Hyber-Nation

The past couple of weeks have been an exercise in humility. Yes, part of it is due to the usual trials and tribulations of scheduling and projects. But then there's the other part...

Many of you know I've been living and breathing on the internet for the past, few years. In that time, I've seen several people also hop right on and do the same. Now that I've been working for a retailer, performing analytics and watching segmentation (almost on a daily basis) I've come to the "shocking" realization of something we all knew years ago...

...the frequent users of the internet make up a very obscure market that does not represent the rest of the population.

Why is this humbling? Because no amount of discussion, self-promotion, etc. is giving me the return-on-investment (ROI) that I need. An up-to-the-minute online presence does nothing to change the reality of my situation: being so accessible is not getting me any closer to my goals. In fact, I'm finding myself stretched to the limit because people are asking me for free advice about online marketing.

Since everyone is so interested in talking with me about online marketing, I feel that a) no one cares about my writing and b) I. Need. To. Write. Regardless of whether or not I have a day job (and I do truly enjoy my current one) - balancing my work online while writing offline is becoming my number one priority. Especially now that the weather is getting colder.

Watch out characters, because here I come.

As my cat, Rimmon, might say in LOL-speak..."You can has idea?"

I went to a writer's meeting on Saturday and somewhere in between talking about celebrating book launches and my deep desire to build offline support for readers/gamers, I thought about how much fun it would be to have a quarterly book/game launch party. Whether it be at a library, game shop or a bookstore, imagine celebrating all the new book/game releases for that particular quarter and invite local authors/game designers to come and hang out.

Not sure how pragmatic this might be, but can you imagine how much fun this would be? Getting people excited about reading and/or playing games again. Celebrating when that hefty body of work is finally released is fun for authors, publishers AND fans.

What do you think? Love it or hate it?

So after a long and sordid discussion with the voices in my head (and those of my fellow authors) I realize that I need to work on the one thing that every author loathes more than anything -- shameless self-promotion. However, I'd like to stick with providing something of value, so even though the frequency of said self-promotion may not change (e.g. I'm only going to talk about it on occasion rather than every flipping post) I do need to work on my author bio on www.mlvwrites.com and other places.

So I'd like to turn it back to you - my readers, my friends, and my fellow professionals. If you had to say something about me as an author, what would it be? Questions you might answer are: What do you like about my writing? Do I conjure anything unusual or different? Do you enjoy doing business with me?

***WARNING*** A rant follows below...proceed at your own risk...if you dare...

I understand the need to sell your book or your game. I also understand the need to sell "you" as a brand. Believe me, I really do and I'm right there with you.

I cannot, however, claim to comprehend why on earth you feel the need to constantly barrage every social media channel and website with the words - "We need more followers. We need more fans. Buy my book. Support my efforts. Follow me. Follow me. FOLLOW ME."

This annoys me in a way that I can not even begin to describe. Why? Because telling me that I should follow you doesn't explain WHY I should do it. You're not building relationships -- you just care about sheer numbers. And I, my fellow author, am not a bar code.

I get that you need sales. Newsflash: We all do. But every single, flipping post should not be that desperate plea. When you sell a book (or a game) you're selling a huge chunk of TIME. I don't care about the title of your book. I care about what's in the book. Tell me about that or your publisher, your game mechanics or your characters. But for dictionary's sake -- please stop asking me to spend money on something you don't enjoy talking about.

My mind has been wandering in my oh-so caffeinated state, which usually means I start at Point A and loop around in a big ole' circle for a while. Then I return to Point A after a lot of loops, twists and turns.

Well, I'm back at Point A and the grand conclusion I've come to (and it's "so" profound, let me tell you) is that my fellow gaming industry folk are like one, huge extended family. You have your estranged family members, your black sheep and your matriarchs and patriarchs. You have the cool cousins, the bad apples, the spouses only by marriage and (of course) the characters. Wedding and funerals, good times and bad - we seem to always be there for one another.

In this industry, the one thing that we all seem to have in common is community. No, our community isn't perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but for the most part we are still connected to one another culturally and professionally in ways that I have never seen before. I have to tell you, even with the crap that I've put up with, the people I've met are irreplaceable.

While I hope that this spirit continues, long after the patriarchs and matriarchs have passed on, there's something else I hope each one of us will actively seek: new members. Whether they be gamers or avid readers, casual one-night bouts of dice-rolling enjoyment or long-term campaigns, I sincerely hope that we can attract new members to our family through our enthusiasm and our experiences. To me, those new players are like diamonds in the rough. Through them, this legacy will continue.

