Writers On The Move

My Life as a Writer

2012-01-29T01:00:00.000-08:00

My Life as a Writer

by Nancy Carty Lepri

My biggest dream has always been to become an author. An avid reader since a toddler, books have been a constant, a friend and an escape. I cannot comprehend living without the written word. To me, reading is second only to breathing. From cereal boxes to fiction, I devour everything and anything I can get grab. I read in the morning while eating breakfast to at night before going to sleep. Some of my favorite genres include contemporary women’s novels and thrillers.

I guess this love of books is what propelled me to become a writer. The fact that I am always talking, thinking and plotting does not take away from this ambition. I have a need to create and to put into words feelings, thoughts and desires.

To me, books should present a diversion from the stresses of everyday, a way to relax and unwind. We are filled with horrors around us. Just pick up a newspaper or turn on the nightly news and realize crime is rampant. Novels can carry one away to another place, to forget, for a short time at least, all that is going on in life. Any type of reading stimulates the brain and give a change of pace. Children require fantasy and play, and adults also need a break from reality.

An author’s career is lonely and often times tedious. Writing requires discipline and perseverance, a thick skin and the knowledge of the difficulty of getting published. For every wanna-be writer, many give up or fail. I kept trying with the burning desire to succeed, and I could not go through life wondering "what if." I needed to try.

My first writing experience started as a freelance reporter for a small, now defunct, tabloid. Almost twenty years ago, the newspaper, “The Tightwad Times,” was introduced to southeastern Massachusetts where I had lived. I submitted two articles for each of the three months the paper was published. The first month, I was assigned to cover a bridal show and write an article on how to prepare an elegant, yet inexpensive wedding. Some other commentaries with the exception of one were written from telephone interviews. Two local Cape Cod newspapers gave me assignments for various topics, and realized this is an excellent way to get one’s feet wet as a writer. I found reporting is gratifying, but recognized this was not the type of writing I wanted to pursue.

My goal was to write fiction. Whether creating short stories or "the great American novel," I enjoy make believe and conjuring up fictitious people and tales about their lives. Though I prefer genres geared to adults, I decided to try crafting a children’s chapter book. I first started working on this in 1995, writing by the seat of my pants. After reading the extremely rough draft, I recognized the text was a mish-mash of information haphazardly thrown together which was too much for children to digest. I broke up the ideas, planning to turn them into a four-book series.

Unfortunately, life took over with the need to shelve the work for a while. After my husband and I moved to North Carolina, I returned to reporting, receiving several assignments for the “Wilmington Magazine” and two national and international food-trade magazines, which proved to be monetarily rewarding.

Nevertheless, I kept returning to the children who wanted to have their story told. The desire to polish and submit the manuscript for publication. I fortunately become a member of a wonderful critique group that offered support as well as excellent suggestions. Tiny Angel, a chapter book geared to ages 8 – 12, was accepted by Guardian Angel Publishing and released in November 2009. The sequel, Tommy’s Amigo is almost completed for submission, and to this, I hope to add two to three more to this series, though all books can stand alone.

Meanwhile, four unfinished adult contemporary novels are calling to me, and I plan to get to them one day. Between writing, reading, reviewing and being with family I enjoy a busy and fulfilling life. I may never become well-known, but my dream is satisified. I encourage anyone who desiring to write to “just do it.”

If you enjoyed my article, please check out my website: http://nancycl.webs.com and feel free to make a comment.

RELEASE EXPECTATIONS AND RECLAIM YOUR WRITING DREAM

2012-01-28T08:17:00.000-08:00

RELEASE EXPECTATIONS AND RECLAIM YOUR WRITING DREAM

Fulfilling your dream of being a professional writer can be especially difficult when you feel pressured to live up to other people’s expectations or desires. Well-intentioned parents and teachers often tell their children how to think, feel, and act in an effort to help kids fit in and avoid life’s disappointments. For example, youngsters are often told things such as “You are the pretty one and your sister is the athletic one.” As a result, the child who might have grown up to be an excellent basketball player instead focuses solely on maintaining her physical appearance. Or maybe your mother always wanted to be a lawyer but never seized the opportunity. As a result, mom relentlessly attempts to live her dream through you, even though you are now fifty years old and have no interest in attending law school. These unrealistic expectations that we feel pressured to live up to are frequent triggers for emotional paralysis, writer’s block, and life dissatisfaction. One of the first steps in fulfilling your inner writer is uncovering and releasing the expectations of others and reclaiming your own life.

We have tiny voices in our heads that repeat instructions and warnings we learned a long time ago. Some of these voices implore “Money does not grow on trees:” “Writers are poor and long suffering.” or “Nothing good comes easy.” Often times these old tapes play in our heads and prevent us from living spontaneously and learning new things. These voices may have served us at some point in our lives but often become ways that hold us back from living the inspired ,meaningful life we desire. This week, make a list of ten statements that you tell yourself that no longer serve you or support your writing goals. Replace each item on your list with a new belief that you want to incorporate into your life. For example, perhaps you were taught “People who are wealthy do dishonest and deceitful things to get rich.” Discard this old belief and replace it with a new one such as “When I am living my purpose, money flows easily and effortlessly into my life.”

Now take the list of the ten statements that no longer serve you and hold it in your hands. It is important that you remove this list from your life to make room for your writing project to unfold. A great way to do this is to bury the list or burn it in a safe manner. Or you may choose to attach the list to a helium balloon and release it into the sky. As you watch your list disappear from your life, feel the weight of other’s expectations being liberated from your soul.

Aileen McCabe-Maucher is a licensed clinical social worker/psychotherapist and registered nurse who has helped many people find inner peace and discover their unique life purpose. Aileen has fifteen years of experience providing individual and group counseling to a diverse client population. She is a graduate of West Chester University of Pennsylvania, Widener University, University of Delaware, and The Gestalt Therapy Institute of Philadelphia at Bryn Mawr College. Aileen studied yoga and the chakra system at The Yoga Lifestyle Center in Paoli, Pennsylvania. She is the author of the book, The Inner Peace Diet, which was published by Penguin/ Alpha Books and released nationwide on December 2, 2008. Aileen can be reached via email at innerpeacediet@gmail.com

A sample of Aileen's first book,The Inner Peace Diet, can be found here:

http://www.amazon.com/Aileen-McCabe-Maucher/e/B003IUBRLK

Self-Editing

2012-01-26T06:00:00.000-08:00

Self-editing is something every writer should do, but it means knowing how to do it. Every writer should have a good book in their library, but it shouldn't just sit on the shelf. Get it out often and use it. I like to get my book down and go through it every so often whether or not I'm doing any self-editing just for reinforcement.

A good book on self-editing will tell you not to do any editing until you have your first draft completed. Because writing and editing are two different mind sets, it's hard to concentrate on both at the same time, hence causing you not to do a complete or proper job of either process. So the right order is to write the first draft of your book first and then do your self-editing.

A thorough self-editing includes it all: grammar, punctuation, structure, dialog, point of view, interior monologue, beats, tributes, rhythm voice, and characterization. Are there any conflicting areas in your manuscripts? Do your characters sound and feel real? Do you have areas where you tell when you should be showing? Does your plot flow and have the ability to hold the readers' attention? And do you have a balance between your narrative and dialogue? I could probably think of some more points/questions you should ask yourself, but these are enough to give you an idea of the point to self-editing.

Now I know what you are thinking. But I have an editor to do my editing for me! That's true in most cases, but your book will be more polished if you edit your manuscript yourself first and then let an editor go over it again. A first-time author will sound less amateurish , and an experienced author will sound like the experienced writer he/she is..

Sound like a lot of work? You bet it is! But it could pay off in the long run.

Faye M. Tollison

Author of To Tell the Truth

Upcomng books: The Bible Murders

Sarah's Secret

www.fayemtollison.com

www.fmtoll.wordpress.com

www.facebook.com/faye.tollison

tollisonf@gmail.com

Six Tips for Keeping Active

2012-01-24T12:22:00.000-08:00

Keeping active is not only good practice for health-obsessed silver surfers but also for aspiring writers. And just as students of all keep-fit disciplines exercise daily, so writers should also do their daily dozen.

Keep on top of those verbs. Active verbs are the strongest muscle you have when it comes to powerful writing. Replace verbs like come and go with a stronger verb to give a more precise definition of the movement: march, stride, race, sidle scuttle, pace.

Use stronger verbs. It will do away with any temptation you have to insert adverbs willy-nilly to clarify your meaning. I'm not advocating a blanket ban on adverbs but I am stamping my high heels cruelly onto the pernicious advice which encourages beginners to use phrases like in a quiet voice instead of simply saying quietly.

He spoke in a quiet voice? What's the matter with whispered, murmured, muttered...or just looking up a thesaurus?

Look out for word echoes. All writers have favorite words. An unusual and well-chosen one used once or twice creates a desired effect. Overused words like overused utensils just wear out, lose their effectiveness and in the end clutter up manuscripts so badly that the reader loses interest.

Prune the adjectives. Adjective banks built up of triples are a huge hurdle for the reader to clear. The slim, intelligent, green-eyed blonde does nothing for my imagination and when she enters the gloomy, ancestral, awe-inspiring banqueting hall, that makes me feel pretty gloomy too. To misquote Animal Farm--two adjectives,good, four adjectives disastrous.

Avoid weak verbs. Those like seem, feel, think, and the verb to be are reliant on following adjectives and phrases to complete their meaning. He was furious. In grammatical terms, the adjective furious is known as the complement because it completes the meaning for the verb to be.

Take care when using passive verbs. Active verbs like people are vigorous and energetic. They keep your writing moving along at a good pace. With an active verb, the subject (the person or thing you are talking about) performs the action. The teenager hurled his schoolbooks to the ground. With a passive verb, the subject does nothing. The subject suffers the action. The teenager was hurled to the ground by the earth tremors.

Six more tips to follow next month to complete the daily dozen.

What tip would you share as the most useful in your writing keep-fit routine?

Anne Duguid is a senior content editor with MuseItUp Publishing and her New Year's Resolution is to blog with helpful writing,editing and publishing tips at Slow and Steady Writers far more regularly than she managed in 2011.

Do Writers Need Brands?

2012-01-24T00:02:00.000-08:00

To brand or not to brand? That is the question.

If you are a writer, branding might seem to you like the most disturbing proposition.

After all, you are not a box of cereal residing on a shelf, fighting for consumer’s loyalty and attention.

Some time ago, when I was working in an ad agency, my creative director said to me “Products live on shelves; brands live in people’s minds.”

And this is where branding starts to get interesting for writers.

Brands live in people’s minds because they are nothing less than good stories.

Dear writers, it is time to for you to acknowledge that of all business professionals out there you possess the most rare and dangerous of talents – writing good stories.

Now, to go back to the “branding yourself” question – this is where branding starts to get challenging.

Yes, writers can design good brands (or write good stories) for other businesses, but can they do the same for themselves?

And most of all, do they need to?

The answer is it depends. It depends on how aware of yourself or rich and famous you want to be as a writer.

It is important to note here that branding can bring you more awareness of yourself without being rich and famous, but it won’t make you rich and famous without the awareness.

Personal branding has become quite the buzz word lately. Personal brands are similar to product brands in a sense that they undergo a process of simplification and systematization (which is why many authors abhor the “B” word as the antithesis to everything complex and meaningful).

However, personal brands differ from product brands on one fundamental level – spiritual alignment. Many large corporations suffer misalignment with their product brands for a variety of reasons – failed promises, poor management and customer service.

Solopreuners, on the other hand, have to be able to live the credo of their personal brands. You, as a writer, are not a product. But you can offer products. In fact, you get to define your products consciously, and carry out their messages with conviction and elegance on an everyday-basis.

Three years ago, the Financial Times published a study which showed that only 9% of professionals have a job in line with their personalities.

Personal branding will help you align your talents with your services.

Apart from elevating you to a place of high awareness, branding can work other wonders for you as well. It can make you more money. But remember, the order in which it works for personal brands is: awareness first, money next.

