It's been a month since I published my book

     A little more than a month ago I celebrated the publication of my novel, Confessions of an Internet Pornographer. I have things to report some are good, some bad.

     I am proud to say the book is available at Amazon.com and at B&N. A month ago only Kindle readers could buy it. My goal is to make the novel available in every format on earth. When will it be available in paperback? Soon.

     My wife and I have just finished editing our third proof. We've decided the book will be 5' X 8" in size, and just a little over 300 pages, same cover. I had to re-marginalize the book and do more editing work after switcing sizes. For those of you about to self publish a paperback, heed my warning and have an idea what size you want your book to be from the start. I also like the smaller size because people can carry the book in a jacket or a purse. Considering it's title, my readers may have to put it away quickly ;)

     I haven't had many sales to be honest. But I haven't done any marketing. I'll start when the paperback is ready. I don't want to promote my book and not be available to 90% of readers. I am preparing a Hail Mary marketing plan involving websites, contests, and an awesome press release. I've learned that keywords and search engines are not enough.

     One great thing has happened. I heard feed back from a real honest to goodness reader. A stranger who loved my book. It was wonderful to hear someone talk about my characters and the voices in  the story so lovingly, as if they were real people. I know one day thousands of other readers will talk about my book
with the same enthusiasm. She has given me a spiritual boost. I must keep going until I find the community of readers for my book.

     Until next time, I continue writing into the wind. Next post: What went wrong publishing my book on the Nook.

     Lucho

What I did wrong publishing my kindle book

     Last weekend I published my book, Confessions of an Internet Pornographer, as a kindle book on Amazon.com.

     That’s right, it’s finally published! It looks beautiful, but the experience was full of pitfalls. Maybe it’s just scarier to publish in the same month as Halloween.  I really did naively think that I would just be able to upload my files and it would appear on Amazon. Why not? I’ve been writing the book for 12 years and it looks perfect as a Word document. But there were things I was seriously unaware of.

     The first thing wrong: For the last 12 years I used the space button to indent every first sentence of every paragraph. It looked great, until I uploaded my files and previewed my book for the kindle. Every first sentence, in every paragraph of my 283 page novel, was not indented! I’ll be honest, I considered publishing it like that, but after not finding ONE book whose paragraphs were not indented, I had to find a cure.  

     I tried to use the “indent” button to move the first sentence of each paragraph. I was ready to indent each and every one, but it moved the entire paragraph not just the first sentence. Thank God I have Microsoft Publisher; it allowed me to indent the first line without affecting the whole paragraph. I did not have to spend weeks changing, and probably screwing up, every paragraph in my book. The “select all” button allowed me to change every paragraph with one press of a button.  Publisher saved the day!

     The second thing that went wrong: When I created my pages I used the “Enter” button to end my chapters and continue writing on the next page. Apparently I've spent years writting in a fool’s paradise.

      In order for your pages to look right on the kindle, you must use page breaks after the title page, copyright page, dedication page, chapter page (if any), and after the end of every chapter.

     The third thing that went wrong: Fucking misspellings!  After editing the book 22 times I still found spelling errors. I was editing up to the last minute. My wife’s read it 4 times, and she missed stuff too. I can only hope it’s perfect.

      The only thing you can do with this is keep re-editing and give it to a trusted friend to read. Someone else MUST read it. There is always someone. You can imagine how close to the vest I’ve had to be after writting a book entitled, Confessions of an Internet Pornographer. My choices for a smart trustworthy beta reader were very limited.

     Last but not least: When you “look inside this book” on Amazon the text of my book is green!

      I called Amazon’s tech support to learn how to change it to black. The support rep told me that she did not know how to fix it. She had never seen anyone’s text come out green before. I looks weird but kind of cool at the same time.  My wife keeps reminding me it’s good luck because it is the color of money.

     These are all the things that went wrong when I published my book on the kindle. I wanted to share my mistakes with you in the hopes you’ll be better prepared than I was. And don’t worry Amazon’s instructions are great and easy to follow. The final product looks fantastic.

     I hope you’ll all go check out my store on Amazon, and buy my book! Come back and tell me what you think about the story.

     Until next time, even after publishing my first e-book, I continue to write in the wind. Until we speak again. 

      Wish me luck, I am about to publish it in paperback!

      Lucho

If the whole world were listening, what would you say?

Hi everyone!