Okay, so maybe this post isn't about cat-dice, but I got your attention didn't I? I feel like I've come back from GenCon renewed and relaxed. Renewed, because I had a lot of fun with new and old friends this year - even though there were still several more that I didn't get to see. GenCon is definitely Christmas for me, but in that "Oh, so everyone here rolls the dice" sort of a way.

There were still at least a dozen or so people I didn't get to see at GenCon that were wandering around; as I meet more and more people every year, I should just give up on sleep and be done with it. :D As always, good conversations and interesting opportunities. We'll see what pans out.

Picked up our cats this morning. Rimmon is our black kitten with green eyes, who usually is quite the punk. He'll open doors and hide in the corner, but come out growling any time the kids run by outside the window. Zak (on the other hand) is our grumpy dog cat who has mastered yoga. Specifically - the Face Plant or the Reaching Arm poses. They're okay now, but their kitty report card was not checked "happy" for the trip. Good thing cats are easily distracted otherwise I might have to take them to kitty therapy.

So back to the grind. I always look at GenCon as the last hurrah before fall starts. Got a lot of projects shaping up and new things happening, so things are going to get interesting. After all, Halloween is not that far off...

As someone who has been through a lot in her life, it's really darn hard for me to watch other people going through similar - if not worse - situations. From job troubles to health issues and everything in between, I hate seeing people I care about going through it. And yet, no matter how many times I might try and offer advice or "fix" it - I have to keep remembering that it isn't my issue to fix.

I mention this a lot on my blog when I talk about how no two writer's paths are the same. In life, I believe that to be true as well. You'll often hear me say "There is no 'one' way to do anything" or "You always have a choice." What I've been slowly realizing this year, though, is that while the path may not be the same, there are similarities that we can listen to in order to learn from one another.

Old 'think' for me was to say - "No one knows what I'm going through. It's my responsibility." New 'think' is to say - "Someone probably knows what I'm going through, and though it's still my responsibility there's help available."

I've been trying to apply that to my career choices and personal troubles as well. There are ups and downs since I'm far from perfect, but it feels good to realize that on the paths I follow, I don't walk alone.

I remember that this time last year I was just about to take a breather; had just finished two novellas, one of which was called "Twin Designs" for Tales of the Seven Dogs Society. The other, original fiction written with matt_m_mcelroy was never published.

I had a temporary (sudden) hiccup in employment last year that led (eventually) to my current job. At GenCon, I relied heavily on the kindness of others (You folks know who you are...) but things turned around and I've been trying to pay it forward when I can.

Things are a bit different this time around at GenCon, even after Zak's surgery. I have a short story in Buried Tales of Pinebox, Texas, an essay in Apex Magazine Vol. III Issue II and another one in Family Games: 100.

It almost feels like last summer took place in another dimension. Not sure what next year will bring, but hey? Have to enjoy the ride.

I've been posting the question elsewhere, but I'm really curious if there is such a thing like the "Hero Initiative" for freelancers in the gaming industry.

http://www.heroinitiative.org/

Anyone tried this before? Thoughts?

Over the past, few months - one ancient monster has reared its ugly head, and that is the purview that shared world and tie-in fiction "doesn't matter," "isn't real writing," or is simply "fan fiction."

...

Needless to say I'm actively recruiting guest bloggers for www.mlvwrites.com to hop in and explain their experiences with tie-in and shared world settings.

However, I do need to rant. So, TAG LiveJournal peeps - you're "it!"

Isn't being a writer painful enough? I mean, do we really need to have these discussions in the industry? Snide comments about how much money someone is making writing glorified "fanfic" hurts everyone. Why? First of all, fans don't know the publishing industry. They really don't. They don't understand copyright or trademark or IP or contracts or any of the other things involved with being a professional (e.g. You get paid!) writer. Whether or not they "need" to know these things is a different discussion altogether, but a writer's universe is a lot smaller than you might think. Any time an author knocks another type of author leaves an impression in a reader's mind that they then share with their friends and fellow fans. Having some sort of an elitist attitude that X publication is the "only way" to be considered a published author or "only this sort" of writing is when you're a "real writer" really, really hurts both you and the person you're talking about.

Think about it this way - the same author you're knocking today may be your boss on a project tomorrow. Or that "fan" you've so clearly stated your opinion to? Just might end up being someone who has worked with the author you've just dissed! (That actually happened!) Remember, your fans are often writers, too!

There may be 100s of ways to become a professional (e.g. PAID) author, but there are just as many ways to be a jerk. For the love of dictionaries - don't be a jerk. Have your opinions, but be darn careful who you share that attitude with. Technology is to the point where the conversation you have with a fan could be texted/blogged about/posted within minutes after you spout off. So please, "think." Other authors are your friends --- not your enemies.