The reason why I stress personal awareness so much is because it will help you carry out the following commitments:

1/ Financial commitment:
In order for your brand to truly graduate to adulthood you will need to treat yourself as a business operation. If you as a writer are content to live from a project to project and take whatever job comes your way, then branding shouldn’t concern you as much. Many freelancers set up shop literally for free, in order to be flexible and “bail out” easily if needed. On the other hand, brands invest time and money into their operation and expect serious return on that investment. They also develop systems of marketing, bookkeeping, sales tracking, strategic planning and graphic design.

2/ Focus commitment:
If you want to be perceived as “THE ONE” in a certain area of writing style or expertise, then by all means, start thinking about a brand. That means one specific expertise, one audience. Do you want to be known as the ghost writing specialist, the “underdog” writer, the “high-brow intellectual” writer, the fresh opinion writer, the journalist? Yes, I am talking about a niche.

Because the modern marketplace is such a crowded room where nobody can hear each other, the simpler and focused you are, the easier for clients and audiences to find you and trust you.

Authors with a particular focus of work are Stephen King, J.K. Rowling, Dan Brown, Elizabeth Gilbert, Jodi Picoult, Malcolm Gladwell, Joan Didion, Seth Godin just to name a few.

These commitments could be very trying and stringent for creative people like writers indeed. Some of you simply won’t have the upfront capital to invest in business and personal branding. Some of you may have already started to invest, but have stopped because of depleted resources. Or you might think that applying the principle of one niche kills the creative instinct. Whatever you’re thinking, you’re right. Branding is a reductive, and therefore quite limiting in its choices endeavor.

But most businesses fail not because they didn’t undergo the rigorous schooling of branding, or because they didn’t hire an accountant, or an expensive graphic designer for that matter. They fail because they lack the awareness seed, the alignment with the product or services they offer.

So don’t sweat about the technicalities of branding. But do sweat about that story which you will center your brand and services around. If you have an idea about the story of your personal brand, then everything else will fall into place.

Ignite your passion of storytelling, your intimacy with the journey of the archetypal heroes that have been populating the human mind for centuries. Pick an archetype for yourself, try it on, and see if it fits. The Hero maybe, or the Sage, the Trickster, the Mentor, the Sapeshifter, the Threshold Guardian.

Switch them around. You can evolve as a personal brand just as often as any hero of the writer’s journey.

Recently a famed journalist writer with a distinguished brand, Gene Weingarten, wrote an article “How branding is ruining journalism.” In a curmudgeonly manner, which has become his signature, he denounces personal branding and likens it to marketing Cheez Doodles.

“Newspapers used to give readers what we thought they needed. Now, in desperation, we give readers what we think they want. And what we seem to think they want is happy, glitzy, ditzy stuff.”, he says.

As a graphic designer and a writer I had to disagree with him, until I read the last line:

“When I was a hungry young reporter in the 1970s, I thought of myself as a superman, an invincible crusader for truth and justice… My goals, however, were unambiguous, and heroic: 1) Get great stories that improve the world. 2) Get famous. Note the order. First came the work.”

I realized that what he fusses and wails about is not the creative act of brand-making. He revolts against the insidious results branding has on society when performed without spiritual alignment.

It also makes sense that Gene Weingarten didn’t have to fight for the spotlight of his brand back then. Back then the marketplace was a different beast.

But I dare to imagine that who he is today has to do less with any external circumstances, and more with that “superman” journey he adopted on the first place.

Fani Nicheva is a graphic designer and a writer. She co-founded Bigfish Smallpond Design studio with her partner in Santa Cruz, CA. Creative branding, typography, book design, comparative literature, mythology, storytelling, logos, websites, introspection and lollygagging are her favorite activities.

5 steps to a successful giveaway

2012-01-22T07:11:00.001-08:00

I love giveaways. My books would forever live in a cyber black hole if it weren't for the book giveaway. At first I wasn't too keen on the idea of giving away my literary masterpieces; I mean I spent a lot of energy on my work, why should I give them away? Because its necessary. So, let me just get to it, here are 5 steps to a successful giveaway.

1.Write a basic inquiry letter. You remember those from back in the day when you were trying to get an agent.Put it on your desktop for easy copy and paste. It should have some very basic information such as your name, the isbn# of your book for easy reference, the genre of your book, an introduction of your book, the number of books you want to giveaway, your website or blog link, your book trailer link,and a big fat juicy kiss.

2. Bloggers! Bloggers! Bloggers! This is a partnership. They need writers just as much as we need bloggers. The two go hand and hand like Oreos and milk. So don't be intimidated. When sending your inquiry to bloggers always greet them by name and include something specific about their blog so they know you didn't just send them a form letter. Make sure to read their "about me", and their "review policy", you'll find most of the information you need there. You want to make sure the blogger is in your book genre too.

One of my rookie mistakes were sending queries for my "realistic" YA fiction out to bloggers who were only interested in "dystopia" or "fantasy" books. There should be a blog directory for different genres. I put my YA book blog directory on my bookmarks for quick reference. When the bloggers email you back be prepared for either an author interview or to share information about the book or yourself that they'll post on their blog.

3.Book giveaway sites. Let your search engine do the work. Google the words: book giveaway and a treasure trove of information will come up. Goodreads.com is one of the best sites for giveaways; you're allowed to enter the number of copies and the dates of the giveaway. There are sites available that cater to authors and publishers looking to giveaway an ARC or (Advanced Reading Copy). But never pay for a giveaway, I stumbled upon a site where they were charging an author $100.00 to post on their site. That's not necessary.

4.Don't forget to send out the book. I know this should go without saying but sometimes you can forget. I usually send out the book to the winners within 24 hours. Don't forget to autograph the book with a little note using the winner's name. They aren't just winners, they're potential customers. And BTW: keep your giveaways in the U.S. and Canada. Trust me, you don't want to get sticker shock when you go to the Post Office. I spent $12 to send a giveaway to Brazil, that's more than the book costs.

5.Nurture you fans. There are readers and then there are fans. I'm so happy to say that I have fans. And its the coolest feeling in the world. I only have 7 of them right not, but they're my fans none the less and I give them the royal treatment.

My fans email me and tell me how they love my books and for that, I reward them with free copies, book marks etc... Your fans will eventually become a part of the "word of mouth" machine that's so powerful and you can depend on them to write good review too. I have one fan who's 13 years old and in middle school, she sent me the sweetest email about how she could relate to one of my characters in the book because she's going through the same thing. It made me emotional. It's email's like these that makes me realize my writing is a gift to be shared. When I read email's from my fans, all the mess of marketing melts away because I made a connection.

Writing Challenges for Picture Book Writers

2012-01-21T07:45:00.000-08:00

Are you a picture book writer who is having trouble staying motivated? Sometime we just need a little outside push to keep us working. Having something to share with my critique group helps keep my but in the chair and keeps me writing. BUT…a good critique group can be hard to find and a poor fit can cause more harm than good. If you don’t have a critique group that works for you but need some outside motivation to keep you working, consider joining one of the following picture book challenges.

12 x 12 in2012 Challenge - Write one new picture book each month in 2012. You don’t have to come up with a final draft…but what good start. To officially participate you need to join by January 29^th.

Picture bookmarathon – Write 26 picture books in the month of February. This is for someone who wants some serious butt kicking in February.

The annual Kidlit Picture Book Dummy Challenge has already begun, but you can still jump in. The point of this challenge is to prepare one picture dummy for submission by July 1^st. This is a great challenge for the writer-illustrator.

NationalPicture Book Writers Week – Write 7 picture books in seven days. Another great way to kick start some stories.

Many of these challenges are structured with community support through either emails or Facebook. You can join the community or just work on your own. The idea is not to necessarily end up with perfect manuscripts but to get you started working on the process of developing your story. For other suggestions for children’s authors check out Starting a Career as a Children’s Writer by Annie from WOM.

Happy Writing!
___________

Mary Jo Guglielmo is writer and intuitive life strategist. She helps clients push through their blocks, envision their path and take the necessary action to live their True North.

For more information check out www.donorth.biz
or folllow her at:
http://theadvantagepoint.wordpress.com
http://www.helpingchidrencope.blogspot.com
http://twitter.com/do_north
http://facebook.com/DoNorth.biz

Do You Want to Be a Writer?

2012-01-20T07:59:00.000-08:00

How does one begin a career in writing? I asked myself that same question. I’ve had an idea for a children’s book for several years, but didn’t know how to start such a project. Following are five suggestions to help you take those first steps on the road to becoming a writer.

Sign up for a class. Last summer, I discovered my local community college was offering a creative writing class. It was for half a day and inexpensive. The instructor taught us how to capture the reader, build and develop stories, and write an ending that will inspire the reader to recommend our books to others.
Register for an online writing conference. The instructor of my class handed out some recent issues of a popular writing magazine for students to take home. From one of those magazines, I read about a free, interactive online writing conference, WriteonCon, http://writeoncon.com/. Members of the faculty for WriteonCon are professionals from the book publishing industry: agents, editors, authors and illustrators. The three day conference is held every August. From a fellow attendee, I learned about the Muse Online Writers Conference, http://themuseonlinewritersconference.com/. This event, held for one week in October, covers a variety of genres, with workshops taught by professionals in the field.
Start an idea box and a vision board. My idea box is filled with articles, magazine photos, and a notebook, where I jot down my thoughts and ideas for the children’s book I am writing. On my vision board (poster board), I have pasted magazine photos of people, places, animals and objects. These photos are helping me to develop my characters and the world in which they live.
Read about writing, book marketing, and the publishing industry. There are many books, magazines, websites, Facebook pages, newsletters and blogs that are helpful to the budding writer. Some newsletters and magazine articles are free. Libraries are great places to find books on how to write. Begin with those and then purchase the books and subscriptions that you find truly helpful. Over time, you can build your own reference library.
Join a writer’s group. There may be one that meets at your local library or bookstore. Some of these groups are independent; others are local networks of international organizations, such as the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), www.scbwi.org.

It’s important to do your homework first. Read, research, study, ask questions, get involved, and have fun!

Debbie A. Byrne has a B.S. in Mass Communication with a minor in History. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and is currently working on her first children’s book.

What In The World Do You Mean?

2012-01-20T00:15:00.000-08:00

Some years ago, I joined my first on-line writers’ group. Eager to become involved, I submitted an e-mail requesting advice about the format of a sentence. I shook the lovely Christian members of the group rigid by my language! I used an innocent, every-day word here in South Africa, which I quickly learned means something totally different and not at all nice, in America. Once the group recovered, they took great delight in correcting me. If the article had gone to my planned Christian market my guess is I wouldn’t have written for them again!

As writers in this postmillennial era, we face a major challenge. With the tremendous advance in communication, especially through the Internet, it is imperative that our writing is understood globally. My word processor lists fourteen variants of English, although there are obviously more.

In Britain you might dress your heroine in a Dolly Varden, an elaborate, flower-decked hat. The North American reader would be bewildered, as he knows this is a type of brightly spotted trout. In Australia, the Dolly Varden is a doll-shaped cake. In South Africa, it is a draped dressing-table.

This may seem comical, but confuse your reader too often and they will give up on your article or book and look for something they can understand.

So what’s a writer to do?

As a South African writing for the International market I have learned a number of important principles.

Explain yourself. The English writer could say, “Look at that amazing hat,” she whispered. “I’m sure it’s a Dolly Varden.” The international reader understands.

Develop cyber friendships. An Internet writers’ group is an excellent place to interact with writers from other countries. This will help improve your writing and increase your understanding of different cultures.

Belong to a small international group. Some years ago, five of us formed an on-line critique group to support one another’s writing endeavours. We especially appreciate the international flavour. One member lived in England, two in different states of America and two in different provinces in South Africa. Currently we have an Australian living in Japan as a member of the group.

Check articles written for an overseas market with someone from that country. To send your heroine for a stroll along the pavement in Britain or in South Africa is a healthy thing to do as it is the paved section reserved for pedestrians. In America it could prove fatal, as the pavement is the paved section of the road.

Wattle to an English reader is a type of fence; to the American it is the loose skin at the throat of a turkey. The South African frequently sees mud-and-wattle huts along the roadside; but for the Australian, wattle is the golden-yellow flower that is his country’s national emblem.

