The Writer's Mailbag: Installment Seventy-Three

Hi again!

Re: Autograph Hounds. I certainly oblige those that want my autograph, although it does feel awkward at times. And, yes, it can happen at all levels of popularity. I recently donated some of my books for holiday raffle prizes at a networking event. I didn't sign them since I figured some winners would pass them along to others. Then on Facebook, the prize winners called me out for not signing 'em. Go figure.

With newer authors, some people like to have a copy of a book that was signed by an author before they became famous. Increases the collectible value. Who wouldn't want a first edition copy of To Kill a Mockingbird signed by Harper Lee?

Re: Exposure. Love that practicing bad writing makes bad writing worse. "Practice doesn't make perfect. Only right practice makes perfect."

On to the next Mailbag...

Those were all excellent questions, and certainly quality answers, too.

So it's pretty clear what genre we should be writing in for the female audience.

I'm glad I read this. I try now to write more often but I may just be practicing bad writing. Ugh...that is not good. Time to get an editor.

I agree with you Bill. The questions are getting better each week. I found your research findings on who buy books interesting, but not surprising. However, I wonder why women are more apt to pick up a book than men?

Yes, thanks bill. Sunday is a day I always enjoy - I refuse to do any shopping, just messing about at home or seeing the children!

Ann :)

I'm so sorry to have taken so long to write this comment; I could've sworn I'd already done so as I've read this once already.

Anyway, great mailbag as usual; there are so many of us who wait for the next Monday to come around, just to read your answers! Thanks for answering my query. There are a few here who agree with me that your fame is growing by the day and it WILL happen. You are more than a 'good' writer and that will surely be recognised by the main guys.

I love reading others' questions, even though some are similar to those already tackled; there's always a personal slant that makes them different.

So much of a writer's approach is personal and one style or way of doing things doesn't suit everyone; you manage to put that across so well whilst giving your individual answers and it's obvious that everyone is grateful for your response. I hope the series continues on and on and on and.....

We have beautiful blue skies, sunshine and a biting, gusty, cold wind. Winter has definitely arrived. I'm glad because I like to experience the obvious seasons rather than a mishmash which never ends.

Hope you have a great weekend, bill!

Ann

another great installment Billybuc.. and I have to admit some of the replies were just as interesting too.. this is the beauty of these mailbags if you ask me.. write on!

My 2 cents---I've been a successful business person all my life and I must say that writing novels is the least lucrative endeavor of all time. It appears to be the wild card of a writing career. If I wanted to make money writing I'd work for the local newspaper, write tv scripts, I did look into scripts and at that time, a 1/2 hour tv show paid $50,000 and a hour show paid $150,000.

As always, great to read. I'm sure you'd never be one of those rude celebrities. As to vampires and werewolves I would venture a guess that vampires are more popular, however, the rules keep changing and so do the vampires so I guess it's hard to say.

You keep writing and we'll keep reading!!

An interesting, and a well-focused hub,

Thanks again, Bill. This is a great writer's hangout and I love coming here.

Thank you, Bill! Your answers are as inspiring as they are informative! I'm looking forward to next week!

Based on the wide variety of thoughtful questions you receive, Bill, from your admiring followers, and the realistic answers you provide, I predict this series could run forever . . . or longer.

I'm speaking of Seniors in college! What on earth were you thinking? I split the seams on my cheer leading outfit, my jump is a bit more like a bunny hop and my pom poms are tattered, nothing that can't be fixed.

A few prunes, my orthopedic shoes, a mega phone and I'm a wild woman on the field! GO TEAM! (Team of paramedics) See you at the game, champ!

good.....maybe not so much.....up, down, back & forth. Happy, sad, tired, frisky, quiet, mouthy, always ME, whether anyone likes it or NOT! Too friggan old to bend anymore! Meet me where I am or keep on movin!

God who said aging isn't any fun? We're granted the privilege to be a grumpy pain in the ass. What are they gonna do to us? They wouldn't dare lock up an old Fart! We'll start a friggan MOVEMENT "SENIORS MATTER!!"

73 installments??!! WTH! Only a loyal, dedicated TEACHER with the stamina of a Saint could put out so many lessons, so well and with a smile besides!

This WHY you're the teacher and I'm NOT!.....Maybe I could have taught preschool.....you can round up the little rug rats and duct tape them together!!......How's it going bro?

You're forgiven : )

Peace and blessings

Noticed a mistake I made, not that it is very important Bill, but "mood" should be "moon", though mood works as well.

