The Writer's Mailbag: Installment 283

Another interesting and informative mailbag installment, thank you for sharing. Handling negative comments is tough, we must not let them get to us. Editing is the tough part after writing, asking a beta reader or a friend to read and give their opinion is a great idea.

As I read again this mailbag, it is being better and more greater.

Good info about ISBN and book covers. Thanks, Bill. Stay dry.

Bill, these mailbags just get better and better. You really do provide a valuable service to your aspiring writer fans.

I know what you mean about the rain or at least the cloudiness that comes with it. About a week ago we hadn't seen the sun for days on end. Overcast days depress me.

My goodness, Bill. I know I'm late, as usual, but the Cowsills? Now, there's a memory or two! More good questions and answers. Thank you, my friend!

We're all human, bill. Don't beat yourself up about proof-reading mistakes. Even I have missed errors from time to time!!

Ann

Thanks Bill for sharing this article. I appreciate it. You know what I am a struggling writer and willing to learn what I wanted to learn. Again, thanks.

Hi Bill you encourage writers to write and to be confident in what they do at best.

Yes...I got one of the nasty comments once. It wasn't about my writing. I wish it had been. It was my view on something. My view was wrong and it was not put so very nicely. And yes, dissenting views are fine but there are ways to state them that are more pc than others. (O don't I hate the pc thing....but sometimes we need to be to an extent, maybe????). Had to stop by to see what is cooking here. Hugs and many Angels are headed your way ps

Bill, it's hardly a challenge if you post a video of the original artists doing the song. Oh, you do make me laugh. :D

Here's a fun fact: the opening sound of rain was actually the sound of bacon sizzling as the recording of real rain was too faint to be heard on the record.

By the way, I did know where the subheading came from. I have it on Spotify playlist.

Have a great day, Bill.

We've had quite a lot of rain lately, but according to the weather forecast it's going to be sunny for the next few days. Thanks for sharing some more things to think about in this installment of the mailbag.

No, no, Bill that was a question about one or more ISBNs, not a criticism. I don't know the answer. But thanks!

Hi Bill. I think we have all experienced our share of negative feedback. It’s unfortunate, but comes with the job I suppose. Another great edition of the mailbag. Have a wonderful week.

I liked your answer to Patti. We all draw from our life experience's. Who would ever think I would want to write? Nursing was my life. We go where our heart's take us.

Quite useful and interesting questions in this mailbag and your answers are always helpful.

Revision, constructive criticism or otherwise, writing about the places, we know fully well—all relatable topics.

Thanks for sharing another wonderful mailbag. Have a good day.

Thanks Bill for such great series!

Love each bit of it. Quite compelling questions and answers this week. And yes, for your ‘Shadows’, give me a shout if you need any help for London Trip. Good luck for this.

Happy rainy day my friend!

Great article. I use the free kdp cover creator for my books on Amazon. I like it, though it may not be to everyone's taste. As for the 20 year old student, she knows about studying. What's hard, easy, tips, techniques, student life, etc. I was not a good student when I was young but returned to study after I retired and loved it.

Another fantastic mailbag! I think the very nature of putting yourself online invites comments from all areas.. mostly positive, but quite a few negative. I've had a few, but I typically just laugh at it and move on. Constructive criticism is so important, though, as it helps us grow, but if people are just being negative for the sake of it.. as my husband's grandfather always says, "it takes all kinds." haha! I use that phrase all the time. I love it. Interesting knowledge about ISBN's. I never thought about those. Another nugget of wisdom to keep in my back pocket. Thank you for giving us insight into the revision process. I like your method. I'm going to adopt it for myself. As always thank you for this weekly get-together. Sending you some sunshine from Ohio. Have a wonderful week!

Thanks to Lori for asking my question about revisions. Thanks for your answer, Bill.

Feels fuller this week .. more promising and some really cool questions and answers. I really loved how you dealt with the question of the 20-yr old. Sweeett!!

I almost always read even my articles out loud. It is amazing what you pick up that way, even when you have done a spell check. No one likes negative comments but it happens as there are many negative people. My mother always said, "If you can't say something don't say anything at all." LOL

Have a great week, Bill.

Rain in Croatia for many days and many streets have flooded. However, the weather you have created an informative and useful hub on all Mailbags as listed.

I would suggest that Patti talk to others about their lives. Real conversation about strife, triumph, fear, heartache and other personal stories will give you all that you need to write creatively. People I barely know tend to tell me things. It’s a matter of questioning and listening. Most people have deep, meaningful and complex stories.

Hi Bill,

You can tell Brandon I would be interested in working on his cover. There were a lot of good questions this time. I didn't know about the ISBN. I've always let them provide one but didn't know I could purchase one and how much it might cost. Interesting info.

Blessings,

Denise

Good questions and answers today, Bill. I bought an ISBN number years ago for a computer program my husband wrote. As a postscript, I don't think I saw this in your answer, but if you are publishing both an ebook and a hard copy, they will need separate ISBN numbers, won't they? I suppose one could use the KDP freebie on an ebook through Amazon and buy a separate number for the hard copies that would allow it to be marketed through bookstores, etc.?

Loved your paragraph on rainfall today. Last year Arkansas had above average at more than 70 inches. It hit 71 inches at North Little Rock where I live, and at least half of that poured through my roof, I think. LOL Our record here was 80 inches in 2009. Reminds me of my friend who moved to Seattle, only to move back in a couple of years because it just rained too much there. Have a fantastic week, my friend. It is going to be like a June day here this week, so I plan on having one.

