Writers On The Move

The "Small Big" Tactics for Writing Pitches and Selling Books

Writing Pitches (and About Everything Else) That Influence

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I read and reread The Small Big: Small changes that spark big influence by Steve J. Martin, Noah J. Goldstein, and Robert B. Cialdini. It’s not that it tells me anything new about marketing, writing copy, or putting together great pitches. It’s that it inspires me anew, and reminds me of what a tough job those tasks are and how so many other disciplines are involved, two of my favorites. Words matter. And Psychology. And, yes, capital letters because they are so important.

For instance, here’s a quote that beautifully distills the six principles of marketing for any field you are in:

“. . . reciprocity (people feel obligated to return favors performed for them),
authority people look to experts to show them the way)
scarcity (the less available the resource, the more people want it)
liking (the more that people like others, the more they want to say yes to them)
consistency (people want to act consistently with their commitments and values)
and social proof (people look to what other do in order to guide their own behavior).”

This book includes studies that show people in any industry (including my favorites, those associated with writing of any kind) how to frame what they have to say right down to what to put first, what to stress, and words to choose that influence people in different ways.

This is a book you’ll want to read—and reread—as I do.

Reread? Well, it is so jam packed you’ll need to go back to it time again to get it all and keep utilizing what it teaches you in everything from your blogging, to your query letters where a great pitch is essential, to writing your synopses. Here’s the link again—in bright red so you you’ll have not trouble finding it and using it:

http://bit.ly/InfluenceTactics

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Contributed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally Series of books--one for writers and one for retailers. She is now working on the third in the seires (after The Frugal Book Promoter and The Frugal Editor), Getting Great Reviews Frugally and Ethically. All her books, including her fiction and poetry, are available as paperbacks and e-books on Amazon.

Create Visibility Before Getting Published

The road to publication can be long and winding...and filled with rejection. So, what do you do while you’re submitting your manuscript and waiting patiently? Okay, maybe not patiently, but waiting nonetheless.

That’s easy. And, it’s very important. You begin creating visibility.

I don’t mean standing on the street corner singing at the top of your lungs, I mean creating an online presence that depicts who and what you are. In other words, you need to create your platform.

As founder and editor of Writers on the Move, I meet a number of writers who are reluctant to begin promoting themselves because they haven’t landed a publisher yet. Or, they’re still learning the craft. This mentality won’t cut it today. You need to begin that visibility.

First step in your platform journey is to create a blog. Obviously, you will want to create your platform right from the beginning by posting to your blog with content that is in the genre you are writing.

But wait a minute, let me backtrack. For those who aren’t sure what a platform is, it is a means to let readers know what your area of expertise is. Yes, I know, you might be shaking your head and thinking that you don’t have an area of expertise, but this is how you create it.

The next step (step two) in your journey is to create your platform and online visibility. Learn your craft and as your learning, write about what you learn. In other words, if your book is about cooking, blog about cooking – you will be creating your area of expertise.

The third step - once you feel comfortable adding content to your blog, start writing articles and submitting them to ezines and querying about guest posts. Again, keep them focused on the area of expertise you are trying to create. You may not get paid for them, but they will establish an online presence. And, if your articles are beneficial or interesting to others, it will bring traffic to your site.

The publishing and marketing industry has changed. In today’s writing market publishing houses, big and small, expect you to:

1. Have and online presence (website or blog)
2. Have a platform
3. Have a following
4. Have the potential to increase that following
5. Have a marketing strategy
6. Be able to sell your book

Selling books today is a joint effort between the publishing house and the author. And, if you’re venturing into the self-publishing arena, promoting yourself is even more important. Don’t procrastinate. Start creating your online presence and platform today.

Karen Cioffi is a content marketing instructor for WOW! Women on Writing and Working Writers Club. She is also an author, editor, and ghostwriter.

If you'd like help building and maintaining your author/writer platform, check out:

Give Your Author/Writer Business a Boost with Inbound Marketing
Basic Website Optimization, Blogging Smart, Email Marketing, and Social Media Marketing

MORE ON WRITING AND BOOK MARKETING

Top 5 Reasons Many Writers Don’t Reach Their Potential
Writing Critique Groups Dos and Don’ts
Shaun the Sheep and Marketing with Animation

Writers: Meet Your Alter Ego(s)

Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are

Like actors, we writers are well acquainted with our alter egos. Or are we? If an actor's role becomes famous, as in Sean Connery as James Bond and Leonard Nimoy as Spock, the role takes on a separate existence. "Although other actors have portrayed [James Bond], Connery made him famous, and his trademark style is often pointed to as the 'true' Bond." Wisegeek.org The opposite was true for Nimoy, who titled his first autobiography, I Am Not Spock; then had a change of heart and titled his second book, I Am Spock.