It's been a strange day. Happy, because I finished the book trailer for BURIED TALES OF PINEBOX, TEXAS. (Last month, I had put together a trailer for Paul Genesse THE DRAGON HUNTERS, too.)

Sad, because I watched the Michael Jackson memorial and was wholly disappointed by the devolution of our news media. Happy again, because work is going phenomenally well. Then sad again, because I'm too tired to work on my second draft of ARGENTUM on http://www.violetwar.com.

Now happy again because we're going for cheeseburgers. Then? *thunk* Hitting the pillow hard before I get up and remind myself why I'm a writer.

To say that things have been a bit crazy lately is a bit of an understatement. In addition to finishing up my short story in Buried Tales of Pinebox, Texas entitled "Pie" and my essay for Family Games: 100, I had attended a few events over the past couple of months including WisCon, OddCon and Madison Games Day.

One of the interesting skills I've picked up recently was learning how to make book trailers. So far, I've made two: One to promote my Violetwar.com website available as the book trailer for Argentum. The second trailer is for author Paul Genesse. You can watch the book trailer for The Dragon Hunters on YouTube!. Today, I'm putting together the trailer for "Buried Tales" as a way to help out.

Needless to say, I took a bit of a mental break in June. I've been doing some content consulting work in addition to my day job, and while I have no complaints about either I'm learning the fine art of saying "No." I love helping people, and I have no problem doing some things for free, but now I'm to the point where time is becoming a precious commodity. It'd be different if I didn't have a day job, but as every writer knows -- if you want to get anywhere as an author you need to keep on writing.

I'm very happy with the connections I've made and the invitations I've received to do more fiction; while it's too premature to say anything just yet I feel like I'm spreading my wings. Not sure where the winds will take me, but I'm okay with wherever they do. I'm trying, and that's all that matters to me.

So after some interesting replies, I will be looking into taking down my Twitter account activity from LiveJournal. I know everyone has strong views about Twitter, so I'd like to explain a little bit about my experiences using it and why I integrated it with LJ in the first place.

As many of you know, I work as an online marketer for a large music company. This has been a very exciting position for me in many ways, because it has allowed me to put the final pieces together to take "actions" on the web based on what I've learned. The internet, online retail and publishing are changing so rapidly many traditional authors, retailers and freelancers are not able to keep up.

Part of my "job" is to keep up on these trends as they happen, both for professional and personal reasons. Many of the links that I provide via Twitter are to help share that knowledge. Yes, I don't "always" use Twitter for professional reasons, but truthfully I have been able to network with more people and do some amazing things through this tool as opposed to any other I've used. Now, like with anything else, it's not for everyone and I get that. I do. That's part of the reason why I put the question out there to all of you yesterday.

The other issue that I had, and the reason why I imported my tweets, was time and audience. I had LiveJournal before I even had a blog, and many of you I consider to be my friends. Importing Twitter was a way to manage what content I was putting out there and save myself some time. I try not to blog anything here I wouldn't be afraid of losing, because I haven't found a way to "export" content from LiveJournal unless I do it manually. (If you know of one, please feel free to comment.)

As I try to get my schedule wrangled, LiveJournal will probably turn back into my personal thoughts with hints of my writing. I'm going to maintain www.mlvwrites.com with more of a professional voice and, of course, www.violetwar.com for my urban fantasy.

I do respect your comments, and I thank you for listening to me.

UPDATE: I might have found a way to send Twitter to LJ without annoying all you who can't stand it. Thanks to gbsteve, I'll gladly put the tweets under an LJ-cut tag for those that want to see it. For those that don't, I'll start sharing again.

Because sharing IS caring. :)

Have a great day...

-M

Random musings from my "mlvalentine" Twitter account.

