Unlocking the Writer's Block

Available on Amazon

Unlocking Writer’s Block
Guest Post 
by Karen Zeigler


Rarely will individuals admit to being worriers unless they are going through a really difficult time.  So it’s not unusual that writers don’t recognize that the writer’s block they are experiencing is just worry in disguise. 

• What if no one read what I’ve written?
• What if the publisher rejects it?
• What if I don’t connect with my audience?
• Why does it matter?
• What if I miss the deadline?

Or perhaps it’s something total unrelated to writing.
• I wonder what they will find in those tests the doctor’s office ran.
• I hope my child has the courage to discuss the problem with their teacher. Should I step in or am I helping her become a responsible adult by asking her to step up?

• I haven’t heard from my spouse, the presentation was over an hour ago.  Is this a good sign that they got the business or is he lamenting at the airport bar?

Whatever the case is I can tell you from experience that there is likely a thousand thoughts running through your brain, perhaps even some on the topic you wish to write about, but the fearful, anxious and worrisome thoughts have taken over control.  Your mind maybe racing but the results are zip – going nowhere, nothing happening.

When I wrote my book Freedom from Worry – Prayer of Peace for an Anxious Mind it was more about eliminating worry and connecting with God is a real and life changing way.  What I didn’t realize until I began to share the practice is what can actually get accomplished when worry is out of the way.  Clarity comes, courage to take action and confidence in yourself, your calling and your God are just high level things that happen over and over again.  And if clarity wasn’t enough to make any writer rush online to purchase the book here are just a few more reasons you’ll want to include this book and the process that it teaches into your writing routine.

1.    The first key thing that happens in the process is the journaling.  That journaling is many things but first and foremost it is a means of getting the negative thoughts out of your brain.  As writers we often try to set all the positive variables in place – right time, right place, right atmosphere with little action taken to eliminate the negative thoughts rolling around in our head, which we carry with us regardless of where the writing takes place.

2.    Second we shift our mindset to that of gratitude.  It is when we are in a grateful mindset that our mind delves into deeper meaning, in life and in the topic at hand.  A mindset that is ultimately where most writers hope to take their audience.  Even the most comedic of writers is hoping to help their audience realize through humor that which is important about the topic.

3.    And last but not least it is a connection with the Creator.  A means for getting divine inspiration from the author of all creation. 

Practice the steps of the prayer and journaling found in Freedom from Worry and it’s guaranteed that thoughts will flow and writing will occur.  It happens by design.  By the end of your journaling time you will have spent 15-30 minutes pouring out (writing) your worries, fears, gratitude and requests onto the pages of your journal.  And as the peace of mind settles in, the flow continues on to the inspirational thoughts and words for which you were meant to write.

Karen Zeigler, Speaker and Life Coach, Inspiration to Change. 

Karen has come full circle, after almost 20+ years of climbing corporate ladders and pursuing her career that provided the prestige and money she thought was so critical from her college days, she realized there was more to life! She discovered coaching. Although she agrees being an Investment Advisor was somewhat fulfilling it never really scratched her "itch"...longings to write and speak on topics of purpose, passion and personal development.
 

Fine-Tune Your Writing Vision

Some time ago I shared I was struggling with leaving my vacation time attitude, and moving back into the "workplace." I seriously struggled and no matter what, lists, deadlines or looming financial disaster (okay, so that is a little stretch), I could not make myself work.

However I soon found the root cause of this "funk" ...and none too soon... it was the lack of focus and vision. I had so many projects to work on, all with pending deadlines and I couldn't make time to finish even one! Until I was able to pull back, analyze my work load and make a plan, was I able to gain clarity and tackle the project one thing at a time.

Maybe you are a ball-juggler and like to have several projects going at once. I am one of *those* types of people. However, knowing which job to pick and put down is very important. I often run many things in my head at once and until I stop and take the time to write it down, it normally remains there.

Here are five keys to finding a focus and re-gaining your vision:

1. De-Clutter:
      While a messy desk may be the sign of a creative mind it wastes so much time! I recently de-cluttered my entire office, shelves, desk drawers, table tops and more and found so many things I had lost or misplaced months ago.

2. Organize
     If you clean and declutter and go back to your old way of doing things the same thing will happen. I have so much paper and often there are piles around my office. Now I've organized each group into specific places. This system is working well for me and helps contain the paper-monster piles.

