Vampire Guardian Angels is a comic book series written and created by Horror Author Lia Scott Price. Don't Pray. You Become Prey.
Friday, July 10, 2015
You can't accomplish anything if you're negative
Copyright Lia Scott Price
I've always done things my way: producing and publishing on my own. I didn't have to ask anyone's permission to do so, and I didn't settle for the word "no". When I was born, there was no contract from anyone that I signed where I had to follow a path carved out by family, certain societal and cultural expectations, or even significant others. I've had my fair share of lessons and mistakes and frustrations, but I never gave up. I don't like to fully rely on someone to get my project done, which was one of the reasons why I learned to do everything from filming to editing to composing. (Of course, if you do work with people, make sure they are professionals who follow through. There is nothing more frustrating than having a project held up by someone on your team. On a side note, this is why I prefer to never take on partners, or work on other people's projects. I get more done, and when I hire people, I make sure they are reliable. That's just my choice.)
Besides staying true to working on my own, I made it a strong point not to listen to other people who tell me I can't do something, I can't fulfill my dreams, or that it will be too expensive to publish a book or produce a film. Of course, I listen to constructive criticism from colleagues who suggest better ways to do something, or not to do something. I listen to constructive and helpful suggestions. I don't listen to people who judge and I don't make 20 excuses on why I can't do something. If I felt passionate enough about a project, I find a way to make it happen. I only work with people who can get the job done. And if one project doesn't work out, I re-work it or find another way. I re-invent it and myself as well until I come up with what works.
I have tried to inspire and help other people as well. It's easy to come up with ideas but hard to actually make them a reality. I have told people time and again to analyze what you can do realistically, and to be prepared to adjust, improvise, and find ways on their own, to make mistakes and learn from them, to improve and to do their research. I can't magically transfer all I know into someone, and sometimes even if I could they are still skeptical about their own abilties. It just doesn't work that way. I can only share what I know and you need to do the legwork.
However, in the process, there are some things about people that I've found that I cannot help them with. One is negativity, and the other is desperation.
I don't like having to waste my breath trying encourage people who come up with 20 excuses on why they can't do something for every piece of advice I give. Constructive questioning is OK. Whiny, what-if-everything-I-do-fails is not. That is something you yourself have to work on, because no amount of advice from me or any other professional author or filmmaker is going to help. The second thing that turns me off is pure desperation, the "I'll-do-anything" kind of attitude. No, you won't do anything. This means you're not thinking clearly. Do you really think Hollywood is about giving up your entire life and even your dignity? It's not. Instead, your thinking should be "I'll do whatever it takes with research and reason and planning. I'll analyze things, approach it as a business, and see what I need to do to get it done." And I always try to avoid the "desperation" part, as in the "I'll-do-anything-to-make-it-happen, bargain-on-anything; sell-my-house, give-up-my-life-for-this-project, sign0anything-etc." That may not work either and you may lost everything in the end, and you will regret being so desperate.
Another thing I've come across with people is that they worry too much, or become too much of a perfectionist, and nitpick on every little thing. Now, keep in mind that being cautious is OK, after you've analyzed all the pros and cons and not made brash decisions without thought, of course, and it's OK to have standards so that you can make a good product, but too much perfectionism can derail a project. People worry too much if something's not good enough, not perfect enough, or become too obsessive-compulsive about a sentence, a piece of music, or the color of a DVD cover. Months, years will pass and they can never get the project done because it's not perfect yet and everyone else has either quit or moved on. A word of advice: don't be too hard on yourself, or you will never get something out there. It will stay in your head until it;s good enough, and in that case, it will never be good enough. It makes you lose focus on the main goal.
My rule is to keep it simple, get it out, and always follow through. I know people out there will say I am settling for "good enough", but the point is, I got something out there: It's produced, it's published, it's out there. I never procrastinate or out it off unless I'm waiting on an important decision or element, but I am not held back by fears of "it's not good enough". And how will you know if you never publish it? The worst that can happen is that you simply learn from your mistakes and move on, and try again. Nothing happens until you do something. You will never get anything accomplished if, to you, something is never good enough. If it doesn't work out, find something that will. It's all trial and error. It took me years to find out what is successful for me. I started out with novels and films. A graphic novel project I started failed, but I wanted to improve on that, and it led to an even better project: my current comic book series, and it is by far the most successful project I've done, but I guess in a way it would never have happened had I not failed with that one graphic novel.