• 07:56 Hope this is true! RT @AlexBledsoe Magnificently cool if true: Student runs secret library for banned books tinyurl.com/qhmuot #
• 08:02 Another writer (@ACosgroveBray) and I were discussing why fanfic is so popular, even though it often is a copyright violation. Thoughts? #
• 08:04 I see a lot of fans don't "get" copyright or they don't care, because their love for a setting has translated into a sense of entitlement. #
• 08:05 Of course, fanfic (and fan live RPGs) do serve their purpose, too. Your thoughts are appreciated on the subject. #
• 08:13 Great link on fanfic from @teampreston. (Thank you!) www.chillingeffects.org/fanfic/faq.cgi #
• 08:24 So far - my word "entitlement" is a bit strong, established settings are easier for fans to grasp/play with, and it may be cultural. #
• 08:25 Writers on licensed properties who write "tie-in" fiction sign what's known as a work-for-hire contract. (for @strangeasangels) #
• 08:26 Additionally, tie-in writers often write what an editor tells them, so they don't break the setting. Think Star Wars, Star Trek, etc. #
• 08:39 Question inspired by a comment from @thatkarenb - Should fanfic be "okay" if you don't make money from it? #
• 09:37 New on my blog! WisCon - the Recap: tinyurl.com/quyjeq #
• 11:02 For those of you search geeks... RT @dannysullivan Meet Bing, Microsoft’s New Search Engine, bit.ly/17qsJm #
• 11:10 RT @rjleaman: Bring your opinions to @karenswim's ow.ly/9FuC Is internet publishing for hacks? Does it undermine the art of writing? #
• 11:14 Many of these discussions come up because of quality concerns, but I've learned that you have to judge the writing, not the medium. #
• 11:41 [Insert strong opinions here] Amazon censoring "Amazon Connect" author blogs. (HT to @weberbooks) bit.ly/7WVUQ #
• 11:43 As a retailer, don't open up a content network expecting people "just" to talk about the products you carry. That won't ever happen. #
• 12:04 RT @rdonoghue A smart retailer asks "Why would they go elsewhere?" Another retailer says "THERE IS NO ELSEWHERE, WE CANNOT HEAR YOU LALALA." #
• 12:53 Here's something to think about: When was the last time you made an off-line connection with someone? Thoughts? (for my blog) #
• 13:45 RT @ColleenLindsay Live chat going on now online at www.suvudu.com with China Mieville and Del Rey editor Chris Schluep. #BEA09 #
• 13:49 I have an idea for a search engine, it should be called "Batta." #
• 13:55 My story "Pie" is in this one --> RT @flamesrising Who wants a sneak peek at Buried Tales of Pinebox? Check this out: bit.ly/14tMTl #
• 14:11 RT @YasmineGalenorn Attn pet owners: Spay USA tries to help lower-income ppl find pet spay/neuter clinics. www.spayusa.org/ #
• 14:57 Looks like the conversations for #BEA09 are almost word-for-word what we had about the publishing industry this past weekend at WisCon. #
• 14:58 So here's some facts: 98% of all books sold are print. 2% are e-books. Print declined over the past year and e-books had exponential growth. #
• 14:59 Many brick-and-mortar bookstores (including Borders) are dying because they can't physically stock as many titles as an online store. #
• 15:01 Libraries get funding based on whether or not you walk in their doors. Bottom line -- do not forgot your libraries or your local bookstores. #
• 15:19 So the question came up, "What purpose do libraries serve in today's society?" And don't shoot the messenger, please. :) #
• 15:30 Because of what @lynnemthomas does for her library at NIU, I've been opened to the challenges with archiving works for posterity, too. #
• 15:36 From librarian extraordinaire: RT @lynnemthomas We gather information, organize it, and make it available. FOR FREE. Over time. To ANYONE. #
• 15:51 RT @screenrant Final Pandorum trailer & chance to win a trip to Comic-Con! bit.ly/188zNW #Pandorum #

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Hi everyone,

I've been floating my Tweets to LiveJournal for the past, few months as a way to let you know what I'm up to. I wanted to know what you thought about that? Love it or hate it?

Kind regards,

- M

Random musings from my "mlvalentine" Twitter account.

• 07:43 RT @toniandrews If you send me a SASE, I'll sign a book plate for you on one of the video appearance on my Virtual Tour. bit.ly/JG1py #
• 07:44 After learning from @hellstorm that Nightmare on Elm Street is being remade, are there any popular movies that ARE NOT on the radar? SHEESH. #
• 07:58 NOW my morning is ruined. A "Flight of the Navigator" remake? NOOOOOOOO. (HT to @michaeldthomas tinyurl.com/oqahz5 #
• 08:03 If you're not on HARO, you should be: RT @skydiver Join helpareporter.com and get quoted and famous, totally free! #
• 08:37 RT @LoriDevoti Blogging today on What is Urban Fantasy? bit.ly/te7gr #
• 08:46 Wondering now if the movie studios pay less for scripts based on remakes than original ideas. #
• 10:31 RT @JustineLavaworm If you haven't already read libba's post about her gay dad. RT @libbabray: Blog about Proposition 8: bit.ly/sPNfE #
• 10:47 RT @martindave RT @mediatwit "Questions remain..extent to which news can protect content from unauthorized use." bit.ly/lbiXe #
• 19:53 If you're not writing for your readers, then I believe you're just puking content. #
• 20:03 This needs to be on a t-shirt: @yasminegalenorn Audience is vital with books, obviously, but the writer still has to drive the car. ;) #
• 20:10 A crackberry e-book app? *falls over* Crap. Now I think I need one! (HT to @thecreativepenn) #
• 20:31 Word of advice for all you fellow writers out there --> Stop "waiting" for your one book to get published and keep on writing. #
• 21:31 Fabulous. We have some great excerpts from horror and dark fantasy writers for @flamesrising going up in the next, few days. :) #

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Random musings from my "mlvalentine" Twitter account.