     This blog is a continuation of the talk I had with my big brother at the Hawk's Cay Resort in Little Duck Key over the summer. My brother is also an amateur writer, and we were discussing what our next novels should be about.
  
  He asked me a very interesting question I want to share with all of you. He said, "If you want to know what your next novel is about. Ask yourself one question: If everyone in the world, EVERYONE, stopped what they were doing for 5 minutes to listen to you, what would you say?" Would you give them advice, tell a story, give them a warning or just complain for 5 minutes.

     I want all of you writers out there, all artists in general, to consider that idea. What you would say if the entire English speaking world were to listen to YOU for just 5 minutes. Would you read them your book? Why not? Isn't your book the story you want to tell the world if you had its full attention? Would you read them your novel, or something else?

     Is your novel conveying a message, or telling a story, the whole world needs to hear? If it isn't the story you would tell, maybe you should be writing something else.

     My novel is about my experiences as the webmaster of fantasiesonline.com. My family and I worked so hard to build and run a site, that I wrote the book so that the world would know the blood, sweat, and tears we spilled to make our little business.

So what are you writing? Are you going to make the planet laugh, cry or wonder? As you continue to work on your novels, ask yourself questions.

 My next topic will be about some of the wonderful FREE resources I'm using for the publication of my book, like the great cafepress.com

Don't forget my novel, Confessions of an Internet Pornographer will be published this week! I was hoping to publish it September 29th but my wife got gastroenteritis, ouch!!! We spent the evening, of our 29th anniversary, in the ER of our local hospital. But all systems are go. Please look for it this Friday on Amazon.com, it'll will retail for $4.99. I hope you'll buy a copy then come back and tell me what you think.
Thank you for reading my post. We'll talk again soon, until then I will continue writing into the wind..

Lucho

My book gets published this month. I'm scared shitless it'll be a flop!

     Hi everyone!

     I'm writing from my kitchen watching September 11 coverage on CNN. It feels as if the country is sighing collectively today. I lived in the Bronx when it happened. I remember coming into the company breakroom and seeing one tower surrounded by black smoke. I asked,"Whare's the other one? Aren't there two?" Eveyone looked at me and screamed, "It fell down! An airplane hit it!" God bless America, and the families of the men and womem who died that day.    

     September is finaly here. I am working as hard as I can to get my book, Confessions of an Internet Pornographer, ready for publication on September 29th! I'm publishing it as an e-reader for the Kindle at the price of $4.99. I picked this price because I think a book that took 12 years to write is worth the price of a Starbucks cup of coffee, don't you?

     I've built a website for the book using Weebly.com. It's a great website creation tool. They offer numerous templates, it's easy to use, and free! I'll let you all know how well it works once it's up and running and getting traffic.

     My cafepress.com store is (almost) ready. I've placed my book cover on mugs, t-shirts, and a small personal journal. I've also made a cool black cap with "Internet Pornogapher" printed on it. I'll sell the stuff as fun merchandise for people who really liked the book. I can also use the products to promote the book.
  
      I've just read the novel for the 23rd time, my wife is giving it one last edit so it's perfect. One of the biggest complaints I've read about self published books is that they're not well edited. I can't let that happen to  my book. I want it to be perfect. I've added new material to tighten the tension, and a few moral dilemas to give my character a little more depth. 

     I'd be lying if I said I wasn't very nervous. There have been so many obstacles, so many disapointments with my book. I'm scared no one will buy it. But after the WD Writer's Conference I've realized that self publishing is my future. Traditional publiushers will never go for a story as different as mine.The NY agents said my book was funny, eloquently at some points, and had alot of heart. I hope those things are enough to build a writing career on. Wish me luck.

     I'll keep you posted on my progerss. I'll also be posting about sites like Weebly.com, letting you know what tools are working for me on my self publishing adventure. I hope you'll all benefit from my mistakes and successes. In the meantime, I'll continue writing into the wind, Bye!

Lucho

What is your book really about?

  Hi everyone!

     In this posting I want all the writers out there to consider a question. What is your book or short story about? I know it’s a space age YA western, but what is it really about? There are 7 deadly sins, which ones are in your book?  That is today’s topic. But first, let me tell you about my trip to the Florida Keys.

