The Writer's Mailbag: Installment 259

Bill

I totally 'get' where you're coming from with regards marketing your work, I'm the same way about blogs and newsletters! For me, they're just too much work.

The other week though I had a monent when I realised my writing is as good as the best of them.

Dad always told me "if you're going to do a job, do it properly" so I started doing some research learning Amazon Ads and the like.

I'd love to say I'd sold heaps, but truth is $30 in I've learned lots of how NOT to do it.

The fact is Bill, I just want people to enjoy then, but I want to let them know the books are there, by the way that $30 was because 8,000 people saw the ads, and about 50 went through to my sales page (I only paid for those that go through to the page).

To me, I wasn't getting anywhere with blogs, so I'll try this.

By the way, the money came from selling paperback copies!

I co-authored my very first book way back in the late 80's. My co-author and I obtained an investor who put up $10,000 to produce our book. It was an exercise book and we had to pay photographers, models, the music writer and producer of the original sound track, etc. We thought we were going to make a fortune and pay the investor back with plenty of interest. We discovered our subject matter (exercising with kids) was not as exciting as we imagined. We probably sold about 1,000 copies all total. A couple of years ago, my co-author tried to give her copies of the book to me because she was moving and didn't want to cart those books around anymore. Today, we can't even give those books away. Still, there are fabulous memories from the days of collaboration. The investor? Well, he just chalked it up to a good decision that didn't pan out as expected. It became a write-off for him. Bill, this mailbag is such a fun place. Thank you for all of your valuable tips.

Thanks for tuning into to my channel good buddy. I need this one on the come back rooster over and out down interstate.

Bill I have three books ready in a sense. I sit fat and happy and don't need the money. But family and friends say to publish. Who will publish me stuffers for a major cut of the action or just to do it. I just write,,, I reckon there are figures out there that just publish.

Is that cray cray as Gabe would say??

Morning, Bill. You're probably doing another mailbag as I'm reading this one. They're still enjoyable and interesting a week late. I always learn something from you.

You come across as being so chatty and gregarious that it is hard for me to picture you as an introvert.

Hi Bill...I'll take purple over orange any day. :-) Thanks again for another interesting mailbag. And I have to agree with Ruby; your honesty and character shine through.

Once again, this is a useful Mailbag, Bill. It was interesting to hear where you got your nickname from, though it's sad to hear that the man died.

At the moment I have no desire to write, but I love reading your questions and answers. Your honesty shines through each week. Thanks again.

I think a lot of people in the arts are purple in an orange world (or visa versa), and that is wonderful. I loved the poetry section of this mailbag and I agree with your answer but I must say it is sometimes hard to pull off.

I just want to say that I have always loved that photo of Bev. It's sexy yet inspirational. I suspect marrying Bev was one of the best decisions of your life. So I wish you a blessed marriage.

Hi Bill - You couldn't drag me into an orange room. Figuratively. Monday already. That is a Wednesday joke. The mailbag is going strong. Oh, and writing for money, what a novel idea.

Hope all is well.

I love the way you talked about your writing. It is indeed your gift tot he world. Thank you.

I read your comments on self-promotion with interest, as I am right with you. Part of my slow earnings rate on HubPages is probably due to my reluctance to go the social media self-promotion route.

I had never really explored the distinction between memoirs and autobiography before. Heidi's comment makes a lot of sense.

By e-newsletters do you mean the regular news updates people send via email? I received one recently. They come out once a quarter with work and family news about the person concerned, with a note for those who want to support the work financially.

Thanks for sharing some of your experience of freelancing. Your advice based on this experience is valuable.

Your comments about the hook are also fascinating and make a lot of sense. If a book doesn't hook me by its back page summary, I might not buy it. If I am not hooked after a few pages, I might give up reading it.

Sorry to hear about the death of your nickname namesake. I always wondered where you took your nickname from.

I guess I'm purple in an orange room, too. I have to say I am quite comfortable being that, even more so knowing that I am in good company.

Interesting set of questions and answers. Thanks for enlightening us about autobiography and memoirs. And thanks for sharing how your nickname was influenced.

Keep inspiring and take care. Have a great week. Thank You.

I enjoyed the discussion about the hook. I wonder if we have hooks in our lives that drive us forward and if so what that would be for each of us?

Hey, Bill, interesting mailbag today. I agree that you can teach someone to write, but to be successful, one must have talent. The other interesting thing was the hook. You seem to have a different definition of a hook than what some how-to writers describe. One writer that I used to quote described it more like the moral of the story, or the whole point of its being. Oh well, what do I know?

I think I'm going to have to buy a boat or at least get my late son's kayak out of the storage unit. If this keeps up, we are going to need one to get to the grocery store. We're in no danger on this hill, but the PTB keep having to close the roads below our hill. The Arkansas River is raging, high and risin', as Johnny Cash would say. We've never experienced it so high, and it is raining tonight with more predicted for the next week. Stay dry in WA, my friend.

Thank you for this most informative and interesting mailbag. As always I am doing my best to bring in some money and as always I am writing and writing and hopefully, in the end, it will all somehow miraculously work out.

"I don’t fit whatever mold is presented to me" - I feel ya!

Thank You for differentiating between a memoir and an autobiography. I did not know the difference. I have not read any, or written any.

"has that person ever written an autobiography before?" - But how does one get experience if people keep asking this question?

"just like this Mailbag is always posted on Mondays" - I would read it on Thursdays too, or Saturdays. It's a matter of when I am around and got time.