Understand that spelling and punctuation varies. The South African English is similar to that spoken in Britain. But when I write for an American market, my critique partners remind me that my hero realizes instead of realises, sees colors not colours and that he traveled, not travelled. They also correct me when I put my punctuation “outside the quotation marks”, as for a British magazine, instead of “inside,” as required by USA editors.

Put prices into context. It is almost impossible for us to comprehend the value of each other’s currency unless we have actually lived in that country. If I tell my British reader that I paid R42 for a chicken, it means nothing. But if I say that I paid R42, the price of 5 loaves of bread, she can decide if it is expensive or not.

Consider inflation. Prices date your article, and give your reader a wrong impression. If I play with my old Monopoly board, I can buy a house for the price of ten loaves of bread today!

Rather than say, “The bracelet cost thousands of pounds,” refer to “The expensive bracelet costing thousands of pounds.” The reader on the other side of the globe knows it is an expensive bracelet without understanding your currency. And a person in ten years time will still understand its value, when the term “thousands of pounds” will probably mean it is almost worthless!

Tell your readers where you live, then allow them to soak in local atmosphere and learn local terms. They will enjoy your English descriptions of British pageantry. They will marvel at the family of African baboons, large primates from the monkey kingdom, sitting nonchalantly in the middle of a road feeding their young, while overhead the grandfather of the tribe stands guard.

Clarify local customs or terms. “Bangers and mash,” may make a British reader’s mouth water but for others could conjure up a scene of violence. “We’ll have bangers and mash for supper; I have some nice pork sausages,” gives the American an idea what’s on the menu. “The street children” are a well-known tragedy to a South African, but “homeless orphans” is understood by all.

Educate people from other countries. Many people overseas have never been to London. The word "circus" makes them think of big tents, sawdust, trapeze artists and tamed wild animals. They may never have heard about Piccadilly Circus. So instead of saying, “It was like Piccadilly Circus,” which is confusing to say the least, the English writer could say, “The congested streets teaming with cars and people resembled Piccadilly Circus in London.” Now the readers can not only visualise the scene, they have learned something about London.

Recognise different education curricula. Travelling in another country I was astonished when an educated person halted me in mid-sentence. “Why do you keep saying ‘England’? I thought she lived in Great Britain?” As a British citizen by birth, I presumed everyone knew that England was part of Great Britain.

As writers, we can play safe and only write for our own country, but what a huge opportunity we are allowing to slip through our fingers. There’s a whole world out there interested in what you have to say. Follow these steps and you can be fairly sure your reader will enjoy reading your article or book, because they know exactly what in the world you are saying.

SHIRLEY CORDER lives in South Africa with her husband Rob, a hyperactive budgie called Sparky, and an ever expanding family of tropical fish. Hundreds of her inspirational and life-enrichment articles have been published internationally. She is contributing author to nine books to date and her book, Strength Renewed: Meditations for your Journey through Breast Cancer is due to be released in America by Revell Publishers later this year. You can contact Shirley through her writing website, her Rise and Soar site for encouraging those on the cancer journey, or follow her on Twitter.

Writing & Your Health

2012-01-19T15:48:00.000-08:00

I will not spend time on a litany of my medical conditions that require medication and visits to different doctors about every three months. This is beyond things like X-Rays, an MRI, like today.

Why do I even mention this?

I will tell you.

If you are or want to be a writer, no matter your age, your physical and emotional health are of great concern to your writing.

You can't spend time writing if you hurt, or have a migraine, or any condition that requires monitoring. If you have any chronic conditions as I do and many others, writers need to closely monitor these conditions so that writer down time from illness is minimized.

Having to spend more than five hours visiting doctors and hospitals for tests can certainly cut into a WIP time and make one tired just from the time in waiting rooms and waiting for people to do their thing.

When trying to write your book, blog post, or promoting your book, it’s hard to when you are not physically able to because of health issues.

You’ve all heard the saying, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” Insert any name you wish.

To do your best work writers needs some time to get out and smell the roses, please do whatever they need to remain healthy.

Work hard, but not to the point that your health takes a back seat. You might just live a happier and healthier life. Spend time with family, friends, and pets if you have any.

Robert Medak
Freelance writer, blogger, editor, marketer, reviewer
Owner of Robert J Medak Writing & More

Organization and My Thoughts on The Writing Life

2012-01-18T02:00:00.000-08:00

Organization is a big part of having a productive writingcareer and one part of my writing life that needs a major overhaul. I think Imay need professional help.

I sit going throughtons of emails and look up at the clock to see that time has wasted. I sort theorganized piles accumulating on my desk and again timeslowly eased away. I consciously make a list of the things I need to do todayand the phone rings. Delayed again.

Finally, ready to at least get my blogs up to date, I scanthe Internet for a quote and find a link to a site that just might offer aprogram to organize my writing on my PC. Surely this is not a time waster? Or is it?

Does any of this sound familiar or am I the only one tryingto organize a writing life along with keeping up with a paying writing gig, afull time job, and family time? So how does a professional freelance writerstay organized while maintaining a full time job and a relationship with thefamily? Here are some ideas that I am trying for 2012. Maybe there is a tip or two that might help you focus too.

· Limiting my social media time to 30 minutes to60 minutes a day. Limiting time on social media networks will keep my name outthere but in a more focused way. I am going to limit the time to promotingother authors whom I am friends, on promoting my books and theirs, and on making commentson the sites of those writer’s groups that I am an active member. If I havetime to comment on family and personal friends within that time frame, I can,but the focus is to work towards increasing my presence as an author.

· Ihave a supportive husband who purchased a leather desk calendar for me. I amgoing to use it. It has lines for everyday and here I can write the tasks Ineed to accomplish each day with an estimated time frame. It is handy, veryvisible, and I can tackle the tasks in an orderly fashion. I’ll let you knowhow this works for me, but feel free to tell me your ideas on what keeps you organized.

· Iam going to group like tasks together. I tend to be scattered but if I listlike tasks together I am hoping to be more productive with each period of timeI have. Blog entries on Monday, articles on Tuesday, E-book manuscript onWednesday, and so on. Mondays will be blog days and I can preschedule all theposts for the rest of the week. Done. Tuesday is open to do the article. Done.( Wednesday mornings reserved for visiting my mom since she says she doesn't remember what I look like because I am always on my comuter.) I am going to track my productivity this month with my new process and see if this can help me focus. How do you schedule your writing time?

· Awriter friend suggested to me once that an egg timer may be helpful. I wasusing it for a few days and it helped but then life got in the way and thehabit wasn’t well enough established to stick with me. I am going to try itagain. Anyone have luck using this method?

· Thepiles, oh it always seems that there are piles. Piles of research books, booksto review, folders with notes, and a scrap pad with emails, websites I want toexplore, and other important tidbits that are scribbled onto the page. I amgoing to review them at the end of my writing time, no more than 15 minutes,and then file, toss, or record in my contact list. I am hoping that this will reduce the piles... only time will tell with this one.

· Finally,the one thing that I need to do is to learn to say NO or a polite NO Thank youto the things that are not my passion or do not advance my writing focus. Thereare always going to be some things that cannot be avoided like making dinner,showering, and going to my job. But I have taken on many a volunteer job with theintention of improving my craft and advancing my writing contacts. Many timesthis has been very beneficial and I am grateful for the opportunity, but I need to look at a few of these tasks andask myself if they are still working for my list of goals or am I advancingothers at the expense of not getting to first base myself? Do any of you relate? While promoting each other is of utmost importance, there is that old saying that comes to mind..."always the bridesmaid, never the bride". If I want to be an expert and a respected published author, don't I need to write and submit?

I think allwriters can benefit from evaluating their process at the beginning of a NewYear. Ask yourself if after three weeks into January are you doing anythingdifferently than last year or are you falling into the same old routine? It maybe time to shake it up a bit and that may actually help your organize and focusyour writing.

Look outworld; I am ready to shake it up… anyone coming?

Terri Forehand

Author of The Cancer Prayer Book (www.dreamwordspublishing.com)

http://terri-forehand.blogspot.com

WEBINAR REMINDER: Create an Effective Press Release in 7 Easy Steps

2012-01-16T08:38:00.000-08:00

Just a friendly reminder for those who registered for this webinar. I hope everyone noticed that the time has been changed to 7PM!

*****

Title: Create an Effective Press Release in 7 Easy Steps
Date: January 18, 2012 (Wednesday)
Time: 7:00 – 7:45 PM EST (U.S.) HAD TO CHANGE TO 7PM
Presented by: Karen Cioffi
Format: Live Webinar
Handout: Yes
Cost: Free

Description:

Create an Effective Press Release in 7 Easy Steps

Part of any good marketing strategy is to include press releases and if you can write an article, you can write a press release.

A press release is simply an announcement. It can be announcing your new book, a promotion launch, a special sale, news, a new article, an accomplishment, events, workshops, and so on.

The purpose of a press release, also called a media release, is to alert as many people as possible to your special news/information. But, it’s important for your press release to be at least somewhat news worthy. In addition, it’s a good idea to provide the ‘what’s in it for me’ (WIIFM) aspect of the topic.

Press releases increase your visibility - they broaden your marketing reach.

There are seven simple steps to creating an effective press release:

1. Create an effective title (headline)
2. The point-on synopsis
3. Bullet points (optional)
4. Overview
5. Bio
6. Edit and Proof
7. Research and Submit

Join Karen Cioffi as she goes through each step.

To register for “Create an Effective Press Release in 7 Easy Steps” email Karen at:
http://karencioffi [@] ymail [dot] com

Instructions to attend the LIVE WEBINAR will be provided upon registration.

There will also be a bonus PDF workshop handout with details to help you create your own press release. Since this webinar will be a PowerPoint Webinar we will not be able to record the live presentation. But, hopefully a transcript of the chat, including questions and answers will be available.

This will be our first PowerPoint webinar and we're excited to bring this new format to you - we hope you enjoy it!

The workshop is free, but all registrants will be added to the Writers on the Move and the presenter’s mailing list.

We'll be offering (at the discretion of the presenter) an After Workshop Package of this workshop for those who didn't register and would like to purchase it. It'll include the live webinar recording, the workshop handout, and possibly a podcast. Be sure to Get Yours when it's available!

