Pirating Books

Pirating books. You've probably seen this topic in the news over the past couple of weeks and heard the heated discussion revolving around it. In short, a website called OceanofPDF, known for hosting pirated books, was recently shut down. Publishers like Penguin, HarperCollins, and Random House issued tons of take down notices, and eventually the requests went through. You can read more about it here. 

This should be a good thing, right? A site that's allowing people to essentially steal an author's work is no longer able to distribute the pdfs. Unfortunately, there's been a lot of backlash in which authors are being called "Elitist" and selfish for wanting money for their work. Now granted, some of the people do have a good point. If they've already purchased the books and something happened to them, shouldn't there be a way to get them back? Or what if they bought a paper version and want an e-book for the road that came out later? 

First, if you lost the book, I'm sorry, but if you lost a DVD or music, you'd have to pay to get that back, too. If you want the e-copy, some authors will sell packages of e-books and the paper book, so you can just get it that way. Or just buy the e-book. Generally, e-books are priced a lot cheaper anyway. My paper book is $15, but my e-book is $3.99. I'm not asking you to pay full price for the e-book. 

Some people have argued that 1. they don't have the money for books or 2.  they can't get them from the local library. Generally if you speak with a library about wanting a book, and there are enough requests, the library can buy the book or even loan it from another location. If you get the book around the time it launches, many authors put their novels on sale. Or they'll do low sales or offer giveaways.

We're not dragons stealing your money and cackling on top of our glistening hoard. Most of the money we actually make off of our books goes towards expenses in order to bring more books to you. Spend money to make money. So to have our work put on a site without our permission and to watch hundreds and thousands of people download it without us seeing a cent from it is...how is that fair? 

I want to give you a look into how much it costs to actually publish a book. It's different for traditional and self-published authors, but we all put money into it. 

First, it starts with our time. I work a full-time job, and I spend most of my free time (what little I have), writing my novels. This is not just a casual hobby. This is something I want to turn into a profession, so I dedicate my time to it. I've taken courses in writing, storytelling, plot development, creative writing, (which costs money,) so I can create my books. It also causes a lot of emotional strain to do what I do. See Writing with Depression for clarification. 

And then there are the other expenses once I've actually written the book. I have to pay for things like: 

• an editor

• proofreaders

• sensitivity readers

• cover artist

• promotional materials

• book swag

• programs like Scrivener and Adobe DC to format the books or a designer who can do it for me

• buying the books themselves

• tables at conventions to sell my books

• hotels/gas/meals to travel and sell 

It all adds up.

Most of the money that I've made from sales have gone back into my book or is being used to take care of costs for the next one. I'm not rolling in money, so yes, every dollar does help. Some people say, "Well, I'll give you a review. That's payment enough." Look, any review is wonderful, and I'm grateful for it whether it's good or bad. But the thing is, if everyone decided that's how they were going to pay for the book, I'd have hundreds of reviews, but no revenue. 

We pay money for movies, music, theater, etc, but when it comes to art and books, suddenly it's just too expensive. I understand our economy is awful, and I'm drowning in debt as well. But it's heartbreaking to realize that something I spent months or even years on is being handed out for free. If I want to give it away for free or drop the price, that's my prerogative, and I would promote it so that people who are having trouble buying my book can get it for cheaper. Some say I get more readers if my book is given away for free. Hey, that's great. I love getting more readers. But what about all the time and effort writers put into their craft? Does that mean nothing? 

If it was just happening here and there, that would be one thing. But there are whole sites dedicated to this. I give books away. I reach out to libraries to see if I can get my books there so people who are low on cash can at least borrow the book. But that's my decision and my right to do that. 

I guess what I really want you to understand is that being a creator and doing something I love doesn't mean that I don't put a ton of work into it. I'm providing a service. Is it so bad that I would want compensation from it so I can keep creating and bring more stories to my readers? 

I'd love to hear your opinions on it. 

Self-Care for Writers

It seems fitting that I'm writing about self care after having to take time off of work due to a migraine. This is also why my post is coming out on a Wednesday. Normally I would have fought through it, kept working, and made it worse. The fact that I was going to write this post made me rethink my decision because, truthfully, if I'm going to tell you how to take care of yourselves, I need to listen to my own advice. 

I've covered some of this in other posts, but I wanted to create a comprehensive list for anyone who feels burnt out or needs some support in regards to taking care of themselves. Many writers don't know what kind of self care they should do when they feel low or if they need self care at all. Here are a few warning signs to start off. 

