Paul Colt's Blog - Posts Tagged "western-fiction"

My latest book is now available for pre-order at Amazon.

Boots and Saddles: A Call to Glory
by Paul Colt
Five Star Publishing
ISBN 13: 978-1-4328-2803-5

Scheduled for release December 18, 2013
Boots and Saddles: A Call to Glory is the turning point that saved young George Patton’s military career.

Publisher’s Weekly says: “…Colt’s sweeping and historically vivid portrayal of the Punitive Expedition, American and Mexican relations, and German double-dealing really makes this novel an exciting success.”

Emmy and Spur Award winning writer/producer Kirk Ellis says:
“Paul Colt understands that the secret to good historical fiction is a firm grounding in the facts and a lively sense of character and period. In his capable hands, the story of young, ambitious George S. Patton and his early exploits in war and love makes for a rollicking adventure tale.”

Hope you enjoy the book. If you do, please consider giving it a review at Amazon. Thanks for your interest.
Ride easy,
Paul Colt

My thanks to all those who've purchased Boots and Saddles: A Call to Glory. The pre-order at Amazon sold out! If you didn't get your copy, you should be able to now. I hope you enjoy the book. When you finish, Please consider giving it a review on Amazon. Thanks again.
Paul Colt

Recently a reader asked about authors I like to read. I thought some of you might be interested in that question. In the category historical dramatization, i.e. historical fiction where the fiction comes from animating the characters, I tip my hat to Jeff Shaara, Matt Braun and Lauren Estleman. For traditional westerns my hat tips go to Max McCoy and Dusty Richards. Dusty gets a special tip for all the help he’s given me over the years. Get into one of his stories and you can smell saddle leather. Last but not least, a hat tip goes to Robert B. Parker. That man could sure write dialog. When I read or write believable dialog that nails the character, it sounds like Parker. So there you have it. Every one of these authors sets an inspirational standard for me. I bet you’d enjoy them as much as I do.

https://www.amazon.com/author/paulcolt

Ride easy,
Paul

We speak and write a living language. It evolves. We add words, accepted meanings change and yes some words fall into disuse. This evolution in language comes into sharp focus for the intrepid author who presumes to write in another era, say the nineteenth- century. A couple of years ago I stumbled on a book based on the reminiscences of General David J. Cook, Superintendent of an organization that called itself the Rocky Mountain Detective Association. The book, first published in 1882, is a compilation of case reports on criminal investigations conducted by the association. Needless to say the language in the reports is pure nineteenth century. I found the terminology so amusing I started building a little glossary. I thought I might use a term here and there to give my stories a ring of authenticity. There is a risk of frustrating the modern reader if that goes too far, so sparing should be the watchword. Still who can resist something as tempting as: a character wending his way thitherward? Can you picture a romantic heroine who inspires cupidity? Used sparingly, I see opportunities to capture a little rascality and jollification!

https://www.amazon.com/author/paulcolt

Ride easy,
Paul

Readers often say my writing is “Visual.” Some say, “It’s like watching a movie.” I love hearing that, because that is exactly how I see it. A scene opens, the camera captures time, place, setting, surroundings, all the information we need for the action to begin. Getting that right starts with something I call ‘landscaping.’ One of my favorite parts of researching a book is visiting the locale to get a feel for topography, vegetation, wildlife and seasons. It’s exploring the Paha Sapa (Black Hills) on horseback. It’s riding rugged New Mexico hills, picking up colors in rock formations, cloudscapes and mountain sunsets. Recently a reader commented that she’d lived in an area featured in one of my stories. She said she felt like she was home. That got it right. Visual is good, but like all good things it can go too far. Michner might get away with twenty pages on the flora and fauna of Chesapeake Bay; but for the rest of us it shouldn’t take more than a few lines. That said, in the right story, land can rise to the stature of a character. There is a place in the J.R. Chance series I call Willow Creek. The protagonists go there when they need to work out a problem. Eventually they make it their home. Right now I’m heads-down in a story where the land is taking on that character quality. It might even be the title character when all is said and done. We’ll see. When we do, I’m pretty sure it will be visual.