We create a character often by piecing together various personalities of people we know, sprinkling in generous amounts of seasonings such as humor, intrigue and adventure; and known or unknown to us, adding a dollop of ourselves.

My brush with this subject, which amounts to a revealing personal experience and a Google search for this post, has sparked a desire for further research. What is alter ego? How can it best be used in creating characters?

A Sampling of Definitions

Webster's Collegiate: A second self; a trusted friend; the opposite side of a personality.
American Heritage: Another aspect of one's personality.
Wikipedia: A second self, which is believed to be distinct from a person's normal or original personality.
Dr. Carolyn Kaufman: It is normal to have multiple ego states. Everyone has them. Dr. Kaufman's example is the "you" who, at Thanksgiving dinner with your in-laws, acts different than the "you" out on the town with friends. These two "you's" are different sides or facets of you. She goes on to write that it's even normal for your various ego states to have different names, such as Mrs. Uptown at work, and Kitty with friends.
Problem ego states: Dr. Kaufman's book, The Writer's Guide to Psychology: To Write Accurately about Psychological Disorders, Human Behavior, and Clinical Treatment, provides information on borderline personality, dissociative identity disorder, mood and anxiety disorders, treatments, therapies, and character-building. She states on her blog that she wrote this book to aid writers in understanding the personality so their characters' behavior is accurate. An excellent example of dissociative identity disorder, or DID, is portrayed on the Showtime show, United States of Tara (final episode: June 20, 2011). Toni Collette stars as a suburban housewife and mom living with DID. In the show, her family never knows who will greet them when they come home: Tara herself, or "T," a flirty teenager; Buck, a beer-swilling Vietnam vet; Alice, a perfect TV 1950's mom, or other alter egos.

The Fight against Good and Evil: Living a Double Life

Superheroes top the list of those who fight the good fight.

Superman/Clark Kent: Appearing as a "mild-mannered" newspaper reporter allowed Superman to live among the people of Metropolis without giving away his identity.
Batman: Disguised himself to fight crime.
Spider-Man/Peter Parker: Peter takes on the role of "vigilante" after going on a high school science trip and getting bitten by a radioactive spider; and suddenly becomes stronger, faster, and can shoot webs, climb buildings, and jump great distances.

The Famous Split Personality: Jekyll and Hyde
Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson created Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in the late 1800s. His story was based on recurring nightmares he had of living two opposing lives. The story actually portrays a borderline personality, according to Wisegeek.com. Due to a scientist consuming a substance in an experiment, Dr. Jekyll became "congenial and moral," while his alter ego, Mr. Hyde, was "wicked and unmoral."

A Sampling of Alter Egos in Film

Black Swan: The protagonist Nina Sayers, played by Natalie Portman, faces her alter ego, the character of the Black Swan.
Breaking Bad: The protagonist, Walter White, a high school chemistry teacher, uses his alter ego, Heisenberg, to become a player in the drug world.
South Park: Butters Stotch created an evil alter ego, Professor Chaos, out of frustration.
Our Gang: In the episode, "Mama's Little Pirate," Spanky gets in trouble, gets sent to his room, and he talks to his alter ego.

Make Room for More
A young man I went to high school with (to me he'll always be the popular guy I remember) didn't find out he's an artist until later in life; had no clue. As for my discovery, it came as a surprise, not from writing, but from a quartet I took part in. We sang popular songs for events in our community, some humorous. Our guitar player's wife would patiently listen to our practices (she had no choice--we took over her living room). I made a joke once and saw that she genuinely thought it was funny. That did it. I wound up as the group comedian and since then have continued to develop this humorous side with friends and in my books.

Dr. Kaufman writes in her blog that some people are more aware of these different ego states than others, especially if they play very diverse roles in life. I have come to understand that although you infuse each of your characters with their own, unique personality, each of these aspects are part of you. Just as it's a good idea to create a profile for each of your characters, then, why not profile your alter egos as they reveal themselves?

Sources: Photo by Linda Wilson; Urbandictionary; United States of Tara.

Next month: Writers: Pin Down Your Alter Ego(s)

Linda Wilson, a former elementary teacher and ICL graduate, has published over 100 articles for adults and children, and six short stories for children. Recently, she completed Joyce Sweeney's online fiction courses, picture book course and mystery and suspense course. She is currently working on several projects for children. Follow Linda on Facebook.