• Anxiety/depression

• Exhaustion

• Lack of desire to write or writer's block 

• Irritability 

• Self-doubt or feeling hopeless 

• Overwhelmed

Some are you going to say, "Well, Erin, I feel this all the time!" I understand. I feel a lot of this as well, but when it's starting to affect your everyday life, you need to step back and take care of yourselves so you can stay healthy. A healthy mind and body will lead to better writing. 

• Take a break/ Do something you love: If you're feeling low and the depression is creeping in, try to take a break and do something you love. Even if you think it's just "wasting time," it's not if it makes you happy. Play video games. Read a book. Go to a pet store and play with some critters. Host a movie night. Watch youtube videos. Or sleep! Basically do anything except write if writing itself is causing so much stress. Contrary to what others say, you don't have to write everyday. 

• Sleep: Writers are pretty bad about getting enough sleep. Either we stay up too late or get up too early trying to get those words out. Consider adjusting your sleeping schedule so you're getting more rest both for your brain and body. You'll find you'll become more productive and feel better. 

• Get off social media: If you're struggling with self-doubt or comparing yourself to others, get off Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pintrest, etc. Shut technology down for a day and focus on you. Studies say that people often become more depressed after seeing all the accomplishments or exciting adventures their peers talk about on facebook. I know when I'm feeling overwhelmed, shutting down technology is my best route to recovery. It'll still be there when you log on the next day. 

• Shower/Take a bath: If you're stuck with writing, take a shower. Some of my best ideas come out there. And if you just want to get away from ideas and relax, take a shower or a bath for your body's sake. I love how the water pounds across my ears and silences the world. For a moment, I just feel safe and like the world doesn't need me. I'm doing this for me. 

• Take time for yourself: Make sure you're taking enough time to rest and relax. If all you're doing is overworking yourself to get that book done or meet social media standards, you're going to burn out very quickly. Take time, again, to do something you love, or take care of yourself. Even setting aside a half hour a day to watch a favorite show or sit under happy lights is a great way to decompress. 

• Chores: This may seem like a strange thing to add in here if you're stressed, but sometimes getting chores done helps me unwind. Cleaning, paying pills, making medical appointments, going shopping, etc.. Sure, it might be boring or frustrating at the time, but by the end of the day, you'll have accomplished so much. Last Sunday I managed to get a bunch of chores done and that cleared my mind up to write for a little while. 

• Therapy: If you're struggling with crippling self-doubt, depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts, consider talking with a therapist. I see one regularly to help me keep my head on straight. People will say, "Oh, others have it worse" but whatever you're going through is valid. If something is making you upset or hurting your quality of life, then it's important to get that treated. Seeking out therapy is not a weakness. It shows strength. 

• Listen to your body: If you're getting sick a lot, or you just don't feel well, listen to your body. It may be telling you that it's time to slow down. We only have one body and one brain. If either goes out on us, we're in trouble. So take care of yourselves. If you'd tell someone else to go to a doctor, take off of work, or rest if they feel like you do, then please take your own advice. 

• Support team: Build a support team so that, when you're struggling, you know who you can turn to. Maybe you just need someone to listen to you as you struggle through your writing ideas. Maybe you need a hug or a reminder that you're enough. Either way, reach out when you need support. You don't have to go this alone. That's what's both so important and wonderful about having a writing community. 

• Write your feelings: We may all get writer's block, but I guarantee we can all write about how we're feeling. No one else has to see it or know that you're writing it. Create angry poetry, construct short stories, write a blog post...do whatever feels right to help you acknowledge your emotions and work through them. 

• Hydrate: When we get wrapped up in writing, it's easy to forget some basic needs like drinking water. And sometimes we can forget that tea is a diuretic. So make sure you're hydrating your body (even if it does mean a lot of pee breaks away from your computer). 

These are just a few tips to keep in mind when things feel rough. I'm sure you all have your own self-care methods, so feel free to share them below! 

Just remember, you matter, what you feel is valid, and you are worthy of self care. 

Let's Talk About Plagiarism →

By now, I'm sure most of you are aware of #copypastecris that's been going on in the romance community. In short, "author" Cristiane Serruya has been accused of plagiarizing lines/paragraphs from other published authors. According to bestselling author Nora Roberts, the total count is up to 51 books and 34 authors plagiarized. Serruya at first claimed a ghostwriter was at fault on twitter, but she's since closed virtually all of her social media accounts. In another instance (and I hate that I can't find the article for this), at least one ghostwriter claimed that Serruya fed them lines/phrases to put into the book, but the ghostwriter had no idea they were plagiarized text. 

It's been quite the scandal, and it has writers up in arms, and for good reason. No one wants to have their work stolen. Writers spend days, weeks, months, and years perfecting their craft. To see it in someone else's book...I can only imagine how that must feel. I know I'd be enraged and feel betrayed as well to see the language from The Purple Door District pop up somewhere else. 

