Why would you give up?

I admit I've been on IP a lot lately, trying to promote my book and whatnot.  Here's what is really starting to bother me.
Writers are giving up too easily.
I've been seeing way too many forum threads and other notices where a writer is simply saying that they are going to quit or take down their book just because they can't get enough views.  I understand that it can be frustrating on IP when you want to be in the top five but your in the 1000s or --like me-- in the 700s, but I don't think that means you should just give up all together.
It's not easy to get people to read your work, and yes you go through so much just to get one person to read it, but if you give up now you might as well never come back to it.  You've got to keep trying, guys, despite how much work you've already done.
Before you quit or take down a story ask yourself this:

• Why am I quiting/deleting a story?
• Are there any people who do like my work?  Can I ask them to help me find more readers?
• How am I going to promote my book if not online with many other writing just like myself?  How can I deal with rejections if I quit?
• Was all the work I did to get this far worth it to now just give up all together?

So yes I know I've kind of ranted here about not quiting on IP, but it is possible to actually get somewhere there.  Some of my friends on there are in the top five or making it to that.  Hope this helped anybody who is part of IP and was considering quiting.

chapter eighteen has finally been UPLOADED

I had planned for myself to finish this chapter a week ago, yet here it is a week later that I finally actually do have it finish and can tell you this.  For any of my readers out there or followers who care about when I ramble on about Cursed with Power I am deeply sorry that this chapter took so long.
Before I continue on I would like to thank Riv Re and Julie Musil for helping me out when I began fretting over the ending of this book.  Without their advice who knows when this chapter would have been typed and finished.  Also, thank you to Gabby because though she's not a writer she listened to me as I freaked out over the whole seemingly--and still perhaps--scary scenario.

Chapter 18...............
There's not much I can give away for chapter 18 because you know how I feel about giving away too much.  I will say that this chapter is yet again another one full of interesting --or hopefully-- dialog and an ending that leads into the next chapter. Find out how when you read the book!


Coming up..............
THE NEXT TIME is chapter 19; perhaps those words ring a bell?  Read the book and see if you're correct!


The author's looking forward to..............
Well, as I said it took me forever to write this chapter, and then while I was writing it I was literally texting, emailing, and asking my fellow writers and friends for help.  Now that I feel a little better about how things are going I'm just looking forward to moving on in the book and keeping the story itself moving.


And there you have it, everybody.  I've finally got this chapter up and on IP for you to read.  I've also recently joined Writer's Cafe and am slowly posting chapters of Cursed with Power on there.  Now it's to working on chapter 19 for me and for you... I don't know; whatever it is that you're doing.

Getting your story N O T I C E D

Whether you're simply trying to get more picks on IP or trying to get an agent to represent your book, we all know that it is not easy to get your book noticed.  It's hard and sometimes it's downright frustrating.  However, you cannot lose hope in these times where your book is calling for attention and possibly not receiving much.  Here I'll be giving my advice on how to get your story noticed on IP and getting it noticed by agents, since you guys know I'm trying to do both.

Get noticed on IP.....

• Re-edit your summary.  Make sure that it is bullet proof.  If the reader doesn't get interested from the summary you very well know that they won't read any farther.  The summary has to be interesting but truthful of course; you can't make it seem like someone will be killed in the book and then have that not happen.  Everything you mention in the summary has to be something that happens in the book.  For short stories or poems you still need a summary.  A summary can help readers understand background or get interested in what will happen next; maybe even both.  Please do not write a summary that goes something like, "So this is a story I wrote and... Well, hope you read it." A book with such a summary will not get any attention.
• Tell your close IP friends.  You know, those members who PM you frequently or have been really helpful in the past; find out if they can help you get more support for your story.
• Be willing to do swaps because as you've probably figured out by now there aren't too many people who will read something just for the heck of it.
• Start writing something else while you're trying to get your best project noticed.

Get noticed by an agent....

• Write a query letter and post it on your blog or email it to friends.  That letter needs to make your story stand out from all the other stories the agent gets queried about.
• Edit while you're querying.  Eventually an agent is going to request more, and if your story isn't edited as well as possible then you might have more of a chance of being rejected.
• Make a list of everyone you've queried and at what date.  The last thing you want to do is contact the same agent you've already contacted in the past.
• Be patient.  When the agent is ready to reply to you he/she will, and if they don't find your manuscript something they like they will of course probably let you know in a dreadful rejection letter.  Sometimes, though, they will not send anything if they don't like what they read.

There is probably more that you and I could add to both lists, but for now that's all I can manage to think of off the top of my head.  If you have anything you want to add feel free to because I know I missed something or perhaps several things.

Hope this post somewhat was helpful....

Love is Hell contest

Just wanted to stop in to say that I'll be entering into the Love is Hell contest.  You also can enter here.

I'll be writing something new up for this contest, but I'm also trying to find out if Dark Romance could be allowed for this contest.  Hunter isn't exactly a demon, but he does have a dark power...
I won't be posting about the new story I'm writing up for this until after I write it, and because I'm working on enough novels as it is I'm going to write a short story to save myself time and confusion.
And I just have to get it all finished before August 19th.

What's happening

Today The Magic of Light received a new comment and got on a pick list.  Now it's back to being on two pick lists.  I know, a lot right?  But at least people are looking at it again.  It's been a while since I've received any remarks on the book, so it's good to know that everybody hasn't forgotten about it entirely.  You can read for yourself here if you'd like to.

And....
Cursed with Power also received a new comment today.  So now it has 19 comments and is on 5 pick lists.  The ranking has gone down (thankfully) to 917.  Major thanks to everyone who has been so supportive.  (Yes, that includes those of you whom I ask questions to frequently).  You can read the book here.

I'll have my interview with Julie Musil up soon.  I got answers back from her but when I tried to blog earlier my computer refused to work at all with me.  If I cannot post it up today I will try to do it as soon as possible.

There are 19 people following me?!  You guys are awesome!  You give me something to look forward to when I blog.  Thanks.
For now that's all.  I just thought I'd stop in with a quick update and now it's back to trying to get that interview posted....

What's new?

Well, I'm glad you asked because I can actually tell you several things.  Whether you want to read this or no I'll leave for you to decide.
I lied when I said that I am now reading Bourne Objective.  I am actually reading Magic Under Glass because I discovered this book at the library and it sounded really good.  I am only into the fourth chapter now, but already is has my full attention.  If you want to read a story with romance, mystery, and perhaps, yes, even some magic this is definitely the book!  Seeing as I like it so much already, I may very well post up a review about it when I'm finished.
Cursed with Power went up to 967 in ranking.  While I'm a bit devastated to see it go up in ranking again, I have not lost all hope.  After all, I am not even finished with the book yet so I have a ways to go before I start really getting everyone to read it.

In case you didn't see, I added music to the blog.  I know it seems like a lot of the songs are by male artists, but please know that I did not do this on purpose.  It just so happens that I was trying to think of some of my very favorite songs to share with you, and a lot of them are ones I have listened to recently.

And I am returning to book swaps.  (Sort of)... It is just taking me forever, I realize, because I want so badly to just work on my book instead.  Of course, if I never do the book swaps then I'll never hear back from others, so I am forcing myself along very slowly.

I don't know if I mentioned this, but I did start chapter 13 yesterday.  I feel like I have not been working on Cursed with Power in a really long time, and I think because of that feeling I am going to read back a lot of it to myself so I can refresh my memory.
And for now that's about all...