Freelancer.com and a Little Encouragement

So, one of my contacts through Wordpress.com, I believe, must have invited me to a site for freelancers, or I may have run across it somewhere.  I've started posting bids to do editing and ghostwriting on this site, and I snagged my first project!

It's not very good money there; actually it's pretty humiliating, but I'm hoping to build my reputation on the site and then I will be able to charge what I'm really worth.  The bids, unfortunately, are being driven down by people who are not native speakers and really are not qualified to be editing or ghostwriting in English.

However, it's good experience, and a little bit of money when you're in my situation is better than none.  Besides that, I LOVE the work!  I get to read some pretty good novels for a living, and offer my input to make them even better!

Now, the encouragement I got was actually a rejection letter. The feedback I keep getting is... well, here:
******
Thanks for the submission.

I like the concept and did go ahead and read a bit of your book since if was available.

Unfortunately, I can't take you on at this time. Your story is good, and your writing solid. But at this length, I think trying to sell it as a 99 cent novella is just about right. If it were three times as long and had a more complex set of subplots, then I'd probably want to talk more.

Thanks again. I wish you all the best with your writing career, of which I'm positive you've got one.

Sincerely,

Raymond Vogel
AEC Stellar Publishing, Inc.
******So

So, basically, the negative feedback I'm getting is, "I want more! Make it longer!"

And note that last sentence!  Isn't that awesome encouragment?

I guess I'll be taking it back to the drawing board.  I have some great ideas bubbling up for a sub-plot ...

The Worst That Can Happen

A friend asked me that question today. What's the worst that can happen?  At first I thought he was just talking about a little problem I was trying to help another friend fix -- she was having trouble getting my novel and she was in recovery from a stroke so everything was very difficult for her -- but I realized he meant it on a metaphysical level.  So I thought about it, and this is what came to me:

The worst that can happen? If the fundamentalist Christians are right and not loving a God who is A-OK with seeing -any- of his children burn in hell for eternity is what will put you in hell, burning for eternity.
[5:27:09 PM] Sarah Simrill Ray: IMHO

You know, those guys who sat around that table so long ago, the Council of Nicea, (the guys who decided what books should go into the Bible and what Christianity should be) were pretty smart marketers.  I think they must have asked themselves that question too, and then put it up there as what was going to happen to people who didn't listen to them.

But like I said, that's just IMHO.  In my humble opinion.

Back to Work ...

Storm is gone, roaming the West, and I'm still here, settling back into my routine. I may not live in a mansion, but I've got a window by my work desk and I'm happy not to be sitting in a cubicle, crunching numbers.

I have some good ideas for my second novel in "The Secret of Zanalon" series.  Just need to get it down on paper in an interesting format!

I got a big bump in my sales after I used three of my five free promo days; 2 - 4 sales a day, but that dropped off when I got my first review from a stranger.  I was ecstatic when I first got it, thinking it would be only the first, but I was wrong.  It was a three-star review, and even though the review made it clear that she wanted to see more from me, that didn't matter.  My sales went to zero.

I'm sure she didn't intend to destroy my career.  Well here, I'll post a link to her review, but don't forget to come back here, 'kay?

Jes' review

So, yeah, she wants me to keep writing.  I'm doing this blog just to get my thoughts out, and maybe someone will stumble across it someday and it will help them feel not quite so alone in their own struggles as a writer -- and as my sidetrack to relationship craziness shows, their struggles as a person.

I was hoping to make enough money from sales to pay for my cover art.  It was $250, and I commissioned it when I thought I was moving to NC to rent a room with friends.  It would only have been $180 a month, and I could have paid her in one month.  Instead, I'm here, paying $500 a month with absolutely nothing left over after insurance, gas, internet/phone, etc. 

She said I didn't have to pay her, she "would take it as a loss," but I don't want to do that to her.  She blessed me and I want to bless her.  Also, I want her to work for me again -- she's awesome!

But let's see, it would take 715 paid book sales at my current price and royalty to pay her.  I have 24. Sigh.

$8.05

Persistence pays, or so I've been told, so I'm going to just keep right on plugging.

I have a five-star review, too.  See?

Robin's review

But.

The damage seems to have been done.  Still zero sales.  I have two more days of free promo left -- maybe that will give me a bump again and hopefully more 5-stars than 3.  I think I'll aim for two weeks from now, and have a publishing party right afterwards. 

Off to work again!  My antagonist awaits!  Already he has a name, just waiting for me to fill out his personality and the details of his life.

Company, too.  Need to post work hours!

And just in case you're not familiar with the novel in question, here it is again:

Sorcerer's Vendetta