C. R. Collins

Tree-hugging indie fantasy author
Currently located in the SoCal desert
https://crcollins.org
#IndieAuthor #FantasyBooks #HopePunk

Public Key

npub1hlftkt7td4enzkd3wx6p5qarl03cwn6xt8ar5tq0j79xs5xtx54sfdqyuw

NIP-05 Address

crcollins_at_writing.exchange@mostr.pub

Profile Code

nprofile1qqstl54m9l9k6ue3txchrdq6qw3lhcu8far9n7369s8e0zng2r9n22cprpmhxue69uhhyetvv9ujumn0wdmksetjv5hxxmmdqy2hwumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnddaehgu3wwp6kyfjlx3c

Publishing to

relay.noswhere.com

relay.mostr.pub

Author Public Key

npub1hlftkt7td4enzkd3wx6p5qarl03cwn6xt8ar5tq0j79xs5xtx54sfdqyuw

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Last Notes

2024-08-19 16:38:45

Wow, D2D was the easiest upload experience I've ever had, even with 8 ebooks to submit. Might be worth their 10% fee. I only joined the site to switch Apple Books over from direct, but they are impressing me. Picked up a few new vendors and library distributors too.
#WritingCommunity

2024-08-08 19:15:03

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@npub1k24…26zw
Aww thanks. I don't hate the current version, but I had fun writing the first one. It was my very first book so, you know, the one I felt least secure about.

2024-08-08 15:04:38

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@npub10d5…vvxa
Absolutely. Particularly getting the entire trilogy out the same year. I feel like I gave myself a good jump start. Or would have if I was better at marketing 🤣

2024-08-08 13:17:19

#WordWeavers 8 Aug
Is your plot linear?
Yes. With time jumps.
In my first book, I had it laid out as the MC telling the story from the point she'd be at in the 3rd section. She went back & forth from past to present. I thought it created a nice effect, an unreliable narrator who might not be sane. 😆 But my editor disagreed. She thought readers would prefer linear. So I re-wrote the entire first two sections.

2024-08-04 13:06:12

#WritersCoffeeClub Aug 4
What else competes for your time & what strategies do you use to secure time for writing against those demands?
My husband. The dog. Housework. Miscellaneous attempts to ward off life's chaos. All these damn political posts that make me feel like throwing things!
What were you asking?
Oh, strategy.
I'm retired, so that helps. And stubborn. I persist in writing my silly, hopeful little books despite the heaviness of the world insisting it's a waste of effort.

2024-07-25 14:54:40

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@npub10d5…vvxa
Eep! Glad you're okay.

2024-07-23 11:26:52

#WordWeavers Jul 23
Authors may write to explore their philosophy. Any revelations you wish to share?
I write #HopePunk #Fantasy so there is always that undercurrent of characters who never give up. Also leading with one's heart instead of greed or hate--that shows up in every book. But, otherwise, I have eclectic casts with diverse opinions & they all have their say. I try to avoid the feeling like I'm preaching to readers in any way.

2024-07-14 11:58:46

#WritersCoffeeClub July 14
Where is your WIP set? Why did you choose this setting? Describe your world-building.
In the northlands of the eastern continent of the improbable planet of Ardonna. Primarily in Sharren City, the capital of the Accord--where G lives & works--with flight or jumps to various other locations. Why? This sequel concludes the north's story.
My world building wouldn't fit my character limit 🤣

2024-06-28 13:42:16

#PennedPossibilities 359
What part of a story do you have the hardest time writing?
The timeline. Is that a part? 🤔 I have to go back and make sure the time of day corresponds to the pace of the story. For example, during my editing of the most recent book I realized "Crap! This scene should take place at night!" Had to tweak all the scenery references.
Also spatial references. I'm bad at picturing movement in my head. One character would have needed 3 hands for what I had her doing. 🤪

2024-05-17 12:35:22

#WordWeavers May 17
Have you written for other age groups?
I used to write short stories for my kids. At least one of them was set in Ardonna. 😀
For publication? No.

2024-04-06 13:03:19

#WordWeavers Apr 6
Does your MC feel understood? Why/why not?
Maddie has reached a point where she no longer understands herself. Her life circumstances have changed so drastically she's no longer the person she once was. So how can she expect anyone else to understand?

2024-02-12 12:49:44

#KnowYourAuthors 8 Do you write your entire piece and then edit, or go back and edit while you’re still writing?
My writing sessions start off with me reading at least one chapter back, sometimes more, to get back into the "zone," and I will edit at that time.

