So a few days ago, we got to watch 22 Jump Street (before that, we got to watch The Raid 2 and it's totally off topic, I know, but I wanted to mention this because the movie was AWESOME and more people should be watching it). 

Anyway, we were queuing up for tickets and that was when I saw that Cinema 4 was showing a movie of Liam Neeson! Apparently, this movie was released back in 2013. If the movie (LN's) wasn't starting in 5 minutes, I'm pretty sure we would have bought tickets to his movie instead. It didn't matter to me that the movie was old or that I didn't know anything about it. It was LIAM NEESON. Nuff said.

When you think of a Liam Neeson movie, you automatically think of Taken. You think smart guy's action movie, with lots of kick-ass action scenes, tricky situations, and OMG genius strategies. This got me to thinking that I want to be like LIAM NEESON. Or more like the Liam Neeson of romantic comedies.

Whenever I'm asked to talk about my books, I always think that - aside from the fact that, of course, all things happen with the grace of God - one of the reasons why I'm still here writing is because I was lucky enough to have found my niche. To be honest, I didn't know what my niche was at the start. I was just all over the place with my 2012 books: Evren was a YA fantasy romance, Drawn was a YA contemporary romance, Death Loves Me Not was YA horror and The Werewolf Prince and I was a paranormal romance that had been categorized as erotica because that was the "in" category in those days.

But then in 2013, "romantic comedy" became a fairly popular category and when I started reading reviews of my books, that's when I realized that humor (aside from steamy scenes) was a common denominator among all my work. Having realized this, I asked myself if this was what I wanted. Would I like to be known for romantic comedies? Would I like to someday be the Liam Neeson of romantic comedies and kick ass by making everyone ROFL with my books (as well as blush because of the steamier parts)?

My answer: Yes. And I've been working hard to be Liam Neeson since then. 

Now my question is - have YOU found your niche? Here are some ways to help you determine your niche.

• Is there an author whose books you truly enjoy and whose work you wish to emulate (but with your own twist of course)?
• Are there books that you really love but are only "almost perfect" because it was missing this ONE essential factor? Did it make you think, "I could write a similar book but with X factor involved because I'd enjoy it more that way"?
• Read other people's reviews of your work. Listen to your readers' feedback. What do they enjoy the most about your books?
• What do you enjoy most when writing your book? 
• What do you think makes your book unique?

Once you've found your niche, embrace it. OWN IT. 

Now, there's always a chance you'd come across people who think you shouldn't write what you write. Or that what you write isn't considered literature or even a worthy read. But that's okay - that's their opinion and everyone's entitled to their own opinion. However, it's YOUR choice if you let their opinions influence you. It's your choice if you allow them to feel ashamed and insecure and unhappy about your work. 

I'm blessed in the sense that I've never really put much stock in people's opinion about my reading tastes, which consequently allows me to really, really enjoy writing the most fantastic love stories. I have always been candid about my personal preferences when it comes to reading and just in case you don't know - I DO NOT LIKE classics or high-brow lit. I'm the type of person who feels too much too easily. I have never watched Titanic because I know Leo's going to die and I just know it's going to hurt. I cried BUCKETS when Russell Crowe died in Gladiator. I cry when I watch commercials. Reading is also a form of escapism for me - I watch news on TV almost all the time and life is just really hard. When I read, I want to have fun. I want to be thrilled and fall in love. I do not want to end up depressed and philosophical.

As long as you're writing genre fiction, there will always be people looking down on you for what you do. But it's like what Eleanor Roosevelt said --- "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent". 

Ultimately, all I can say is that if you've found your niche and you stick to it, I promise you that you'll never be happier writing and your readers can't be any happier reading what you're writing. 

So I was reading Hugh Howey's post on how awesome it would be to have a Free Book Day. I think it was only last year that I was made aware of the FREE COMIC BOOK DAY held every May. Sadly, I was unable to go last year or this but I really, really, really wanted to. I mean, come on. FREE COMICS. I'm no die hard fan of comics, but I do appreciate them. And...come on. FREE COMICS!!!