     Our stay in Hawks Cay resort on Duck Key, mile marker 61, reminded me why the protagonists of my book end up living in the Keys. It has been four years since we‘ve been there and they are still pristine. I also had alot of fun hangging out with my nephews, and showing my older brother Key West. Hemmingway’s house was beautiful; I’d write great novels too if I lived in a colonial mansion surrounded by walking gardens and tall trees. When I die, and God asks me if I want to enter heaven, I’ll say “No. Send me to the Florida Keys.”

     My brother Anthony is also a writer, and it was nice to have someone to talk shop with. It was one of our discussions that led me today’s topic. What is your book about?

     Jaws was a movie about a killer shark terrorizing a small sea side town, right? Or was it really about one man’s obsession and another’s sense of duty. It made me wonder what my book was about, and I think the first part of my book is about desperation. Jose’s desperation to get his family out of the inner city and into the suburbs. But after he becomes successful, his need changes to greed. He wanted a house, now he wants a mansion.  

     So what is your book or short story about? Is it a story about a Civil War soldier enduring the hardships of battle - or is it about lust, fear, regret, the perils of blind faith? And don’t forget, make the actions of the characters in your stories do things that reflect the sin, sorrow, or vice you are trying to display. Good luck!   

      One last thing about the Florida Keys. I saw a real sea turtle swimming in the water. It was just swimming along slowly, below my hotel balcony. It was brown and dull green with flippers the size of canoe paddles. It dove into the canal when a boat came and disappeared. It was beautiful, and big! 

     Until we speak again, I will continue writing into the wind.

Love,

Lucho

Is your novel ever really finished?

Hi everyone!

     I write this the morning as we prepare to leave for The Florida Keys, Isla Mirada to be exact. The book is almost done and the Keys sound like the right place for more inspiration, and a little celebration. Jose and Rachel Torres, the main characters in my novel Confessions of an Internet Pornographer settle in the Florida Keys at the end of the book. It is a special place for my family, and I hope to live and write there someday. 

     I am currently editing my novel for the 23^rd time, from start to finish. My wife has read it twice, Elayne my editor has read it four times. Marcella Landres, my proffesional editor dissected it once. But even at the eleventh hour I’m adding and subtracting sentences. I thought it was finished. I certainly thought it was ready when I took it to New York for the 2011 Writer’s Digest Conference. The problem is the changes I'm making are great, and are making he wtory stronger. Much to my shock changing the ending of Chapter 6 made it better. Adding a new scene with dialogue to chapter 7 really worked.  Maybe it's not until you read your own novel dozens of edits that you begin to find the true gems of prose in your writing.

    My biggest fear is editing it too much. I think there will always be a sentence that can be tightened, endless what if’s. But I believe that if I use the minimum amount of words to tell the story, it will be perfect. It will tell the story I want to tell with brevity, brevity, brevity! That is what will keep me on track. One of the problems of onstant editing is that you can write yourself down paths that lead to nowhere.

     What is frustrating, is that as I read on, I find new ways to say or show something. When will it end? In the meantime I will read-on, and continue to write into the wind.

Love,

Lucho

P.S.

I just asked my wife to read it for (only) her third time

A writing question: Should writers use chapter titles?

Hi everybody!

     Before we get down to work, I want to tell you all that I just got back from Disney World. It was awesome! They always manage to amaze. We stayed in the Beach Club Resort, across from the Boardwalk Resort. It has a pirate ship slide, a lazy river 8 feet deep, real sand on the bottom of the pool, and an old fashioned ice cream shop.  

     We also had a chance to attend Star Wars Weekend at Disney’s Hollywood Studios Park. The Star Tours ride is new, although very short. The actors who played Chewbacca and Darth Maul were there telling funny stories about life on a Star Wars movie set. The storm troopers who opened the show were hilarious! It was good to see Disney taking Start Wars Weekends to another level. I’ll go so far as to say the event had a DragonCon kind of production quality. Unfortunately not many people were in costume, including my wife and I. My daughters were dressed as Princess Leia and a storm trooper.

      It’s time now to get to my question. Should authors use chapter titles?. The writing community seems to be divided on the issue, but definitely leaning heavily towards NO. I’m prepping my book Confessions of an Internet Pornographer for publication in September and I now face this dilemma. Many people say chapter titles are unnecessary and terribly out of vogue. Chapters should only be numbered. But I disagree.

     I think strong chapter tittles entice the curiosity of readers. I think they are another way of capturing the imagination of a reader; maybe that's why they used them in the first place. It’s advertising without a lot of text.