1. Something I'm not finished with, but doesn't need my attention for awhile, goes into a folder and into a small holder beside my desk.
2. Work in progress into a notebook, sometimes with hole-punch and other times paper clipped (large ones) for easy flipping through. This works great for manuscripts that I'm reviewing, for example I have a final draft of the new Information in a Nutshell Book, "Taxes and Tips for Writer's" by Carol Topp sitting in a notebook at my desk waiting for ONE (hopefully) last set of eyes. (Book is due for pre-release in September.)
3. Important: This is pinned to one of my three bulletin boards. (Did you know I was a teacher?) Sticky notes for things to take care of and then discard, and more important to-do's are pinned on the board.
4. Completed project into a file and drawer.


3. Prioritize
     I'm open to suggestions on this one. I consider just about everything a NOW job! For example I am hosting several webinars and while hosting one I am taping behind the scenes sessions and planning and scheduling the next webinar. My list of to-do grows at this time and only with help can I accomplish everything in a timely fashion. Obviously a schedule is of major importance and the event schedule takes precedence over other deadlines. Which brings us to the next point...

4. Set Deadlines
I've found that I can work best under a deadline so I try to give each project a projected finish date. This has worked well and now with some help I am finding this to be a valuable aid. Having a mid-point date to re-evaluate is my goal, and would be wonderful, however I am not at that point. At least at this writing.

5. Celebrate
    All work and no-play makes Jane dull...and even if my name isn't Jane I've become dull at times. Racing to one deadline, only to begin another is seriously a recipe for disaster. I need time to regroup with my family, take a break and turn my computer off. Hibernate does not count! Taking time to celebrate the big and little events are a great way to get your focus back.

Whatever ways work for you, I hope you will share your successes here with me. What has worked for you and how do you handle one or more of the issues that plague even the most organized writers?

JumpStart Your Publishing Dreams

W. Terry Whalin Author

When I hosted W. Terry Whalin on my radio show for authors it was as if I was having a nice chat, over coffee, with an old friend. You see, I've known Terry for years. Not "known" him in the sense of the real world, but known him in the sense of the Internet World: I-know-him-because-I-follow-him. Terry wrote what I consider a famous ebook on writing a book proposal. I purchased and downloaded mine long ago before eBooks were even in vogue. He now has an excellent book, "Book Proposals that Sell". Book proposals can open up the seemingly sky-high, iron gates of the publishing world if one knows how to do so correctly...and Terry does. [Busy acquisitions editors don't have the time to read a manuscript but they will read a well crafted proposal!]

So, where does Terry get his level of expertise? From being a former literary agent and an acquisitions editor for a major publishing house. He has been published in over 50 magazines and written more than 60 books.

Yes, the "e" in word Expert is extra large in Terry's case. What I really enjoyed about the conversation was the way Terry was happy to share his knowledge and level of expertise so willingly. Most accomplished authors are happy with the knowledge that they've touched lives no matter how minimally. You know the adadage, it was worth writing the book if even one person's life is changed. Terry has touched the lives of countless people, with his work and now with his ability to help other authors. Terry is now a publisher at Intermedia Publishing Group, where for a fee he will help an author see their dreams fulfilled. I'm not a fan of most pay-as-you-go print on demands and this group is far from that type of venture. You see, Terry brings real printing and publishing experience to his company and you will see that the authors who use Intermedia Publishing are very happy with this arrangement.

Terry gives busy authors, many who are professionals real help. He realizes that authors are often experts in their jobs and the idea of a book is often as a vehicle to open up speaking engagements. That is where having an expert in the field is so important.

The Internet has opened up a world of information to the reader and while I enjoy the speed at which I can obtain real information, I am always cautious as to the source of the information. You can be sure that people like W. Terry Whalin have the publishing clout and experience that new authors need. Be sure to obtain recommendations from people who have used the service you are considering.

Let me tell you something else about Terry. He is a true professional in every sense of the word. You could say Terry and I are competitors if you are in that outside, cut-throat world of publishing. While I am an Author Consultant, I'm honest enough to know my services are not a fit for someone wanting their book printed and published using a service, such as Terry's. I consider Terry a colleague and will definitely recommend people to use his one-stop-shop services at Intermedia.

When we exchanged books before the radio interview I found he had given me a wonderful book review (Information in a Nutshell: Writing and Publishing) on Amazon. (I'm great at telling other people to ask for these reviews, but often fall short asking for them myself!) Terry is such a kindly gentleman, he did so without me asking. You can read it here.