Now, if it were FREE BOOK DAY... Ah, the reader in me would DIE. I'd be like a 1D fan and line up two or even three nights in advance just to be the first to get in. 

Of course, I know the logistics of organizing something like this would be massively difficult to organize, but then our local bookstores have already been able to successfully handle FCBD events. So why not this? I know the costs would be huge, too, but I like to think the potential benefits could offset it. Today's younger generation has never been more interested in reading and we've got the Wattpad authors to thank for that. Those readers pay for books they've already read online because they love those stories so, so, so much. Imagine, publishers and authors, having access to those readers and having an opportunity to get them to buy your books! You can do that with FBD.

Also, I like to think that Wattpad book lovers are PROOF that Filipinos do still read and they do love to read as much as readers from other countries do. Maybe, we just need to give them more books to choose from. And thanks to the rise of self-publishing and indie-publishing, that's more than possible now.

I admit to being very disappointed in the past that most local publishing houses appear to favor a certain type of book to publish. If you don't fit this "mold" then your chances of getting published here in PH is practically nil, which is why I thank God for nudging me towards self-publishing. Now, I can't be thankful enough that those rejections happened - they had to happen because I wouldn't have found myself - my "real" self in writing - if I hadn't been left without a choice but to go indie.

Of course, this doesn't mean I've given up my dreams of sharing more of my books with Filipino readers. It doesn't mean that I've turned my back on writing stories with Filipino characters and Philippine settings. Those are still my dreams and maybe with an FBD, I'd be able to make those dreams come true without having to be anything but myself with my books. With an event like FBD, other new authors will have the opportunity to share their books with readers - at no extra cost to the latter. You see, I really believe that for most readers, they only need one book to figure out whether they're a fan of the author for life - or not. However, money is even harder to earn these days, and this of course limits a reader's ability to splurge on books by unknown authors. Buuuuuut...if it were offered for free and the cover, blurb, or anything about the book catches his / her interest? You can bet your life that reader will take the book. And buy the next one if he or she ends up liking it.

Considering I already have several books FREE to download on various online retailers, it's not that far a step (for me) to offer paperback versions of my books for free as well. There are just too many potential benefits to enjoy. Gaining new readers is always one of my major goals, and I know I can get that with an FBD event. Even now, I still find it surreal when someone I don't know actually ends up enjoying my book. ;) That's always the best feeling in the world, and it's something I'm more than willing to invest in.

So...Free Book Day in the Philippines. Somebody make this happen please. :)

Happy Independence Day to Filipinos here and around the world!

Today seems a great time to post about how happy I am to be indie or independently published. 

Of course, I hadn't always felt this way. In the past, I, like many other aspiring writers, used to equate self-publishing or indie pubbing with vanity publishing. But I know better now. I also used to think that traditional publishing was the only way to go and that I would never survive or have a successful, income-earning full-time career in writing if I didn't have a publisher to back me up. Or if I did, it would most likely because I was doing freelance article writing and NOT because I was writing books that sold. BUT I know better now, too.

Probably the first time I found myself grateful for being indie was when I found out that most trad pubbed authors (keep in mind I'm talking about those contracted by US publishing houses and not ones based in the Philippines, the latter of which I know little about) had no say over the prices of their books. Maybe five years ago, a debut author could still do well with an ebook priced at 7.99 or 8.99. But now that so many authors, known and not-so-known, selling their books below 4.99? That kind of price point can kill your career before it has a chance of taking off.

I had also been quite naive when it came to cover design. I had this idea that all covers of trad pubbed books used original photos or used photos from live shoots. You can then understand how appalled I was when I saw a #1 NYT bestselling author release a book whose cover used a stock photo used by so many other authors for their books as well. I also heard horror stories of trad pubbed authors given covers that not only sucked but did not reflect their genre at all, and this left me bewildered (and eventually thankful about being indie). 

Then I learned about the advances and royalties. I kinda thought that once you get an offer, that's it. You'd be raking in the dough and can write and earn happily ever after. But no. Advances now rarely go beyond $10k for debut authors. That may seem like a huge amount, but keep in mind that you also don't get paid the entirety right away. It's usually 1/3 upon acceptance, 1/3 upon MS turnover and 1/3 upon publication (which can take years!!!).