Another is the people who surround them, and if they are negative, chances are, it will affect a project---badly.
I've seen a lot of reasons why people fail, or who just do not get anywhere with their projects. They get discouraged by their friends judging them, they listen to reasons why they should not et it done, they hang around "enablers", people who, for whatever reasons of their own, tell them what they do its not good enough, or that something sucks, and instead of putting their energy into the project, they put their energy into trying to please the naysayers. I make it a point to get rid of enablers and negative people in my life, but for those of you who can't, maybe it's time to think about who, or what, may be holding you back and how to best handle them.
Would you want your future and your projects controlled by naysayers, or would you want to control the direction of your own future?
So you have choices. You can decide whether or not to continue coming up with excuses on why you can't do something, or you can start making a plan and finding ways.
You can be negative, or you can stay (realistically) positive and work towards your goal. If one thing doesn't work, find another way.
You can keep worrying about what others will say, or you can ignore them and seek more positive advice and encouragement.
I can't begin to count how many people I know who have given up or who are simply stuck because of these reasons.
Just remember that nothing happens unless you work towards it.
I've always done things my way: producing and publishing on my own. I didn't have to ask anyone's permission to do so, and I didn't settle for the word "no". When I was born, there was no contract from anyone that I signed where I had to follow a path carved out by family, certain societal and cultural expectations, or even significant others. I've had my fair share of lessons and mistakes and frustrations, but I never gave up. I don't like to fully rely on someone to get my project done, which was one of the reasons why I learned to do everything from filming to editing to composing. (Of course, if you do work with people, make sure they are professionals who follow through. There is nothing more frustrating than having a project held up by someone on your team. On a side note, this is why I prefer to never take on partners, or work on other people's projects. I get more done, and when I hire people, I make sure they are reliable. That's just my choice.)
Besides staying true to working on my own, I made it a strong point not to listen to other people who tell me I can't do something, I can't fulfill my dreams, or that it will be too expensive to publish a book or produce a film. Of course, I listen to constructive criticism from colleagues who suggest better ways to do something, or not to do something. I listen to constructive and helpful suggestions. I don't listen to people who judge and I don't make 20 excuses on why I can't do something. If I felt passionate enough about a project, I find a way to make it happen. I only work with people who can get the job done. And if one project doesn't work out, I re-work it or find another way. I re-invent it and myself as well until I come up with what works.
I have tried to inspire and help other people as well. It's easy to come up with ideas but hard to actually make them a reality. I have told people time and again to analyze what you can do realistically, and to be prepared to adjust, improvise, and find ways on their own, to make mistakes and learn from them, to improve and to do their research. I can't magically transfer all I know into someone, and sometimes even if I could they are still skeptical about their own abilties. It just doesn't work that way. I can only share what I know and you need to do the legwork.
However, in the process, there are some things about people that I've found that I cannot help them with. One is negativity, and the other is desperation.
I don't like having to waste my breath trying encourage people who come up with 20 excuses on why they can't do something for every piece of advice I give. Constructive questioning is OK. Whiny, what-if-everything-I-do-fails is not. That is something you yourself have to work on, because no amount of advice from me or any other professional author or filmmaker is going to help. The second thing that turns me off is pure desperation, the "I'll-do-anything" kind of attitude. No, you won't do anything. This means you're not thinking clearly. Do you really think Hollywood is about giving up your entire life and even your dignity? It's not. Instead, your thinking should be "I'll do whatever it takes with research and reason and planning. I'll analyze things, approach it as a business, and see what I need to do to get it done." And I always try to avoid the "desperation" part, as in the "I'll-do-anything-to-make-it-happen, bargain-on-anything; sell-my-house, give-up-my-life-for-this-project, sign0anything-etc." That may not work either and you may lost everything in the end, and you will regret being so desperate.
Another thing I've come across with people is that they worry too much, or become too much of a perfectionist, and nitpick on every little thing. Now, keep in mind that being cautious is OK, after you've analyzed all the pros and cons and not made brash decisions without thought, of course, and it's OK to have standards so that you can make a good product, but too much perfectionism can derail a project. People worry too much if something's not good enough, not perfect enough, or become too obsessive-compulsive about a sentence, a piece of music, or the color of a DVD cover. Months, years will pass and they can never get the project done because it's not perfect yet and everyone else has either quit or moved on. A word of advice: don't be too hard on yourself, or you will never get something out there. It will stay in your head until it;s good enough, and in that case, it will never be good enough. It makes you lose focus on the main goal.
