Finding a Voice
The guides and gurus of the publishing world all say the same thing. Create a great story, give it a professional polish, and put it out there in as many formats as possible to reach the largest audience. It makes sense. Our world is going more and more digital, so why wouldn't our books? And yet, I talk to far more people who tell me, "I just prefer the feel of a book in my hands." I've also run into a number of people who tell me that they don't have time to read but they enjoy listening to books during their commute to work or on long trips. I've seen the evidence. I understand the need to hit the spectrum of media publishing. As such, I put in the work and make the investments that give me the best shot at getting my books out there. I owe it to myself and my stories to press every advantage that I can.
All three of my published works are in paperback and e-book format. Without question, the paperback editions sell better than my e-books. Does that concern me? Heck no! My publishing method through CreateSpace (now completely merged with Kindle Direct Publishing) doesn't require *that much* effort or additional cost to convert the manuscript to e-book. I paid for "Ash to Ashes" to be converted, which is why it retained all of the font and formatting from the print edition. I didn't have that option with "Wolfkin" or "Nine Lives" and I learned from author Jessica Benoist-Young that doing the full conversion yourself that way requires some degree of HTML coding knowledge, something I very much do not have. Fortunately, Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) has a fairly straightforward downloadable program that helps you setup your e-book fairly easily and for free. Given the fact that an e-book reader has the option to dink around with fonts and sizes as they see fit, it doesn't really hurt my feelings anymore that I can't just keep the interior of my book the same between the formats.
So far, "Ash to Ashes" is the only book I've released in audiobook format. Sales have been slow, but being made. I'm not saying that it was the most pressing issue I could have focused on time-and-investment-wise, but I had enough people ask about the audiobook to make the option worth looking into. Once I found Jack Voraces and started hearing what he was capable of doing in making "Ash to Ashes" come to life, I knew I had to proceed.
This week I have been hammering away at getting "Wolfkin" ready for audiobook production. While there are a number of factors involved in this process, the biggest investment of time has been spent creating a cast list for the book and finding examples of who I would want in the role or examples of what the voices should sound like. This gives my producer, Jack Voraces, plenty of ideas and options to work with as he goes through the manuscript and prepares to start work recording the narration (projected start October 10th!).
It's funny to me how different of a process preparing "Wolfkin" for narration has been from "Ash to Ashes." While writing "Ash to Ashes" I had a pretty specific cast of actors and actresses I had in mind while writing the story. It helped me to see the characters as actual people and how they might react to what was going on in the story. The only main character I didn't have a set actor for was Ashton, oddly enough, but I always had a clear enough idea what his character was like that it didn't interfere with my writing process. Conversely, in "Wolfkin," so many of the characters are non-human in nature that it was always about the attitudes and what they had to say rather than who could play them in real life or what they might "sound" like. Having to reverse that line of thinking and find examples of voice samples and casting preferences for Jack's reference was a challenge this time around. Unexpectedly, it also gave me a greater appreciation for the characters I had written and who they were in my world.
I'm excited for the opportunity to work with Jack on this project again. We both have a better understanding of what to expect and what it's going to take to get this project done. It's also nice to have somebody returning to do this second book that I know what they're capabilities and limitations are. After hearing what Jack did for "Ash to Ashes" I knew he was a perfect fit for this project. Now that he's agreed to take it on, it feels like this is exactly the way that this was meant to play out on several layers. I'm looking forward to hearing Jack's interpretation of "Wolfkin" and getting to work with him in creating another great production!
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For those of you reading this entry and expecting a different topic given current events, I admit that I toyed with the idea of using the title of this particular Blog as a double entendre. Obviously I meant to write about the audiobook. It's relevant to my work and what I've been doing. But this month has been equally important in showing me the importance of "Finding a Voice" in other ways.
September is Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month. Believe me, it's not something I consciously marked on my calendar, but when it fell into my awareness, I knew it was important. Last week I attended a presentation put on by a pair of suicide survivors who came to speak at an event here in my community. They gave a voice to people who struggle, to people who already lost their fight, and to people who have lost loved ones to suicide. They showed the importance of speaking up when you need help and listening carefully when somebody asks for help. I almost burst into tears when the lead speaker stated that he and his family now have a clear understanding of what it means when he says, "I Need Help Now."
Speaking up and Listening. Who knew such simple things could make such a big difference?
And yet, this isn't the only instance where finding a voice has been important this month. A dialogue has been triggered. A narrative has been opened. Women (and men) have started speaking out about their experiences with sexual abuse, sexual assault, and rape. They have talked about their reasons for remaining silent. They have talked about their experiences after making reports. They have demonstrated the flaws in our system and in our society along with the need for change.
The circumstances are politically charged, which has automatically closed certain people off to hearing what needs to be said, but the message is clear: This will no longer stand. Perpetrators will be held accountable. Silence is no longer an option. Things must change - attitudes, perceptions, behaviors, all of it. It is no longer acceptable to stand by and let these things happen unchallenged. This is not "normal." It should never have been allowed to seem "normal." It will no longer be tolerated as "normal." "Boys will be..." held accountable for their actions, just as they should have been all along.
I've seen it reported that *old white dudes in power* are fearful for what this movement might bring. One in particular even stated that "these are dangerous times." I venture a guess that these comments are tied to the upcoming elections in November or fears of further allegations against him (probably both). This mentality amuses and perplexes me. If you have nothing to hide, you should have nothing to fear. I guess a guilty conscience is a terrible cross to bear, especially when you know that you should have been crucified for your actions long ago. Time will tell what happens next.
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On a more personal and less controversial note, I would entreat my readers to Find Your Own Voice!
I need reviews on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Book Hub, Good Reads, Facebook and anywhere else that you can share your opinion of the books. Love the books? Great! Leave a review! Tell your friends! Tell your coworkers! Speak out loud and proud that you are a book reader and you have a recommendation! Hate the book? That's ok too (though I can't imagine why you'd still be reading this, but whatever)! Say what you don't like. Maybe it's not your cup of tea. Maybe you don't appreciate certain references. As long as you're honest about your feelings on the matter, it still counts as a review for me and it might help somebody decide whether or not the books are a good fit for them! Speak up! Let your voice be heard! You can make a difference!
Here's a Link to help you get started!