https://www.amazon.com/author/paulcolt

Ride easy,
Paul

Recently I was asked what advice I would give aspiring writers. That question covers a lot of ground. I refer to my writing experience as a journey. The journey started in 2003 when I first toyed with the idea of writing a novel. I didn’t get a taste of success until 2009 and things didn’t really get rolling until 2014. That’s six years to get started and eleven years to gain some success. ‘Some success’ does not make you a best seller. That journey continues. The first thing an aspiring author needs to understand is that the journey is a marathon not a sprint. Along the way you pass through a series of gates- milestones that don’t come easy. Each one presents its own special challenges. To complete the journey you need determination and perseverance. You need thick skin to handle rejection and the ability to take criticism and use it to get better. If that doesn’t sound like you, rent a movie. If it does, or you think you might have that stuff, check out my Goodreads blog or facebook posts the next several weeks. They will discuss those gates you pass through on the journey and what to expect from each.

https://www.amazon.com/author/paulcolt

Ride easy,
Paul

So you want to be a writer. You’re undertaking a journey that takes you through a series of gates. I call them gates because unlike a milestone you reach and pass-by, you have to get through a gate and in most cases you don’t control getting through. Each gate presents its own particular challenges. Fortunately the first one is the easiest and you do control it. It is also critical to your potential success. It is answers the question: what are you going to write?

The old saw goes: “Write what you know.” There is certainly truth to that. You have to be passionate about what you write. It’s also handy if what you know happens to be what sells. I love action adventure thrillers full of international intrigue, clandestine cabals, military black ops and covert intelligence operations. The trouble is, I don’t know enough about the inner-workings of those realities to be the next Vince Flynn or Brad Thor. I write historical fiction set in the west because I grew up on westerns. I’ve been an avid horseman since I was nine years old. I love history and I love the west. That may not make me the next Zane Grey, but I am passionate about the nineteenth century west.

The commercial reality hit me long after I made my decision to write historical western fiction. Westerns are a niche market. Tour your local Barnes & Nobel and see how much shelf-space they devote to westerns. Why couldn’t I have been passionate about young adult stories or romance novels? Fortunately you can cross genre today. I stumbled into that realization in time to cross-over in both. Commercial considerations shouldn’t dominate your decision on what to write, but don’t ignore them either if you plan to sell your work.

Hope that helps. Next week: So you think you can write.

https://www.amazon.com/author/paulcolt

Ride easy,
Paul

You’ve completed your first book. Congratulations! You knew you could do it and you did. You’re proud of yourself and you’re proud of the book. You should be. Now comes the next gate: Publishing. As I reflect on everything it took to get through this gate, it occurs to me that you can’t do it justice in one post. Let’s start with the basics.

A good place to start is a current copy of Guide to Literary Agents, published by Writer’s Digest Books, Cincinnati Ohio. My 2005 edition (ouch!) profiles 600 literary agencies. It tells you what genre they consider, what their submission guidelines are and what you might expect in terms schedule etc. It also gives you good advice about properly preparing your query. These are all important guides to the process you need to follow whether you choose to query an agency or a publisher.

Which brings us to the next set of questions. Who are you going to query? Are you going focus on agencies or publishers, print, digital or audio? Do you plan to skip all that and self-publish? Answers to those questions have big implications for this gate and a couple more down the road. Let’s focus on the query process for the moment. It is similar whether you are soliciting an agent or a publisher.

Rule 1: Follow the submission guidelines! You can find them in the literary agents guide or a publisher’s website. They are all different. If you don’t follow them, your query is dead on arrival. They require things like a query letter, including author bio, target audience and marketing plan. That’s right, a marketing plan- more on that later. Remember the letter is a sales pitch. You are selling yourself and your book. Most require a synopsis of specified length and one or more sample chapters. Some want digital submission, others want snail mail paper with a SASE (self-addressed stamped envelope). The envelope is so they can easily return your submission with their rejection. That’s right, rejection. Get comfortable with the concept. Your work will be rejected. It can take six to nine months or more to get the bad news and they don’t often give you a reason for rejection. That part of the process is what makes self-publishing so seductive. We’ll get to that one next week.

Next week: Agents and publishers.

https://www.amazon.com/author/paulcolt

Ride easy,
Paul

Before you tackle questions about agents and publishers; you need to decide what you want to accomplish with your writing. Is your book a one-time tick on a bucket-list or is it something more? Do you plan on becoming a professional writer; or is writing an enjoyable hobby? Answers to those questions should influence the choices you make. If your book is a one-time thing, a self-publishing strategy might make the most sense. If you plan to pursue writing professionally, you will probably find value in an agency relationship at some point. If you are a serious hobbyist you may want to focus on a publisher relationship. There is no right answer to these questions. The only a right answer is the one that’s right for you. In my case, I said: If I can’t sell it, it’s not worth putting my pseudonym on it. You get experience, picking that gate.