I am pleased to call Terry a friend and I am sure you will soon find he is your friend once you read his book, follow him via his social media profiles and get to know him better. 

You can find W. Terry Whalin:


Website
Facebook
Twitter

Read my review of his book here

What is in a Saying?

It's all about words...

Better late than never...

It's the thought that counts...

Never count your chickens before they are hatched

and of course

Great things come in small packages.

So what does this eclectic collection of words have to do with this post? The first is I've neglected my poor blog over the Christmas Holidays wanting to post about a great interview with my guest Terry Whalin the author of a wonderful book I am half-way through, "Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams: Insider Secrets to Skyrocket Your Success" and it is coming...this week! (Better late than never)

And additionally I want to let you know about about an upcoming guest, if you are reading this prior to January 10th at 3:30 EST when I will interview Marnie Swedberg. Marnie has the largest collection of women speakers available in a group online. She will discuss her services as well as speaking platforms and much more (It's the thought that counts.)

and ....

I've been working with several authors who have seen a rapid decline in their sales and some who have new products and are considering various market blasts but sold so little books their money is tied up in inventory. They were hoping to have surplus of cash but invested in books first. (Don't count your chickens before they are hatched). We will be handling information about this in subsequent radio interviews and blog posts.

and last but not least...

I have been working furiously behind the scenes in fact harder than I've ever worked in my life and I have many surprises coming up for those faithful readers as well as those who drop by on occasion. My only hint to you is (can you guess?) Great things come in small packages.

I am extending you an invitation, let's join together to make 2011 the best year ever. Are you with me? I hope so. Let me know how you are planning to make this the best yet.

What I Learned from Dan Poynter

And so I interviewed Dan Poynter, on my Blog Talk Radio show for aspiring authors, Information in a Nutshell.

Here is what I have to say about the interview,

It was fabulous!

Dan answered the questions very thoroughly, with great wisdom and with patience. Just think. He has done this for so many years and I'm sure been asked the same questions over and over again. Even though I tried to think outside of the box I still wanted to ask him some of the traditional questions that people often ask.


Dan had so many great things to say, but here are a few:

1. If you don't already have a blog, don't start one and try to get people to follow your blog.
2. Instead, do a keyword search or set a keyword alert with Google Alerts and visit blogs that already have a large subscription base and post on their blogs.
3. If you don't already have Google Alerts set for your name, do so immediately. In that way you can follow what is being said about you and respond as needed.
4. Dan talked about how writing and publishing has changed since he wrote his first book and the importance of keeping up with the times.
5. Dan shared the amazing resources found on his websites for authors who desire to self-publish

And, as an added bonus (for me as well) the show was chosen as one of the day's Top Picks!

 

http://www.WritingandPublishingRadio.com

And that is not all... it turns out that having Dan Poynter as a guest is cause for many people, including agents to email me, and ask if their clients can have a chance at an interview. That was an unexpected benefit, although I am booked through the coming year, it will help for next year's bookings. 

And there is more... The show was featured during the week end as a highlighted show. I was pleasantly surprised and realized this, when once again I began receiving emails via Blog Talk Radio in-Mail, from authors interested in having me interview them and talk about their books. Many marked my show as a "Favorite." 

The show's behind the scenes manual invites hosts to encourage their listeners to mark the show as a favorite or at the very least to "Follow" the show. I'm too shy (yes, shy with a capital "S") to self promote in this manner. In fact, I've had to overcome much of my shyness in order to host this show and promote my own books!

Really, one of the important factors that separates a veteran author and professional such as Dan Poynter and someone with no speaking and interview experience is that Dan is prepared for whatever questions might come his way. The focus of my show is on the writing and publishing process. Yes, we discuss the author, their life and their book. But, we really delve into one or two aspects that are their area of expertise. For example, if the author has a background that makes them an expert in their field and it took them twenty years to write the book. We explore the reasons why and hopefully this will help another aspiring author to overcome these same types of issues.

Dan's has a wide area of expertise, but I think his specialty is the niche market. He was able to sell his early books on Parachuting to specialty markets. Hence the name of his publishing company, ParaPublishing. Get it?

If you missed the interview, be sure to catch the archived version. And, it is thanks to my famous guest that the show was highlighted, and for that I say, "Thanks Dan Poynter for spending time with me and my listeners, we all benefited from your experience and wisdom."

Do You Have a Writing Cave?

