KASI BLAKE
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AT AN AUTHOR'S EXPENSE

7/13/2020

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Every once in a while I read a comment or a review complaining that a book isn't free. For some reason, a lot of people seem to think writers are all like Stephen King and JK Rowling, rolling around in money. Most writers are not making enough money to live on, so it bugs me when people say we are being greedy by charging $3.99 or $4.99 per book. They don't realize Amazon (or whatever retailer they're using) take a small chunk of that.

​Then there are an author's expenses to consider. Even if we don't have money coming in, we sure do have money going out. What sort of expenses do we have?
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1. Editing: I have paid hundreds of dollars to have a book edited, and I still found errors once they were done. Some editors charge a thousand dollars. But I don't hear anyone saying they should do their job for free.

2. Cover: Likewise, cover artists can charge anywhere from a hundred dollars to a six hundred or so. Of course the better the covers, the more you get charged. This might be an okay expense if you kept the cover forever, but we change are covers for a multitude of reasons including people aren't responding to it, it's outdated, or the license on the stock photos has run out. And, yes, you have to pay for stock photos too.

3. Stock Art: Sometimes we have to pay for art, and sometimes the artist takes care of that. Stock photo places sell their work for varying amounts. Sometimes you have to pay for a monthly subscription. Anyway, having a nice cover takes money, a lot of it.

4. Formatting: I format my own books, but it is a HUGE hassle. Every time I format a book I run into different problems. I have spent hours, sometimes days formatting a book.

5. Promotions: After you upload a book your work isn't done. If you don't pay for promotions, the book will sit there undiscovered. There are millions upon millions of books on Amazon. Authors have to find new and inventive ways of helping readers discover their work. It takes a great deal of time and money.

None of these people will do their work for free. In fact, the readers that complain about paying for books wouldn't work for free. We all have bills to pay. I really wish people would remember that. They gladly pay for Starbucks coffee and pizza and other forms of entertainment like movies. No one expects that stuff for free. Why do they think books should all be free? Maybe it's because of libraries, but libraries pay the author's for their books so at least they're getting some money.  
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This Person Caused Me So Much Trouble

7/12/2020

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When I started publishing some of my own books in 2011, I used the name K.C. Blake. I started to build up my brand. My books started selling pretty well. Then someone else decided to use the same name to publish erotica. They didn't seem to understand why I had a problem with that. Well, I write YA with sweet romance. I didn't want people to get one of their books by mistake and get mad at me. 
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First, I went to Amazon about it and was told that anyone could use the same name as me. That's ridiculous. They don't let actors use the same name. Next, I went to the person using the name and asked them to use something else. They had just started, only had one book, and didn't have a website or a following. They told me to change my name. So I did. 
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And I am still having problems. Unlike this other person, I had several books out. I had to change the covers so that the name Kasi Blake was on them instead, and I had to retire my old print books and put up new ones. Now Goodreads still shows the name K.C. Blake on my books, and once in a while someone tells me they saw this other person's book and thought I had decided to give up YA for something... I don't even know what to call it. Steamy? Nasty? I know some people like erotica. I don't. I used to add one or two love scenes to my romance books, but I don't think of Harlequin type romances as erotica. Erotica, to me, is just about the sex. It's like porn without a real story backing it up. If you like reading it, keep reading it. I don't want to read it. I just wish that I had never used the initials. Seems like that one mistake is going to follow me forever.
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Bad Reviews

7/10/2020

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Even if I hate a book, I try to remember there is a person behind the book, a person with feelings. The other day I read a bad review on one of my books. I was so depressed afterwards wondering if they were right and I should stop writing. I know all writers no matter how good get bad reviews here and there. But it still bothers me. I really should stop reading my reviews. I just like to know what people are thinking about my books so maybe I can make some changes. 
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I know, I know. I shouldn't write my books based on the opinions of other people. But it's hard to write without thinking about these reviews and what people have said. Little nagging thoughts bombard me as I try to write a scene. "Is this good enough? What am I doing? What makes me think I can write?"
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Okay. This is what makes me think I can write. 1. Two different teachers accused me of plagiarism because they thought my essay and short story were too good for someone my age. 2. Other kids got their hands on a script I was playing around with for my favorite soap, and they thought it had actually happened on the show and I had copied it. 3. Writing intensive classes in college helped me pass history and geography. 4. I've been told by fans of my books that they love them and want more. So what do I have to say to people who hate my books? Simple. Don't read them if you don't like them. It's like what Stephen King said about bad reviews. He just shrugs and says, "This is what I've got." 
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    Kasi Blake

    My superpower? I can figure out what's going to happen in a movie/show sometimes before opening credits. My record was the time I guessed the surprise ending by just watching the scenes. Sadly, my friends don't appreciate my superpower.

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