Regarding creative writing: there are classes. I took one in highschool. It sure can be taught. Well, it is taught, haha!

Now, when it comes to being paid for writing, I was writing English essays for other students in high-school for 10 bucks a page so, when I see people offering 10 bucks for 500 words nowadays ... ahhmm, no thank You. I'll pass.

"If the introduction does not hook a reader right out of the gate, that novel is in trouble." - I feel this way about most pieces of writing (prose that is).

Well, since Billy Buckner is gone, may he rest in piece (I have no clue who he was), now You get to carry on the name. I have many nicknames but one that I borrowed myself intentionally, is Johannes di Silentio (John of Silence). I took this name from Soren Kierkegaard and carry it on. He used it as a writing alias but he's been gone for a long time so I use it, only I add a Jr. at the end: Johannes di Silentio Jr.

Thank You for your writing. I always enjoy it when I swing-by.

Cheers!

Very interesting mailbag this week. As always, I learn something new.. and this time around was that people hire ghostwriters to write their autobiography. I guess I never realized how common ghostwriting is. Thank you for another informative mailbag. Have a wonderful week!

This mailbag had a wealth of information. I respect the idea that you write because you love to write and money is a secondary thought. I just finished tour new book, and withour telling details I thought it was interesting and caught me in the first few sentences. Thanks for another good mailbag, and I wish you a good week.

What a loaded Mailbag this week!

Re: Memoirs and Ghostwriting. First, thank you for sharing my thoughts on the whole memoir thing. I agree that the gender of the ghostwriter shouldn't matter. What does matter is if the writer can effectively write in the voice of the book's subject, essentially being the spirit (ghost?) of the subject. That is a much tougher review. Always ask for the writer's portfolio of work to determine if it's a good fit.

Re: Email Newsletters. Consistency is king. Weekly seems to be ideal for most. Automate as much as you can so that you can keep with the schedule. I do that with MailChimp which emails the RSS feed for my latest content automatically. Completely hands off so I can concentrate on the content.

Re: Teaching Creative Writing... or Creativity? I think you can teach writing, creative or otherwise. Creativity, well, that's something completely different. Writing is just a vehicle for creativity. So I say concentrate on becoming more creative and curious. You might discover that writing isn't your vehicle and you need to find another ride.

Finally having nice weather here in Chicago! Have a great week!

I just looked it up too and honestly had not a single clue to any other lyric of that song. That's funny! I'm kind of glad I won't remember those lyrics. Hahaha....It's much better than the songs I KNOW the lyrics to and don't like in my head.

Oh well. Here's another hook many people get wrong: It's not "la, la, la, la, la bamba"; it's "para bailar la bamba". By the way, it means "in order to dance the bamba". LOL

Have a good week!

Happy Monday Bill! I hadn't heard of of your namesake before, but sorry to hear that he has passed... And I just want to add that I think it is wonderful that as introverted as you are (like many writers) that you can speak so freely and passionately through your books, blogs and hubs. We really appreciate hearing your advice and thoughts each and every week! Have a wonderful and productive week!

Interesting set of questions-answers. I really liked your answer about freelancing. And more than that I liked your confidence. If one is good at his craft and is confident about it then people will surely pay what he demands.

I don't know about when writing a novel, but musically speaking, a hook is a line that is appealing enough to the listener to be memorable. A melody or a rift. . .The hooks are what helps a song become a hit on the radio. There are songs with hooks that annoy the hell out of me because I can't stand the song itself or the lyrics to it. However, the hook won't stay out of my head. Speaking of which, thanks for putting "Louie, Louie" in my head this morning. Could've done without that, especially since those are the only lyrics I know to that song. LOL

Bill, I'm forwarding your answer on e-newsletters to someone who has the same question. Thanks for sharing your information on these topics. Have a great week!

Good morning Bill. I saw this bit of advice online "Every sentence must do one of two things--reveal character or advance the action." A penny for your thoughts on that.

How can someone pass away at the age of 69? At one time that was as old as dirt; now I think it's incredibly young.

What a great mailbag this week, Bill. Loved the questions and answers.

As far as Shirley’s question about what to charge for freelancing...as much as people are willing to pay. I have put my prices up twice since I started four years ago. I am now asking four times what I originally did back then. Some clients try to bargain me down, others are more than happy to pay my asking price. I find it has a lot to do with what country they are from as to what they are willing to pay. I usually give discounts to returning customers.

Morning Bill, Your questions (and answers) today are intriguing, thank you. I studied creative writing once upon a time, and the biggest take-away for me was 'show, don't tell'. Let the characters tell the story through their actions, rather than having the narrator explain everything. Just something that has stuck with me over the years. It's cooled down here on the coast, and we got some rain overnight. A break for the gardener... Have a great week Bill!

Creative writing can be taught but talent makes it exceptional. Promoting books helps to reach out to people across the world and having written wonderful novels you should keep promoting them.

So sorry for your loss. So pleased and blessed to call you friend.

I know I could write this on many of your "platforms" but decided here. I have wild quail who are just loving it with their soon to be babies. Nest in our screen room/patio. I think they went there because Gabe and I scare the other birds by our inherited loudness :-)

But how do you anthropomorphize this family that we adopted. I mean how to you create a personal relationship in writing/with our friends who are not human - maybe even my plants.

Love you Pard and kiss everything you meet for me today.

Thanks for the answers to some great questions. There is always something to learn here, Bill. Love it! I enjoyed the videos as well. As for Louie, Louie - well . . .