As I was compiling a quick online event to highlight a new venue for my business,  I received an email from a dear friend and colleague. She asked if she could throw her hat into the arena as an upcoming speaker, but she couldn't talk, she was in her "writing cave."

This lady has a great sense of humor and her speaking sessions are highlighted with pithy remarks which often have the audience rolling in laughter. I remember sitting at her feet, literally (the packed room had no more chairs and we were seated on the floor, up against a wall in a convention center) listening to her seminar on teaching children language arts through literature. As she began (without the projector and screen that had not yet been delivered to the room), she was insightful, captivating and fun. Once the audio-visual guys finally showed up and began setting up in the midst of her talk, the screen barely missed her head. She didn't falter and somehow managed to incorporate this event as if it was a planned part of her oration.

This term, "writing cave" struck a cord with me. What is a writing cave and why is this so important to an author? I believe a cave, den, office or any area where you do write should be free of interruption and definitely not contain any distractions! When I enter my cave I open an internet screen and do not turn on my email or social media accounts. I write with a focus and love the "sticky note" feature on my computer that keeps a small, vital list of to-do's handy in case I flounder without direction.

This cave is a place where I enter to work and work hard. Many of you may not know that I am a homeschool parent, and have been for many years. In my years at home with my children I find that by noon we have completed the majority of our schooling and the children spend the afternoon with projects such as art, music, listening to audio presentations or finishing subjects such as reading assignments. The five hours required each day of schooling is easily accomplished in the morning. We don't have any fillers such as changing classes or interruptions such as fire drills.

The same is true with my writing. What I can accomplish when I set out with a clear focus is much greater when I enter my cave free from clutter or distraction. I can look with determination at the project at hand and crank out page after page that might take me twice as long if I am snatching a few minutes here and there. I understand some busy people can't take the hours needed to do this in the midst of their careers. Yet, I know if you set aside time each day as your "writing cave time" you will be surprised at how much you do accomplish.

As a businesswoman, CEO, mom and wife, my loyalties are divided. But, I am driven. I am focused. When I work on a project no matter what it is, I give it my one-hundred percent undivided attention. Whether it is baking (my stress outlet) or pounding away at the computer keyboard I'm all there. This cave mentality is not innate, it is something I've cultivated through the years.

For a business to be successful it must contain the "right" ingredients, otherwise you are spinning your wheels and will eventually become burnt out and decide the effort is not worth the trials associated with the endeavor. Many consider writing a hobby and while I began my writing with a "hobby" mentality it changed fairly quickly. How often I say I wish I had known *then* what I know *now*!

Take time to plan out your writing strategy, find a cave, wherever that may be, and begin today to get those thoughts down onto paper (or word processor file). Know that you are not alone and many of us suffer from distractions from the task at hand. You will accomplish much more, I guarantee it, if you have a system and stick with a plan.

Writing Fiction, Non-Fiction or Both?

Are you a fiction author?

Are you a non-fiction author?

Are you both?

Several of my recent guests on the Information in a Nutshell Radio for Authors write both fiction and non-fiction. One enjoyable interview was with author Cara Putman. This interview revealed that Cara was an author of a series of novels with titles such as "Trial by Fire", "Canteen Dreams", and "Stars in the Night." Upon further research I learned she was also the author of "A Complete Idiot's Guide to Business Law"! Cara was an attorney and now is equally successful at writing romance and mystery novels. Versatility for an author as in this case is key.

Another guest penned several romance novels and is currently a free lance newspaper reporter. She was a wealth of information regarding how she managed to get her current job. An author is not necessarily tethered to a computer and with some imagination you can use your skills to land a job, while waiting for that book contract to come along.

In all cases it is a matter of using your talents and mapping out a focus or goal. Not every non-fiction author can or desires to pen a fiction, and vice-versa. Yet, if your gift lies in both areas the field is much wider for you and your chances of becoming published. In all cases research is important, not only as it pertains to your work, and your competition, but also the necessary steps to take to see your work becomes published.

Another interesting interview with a guest, fillmaker, screen-writer and author, Jon Steven Nappa, explained his experience as a speaker at writing conferences. He shared that often, aspiring-author-attendees ask basic questions that can easily be found on the library or book store shelves. Obviously this is not the best use of the expert's time. You should do your research before attending this type of conference and be prepared to ask the questions the books omit.

Jon is another example of an author with versatility. His novel, "Storm Warriors," based upon a true story, created an alliance with a wonderful ministry, "Storm Warriors International." This organization works with those who are in need by letting others with means know of their plight and bring aid by matching needs with donors. One-hundred percent of the profits from his book go to the ministry. Using a book for this purpose whatever your charitable focus is a great idea.

