Tuesday Tumbling Term ~ Brain Fart

If you read yesterday's mailbox, you've guessed the theme of the week and today's words...brain farts.

I couldn't find a definition in my usual source   www.dictionary.com but didn't let that stop me. I went to ...www.Wikionary.com for the definition.

brain fart (plural brain farts)
 1.  (idiomatic, informal) A lapse in the thought process; an inability to think or remember something clearly.
   2.  (idiomatic, informal) Something ill-considered and said or done impulsively

Yes, that pretty well sums it up. So what does this mean to the indie author? Well, I'll tell you...

You can't afford them!

Or at least not many of them. As an indie author you have to have all your ducks in a row.You set a plan in motion planning it step by step. The writing, the voice, the editing, the formatting, the cover, the fonts used, the advertising, and the word count. This is your creation totally.

Sure you can outsource a lot of this labor for a cost, but the ultimate decision is yours. As much as I like to travel outside the box, there are some things that just are. While being traditionally published takes a lot of the heat in some of these areas away, going indie is an all or nothing proposition.

When you allow your brain to wander in too many directions at one time, you will have more and more brain fart moments. Sure you can make changes on a moments notice, but should you? This is where the voice of reason comes in.

To prevent brain farts...

• write a good story
• choose the voice that will entice the reader. How many milk-toast characters do you read?
• edit it well even if it takes months or years to do so
• choose a cover which says something to the audience you are trying to reach
• choose a font which is standard. Yes, you might like a certain font when writing, but can the reader read it?
• formatting is different for each site you want to upload to...learn them
• follow other authors' examples but don't be afraid to put your own personal twist on things
• Set your sight on one goal at a time and make them achievable
• write it down. Don't depend on your memory

 So what are your techniques for battling brain farts?
Keep writing and loving the Lord.