     I hope I’m right. But besides their marketing potential, chapter titles are fun to write. It’s not easy to come up with a cool, and  informative title. With that said, here are the chapter titles of my book Confessions of an Internet Pornographer, due to be published September 29th on Amazon.com. 

                                                                        Index

Prologue

Chapter 1: No Money, 2 Kids, Forget About It……..

Chapter 2: The Witch of the Cross Bronx Expressway....

Chapter 3: The Masturbation Factor……………………......

Chapter 4: Without Work, There is Nothing………………….

Chapter 5: To Be Or Not To Be?……………………..…….

Chapter 6: La Senorita Quera Misericordia dela Cruz…………………

Chapter 7: The Days of Tobacco and Rum…………….

Chapter 8: La Vida da Sorpresas……………………...

Chapter 9: Between an Orgy and the Deep Blue Sea……………………

Chapter 10: The 125mph Wedding

Chapter 11: Key Lime Dreams………………..…

Epilogue

I’d love to hear your answer to my question, or what you think of my titles. Until we talk again, I continue writing into the wind.

Love,

Lucho   

What books have improved your writing?

Hi Everybody,

     I was hanging out at the Website, Absolutwrite.com the other day, and I came across the following question by a member, "What books have improved your writing?"

     Below is a list of books fulll of good advice and exerrcises to improve anyone's writing. The are also enjoyable reads in and of themselves. 

1. On Writing by Stephen King - a must read. His analogy of the writer's tool box really cleared things up for me.

2. The Elements of Style by Strunk & White - another MUST read, becasue it tells you ONLY what you  really need to know to be awsome with the English language. .

3. Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell

4. Beginnings, Middles and Ends by Nancy Kress - read ANYTHING by Nancy Kress. I hope to go to one of her writing seminars some day. "When I get's me some money."

5. Characters and Viewpoints by Orson Scott Card - fantastic writing exercises. I will be using this book again to build the characters for my next book.

6. Scene & Structure by Jack M. Bickham


Good luck and happy reading!

Love,
Lucho

Writing advice: My favorite online fiction writing class

     I’ve decided that I have spent way too much talking about agents, publishers, and reality. I want to talk about something fun, online writing classes.

     If anyone has been researching writing programs, let me recommend my favorite online writing program, The UCLA Extension. As its name implies, it is the online attachment of the University of California at Los Angeles’ writing program.

     In a prior post, I talked about the Writer’s Studio in NYC. In that online program, students are taught to understand and imitate the qualitative style of other writers. The UCLA Extension however, focuses on improving YOUR style, not fitting you into someone else’s. I prefer this approach because it uses exercises and peer criticism to strengthen and find the weaknesses in your own voice.

Now I know what you’re all thinking:                                                                       

1 - I don’t need a writing class. I’m a badass writer already. Actually, you do need writing classes. I thought the same thing, but when Marcella Landers edited my novel my lack of formal training was evident. Since then I’ve tried to take at least one writing class a year. Once your ego heals, you’ll see the benefit of classes.

2 – It’s too expensive. They are expensive, but even one class a year is better than none at all. If you are serious about the craft, start a writing budget. When you publish you book you’ll need one anyway. Part of your yearly budget should include a writing class of some kind. The cool thing about online classes is that you save on gas, babysitters and travel time. Their intro to fiction class is $419, before 6/13, and then it goes up to around $450.   

3 – I don’t want to be forced to write something I’m not interested in! Well, for one thing, you will get better by being forced to write stories you may not naturally think about. Get out of your comfort zone. Romance writers are forced to write horror. Si Fi writers are forced to search in unopened sections of their mind to write about garden variety problems, on good old mother earth. That kind of mind bending can be very uncomfortable, but it opens up new possibilities. I don’t write really deep emotional stuff like cancer or death and dying. It was hard for me to write that kind of material, but it was actually fun thinking in a totally different way.

4 – I hate criticism. Being able to use criticism is very important for writers, for any artist.  Other writers will find your flaws, not to make fun of you but to point them out so you can fix them. Or they’ll tell you what you are doing right so you can do it better. One woman told me to stop using “, and” when connecting my sentences. She said if I made them into two separate sentences my writing would flow better and be stronger. She was right. I am now very careful when I use “, and” and that technique alone has strengthened my voice and the flow of my prose. Critiquing other writers also makes you improve, because it teaches to edit your own work. Take your pride and put it on the shelf. That’s where it will eventually go when you start looking for an agent or you self-publish. Go and write as someone who has just lost a love, or someone about to commit a crime. Be brave!