My rule is to keep it simple, get it out, and always follow through. I know people out there will say I am settling for "good enough", but the point is, I got something out there: It's produced, it's published, it's out there. I never procrastinate or out it off unless I'm waiting on an important decision or element, but I am not held back by fears of "it's not good enough". And how will you know if you never publish it? The worst that can happen is that you simply learn from your mistakes and move on, and try again. Nothing happens until you do something. You will never get anything accomplished if, to you, something is never good enough. If it doesn't work out, find something that will. It's all trial and error. It took me years to find out what is successful for me. I started out with novels and films. A graphic novel project I started failed, but I wanted to improve on that, and it led to an even better project: my current comic book series, and it is by far the most successful project I've done, but I guess in a way it would never have happened had I not failed with that one graphic novel.
Another is the people who surround them, and if they are negative, chances are, it will affect a project---badly.
I've seen a lot of reasons why people fail, or who just do not get anywhere with their projects. They get discouraged by their friends judging them, they listen to reasons why they should not et it done, they hang around "enablers", people who, for whatever reasons of their own, tell them what they do its not good enough, or that something sucks, and instead of putting their energy into the project, they put their energy into trying to please the naysayers. I make it a point to get rid of enablers and negative people in my life, but for those of you who can't, maybe it's time to think about who, or what, may be holding you back and how to best handle them.
Would you want your future and your projects controlled by naysayers, or would you want to control the direction of your own future?
So you have choices. You can decide whether or not to continue coming up with excuses on why you can't do something, or you can start making a plan and finding ways.
You can be negative, or you can stay (realistically) positive and work towards your goal. If one thing doesn't work, find another way.
You can keep worrying about what others will say, or you can ignore them and seek more positive advice and encouragement.
I can't begin to count how many people I know who have given up or who are simply stuck because of these reasons.
Just remember that nothing happens unless you work towards it.
My General Writing and Publishing Advice and Tips
Here’s a compilation of some of my advice:
1. Think Outside the Box: I know it's a cliche, but when I heard that phrase today, I don't think I would have become a self-publisher or independent film producer without it. I remember agonizing about how I would ever get to publish a book. So I sat down one night and just searched the Internet, looking for ways to get published. I found other DIY ways such as online publishers. In filmmaking, I researched what was needed to make a film--cameras, actors, etc, and did it myself. In short, I thought outside the box. What was needed? How do I get it done? it's like building or cooking something--what are the materials or ingredients you need? Can you improvise? What can you use? Start thinking beyond the ordinary, beyond the unconventional. Imagine. Create. Don't limit your mind. So go ahead--start thinking. Get out of the box, don't get stuck in it. :-) Think outside the box---even if you're actually, um, in the box, as in the case with horror. :)
2. Allow Your Mind Wander. Don't Try to Think Too Hard or Force the Ideas: I get my best ideas when I'm in the shower, doing laundry, or washing dishes or doing simple chores.
3. Frugal Self-Publishing and Marketing: A Simplified List
How I accomplished publishing my novels:
1. Go online and check out self-publishing sites such as createspace.com and iuniverse.com.
2. Write your own bio and book descriptions. Check out other author bios and book descriptions online and get some ideas.
3. Design your own book cover, or find an affordable artist, such as art students, or talented friends.
4. Marketing: Use social networking sites. Create online “flyers” with book or project images and web site URL
5. Create a web page for your work.
6. Create a blog for your book.
7. Determine what your niche market is and what your book genre is. Research web sites that you can submit your book to for review.
8. Go online and research press release formats. Learn to write your own. It's basically who, what, why, when, where, and how. Submit your press release to web sites.
9. Learn to create your own online flyers to market the book. Use email to promote your work.
10. Contact libraries or bookstores to set up book signings. Market the event on social networking sites. Be persistent, and learn to toot your own horn. You are your own best publisher and publicist!