Please be sure to stop here often to find out about upcoming workshops:
http://www.writersonthemove.com/p/writers-on-move-workshop.html

~~~~~
Learn about writing and marketing with Karen Cioffi at http://karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com. Sign up for her free newsletter, A Writer’s World, and get TWO free site-related e-books for subscribing, and ONE more just for stopping by.

The Great Balancing Act

2012-01-16T06:31:00.000-08:00

In December I went walking in the park with my grandchildren. A woman with two therapy dogs drew our attention. A very sweet lady, she asked if we'd met before and then we spent a few moments trying to determine whether our paths had ever crossed. When she asked me what I did, I claimed novelist, my grandchildren filled in my role as business coach and the camera around my neck claimed photographer. "My your life is so well balanced," she said.

For those of you who have visited my personal blog, you may know that, in November I decided that 2012 would be the year for me to learn balance. I'm hosting other authors who are telling their tricks. How ironic to meet someone who would view me as balanced.

As writers most of us have real jobs, those that keep us in computers, pens and paper. We cannot stop writing even though our lives are full, because the writing process is what gives us fulfillment. So instead we carve out bits and pieces of time between family and work, sometimes feeling stretched or pulled in so many directions. We can't wait for retirement to write, the stories refuse to allow it. Instead they nag us while making the bed, taking a shower, or doing the dishes. "Write me! Write me!" they call to us.

In my younger years, living in Wyoming, I played a bit with rock climbing. It was almost at the same time that a new trend was started called slacklining. Two guys in Yosemite Valley strung webbing and walked, not on tight rope, but rather on "rope" that had less tension, sometimes between two places high above the ground. Slacklining is interesting because of the ease with which the practice can change by using narrower or thicker webbing or by just changing the tension. While the slackline is less rigid and has a bit of sway, it does not allow for an alternative path.

Perhaps this is how to achieve balance as a writer with also being a child, parent, grandparent, employee and friend. A path that has sway, that allows for changes in the dynamics, but still keeps you focused to the end. May each of you navigate the high peaks of life with balance and see your writing soar.

________________________________________________________________

D. Jean Quarles is a writer of Women's Fiction. She loves to tell stories of personal growth – where success has nothing to do with money or fame, but of living life to the fullest. She is the author of Rocky's Mountains, Fire in the Hole and, Perception, her latest book dealing with the subject of death and the afterlife. The Mermaid, an award winning short story was published in the anthology, Tales from a Sweltering City. She is a wife, mother, grandmother and business coach. In her free time . . . ha! ha! ha! Anyway, you can find more about D. Jean Quarles, her writing and her books at her website at www.djeanquarles.com

Her novels are available in electronic format here, or print format here.

You can also follower her at www.djeanquarles.blogspot.com or on Facebook

Or you can just contact her at d.jeanquarles@yahoo.com

Five Essential Tips to Make the Most Out of Twitter by Donna McDine

2012-01-14T01:00:00.000-08:00

As many of us know social networking can be quite time consuming and overwhelming if you do not harness it from the get go. Twitter has become a great marketing tool to get the word out about your business and/or product. Whether you have a service to offer or product (book) to promote, if used correctly Twitter can be an effective way to network:

1. Setting up your Twitter Account: When setting up your Twitter account create a username and profile bio that provides a clear understanding to your visitor what your expertise is. For example my profile bio reads: “Multiple award-winning children's author and Social Media maven who can free up your valuable time so you can concentrate on your freelance writing career.” Not only does it state that I’m a children’s author it clearly shows that you can hire me for social networking tasks.

2. Who to Follow: Research who to follow by clicking the “Who to Follow” link in the top bar once signed in. Twitter will provide you with suggestions and you can also search by category by typing in a title such as, librarian, teacher, parents, grandparents. The list is endless depending on what your specific needs and market are.

3. Be an active Twitter participant: It’s important to be an active Twitter participant by retweeting other tweets. Not only can you retweet within Twitter, many bloggers and website owners have a share button that you can click to retweet their topic. By doing so, the Twitter sign-in page pops-up, you sign-in and the retweet automatically transfers to Twitter and hit click. It’s that simple.

4. What to Tweet about: Create your tweets at the beginning of each week when you are reviewing your marketing plan (i.e., I will be conducting a school visit today and will be sharing what was effective tomorrow at my blog). This provides your follower a call to action by inviting them to visit your blog. Most important, your tweets should NOT only be about your business and/or product. It’s important that you share information that you feel your followers will find important to them.

5. Scheduling Your Tweets Ahead of Time: The ability to schedule your tweets ahead of time so that your networking becomes automated can easily be done through Dynamic Tweets, which can be found at www.dynamictweets.com. They are currently a FREE service and it includes scheduling recurring tweets, which comes in handy so that when you have a tweet you want to send out at different times and dates you don’t have to keep setting it up each time.

About Donna:

My experience in researching and securing book reviewers, writing effective media releases, media kit creation (both online and hard copy), creation of opt-in subscriber boxes, and implementing your social networking campaign will certainly ease your mind for your book promotional needs.

Happy Tweeting! If you have any questions or I may be of assistance please feel free to contact me at donna@donnamcdine.com or visit me at http://www.authorprservices.com/ for additional FREE marketing articles.

Tools For The Writer

2012-01-13T13:03:00.000-08:00

Writer Tools

EveryWriter has tools they use to make their jobs easier. Or they could beused to keep them on track. Some are pretty common to all writers.Others are specific to a particular writers personality and specificneeds. I'll share a portion of my list with you. Perhaps you'llrecognize a few of these items.

EarplugsI live in a noisy house. “I'm writing” doesn't always illicit thequiet I need for concentration. So I put in my earplugs. But they areno good alone, which leads to my second tool.

Simply NoiseOn this website (www.simplynoise.com) I can fill my ears with white, pink or brown noise. It helps todrown out the TV, stereo and video games. For the most part, it alsodrowns out voices too :)

TimerThe timer has a two-fold purpose. Sometimes I use it to time mybreaks. When it goes off then it's butt in chair time. Other times Iuse it for writing sprints. I set it and write until it dings. Bothhelp me manage my limited writing time. If you don't have a goodold-fashioned kitchen timer, you can always use an online one likehttp://www.online-stopwatch.com/.

Voice Recorder Whyis it that the best ideas always come to me when I have no pen andpaper handy?Does that ever happen to you? And the problem is, if Idon't record it, it's lost forever. So to remedy that, mu husbandbought me a hand held voice recorder a few Christmases ago. Of coursenow that I have an upgraded mobile phone, there is one on there aswell. So now there's no way I'm letting an idea escape me.

EverNote I love this application. It allows me to access my WIP from anywhere.I have a copy of it on my phone. It's on my laptop. And if I'manywhere with Internet access, I can get to it, pull up my WIP, editor add to it, save it and access it from someplace completelydifferent later. I think this is pretty cool.

Sowhat tools do you find useful as a writer? Feel free to share.

Aboutthe Author:

Marietta"Mari" Taylor is the the author of SurvivingUnemployment Devotions To Go and is monthly blogger for theGoAskMomblog at wral.com. Find out more about Mari at her blogor her website, www.mariettataylor.net.

What is Success show 01/13 by WorldOfInkNetwork | Blog Talk Radio

2012-01-13T07:01:00.000-08:00

Please join hosts VS Grenier & Marsha Cook on January 13th at 1PM EST – 12PM CT – 11AM MT – 10AM PST.

Writing a book can be a challenge enough but when you're looking for a place to start when searching for a writing coach, editor, publisher and someone to help with marketing, the choice are endless and many cost more than you can afford. What is a writer to do? Marsha Casper Cook and Virginia (VS) Grenier have become experts on this very subject and both know there great new companies and people out there who can help. Between them, they have over 50 years of experience with the publishing and marketing world.

Producer J.D. Holiday will be working our chat room for any questions you may have.

This show is a discussion based. You can call in, post your questions in our chat room or email your questions to us here.

Call in number - (714) 242-5259

Info at http://www.michiganavenuemedia.com/

What is Success show 01/13 by WorldOfInkNetwork | Blog Talk Radio

Book Reviews

2012-01-12T04:00:00.000-08:00

Last week in our Sisters in Crime local group meeting, we took care of the usual pre-guest presentation business. This being January that included electing officers, and making plans for guests and presentations for the upcoming months. Instead of having a guest author or expert in the field in February, we voted to have a members' discussion on publishing and marketing. During our introductions, one member mentioned she was a reader and also was a book reviewer. She is a retired librarian but she also put the word out there about doing book reviews, having done many of them herself, especially if we've read other members' books - word of mouth. Not only is that exposure for the book reviewer who is an author, it is exposure for the other author being reviewed.

Yesterday on my blog I talked about followers and readers, so it only makes sense that reviewers are part of the circle as well.

Therein lies the age-old question - how do you go about getting reviews and thereby readers of your books who are followers of your blog or website or your books in general? This is the hardest part of marketing. Getting those folks to read your books.

I've got a special deal running for the month of January of giving away PDF or ebook version files of all titles available in exchange for reviews. I have had one request for three of the titles (same person requested a copy of Finally Home, "The Proposal" and "The Tulip Kiss") as of the end of last week. How do I get people to read my books or stories when they won't even request a free PDF file to read in exchange for giving me a review?

I'm also going to try doing some sort of contest every time a new title comes out but I'm not really sure yet what I'll be doing. I need to build up some "swag" with covers, logos, et cetera but at this point, it's a bit tight. I don't think I can do contests and giveaways without really having a supply of things to give away. Please just keep checking my main blog for more information on what is happening with my writings.

I hope all of you will take me up and request a free copy of any of the titles I have available (all in PDF format, 100 copies of each title will be sent out) in exchange for reviews. This offer will go down the end of January. If interested, please email me at eeldering (at) gmail (dot) com and put "free books in exchange for reviews" in the subject line. In the body of the email, please state which titles you would like to review - State of Wilderness, State of Quarries, State of Reservations, State of Successes, State of Heights, State of Nature, Finally Home, "The Proposal" or "The Tulip Kiss". All of the state books will also have the accompanying study guide. You can request one or all nine or anything in between. If requests are made in the latter part of the month, I hope to have two more titles available (I'm waiting on covers for those two) - "Bride-and-Seek" and "Butterfly Halves" - so it is possible that will be eleven titles available. If you request them and they are not available at the time, I will send them to you as soon as they are available.

Book reviews, authors desire them and need them since this lets us know we are being read. Happy reading - E :)

---------------

Ms. Eldering is the award winning author of the Junior Geography Detective Squad (JGDS), 50-state, mystery, trivia series. Her stories "Train of Clues" (shared 2nd place story), "The Proposal" (third place winning story, now available as an ebook), "Tulip Kiss" (1st place winning story, now available as an ebook), and "Butterfly Halves" (runner up, now available as an ebook) all placed first, second, or runner up in various contests to include two for Armchair Interviews and two for Echelon Press (Fast and ... themed type contests). Her story "Bride-and-Seek" (now available as an ebook) was selected for the South Carolina Writers' Workshop (SCWW) anthology, the Petigru Review. Ms. Eldering makes her home in upper state South Carolina and loves to travel, read, cross stitch and crochet. When she's not busy with teenaged children still living at home, she can be found at various homeschool or book events promoting her state series and her YA paranormal mystery, Finally Home.

For more information about the JGDS series, please visit the JGDS blog or the JGDS website.

For more information about Elysabeth's other writings, please visit her general writing and family blog or her website.

Tips to Writing a Nonfiction Picture Book for Kids By Maryann B. Sawka, Author of “Good Table Manners Made Easy”

2012-01-11T08:46:00.000-08:00

As we are taught in elementary school, the difference between fiction and nonfiction is quite substantial. Nonfiction is meant to inform by sharing factual information and data that educates us. Whereas fiction is meant to entertain us with stories that are built on fantasy and untrue events. At times, fiction can be based on some factual historic event or supported scientific theory, but the writers and developers of the work of fiction generally take some license as they adapt the factual information with a heavy dose of fiction to entertain us and keep us hooked on the product that they generate.

We have to admit that, at times, some works of nonfiction have been labeled as dry, boring and “too wordy,” with passages that are quite long and sometimes lose us along the way. When reading nonfiction, we often have to re-read the same sentence several times as we interpret the meaning and make the understanding our own.

The same challenges that adults may face with nonfiction are not very different than the challenges that children face when reading nonfiction in science, history and other classes at school or when learning a new topic for a book report or project. Teachers work to determine the best instructional methods that they can employ to successfully educate their students with valuable factual information.

When writing nonfiction for children, it is important to remember who your audience is so that, like a teacher, you are presenting the material in a way that is less challenging for their level of learning. That being said, nonfiction works do represent valuable information that children need to learn.

Nonfiction for children generally includes shorter passages on each page of text combined with colorful illustrations to demonstrate the concept that is being shared. The age-level of the intended audience determines the complexity of the illustrations. For younger audiences, perhaps toddler through first grade, the illustrations are rather simple with less detail and larger images. The illustrations are bright with vivid colors that are inviting to the learner. When moving upward in audience age, the illustrations become more refined with greater detail so that the intricacy of the concept is more readily understood.

In the same way that the illustrations appeal to different age groups so do the words that the author uses to convey the concept of the published work. Early in the writing process, an author determines who the intended audience is for their work. Will the book be intended as a storybook where an adult or older child will read the work to a younger child? Is it intended to be a picture book that a young child can “read” independently? The answers to these questions will provide the direction in which the author works while writing and collaborating with an illustrator and editor.

Picture books are appealing to children because they are meant to entertain while informing. In many instances, their messages or valuable pieces of information are supporting the illustrations rather than the opposite when writing for an older audience. Picture books for young children have illustrations that are large, often encompassing an entire page with short, concise and succinct text that helps to explain the illustration.

Fiction and nonfiction books for children often look very much alike until you read the title or the first few sentences. Once you have read a picture book to a young child, it is fun to ask if they think the story was real or just pretend. With so many clothed, talking animals in our picture books, young children probably wonder why their own pets don’t talk! But remember that the talking animals in their nonfiction picture books are teaching them a valuable piece of information, even if we don’t always agree with their sense of fashion.

******

As an educator and parent, Maryann has always embraced the notion that good manners are stylish and timely in every situation. She founded Charming Manners, a training company that educates all ages in the quest for civility and self-confidence. Maryann introduces good manners with a fun, engaging approach that makes the pursuit for knowledge an enjoyable experience. She resides in southwestern Pennsylvania with her husband and two daughters. Learn more at www.charmingmanners.net

Good Table Manners Made Easy is a quick, easy-to-read resource that teaches basic table manners in a delightful fun way. It also serves as a quick refresher for the table manners that we may have forgotten.

Get a sneak peek of the book at http://youtu.be/CGGKkxa9qSQ

You can find out more about Maryann B. Sawka’s World of Ink Author/Book Tour schedule at http://storiesforchildrenpublishing.com/MaryannBSawka.aspx. There will be giveaways, reviews, interviews, guest posts and more. Make sure to stop by and interact with Sawka and the hosts at the different stops by leaving comments and/or questions.

In addition, come listen to Blog Talk Radio’s World of Ink Network show: Stories for Children at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/worldofinknetwork. The hosts VS Grenier, Kris Quinn Chirstopherson and Irene Roth will be chatting with Maryann B. Sawka about her book, writing, the publishing industry and experiences. Sawka will also be sharing writing tips and trials, and the tribulations of the writer’s life.

The show will air live January 16, 2012 at 2pm EST.

Self-Publishing: A Three Step Primer

2012-01-10T01:19:00.000-08:00

The world of publishing is changing dramatically. Every day it seems, there are new options on how to publish your book, and many of these involve by-passing the traditional route of querying, waiting (sometimes for up to a year) for an almost inevitable rejection, and then querying again. Although I believe strongly that the curation role of traditional publishers is valuable and will continue to be important as publishing morphs into the future, it's also the case that for many authors, self-publishing will be an important part of their overall platform - even if it's just to produce promotional, in-between material. I've noticed an almost continual stream of new companies coming along to encourage writers into what's being dubbed "Partnership Publishing", but caveat emptor (buyer beware) since many of the contracts on these sites are signficantly worse than traditional publishing contracts, and where they don't involve substantial upfront payments (better spent, if you've got it, on high quality editors), usually involve you giving up a significant portion of royalties. If you are self-publishing, you may as well do it yourself, and hire the specific skills you need, keeping control of your project. After all, keeping control and reaping a high portion of the rewards are two key reasons for self-publishing. Following are three no frills steps to getting your book published, and out into the market place.

1. Get hold of good guide book. This is one place where a twenty dollar investment is well spent. There are so many good books out there, and many are so well written and laid out, that you could use them for every book you self publish.

2. Learn to turn your word processed file into a series of formats for electronic reading. e-books are now outselling print books, and it's so easy to take a file and turn it into a .pdf file and other formats that there's no excuse for paying someone else to do it for you. The easiest one-stop solution is to get hold of Calibre software. Calibre is free, and will convert your book into any ebook reading format from ePub to .pdf to .mobi, etc. Just make sure you check each format that you want to sell on a real ebook reader, as selling poorly formatted books is a fast way to make a bad name for yourself (and self-publishing in general).

