I made a huge publishing mistake + what I'm going to do about it (series announcement)

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Bethany Atazadeh - YA Fantasy Author

2 жыл бұрын

Actually I made multiple mistakes on one specific book, and I wanted to share so you can learn from my hard learned lessons! Mistakes are totally normal, and an important part of growth, so just keep that in mind and know that you can always change things if you don't like how they're going.
MENTIONED IN VIDEO:
◦ 5 Publishing Mistakes I've Made (VIDEO): • 5 Self-Publishing Mist...
◦ My Self Publishing COURSE: www.udemy.com/course/novel-se...
◦ Writing Short Stories (VIDEO): • How to Write SHORT STO...
◦ My Books on Goodreads: / 17246448.bethany_atazadeh
◦ BookBub Feature Deal (VIDEO): • I GOT A BOOKBUB DEAL! ...
◦ I UNpublished my book: • UNPUBLISHING my book (...
◦ THE SECRET GIFT: / the-secret-gift
◦ THE SECRET SHADOW: / the-secret-shadow
◦ THE SECRET CURSE: / the-secret-curse
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📚 T H E S T O L E N K I N G D O M S E R I E S :
www.bethanyatazadeh.com/thest...
◦ COLLECTOR'S EDITION / BOX SET: amzn.to/34A9wFw
◦ THE SECRET GIFT: books2read.com/thesecretgift
◦ THE STOLEN KINGDOM: books2read.com/thestolenkingdom
◦ THE JINNI KEY: books2read.com/thejinnikey
◦ THE CURSED HUNTER: books2read.com/thecursedhunter
◦ THE ENCHANTED CROWN: books2read.com/theenchantedcrown
◦ The Stolen Kingdom Audiobook: www.audible.com/pd/B088FVQNJK...
___
📖 B E C O M E A P A T R O N :
Where you can receive digital early reader copies of my books, writing & publishing advice, help with your author platform, meet writer friends, and more!
/ bethanyatazadeh
💻 M Y A U T H O R N E W S L E T T E R :
Sign up for FREE exclusives (the first HALF of The Stolen Kingdom + a step-by-step self-publishing guide): www.bethanyatazadeh.com/contact
❤️ M Y M E R C H :
teespring.com/stores/bethanya...
📚 M Y S E L F P U B L I S H I N G C O U R S E :
www.udemy.com/course/novel-se...
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📒 M Y O T H E R W O R K :
◦ EVALENE'S NUMBER: amzn.to/3sZPlKi
◦ PEARL'S NUMBER: amzn.to/3Kyp63Q
◦ MARKETING FOR AUTHORS SERIES: amzn.to/3pTrbPG
◦ THE CONFIDENT CORGI: amzn.to/36aJd9m
◦ Novel Planner Notebook (mug cover): amzn.to/3hYnzYo
◦ Novel Planner Notebook (laptop cover): amzn.to/3KwvW9Z
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❤️ C O M P A N I E S I L O V E & A M A N A F F I L I A T E F O R :
◦ PUBLISH AND THRIVE: heartbreathings.teachable.com...
◦ WRITING STICKERS & the book launch planner (10% off discount code is BETHANY10): stoneridgestickers.com/?ref=Q...
◦ EPIDEMIC SOUND (where I get my music! If you'd like to try it for a month, using this link gives me a free month! Thank you in advance!): www.epidemicsound.com/referra...
◦ DRAFT2DIGITAL: www.draft2digital.com/bethany...
💬 L E T ' S C O N N E C T 💬
Website | www.bethanyatazadeh.com
Instagram | / authorbethanyatazadeh
KZfaq | / bethanyatazadeh
Patreon | / bethanyatazadeh
___
Thanks for watching!
❤️ Bethany
Note: some of these links are affiliate links and will support me with a little extra income at no extra cost to you. :)
#Authortube #NovelWriting #SelfPublishing

Пікірлер: 96

@mikecook_author 2 жыл бұрын

It takes courage to admit mistakes or perceived mistakes, especially publicly. Mistakes happen. Learning from mistakes = growth. Sharing your lessons = polynomial growth. Thanks.