Writing today with the technology available knows no limit. Blogs, Tweets, websites, eReaders, and various forms of transferring media electronically can bring the written word to the ends of the earth, all in a nano-second. Look at your skill set, look at your options and get that written idea off your computer and into the hands of an eager reader...today!

Are you Married to Your Words?

You have an idea. A brilliant idea. And so the story begins. You jot down some of these ideas, perhaps you are more organized than most and you begin folders. You compile, research, gather and eventually after many hours of toil you hold in your hand the finished product. A manuscript for the entire world to behold... here are your words, your heart, your thoughts.

For many that is the end. The carefully crafted words never see the light of day. Yet, for others it is just the beginning. One of my daughter's college friends was a self-proclaimed closet author. She had worked on a manuscript in private, a love story that no one was allowed to read. No family, no friends, not even her friend’s mom who was an author (me). Even though this dear, young lady worked as my assistant. Finally after much trepidation, she shared her story with me. I was allowed to read her private work. When I asked her if she wanted any input she said, “Not really.” She never planned to let anyone read it. This was her work, and in her thoughts a part of herself.

This young lady is not alone. Thousands of other would-be authors do not allow their work to see daylight due to insecurity of what others will say. She could not bear the thought that someone would hack her carefully crafted words. And so, her story remains hidden. She wrote a fiction work and therefore it is an area where more creativity is called upon and perhaps the author feels more vulnerable.

What happens when you do let other people read your manuscript and finally send it to a professional editor? Your work will be critiqued, analyzed and cleaned up. This is not to say you can’t self-edit your own work. I read and reread my work many times. However, I always use editors when I’m finished with the first draft, and have ever since the very beginning of my career.

Being an author takes tough skin. I have worked on manuscripts on both sides of the spectrum. As an author, publisher and content editor executing major rewrites, and as a ghost writer as well. I’ve been paid to read manuscript for both brief and thorough analysis. The latter consists of giving my opinion on what it will take to get a work ready for publication. In each case the information comes from experience, clothed as much in consideration for the author’s ego as possible.

Still, when I look at the computer screen after implementing the grammatical tracking system on my word processing program, the paper appears to bleed from all the red ink. If it is of any consolation, I've had my work "bleed" in the past from my editors. In fact anytime I write and send my work to an editor it comes back marked, some places more than others. I can conveniently click “accept changes” or “reject changes.” Ultimately I am the author and I can decide. 



Truthfully? I'm not married to my words. If there is a better way to say something then I want to know. I'd rather have someone slash my carefully crafted sentence then go to print with something sub-par. The results have been stunning.

You are in good company. No one likes criticism, yet critique with a purpose can make the difference between an author whose work remains mediocre and one whose work reaches great heights. Here is to reaching for the stars!

Co-Authors: Writing with Two

My first book was a solo affair and then the idea hit me for a great new series of curriculum study guides. There was one little problem. I did not possess the expertise to write the books on my own, but I knew the perfect candidate to join me in the endeavor. When she agreed I was excited about the prospect and we began our work in earnest. So far so good.

We quickly penned the book, had an editor, her husband read the manuscript and with a few more pairs of eyes and one other professional taking a look we were ready to go. I had speaking engagements lined up and had even contacted another author who was speaking at the same conference to "plug" our book after her seminar, by holding up a newly minted copy. Everything was humming along, or so I thought until reality struck my co-author. Cold feet.

She had a bad experience in the professional work place years ago when another co-worker took her presentation and with a few tweaks called it his own, presenting it to the board of directors and landing a raise. She was concerned that this would happen to her. I assured her that her name was prominently on the cover and I considered her the "brains" behind the science-based curriculum series for children. As the owner of the company, my job as her publisher was to inspire and instill confidence and we went on to write four books in the series and created many hours of hands-on fun  workshops across the nation for school aged children.

Flash forward a few years later and I found myself with another co-author. This one was a bit closer to home and happened to be my teen-aged daughter. She had an idea for a book and between the two of us many hours of brainstorming later we had a series in mind. With the first book written in a little under six months (and another 18 months of reviews by readers and professionals) we were ready to go to print! Our first book signing was set up and we both were speaking, jointly at a conference. It was an exciting time for us and her books outsold my curriculum 2-1. Three books in the series later we had thousands of books in print and the books are in their third printing at this point.

