Its Sexy Song of the Week Time!

I've had a few questions as to why I do Sexy Songs of the Week as a writer, and no I'm not getting endorsed to do them! (Though I am always willing to hear your requests lol.)  I include them because these are my "go to's" when I'm writing.  I find that if I put music on in the background I write faster and cleaner.  It doesn't just have to do with the tempo, though sometimes that helps, it just stops my brain from wandering around.  

Anyways, the sexy song of the week is Silence by Delerium featuring Sarah McLachlan.  I love the subtle undertones in the video, her binding him up, its very simple, but the music is great.  Delerium in general is pretty sweet - take a wander with them :).

I think many writers on the market today, especially indie writers who (if they're anything like me) jumped into the pool before knowing how deep it was.  We don't (or didn't) understand how much of a business self-publishing is.

We've all read the "rock star" successes, the “I published a book and now I'm paying all my bills and taking trips to Europe!” And very little of the failures, lets face it no one wants to spend time writing about how they've not made anything and its so frustrating and they are quitting...they just quit.

Likely you, like me, will fall in with the majority, somewhere in that gray middle ground. 

I haven't (yet!) gotten a best seller, though I've hit about 40,000 on Amazon's sales ranks and I'm happy with that, especially with the 500,000+ titles out.  I started my business in late January and its only late March, I think those are decent numbers.  But I have also submitted pieces that have only sold 1 copy.  Granted that's $2 bucks in my pocket, but every book you put out you secretly hope the world loves as much as you do.

Yesterday I got paid for January's sales - they weren't huge, only enough to take my family of three to a cheap dinner, but next month I'll get the opportunity to pay a bill or two with it, and in two months it looks like it will have grown again. 
The idea that "if you write it they will come" has been expressed multiple times out there, but realize they may or they may not.  Don't quit your day job until you have a good chunk of change in the bank to support your writing career, because the truth is that your story will be your own, and no one else will have it.    

So its official!  I have sitting in my bank account my first transfer from Amazon for Erotic writing!  :D

I am so excited I'm "Squee-ing" all over... I'm talking the whole nine yards, goose bumps, tummy tickles (the good kind lol) and drunken giggles!  Sure it wasn't anything to write home about yet (though I did immediately text my mother hehe).  

My process has been really simple, but I've gotten lots of questions about it.  So here it is in simple steps:

HOW TO SELF-PUB: 

1) Write a banging story.

2) Personally edit for clarity, smoothness, and readability.  Make it perfect in your eyes. 

3) Hire someone to read and edit it.  (For me I use my lover, who is amazing with continuity and clarity, he also is perfect at finding the exact right word.  And Ember Rose she is phenomenal with grammar and spelling, and is also good at telling me what works and what doesn't. She also is in charge of several "word-related projects." So I know she's got a good grasp of grammar.)

4) Format it.  Amazon uses .html zip folders, and Barnes and Noble .doc, others use .epub.  Make sure it looks amazing and things are done the way your distributor wants them.  Opening an ebook and discovering its not formatted correctly will immediately turn off your reader.

5) Create an eye-popping cover.  Use a professional photo, you can buy them at places like iStockPhoto, Dreamstime, and Shutterstock.  Do not grab one from somewhere on the internet, its illegal unless you have permission.  Put your title on it with your favorite editing program.  The more professional supposedly the better you do - though I've seen some that are essentially just tits and ass slapped on the cover with a word pasted over it in paint and no thought about cropping, lighting, or how it looks as a thumbnail.  Remember that your distributor has particular requirements too.  If you don't feel up to creating one, buy it.  I'll do one for you for $50 (with a by-line on the cover), but there are others out there who produce them for more or less.

6) Write out a blurb to hook your readers, include a rough (but accurate!) word count / page number so your readers know what to expect and a sneak peek.  

7) Sign up with your distributor. (There are a lot out there, B&N and Amazon are only 2.)

8) Upload to your distributors following their formatting guides, previewing all material before you submit it, answer all questions and click upload. 

9) Advertise.  Some people will say to wait until its pubbed for this - but I start pretty much as soon as I have the book cover done, sometimes before.  Some people say they've never advertised and are paid well, the truth is it is a personal choice.  Do what you feel is good and necessary. 

10) Receive your check and keep advertising.

I treat Lesa as a business, but a business I love and nurture, and she's paying off.  I'll draw an analogy now if you will bear with me (I know sometimes my posts run long, hehe).  But Writing is like Gardening.  The word doc on your pc is only a tiny seed, it isn't the soil, it isn't the sunlight, it isn't the water, and left alone its not going to grow into the big money tree most writer's dream about.  But if you put that tiny seed in the soil (with a publisher or on Amazon or B&N) and water it with a good cover, shine the sun of advertising on it, then it will start to flourish.  But no matter what it has to be drug through the dirt.     

Sometimes the best way to focus is simply to do it in the morning...or in the afternoon...or late at night. 

I read a blog a few weeks ago about a stay at home mom that said her best writing time was before she woke the kids up to get ready for school.  I read on Facebook that another's was about 1-3 in the morning.  For me the best time of day is when my two year old is down for her afternoon nap. 

A personal study conducted by Karen Leland among her peers at LinkedIn showed the morning between 9-11 am was the most productive.

In 2005 a study conducted by Microsoft Survey's pronounced that of an average persons 5 day work week he or she was truly only productive three of those days.   

So how do we beat this daunting statistic while deadlines are approaching and life is always getting in the way?  

Conduct your own productivity survey. 
 
Yes you read that right.  Conduct it yourself!   