4. Staying Focused
Someone asked me recently how I stay focused on one story idea, especially if you have a lot of ideas for a lot of stories. How do you sort them all out? First, I have my "jigsaw puzzle" method that I often talk about. You take folders and notepads. You label each folder with the title of the idea for your story. Example:
a. Mafia Crime Story, 19--s
(Title, if any)
b. Romance Novel (17th Century Love Triangle)
(Title, if any)
c. ScifFi Novel, 1950s (Time Traveler)
(Title, if any)
And so on. Then pick an idea that interests you the most for that day, week, or month. Make a timeline for working on that project. For instance, you plan to work on the SciFi novel for 6 months, and the romance novel for a year because it may require more historical research.
a. Romance Novel (17th Century Love Triangle)
(Title, if any)
b. ScifFi Novel, 1950s (Time Traveler)
(Title, if any)
And so on. Then pick an idea that interests you the most for that day, week, or month. Make a timeline for working on that project. For instance, you plan to work on the SciFi novel for 6 months, and the romance novel for a year because it may require more historical research. Then, get out your notepads. You may have several separate notepads or notebooks for each idea, each corresponding to the folder. Schedule a time each day to jot down notes for each story: outlines, thoughts, plans etc. Don't worry about putting them together. You can lay the notepads or notebooks all out on a desk so that if you happen to be, say, washing the dishes, and you have a thought about one of those projects, you can go over to the desk and quickly jot it down. (after you dry your hands, of course!) This method made me feel more organized and focused when I wrote three books in the same year, all completely different from each other. Think of it this way: if you happen to cook, you file away recipes by dish: Chicken dishes, dessert, and pasta. Each recipe has a title and ingredients. Simply think of your folders as the filing system for those ingredients. You will put them all together later. In terms of priority, say you have a scifi or crime novel, and a romance novel, and you don't know which one to start with first. Think of whether the Halloween season is approaching. If it's February, you may want to start work on the crime or the scifi novel so you have something to announce for Halloween. if the novel is, say, an anniversary gift for your loving spouse, then that's the one you can start on. it depends on how strong your interest is on each subject and maybe the purpose and timing of it. Schedule our writing like you would a job or a chore. You can schedule anywhere from 5 minutes to 1 hour a day. it's up to you, but treat it like an important, but fun and fulfilling, task.
5. Keep it Simple: I often find myself overwhelmed because I have too many ideas and too many projects I want to accomplish. What helps me is simplifying, and narrowing down what each idea really is about. How would I describe the idea to someone in less than a minute? And if I were to write the story down on paper, how would I describe it? Would I tell the story the way someone would clearly understand it? Simplify. Summarize. Simplifying a project helps me make better decisions, especially financial ones. Sure I want a big flashy web site, and I'll write down all sorts of ideas and goals, but then I'll narrow it down to what I can afford both in time and financially. I can link videos. I can make my own graphics. I can design the site in a way that it's simple to update. If I'm short on time, I'll break my films up into "mini-films". Or mini-stories. Again, an example of simplifying. My stories and films are now more to the point. I also run myself as a business, in addition to the creative work. It seems complicated, but it's actually a simple concept. I make time for my projects and treat them as i would a job. That way, I know that "work" time is for projects and I can break it up into simple schedules and time management. Can I consolidate errands? Can I schedule the more urgent things sooner and schedule other tasks later in the week, or month? That way, I get stuff done little by little, and I feel more accomplished.
6. Keep a Work Journal: I keep a work journal whenever I do projects. It's basically a daily record of what I am doing towards a goal. What have you done today? What have you done this week? It helps keep me on track. For instance, I would write down that I worked on a blog idea for 10 minutes, or I purchased some miniDV tapes for an upcoming film shoot, or that I worked on a short story for half an hour. It also helps me see how much time I've devoting to a project, and helps me keep track of what's working and what's not. if I'm not spending time on something, I may not be as interested in it as I thought. If I'm constantly planning for something, then I am able to record my progress in the journal towards the goal.