On the other hand,Amazon makes me wait two months initially then it's monthly payment after that. Trad publishers only pay you twice a year and it's not even for the first year you earned out your advance.

Then the royalties. I get 70% for books priced 2.99 to 8.99 from Amazon and 35% for ebooks priced more cheaply. Trad pub authors get a lot less than that.

The fine print of most contracts is also horrible - to authors. Most insist on non-compete clauses, which in most cases mean you can't write in the same genre as your trad pubbed books. They're basically asking you to rely only on them as a source of writing income and I feel that's not just unfair but pointless, too. I honestly think that your self-pubbed titles can help sell your trad-pubbed titles and vice versa and I know authors who have seen this happen when they became hybrid authors. 

I also naively believed in the past that you'd get a decent marketing campaign if you're trad pubbed but nope. I've seen a lot of new trad pubbed books that came out with more a whimper than a bang and it's just sad. I used to wonder why a lot of agents preferred to work with market-savvy authors. I thought it was because they wanted to see how they conducted themselves online but now I realize it's because nowadays even trad pubbed authors need to promote their own books (which makes sense, considering that not a lot of them will get huge marketing support from their houses). 

Finally, the editing and proofreading. I kinda thought this would be the biggest perk, getting to work with a great editor who'd help make you a better writer. But nope - a lot of trad pubbed authors ended up with editors who didn't make ANY comments AT ALL about their work.

So yeah, when I learned about those things, I was crushed. When I first started self-pubbing I was still hoping I could get a deal with a trad publisher but after learning all those things, I felt like I'd be doing myself a disfavor if I focused on getting trad pubbed rather than spending my time writing books that readers are already anticipating. It's not that I wouldn't want a trad-pubbed deal. I'm just being realistic. Right now, I can't afford to go after a trad-pubbed deal if I have to set aside my self-pubbed work.

When I think about all those things, I find myself thankful that I'm indie / self-pubbed. While it means donning the hat of a publisher and even a publicist at the same time, it also means I have the freedom and right to---

• Write what I want and experiment with different genres.
  
• Listen to my readers and write what they want to read.
  
• Choose my own covers and change them when I have to.
  
• Hire the editor I want and not be afraid to speak my mind when discussing my work with my editor. 
  
• Price my book and change it if and when I want to.
  
• Enter into contracts with small publishers or partners for publishing and distribution.
  
• Collaborate with other authors. 
  

And most importantly of all, being indie has allowed me to be free of all the stress that comes with working on a job I don't love. It allowed me to be free to work where and when I want and spend more time with my family and friends. It allowed me to be free from financial stress, too, because now that I have a job I love, I don't mind putting all the long hours needed to make it work. There are even days when I can't wait to work, when I miss work, and that's just got to be one of the best feelings to have in the world. 

So really, I'm beyond happy to be indie and I hope that this post would inspire writers who'd like to give self-pubbing a try. It's not for everyone, but I can definitely say going indie will prove to be an immensely satisfying and liberating experience if it turns out to be the best choice for you.

The last time I had gone to an actual bookstore was when National Bookstore (#1 bookstore chain in PH) had this huge sale and books sold for as low as $.25. It was a very, very happy week for me. I loved the atmosphere – lots of people around, and everyone excitedly checking out books.

Today, my trip to the bookstore – well, three different bookstores in one mall actually – was glaringly different. Since school’s started for most kids, I was dreading the long queues at the counter. But when I got to NBS, although there was a modest crowd inside there were no long lines. This surprised me a lot. Don’t tell me all Filipino parents and kids have changed overnight and no one’s guilty anymore of last-minute shopping for school supplies? Where else do you shop for school stuff if not at NBS?

AT tells me that most people are buying at DV or 168 now because it’s much cheaper there. I’m glad that people now have more affordable places to shop for school stuff but I can’t help but feel sad at how empty bookstores feel nowadays. I had lots of happy times shopping for school supplies and books in NBS when I was still a student. I have a feeling it won’t ever be like that again.

The two other bookstores I visited were almost empty. One had painfully bare shelves – it was a very sad sight.