3. Find a great printer. Not only can the right print company set your book up for print publication of your book at very reasonable prices for small print runs, but you can also use a trusted source for all sorts of promotional material like brochures, stickers, bookmarks, and postcards. Develop this relationship and you may find that you can negotiate a great package deal that will be far and away more beneficial to your book sales than paying someone to do it all for you.

Of course there's much more to self-publishing than these three steps, as you'll find when you get hold of one of the manuals above, but at base, all we're talking about is taking your completed writing project, polishing it to perfection (don't skip this step! Or the need for a professional editor), and then making it available to a readership. Between electronic formatting and a great print resource, you're good to go.

About the Author: Magdalena Ball runs The Compulsive Reader. She is the author of the poetry books Repulsion Thrust and Quark Soup, the novel Sleep Before Evening, a nonfiction book The Art of Assessment, and, in collaboration with Carolyn Howard-Johnson, Deeper Into the Pond, Blooming Red, Cherished Pulse, She Wore Emerald Then, and Imagining the Future. She also runs a radio show, The Compulsive Reader Talks. Find out more about Magdalena at http://www.magdalenaball.com

Goal-setting in the New Year

2012-01-09T08:25:00.000-08:00

For me, January is always a time to reflect on the old year and prepare for the new one. I love this quote from Jim Rohn: "Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment." That is so true, and great motivation when striving after your goals day by day.

Another thing to keep in mind when setting goals is to be cognizant of all areas of your life. As Coach Wooden said, "The two most important words in the English language are love and balance." With that in mind, I like to break up my goals into different sections: goals for my writing, goals for my nonprofit organization Write On! For Literacy, and general goals for a healthy, balanced life. Here are some examples in each category:

Writing Goals

Write 400 words every day.
Complete new novel manuscript.
Submit to a literary magazine every other week.
Write a three-act play.
Read at least half an hour every day.

Write On! Goals

Send out a newsletter every month.
Be a guest speaker at 8 schools/organizations.
Create a Write On! DVD.
Start a Holiday Book Drive at Purdue.

Healthy Life Goals

Exercise three days a week.
Learn to cook 10 new healthy recipes.
Plant a garden.
Do at least one act of kindness every day.
Count my blessings every night.

I've heard that the best goals are both measurable and attainable. Instead of saying, "In 2012 I want to write more" set a plan of action of how you will do this. The word "more" is so vague -- how much do you want to write every day? Do you want to measure your writing by time, i.e. one hour every day? Or would you be more motivated by a page or word count? Make sure the goal is attainable -- you don't want to feel defeated or overwhelmed -- but once your goal is set, try to be firm with yourself. Stick to it! Here is a website that I find really helpful and motivating in tracking my progress on my goals: www.joesgoals.com. Even after a long day, I'll put in the work to get that little green check-mark! :)

Something I am trying for the first time this year is breaking down my year-long goals into month-by-month goals. It helps me get a handle on more daunting projects by planning out how I want to move forward month by month. For example, one of my writing goals is to finish the current novel manuscript I am working on. I have a goal of writing a certain number of pages every month.

I am also a believer in daily to-do lists -- it feels so good to cross things off my list! -- but I think month-by-month goals are more flexible for those inevitable times when life gets crazy. For example, maybe I won't be able to write much for a few days during midterms, but then I can make up for it the next week and still be on track for my monthly writing goal.

What are your goals for 2012? How will you make them happen?

I'll close with another of my favorite quotes from Coach Wooden: "The journey is better than the inn." Here's wishing you a masterpiece of a journey in 2012!

Dallas Woodburn is the author of two award-winning collections of short stories and editor of Dancing With The Pen: a collection of today's best youth writing. Her short fiction has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize three years in a row and her nonfiction has appeared in a variety of national publications including Family Circle, Writer's Digest, The Writer, and The Los Angeles Times. She is the founder of Write On! For Literacy and Write On! Books Youth Publishing Company and is currently pursuing her Master's degree in Fiction Writing at Purdue University, where she teaches undergraduate writing courses and serves as Assistant Fiction Editor of Sycamore Review.

Got Rhythm?

2012-01-08T06:00:00.000-08:00

What does writing have to do with music?

When you are in the revision and self-editing mode with your Work In Progress (WIP), it is helpful to read it aloud, whether to yourself or to someone else. This not only helps you catch errors you might not have seen on the computer screen or printed page, but it also helps you create a musicality with your prose.

“What?” you may ask. “I’m not a musician.”

You don’t have to be, to create a beat or a rhythm with your sentences. You don’t want to have them all sound the same. Here’s a very simple example:

He went to the cupboard. He looked at the bare shelves. He took out a can of soup. He heated it. He sat down to eat.

For one thing, all the sentences begin with “He.” The second is that they all have the same rhythm or beat. To vary them, you might write something like this:
Joe stared at the dusty shelves in the cupboard. Nothing but soup. He selected a can of tomato, opened it and heated it. With a deep sigh, he sat at his lonely table to eat.

There are other ways to make your writing more poetic or musical. Use the senses to create mood or emotion and paint pictures, build on imagery, metaphor, simile.

Example:
Rain falls over the Atlantic Ocean from River Shannon to Limerick and will probably go on for a long time. The cold wetness has made people so sick they cough until they are breathless. Cures are sought to ease the sickness, such as boiled onions in milk, blackened with pepper.

Not terribly exiting or evocative language. A lot of “telling” the reader the “facts.”

Here’s a passage from Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt:
Out in the Atlantic Ocean, great sheets of rain gathered to drift slowly up the River Shannon and settle forever in Limerick. The rain dampened the city from the Feast of the Circumcision to New Year’s Eve. It created a cacophony of hacking coughs, bronchial rattles, asthmatic wheezes, consumptive croaks. It turned noses into fountains, lungs into bacterial sponges. It provoked cures galore; to ease the catarrh you boiled onions in milk blackened with pepper, for the congested passages you made a paste of boiled flour and nettles, wrapped it in a rag, and slapped it sizzling, on the chest.

By using poetic language, McCourt transforms lifeless description into a symphony.

What do you do to create rhythm in your writing?

-------------------------
A native Montanan, Heidi M. Thomas now lives in Northwest Washington. Her first novel, Cowgirl Dreams, is based on her grandmother, and the sequel, Follow the Dream, has recently won the national WILLA Award. Heidi has a degree in journalism, a certificate in fiction writing, and is a member of Northwest Independent Editors Guild. She teaches writing and edits, blogs, and is working on the next books in her “Dare to Dream” series.

2012-01-07T02:00:00.000-08:00

Forget Resolutions Go For Real Solutions

H- have faith in your abilities

A- advertise and market

P-post positive, handwritten notes to others

P-provide opportunities to grow

Y-yearn to be a success

N-network

E- enjoy the process

W- worry less, work more

Y-yearly mental and physical health checkup

E-educate yourself about your audience

A-adopt the 7 habits of highly effective people

R-rest, relax, renew

Thanks to my co-author Anita Tieman for this fun way to look at the new year.

Martha Swirzinski Anita Tieman

www.Movementplus.com
www.Wholechildpublishing.com

Check out our series of children's books

Penumbra, The Speculative Fiction eMagazine

2012-01-06T05:00:00.000-08:00

Hi there. My name is Dianna L. Gunn, and I'm one of Musa Publishing's team of interns. I'm currently working on Penumbra, Musa's speculative fiction eMagazine. Together, we created the December issue of the Penumbra eMagazine. We've also been working on a subscription challenge. I'm here to tell you a bit about Penumbra and what we do.

What makes Penumbra different from other speculative fiction magazines?

Penumbra is an eMagazine, which means lower overhead. This allows us to provide readers with the stories they love for less—costing just $3.99 per issue and $36.00 for a one year subscription. It also means we can pay our writers the professional rate of five cents per word. So Penumbra is just all around better for everyone in terms of money.

What makes the December issue of Penumbra special?

The December issue of Penumbra is the result of an amazing collaboration between interns. We were given raw story files and we turned it into something awesome. The theme of this issue is travel and the stories each explore this theme in unique ways. The stories aren't all this issue is about, though. It also includes a few non-fiction features, including an interview I did with Vella Munn and an article about Krampus, the evil anti-Santa. All in all, it's just a really fantastic issue.

What is the subscription challenge?

As we were making the final decisions for Penumbra, writing up the articles and collecting the editorials, our Editor in Chief gave us another challenge: to get 500 subscribers for our eMagazine by January first. Together, we started to formulate a marketing plan.

In the spirit of the holiday season, one of the things we decided we should do is to offer the first two issues of the eMagazine free with the purchase of a one year subscription. We looked at targeting all kinds of blogs, but really, the subscription challenge could be its own post.

If you truly love speculative fiction and you're a little short on cash, Penumbra is the perfect speculative fiction eMagazine for you. It will carry you through the holidays, and a subscription will keep you busy for the whole year.

You can buy Penumbra's December Issue here http://www.musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=16&products_id=147 , and you can purchase a one year subscription here http://www.musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=16&products_id=34 .

Watch for more information concerning this awesome new emag. I'll be posting a review soon.
Rebecca Ryals Russell

Rebecca Ryals Russell writes MG and YA Dark Fantasy and Horror while living with her family in a Victorian house on five acres of North Florida countryside. She also runs a Vacation Rental Log House on the property: Florida Black Bear Cabin.

Be sure to check out the special interactive Middle Grade Reader website Tween Word Quest for tons of information about Stardust Warriors as well as the other projects Rebecca has in the works and Under the Hat of a MG/YA Dark Fantasy Author Rebecca Ryals Russell for info about everything else.

Create an Effective Press Release in 7 Easy Steps Webinar

2012-01-02T12:17:00.000-08:00

Here's the information for our first 2012 LIVE PowerPoint Webinar, scheduled for this month.

A couple of authors/writers asked if we'd provide this particular topic and we're obliging. So, if you have a topic you'd like to know more about, let us know and we'll do our best to present it.

*****

Title: Create an Effective Press Release in 7 Easy Steps
Date: January 18, 2012 (Wednesday)
Time: 6:00 – 6:45 PM EST (U.S.)
Presented by: Karen Cioffi
Format: Live Webinar
Handout: Yes
Cost: Free

Description:

Create an Effective Press Release in 7 Easy Steps

If you can write an article, you can write a press release.

A press release is simply an announcement. It can be announcing your new book, a promotion launch, a special sale, news, a new article, an accomplishment, events, workshops, and so on.

The purpose of a press release, also called a media release, is to alert as many people as possible to your special news/information. But, it’s important for your press release to be at least somewhat news worthy. In addition, it’s a good idea to provide the ‘what’s in it for me’ (WIIFM) aspect of the topic.

There are seven simple steps to creating an effective press release:

1. Create an effective title (headline)
2. The point-on synopsis
3. Bullet points (optional)
4. Overview
5. Bio
6. Edit and Proof
7. Research and Submit

Join Karen Cioffi as she goes through each step.

To register for “Create an Effective Press Release in 7 Easy Steps” email Karen at: karencioffi [@] ymail [dot] com

Instructions to attend the LIVE WEBINAR will be provided upon registration.

There will also be a bonus PDF workshop handout with details to help you create your own press release. Since this webinar will be a PowerPoint Webinar we will not be able to record the live presentation. But, hopefully a transcript of the chat, including questions and answers will be available.

This will be our first PowerPoint webinar and we're excited to bring this new format to you - we hope you enjoy it!

The workshop is free, but all registrants will be added to the Writers on the Move and the presenter’s mailing list.

We'll be offering (at the discretion of the presenter) an After Workshop Package of this workshop for those who didn't register and would like to purchase it. It'll include the live webinar recording, the workshop handout, and possibly a podcast. Be sure to Get Yours when it's available!

Please be sure to bookmark our Workshop Page and stop by often to find out about upcoming workshops:
http://www.writersonthemove.com/p/writers-on-move-workshop.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance Writer, Editor

Karen’s Books Page:
http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/p/karens-books.html

Karen Cioffi Writing and Marketing
http://KarenCioffi.com
http://WritersOnTheMove.com
DKV Writing 4 U

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karencioffiventrice
Twitter: http://twitter.com/KarenCV
Facebook: http://facebook.com/kcioffiventrice
GooglePlus: https://plus.google.com/107054879622971281466/posts

School and Library Author Visits

2012-01-02T07:16:00.000-08:00

When planning a library or school author visit it is essential to have activities that are fun, memorable and involve child participation. I like to include a movement activity and a craft project they can take with them.

Here’s one version of a one hour visit I use.

1. Simplified prediction activity to introduce Sh Sh Sh Let the Baby Sleep by looking at the cover to predict the story

2. Read Sh Sh Sh Let the Baby Sleep

3. Consonant Blend Jumping (see below)

4. Shelby Puppet introduces Trouble on Earth Day by bringing out fascinating facts about squirrels (ex: they can jump 12 feet) and predicting the story by looking at the cover and other objects I made from the story (see below) TIP: Puppets are expensive. You can transform a thrift store stuffed animal into a puppet by opening the bottom, removing some stuffing and sewing a sock inside.

5. Read Trouble on Earth Day

6. They color a picture of a bird on a nest and glue sticks and pink yarn to the picture.

Consonant Blend Jumping

In my book, Sh Sh Sh Let the Baby sleep I feature the consonant blends sh, ch, br, th, and br. I laminated four of each of these blends and taped them to the floor in a line. At the end of each line I placed a basket with a word that uses the blend attached to the front. The children jump on each blend and shout out its sound and throw a beanbag into the basket as they read the word. I change the movement for different age groups. (jump backwards, hop)

Prediction Fun

By adding just a few simple questions and activities to your story time, you can help children begin to learn about important reading skills. Here’s how to introduce Fur and Feathers by Janet Halfman.

Put a heart in a paper bag for each student and tape it closed.
In a teacher’s bag put a piece of fur, a feather, a pin cushion, a jar of slime, sequins, pinecone scales, plastic wing with black dots.

Tell the children they are going to be detectives and solve a mystery. They have to look for clues and guess what’s in their bag. On the chalkboard write the word "prediction." Pointing to the teacher bag say, "First, let’s guess what’s in my bag." Guide students as they make a prediction about what might be in the paper bag. Ask what clues they are using to make their prediction. For instance, suggest that size, lack of movement, smell, or weight might limit their guess. Once you have gathered student responses, write them on the board. Open the bag, and take out the fur. Let them revise their predictions as needed, emphasizing that you have more information to use now. Ask how fur is used, and do they have any fur at home? Take each item out of the bag and ask what it might represent. State that this process is the same when you read a book. Your predictions change based on the information you gather as you read. Show the cover, title, and some illustrations of Janet Halfman’s picture book. Ask students what the items might have to do with the story you are going to read. Make final revisions to the predictions emphasizing that the prediction changed based on the information you gathered.

Read, Fur and Feathers. Watch their eyes light up as they discover each item is used in the book to cover the animals that lost their coats in a windstorm. When you finish the book, ask the children to guess what’s in their own bag. Let them open the bag to find the candy heart, which coincides with the surprise ending of the story.

Some Other Activities for Library and School Author Visits:

Recycle cardboard and gift wrap to make a bookmark

1. Cut a cardboard rectangle 2 ½” by 7”.

2. Wrap it up like a gift.

3. Cut a 1” by 4” piece of construction paper.

4. Put each child’s name on the paper.

5. Glue it to the center of the bookmark.

Sight Word Tree

1. Draw a large tree on a poster board.

2. Make several nests large enough to write on.

3. Write a sight word on the back of each nest and hang them on the tree.

4. Children take turns picking a nest off the tree and read the sight word.

Sound Effects

Assign each child a sound effect during a reading. (wind, rain, bells, barking, crashing noises, crying, doors closing, etc) Have a practice session by pointing to each child to say their sound. Just mix it up and have fun. The children love this game. When reading your picture book, point to the appropriate child to sync sound effects to the story.

Sight Word Musical Chairs

Arrange chairs in a circle facing out. Put a dolch sight word on each chair. Children walk around the chairs until the music stops. They pick up the sight word and sit. The take turns reading their sight word around the circle.

Stay tuned for my ebook on this subject which will be overflowing with creative ideas for author visits. It will also include advertising techniques such as a poster to place in the school and sending out press releases to local newspapers prior to the visit. I learned the hard way thinking the library staff would advertise the event properly. Don’t forget photo release forms which allow you to use photos of the children in future advertising projects.

Author Bio: Kathy Stemke

Award winning author, Kathy Stemke, has a passion for writing, the arts and all things creative. She has Bachelor degrees from Southern Connecticut State University and Covenant Life Seminary, as well as graduate coursework from New York Institute of Technology and Columbia University. Hanging her hat in the North Georgia Mountains, she has been a teacher, tutor, and writer for many years.

As a freelance writer and ghostwriter, Kathy has published hundreds of articles in directories, websites and magazines. She is a reviewer for Sylvan Dell Publishing and a former editor for The National Writing for Children Center. As a retired teacher, Kathy has several activities published with Gryphon House Publishing. Kathy is also part of the team at DKV Writing 4 U, a writing services company that includes ghostwriting, copywriting, editing, proofreading, critiquing, and resumes. http://www.dkvwriting4u.com

Kathy’s first children’s picture book, Moving Through All Seven Days, was published on Lulu. Her next two picture books, Sh, Sh, Sh Let the Baby Sleep, and Trouble on Earth Day were released in 2011. Both of these books have been awarded the Literary Classics Seal of Approval. Visit her book blog at http://shshshletthebabysleep.blogspot.com

Mrs.Stemke offers great teaching tips and children’s book reviews as well as a monthly newsletter titled, MOVEMENT AND RHYTHM, on her blog. http://educationtipster.blogspot.com

Walking Through Walls Nominated in Predators and Editors Readers Poll

2012-01-01T14:58:00.000-08:00

I got some important news today, so am posting twice. My children's middle-grade fantasy adventure, Walking Through Walls, is nominated in Predators and Editors Readers Poll under Children's Novel.

I'm excited, but this means I need votes, so I'm putting the call out.

If you're unfamiliar with Walking Through Walls, you can check out a number of reviews at:
http://walkingthroughwalls-kcioffi.blogspot.com

Just click on the Reviews Page.

So, if you're so inclined, I'd appreciate your vote:
http://www.critters.org/predpoll/novelchildrens.shtml

Just scroll down till you see Walking Through Walls. Vote for my book and they'll send you a confirmation email - you'll need to click on the link for it to take.

And, Please share this post!

Thanks so much,