The ABCs of Writing - Tips for New Writers

When I began a serious writing career, the first step was to get organized and establish a regular routine.

Here are some tips to encourage new writers to get started. It is not exhaustive, but purposely short to get you going.

A is for action.

To be successful in anything, it requires action. You have to have a plan and then you have to follow the plan. It is important to set 3 goals for the year and then list specific, daily and weekly objectives to accomplish those goals. This will keep you on track.

For example, if writing for magazines is one of your goals, your objective is to decide how often you will submit an article (e.g. one per week). If writing a book is another goal, you will decide how much time or how many pages you will write each day or week.

Writers can have so many ideas it is easy to dream about them and not act upon them. A plan of action is crucial for your success.

B is believe in yourself.

You are unique. You have something to say. No one can write it quite like you.

There are lots of magazines and books in the world, but there is always room for more article or story. The world is always changing and creating fodder for the next story.

Of course, your first published work is a real boost to believe in yourself. Until that time comes (and it will come), keep at it and don't give up.

C is for challenges.

Needless to say, our lives have challenges. Some are serious and out of our control. Some are mere distractions we can eliminate.

Don't let challenges stop you. Learn to navigate through them. Often, these challenges make us better writers. We learn patience, endurance, and even find our challenges can help others through our writing.

After the death of my oldest son, blogging became therapy for me. My desire to help others naturally unfolded from a very difficult and challenging time. Not only for those who lost a child, but anyone who needed hope during painful situations in life.

You might be chugging along with a good routine and a challenge comes along, disrupting your rhythm. It could be submission rejections, computer problems, illness, job loss - it will slow you down but don't throw in the towel. Become stronger and allow your challenges to define who you are and what you write.

D is for determination.

It goes without saying, right? Anything worth pursuing takes determination.

Some of us hit the brick wall sooner than others, but we all hit it eventually. Thing is, what will you do after you hit it?

Once you find your niche and get momentum, there will be plenty of reasons that come along to thwart your writing goals. Sometimes we must pull back but then we have to get back on track.

I have had those seasons of not submitting articles regularly for various reasons. Don't let that season go too long. Be determined of your potential and success!

E is for earning money.

It's the best feeling in the world to get paid for what you write. You may have a long term goal in mind to write a book. Meanwhile, freelance writing can earn you money now.

Checking online job boards consistently provide more opportunities than you can imagine. There is a continual need for freelance writers - everything from resume writing to product descriptions.

Next month, we will continue with the ABCs of Writing - letters F-J.

Photo Credit interphasesolution.

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After raising and homeschooling her 8 children and teaching art classes for 10 years, Kathy has found time to pursue freelance writing. She enjoys writing magazine articles and more recently had her story, "One of a Kind", published in The Kids' Ark. You can find her passion to bring encouragement and hope to people of all ages at When It Hurts - http://kathleenmoulton.com

DIY marketing with graphics

photo courtesy of
blackzheep Free Digital Photos.net

We all know that the ideal when it comes to books and book marketing is to hire a professional for the non-writing tasks. A cover artist, a gaggle of editors or one who can multi-task, are the accepted norm.

But professionals cost and when you're starting out, you need to balance your outlay with projected income. We all hope we've produced a best seller. But beware. The market in books and e-books is more saturated and competitive than ever before.

There's no harm in experimenting with your own graphics and seeing what you can do for yourself. And there's no end of help and information free on the Internet.

Try cartoons

I have always loved the animated messages presented by cartoon characters and never realized it was possible to produce them easily--and free--thanks to sites like PowToon.

Find out how to produce a book trailer.
Download pdf instructions and have fun.

If it doesn't work out for you, no harm done. Save until you can afford one created by a professional.

Try infographics

Infographics are an enjoyable and popular way of sharing information. With so many demands on our time, graphics are a fast and fun way to grab attention. Tom Fanelli shared an easy step-by-step tutorial on using Canva for infographcs. Canva has its own Design School and their suggestions go a long way in helping you design an image with a professional appearance.

Try Covers

If you do want to design your own book covers, Canva again has templates to help. Study sites like Book Covers Anonymous for ideas. Use a site like CoverCritics to test out your new cover before you publish.

Designing a cover for a report or information product you are giving away as a marketing incentive is an excellent idea especially if you are using a PLR as a base. You are always given covers for PLR reports but to make yours stand out, it should have an original cover.