Thanks for the kind comment in-response man, your insights are appreciated.

-E.G.A.

I guess my question about ghostwriting didn't make the cut as promised either, but I didn't even get an honorable mention?

Vampires are still popular for some reason, and my husband seems to love movies and I don't understand it. However, one movie I thought I would hate, but turned out great is, believe it or not, "Abraham Lincoln, the Vampire Slayer" or something along those lines LOL.

So glad the mailbag is overflowing!

Blessings

Great Mailbag Bill. I learn something new every week, thanks to you. Looking forward to number 74 and beyond. Have a great week.

Bill, you have promised us a #74 (yippy!!). And thank you for addressing my little question. Already waiting for next Monday.

In my opinion, you are already famous. I would have loved to have an autographed cop of your bool.

Howdy Bill, always read these installments when they arrive in my email box. Enjoyable correspondences between yourself and your constant readers. Leave me with something to walk, or hobble, away with, and ponder.

On the 'newfound' fascination with serial killers/supernatural and its intersection with sexuality, I think it deserves attention. You covered the creme quite well, and the cake, but I'll add another layer if you will allow it.

I redirect your attention to apocalyptic themes, or themes of madness. These are stock sources for stories, insofar as we can point to Shakespeare (soon) or Mary Shelly, as presenting madness, and/or, descents into the supernatural level of spirituality.

Frankenstein's monster wasn't merely a monster, but the outgrowth of scientific principles of madness, brought to the material world. The sustainment of life after death, or living death, is something so ingrained within our thinking on what it means to be mad. To be living, but living in a world beyond the materiel of observable life.

The interest in Zombie fiction is even more evident of the crossover between murder, madness, and apocalypse. (Oh boy, zombies!) Essentially, I'm trying to chart a narrative line between the way we, as a culture of consciousness (sexual consciousness as Foucault might say), express our ideas on life through the darker, deathly, side of humanity, as being ever-present and insidious. Sex, being so equated with life, will necessarily seep into discussion of madness (and murder -watch Forensic Files for starters).

As Shakespeare taught us through Lady Macbeth, we cannot hope to wash our physical hands clean of such cruelty, until psychologically we are beyond the supposed intersections of madness and murder. Was her husband not tied by bounds of thought to her act of murder, through the 'desire' to see it completed? We cannot hope to clean our consciousness so long as we eat the brains of barbarism, even if we believe ourselves to be materially removed from malice and murder.

These themes of murder/madness/sexuality, become mutually inclusive in our current eras of literature (16th century onwards by my reckoning, since even Werewolves, i.e. lycanthropy or mood madness- the mystical elements of feminine witchcraft worked upon man- were around during the 16th century)

No longer is man merely at a 'descent' into madness, but in an upheaval, mentally, of dormant darkness that lurks forevermore in our collective shadows, or subconscious, which is so scientifically tied into sexually we cannot speak of one without the other anymore (or can we?) Sexually induced states of madness/murder are our literary eras equivalent of earlier themes on The Mad, I think. The Vampire's kiss being a perfect example of the bridge between living death and deathly desirous love.

But maybe I too am on the Ship of Fools Mr. Holland!

-E.G.A.

Bill

Really good stuff here, I'm especially interested in the ebook stuff so that was really good.

One thought I had and it kind of has to do with goal setting, if you've got the goal of improving your writing how would you keep track of whether the quality was improving? I'll leave the question there as I'm sure it's a pretty broad question and any feedback will be good.

Lawrence

Thanks for continuing to answer, bill

I learn something every time I come here...my Muse keeps nudging me to get the book going...some day ....

hoping all is good in your little corner of the planet....Angels are once again on the way to you my friend bringing armloads of blessings to you and Bev ps

Yes, yes ...that last line was quite clever. So true! My brother Bill.

It's good to see the mail truck keeps rollin'. Enjoyed the videos as well, and as always, a lot of good information. Thank you, my friend!

Legacy, all right. I've already given it some thought ... in the moment, of course. (Chuckle)

Another very interesting Hub and 'a getting closer to the target' beauty.

Did you know I did business at College? I came second with many distinctions. One day I simply said to myself. "Manatita, why are you reading the Financial Times?" and went back to Nursing.

Anyway, lots of emphasis was put on branding, on image. This means a lot in the world of business. I would say though, that what is important is what works. So if your approach is working for you, then that's cool.

