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[Talanic]

I finished my novel about two years ago, and didn't have any significant events until this February, when I listed a copy of it on eBay for 99 cents, including my first autograph. I was upfront about how I haven't been published yet, so bidding on my work was a gamble; if I never get published, then financially, it's just so much kindling.  While the auction was going on, I had some support from here, via this thread.

Fortunately, Rob Balder of Erfworld likes my work, apparently, as he plugged the auction to his fans, and the book sold to a US Airman in Nevada for $287.50. 

On Rob's advice, I'm now serializing the book, putting it up here at a rate of one chapter per week - a process that has led to publication for at least one other new author. I'm also posting in appropriate portions of communities I've participated in for a while.  The last thing I want to do is spam people, but I'm trying to get the word out.

So, if you're interested, here's a blurb on the book's contents:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

The prophet Sheralys has had a finger in every pot for the last five hundred years. Things are now coming to a boil; it looks bad but she’s finally in position to summon the right hero to straighten things out.

Enter Derek Kazenushi, cyborg. Derek's unsure of how he got a ship, and is confused about the possibly tragic fate of his home planet.  Now he's stuck on a warped world of fantasy creatures, magic, and ruins.

He doesn't have much time to sit around, though, because Sheralys dropped him in an area owned by hostile aliens. Fortunately, she also sent him a human companion – a young woman named Mycah. He's as strange to her as she is to him, but the two forge a careful friendship as they dodge orcs, fight vampires, and deal with the disastrous consequences of Derek's naivety.

Because Derek's never had to work for anything in his life. He doesn't understand cruelty, neglect or starvation. He has to learn fast, and decide carefully: which of his ideals can be kept, and which will get him killed?

If you read it and like it enough, please tell friends to check it out if you think they'll be interested.  Also feel free to contact me with questions and comments. 

[Supermikhail]

Oh. I told my friends at the Bay12 Writers Guild, because the rest of my friends don't read in English. Anyway, if I don't forget, I'm going to follow. I liked it in the first thread, even though I criticised the unconventional formatting. I feel more open to invention now. The blurb looks pretty interesting.

[Talanic]

Thanks, Supermikhail.  I posted an update today.

[Supermikhail]

Wow, that's unexpected. Weeks flying by, I thought you only had the first chapter up... Now it's chapter 8... Ah, obviously I recently learned to read dates.

Also, noticed the RSS link for the first time, now it's going to be much handier to follow. That's what I could use this tired night - a piece of good sci-fi. And fantasy.

At that, I've already found something to criticize at the beginning of Chapter 2. The switching of viewpoints may not be justified. Mycah doesn't get a lot of "screentime", and we don't get a lot of time to look into her head. Some readers might find that amusing or intriguing, while others might dislike it. I've got a couple of other nitpicks, but I have to admit, the amusement Mycah-Derek banter gives me, kind of outweighs them this far.

[Supermikhail]

At chapter 5. There are that I categorized as typos, there's the rather short chapter structure, at least for a printed novel, but then, omg, such subtlety and detail that you just can't not love! Mycah's character, amazingly alien in culture; the title and talk, and this approach to precognition! I believe words fail me.

[Talanic]

Thanks for your words of praise; they're much appreciated.  Especially when readership's falling to 0 on some days...perhaps I should update twice per week?

New chapter up today.  It's a little different; enjoy!

Also, my posted blurb was accidentally a rough draft.  I've corrected it.

[Supermikhail]

If I may, in both variants the blurb is rather weak, and exactly where you've changed it. I'd consider condensing the informational content of the second paragraph, especially, a ship, what ship, why there is a ship in the blurb when we don't know anything about Derek's world???

Anyway, it seems to me that the AI is a rather strong point that could get some space in the blurb.

On the nature of digits. Basically, as I soberly understand it, if you want to get somewhere with a literary work, you'll need to bring out your gruffier self to make some forced advertisement. Or put it up there where the culture of news-and-favourite-items sharing is highly evolved, like LiveJournal. Stick it somewhere where it'll fit the theme and where readership is already high (some forum, but bigger than Bay12). Or, arm yourself with some patience, because these things don't get off a seven-week patch. I don't really see how increasing the number of updates is going to help.

Also, you can make a side-blog, mildly connected to your novel, but where you discuss or do something else with a more well-known phenomena. Like, discuss different views on precognition. Movies about precognition. Books about precognition. People with precognition. Try to predict lottery results.

[Talanic]

You raise good points.  It's probably best to emphasize the transhuman aspects of the character in the second paragraph, rather than talking about the ship.  I've been having great difficulty with the blurb for quite some time; perhaps that will help.

I have considered a side-blog that relates to the process of writing and science fiction.  I'm actually guest writing for a professional editor's "On Writing" column; perhaps that kind of stuff would be a good place to start.