Copyright Lia Scott Price
1. Think Outside the Box: I know it's a cliche, but when I heard that phrase today, I don't think I would have become a self-publisher or independent film producer without it. I remember agonizing about how I would ever get to publish a book. So I sat down one night and just searched the Internet, looking for ways to get published. I found other DIY ways such as online publishers. In filmmaking, I researched what was needed to make a film--cameras, actors, etc, and did it myself. In short, I thought outside the box. What was needed? How do I get it done? it's like building or cooking something--what are the materials or ingredients you need? Can you improvise? What can you use? Start thinking beyond the ordinary, beyond the unconventional. Imagine. Create. Don't limit your mind. So go ahead--start thinking. Get out of the box, don't get stuck in it. :-) Think outside the box---even if you're actually, um, in the box, as in the case with horror. :)
2. Allow Your Mind Wander. Don't Try to Think Too Hard or Force the Ideas: I get my best ideas when I'm in the shower, doing laundry, or washing dishes or doing simple chores.
3. Frugal Self-Publishing and Marketing: A Simplified List
How I accomplished publishing my novels:
1. Go online and check out self-publishing sites such as createspace.com and iuniverse.com.
2. Write your own bio and book descriptions. Check out other author bios and book descriptions online and get some ideas.
3. Design your own book cover, or find an affordable artist, such as art students, or talented friends.
4. Marketing: Use social networking sites. Create online “flyers” with book or project images and web site URL
5. Create a web page for your work.
6. Create a blog for your book.
7. Determine what your niche market is and what your book genre is. Research web sites that you can submit your book to for review.
8. Go online and research press release formats. Learn to write your own. It's basically who, what, why, when, where, and how. Submit your press release to web sites.
9. Learn to create your own online flyers to market the book. Use email to promote your work.
10. Contact libraries or bookstores to set up book signings. Market the event on social networking sites. Be persistent, and learn to toot your own horn. You are your own best publisher and publicist!
4. Staying Focused
Someone asked me recently how I stay focused on one story idea, especially if you have a lot of ideas for a lot of stories. How do you sort them all out? First, I have my "jigsaw puzzle" method that I often talk about. You take folders and notepads. You label each folder with the title of the idea for your story. Example:
a. Mafia Crime Story, 19--s
(Title, if any)
b. Romance Novel (17th Century Love Triangle)
(Title, if any)
c. ScifFi Novel, 1950s (Time Traveler)
(Title, if any)
And so on. Then pick an idea that interests you the most for that day, week, or month. Make a timeline for working on that project. For instance, you plan to work on the SciFi novel for 6 months, and the romance novel for a year because it may require more historical research.
a. Romance Novel (17th Century Love Triangle)
(Title, if any)
b. ScifFi Novel, 1950s (Time Traveler)
(Title, if any)
And so on. Then pick an idea that interests you the most for that day, week, or month. Make a timeline for working on that project. For instance, you plan to work on the SciFi novel for 6 months, and the romance novel for a year because it may require more historical research. Then, get out your notepads. You may have several separate notepads or notebooks for each idea, each corresponding to the folder. Schedule a time each day to jot down notes for each story: outlines, thoughts, plans etc. Don't worry about putting them together. You can lay the notepads or notebooks all out on a desk so that if you happen to be, say, washing the dishes, and you have a thought about one of those projects, you can go over to the desk and quickly jot it down. (after you dry your hands, of course!) This method made me feel more organized and focused when I wrote three books in the same year, all completely different from each other. Think of it this way: if you happen to cook, you file away recipes by dish: Chicken dishes, dessert, and pasta. Each recipe has a title and ingredients. Simply think of your folders as the filing system for those ingredients. You will put them all together later. In terms of priority, say you have a scifi or crime novel, and a romance novel, and you don't know which one to start with first. Think of whether the Halloween season is approaching. If it's February, you may want to start work on the crime or the scifi novel so you have something to announce for Halloween. if the novel is, say, an anniversary gift for your loving spouse, then that's the one you can start on. it depends on how strong your interest is on each subject and maybe the purpose and timing of it. Schedule our writing like you would a job or a chore. You can schedule anywhere from 5 minutes to 1 hour a day. it's up to you, but treat it like an important, but fun and fulfilling, task.
5. Keep it Simple: I often find myself overwhelmed because I have too many ideas and too many projects I want to accomplish. What helps me is simplifying, and narrowing down what each idea really is about. How would I describe the idea to someone in less than a minute? And if I were to write the story down on paper, how would I describe it? Would I tell the story the way someone would clearly understand it? Simplify. Summarize. Simplifying a project helps me make better decisions, especially financial ones. Sure I want a big flashy web site, and I'll write down all sorts of ideas and goals, but then I'll narrow it down to what I can afford both in time and financially. I can link videos. I can make my own graphics. I can design the site in a way that it's simple to update. If I'm short on time, I'll break my films up into "mini-films". Or mini-stories. Again, an example of simplifying. My stories and films are now more to the point. I also run myself as a business, in addition to the creative work. It seems complicated, but it's actually a simple concept. I make time for my projects and treat them as i would a job. That way, I know that "work" time is for projects and I can break it up into simple schedules and time management. Can I consolidate errands? Can I schedule the more urgent things sooner and schedule other tasks later in the week, or month? That way, I get stuff done little by little, and I feel more accomplished.
