Authorpreneur Magazine Issue 3 | Page 12

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Learn the technical jargon especially the verbs . Become familiar with the potential of digital gadgets so you can write better for that medium . Change the project title . Add a sub-title , especially for pitching digital projects where only the title and cover may show .

Turn your project into a case study of a new process . I talk about my print picture book ‘ Feymouse ’ now available as an app on Itunes , as a case study . The ex-Penguin title was a popular , but out of print story about a large and clumsy cat born into a family of highly talented mice . The theme of coping successfully with being different doesn ’ t date and the process of becoming an app makes a topical case study .

Currently Kailash Studios is making a documentary on reactions to our co-written ‘ f2m : the boy within ’, a coming of age novel about transitioning gender . My co-author Ryan is an ftm ( female to male ) and the transitioning subject is seen as controversial , but our actual novel , which is available in print and e-formats , is not . The documentary medium re-focuses attention on the book and becomes a case study on censorship and gender issues too .

Be strategic in the choice of medium as well as the subject .

Antarctica is a popular subject and I ’ ve been an Australian Antarctic expeditioner . Co-writing a speculative Antarctic vehicles animation for pre-schoolers , was a BIG project . There were expensive licensing variables for the producer in terms of merchandising and broadcasting internationally . It is still ‘ on ice ’. Whereas my novel ‘ Antarctica ’ s Frozen Chosen ’, e-memoir ‘ Antarctic Writer on ice ’ and the classroom performance scripts and picture book ‘ Antarctic Dad ’ have been widely used because Antarctica is on the school curriculum .

BIG budget film or animation projects , which require re-writing scripts ‘ on spec ’ or with delayed returns on income , are gambles and take years . High tech animation requires constantly updated and expensive samples to demonstrate for international festival pitches . However , you gain from working with graphic designers , producers and actors and may write more dramatically or visually next time . All or nothing projects can mean no millions for you but rich experiences .

8 . Before being seduced by another ‘ new ’ idea , analyze why the previous project didn ’ t succeed . I am now wary about certain types of digital projects . I aim to balance ‘ iffy ’ BIG multi-media projects reliant on others ’ inputs with smaller projects which I can self-manage . Learn from your mistakes . I tend to get seduced by the enthusiasm of an energetic personality with an imaginative idea , especially if it is a good cause . Ask about potential distribution , copyright and the details of work to be done . Or say ‘ no ’. Recognize your weaknesses ( mine is formatting ) and collaborate with others who do that well . Buy or swap skills .

9 . Decide on the general direction or genre or format , and keep moving that way , even if detours occur . Share your steps in the process of learning . I used the process of my digital publishing and author branding as participantobservation research for my e and print book ‘ Authorpreneurship : The Business of Creativity ’. I estimated learning about e-books would take me one year ; it has taken three and is on-going . I ’ ve collaborated with a skilled graphic designer who illustrated the e-editions . That ’ s helped .

10 . Your ‘ bottom drawer ’ is more likely to be a hard drive these days , but some of those projects , which didn ’ t get up in their original formats are not a total loss . Let ’ s value the effort as a different kind of profit and loss and recycle into new mediums .

Authorpreneur Hazel Edwards is best known for There ’ s a Hippopotamus on Our Roof Eating Cake but she also writes across media , age groups and non-fiction . Writing a Non Boring Family History , and

Authorpreneurship , The Business of Creativity are best e-sellers available from :

www . hazeledwards . com