So what do we take away from all of this? What can we do to fight against these acts? 

Well, first off, if you notice that a book you're reading has familiar phrases from other books, please report it. The more we catch plagiarizers, the better chance we may have of exposing them and taking them out of the market. 

When it comes to ghostwriters, let's take a breath. I've seen a lot of facebook frames going around that say, "I write my own books," which is great. But at the same time, I think it can belittle ghostwriters. Sadly, I'm sure there are ghosts who plagiarize on purpose, just as there are named authors who do the same. But many ghostwriters are also just trying to make an honest living. They write for people who don't necessarily have that talent but still have a story to tell. They create articles, posts, books, and more. Just like authors, they're trying to survive on their skill without even having their name on their written piece. And, in some cases, established authors will become ghostwriters if a publishing house has a similar idea as a query they pitched and the house wants to keep the rights. 

Ghostwriters aren't bad, just as Indie authors aren't bad. There are ghostwriters, indie authors, and traditional authors, however, who give everyone else a bad name. There's been a lot of hatred towards ghostwriters as a result of this debacle, so I ask you all to remember, not everyone in the business is like that. 

Plagiarism is a very serious issue. Even when we were kids in school, teachers always warned us about the horror and dishonesty of plagiarizing. It's hard to see it happen to authors, people who have spent their lives perfecting their craft and world. 

You're not just stealing someone's words. You're stealing their hours of long work, their many sleepless nights agonizing over their plot, the tears of anguish and laughter they shed, the countless days they crafted the book until it was ready to go to the publisher. And with a little action of copy and pasting, someone can just take all of that hard work away so they can make a quick buck. 

The publishing industry is a competitive one. We shouldn't have to worry about our work being stolen. All writers are just trying to find a way to survive and share their stories with the world, but the best way to do it is honestly. Stand by the authors and ghostwriters who create their own work, especially those who have had their literature stolen. And if you're a writer, be an honest one and create your own stories. 

Additional Sources: 

https://www.latimes.com/books/la-et-jc-cristiane-serruya-courtney-milan-plagiarism-20190219-story.html

https://bookriot.com/2019/02/19/round-up-of-copypastecris/

Updates: Novels, and Contests, and Summits, Oh My!

Well, it has been quite a few crazy months since The Purple Door District launched. Within a month, I sold about 100 copies, and I anticipate that future conventions will see even more sales. I really appreciate all of the support from the community! 

With that being said, let's get into some updates! 

The Purple Door District: Wolfpit / Patreon

The second Purple Door District book is slowly coming along. After a rough few months of writer's block, not to mention some mental health issues, I'm finally getting back into it! I'm about 50,000 words into the book, and I finally have the back cover mostly written up, which I'll share with you guys soon. 

In the meantime, I posted a short story from the world of The Purple Door District to Patreon called The Magus and the Vampire. The story is set a year before PDD and reveals how Gladus and Trish first met. If you're interested in reading it, stop by Patreon. As a patron, you'll have access to all original chapters from the first PDD and you'll get to see PDD 2 before anyone else. 

For those of you who haven't picked up the book yet, The Purple Door District is available on amazon, on my website, and through bookstores like Prairie Lights, M and M Bookstore, and The Makers' Loft. 

Contest

I'm currently in a contest for best cover through AllAuthor. If you have a chance, I'd greatly appreciate it if you went and voted here.  There are 2 days left in this round. This site is also a great way to showcase your own books and covers! It's now open for March submissions, so be sure to get your book in! 

Women in Publishing Summit!

What if I told you I could get you a free ticket to a week-long event that is all about all the tools you need to help you write, publish, and sell that book you've either been dreaming of writing, trying to write, or have written but need help with #allthethings? And even better, that you don't have to even leave your home to participate?

Good news! The Women in Publishing Summit is coming! A week-long, FREE, online event!

March is Women’s History Month. It’s an awesome time to to celebrate, honor, and learn from a line-up of amazing women in the writing and publishing world who deserve some applause.

The Women in Publishing Summit sponsored by Thinkific, runs March 4-8, 2019, covers all things related to writing, publishing, and selling a book. It's Created FOR women, BY women, for women who want to write a book, have written a book, are in the process of writing a book, or perform some kind of function related to writing, publishing, and selling a book! You are not going to want to miss it.

Register for your FREE ticket now. https://erincasey--writepublishsell.thrivecart.com/free-wip-registration/

I guess this is the part where I also mention I am one of the speakers! During the summit, I'll discus how to find the "write" community. Where can you find fellow writers? What makes a writing group right for you? And more! 