~~~~~~~~~~~~
Other 4RV Nominations are:

Science Fiction - Time Pullers by Horton Deakins
http://www.critters.org/predpoll/novelsf.shtml

Print Book and e Publishing ( yes, both) - 4RV Publishing
http://www.critters.org/predpoll/ebookpublisher.shtml

==============
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance Writer, Editor, Marketer

Karen’s Books Page:
http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/p/karens-books.html

Karen Cioffi Writing and Marketing
http://KarenCioffi.com
http://WritersOnTheMove.com
DKV Writing 4 U

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karencioffiventrice
Twitter: http://twitter.com/KarenCV
Facebook: http://facebook.com/kcioffiventrice
GooglePlus: https://plus.google.com/107054879622971281466/posts

Book Marketing: 20 Strategies to Broaden Your Reach

2012-01-01T05:00:00.000-08:00

It's here! January 1st, 2012, and along with wishing everyone a healthy and prosperous New Year, I have 20 book marketing tips you can use to help you on your book marketing journey.

*****

Book Marketing: 20 Strategies to Broaden Your Reach

While most of us already know the book promotion basics, there are also a number of other avenues you can take to broaden your book promotion reach and make your promotional efforts more effective. Here is a list of 20 strategies you can use to promote to a wider range of potential customers.

1. Make use of your website’s opt-in box. Provide a weekly newsletter that offers information your reader/subscriber will value. Along with the information, you can offer your books for sale. Building your subscriber list is a key marketing strategy.

2. Use article marketing and social networks to broaden your reach, and be sure to provide links that go directly to a designated landing page for the sale of your book/s.

3. Book virtual book tours with tour services or create your own. Try to get guest spots on sites that are geared toward your target market.

4. Create trailers for your books and post them on sites such as YouTube. You can try your hand at creating a trailer for free at http://OneTrueMedia.com. If attempting this seems a little overwhelming, you can hire someone to do it for you.

5. Create postcards, business cards, and flyers with your book information and cover. Include the link to your book’s site or your author site.

6. Contact your local newspapers and request they do an interview or a feature on you as a local author.

7. Request book reviews from reputable reviewers and ask them to post the reviews on your Amazon and B&N selling page, Goodreads, Shelfari, and other sites that can help promote your book. Post them on your own site/s as well.

8. Enter competition. Winning a contest, or getting second place or mentionable awards is a great way to increase interest in your book/s. Be sure to enter reputable contests. Also, check out your state book lists

9. Put out a request in your groups to be a guest on blog talk radio shows that feature authors. While it’s good to find those that feature authors in your genre, it’s also a good idea to broaden your reach and shoot for shows that are diversified.

10. If you’ve established yourself as an expert in your field, you can give teleseminars or webinars. This is a proven strategy for increasing your subscriber list, thereby increasing your selling reach.