@BethanyAtazadeh 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much, I really appreciate that! And heck yes, the only way to grow is to make mistakes, so it's worth it! :)

@theintrovertedaspie9095 Жыл бұрын

@@BethanyAtazadeh Im currently writing the final draft off my book debut. The word count is in the 22,000 range with is like 40 something pages. So I decided to make my book 5 by 8 size, add extra details and events, and probably add illustrations that I make just to increase my page count. I do make illustrations of my own.

@TheCourtneyProject Жыл бұрын

I am soooo excited for you. It's NEVER too late to repackage, rewrite, and republish. It's super smart to make it a spin-off series because you can lead people through your OG series and lead them straight to this one. In the long run, that's going to help you sell MORE books in the same "type" of world. Woo!

@ezzier.travers6588 2 жыл бұрын

When I sent my novel to my beta readers I thought it was done at 50,000 words. The feedback I got made me realize I had cut too many corners and I needed to slow the beats down a lot. Thankfully I had not set any hard publishing deadlines as it took me ten months to complete the revision process but my novel now stands at 90,000 words and the feedback I got from my editor was much better. although I wish I had been able to revise faster, I don't regret taking my time to make sure I was writing a book I could be so proud of. I've been working under the notion that I cannot unpublish and change things in my book and I think that mindset has been making it more difficult for me to take bigger steps towards publishing. Thank you for sharing your hard won wisdom Bethany! You've shown me that mistakes are not set in stone after the book is published and that is a very reassuring thought.

@BethanyAtazadeh 2 жыл бұрын

Wow it almost doubled in size! That's so cool that you were able to use their feedback and take the time you needed to make it the best it could be! Revising definitely takes me a lot longer than drafting, you're not alone. But worth it! :)

@ezzier.travers6588 2 жыл бұрын

@@BethanyAtazadeh I thought drafting would be the hardest part but I have to say that the revision process kicked my butt. I was constantly second guessing myself! But now I'm in the process of going through my copy editors changes and I was surprised that I actually like my book this time. I guess I really needed to step away for a while 😂

@elizabethruth5270 2 жыл бұрын

Wow! Thank you for showing that making mistakes is common and not the end of the world. I am even more excited for this trilogy especially the Easter eggs! Way to go Bethany!

@smeastwest 2 жыл бұрын

Yay! I love that you were able to identify the mistakes you made, and to look at them as opportunities as opposed to failures. Such a cool perk of self-publishing...you can change whatever the heck you want!

@BethanyAtazadeh 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much, so glad you enjoyed it - and heck yes haha!

@havvaalexander9520 Жыл бұрын

Thank you for sharing your experience. I am super excited to read this book and the series!

@meghanplayssims 2 жыл бұрын

this is great! even though you were talking about mistakes, i left the video feeling really excited for the future of the series! can't wait to see the new version!

@BethanyAtazadeh 2 жыл бұрын

Yay so glad you enjoyed it and that makes me SO happy to hear! I can't wait for you to be able to read it!! :D

@ericarowanarts 2 жыл бұрын

So excited for the re-release if the Secret Gift! I can't wait to see what you add! I love that you're so transparent about your journey. You're learning as you go and changing things up when things change. It makes me feel like it's okay to make mistakes and then backtrack when you realize it. It's always better to just get the book out there. You never know how things will change!

@BethanyAtazadeh 2 жыл бұрын

Yayyy! Thanks Erica, me too haha, it's gonna be so fun! So glad you enjoyed the video!

@authorhaleynwright 2 жыл бұрын

Bethany, thank you so much for your vulnerability! 💙As a future indie author, I'm learning so much from you. Looking forward to watching you release this series, you got this! 🤗

@BethanyAtazadeh 2 жыл бұрын

Yay! Absolutely Haley, so glad you enjoyed it, and thank you!

@authorjoannawhite 2 жыл бұрын

Wow I feel for you on this. I made some huge mistakes with my debut novel Hunter, Book One in my Valiant Series. Self published it once and didnt do anything cuz I didn't know anything. Then re released it with traditional publisher but had terrible covers. So I got the rights back and re release it a third time with brand new scenes editing and covers I made myself but the covers didn't fit the epic fantasy genre. So now I just paid to redo covers for my entire 17 book series including Hunter and I have to re release it again simply because I know what to do now and I made so many mistakes before that I've learned about now. So here is to hoping I can correct those mistakes and do it all right this time. Take your time and do things right. It's what I'm doing with the rest of my Valiant Series instead of rushing through. Like with Book Four I actually used beta readers this time and it's been invaluable to me. I'm also interested in your books cuz that's not a genre I write well so sometime when I have the extra money I'm planning on checking them out.

