tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post720074368086333918..comments2023-06-10T22:42:19.087+10:00Comments on Australasian Christian Writers: Box Sets: A Reader PerspectiveUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-50022107063779054462015-07-24T18:19:52.494+10:002015-07-24T18:19:52.494+10:00Thanks, Paula :)Thanks, Paula :)Narellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07665380446283721576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-39908746482484210242015-07-24T18:05:49.302+10:002015-07-24T18:05:49.302+10:00Thanks, Rita :)Thanks, Rita :)Narellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07665380446283721576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-90801670491325602832015-07-21T17:50:45.335+10:002015-07-21T17:50:45.335+10:00That's one of the advantages a publisher has: ...That's one of the advantages a publisher has: they can require all authors (and editors) to work to the same standards. But that can make the books feel a bit "samey" to read: not a complaint I had with SPLASH!Iolahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17199141868703826943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-68993359265831078712015-07-20T23:27:21.359+10:002015-07-20T23:27:21.359+10:00The boxed set looks beautiful, and I'm sure th...The boxed set looks beautiful, and I'm sure the 9 authors are very proud. Having a box always gives a collection a look of polish. I appreciate the points in this blog post, particularly the first three. Interesting how slight lack of unity may show up in subtle ways when authors use different editors.Paula Vincehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02079952414990463270noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-5988380107531387032015-07-20T21:02:15.855+10:002015-07-20T21:02:15.855+10:00Thanks, Rita. The other use of box sets is a serie...Thanks, Rita. The other use of box sets is a series by a single author ... perhaps an idea you might find useful.Iolahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17199141868703826943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-21673134738841388702015-07-20T13:07:24.852+10:002015-07-20T13:07:24.852+10:00I have enjoyed reading this great, informative art...I have enjoyed reading this great, informative article and the comments. It was so helpful. Thanks Iola and Narelle and also Jenny for her remarks.<br />Rita Galiehhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14586506137798711397noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-67487055229856860372015-07-20T12:53:45.924+10:002015-07-20T12:53:45.924+10:00A pleasure, Narelle!A pleasure, Narelle!Iolahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17199141868703826943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-74722549512686986922015-07-20T12:51:00.272+10:002015-07-20T12:51:00.272+10:00Jenny, as Narelle has said, the objective of this ...Jenny, as Narelle has said, the objective of this box set was to reach new readers, and nine novellas for under a dollar is a great way to do this. I think it worked to the advantage of readers and authors in this instance, but that might not always be the case.<br /><br />In terms of reading, I'm like you and tend to read from front to back--especially if I'm reading on my Kindle. If I was reading a paper copy, I might be tempted to skip to the author/story I was most looking forward to, but I would probably still read front to back as I know some of the collections feature the same characters and reading out of order would mean messing with the time sequence.Iolahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17199141868703826943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-61647171067892281672015-07-20T12:46:36.903+10:002015-07-20T12:46:36.903+10:00I agree, Ian. The overall proofreading was excelle...I agree, Ian. The overall proofreading was excellent and most readers wouldn't have picked up on some of the details I picked up (although I'm sure romance readers would have picked up on a hero making out with the wrong woman!).<br /><br />Narelle also makes a good point about the lack of subplots in a novella making structural/content editing less complex. The novellas I thought needed a little more of this kind of editing were the longer ones in the set.Iolahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17199141868703826943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-30264479981057913502015-07-20T11:27:15.039+10:002015-07-20T11:27:15.039+10:00100 pages is approximately 25k words, depending on...100 pages is approximately 25k words, depending on the font size you use on an ereader. Novellas are typically defined as being 20-35k in word length. The Barbour novella collections are written for a specific word length that is defined in their editorial guidelines. 