam Witch From Mercury, which I thought kicked ass even if it just was Chuchu punching those mean girls in the face.

Really, saying this is ‘anime music’ is a big fib because this is all secretly just more Yaosobi who have had a truly fantastic year for Music I Personally Like.

ROSA WALTON & HALLIE COGGINS - I REALLY WANT TO STAY AT YOUR HOUSE (LYRIC) AMV CYBERPUNK EDGERUNNERS

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I think Cyberpunk Edgerunners is a show worth talking about but it has also two absolutely unassailable bangers in its soundtrack. Rat Boy’s Ready For Tomorrow is a great one, with its cyberpunk oompa music, but also this lovely wistful track, I Really Wanna Stay At Your House. Good song, set a good mood, really enjoyed what it brought to the table.

Covers

Glory of Love

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Hi there, Ninja Sex Party, you’re here again? Yeah, we listened to their cover albums this year. I’ve always wanted a version of The Glory of Love that had a bit more teeth and thanks to them, they made it. I don’t like all the prog rock tracks on their cover album but I think that even if you don’t like prog rock, you should like bands that do like prog rock. It’s good for the diet, it keeps them healthy.

Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable! 【Waya Waya Waa!】 わやわやわー！ Asaka 亜咲花 Cover ED Lyrics (cc)

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I liked Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable, despite it being effectively an illustration of a cream puff croissant of a series, and part of that was its fun ending and opening themes. This song was in my rotation for a few weeks before I realised that this specific version is a cover and I didn’t notice, assuming the different sound quality was just a byproduct of trying to avoid someone who made a ‘4k upscale AI HD’ version of the ending. It’s really nice!

Chiki Chiki Bang Bang｜Paripi Koumei op [Studio aLf]

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I think I’ve talked about Studio aLf before. If I haven’t, you should check them out. I think it’s just one person as the talent and a bunch of support, but they’re good at producing high quality covers of a pretty nice collection of either well known, obvious things, or some deep cuts. Also they collaborate with original artists a lot, meaning that if you wanted a 2022 version of You Get To Burning that’s on the table here.

Zelda Ocarina of Time - MASSIVE MEDLEY! - Super Guitar Bros

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In the vein of good cover music, just nice stuff to put on in the background while doing other things, here’s a medley of Ocarina of Time music that’s become part of the rotation.

Hell's Greatest Dad - HAZBIN HOTEL (Cover by Colm R. McGuinness)

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I like Colm McGuinness’ stuff in general but I do think it’s weird how his Hazbin Hotel covers are just a bit cowardly. Like, if you’re going to cover Loser and you change the lyrics so you don’t talk about taking dick, then you’re being a coward and Angel Dust wouldn’t fuck you. But more than that, in Hell’s Greatest Dad he changes a lyric to avoid singing the word ‘pentagram,’ and not gunna lie to you, the thought that follows is just how catholic are you!?

ALESTORM - The Last Saskatchewan Pirate (Official Video)

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Alestorm are delightful goobers in the music space, and hearing them cover a Canadian comedy song that I suspect is mostly known as a song for kids was a lot of fun.

The Offspring -Want You Bad (Acoustic Cover) -Jenn Fiorentino

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I like Want You Bad! It’s a great song! Holy hell it gets better when a woman sings the line you’re a little on the straight side, because that is a phrase that has changed over time.

Something that you may not realise while you’re growing up but music is a hobby. Listening to music, listening to new songs and acquiring new songs is a hobby that you dedicate time to without even realising it. If you’re the kind of person who enjoys what’s on the radio, remembering what’s on the radio and keeping that stuff contextualised is an experience that you maximise while you’re still developing your tastes. Once you stop doing this deliberately though, and I think the mp3 generation really underscore this, you stop getting new music once you stop standing in the path of it. That means acquiring new songs, building new things into your collection, is an actual task that happens slower and is worth recognising when you do.

None of this stuff here is surprising at all. I haven’t added anything to my playlist that stands out at all. It’s things that are familiar, or part of other interests that have built up over time. I get my music from youtube cover artists doing songs I know I like, cartoons and anime.