@BethanyAtazadeh 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Joanna, so glad you enjoyed the video and can relate to the mistake. The important thing is that we learn from the mistakes! :)

@authorjoannawhite Жыл бұрын

@@BethanyAtazadeh yes that is the important part. to learn from it

@Avionne_Parris 2 жыл бұрын

Everybody commenting about Bethany's transparency and I wholeheartedly agree. I love channels that are authentic and unafraid to show the "ugly" side of writing. Please keep it up as it motivates others to press forward as well. I loved the bit about rushing and how it can lead to more mistakes, so true! It's tough to be accurate AND fast; it's such a delicate balance. And I never understand why the rush in the first place? Readers will always be there. We set these expectations for ourselves and can't get over the disappointment when we fail. Learning and growing from our mistakes is the key to not only avoiding repeating that mistake but also having the creativity to pivot and come out with even better ideas! Congrats, Bethany! Can't wait for the Queen's Rise series' new covers :-)

@BethanyAtazadeh 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you Avionne! So glad you enjoyed the video, and that I can help you and others learn from my mistakes haha! But yes, I agree, failure should be normalized because it's a natural part of growth and getting better! Woohoo, so excited to reveal that cover! :)

@HeatherSalterPurvesauthor 2 жыл бұрын

thank you for this video. It helped me with feeling a little overwhelmed with the issues I have around re self- publishing my first book.

@BethanyAtazadeh 2 жыл бұрын

So glad you enjoyed it, thanks Heather!

@LostinMemory 2 жыл бұрын

it's exciting to see you work things out like this and going through it.

@BethanyAtazadeh 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks! It’s a fun process!

@stephaniedalportofantasy Жыл бұрын

I love your ideas! How Fun! I love your excitement.

@BethanyAtazadeh Жыл бұрын

Thanks so much!

@mlp4apc 4 ай бұрын

You learn from your mistakes, so nothing is lost. Your experience in mistakes will help you to grow as a writer. I know. Thanks for sharing.

@mellymelscorner Жыл бұрын

I'm so proud of you!! you have been such an inspiration to me in more ways than one.

@BethanyAtazadeh Жыл бұрын

Thank you Melly!

@jeanshelbybooks4154 2 жыл бұрын

As always, it’s a breath of fresh air to watch your videos. I’m hoping I didn’t make a mistake by rushing my book release yesterday too. I did look at physical books but I changed the format slightly with the margins and didn’t want to wait another two weeks to get another book. BUT, I’d I published it I would only have to wait two days. And…let’s be honest, I don’t have very many fans. (Yet, right?) 😆😆🤞🤞 Ill get the book tomorrow so more fingers crossed!

@BethanyAtazadeh 2 жыл бұрын

Yay so glad you enjoyed it! And as long as you already reviewed one proof copy, you should hopefully be okay, but that’s something you could definitely still go back in and fix a little more later if you need to!

@jeanshelbybooks4154 2 жыл бұрын

I’m sure you don’t go back and read all the replies with your busy schedule! The copy of my book came out great! I know what you have some formatting videos, but I don’t remember seeing one specifically on how to do chapter pages, with the header and page number footer not included. I spent hours on that, trying to add section brakes, and gave up.

@nohea_robertson 2 жыл бұрын

This video came at the right time. I am a newbie author and getting ready to publish my first YA Christian novel on the 30th of this month. I've been working on this book for the past 13 years. I sent it to an editor and once the changes were made I set up a preorder and did a call out for an ARC team. I also sent it to my CP who informed me that there's a lot of errors. My gut told me to send it to another editor 'just in case', but I didn't listen. I rushed things because I was so excited to get it out into the world. So last night I stayed up late to read through all 22 chapters. I am SO embarrassed, but at the same time thankful that only 2 people signed up to be on my ARC team lol. Lesson learned.

