“Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught.”
Oscar Wilde
When I started writing this series, I had no idea what I didn’t know. As I mentioned in my first post, I never planned or wanted to be a writer. Then one day, I sat down and started writing. Which brings me to my first learning:
- I had no clue that writing stories would turn out to be my passion.
I get antsy when I don’t write at least six days a week. Even if it’s just planning the series, or the story, or writing my notes for the day when I’m traveling – I have to write. It’s somehow seeped into my blood.
But, since I never planned on being a writer, I didn’t study how to be one. A partial list of what I’ve learned so far is below.
- My original idea was for my books to target Middle Grade kids, especially boys. But as I wrote and rewrote, my story morphed into a Young Adult series with an emphasis on girls.
- Not only did I change my target audience, but I’ve made a huge number of changes to my original concept. For instance:
o I didn’t include magic in the first versions – just ghosts.
o I’ve included a lot more fantasy in my books than my original concept, as well as including a lot more history and realism. My unstated goal is to have the reader wonder what is fiction and what is real because I’ve learned that Truth is Stranger than Fiction.
o I’ve included a lot more ‘girl power’ in my books. I’ve already written one post about unforgettable real teenage heroines and have another post about the learning curve I’ve had on how to write strong women.
o I’ve included extra-terrestrials, quantum physics issues, and more.
- I’ve also done a lot more international traveling because of these books – and I’m only halfway through the trips. Unfortunately, my trip for books 5 & 7 to Greece and Italy got postponed because of Covid. Hopefully, we’ll make it happen later this year.
- One of my biggest, and best changes, is that I initially thought I’d try to go through traditional publishers. But, after learning more about their limitations and the opportunities afforded to me by being an Indie author, I switched to Indie and haven’t looked back.
o The first thing that struck me after switching publishing paths was the sense of freedom I had to write the story I wanted to write. I know that sounds strange, but think of how many of you are trying to please your bosses rather than doing what you believe is right (for authors, this would be agents, publishers, and editors). Since I made the switch, I wrote what was bursting to get out of me. And I think my story is much more complex, richer, and interesting.
o It also means I can experiment more, as well as fix things. For instance, I’m going to revise and republish The Palantir using the feedback I’ve received and a belief I need to frame the start of my story a little better.
- I keep learning to get better at trusting my instincts. I can’t tell you how many times I would write something, and know it wasn’t what I should do. The sad part is how long it takes for me to acknowledge and address those concerns.
- I’ve come to believe that Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch’s advice was spot on. I need to “Murder my darlings.” (The advice has to do with editing my work objectively and get rid of passages that I think are wonderful but don’t move the story forward.)
- The first piece of advice on my writing was to ‘Improve my first chapter!’ It took me dozens of tries before my wife finally gave me a thumbs up.
- The second piece of advice I got was, ‘Don’t be a dad’ to my characters. Instead, put them in trouble and see how they work their way out of it (this was about an early scene where my protagonist and friends hid in a cargo hold while ghosts did battle).
- I’ve always liked history. Now I get to learn even more and write about it.
- Oddly, in my search to get into ghosts, I learned a fair amount about quantum physics and quantum mechanics (including dark energy and dark matter).
- I’ve had to start learning social media platforms. I only got onto Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram because of these books. I still have a lot to learn about these and other platforms – and then get good at the right ones.
- I’ve already posted about the book cover art process. The second book cover was not as hard as the first, but it was still very challenging. I’ll be revealing the second cover soon.
- Then there’s the whole publishing process. Wow. There are a lot of steps and a ton to learn, including:
o How to apply for copyrights
o How to apply for Library of Congress Numbers
o ISBN’s
o How to get your book accepted by libraries
o How to format the front matter, the back matter, and the content
o How to use the various software programs for publishing
o How to navigate all the launch vehicle sites (e.g., Kindle Publishing)
o And so on.
- And this doesn’t include other things I have to learn about, e.g.:
o Marketing my books effectively.
o Getting audiobooks out
o Creating a large print/dyslexia-friendly version
o And so on
As challenging as it’s been, it’s been a great ride. The picture below sums up how this journey has given me such amazing experiences. While on our first book trip, my youngest daughter, and international travel guide, were having dinner in San Ignacio, Belize (after seeing Lamanai, but before Xunantunich, Cahal Pech, and Tikal). As we discussed our order with the waiter (on the left), he invited my daughter to help make our dinner. So, she did. Can you imagine doing that in the U.S.? I can’t. I wouldn’t miss these experiences for anything.
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