11. Give free or reasonably priced workshops. Again, this is a proven strategy to increase your subscriber list with people who are interested in your topic.

12. Create a how-to-course and offer it in daily or weekly segments through emails. You will easily boost your subscriber list through a course. It also guarantees that those who subscribe for it will open your mailings.

13. Have a 2 for 1 sale and promote the sale through all your social networks and a press release. Everyone loves a sale.

14. Create and publish press releases on a regular basis. You can report on your teleseminars, how-to-courses, workshops, news, sales, etc.

15. You can also look into associations, businesses, groups, schools, and other avenues that may be interested in your book. This is also a great way to sell in bulk.

16. Sell through catalogues. This may take a bit of research, but the benefits may be more than worth the effort. Do an online search for ‘your genre’ book catalogues.

17. Become a part of joint ventures. Publicists may be looking for authors to be partners in their book promotions. You help promote their authors’ books, and you’re listed in their content, usually by offering a free or discounted book, or e-book. There are also different situations. Again, this can be worth the effort.

18. Think about having your book included in book clubs. Again, do an online search.

19. Look locally. If you’ve written a children’s book see if your local toy store, baby store, or children’s clothing store will be willing to offer your book for a percentage of the selling price. If you’ve written a cook book, talk to the local bakery owner or coffee shop. And, don’t forget doctor’s offices, dentist’s offices, beauty salons, and so on. Don’t be afraid to seek out facilities that may not be an exact match. Establishing this type of partnership is a win-win situation.

20. If you have the funds, find out what a publicist or professional book marketer can do for you.

Remember: nothing ventured, nothing gained.

~~~~~~~~~
Related Articles:

Book Promotion: The Foundation

Book Promotion: Creating an Informational Funnel

Book Marketing: Choose a Website Domain Name

~~~~~~~~~~
Learn about writing and marketing with Karen Cioffi at http://karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com. Sign up for her free newsletter, A Writer’s World, and get TWO free site-related e-books for subscribing, and ONE more for just for stopping by

And,to start the New Year with a BANG, from January 1 through February 28, 2012, she is offering all her writing and marketing e-books (purchased directly from her site/s using the Paypal SHOPPING CART) for a $1.19 each. And, this will include new titles added within that time period.

For a complete list of the available titles and links to more information:
http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/2011/12/2012-writing-and-marketing-ebook.html

For a complete list (with brief descriptions of each ebook) go to:
http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/p/karens-books.html

*****

2012 Writing and Marketing eBook Extravaganza

2011-12-31T05:19:00.000-08:00

To start the New Year with a BANG, from January 1st through February 28, 2012, all my writing and marketing e-books purchased directly from my site/s (using the Paypal SHOPPING CART) will be $1.19 each. And, this will include new titles added within that time period.

That’s right, only $1.19 for each of these titles:

How to Write Books for Children: Writing, Publishing, and Marketing Children’s Books
(nominated in the 2011 Global eBooks Awards – over 100 pages)
http://www.karencioffi.com/how-to-write-books-for-children/

Editing Books Like a Pro: Self-Editing for Books and Articles
http://www.karencioffi.com/editing-books-like-a-pro/

How to Create an eBook and Its Many Uses
http://www.karencioffi.com/create-and-sell-your-own-ebooks/

Writing, Publishing, and Marketing – You Can Do It!
http://www.karencioffi.com/writing-publishing-and-marketing/

How to Start a Freelance Writing Business
http://www.karencioffi.com/how-to-start-a-freelance-writing-business/

How to Attract Customers With Informational Marketing
http://www.karencioffi.com/how-to-attract-customers-with-informational-marketing/

Learn How to Create and Sell Information Products From Your Own Site
http://www.karencioffi.com/create-and-sell-information-products-from-your-own-site/

New titles to be coming some time in 2012 include:
Webinar Marketing: Create and Present Your Own Webinars
Book Marketing: DIY Virtual Book Tours From Start to Finish
Book Marketing: Soup to Nuts
Marketing Information Products

If you’re reading this you’re probably an author or writer, and I’m sure I don’t have to tell you how important it is to stay on top of your writing and marketing game, the above e-books will help you do just that.

For only a $1.19 each you can get all seven titles for under $10.

Click on the links above to review what each book has to offer – each landing page will have a shopping cart on January 1st, for your convenience. Be sure to use the Shopping Cart Paypal Buy Button, otherwise you’ll pay full price.