• 07:07 RT @merylkevans Got a question about querying and book authoring? Leave a comment for @wendyburt. bit.ly/14MePe #
• 07:20 Congratulations! RT @LoriDevoti Official Release day for Amazon Ink!! #
• 08:46 Another article regarding FTC taking on "paid" bloggers. You'll want to read this one. tinyurl.com/p5o8nj HT to (@internetlaw) #
• 08:54 *head desk* RT @TrendTracker 2/3rds of marketers w/out social media exp consider themselves knowledgeable on subject. bit.ly/17C87U #
• 11:48 Looks like electronic paper will be a reality in my lifetime. Game changer for all publishers Here's a link: tinyurl.com/pphzpm #
• 12:00 RT @music_notes Music lovers, we're sure that many of you will be happy to know that @benjaminfolds is now on Twitter. Be sure to say Hello! #
• 12:07 Want to do a YouTube! book promo on my blog. Here's mine for my draft, can you Tweet yours? is.gd/Fema #
• 13:19 How's this for a fiction story? A diverse world, where people not only get along, but help each other be better humans. #
• 13:36 Sheeple. It's what's for dinner. (HT to @boymonster for the inspiration.) #
• 13:56 Web analytics shows that it's better to have multiple ways for delivering content than offering one. Social media is not a "replacement." #
• 15:51 Data I'd want to see: How many people actually "read" links before re-tweeting or sharing them via social media? #
• 16:08 Looks like pyramid schemes are starting to infect Facebook. Keep your eyes open and please -- investigate "get rich" schemes thoroughly. #
• 16:55 So tired of over-reacting headlines that make me scan an article only to walk away in disgust. Is that "good" visibility? I think not. #
• 19:54 $5,000 contest prize to tell a story via a slideshow. HT to @marketingprofs (among several others) tinyurl.com/r8vpjm #
• 21:40 I have a kitty on my foot. #
• 21:50 Here's a picture of the kitty culprit: tinyurl.com/qfkvnh (He's not as innocent as he looks.) #
• 22:08 Not impressed with Topsy. It's a good "guideline" but it's definitely not accurate for me. #
• 22:12 Brain won't shut off. Now I want to know if there's a 3rd party Twitter tool that serves up tweets by physical location for local search. #
• 22:13 And the network neutrality site continues to be hijacked, w/o the ability to email them. What happened to www.savetheinternet.com? #
• 22:20 HT to @sybrrgeek for finding "TwitterLocal" for me; using Adobe AIR. Many thanks! bit.ly/IToMB #

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Random musings from my "mlvalentine" Twitter account.

• 08:15 Coffee, oh how I need you. #
• 15:59 Echoing @alexbledsoe - "Back home from WisCon. Great to see old frends, & make new ones." And? Tired. :) #
• 16:05 Need to decompress before blogging about WisCon, but one thing is very clear: It's nice to have good convos w/ppl, even if you disagree. #
• 16:06 (cont) Because the world would be a very boring, stagnant place if we were all normalized and cookie cutter. #
• 20:57 Well, there goes that. "Pro" network neutrality blog appears to have been hacked by the Russians. #
• 21:13 Ah, looks like I missed @doctorow 's recent article regarding network neutrality. twurl.nl/s1af6b #
• 22:35 A film reboot of Buffy:the Vampire Slayer w/o Joss Whedon? Please. (HT to @colleenlindsay) #

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Random musings from my "mlvalentine" Twitter account.

• 08:14 Yesterday at WisCon went pretty well, IMO. It's amazing that still -- even though I'm at so many cons meeting people -- I'm still shy! lol #

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Random musings from my "mlvalentine" Twitter account.

• 07:31 Dilemma: Bring my laptop? Find self extremely busy and logging around dead weight. Don't bring my laptop? Find self wishing I had it. #
• 07:46 Gosh, you know I really hate the word "staycation." Sounds like something the Sham-Wow guy made up. #

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