     It’s worth the investment, which is what it is, not so much an expense as an investment. Good luck!

Love,

Lucho

Sorry for all the spelling errors!

Hello everyone,

     I am sorry there were so many mispellings in my post earlier today. I was feeling really bummed out about my writing in general and I was desperate to get my feelings out. But the post I sent you all was sloppy. I'm sorry.
     I've been a little depressed lately, but that's no excuse. I should have spell checked my work and not posted something in the heat of the moment. On the bright side I'm felling better and ready to fight. I was just sad and angry, and wanted to shout into the wind how disapointed I was. I'll edit my work closer next time.

love,
Lucho

P.S.
     My book was not rejected for bad spelling, grammer, or punctuation. In case any of you wise guys out there were thinking that. 

My dreams of being a writer have stopped

    I have been an amateur writer for about 20 years now. I’m 45. And for almost everyday of those 20 years I have fallen asleep to my book signings, movie debuts, and of course my Oscars for my adaptation of my best-selling novels. Occasionally I’d dream about Hawaii or being a billionaire, but famous fiction writer was my favorite. I noticed the other night that I do not do that anymore. I don’t close my eyes and want to see me lecturing at a University anymore; wowing MFAs with hilarious stories of my life as a best-selling author.

     I don’t want to think about that anymore, because it’s not going to happen. I’m going to publish my book. I'm working on a Press Release and bulding a Web site right now. And if I’m lucky I’ll make sme good money (yay). But I just don’t see the point of dreaming about multi-city book signings anymore when there are better thing to dream about, like white shark diving and being a Ninja warrior.  

     I’m still in shock at how all the literary agents from NYC have refused to represent my book, Confessions of an Internet Pornographer. You’d think that with a title like that it would be an easy sell. Oh sure they said it was well written, had a lot of heart and was very funny. But it lacks the sophistication, the complexity of a best seller, it must. I am also standing on a literary milk carton not a platform. I now know what it takes to be a proffessional writer an I’m beginning to doubt if I want to work this hard and risk so much disapoinment anymore. Fairies don’t exist and wishes on stars don’t come true. I’ve been writing this book for 9 years and it has been like pushing a stone up a hill. A big fat, heavy-ass stone. Why should I want to dream of that?  

       I was working on a great story entitled The Witch of the Cross Bronx Expressway. But I there’s better things to do. I also thought of a cool story (in a literary fiction kind of way) about a young girl who is constantly in and out of the hospital. I could explore her life and how a person falls in love when they’re in and out of the hospital alot. But I’m playing Crisis 2 on the PlayStation 2. It’s awesome! Imagine playing Modern Warfare 2 but you can become invisible!

     I’m also watching much more TV. That’s right, I said it. I’d rather watch TV than write! Why not? Writing leads to disappointment, and reality, and eye opening sadness. The TV has never let me down. In the big blue ocean of life, the TV is my dive buddy.   

    I plan to keep ignoring the mental scenes I'm seeing from my next novel I call Mr. Nurse. A book about being a reluctant male nurse in an intense female profession. I don’t want to think about a novel that may never exist.

     Maybe if I get published in Glimmer Train magazine I’ll feel better. By the way, here’s a look at a draft of my Press Release. What do you think?

Love,

Lucho

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact Person:

Telephone Number:

Email Address: l

Web site address:

Bronx taxi driver makes millions in online porn!

In the novel entitled Confessions of an Internet Pornographer, written by debut author Lucho Salazar.  Available at Amazon .com September 29, 2011.

September 29, 2011 – The book tells the tales of one family’s crazy adventures while running a XXX voyeur Web site, named Fantasiesonline.com. It was place dedicated to the secret romantic, risqué, and XXX fantasies of its members. It is the story of how a cop, a cab driver, and two housewives transformed themselves into XXX online millionaires. The author is the former creator and Webmaster of Fantasiesonline.com, and the book was inspired by real events.

For additional information or a sample copy, Contact:

Telephone Number:

Email Address:

Web site address:

Available September 2011, in paperback and e-book, on Amazon.com

I don't think my novel's getting published :(

Hi everyone,

     It has now been almost 3 months since I optimistically sent my novel, Confessions of an Internet Pornographer to the 8 NY literary agents I met at the WD writer’s Conference in January. 5 out of 8 have sent rejections.