For a complete ONE page list (with brief descriptions of each ebook) go to:
http://www.karencioffi.com/karen-cioffis-books-and-ebooks/

~~~~~~~~
PLEASE SHARE THIS ARTICLE, and SIGN-UP FOR A Writer’s World FREE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER, A Writer’s World. You’ll get two site-related e-books if you do!

And to be sure you don’t miss any posts here, simply subscribe to this blog (RSS feed).

Learn about writing and marketing with Karen Cioffi at http://karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com.

=======

To Infinitively Split

2011-12-30T15:32:00.000-08:00

If you play Trivial Pursuit, you know about the grammatical error featured in the opening credits of Star Trek. The famous line “to boldly go where no man has gone before” contains the split infinitive “to boldly go” (where the adverb “boldly” splits the infinitive “to go”). While the line remains mostly unaltered throughout Star Trek’s many incarnations, it gets “corrected” in the first episode of the series Enterprise, in a recorded speech by warp drive inventor Zefram Cochrane: “To go boldly where no man has gone before.” Doesn’t have quite the same ring, does it?

The prescriptive rule against split infinitives was created in response to its growing usage in the 19th century. While no one was clearly identified as the creator of said rule, there were many writers who supported the edict. According to Bache (1869), "The to of the infinitive mood is inseparable from the verb.” Of like mind, Raub (1897) states, "The sign to must not be separated from the remaining part of the infinitive by an intervening word.” There were perhaps as many who denounced the restriction. But the rule took hold of public consciousness by the early 20th century, gaining a firm toe hold in academia and the media.

Trying to correct a split infinitive will sometimes cause problems. The aforementioned “to boldly go” converts well enough into “to go boldly.” The altered phrase might not have as much panache (if only because the original is so strikingly familiar), but it does carry the same meaning.

By contrast, consider the following (with the first line containing the split infinitive “to slowly remove” and the remaining lines as possible “solutions”):

1. “She decided to quickly remove all split infinitives from her writing.”
2. “She quickly decided to remove all split infinitives from her writing.”
3. “She decided to remove quickly all split infinitives from her writing.”
4. “She decided to remove all split infinitives quickly from her writing.”
5. “She decided to remove all split infinitives from her writing quickly.”

While the meaning (making quick changes to the writing) is most often unaffected, line #2 instead describes a quick decision. Furthermore, line #s 3-5 come across as clunky.

Split infinitives might be against the rules, but sometimes they can’t be avoided. If you can find a way to omit them or rephrase them, by all means do so. But don’t alter them at the expense of meaning.

Consider this bit of sage advice from the Fowler brothers: "The 'split' infinitive has taken such hold upon the consciences of journalists that, instead of warning the novice against splitting his infinitives, we must warn him against the curious superstition that the splitting or not splitting makes the difference between a good and a bad writer" (The King’s English, 1907).

In closing, remember this overall approach to grammar:

Learn the rules. Understand the rules. Then decide when, how and why to break the rules to best effect.

NOTE: A tip of the virtual hat to Wikipedia for the quotes used above.

Betty Dobson is an award-winning writer of short fiction, essays and poetry. She also writes newspaper and magazine articles but is still waiting for those awards to materialize. In the meantime, she continues to run InkSpotter Publishing, which has three new books available and several more in the works for 2012.

Reawaken Your Creativity By Revisiting Your Childhood Pleasures

2011-12-27T05:17:00.000-08:00

Revisit Your Childhood Pleasures to Spark Your Creativity

Inside each and every one of is a small child with a creative heart and soul. Most small children have boundless energy and enjoy living in the moment. They spend their days involved in creative and imaginative play. As a result of this spontaneous way of being, children experience joyous emotions. When you tap into your blissful inner child, you are able to shift your writing in profound ways. This week spend some time observing a toddler at play. Notice how the small child unabashedly displays his or her emotions and follows his or her inner voice. Record your observations and your experience in your journal.

As we mature, we learn from those around us that our desires are not always socially acceptable. From an early age, we are urged to conform to societal norms. Others insist that we share our toys when we want to play alone, urge us be nice when we feel angry or demand that we use the toilet before we are truly ready. Misguided parents use food to reward our behavior when we adhere to their standards. This causes confusion as we begin to view food as a prize instead of life sustaining nutrition. As a result, we learn to mask our genuine emotions and our creativity is diminished. During adolescence, the voice of our inner self is further silenced as we are encouraged to constantly look toward the future instead of living in the present. Well-intentioned parents and teachers may steer us away from a profession in the creative arts and encourage us to pursue a career that will provide us with a stable income and job security. As a result of this conditioning, many adults find themselves unhappy in their personal and professional lives and turn to food for comfort.

Journal Exercise: Find Your Inner Child

This week, honor the small child within yourself by revisiting the activities that brought you the most pleasure as a child. In your journal, make a list of all of the activities that you delighted in when you were a youngster. Think of the things that you used to do that made you lose track of time. Don’t dismiss items because they seem silly or unproductive. Examples of pleasurable childhood activities include; roller-skating, finger-painting, making cookies, playing with dolls, dancing to loud music, horse back riding, and playing in a sandbox. Or maybe you enjoyed writing letters to friends or arranging parties for your dolls. After you complete your list review each item and try to recall the feeling each activity evoked within you. For example, playing with playdoh brought caused you to feel excited as you experienced the endless possibilities of your own creativity.

This week, spend at least thirty minutes doing the activity that brought you the most pleasure in your childhood. Give yourself permission to be silly and spontaneous. Leave the office a half-hour early to go for an impromptu bike ride or trip to the playground. Notice how your serenity increases and your sense of possibility expands on the page.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Aileen McCabe-Maucher is a writer, licensed clinical social worker/psychotherapist and registered nurse who has helped many people find inner peace and discover their unique
life purpose. Aileen has fifteen years of experience providing individual and group counseling to a diverse client population. She is a graduate of West Chester University of
Pennsylvania, Widener University, University of Delaware, and The Gestalt Therapy Institute of Philadelphia at Bryn Mawr College. Aileen studied yoga and the chakra system at The Yoga Lifestyle Center in Paoli, Pennsylvania. She is the author of the
book, The Inner Peace Diet, which was published by Penguin/ Alpha Books and released nationwide on December 2, 2008. Aileen can be reached via email at innerpeacediet@gmail.com

A sample of Aileen's first book,The Inner Peace Diet, can be found here:
http://www.amazon.com/Inner-Peace-Diet-Permanentebook/
dp/B001RWQVQC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1317419274&sr=8-2

Inspiration and Motivation for Your Writing

2011-12-27T00:30:00.000-08:00

The rush of the Holiday season, with all of the shopping, the wrapping, food preparation and dinner parties, can drain one emotionally and leave little time, if any for your own writing. When all is over and done and the presents and dinner are but a memory As you recover and rest from your busy shopping days, let the following writers give you inspiration for your writing.

“Only those that risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.”

T.S. Eliot

“You are never to old to be who you might have been.”

George Eliot

“To be a goodwriter, you not only have to write a great deal but you have to care.”

Anne Lamott

“I heard an angel speak last night, and he said, ‘write’!”

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

“In the end, the best thing a writer can do for his society is to write as well as he can.”

Gabriel Garcia Marquez

“Anyone can become a writer. The trick is staying a writer.”

Harlan Ellison

“I nearly always write just as I nearly always breathe.”

John Steinbeck

Rebecca Camarena is a virtual book tour coordinator with Pump Up Your Book. She is a freelance writer in Southern California with a background in Journalism and Literature. Her published articles cover a variety of topics from health, weddings, book reviews and animals.
You can find her at
Hollywood Daze
Paperback Writer,
Writing Daze,
Dogs Rule Cats Drool,

RESUSCITATING YOUR CHARACTER

2011-12-26T06:00:00.000-08:00

To Tell the Truth, my first novel, started with a character, and from that character a story began to develop. I wrote the whole story dissatisfied with something about it that I could not quite pinpoint. I rewrote it several times, had people read it and give me their input, and read every book and article pertaining to writing. I went down the list of things needed in order to make your character more dimensional. I took it to my critique group so many times they told me to forget the book and go on to something else. But there was something within me that just would not let me give up on my book. I believe in my story and needed to believe in my main character, Anna Kayce.

What was it about Anna that so frustrated me? So many times I asked myself that question. The funny thing was no one I had gone to had an answer. So how was I supposed to come up with it? I knew it had to be something I was doing wrong, but I just could not figure out what it was. My character was so flat and yet I had done everything that all my resources told me to do.

Just when I was about to give up on my book, I received my Writer's Digest magazine in the mail, and in it was an article that was to change everything for me. It was an article on creating characters. As I went down the list of things you can do to develop your character in a dimensional way, I came to one suggestion on that list which really struck me: Do an interview with your character. I felt my heart speed up and my breath quicken. As is usual with me, I had to mull over this; but it wouldn't go away. It kept nagging at me. So with much excitement I put pen to paper and wrote a five-page interview with my character. For the first time since I created her, I began to feel as if I knew and understood her. There was a connection between us, an emotional connection which just grew from there.

I was able to get inside of her, feel her emotions and needs, and anticipate her moves and thoughts. And that was what had been missing, the emotional connection.

So if you are having problems giving your character personality and dimension, do an interview of your character.Describe your character's physical appearance, give a backstory/history of your character, even learn his/her favorite foods, hobbies, movies, etc. Explore his/her dreams and ambitions. Don't miss anything, but don't get too carried away either. Think of your character as a real person, and I don't think they will let you down.

Faye M. Tollison
Author of: To Tell the Truth
Upcoming book: The Bible Murders
www.fayemtollison.com

A Book Writers Will Just Naturally Love!

2011-12-25T12:46:00.000-08:00

I very occasionally run reviews for books I think will help writers in my Sharing with Writers newsletter. I thought I'd share this book with writers who read this blog, too. The review was also published on a great site for readers, www.myshelf.com.

Euphemania

Subtitle: Our love affair with euphemisms
By Ralph Keyes
Little Brown and Co.
ISBN: 9780316056564
Nonfiction/ (Writing/Language)
Contact Reviewer: hojoreviews@aol.com

Reviewed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson originally for MyShelf.com

If you don’t love language, it’s a good bet you aren’t a writer. But if you’re a writer, reading more about language (linguistics (?)) may not be high on your list of priorities. It’s so integral to the way you think, you believe you don’t need it.

I believe that Euphemania by Ralph Keyes will change your mind. Written with humor (because euphemisms are just naturally funny?) this book will certainly entertain. If you’ve ever wondered about the intricacies of our euphemisms—the origins as an example—this is the book for you. But who would have guessed that it also might be the perfect book to hone the skills of writers of dialogue and humor?

Academic writers? Use it as a quick-study on how to write a book that will sell to a wide market. The secret? Voice. Humor. Colloquialisms. Yep, and euphemisms. A book does not have to have the lack of moisture content (dry!) of a text book to be a textbook. I know about academic expectations. My daughter is a Ph.D. candidate. She explains it to me all the time. Having said that, if you’d like to actually sell something rather than giving everything away to unappreciative academic journals, try rewriting your brilliant theory for the general public!

Anthropologists and linguists will love this book, too. But mostly, it’s just fun learning why we use asterisks for words like sh*t and the euphemisms like the f-word. It’s also tons of fun to identify phrases we’ve stopped thinking of as euphemisms (love handles, anyone?), just because they are so part of our everyday language.

If I were rating this book for an Amazon review, it would give it a true (not a fake) five-star rating. For usefulness. For fun. For the love of language.

PS: If you would like to subscribe to Sharing with Writers, an interactive newsletter where writers come together to promote and to learn, send me an e-mail with SUBSCRIBE in the subject line and I'll do it for you. HoJoNews@aol.com.

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Carolyn Howard-Johnson’s The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success covers writing successful query letters and includes helpful hints from twenty of the nation's top agents. Purchased it at Amazon, www.budurl.com/TheFrugalEditor. Learn more at her Web site http://HowToDoItFrugally.com.

Christmas Gifts for Writers

2011-12-24T03:56:00.000-08:00

Writing about Christmas gifts for writers on Christmas Eve may seem the ultimate in last minute advice for late, late. late presents. But there are always those which fail to turn up on time and need urgent replacements. There are always the gifts you bought in advance and now find your writer friends have bought for themselves. And what about treating yourself to a well-deserved Christmas extra to reinvigorate your own routine after the festivities are over?

Fortunately, the Internet is the ideal source for insta-presents, any of which can earn bonus points for the savvy giver.

Writing and Marketing Workshops

For budget gifts, you can't beat the Writers on the Move Workshop Packages Priced from 99 cents to under 3 dollars, they are packed full of useful information and tips on how to go about creating books for e-publishing, using paypal, podcasting, and marketing techniques. Brilliant stocking fillers or replacements while you're waiting for a delayed delivery.

More expensive options are the innumerable courses always on offer at Savvy Authors. Look through the lengthy list of January workshops or for an extra-special gift for a friend who has completed at least a first draft, invest in a subscription to the 20i2 Editpalooza . It's a truly hands-on course where writers work on their revision with the help of am accredited editor or publisher for a month.

Or just buy a gift certificate and let friends choose for themselves .

Books, Books, Books

E-books are now freely available for download for reading on computers and e-readers. If you are actually buying a book rather than sending a gift certificate, check what format your friend uses for reading. I prefer e-pub versions as they are more or less universal and work with the magnifying feature on my iRiver reader where a pdf does not.

That Special Free Christmas Present

Design your own gift certificate and choose any one of the ideas supplied by Beth Daniels in her Gifts for Writers list. I can see more than a few ideas there that would truly appeal to me--managing my Facebook page once a month would be a brilliant way to keep updated yet free up time for more writing.

And I'm a committed Vistaprint fan, though beware--those few extras like adding the cover of your book pic to your visiting card can really add up.

What I'd like from Santa? An uncluttered head, an organized manuscript and a free month with nothing to do but write.

How about you?

Anne Duguid is a senior content editor with MuseItUp Publishing and her New Year's Resolution is to blog with helpful editing and publishing tips at Slow and Steady Writers far more regularly than she managed in 2011.

Essential Marketing Terms

2011-12-22T04:51:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd put together a few terms that I've come across regularly since I began marketing my YA series "The Chick friends rules". I'm sure there's tons more but these are the terms I've come in contact with most often.

ARC- Advanced Review Copy. Usually a free copy of your book sent to reviewers.

Bar code-That's the row of lines on the back of your book where they will place your ISBN# which will identify your book title.

Blog-Personal digital diary shared with the masses.

Blogger-The author of the personal digital diary that is essential for a word of mouth campaign.

Copyright - Protecting your property. Back in the 80's I would mail a copy of my books to myself as a cheap version of copyright protection. I also remember if I wanted to submit a book to the Library of Congress I had to get an application, print out a hard copy of my book usually at $0.2 per page, get a money order for the processing fee, carry the thick stack to the post office and pay hefty postage.Phwwww! Now I can go directly to the Library of Congress website and upload my book directly from my laptop for $35.00. The process takes 15-20 minutes. Now that's progress. Super simple, easy breezy. http://www.loc.gov/index.html

CPC- cost per click. If you decide to go the paid advertising route, you will see this term used often. It's what you're paying every time a potential customer clicks on your ad that takes them to your designated landing page. The typical rate can range anywhere from $0.15 per click to $0.45 per click. I usually don't go over $0.45

DRM- Digital Rights Management provides the software locks put on information distributed digitally to prevent unauthorised distribution. Every time I upload a book I'm asked if I want this feature. Hell yeah,I want it.

ePub - format used for B&N and others.

eKindle - format used for uploading to Creatspace. Genre- where does your book fit. Mine is YA (Young Adult).

Giveaway- A necessary marketing tool. Giving your baby away for free.

ISBN- International Standard Book Number. It's your books birth certificate. Awww.You don't necessarily need one if you're going through Creatspace; they will provide you with one for free but it's only good for Createspace. But a batch of 10 isbn codes can be purchased as well from Bowker. http://www.isbn.org/standards/home/index.asp Month-to-date sales unit- Tells you how many books you've sold within the month. I get butterflies every time I click on this link. But, lately...not bad.

Review- Submitting your book to a reviewer and waiting for a analysis of your literary talent. It can be nerve wrecking.

Tags- keyword or term best used to describe your book. For example, my tags are usually; YA, teens, realistic fiction, social issues,peer pressure, sexual abuse.

URL destination- What website address you want your customers to be directed to. A quick copy and paste will do the trick for this one.

This is all I can come up with off the top of my head. Feel free to share more useful terms by leaving a comment.

Before Setting Goals…Plant Seeds of Joy

2011-12-21T09:52:00.000-08:00

As the year comes to a close, many people begin setting goals for the New Year. If you are a goal setter, I challenge you to delay creating your writing goals until you engage in what I call “Planting Seeds of Joy”. In a writer’s life, there are many facets to the writing process. Some parts are easier and then there are the aspects that we’d rather avoid. If you really want to nurture your writing life, try the following exercise.

First, take some time to contemplate what part of writing brings you joy. I love generating new ideas, finishing that first draft, sharing my work, seeing it published. I’m not too fond of revision number 75, but I’m thrilled when I am happy with a final draft. You get the idea. The things that you enjoy about writing are your “Seeds of Joy”. Now plant these seeds by jotting them down and posting them where you write.

Later when you are feeling frustrated with your progress, act on one of your “Seeds”.
Since I know that for me working on the 20th revision can at times be tiresome, I intersperse my revisions with a writing activity that makes my fingers dance on the keyboard. For example, when I’m really feeling bogged down, I’ll take ten minutes and generate some new picture books ideas. This revives my enthusiasm and helps me get back on task and work on one of my goals.

If you “plant seeds of joy” in your writing life, you’ll be amazed at how much easier it is to watch your writing goals grow. You might even consider “planting seeds of joy” in other areas of your life.
___________________

Mary Jo Guglielmo is an intuitive life strategist that helps clients push through their blocks, envision their path and take the necessary action to live their true north. If you are interested in an Artist Breakthrough session or a Personal Mentoring Program go to http://donorth.biz/personal_sessions.htm

For more information check out www.donorth.biz
or folllow her at:
http://theadvantagepoint.wordpress.com
http://www.helpingchidrencope.blogspot.com
http://twitter.com/do_north
http://facebook.com/DoNorth.biz

Do you have a Writing Buddy and do you need one?

2011-12-19T06:00:00.000-08:00

Many people have no idea what a writing buddy is or if they need one.

What is a writing buddy?

My definition of a writing buddy may vary from others. To me a writing buddy should have certain traits, those being:

Have a personality that matches or compliments the writer
Be honest with the writer offering constructive criticism
Be honest with any critique
Be committed to contacting the writer on a schedule that is agreed upon.
Someone to keep the writer honest and working on their writing
Someone to motivate the writer
Someone to act as a reader

Writers should have a writing buddy keep them on track and writing, and to help them with their manuscript, blog posting, or anything related to writing.

It is hard to find the right person to be your buddy. It takes commitment to be a writing buddy, but finding the right one can make a huge difference for both the writer and the writing buddy in accomplishing a first class manuscript.

It is this freelance writer’s opinion that writing groups should have a page of contacts for writing buddies, perhaps even a mentor page for aspiring writers, newbie writers to help them with confidence, or questions about writing they may have.

If someone makes the conscious choice to become a writing buddy, they are making a commitment to the writer to be there to help, motivate, critique, and answer questions about the particular piece the writer is working on.

Do not take a writing buddy position lightly, it takes work, and commitment when you choose to become a writing buddy. Will it take time away from your own writing? Yes, but this writer is of the opinion that if may just make the buddy a better writer in the process.

The opinions expressed are those of freelance writer, Robert Medak.

Robert Medak

Writer, Blogger, Editor, Marketer, Poet, Proofreader, Researcher, and Reviewer.

Robert J Medak Writing & More

http://stormywriter.com