The Global Internal Revenue Service Of The USA

The Americans strike again! This time, they strike at everyone!

"Tax Information Incomplete" My Ass!

Quoting from Amazon, again:

The U.S. IRS requires Amazon to collect 30% from royalty payments issued to non-U.S. entities. The tax withholding will automatically be deducted from your royalties when they are paid.

The same is true for the other big, and previously useful, eBooks website Smashwords:

If you reside outside the US, your Smashwords earnings are subject to a 30% tax withholding, mandated by the United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

So, it appears that the attack on the Internet and our informational liberties is still ongoing, even if we do not actually live in the USA. Simply because the USA is currently a host to some of the biggest online companies. I have a feeling that this will rapidly change.

Now, I must bother to move my eBooks over to somewhere, that does not collect taxes for a country I do not reside in, nor am a citizen of. I have been searching around for a website that is relatively popular, yet is not USA based. Interestingly enough, the Kobo website, which appears to be based in Japan, looks promising! Got to love those Japanese, eh!

As a post script, I will mention that certain countries are able to get certain tax reductions, towards the 20% and 10% rates. So, if you feel stuck with a USA based website, then at least, you can bother and have your taxes reduced.

Updating The Backgrounds

So, today, I felt like doing something about how this blog previously looked like; a tileable forest-green background image, with all these nice partially transparent gadgets. It just looked silly.

I really love partially transparent backgrounds and outlines for gadgets and different parts! It gives a smooth and easy-on-the-eye feeling for the looker. Still, I felt the background was overwhelming. So, I went at it! :-D

I decided to create a nifty fade-in effect, using a regular fixed (does not scroll) sky background, and putting a landscape photo at the bottom. Scroll down! See how they merge! I used a PNG image for the bottom, and to reduce loading times, I also used TinyPNG on it.

Thanks for good work and free service.

While going through the CSS edits, I decided to change some opacity values and colors. For example, I made it so the Header has a darkened background. Also, I gave those floating (backgroundless) texts a "text-shadow" CSS effect for an outline. There are a few more fixes implemented, and generally, I am very satisfied! Visual design is exciting!~

Comment, and tell me how you feel about the new-ish design!

MMORPG #1

Recently, I've been giving shape to some ideas that I had regarding computer games. This is specifically about the hot-topic genre of online role-playing, or in another word, MMORPGs.

I often use Paint to quickly draw my ideas. I feel that text is generally inadequate to really show someone else what I am thinking about. Colorful boxes and lines on the other hand, with titles, sure do seem more fun! When I tried to collaborate on an idea with a friend, and even though she did not join up eventually, a website caught my attention.

Creately.com

Here is my first flowchart. It starts rather big. Then, I move onto smaller and more precise flowcharts. I should really call it a Block Diagram.

Open in a new window/tab to view full size!

The Life Of A New Author

This blog marked the birth of a new author. Me. The excitement and opportunities ahead had motivated me, and got me to publish two wonderful stories in eBook format. The anticipation, and with it both success and failure, have put an odd discomforting vibe on my writing. I would like to share this experience here.

Some call it "writer's block", while others just see it as temporary mood swings. I accept the challenge my own mind has set, and am unwilling to simply bow down to inability. Even though I have tried music to alley the discomfort, there is a feeling of disinterest and lacking in my new books. It started with my Science-Fiction novel Future Value, and after disagreement with the horridly slow pace at which that book was half-written, I have moved on to my fourth book and the second in the Robert The Fail series titled the same with the subtitle "Losing To Trees."

In both cases I find interest in the story and characters, yet find myself disinterested in the writing itself. I have tried to simplify the methods I use to concoct my stories in the Word text editor to no avail. Now, I am forced to consider other methods with which to share my stories, beyond the default option of writing a hundred-page standard book.

I wonder if it's just winter taking its' toll on me.

If you have shared the same or a similar experience in your writing, please share it as a comment. :-)

The GIMP 2.8.2 Experience

Does The Trick!

GNU Image Manipulation Program is how they call it. It is basically a Photoshop for Linux, but it works on Windows and other platforms as well. Also, it's completely free and awesome.

Never the less, I have been retouching my eBook covers and Facebook photos these days, and have discovered just how difficult it is to get the results one would like. Even, any result that would really feel satisfying. Hard work changing colors, fixing pixels, moving layers, fixing transparency, and generally getting a result that would not scare away blind people.

Feel free to comment on my eBook cover updates. ;-)

Amazonian Adventures #2

Today, I found out that my eBooks were hoarding serious technical bugs. >< Obviously, something that my audience would feel to be amateurish. Immediately, I turned and fixed those bugs!