I keep dreaming of retirement and going down the road of writing. 16 months to go, and counting, one ...two ...six ...Much Love, Bro.

I read every word and liked your answers. I don't like to read E books on line. I want to hold a book when I read. Thanks again.

Loved the ebook sales answer. Appreciate factual answers!! Have a great week! ;-)

Hi Bill, just one comment on the titling of your company question. Years ago we had an opening in our agency, and a woman who claimed to own her own freelance business applied. The name of her company was “It’s only Words”. Apparently her freelancing wasn’t doing too well or she wouldn’t have needed a job. Anyway, my boss said that if she wasn’t any more serious than that, he wouldn’t even consider hiring her as an editor.

I agree with you on vampires, werewolves, and serial killers. Let’s add zombies to the list.

I think Linda is right on target because traveling gives you an insight into other worlds that you can’t get from just reading books. Don’t get me wrong, I love to read, but there’s nothing better than the real deal. For instance, I’m a Southerner, but after two trips to Seattle and smelling the fish in the market by the bay, I can write with more realism about the men who throw fish. LOL

I’ve read several fantasy “romances” lately. I inserted the quotation marks because I don’t usually read romances, but we have some talented women writers lately who are writing good fantasy and throwing in a little romance, I suppose, to attract the female audience. I wonder if their books would be more profitable if they just put them in the fantasy genre. I also wonder if writing some imaginative plots instead of preordained crap isn't bringing up the readership.

This was really a good mailbag, friend, and I don’t think it was too long.

I apologise I meant I was late in getting to your hub today. I did not mean that you were late in replying to my question.

Hi Billy,

Better late than never! Thank you for answering my question. Actually I rather like the answer too. It certainly gives one an idea of what one has to aim for. This book writing lark is certainly not for the fickle or weak.

Have a good week Billy.

Sally

Bill

It says that you don't watch B movies, or watched TV comedies in the 70s. So, apparently nothing , it probably hasn't changed as that wasn't in your entertainment playhouse, but having said that, she is now in your playhouse, but maybe you don't include Vampires in your fun zone?

:-)

Happy Monday Bill! Glad the questions came pouring in...In regards to vampire books, I happen to be a huge fan of the horror and urban fantasy/paranormal genres. And I'm not alone. There are always going to be a variety of different "types" of vampire stories and fans will seek out their favorites. I've read Stephen King, Anne Rice, Charlaine Harris and even Stephanie Meyers. Now, you might not consider all of them to be great writers---but to each their own!

:)

Have a great week!

You and Linda mentioned two aspects of improving as a writer -- a) learning and practicing the tools and skills of the craft and b) gaining life experience through travel, reading, involvement, etc. A third aspect is growing up, maturing, character and spiritual development, self-improvement, becoming a better person. A more mature person produces more mature writing. That is accomplished by striving to model oneself after admirable persons and to shape oneself in accordance with chosen ideals. You have touched on this aspect in some of your essays, such as those about the virtues of your parents and other relations.

Always insightful.

Bill

That was a perfect coverage of the question.

I wonder how many of your male reader actually read romance novels? This would be answered in the comments field, but it is just a bonus question, too cumbersome to fit into the already overflowing billybuc mailbag. :)

Vampires

About five years ago, my wife and I went to a book signing for Andrienne Barbeau's book Love Bites. My daughter inlaw is an avid book reader, and she loves the Vampire genre. This was Barbeau's second Vampire book. Vampyres of Hollywood was her first book.

I only mention it based on the comments here. I think it is a somewhat different Vampire story, but what does a non reader like me know about it.

I liked your last video very much, and I think you're giving great advice to people who want to become a writer. You're doin' an awesome job, Bill. Have a great day!

Re Blond's question about vampires etc - I think literature has been done to death with fangs, bats and all things vampiric, (the same goes for zombies etc). I like to read books by people who've come up with something a bit different, rather than just jumping on the Dracula Band Wagon. Unless you're Bram Stoker or Anne Rice, I reckon it's time to move on. However, I do like stories about serial killers - so long as they're intelligently told and of the Thomas Harris variety. It's fine to have lots of murders etc but we still need a good story - blood and mayhem just doesn't cut it.

Cheers Bill - keep on truckin.

I love that you had so many questions that you had to push them off to next week. Just shows how much we all value your opinion and love this series. Thanks as always Bill and Happy Monday!! :)

I'll make this quick so my comment appears first. Great Q and A....seems the series is going through another burst in popularity Bill. p.s. took too long, Eric beat me :)