Sharing Ideas

Do you create your own graphics? Make infographics? Design covers? Is it cost effective? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

Anne Duguid Knol

A local and national journalist in the U.K., Anne Knol is now a fiction editor for award-winning American and Canadian publishers. As a new author, she shares writing tips and insights at Author Support : http://www.authorsupport.net .

Her Halloween novella, ShriekWeek is published by The Wild Rose Press as e-book and in print included in the Hauntings in the Garden anthology. (Volume Two)

At last starting to write something else...

Your Book—The Best Business Marketing Tool

Everyone is looking for the silver bullet to propel their small business into the stratosphere. Yes there are many possible tools and shiny objects. One solid tool which gives and gives yet is often ignored is right in front of you: a book.

The book works for you 24/7 and promotes you as a business owner and expert. There are great books and there are poor books. To be successful you need to strategically take these three steps before you write your first word:

1. What is my area of expertise as a small business owner?

2. List 10 benefits or advantages you can give to others from your unique skills and viewpoints.

3. Return to your list and think of stories or personal experiences you have had to illustrate these advantages.

You have just created the outline for your book. People love stories and takeaway lessons from your experiences. I wrote a book for Joe Leninger who traded for ten years in the Eurodollar Pit of the Chicago Mercantile and made a million dollars every year for ten years. Our book, Lessons from the Pit, was built around stories and lessons. You can write the book yourself then go to an editor to get it polished. Or you can speak your book. A book will build credibility, get you speaking gigs and much more. The key is to create value for your reader. I suggest a 40,000 to 50,000 word book which is about 200 pages. This length has substance yet is not overwhelming to the reader.

Whether you publish your book with a traditional publisher or self-publish it, I encourage you to write a book proposal. Editors and literary agents use this specialized document to evaluate your idea. If you write one, you will have the tool you need to successfully approach them. If you do the book yourself (self-publish) a book proposal will help you develop a business plan for your book. I’ve written many proposals and read many more of them. You can learn the details using my free book proposal checklist at: http://terrylinks.com/bookcheck If I can help you, reach out to me. My email address is in my twitter profile.

Todd Ordal has written an example of a solid business book called Never Kick A Cow Chip On a Hot Day (Real Lessons for Real CEOS and those who want to be). Notice Todd’s different title and his quality writing combined with an excellent cover design and a growing presence in the marketplace. I acquired this book for Morgan James Publishing. You can learn a great deal studying the details of this book. Then do likewise with your own business.
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W. Terry Whalin, a writer and acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing, lives in Colorado. A former magazine editor, Whalin has written for more than 50 publications including Christianity Today and Writer’s Digest. He has written more than 60 nonfiction books including Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams. His website is located at: www.terrywhalin.com. Terry has over 165,000 twitter followers.

Writer's Block - Getting Past Fear

Writer's Block: According to Webster's Dictionary.

The problem of not being able to think of something to write about, or not being able to finish writing a story, poem, etc. A psychological inhibition preventing a writer from proceeding with a piece.

Yeah, I think writer's block is about fear. Plain and simple. The fear of failure - my work will not be good enough to: publish, win a contest, excite fans, or please my parents. Or it's a fear of success - what would happen if I became famous and everyone was reading my work? How would that change my life? (Many of you might be thinking that would be an awesome problem to have, but almost the same number of people are afraid of success as there are people afraid of failure.) Both fears stop you from writing - they are the cause of writer's block.

How do you get around the fear?

1. Recognize that fear might be the thing that is preventing you from writing. Sometimes the process of identifying the cause can allow the breakthrough. "I'm afraid, and I don't want to be caught in fear, so I'm going to sit down right now and get to work."

2. If recognition isn't enough - sit with the fear. Recognize that fear is the problem, then determine where your fear comes from and allow yourself to release that fear. Today you do not have to be a best selling author, or show your parents your novel, or do anything else, but put words down on paper for yourself. Push that inner critic who is always striving for perfection away - far, far, far away. You don't need him today.

3. Change from focusing on the fear to focusing on the love. Why do you write? Love of words? Love of story? Love of the time sitting in contemplation with your journal? Whatever excites you about your writing process, make that what you focus on. When you exchange love for fear your writing mind will automatically open and allow the process to begin.

Good luck and happy writing!

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D. Jean Quarles is a writer of Women's Fiction and co-author of a Young Adult Science Fiction Series. Her latest book, Solem was released February 2016.

D. Jean 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 also the author of the novels: Rocky's Mountains, Fire in the Hole, and Perception, and the co-author of The Exodus Series: The Water Planet: Book 1 and House of Glass: Book 2. 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

You can also follower her on Facebook.