Do you need an agent? You don’t need one; but if you have the opportunity to get a good one, they can open doors for you that help you sell your work. I don’t have an agent. I’d be open to considering it; but I’m not out soliciting one. I have a great relationship with a wonderful editor and publisher. It took a lot of at bats to get to first base; but it can be done.

Let’s talk about publishers. They come in all shapes and sizes- print, digital, audio and self-publishing services. Set the selfies aside for a moment. Publishers are businesses that sell products called books. They usually limit their consideration to specific types of work: fiction, non-fiction, a specific list of genre. Your work needs to match the publisher’s consideration. They produce books in print, digital or audio. My first three books came out in audio. Audio is a niche market so sales were modest. I pitched some digital publishers without much success. Digital is growing; but it is still a niche market. Royalty rates are higher. Price points are lower. Volume can be good if you are a good marketer. Print is still the big game. When I finished Boots and Saddles: A Call to Glory I knew I had a good one. One that would open the print gate for me. It did. It took three years.

Now a bit about selfies. The big advantage to self-publishing is that you skip a really nasty gate. Actually you run the risk of skipping two gates. Without having to get through that tough gate-keeper, you may not fully learn the lessons of craft. Like commercial publishers, self-publishing services come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Vanity press print and do-it-yourself digital are the two most common. Based on the horror stories I’ve seen and heard, I don’t recommend vanity print. It can be expensive, quality in some cases is poor and in the end, you wind up with boxes of books in the basement it is up to you to sell. If I was going to self-publish, I’d go do-it-yourself digital. That puts you into digital sales, marketing and distribution that is way better than humping boxes out of the basement. In general, it is also far less expensive.

Next week: Sales and Marketing- Really

https://www.amazon.com/author/paulcolt

Ride easy,
Paul

So you’ve got a great book, eye-catching cover and sizzling hooks to an :08 second ride. How do you get your target audience to notice? It takes promotion; and that can take you out of your comfort zone. Most of us can safely dismiss the possibility of a whirlwind book tour, featuring media appearances and book signings. You might have some luck with local media coverage or a signing at a local book store; but here’s a dirty little secret: both are tough to get and marginally productive if you do.

If marketing takes you out of your comfort zone, you may want to consider a publicist. If marketing is a wilderness for you, a professional can help. Listen to what they can do for you and evaluate what it might mean to you. Get references and check them. Watch the hourly billing rate and budget. Used properly a good publicist can give you valuable assistance. I came to writing with a marketing background. I talked to a couple of publicists, got some help from one; but in the end decided to go a different direction.

I’ve done some radio. I enjoy it. I had the benefit of a lot of media experience in my business career. Does it translate into book sales? I don’t know. It can’t hurt, but I wouldn’t hang my promotion strategy on it. I haven’t had a lot of experience with book signings. Anecdotally I’m told a good book signing may sell eight books. I’ve had one of those. The most productive appearances I’ve done are book clubs. They’re great fun. I donate books to charity auctions with the offer of an author appearance if the book is purchased as a book club selection.

Fortunately we live in a digital world. That’s where I’ve had the most success. I started out with a website because: ‘you need one to be taken seriously’. Or so I was told. The challenge with a website is getting people to go there. It’s tough. I’m an abject failure at it. Sure it can be done. A publicist would be happy to help you with that. I’d rather spend the money selling books. I keep the website to protect my URL, but my promotion strategy has moved on.

If you are reading this, you found it on Facebook or Good Reads. I use both because that’s where my target audience can find me. Facebook has been very productive. I do posts like this one in addition to running ads. If you follow these posts, you know they always include a link to my Amazon author page. From there a prospective buyer is one click away from an :80 second ride. I take advantage of Amazon features like key words and Search Inside The Book. I’m learning about Good Reads’ Give Away program. I’ve done one and will do another with advance reader copies of my next book.

Next week: Building a Brand

https://www.amazon.com/author/paulcolt

Ride easy,
Paul