Complaint #1
Amazon's file conversion system blows. I use the most simple and technically-correct Word 2010 documents, and still Amazon insist on bugging up my eBooks. Bad spaces - Wrong bookmarks - Inability to handle Unicode. *sigh*

Love trolls.

Complaint #2
Every time an author updates their book's files, it can take plenty of time for Amazon to update. In the meanwhile, if a mistake was made, there is no option to cancel submission - and upload a new file. No, I must wait these twenty-four (24) hours or more, until I can upload my books again, and then only a day later will those updates be available. Better be careful with that submission button.

A Soundtrack For Authors

It seems that many of us have lost the secret art of inspiration. In the past, artisans and craftsmen had an abundance of natural environment and quiet in their daily life. The sounds of water, animals, and the wind had reigned the cacophony of their lives.

Just as the painter needs a brush and a canvas, so does the writer need his own tools of the trade. In a similar fashion to a painter that chooses his studio or a special location for his painting, so does the writer need his special locations that would induce concentration and help his creative flow. For example, I benefit from the parks and remote locations in my suburban area away from the city.

Sometimes, though, it is not possible to find a comfortable and accessible remote location. For this, music can be our atmosphere, and assist in the writing process. When I do workout, I prefer good rock or metal music to encourage me. On the other hand, when I do something as immobile as writing, I require quiet and soothing music. I enjoy tracks from "fantasy" and "celtic" themes.

Feel free to add your own suggestions! :=)

How To Write A Book (A Practical Guide)

Had to add that "practical guide" part there :=P What? It gets results.

Anyway, today I want to share with you, my dear readers and blog-followers, my secret methods for authoring a book. In order to reduce technical issues when writing a story, I have devised so far two methods that speed up my creative writing flow, and minimize the effort necessary in maintaining concentration while writing an entire story.

One, is my Book_Template file. I didn't want to shift between different programs/interfaces while writing a story, so I had to figure out how to implement my ideas using only Word 2012 or any other interface. Therefor, before I write my story I first fill-in a template file with the following:

Title, Subtitle & Summary. These allow me to choose a topic and general theme for my story. The summary specifically allows me to note down any important ideas that I want to include in the storyline.

Main Characters, Secondary Characters, Miscellaneous Characters & Locations. These are short lists I keep in my template, so I can keep an eye on all those details, and change them in an organized fashion. This keeps me from obvious errors, and also helps me order my characters and locations. This order helps for referencing inside the story.

Chapters, Sections & Subsections. I divide my story into titles. Every chapter is split into several sections. Every section is split into several subsections. This allows me for a consistent storyline, which is also very easily manipulated. Also, using the titles as a reference, my writing-flow is more steady. This reduces distractions dramatically and builds up self-confidence while writing.

The second method is a simple Heading manipulation in my story file. I have been using it with my current book, Future Value, and I am very pleased with the results. Under the View tab in Office 2012, it is possible to reveal the Navigation Pane. Then, I simply copy my template into the story file, and edit it so that each chapter, section, and subsection are set as a Heading in their according levels (Heading 1/2/3). Other titles are kept as a Title or Book Title heading, so they do not crowd my Pane. This allows me to add content directly under my titles, and it also allows for amazingly easy navigation within my story. I find this method more efficient, than simply checking back with my template file after every two or three paragraphs. :=)

TIP: One of the awesome things with headings is that the author can select all content that is of a certain heading, even Normal text, and immediately apply any action to it. Even remove all Normal text with a single button press!

Attached are my up-to-date Empty Template file, and an example of a properly headered Story file:
http://speedy.sh/TE8nS/Empty-Book-Template.docx
http://speedy.sh/SA2Nj/Empty-Book-Example.docx

Amazonian Adventures

Kindle Touch

As one may notice by the small adverts to the right, I have been releasing eBooks on Amazon these recent weeks. This is a project I have taken on myself, as I am a great fan of stories & books. I felt I must repay society, just as I had enjoyed the products it gave to me.

Also, I felt that books are a magnificent way to promote one's ideas, and even gain some cash. With this motivation at mind - I have been working hard at writing, conceptualizing, and managing my books on Amazon. These guys may be tricky at times. It took me several weeks to understand the right approach for getting things done.

For example, my books would not have their Number of Pages displayed, until I had finally messaged Amazon support directly. They have a form for this specific request, but it seems redundant. Another example, is changing the price of an eBook, and repeatedly releasing it updated, thus it may eventually cause the release to be bugged - and not work in diverse ways. Be warned. Enjoy :)

Technical Update #2,504

I have updated some of the gadgets on your right. Among them is an image-link to my first published eBook and short story "Short Link, Quick Wink."

Please comment to recommend any gadgets you think should appear on my, or any, blog. :-)