     I have begun to feel a disturbance in The Force; as if the other 3 agents will also be rejecting my book. It’s been called funny, eloquent, and full of heart, but apparently that’s not enough to get published. It has no murder in it, no drug cartels, no infidelity, any elephants or CIA agents. Thus it will never sell.

     Luckkily I started reading the book Publicize Your Book: An Insider's Guide to Getting Your Book the Attention It Deserves, which I mention in my last post. I’m gonna need it now more than ever. I knew I’d be working hard promoting the book even if it got picked up by a publishing house, but now the whole thing falls on me, wich sucks. I’m terrified of screwing it up. I was hoping a publisher would provide Confessions of an Internet Pornographer with professional media people who could open doors. But life has other plans.

    I’ve been pretty bummed out my book lately. Luckily I checked Glimmer Train Press, and my short story Born Again is still under consideration.  

     I’ve decided not to let rejection stop me and so I’ve been learning about self-publishing. I will be sharing what I learn with you in future posts. I found a great FREE Web site creation site named Weebly.com. I’m even making T-shirts for my book FREE, at Cafepress.com. I’ll post more about them later.

     I love my book and I will not stop until I hear from the public. If they hate it, I will be crushed and I'll stop working on Confessions forever. But if they love it I will be vindicated. As I edit my novel for the 22^nd time, I still love the story and the characters. And I think others will love it too. It may not be complex enough like one of the agents wrote, but it rings true to me. It is what would have happened if Fantasiesonline, the Web site my family and I created, had succeeded.

      I’m thinking of expanding some off the chapters and making the book even sexier. Apparently having a book describing the making of a porn movie and an orgy at sea are not enough. Maybe another orgy? The scene was fun to write because it’s difficult to write about sex and not make it sound like cheap drug store porn. I liked the challenge.

Here is my plan for world publishing domination.

1.      Edit book again

2.      Find a book cover photo (working on this already)

3.      Research who to send it to (Book Clubs, Reading groups etc.)

4.      Decide “Who is my audience? 30 to 60 year old men and women?

5.      Prepare a press release and press letter after deciding what media outlets are best for my book.  

6.      Build a Web site

7.      Build Web site store

8.      Prepare my key words and Search Engine material

9.      Publish Web site

10.  Publish Book

11.  Sleep

    

     That’s everything I need to do just to publish this fucking book myself. If anyone can think of anything else please let me know. But that’s just to publish the book. After publication the work begins on advertising, marketing everything. And that’s without book tours, which I doubt I’ll get a chance to do.

     Self-publishing is my only option. I really don’t see any other way. I just can’t give up on my novel. I need to try everything to put it in people’s hands, only then will I be at peace and move on, even if it fails miserably.

     Who would have though having a book entitled, Confessions of an Internet pornographer would be so hard to sell. As I write into the wind, I ask it, and all of you to wish me luck.  

Love

Lucho

Don't write a great novel no one will ever read!

Hi all!

     I have a wonderful writing resource I thought you should all know about. It is helping me to prepare a marketing plan for my novel, Confessions of an Internet Pornographer. And NO, I have not heard from the other 5 NY agents I met at the WD Writer's Conference in January.

     I do not get any money or ANYTHING for promoting this book, but it's such a great writing resource I wanted to tell people about it. If you have a novel and are preparing to publish it soon, this book is a must read.

     You can write the world's greatest novel, but without publicity and marketing no one will read it. The book is entitled Publicize Your Book: An Insider's Guide to Getting Your Book the Attention It Deserves by Jacqueline Deval.

     Publicity is king! When a movie, album, or novel is released even the biggest stars go on talk shows and radio programs to tell people about it. Even the most reclusive performers must advertise and get the word out if they want their projects to succeed.

     I intend to impliment my marketing plan wether I find representation or I self publish. One of the major reasons I want to get published by one of the major houses, is to gain access to their publicity and sales people. I hope to refine my marketing strategy with their help, and I might even be able to suggest a few strategies that will help them.

     You all should do the same. When you finally decide to publish your book, take time to learn about marketing and create a plan.

Love

Lucho  

    

This is what a rejection letter from a NY agent looks like

The following letter just arrived from a New York agent I met at the 2011 Pitch Slam:

      "Thank you for your sample chapters and allowing me to consider your work. I have come to the conclusion it is not something I wish to pursue despite it's great humor and heart.