@BethanyAtazadeh 2 жыл бұрын

Aww yay! So happy to hear it was helpful and that it encouraged you to make some changes you knew you needed. It's tough but awesome, and the book will always be better for it. :) But don't be embarrassed about sending mistakes to CPs and betas, that's exactly what they're there to help us with! :)

@everestm.radley5669 Жыл бұрын

Fellow self-published author here... I relate to this a lot. Not that I've done the same things or write in the same genre as you (as far as I am aware), but I've definitely learned that there's nothing that will prepare you to publish books without error. I probably watched 30+ different videos on self-publishing and I still ended up struggling with it. I think that's just because, publishing, like any part of the writing process, is a type of craft and it requires experience. I actually started on the "traditional" self-publishing path where I published my books individually, tried to do the whole hype for each book, etc., and it was just not working out for me. Now I've had to take a step back and re-evaluate my entire process. Does my writing style/genre even support such a path in the first place? Do I really want to invest in this type of publishing? How would I rather market and manage my stories? Those are some of the questions that have gone through my head as I've had to rethink my publishing strategy, and now that I've thought about it, I feel like I can try to take a step in a newer/better direction. Granted, it will definitely not be easy, but it feels more like something that I'd like, so why not give it a shot, right? Anyway, thank you for sharing your struggles with publishing. Hopefully this shows other authors, and even readers, that publishing struggles are real and it's not as easy as one might think!

@bodine219 2 жыл бұрын

I am honestly so excited for this. I haven"t read the first edition because I only recently read the stolen kingdom series. As long as you write faster than Patrick Rothfuss I won't complain 😂

@BethanyAtazadeh 2 жыл бұрын

Yay! I can’t wait for you to read it! And let’s just say, the goal is 2022… 😜

@runningvibes Жыл бұрын

This is very helpful information. I’m a new indie author launching my first book in March. My first book is part of a two book series. First book is introduction to all the characters. I write literary fiction.

@abbeyfox8380 2 жыл бұрын

This was a great video Bethany, and I applaud you for seeing the potential in your book, pivoting and correcting course. The life of a book is infinite, fixing it and recovering it, can breathe a new life to a story and get new fans to your world. I also think it’s very smart to take things slow, I know it’s so frustrating (i’m there myself, with a baby the same age as Zion) can’t wait to see the new covers

@BethanyAtazadeh 2 жыл бұрын

Yay thank you Abbey, so glad you enjoyed it! We absolutely have time to change course if we realize something different needs to happen. And 100% can relate to that, it's a weird mix of feeling behind constantly but wouldn't change it for the world haha

@katiemarie8580 2 жыл бұрын

Love this video! You're such an inspiration!

@BethanyAtazadeh 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much Katie!

@SoulKnightKing 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for your transparency!!

@BethanyAtazadeh 2 жыл бұрын

Absolutely! :)

@sarahmatthews5878 2 жыл бұрын

Such a big reminder to go slow and take your time getting ready for release. Encouraging. I was waiting to buy The Secret Gift because I' not just buying it for myself but for 5 other people in my life, and seeing that it's getting a facelift is awesome because that means they get a new book series from Bethany Atazadeh to go long with the Stolen Kingdom series they already have.

@BethanyAtazadeh 2 жыл бұрын

Absolutely! So glad you enjoyed the video. And woohoo, now you get to read the updated second edition and I'm soooo excited to hear what you'll think of it! :D

@MandiGraceAuthor Жыл бұрын

I started my publishing journey with a novella back in the day...just republished it last month as a full-length novel (and a beast of one, at that! haha it went from 40K to nearly 100K)

@sarahstangledtales 2 жыл бұрын

Hearing you talk about rushing really makes me feel more secure and better about my decision to at least have the whole rough draft for Book 3 of my trilogy done before I even think about publishing Book 1. And that being slow isn’t always a bad thing even if I feel like it is. ☺️ I was also wondering, what is your opinion on companion books to a series that follow basically the same events but from different characters’ POVs and an expansion of the world maybe the main characters in the main series don’t know until later? These types of books probably have a name but I don’t know what it is. 😂 Sorry if my question is confusing in any way!