Thank you for answering my question(s)! I agree with you but then I've only had a couple of bad reactions to hubs, never with anything bigger as I haven't written any novels or published stories (only poems). When I do (notice the 'when', not 'if'), I'll be much more protective of my work, I'm sure.

Others' questions were interesting. Proof-reading is a bug-bear with me; why do so many writers obviously not do it?! It doesn't take long and it makes such a difference.

Have a dazzling day, bill!

Ann

I like your advice on no experience. I did think that, too, when I look at my life and how easy it has been but when you look again, there are many things you can write about. At times, we participate in other people's experience because we know them and they are our friends.

I smiled at your comments about rain. We have a lot in the UK, but recently more than the average, causing flooding in some areas.

You give so much great advice in this issue. I hadn't realised about the free ISBNs.

I think having a thick skin has to go along with publishing writing, especially these days with the internet.

On the other hand the internet can be a great asset in researching settings, as you suggest.

Hi Bill,

For book covers there is a site called selfpubbookcovers.com that have covers starting from $69.

Regarding criticism, there are trolls lurking. I listen to Brene Brown's when she quotes "The Man in the Arena" speech. It puts things into perspective.

Happy Monday Bill! That was a nice assortment of questions for the week. In regards to the nasty comments or reviews, I read that no author is immune. Even the best selling authors or writers that we consider beyond reproach have had their share of critics. Developing a thick skin sounds about as necessary as a rain coat on Mt. Waialeale on Kauai in Hawaii ( I googled it, they get 460 inches a year)

Hope you have a great and productive week!

I like the part on nasty comments. My technical offline writing is just set up so that a bunch of tight ass lawyers sit around and criticize it. Everyone has an ego in those meetings. And who can best criticize harshly is the winner. hihihi

I like about self editing/revising. The one I am working on now has a great editor. Gabe. He does not like the "Lovey Dovey" parts though.

That was one of my favorite songs in the 60s, or was it 70s?

Bill, your advice on revising sounds like a good one, thank you.

To Nancy: I wrote a book on two continents, the US and Poland. I had a wonderful experience researching. I even did research on polish names and their meanings. It was all so interesting. It takes a lot of digging and I surprised at how interesting it was.

To Patti: I was writing stories from elementary school on up. Ideas from stories come from all areas of life. The only thing you need is to be alive and creative.

To Brandon: You can get free, public domain photos from Pixabay, Unsplash, freepix and others. You don't have to cite the author although it's a nice courtesy.

Just remember to "mind the gap" when you take your gang to London, Bill. LOL.....What stood out to me when I was in Europe were the internet cafes. Everywhere, at least in the big tourist cities we went to: London, Paris, and Rome. About like the currency conversion places or random souvenir shops. I can also tell you that Paris is far less romantic than its touted for being, at least in my opinion. London reminds me of large American cities and Rome had the best little hidden pasta place I've ever ate at. Of course, that was back in January of 2003.

Bill, I've received my fair share of nasty comments and, like you, they really sting. But perhaps a bit of humbling is good for us now and again.

Wow Bill. London? Another way to gain usable knowledge for a place you've never been is the Google maps panoramic 360.

Cover design really isn't all that difficult. I've not taken one class in Photoshop or Paint (you're going to say "it shows" ??) and I did the cover for my book.

Have a great Monday my friend.

I never realized you had a choice for ISBN. Is it possible to get an Amazon one first and later change to the paid one? If you do I assume you would have to change the number with Amazon.

I'm so proud of myself! You've just posted the Mailbag and, tah-dah, I'm here. Good way to start the week. Here we go...

Re: ISBN Numbers. An ISBN number is an ISBN number. So I, too, use the free ones from KDP. It does get pricey since you have to have a separate ISBN for each edition: print, eBook, and audio. Why some people get so flustered about using the free KDP ISBN is that it ties the book to KDP, not the publisher. For most self published authors, who cares? Would they really want to handle fulfillment for bookstore or library orders by themselves? I've done that and it's a pain. So I never use my own anymore.

Some authors think that an ISBN imparts some sort of legitimacy or magic on their books. It doesn't. It's an inventory barcode, people!

I have so much to say on this. I've done a post on ISBN numbers and a recent video about the ISBN nonsense for those who want more of my rant on the topic.

Re: Nasty. Reviews come in all forms. Good, bad, and nasty ugly. If you don't want bad reviews, don't publish. Remember that the Latin root of publish means to make public. Only hermits are free from ridicule.

Re: Book Covers. This is another rant subject for me. I think authors spend far too much emotion and money on their book covers. They buy in to the "people buy because of the cover" myth. Maybe back in the days of bookstores, but not now when you see a mini version of the cover in Amazon search results. So with the exception of the first edition of my first book years ago (which I republished with KDP later and then created my own cover), I have never, ever hired a designer for my cover. Though you don't want your cover to look junky, the free Cover Creator tools in KDP are good enough in my opinion for most self published books.

People buy books these days because they know the author and his or her work from being online. To presume that your customers are so primitive as to be totally swayed by the cover is ridiculous. People are label and product description readers these days. Spend more of your time and energy on creating a kick-butt book description, title, keywords, and other things that really matter in today's online retail experience.

I've got to quit before I go into full rant mode. Thanks for listening. :) Have a great week!