But…there’s room for hope. For starters, the Wattpad writers have significantly rejuvenated the book industry here in PH. They got teenagers to buy books and I hope that trend continues. So that’s one thing.Also, from each bookstore I ended up buying books and I think the reasons why I ended up buying books - rather than ebooks - are reasons which other Filipino readers (not all) can relate to.

1. The books I'm looking for are not available as ebooks. 
In particular, I was looking for Sha Nacino's Money & Me on Amazon and couldn't find it. But I really, really wanted to read it coz I like what I've read from her blog so yeah, it had to be the bookstore for me. My point here, though, is not to discourage readers from buying ebooks or authors from having their books available as ebooks. My point is that if a reader wants a book badly enough, she / he would buy it. 

2. Today was all about buying books for work. 
You see, for books I read for pleasure I buy them in ebook format because it’s a lot quicker that way. Also, when there’s this book I’ve been anticipating for months, it’s just impossible for me to have the patience to go to the bookstore and buy a copy. Why do that when with just a few clicks I get to read the book in seconds? 

But when I’m reading for work or when I need a couple of non-fiction and reference books, I realize that I prefer their paperback / hardbound versions. It just feels more…serious to me. And I still find it more effective and simpler to highlight favourite lines and write notes on the margins, sort of like what we used to do back in school.

I think a lot of people feel this way, and I think – given the right marketing – promoting all sorts of non-fiction and reference books could be another way of getting people interested in books again. Or at least it's possible here in PH.

For instance, today I bought four books on financial investment and a thesaurus. 

Recently, I heard about Jessica Zafra, one of the most popular authors here in PH, being hospitalized and funds being raised to help pay the bills. According to the post, since Ms. Zafra was working freelance, she had no health insurance. The news saddened me. But it also served as a wake-up call of sorts because I don't have any employer myself who would take care of my health insurance. The news definitely made me pay more attention to my own finances. Now that I’m starting to earn a bit from writing, I should start planning for the future. If I don’t, I could end up - at the very least - having to write articles again for money and not have enough time to write books. I’ve never enjoyed my life so much and it's only because now I’m able to do what I love for a living. I don’t want to go back to my EDJ (read: evil day job) just to earn money.

3.) I wanted to buy books as a way of supporting local authors. 
All four books I bought on financial investment were written by local authors. I’ve read Rich Dad Poor Dad before and I really liked it. I was particularly overjoyed when I found several local authors who wrote books on personal finance and were avid fans of Robert Kiyosaki as well. This is important for me since it means we at least believe in the same principles. The fact that these authors are also Filipinos is just as essential. It means they know what we Filipinos normally struggle with when it comes to money matters and as such be able to provide the necessary remedies accordingly.

In case you’re interested, here are the books I bought ---
Money & Me by Sha Nacino
Think Rich, Pinoy by Larry Gamboa
55 Inspiring Stories of Women Entrepreneurs by Joey Concepcion
Money Matters by Henry Ong et al

P.S. To be honest, I was hoping I could also buy one or two books on improving my writing. I know this may sound weird, considering I already write for a living. 

Well, when I was a kid, one of my favourite mottos was to “never stop learning”. I believe that the moment you stop learning is the moment you fail. I kind of lost sight of this partly because I did feel like I knew it all already but mostly because I just didn’t have any time to devote to learning. I was so busy working and writing. But thankfully, I’ve moved past that. Now, I’m actively looking for ways to improve myself as an author. It’s not just a matter of grammar and prose, mind you. I’m also looking for ways to improve the way I structure my plots and develop original story ideas or at least new twists.

In my younger years, I used to spend huge amounts of time perfecting my writing. I want to write beautiful and visually powerful and wonderfully evocative sentences. The kind that you could easily print and frame and hang on your wall because the words are so puh-rity.

But nowadays, I don’t mind about that much. What I care most about is being able to write stories that make my readers smile, laugh, and fall in love. Hitting a bestselling list on my own used to be a huge ambition of mine, but now…not so much. Not at all. Every time I release a book, the only thing I end up praying about is, please God, I hope my readers like it.

That’s it. And if they do, then I’m happy.