Check it out on PRESS.exe to see it with images and links!

[goombasa]

How Open is Too Open?

So, ever since the whole Kindle and Amazon Ebook gold rush, Amazon's Ebook store, and to a lesser extent their Audible shop, has been inundated with low-effort, low-quality, and poorly researched books.

This isn't news. It's basically been a problem since the day the doors were flung open for anyone to publish whatever they want, and Amazon has an impressively high tolerance for low-effort spam. Don't get me wrong, I love the fact that fantasy romance porn is easy enough to find, but I could do without all the ‘mindfulness’ and crypto mining BS that gets shuffled out onto the store.

Amazon is far from the only place where this is a problem, of course, but it is probably the biggest example. Steam is another good example, as after paying the fee for a developer's account, you can go as far as just uploading a game with a missing executable and it will still be up on the storefront for a while until someone complains enough about it.

So my question, given this situation with platforms allowing anyone and everyone who can type out a username and password to upload something for sale on what is, ostensibly, a professional storefront, is are these platforms too open.

I like the fact that they're open. I like the fact that artists who otherwise wouldn't have been able to get their creations in front of a large audience now have that ability. We're living in a world where indie games are more prevalant than ever. Some would even say that indie games are thriving far more than the AAA space is at this moment in time. Independent authors like Chuck Tingle have managed to make a living writing the sort of stuff they want to write, that certainly would not have managed to land in a traditional publishing space, where a company is essentially taking a massive risk by publishing something, and wants a guaranteed return on their investment. It's inspiring to hear stories about a struggling artist finally getting their due, seeing the successful launch of a project they might have been years into.

But for every good and heartfelt story, there are plenty of talented folks who fall by the wayside, because their voice gets drowned out in a sea of spam and low-quality products meant to glut the market and brute force a profit. After all, if you publish 100 games on steam at fifty cents each using only free or store-bought assets, its only a matter of time before SOMEONE starts buying them, right?

I'm not really sure what sort of answer there is for this. It's an incredibly thin bridge to walk. Quality control on an open ecosystem is very difficult, especially on open ecosystems that are basically the only games in town. Yes, there are other self-publishing and self-printing companies out there, but even the ones that aren't strictly vanity presses are not going to reach as wide an audience as being on the amazon storefront. and Itchio is an excellent indie game site, both for video games and tabletop experiences, but again, it's not really a direct competitor for Steam. At the same time, a lack of quality control on these bigger sites mean that quality products are often drowned out before those large audiences get a chance to even see them.

Unless, of course, you have the scratch to pay for promotion, which is another service that these bigger marketplaces offer, and of course there are plenty of outside companies that want to help sell your stuff, for a price. Because of this, people who already have money to spare tend to be the ones who rise to the top of the constant, churning whirlpool of these markets, creating an extreme imbalance. You're always going to see what these markets want you to see.

I am glad for things like the Cozy Games directs and Guerrilla Collective showcase we get every year because I'm willing to bet that almost all of those games would slip through the cracks if there wasn't a means of getting them in front of a wider audience. But not everyone gets that chance. Space and time are limited, even if there aren't any restrictions on posting. Getting eyes on what you create is tough. Human curation is all but impossible, considering that said curation would inevitably err on the side of bias that would see the more quality experimental stories or games pushed to the side and would no doubt slow down the process of things making it to the storefront.

Now don't get me wrong, there ARE standards that have to be met, but most of them are mechanical in nature, basic stuff that anyone would probably already be doing; making sure that your book is properly formatted and in the right document type, making sure you game actually has its executable, making sure that your audiobook meets the proper compression requirements and mic quality. That last one in particular at least requires you to have a semi-decent microphone if you plan on actually narrating books, but the text can come from anywhere on the kindle store.

I'd like to know what you all think. Do you think that places like the kindle store and steam are too accepting with their open door policies and do you think there's a happy medium that they should be striving to hit? Because again, I love the fact that they're open, I love that anyone can push their art out into the world and potentially make at least a little bit back for the time spent creating it. But when something I'm publishing is swirling around in a slurry of spam, I wonder if it's even worth it.