20-25k is a common word length for novellas, and over 40k is considered a short novel, My Heartsong books are 45-50k and the Love Inspired romance books are 55-60k. <br /><br />Yes, I'd love to be involved in another indie box set that fits in with my schedule :) Narellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07665380446283721576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-67507920402129319902015-07-20T11:18:42.895+10:002015-07-20T11:18:42.895+10:00I tend to read front to back. I will buy cos of au...I tend to read front to back. I will buy cos of authors. but still read from front to back. I started with the Barbour Christmas novellas and they are all the same length. Then some of the indie ones which I have found vary. I don't understand word length like many do as I am a reader but I understand page length. I have to say under 100 is good for me! But I have issues with reading for long due to my head pain and concentration which is where novellas are great. <br /><br />I agree they are good to introduce other authors. Are you planning on more joint novellas?Ausjennyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07644698706787568679noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-23463250475810650272015-07-20T11:09:48.188+10:002015-07-20T11:09:48.188+10:00Hi Iola, Thanks for sharing your experiences from ...Hi Iola, Thanks for sharing your experiences from a reader perspective. We appreciated your input and helpful comments when you read a review copy of SPLASH! prior to the release date. I have a group of beta readers who are invaluable and they pick up many inconsistencies and errors in my stories prior to the editing stage. It's difficult to successfully edit and proofread your own work. Narellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07665380446283721576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-62776249623629593982015-07-20T11:05:38.244+10:002015-07-20T11:05:38.244+10:00Hi Jenny, I think a large number of stories worked...Hi Jenny, I think a large number of stories worked well for SPLASH! because our goal was discoverability and reaching new readers with a bargain price. <br /><br />I've purchased a number of box sets and anthology collections, and I don't usually read them sequentially unless the stories are in a connected series. I'm probably the exception to the rule and I pick the stories I want to read first by the book description and the author. Often I'll buy a box set because I love the writing of one or two authors in the group and I'll read their stories first. I may read one or two stories, then read something else and go back to the box set later. Variation in word length isn't an issue for me as a reader, although I can understand why it would frustrate readers who want to read the entire collection.Narellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07665380446283721576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-72337083860583924892015-07-20T10:52:35.743+10:002015-07-20T10:52:35.743+10:00Hi Ian, It was good that the group proofreading st...Hi Ian, It was good that the group proofreading stage of the box set project was relatively smooth and didn't delay our pre-order dates.<br /><br />I agree, budget considerations are important for indie authors. I liked having full control of the editing and proofreading process for my novella prior to its submission to the SPLASH! group. We did work to a tight deadline, and many of the authors in the group were working on multiple projects at the same time. <br /><br />Novellas, being shorter in length, have a more simplistic plot than the longer novels. Shorter works, as a rule, usually don't need the same amount of detailed structural editing as the longer and more complex stories with multiple plot threads. I know authors who have received multiple revision letters in the structural editing stage as the editor works with the author to strengthen the story. Narellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07665380446283721576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-85471315004113843862015-07-20T10:00:22.660+10:002015-07-20T10:00:22.660+10:00I have read several novella sets and most are 4 bo...I have read several novella sets and most are 4 books. I have had a couple with 6 now. The indie ones I notice like you said Iola that some are different lengths and it does throw a reader like me. I like your suggestion they go from shortest to longest or the other way. As going from a short read to a long read then to an even shorter read (I read one over Christmas like this) does throw the reader and I found the longer books almost to long. <br /><br />Do you think having 9 books is a disadvantage or advantage? Ausjennyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07644698706787568679noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-3542705488673045112015-07-20T09:28:07.383+10:002015-07-20T09:28:07.383+10:00As a reader, it's amazing that it sounds like ...As a reader, it's amazing that it sounds like in 9 novellas (and some 800? pages) there were only a handful of very minor editing issues. Incredible achievement by all the authors and editors I reckon.<br /><br />I expect an indie author has to weigh up the cost of additional editing/proofreading to find the potential one of two typos that the average reader isn't going to fussed over. It's a fine balance.Ian Ahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00192687613923596829noreply@blogger.com