6. Keep a Work Journal: I keep a work journal whenever I do projects. It's basically a daily record of what I am doing towards a goal. What have you done today? What have you done this week? It helps keep me on track. For instance, I would write down that I worked on a blog idea for 10 minutes, or I purchased some miniDV tapes for an upcoming film shoot, or that I worked on a short story for half an hour. It also helps me see how much time I've devoting to a project, and helps me keep track of what's working and what's not. if I'm not spending time on something, I may not be as interested in it as I thought. If I'm constantly planning for something, then I am able to record my progress in the journal towards the goal.
Copyright Lia Scott Price
Writing and Publishing Help Disclaimers
I do give advice on writing and self-publishing, and I publish those methods here on my blog, or if I am invited to speak at a panel, a class or seminar, in interviews, or if you meet me at a convention and I have a Q & A going. I am open to being part of panels on comic books, writing and self-publishing, giving media interviews, or answering questions at conventions. :)
I’d rather be honest with my fans than make the think that I am blowing them off by seemingly not wanting to give advice on a one-on-one basis. At the same time, due to so many requests, I would end up having to charge for giving advice, and that’s not why I want to end up doing because I do want to help in some way. But there has to be a balance and a middle ground. Hence, I added some sections on free writing and self-publishing advice on this blog.
Otherwise, in general, please note the following:
I get a lot of individual requests from people who send me messages if I can read/review/edit their manuscript/story/book etc. or publish their books for them. I have made it my general policy to not do so only because it is a full time job and takes away from my own work which is a full-time job in itself.
Although I do encourage readers to read my blog writing advice, I don't have the luxury of giving writing advice one on one or publishing other people’s works full time. It’s not what I do and I need to concentrate on my own works. Otherwise, I’d be working on other people’s projects that are not my own and that is not what I want to do.
My production company also does not accept screenplays for producing, and I don't review screenplays. That's the full-time job of a script reader, which I'm not. I don’t produce other people’s movies, unfortunately. There are other companies that do and you should seek them out.
If you do email me with questions, I will direct you to my blog for tips and Q & A that I have already posted. If I get enough questions about something I haven't addressed yet, I will make a blog entry on it.
So all I can provide is general tips and advice that you can find on my blog. As far as editing and review of our work, you will need to find or hire an editor. (Some of my own books have been independently edited/reviewed, and even though I am a DIY author, I do make it a point to hire an editor, or I take the time to do it myself.)
So please respect my time as a creator as well. I will find way to share my advice such as the entries in this blog, and please understand that I have to draw the line somewhere. It would be difficult to answer 10 plus requests a day. I've found that I give the same answers to questions anyway, so those answers are reflected in my posts, so please see my articles in the Writing Methods and Self-Publishing Methods sections.
Copyright Lia Scott Price
I’d rather be honest with my fans than make the think that I am blowing them off by seemingly not wanting to give advice on a one-on-one basis. At the same time, due to so many requests, I would end up having to charge for giving advice, and that’s not why I want to end up doing because I do want to help in some way. But there has to be a balance and a middle ground. Hence, I added some sections on free writing and self-publishing advice on this blog.
Otherwise, in general, please note the following:
I get a lot of individual requests from people who send me messages if I can read/review/edit their manuscript/story/book etc. or publish their books for them. I have made it my general policy to not do so only because it is a full time job and takes away from my own work which is a full-time job in itself.
Although I do encourage readers to read my blog writing advice, I don't have the luxury of giving writing advice one on one or publishing other people’s works full time. It’s not what I do and I need to concentrate on my own works. Otherwise, I’d be working on other people’s projects that are not my own and that is not what I want to do.
My production company also does not accept screenplays for producing, and I don't review screenplays. That's the full-time job of a script reader, which I'm not. I don’t produce other people’s movies, unfortunately. There are other companies that do and you should seek them out.