My lover, a business and finance major has been very good at keeping me in line that Lesa Fuchs-Carter is indeed a business, and that just like a business I need to know facts, statistics, input, output, sales figures, etc. etc. etc.  

And so the day I published my second book I started keeping track of what I generally did in a day.  Now I've been hit or miss, 3 days on, 4 days off, but I generally keep a decent log of how many words I wrote (if it was a writing day) or which piece I edited/cover I designed, and the rough time frame I completed it.  When I started doing this it was more to prove to myself that I was doing a fourty hour work week, and in case anyone should desire to know how my day was run.  

I have learned that my best time currently is from about 1-4 pm.  I can knock out 5-10,000 words in that time, and I tend to dribble or get continually distracted in the morning, and once my husband is home - kiss writing goodnight.  


The point is that keeping that log let me see hard facts on what you are actually doing!  And knowing is half the battle.  

This one comes with many variations, and I've heard them called everything from the Love Triangle, the Golden Statue, the Crossway Position, and the four square.  

Essentially the lovely lady in your sexy duo rests on her side with one leg straight up in the air and the other flat along the bed.  The hunky male counterpart of your coupling slides home between her spread legs.

Now here's where the fun alterations can get interesting, your bottom leg can either come out perpendicular to your body or can run straight with her spine, both allow for different feels so experiment!  The man can straddle you either with one leg up or kneeling on both legs (if your leg is straight down.)  Experiment to see what is comfortable for you and yours. 

For an added bonus either of you can get to the lovely lady's clit, or breasts.  

This is also a favorite position for pregnancy because it allows for deep penetration and no pressure on the abdomen.  

Hey Everyone, 

First of all I wanted to introduce this weeks Sexy Song of the Week.  These two young men, Michael Henry and Justin Robinett do a series of "covers", this particular one is one of my favorites, though they're all worth a listen.  I love their quirky film style and play with romantic songs.

Second, I would like to apologize, its been a few days since I blogged here, and likely I will miss a few days in the future.  I have been sick.  They are running blood work now to try to discover what it is and I'm on new medication (and feeling some better with it!) So hopefully it won't disrupt our sexy erotic stories in the future.  That said, I have two pieces that are going to be coming out within the next week: Mr. Harris Screws Up The Babysitter, and Cheer Squad: Zoe Cheers for the Professor.  

Anyways, thanks so much for your patience with me!

                                       Kisses, 
                                             Lesa

I live in Colorado, which means that we get a bit of a later spring then many, especially when we live near the gorgeous Rockies.  Its still early enough that we can't plant, but its definitely late enough that I am thinking about the garden, fresh produce, what I want to plant, and starting to turn over our beautifully rich soil, clean the winter out of the yard, and make it look as lovely as possible.  

We are slowly getting two and three days in a row where at least part is lovely, a golden sun warming your back, a soft breeze keeping you cool...it draws anyone outside, and I really do feel the pull almost constantly.

This year I'm placed with an interesting challenge however, ensuring that I still have a good focus on my writing while playing in the garden and soaking in Vitamin D!  I have already sacrificed (joyfully!) several hours by playing around outside when I should be inside writing, so I am indeed flustered with the idea of stripping down to writing again and maintaining focus. 

The good news is I have a laptop, and a pen and paper.  Yesterday I made plans to take it all outside and sit and write while being in the lovely weather (but unforseen circumstances prevented me.)  Today its supposed to be cooler, so I doubt I'll make it out there, but I have definite plans for tomorrow.   

Some tips for Outside Writing: 
~Designate a Workspace (like you should inside) Make sure you have a comfortable seat, a little table or a desk if you feel its necessary, and plenty of light (if you are writing after dark).  If you plan on sitting on the ground have a blanket to "Quarter off your section." 
~Take a binder or spiral notebook.  Don't take loose papers.  The breeze may not be anything now, but even a few gusts can blow away important loose leaf paper.
~If you are focusing on word-count or things that require 100% focus, leave the dogs, the kids, etc. inside.  If this isn't possible plan for some time to spend with them before you start focusing on the writing, and plan on taking several breaks to give them time with you as well.  
~Wear Sunscreen - as fantastic as Vitamin D is, a burn equally as bad, not only will it be uncomfortable but potentially distracting.
~Stay hydrated, take a glass of your favorite drink with you. 
~Log how you do.  Some people will work fantastically outside - some people just should not, keep a general track of your word count and your works accomplished, perhaps you are one who needs to stay at a desk. 


I hope you all have a good day and are able to write focused and naked outside!  :) 

KISSES!

This one is close to my favorite "Doggie style" position.  I love how the photo shows for you to do it, lovely lady laying face down on the bed with the gentleman slipping in from the top.  But for an added "drive" and to make sure your lady is fully filled, place your hands on her shoulder blades and sit up as much as you can.  Massage her shoulders while you're there! 

Quite a yummy little treat. :)   

Thursdays are usually my "finishing work" days - I work on book covers, I work on final edits, I prepare for Friday which is my "fun" day.  Fridays I typically click "Publish" and I start seeing my numbers go up after 4 days of "a sale here, a sale there."  But this week has been different, and exhilarating.

My numbers slowed a tiny bit - as they always do after a good weekend- but they are still double what they typically are.  This is definitely promising for my business.  

But despite my need to finish before tomorrow (I have family coming into town) I find myself continually being distracted by things that were not originally on my to do list. Things like submitting a book for review, joining a few forums and wandering through them.  And the continual pull to Bound to Him, my next story.

The good news is I'm still on track for my business goal of hitting 20 books by July, in fact, I am ahead of schedule.