2024-01-06 13:05:50

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@npub1vmn…r9uz
I enjoyed Heroes 😀

2024-01-05 14:32:15

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Update for anyone interested:
The new ebook is still in review this morning after 72 hours so I contacted Amazon's customer service. I got an option to request a call & they called promptly 😳 The worker had no idea why it wasn't live yet & is going to escalate it. So, that's some progress. Meanwhile, the book's been up on the other vendors for days now.
Indie publishing is always an adventure.
#WritingCommunity #IndieAuthorsOfMastodon

2024-01-03 13:31:26

Has anyone noted Amazon being slower to get ebooks out of the review stage? Maybe I've just been spoiled, but my previous books have gone live quickly--in less than 24 hours. My newest has been sitting "in review" since the 1st. It's still within their stated 72 hours, but I'm just curious as it's never taken so long. The book is live with all the other vendors, even Apple which is usually last. 🤔
#WritingCommunity #IndieAuthorsOfMastodon

2023-12-30 14:57:38

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@npub1wu7…3d23
One issue I've not seen in the "Threads" debates on here is how FB & Insta are chock-full of scammers who have no doubt joined Threads too. These constantly pop up in writer FB groups, often making posts with the same general wording, inviting authors to post links, then they invariably respond asking the author to "DM me for marketing tips." It's so bad it's a running joke & authors regularly comment with snark or warnings, yet I see so many people fall for it. 😔

2023-11-15 11:55:35

I am always behind 😆 When did we start using the category name "romantasy?" I never heard of it until yesterday & have seen it twice more since then.
What happened to "fantasy romance" (romance with fantasy) and "romantic fantasy" (fantasy with romance)??? Are we still using these? Which one of these did this replace?
#WritingCommunity #IndieAuthorsOfMastodon #FantasyBook

2023-10-31 11:33:59

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@npub1psd…9sr7
That does sound horrible 😱

2023-10-08 11:46:16

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@npub1yse…jaay
Apple usually tends to be the slowest for me too. Congratulations on the new release! 🥳🥂

2023-09-29 13:23:21

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@npub10d5…vvxa @npub1eeu…4aku
Yeah, I couldn't think of a proper answer for this one. I have a few characters in SoJ:Red Wolf that give encouragement here and there, but no one is exceptionally "pep-talky." I didn't get those as a kid either, so my characters usually support each other, at least.

2023-09-17 13:35:58

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@npub10d5…vvxa @npub1eeu…4aku
I've read that too, & I just published number 6. 😱 But the one thing I am confident about is my writing skill & I've had lovely feedback. I do have a weird series--one trilogy that forms the core & then standalone sequels & prequels. I have a little tree graphic that shows where they fit & even include which book(s) they spoil in their descriptions, but each serves as a world intro for those who aren't so bothered about spoilers (readers like myself.)

2023-09-17 13:22:40

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@npub10d5…vvxa @npub1eeu…4aku
You sound much more organized than I was before I published. 😀 None of my ebooks are higher than $4.99 which seems standard for my genre. A couple are $3.99 & more will go down as I publish 2024's crop. I don't expect to earn back what I put in, nor get rich. Just hoping to find readers who enjoy my work. There's conflicting advice as to whether freebies/dirt cheap hurts or hinders. It might be genre dependent as so many things.

2023-09-17 13:14:13

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@npub10d5…vvxa @npub1eeu…4aku
I share excerpts in these writing tags for that purpose--so potential readers will get an idea of my style and decide if it suits them. One of the questions recently got me thinking about providing a free short story from my website at some point, but that will probably be down the line. I am highly resistant to offering my full-length books for free, after all the money & hard work that went into them I'll already never recoup, but short stories might work.

2023-08-07 21:33:31

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@npub1ddm…dxa6
I had to think on that question, cause it's important. I can only answer for myself.
If writing made me more unhappy than happy, I would have to consider stepping back, at least short term. Also, sadly, there's a financial consideration. I've committed myself to 6 more books in my series, 3 are already written for 2024, 3 are planned for 2025. After that I don't know if I'll keep writing. It was a dream I had to publish, which I did, so maybe that's enough.

2023-08-07 19:17:00

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@npub1ddm…dxa6
I feel like it is for me because it brings me joy to write. I had to jettison the mindset that it's only worth something if other people say it is, which is deeply ingrained. It does feel like I am largely publishing into the void sometimes. Yet, when I think of what deathbed regrets I might have, *not* putting my work out there would be high on the list. So I keep going.

2023-08-05 00:39:15

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@npub1gvl…8ag7
That is awesome. You write so well these agents would be fools to pass.