It was wonderful meeting you at the Writers Digest Pitch Slam, and I wish you the best of luck in your literary endeavors."   

     I’v got two more rejection letters, neither one as sweet as the one above; five left to go. I must admit I’m very scarred. Confessions of an Internet Pornographer has been called eloquent, funny and full of heart. Isn’t that enough? 

     In the meantime I have returned to editing the nove for the 22^nd time. Believe it or not I still am changing things, luckily it’s just tweeking. The novel is really well edited. I've been thinking about adding another 10-15 pages. I never really describe the Web site enough, and I can write about the XXX films they made at the  Greenwich Connecticut studios. I think I can make the book even sexier.

     I am getting ready for the future by reading a book about book promotion. I need a marketing plan wether I get an agent or self-publish. I'll be writing more about the book later, and self publishing.

     Speaking of self publishing, if I need to go that route I’m definitely going e-book first, Amazon Kindle. I keep as much as 70% of my sales profit. With a trafitional publisher I’ll be lucky to get 12 to 14% I want the publicist and the access to the media that a publisher can give Confessions of an Internet Pornographer. But I’ll do it myself if I have to. 

Talk again soon,     

Lucho                                  

Still havn't heard from the book agents in NYC

     Still no word about representation for my book, Confessions of an Internet Pornographer, from the agents I met at the 2011 Writer’s Digest Conference in New York. And the waiting is harder than practicing my pitch in the hotel room in NY, the night before the conference. I had 90 seconds to tell someone about a 290 page book it took nine years to write. I pray daily that someone will love my book and fight along side me to get it published. But I know that if I fail, I can learn everything there is to know about self publishing.  

      I suppose no news is good news. In the meantime my short story Nothing is doing well on Zoetrope.com. But I’ve realized that it should be longer. It is unfinished, but I don’t know if I want to work on it right now, although I really like the subject matter. It’s the sad story of a man caring for a quadriplegic who wants to die. It’s short, only 1010 words, and the reviews have been good. Some are very editorial, and it reminds me how great it is to have writers giving you feedback on your work.  

     Zoetrope is such a great place to read good short stories. If you are an amateur writer, and want to grow and become better, join Zoetrope.com (and follow my blog). Bye the way I get NOTHING from Zoetrope to write nice things about them (although I wish I did because Francis Ford Coppola is loaded).

     I’ll let you all know if I hear from any agents. In the meantime, I’m reading a great book entitled, Paramedic. It’s a well written and an honest account of the life a former political speech writer turned paramedic. I’ll write more on it later. Got to go.

 Love,

Lucho

Time for more advice about writing

     It’s time to get back to business and tell you guys where to get more help with your writing. You’ve heard enough about my adventures in New York, let’s get back to getting you published.

     One of the things I did not feel I needed when I first started writing was writing classes. I was wrong. Since then, I’ve taken classes at The Writers Studio and the UCLA Extension, and my writing has improved a great deal. There are great benefits to taking a class and sharing your work like honest feedback and learning new writing techniques. They’re expensive, but even if you can only afford one a year, make the investment. You might even get your teacher to support you book, if you’ve got one There is a wonderful challenge to writing something you would have never thought of on your own.

     I’ve only taken online classes. I work during the day and write after hours, so the World Wide Web was a God send. I was curious how online class rooms worked, and I was pleasantly surprised to find them very friendly places. The teacher asks a question, it appears on your screen and every one answers it. It’s a little awkward because there is always a delay in seeing everyone’s answers, but the conversation flows smoothly.

     Most classes give you one assignment a week and I had to organize myself and set aside time to “go to school.” I was also online every Saturday at 7 p.m. for a mandatory live chat. The only thing that I did not like about online classes was not seeing the faces of people I’d grown to like. You can come out of a class with a publishable short story, or solid novel chapter.

     I liked The Writers Studio, the assignments were interesting and it was fun to write in someone else’s style. But therein lies the reason I left their program. They teach you to examine, and write in the style of, established literary voices. But I was looking for a more traditional program. One that would teach me how to write better AS ME. I don’t lack voice or topics, I have that naturally. I needed someone to teach me how to redirect all the daydreams and cultivate my own style.

