#ltue2016

The panel I started with that “Hooking Your Reader” several bad jokes were made, but it comes down to tight writing. The first line, the first paragraph, the first ~50 pages, the first chapter are vital, but don’t go over the top where you can go “dun dun dun” after every line. Make a promise and fulfill it, do it again, then make a promise and then don’t fulfill it until mach later. 

Everyone had a good time in “Plotting a Novel in an Hour”  Brainstorm Organize the brainstormings into individual plots/character arcs Merge then together into one story This is a fun exercise since anything can be used and you can fit them into a standard story arc and find plot holes pretty easily. Things will be very fluid in this stage. But it is a way to build a story quickly.

At the Kevin J. Anderson keynote J. D. Raisor came up to me because he noticed that we had very similar red fleece jackets on, but of course the keynote began before we could do much then notice that. 

Then I left early to go to the screenwriting panel, which was in a large closet, but was filled to overflowing even though it was during the keynote. This was very interesting. Eventually I may try to create a Spec Script to see if I can. I would like to write for Disney someday. 

I took a break and checked out the dealer room and artist alley, my tailbone was not happy with the chairs. 

The last presentation I went to was “What They DON’T Tell You About Getting An Agent” this one depressed me. Over the last few days I’ve been picking up data and none of it sounds all that great. A mid-list author will make about $35k/yr which is less then I am making now, but you’ll need to get at least 6 books out there to get to that level and start smoothing the cash flow. And an agent/publisher/distributer can screw up everything even if you do everything perfect. 

That is the stupid thing, the creative seemingly has to do everything perfect and take enormous risk for minuscule returns. 

If you go traditional they want 20% for putting up the ebook. What risk are the taking to deserve 20%!? Printing a paper book sure I fully agree they earn their percentage because they are taking on substantial risk, ebooks not so much.

I have no way to create a ready to go book every 12 months. 

Are my dreams dying on the vine? It feels like it. 

Do I give up writing and try to become a developer so I can move up in work? Do I do something completely different?