Bottom line, everyone should make their own website to host their stuff again. Y'all should check out Neocities, it's really cool.

Okay, bye!

[bookstoreadbtr]

Unveiling Creativity: A Journey through the Literary Universe with W.K. Lawrence

W.K. Lawrence, a versatile author with a passion for storytelling that spans across various genres, invites us into the depths of his creative universe in this interview. From poetry to novels, Lawrence's literary journey has been a vibrant exploration of creativity and self-discovery. Join us as we delve into Lawrence's insights on writing, publishing, and the inspirations behind some of his notable works.

1. When did you discover your passion for writing?

My passion for writing started with a passion for story. I always enjoyed reading, and being read to and being told stories as a kid. Then it was TV shows, movies, professional wrestling. I found a story wherever I could. My writing really started with poetry and lyrics in my teens and then evolved into short stories when I was in college. When I was about 24, I started to really take writing seriously. It’s part of who I am now. Even when I was writing a lot of nonfiction academic material, I was always dreaming of getting back to the creative work, and I finally did in 2014 when I started work on The Punk and the Professor.

2. What encouraged you to make the leap of faith to publish your first book?

My first book was a collection of my early poems. I just really wanted to share something with the world. I was young and the writing was raw and blunt. There are a few good ones in there, but most of those old poems are just exercises. My next poetry collection due out later this year is a world away from the poems in that first book. There is a lot of progress in the next one in terms of maturity in both the content and style.  

3. How did you get started with the publishing process?

The process is different with each book. The first book was with an old extinct publisher that did just a few titles of local authors. I have eleven books out now and a twelfth and thirteenth on the way. Take for example, my nonfiction book, The Bell’s Book. That was a book written on accident. In 2019, I woke up with this crazy, rare, but temporary disease called Bell’s palsy. In my learning about the disease, I produced a guidebook to help others. Naturally, you take it right to a press you have connections to. As an indie writer, I like the small press options because you don’t have to compete or wait years to publish the book.

4. What were three things you learned about the publishing process?

Be patient in the process. Take another day to look things over. No matter how many people look at the book before it’s published, it’s going to have problems in the final version you discover later. And nothing is ever perfect. I also appreciate the artistic freedom indie writers have.

5.       What was a mistake you made you have used as a lesson learned?

Give cover art more consideration. But honestly, every new book teaches me something about writing and makes me better at what I do. It’s no lie that learning by doing is the best way. You could go to all the lectures in the world, all the conferences, all the workshops, and they’re not going to do what the action of writing does for you. In fact, all of those things might end up confusing you more, taking up a lot of time, and costing a lot of money. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great to hear what more experienced folks have done. Reflective introverted learners learn a lot just by seeing models and hearing great advice, but you have to do the lifting yourself to really apply those lessons. 

6.       What advice would you give an aspiring author?

If you really love to write, write. Don’t write about writing. Just write. You don’t need a degree, though a program is a great networking tool and a place to really gain some wisdom from experienced authors, and if you’re lucky you’ll meet fellow writers you trust to help critique your writing. But don’t spend too much time worried about what other people think. You have to read too. Read a lot. Reading a lot of different books is what matures our craft. I truly think everyone has a story in them to share with the world. Most won’t ever tell it though. Tap into it and find your story and tell it. 

7.       What inspired the book, “Highway Zero”?

Highway Zero is my fourth written novel, but second published. It’s the sequel to Punk and Professor, and I knew when I was finishing Punk that there would have to be a sequel. I actually knew exactly how it ended, and so the first page written was the last page or two of the novel. The sequel was on hold for a while and delayed due to the distractions of the disease that led to The Bell’s Book, but once it got going the book wrote itself. It was a quick, spontaneous, and adventurous writing that mirrored the story. I’m proud of it. I think it’s a better book than the first.

8.       What is a brief summary/synopsis of “Highway Zero”?

Highway Zero is about a young man who wants to move on from everything he’s ever known, yet he’s haunted by everything and can’t really let go of it. On a quest for love and shelter, the character hits the road, explores America, and finally ends up at a university. But that doesn’t solve his problems. It probably makes everything worse with all the pressures and substances around. He goes through a monumental transformation.