@BethanyAtazadeh 2 жыл бұрын

Yay so glad it was helpful Sarah! And yes, I agree, sometimes being slower really helps us out haha... Companion books do really well in indie publishing, from what I've noticed... but I've only ever heard of one book that did the exact same events from a different POV, and just from the outside it didn't seem to do as well. Not saying it can't be done, because you can do whatever you want! But sales-wise, just keep in mind that if it feels too much like the same story, that might deter some readers.

@saritaschaffter2133 2 жыл бұрын

I can’t wait to read the second edition. It takes courage to admit mistakes and inspired me to admit my mistakes publicly as well when I become a full time author. Good luck.

@BethanyAtazadeh 2 жыл бұрын

Woohoo!! That makes me so happy to hear, I can't wait for you to read it! And everyone makes mistakes, it helps to remember that we're never alone in that, and admitting them just makes moving forward and growing easier! :) Thank you!

@littlerascaleventing 2 жыл бұрын

Rushing is definitely tempting. I've come close to that with my current WIP and kinda did it with my last one XD

@BethanyAtazadeh 2 жыл бұрын

I think everyone gets tempted sometimes, we're not the only ones for sure! And as long as it doesn't lead to any bad choices, it's not the end of the world! :)

@blueskye2790 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for sharing your mistakes. Definitely learning so much!

@BethanyAtazadeh 2 жыл бұрын

You are so welcome! Glad you enjoyed it!

@ovidbowie3929 2 жыл бұрын

First. Thank you for sharing your knowledge!

@BethanyAtazadeh 2 жыл бұрын

Absolutely! Glad you enjoyed the video!

@SunshineLeclair Жыл бұрын

Hi Bethany, I'm kinda new to your channel and I was binge watching the other day ... today I was trying to find the video where you showed a page with bible passages for encouragement that you use. Dang, I can't find it again. Now that I'm on a bigger screen and not my phone I wanted to read them. Would you happen to know which video it is? Btw, I'm so enjoying your channel ;) Sunshine from Canada

@SunshineLeclair Жыл бұрын

No worries I found it ;) thanks again, Sunshine

@BethanyAtazadeh Жыл бұрын

Phew, glad you found it, because I just saw this and can't remember which video that was even though I was the one who made it haha! Thanks for letting me know you found it!

@jessevail4087 2 жыл бұрын

You know it's odd but I was really eager to get my debut novel there as well. I was rushing things getting a web address, an LLC, covers, editing, looking into marketing. And finally, I just realized it was too much too fast. So I took a step back and decided to go for a much later rapid release myself. After the entire series is done and ready. It's a tough decision (probably more so with no books out). But I'm glad I didn't rush it now, it wasn't ready for the public.

@BethanyAtazadeh 2 жыл бұрын

I think the desire to rush is normal - we're excited after all, and that's a good thing! But yeah it's usually better for our work if we slow down when needed, as hard as that is!

@gracelesslyfalling 2 жыл бұрын

That’s so cool how jezabel is inspired by all those villains! It kind of reminds me of in the TV show Once upon a time Rumplestiltskin was the crocodile from Peter Pan, runplestiltskin, and a mixture elf other villains from the classic tales

@BethanyAtazadeh 2 жыл бұрын

Ooooh I never even thought of that, I love it! The Rumplestiltskin character was one of my favorites!

@MoonisHavn 2 жыл бұрын

Good video.

@BethanyAtazadeh 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

@theintrovertedaspie9095 Жыл бұрын

Novella word counts range from the 10k- 40k on average.

@Jenna33526 2 жыл бұрын

I think writers often limit theirselves when they believe that they don’t have enough words to create a real story. 30,000 words is enough. Just because “the industry” often says it’s not, doesn’t mean that’s the case. You can write and sell Novellas and short stories for that matter without any problems.

@BethanyAtazadeh 2 жыл бұрын

Totally agree that it’s a real story! But I still know that unfortunately it makes a difference in sales plus Bookbub Feature also requires 150 pages (which I calculated as roughly 40k words haha), and that’s also extremely valuable for an indie author. Best of all though, the additions and bonus scenes just made the story 10x’s more awesome so it was a win all around!