If you do email me with questions, I will direct you to my blog for tips and Q & A that I have already posted. If I get enough questions about something I haven't addressed yet, I will make a blog entry on it.
So all I can provide is general tips and advice that you can find on my blog. As far as editing and review of our work, you will need to find or hire an editor. (Some of my own books have been independently edited/reviewed, and even though I am a DIY author, I do make it a point to hire an editor, or I take the time to do it myself.)
So please respect my time as a creator as well. I will find way to share my advice such as the entries in this blog, and please understand that I have to draw the line somewhere. It would be difficult to answer 10 plus requests a day. I've found that I give the same answers to questions anyway, so those answers are reflected in my posts, so please see my articles in the Writing Methods and Self-Publishing Methods sections.
Copyright Lia Scott Price
The "Letter Writing" way of Creating your Book Chapters
The "Letter Writing" way of Creating your Book Chapters
Copyright Lia Scott Price
Write everything down like you are writing a letter to someone telling them a story of how your day went. Of course, the intro will be something like "I had something really weird happen to me today!" With that opening, people will automatically ask "What? Tell us!" That is the same as the opening of a story of a book. You want the reader to read more. You want them to say "Go on! Tell us more!"
Continue on with your story, and your letter format. This can help narrow down the plot. In other words, if you only have one minute to tell someone of the story, how would you describe it? What's the main story? "I had a weird day. Someone thought they saw a UFO fly over the freeway in Los Angeles, and the highway patrol shut down the freeway!" So , the whole premise is about aliens in Los Angeles.
Then break it up into chapters. For instance, you can start the story with something like "I am going to tell you a strange story." The first chapter can be about the man who saw the UFO and stopped in the middle of the freeway, blocking traffic. The second chapter can be about the people stuck on the freeway. The third chapter can be about how the cops got involved. Again, describe the story in a letter. To make it easier, devote two pages to one chapter, then another separate two pages to the next chapter. That way, you can put them together later and rewrite it as a novel or in any way you want.
Be sure to copyright your work. As soon as your story is done, go to the web site for the copyright office (type in US Copyright office on google) and download the forms. Make sure your book or manuscript is complete though, since you will need to send in a copy with the form.
Please read my writing and self-publishing disclaimer here
Copyright Lia Scott Price
Write everything down like you are writing a letter to someone telling them a story of how your day went. Of course, the intro will be something like "I had something really weird happen to me today!" With that opening, people will automatically ask "What? Tell us!" That is the same as the opening of a story of a book. You want the reader to read more. You want them to say "Go on! Tell us more!"
Continue on with your story, and your letter format. This can help narrow down the plot. In other words, if you only have one minute to tell someone of the story, how would you describe it? What's the main story? "I had a weird day. Someone thought they saw a UFO fly over the freeway in Los Angeles, and the highway patrol shut down the freeway!" So , the whole premise is about aliens in Los Angeles.
Then break it up into chapters. For instance, you can start the story with something like "I am going to tell you a strange story." The first chapter can be about the man who saw the UFO and stopped in the middle of the freeway, blocking traffic. The second chapter can be about the people stuck on the freeway. The third chapter can be about how the cops got involved. Again, describe the story in a letter. To make it easier, devote two pages to one chapter, then another separate two pages to the next chapter. That way, you can put them together later and rewrite it as a novel or in any way you want.
Be sure to copyright your work. As soon as your story is done, go to the web site for the copyright office (type in US Copyright office on google) and download the forms. Make sure your book or manuscript is complete though, since you will need to send in a copy with the form.
Any Customer Service Job is Free Public Relations Training
Copyright Lia Scott Price
In a way, it is. If you're an aspiring self-published author, musician, filmmaker or artist and you have to have a day job where you deal with the public, you might as well take advantage of this "free training". Why? Because publicists are expensive, and one of these days you may have to deal with the press on your own, and field inquiries on your own about your work. I've had friends who work in customer service positions who are artists and who grumble about having a day job, and I tell them there's opportunity there. What can you learn in customer service? It's public relations training, and even sales training Here's what you can learn:
-Professionalism
-How to market or talk about a product. This can definitely apply to the marketing of your own work. How do you talk about it? How can you help someone learn more about it?
-How would you respond to a difficult question?