     I found that at the UCLA extension. Those of you however who doubt their voice and want to practice using some really fun literary styles, should try The Writer’s Studio. You might find your voice in those exercises and run with it from there. It was fun writing in a voice I would never naturally write in. My crazed angry voice was in need of a good stretch, and writing about the bipolar disorder is not my usual topic, and it was good for me to grow creatively. More information about The Writers Studio.

 

     My next post will be about the UCLA extension. Come back and learn a little more. In the meantime I continue to write into the wind, and wait for a reply about my book. Saw the Social network last night. Great movie. Zukerburg had a great idea, but he screwed his friends. But great movie, reminded me a little of my book. Haven’t heard from any agents yet. I re-read Confessions of an Internet Pornographer and it reads fantastically, although I did find a bad sentence that I missed. But I found only little edits, the book is awesome and very well written if I do say so myself. We’ll see. In the meantime, any Zoetropers out there can come read one of my short stories posted there, it’s entitled Nothing.

Bye!

Lucho

The Writing life: I'm back from the WD Writer's Conference!

     I’m home again, after spending a weekend in crazy wonderful New York City. Damn it was cold! But my Old Navy Pea coat kept me warm and cozy.

     We ate Peeking Duck in China town, Chicken fried steak at Virgil’s in Times Square, and my favorite sandwich in the world The Woody Allen, at the Carnegie Deli. NYC is still the greatest city in the world to me, but the minute I saw those beautiful palm trees at Palm Beach Int’l Airport I knew I was back in my tropical paradise and far away from the slush and bitterly cold wind.

     We stayed as the Hilton on 54^th street and 6^th Avenue, very nice! I recommend it to everyone traveling to New York. I hope I can stay there again, soon. It had two bars, one with hot and cold running football playoff games, and a super friendly staff. We also saw Yankee legend Joe Torre, he was there for a sport writers dinner.

     We looked up the best gyros in the city and discovered, that the second best, were sold from a street cart right across the street. They were so delicious we got three!

     My wife and I sent Friday night with friends (yes, one was Elayne) listening to my pitch and drilling me with possible questions. I then arrived at the conference prepared, and a very nice woman made me realize I had left out the three most important parts of my pitch:  my name, the book’s title and the word count.

     The WD writer’s conference was awesome. I learned a lot about the publishing industry and self-publishing, and I realized how important good books are to agents and publishers. They need us.

     All of the agents were friendly and approachable and willing to answer questions. The atmosphere was upbeat, optimistic and supportive. What I loved most about the conference was being in a room with 500 writers. A first for me. We may not have all been published authors, but we are all writers.

     It was wonderful to have someone turn to me and say, “I’m YA, what are you?”

     “I’m fiction,” I’d answer with a smile.

     “I’m romance,” someone else would interrupt.

     It was unreal. Everyone was friendly, enthusiastic, and nervous as hell. I heard from some of the others that some writer’s conferences can be very competitive. The pitch slam was wonderfully insane, and I am so glad I attended. It was worth every dime we spent to get there.

     I tried to pay attention to all of the great speakers but I could not help but constantly practice my pitch silently in my head. At one point, an hour before the slam, I looked around and EVERYONE was either reading their notes, re-writing, or mouthing their pitch silently to themselves.     

     The agents all listened intensely and most of them were very friendly. Mr. Jim McCarthy even stood up to greet every nervous writer who walked up to his table. It was held in one large room, with little tables against the wall where the agents sat patiently waiting.

     The agents whom I spoke to loved the concept of Confessions of an Internet Pornographer, wish me luck.

     I am recommending that ANY writers with a finished book attend next year’s conference. Don't be discouraged that you missed this year's conference, use the next year to edit your novel and start working on a pitch.

     Being able to speak directly to literary agents was a God-send. I was able to look into their eyes and see their enthusiasm, or disinterest, and bypass the slush pile, a priceless opportunity. It was a much better experience than receiving a rejection letter in the mail, at least when I head “not interested” I got it directly from the horse’s mouth.

     Now comes Phase II, waiting for them to read my sample chapters and hoping someone will want to represent me. In the meantime, it’s time to post another short story on Zoetrope, have you guys joined it yet and started work shopping your stories? You should.

     I am using the next few months to enter the Glimmer Train stories January and February fiction contests, and I’m about to start working on a new short story. I will also continue writing into the wind and wishing for the best.

Love,

Lucho

  P.S.

     If you boys and girls like this blog please link to me, it helps with my search engine ranking. Also, tell you friends about it.  I’d love to hear from them, and you.