@gamexpress111 2 жыл бұрын

I honestly wished I haven't rushed my first ebook too. I also had people telling me they want more out of it. The book is around 46k but it was a fantasy, superhero book so I was short to reach the standard 80k novel for fantasy. Now, I kinda wanna go back to add more to my first book, maybe when I finish my trilogy...

@gamexpress111 2 жыл бұрын

I'm adding it here cuz the edit button won't work lol but now I'm taking my time to write the sequel even though I'm hoping I can publish it to October

@BethanyAtazadeh 2 жыл бұрын

You definitely can go back if you ever decide you want to! But yeah sometimes going forward is the best strategy because we learn and grow so much with each book. You've got this!

@gamexpress111 2 жыл бұрын

@@BethanyAtazadeh thank you!

@jeanshelbybooks4154 2 жыл бұрын

Hey, so I purchased the course when you were offering it for $15 Andy email for wiped out and I lost everything. Is there a way that I can access it? I’d you want me to email you with my purchase on my bank statement please let me know. 😀

@BethanyAtazadeh 2 жыл бұрын

Hey hun, you have to reach out to the platform where you purchased it, I'm just an instructor, but the platforms run all the access/purchases/etc. If it was WMA, they should take care of it pretty quick, and if it was Udemy, I'm guessing they have a help desk that should know how to help as well!

@jeanshelbybooks4154 2 жыл бұрын

Got it! Thanks a bunch! 😀

@ovidbowie3929 2 жыл бұрын

When your goal is to be achieving the same as someone making a "this was a mistake" video. Lol But seriously, huge fan. Great work and congrats on all your success and for sharing your wisdom with us!

@BethanyAtazadeh 2 жыл бұрын

Haha thank you so much!

@stews9 2 жыл бұрын

Boy can I relate. I'm SO confused.

@elf1709 2 жыл бұрын

Is your Evil Queen INTJ like in Disney Snow White or ENFJ like in Once Upon A Time

@BethanyAtazadeh 2 жыл бұрын

Hmmm I'd say she's most likely an ISTJ, but INTJ could potentially fit her too!

@shayjtarot 2 жыл бұрын

Love your channel #writer 🙂

@BethanyAtazadeh 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

@williamkauffman5745 2 жыл бұрын

rushing is always a mistake

@BethanyAtazadeh 2 жыл бұрын

I mean... rushing to an accident or rushing someone to the hospital or things along those lines would definitely be best. But in publishing, yeah rushing usually doesn't do us any favors haha

@KevinTumlinson 2 жыл бұрын

You didn't ask for my advice, so you're absolutely free to ignore me: Don't add words. Write the next book, and then the third. Keep them the same length, and then bundle them. That's going to net you far more benefit than going back and adding to an existing book. These weren't mistakes. They're opportunities. There are readers who prefer shorter works, so you've created a path for entry into your universe. Lean in to that, rather than wasting time trying to "correct" something that really isn't a mistake.

@BethanyAtazadeh 2 жыл бұрын

I actually have written book 2 and started book 3 already haha... and I do plan to bundle them, but only after each individual book gets it's own release, because that will actually have a lot more profit in the long run if I publish individually first. And don't worry, it's not that much longer, just enough to qualify as a novel for places like BookBub which is extremely important for marketing purposes and reaching new readers! :)

@user-nc7vg7lt1n 2 жыл бұрын

I hope you will put a language translation into Arabic for all your videos. I am an Arab. I need such a channel, and thank you in advance

@BethanyAtazadeh 2 жыл бұрын

I don't know if that's possible, I'm sorry! On my end, all I can see are the English closed captions, but maybe those can switch to other languages?

@husseinhassan6750 2 жыл бұрын

I’m confused, Is 40,000 words considered a full story and not a novella? I was always under the assumption that anything under 50,000 is considered a novella

@BethanyAtazadeh 2 жыл бұрын

I’ve heard dozens of different definitions, some under 20k, some 40k, some 60k… the important thing for me is that it’s large enough for Bookbub to quality it as an official novel, and that’s 150 pages or more. Which I tried to calculate and comes out as roughly 40k or so

@husseinhassan6750 2 жыл бұрын

@@BethanyAtazadeh that sounds pretty legit. Thanks for replying