-How would you respond to frequently asked questions?
-How would you respond if someone doesn't like what you do?
-What would you write and say in your own press release and public statements and responses?
These are just some of the things that you can apply to your own work. Explore life and be inspired by everything around you. There are so many things to be learned from it, even from the most unexpected of places.
Please read my writing and self-publishing disclaimer here
In a way, it is. If you're an aspiring self-published author, musician, filmmaker or artist and you have to have a day job where you deal with the public, you might as well take advantage of this "free training". Why? Because publicists are expensive, and one of these days you may have to deal with the press on your own, and field inquiries on your own about your work. I've had friends who work in customer service positions who are artists and who grumble about having a day job, and I tell them there's opportunity there. What can you learn in customer service? It's public relations training, and even sales training Here's what you can learn:
-Professionalism
-How to market or talk about a product. This can definitely apply to the marketing of your own work. How do you talk about it? How can you help someone learn more about it?
-How would you respond to a difficult question?
-How would you respond to frequently asked questions?
-How would you respond if someone doesn't like what you do?
-What would you write and say in your own press release and public statements and responses?
These are just some of the things that you can apply to your own work. Explore life and be inspired by everything around you. There are so many things to be learned from it, even from the most unexpected of places.
A Positive Person Writing about Negative Things? The Horror!
Copyright Lia Scott Price
I once received a message, a comment about how positive I am, but how I write about negative stuff such as serial killers. Well, it’s simply a what-if scenario, using my imagination, and also a way of getting negativity out of my life. So what if I write about what I write about? It’s my choice. To me, creative writing is venting and releasing negative thoughts, emotions, and feelings, and thinking outside the box. I turn them into stories, or I use the negative emotions and people that I meet or hear about. Of course, I don't advocate or support violence, I'm just using creativity to address my fears, experiences, and explore my imagination. It's therapy, and sometimes even better than therapy. Would this person think the same ways about horror film producers, writers and actors? Just because I write horror doesn’t mean I’m “negative”.
I also encounter this thinking whenever I talk about my love of death metal and heavy metal. Most people think that because the lyrics and music are “negative”, the band must be negative too. But it’s in fact the opposite. People in metal bands and in the metal scene that’s I’ve met are the friendliest, most open-minded, creative, coolest, most supportive people who are more family to me than the people who choose to criticize what I do. They write about politics, social issues, and other things that are considered negative to make a point, to be vocal about what they see is wrong in society, or about what they fear or change or whatever else they want to write about. It’s a creative way to vent or make a statement. It’s better than keeping your own fears in and thinking that the world will become more violent if anyone expresses it in a creative way, like saying that listening to certain music will make you a serial killer. If that’s the way you think, then maybe you should avoid horror movies and books. If you think these things are going to come true, that’s a little unrealistic. Then you might as well live your life in fear of everything.
I once received a message, a comment about how positive I am, but how I write about negative stuff such as serial killers. Well, it’s simply a what-if scenario, using my imagination, and also a way of getting negativity out of my life. So what if I write about what I write about? It’s my choice. To me, creative writing is venting and releasing negative thoughts, emotions, and feelings, and thinking outside the box. I turn them into stories, or I use the negative emotions and people that I meet or hear about. Of course, I don't advocate or support violence, I'm just using creativity to address my fears, experiences, and explore my imagination. It's therapy, and sometimes even better than therapy. Would this person think the same ways about horror film producers, writers and actors? Just because I write horror doesn’t mean I’m “negative”.
I also encounter this thinking whenever I talk about my love of death metal and heavy metal. Most people think that because the lyrics and music are “negative”, the band must be negative too. But it’s in fact the opposite. People in metal bands and in the metal scene that’s I’ve met are the friendliest, most open-minded, creative, coolest, most supportive people who are more family to me than the people who choose to criticize what I do. They write about politics, social issues, and other things that are considered negative to make a point, to be vocal about what they see is wrong in society, or about what they fear or change or whatever else they want to write about. It’s a creative way to vent or make a statement. It’s better than keeping your own fears in and thinking that the world will become more violent if anyone expresses it in a creative way, like saying that listening to certain music will make you a serial killer. If that’s the way you think, then maybe you should avoid horror movies and books. If you think these things are going to come true, that’s a little unrealistic. Then you might as well live your life in fear of everything.
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