This summit is being hosted by my friend, Alexa Bigwarfe. She is an author coach and publisher and noticed that there seemed to be a real void in the female voices present in online conferences and training programs on writing and selling books. So, she set out to change that. And I thought it was a great idea too!

Here is the schedule of topics for each day:

Day 1: The Big Picture for Your Book

Day 2: Your Path to Publishing Success + Mindset

Day 3: Production, Distribution, Legal - Editing, Design, Taxes, Copyright, etc

Day 4: Book Launch Strategies, Marketing, Marketing and more Marketing

Day 5: Tools and Resources for Writing, Publishing, and Marketing Your Book

I hope you'll join us! 

Upcoming Showings and Events

March 2nd, 2019: Author Signing at M and M Bookstore
March 4th-8th, 2019: Women in Publishing Summit
April 18th, 2019 (6pm): Ottumwa Public Library Book Reading  

May 17th-19th, 2019: OWS Cycon 2019 (online event) 
June 29th-30th: Book Signing at West Valley Mall
September 7th-8th: The Writers' Rooms Presents: I.O.W.A. 

Once again, thank you for everything, and I hope to see you at my upcoming shows! I'm already signing up for ones in other parts of Iowa, and I'm hoping to do a few in Chicago since that's where PDD is set. 

Happy reading and writing!

Depression and Writing: Don't End Your Story

People often ask me why I write. I give them plenty of answers like, it's what I was born to do (cheesy, I know), it's as vital to me as the air I breathe (also cheesy), I love to create new worlds, I have stories to tell, etc. etc. Writing is also my outlet when I'm stressed or depressed. When I slip into the text and the world falls away, I feel a warmth in my chest that dissipates every awful thing I'm feeling. I'm lost in the story, and everything feels right with the world. In a way, my writing saves me from my negative emotions. 

But what about those times when it can't? What about the times when writer's block is so strong is drives me into a downward spiral of depression? 

I've written about anxiety, depression, and writing before, but what happened a week ago is very different. 

On February 2nd, my depression almost won. I won't go into great detail, but I checked myself into a psychiatric ward with the guidance and support of a friend so that I could take care of my mental health.

So I wouldn't end my story.  

You see, I love writing, but I do the same thing many writers do. I attach my self worth to my craft. If I can't write, I feel like something's wrong with me and I stress myself out more than necessary. It's habit. It's worse when I have a block on a big project I want to complete such as Purple Door District 2. For months I've struggled and felt disconnected with my craft. That's bad enough, but when writing is supposed to be an emotional outlet, and I lose that, I sometimes feel like I lose my purpose too. 

Don't get me wrong, a lot of things compounded over the months to make me so depressed, but not being able to write was a huge part of it. Writers tend to forget about their mental health when they're so busy creating. We get swept up in what we should be getting done or how we're not doing enough that we forget the warning signs our brain sends us when we've pushed ourselves too far. 

-Lack of interest in the things we love

-Unable to deal with daily stresses

-Losing sleep over worry

-Beating ourselves down for not writing because we see ourselves as failures

Sound familiar? I was feeling all of this, and yet I didn't realize just how depressed I was until it was almost too late. I've said it before and I'll say it again. I'm not shy when it comes to talking about my mental health. Several writers on twitter have been told that they shouldn't discuss their emotions or mental health because it's "unprofessional" or "no one wants to hear their drama." 

Bullshit. 

Talking about how you feel makes you more real. It makes you more human and relatable. If Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and blog posts are your outlets and the only places you feel safe talking about your emotions, then do it. The United States has such a stigma about mental health, like it's a hush hush topic that no one should talk about.

Again, I call bullshit. If we talked about it, then maybe more people would know when to reach out for help. Maybe more creative minds would realize they're not alone in their struggles and there are people who care what happens to them. 

You are not your craft. Your worth is not measured by your word or page count, or your amazon reviews, or the number of books under your belt. 

One of the things that struck me the hardest about going into the psychiatric ward was when the therapist said, "You're a writer? Oh yeah, I've probably seen most of the writers in the city here." What does that tell you about us creative folk? We push and push and beat ourselves down when we should be lifting ourselves and others up for our/their accomplishments. 

So in case no one has said this to you today, you matter. You are amazing. You are loved. And you have a purpose. No matter how lonely you feel, there's a community out there that understands what you're going through. If you're too nervous to call someone for help, then try #writingcommunity on Twitter, or any number of writing hashtags on instagram. Believe me, you'll find that there are more people like you than you even realize. 

And during those really bad moments, when you feel like the world is coming down and you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel, please consider calling the suicide hotline: 1-800-273-8255. 

Your story isn't over yet, and the world wants to hear it. You're not alone.