9.       What was the biggest lesson you learned during publishing “Highway Zero”?

Again, tap into it. Get into the groove of writing and let it take you away. I was hypnotized in a trance as I wrote it. Much of it was in the middle of the night. Don’t resist it. Ride the wave. 

10.     What inspired the book, “The Punk and the Professor”?

The first published novel was inspired by my own adolescent troubles. Jack really has a lot of me in him, yet there are differences. I published another book titled 89 Days, which goes into the differences between me and the fictional character, and it also shares a few outtakes cut from the final novel. The book is fiction, but as Camus once said “Fiction is the lie through which we tell the truth.” There’s a lot of real people and real problems in that book. Parents who read it would be horrified that that kind of stuff goes on with teenagers, just children really. It’s a sociological case study.

11.     What is a brief summary/synopsis of “The Punk and the Professor”?

The Punk and the Professor is a school novel that shows a troubled introverted kid faced with a big decision about his future. It’s do or die. He sees a lot of trouble around his neighborhood and in his family but doesn’t know what to do about it. He’s pretty helpless, but he fights on. I’d like to think it’s an inspirational story that pays tribute to the good teachers and alternative schools. 

12.     Are there any book/author events for you in 2023/2024?

Maybe in late spring or summer, but probably not many in person events. That’ll all be explained in the fourth sequel.

13.     Where can your future fans follow you on social media?

https://twitter.com/Wklawrence  on Twitter or whatever it’s called now

14.     Do you have a website?  

15.     If you were on a twenty-four-hour non-stop flight, what three books would you take with you, and why?

That sounds like a rough flight! I’d probably want to be immersed in a completely new book so they’d be mostly books I haven’t read yet. Since that flight’s probably taking me to Australia, I’d pick a nonfiction book about Australia. Maybe I’d reread a Carver collection of stories. The third book would have to be one from one of my indie writer friends. Reading fellow indie writers has given me a fresh outlook on reading. You get fresh ideas and fresh voices. They’re not pushed by some corporation or extensive marketing campaign, and they’re not a brand. I’d much rather support someone’s art rather than make wealthy writers wealthier. David Carter, Sean DeLauder, Ben Shaberman, Matthew McConkey, Dana Vacca, all have great fiction books to check out.

16.     What lesson(s) have you learned in 2023 that you will use in 2024?

After getting really close to my characters using first person narrative in the first two novels, I’ve learned how to write better characters in third person. I got it out of my system and I’m ready to make a big transition to third person in the third one. It sets everything up for where I want to take the fourth book.

17.     If you had the chance to have lunch and conversation with any author dead or alive, who would it be and why?

Dead, it might be Mary and Percy Shelley. Not sure how much fun they’d be, but I’d have a lot in common with them. For an author who is still alive, I’d sit down with someone, but you don’t know their name yet. 

This interview with W.K. Lawrence has provided a fascinating glimpse into the world of a passionate and dedicated writer. From the early beginnings of discovering a love for storytelling to navigating the complexities of the publishing process, Lawrence's journey exemplifies the resilience and creativity required to succeed in the literary world.

Through his candid reflections on lessons learned and inspirations found, Lawrence offers valuable advice for aspiring authors, emphasizing the importance of perseverance, continuous learning, and staying true to one's unique voice. His dedication to the craft of writing shines through in each word, resonating with readers eager to embark on literary adventures that provoke thought and stir the imagination.

As Lawrence continues to enrich the literary landscape with his captivating narratives and compelling characters, we eagerly anticipate the release of his upcoming works and the development of his craft. With a website and social media presence inviting readers to connect and explore further, Lawrence's influence extends beyond the pages of his books, fostering a community of storytelling enthusiasts united by a shared love for the written word.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to W.K. Lawrence for sharing his insights and experiences with us, inspiring both aspiring writers and seasoned literary enthusiasts alike. May his journey continue to inspire creativity and ignite a passion for storytelling in all who encounter his work.