You could say I have experience with self-publishing, co-authoring, and publishing other authors. The above two authors were not under contract, both were verbal agreements. I had a great experience with them and still do, even though my friend is deceased. Her heirs now receive her royalties. I quickly learned this was not the way to do business and I have legally contracted with other authors every since. My attorney (Susan L. Spann) does a wonderful job in providing a fair contract that meets all of my needs and those of my authors.

I was extremely blessed to live through those two co-authorships unscathed. I would highly recommend a clearly delineated contract. Here is a quick check list in the event you consider working with a co-author:

1. Plan on splitting the royalty evenly.
2. Clearly explain each person's job.
3. Decide who will handle the tasks of publishing if you are self-publishing.
4. Decide who will handle obtaining an agent or publisher if looking for a royalty publisher.
5. Decide who will obtain speaking engagements.
6. Sign a contract before you begin that clearly states your royalty split if you plan to do #3 or #4.
7. Split any type of costs such as an editor, mailings or printing.
8. If one of you decides to be the publisher, make sure you receive at least 10% more for the subsequent expense and work (this is optional but highly recommended).
9. Decide who will handle publicity, or contacting or hiring a publicist.
10. Set time-lines and deadlines for all of the above.

One thing I've learned if there is a squabble over whose name goes first on the cover I'd be cautious. The rule of thumb is alphabetically, but it really is up to the two of you to decide. Beware if one author's name goes first the publisher will want to keep it this way through subsequent works even if you are the one doing most of the work. Co-authorships have been called marriages without love and that is possibly true. My experiences have been positive but then my personality is such that I tend to get along with the majority of the people, and I don't sweat the "little stuff"...

I will be interviewing co-authors, Donna McCrary and Sherri Holbert, both professional life coaches who have joined to write the book DIVA's of the Divine. They will share their experiences with the audience and much more about the writing and publishing process. I hope you'll join me live, if not the archives are here.

You Can Make Money by Writing Articles

Oh sure, authors are known to make upwards of one dollar per word or more for magazine articles. But, don't take out the calculator just yet. There are many ways to  cash in on your writing ability. While it is true you can market and re-market your work to various periodicals, create sales, and make this your new career, for those looking for residual income or perhaps a full time job, this will take hard work.


Why write magazine articles? For the experience. I was published long before I wrote my first book. In fact I was a "regular" in the editorial page at our local newspaper. Once one of my "pieces" was the editorial of the week. When the newspaper employee called asking for a picture to include with my article (and I declined), I knew my words were able to convey feelings and make my point. 

In order to write good articles, you must read and research. What magazine do you want to write for? What type of articles do they publish? Do they publish freelance authors? Knowing how and where to begin, will go a long way to formulating your plan.

Lists always help me. Especially when I take the time to read them! They help me stay in focus and make difficult decisions. There is not only "one" right-way to market your articles. And even if there were, following any plan perfectly is difficult. Understanding what is and what is not acceptable will help you land that article assignment. The goal of becoming a published author is well within your reach.

So here is a list of the do's, don'ts. The insider tips. The real scoop for creating articles that will help jump start your sales!

Do's
1. Research very clearly what a magazine wants in terms of articles. Read many issues (not just one) and get a feel for the editorial needs of the publication. Make sure they accept articles from non-staff writers. Note the length of the articles, and the tone of voice. First person or third?
2. Some magazines ask for queries (a pitch of your idea) first, others want the full article. Give them what they want.
3. Think outside the box. How is your article better, different, insightful and or use interviews with quotes to support your information within the body of the text.
4. Write down the date that you submitted your article if you haven't received a confirmation in 6 weeks, send an polite email query as to the status of your work.  
4. An article is not necessarily a one time sale. Some magazines ask for first rights, others allow reprints with the correct notation. Don't waste the time of the editorial staff by shopping an already published piece unless it is significantly different or updated with new information.
6. If you article has not been accepted within at least six months shop it somewhere else.
7. If you are submitting to an editor, make sure it is the correct person. Newspapers? It is better to call the newsroom and ask who takes submissions. Websites sometime include information on how to submit an article.

Don't
1. Submit an article that is riddled with typos.
2. Submit an article to more than one publication at once (unless multiple submissions are acceptable).
3. Submit the wrong kind of article that is off in style, tone or topic for a specific publication.
4. Constantly bombard the acquisitions editor with emails asking for confirmation the article was received or whether or not it has been accepted.
5. Use a poor submission service (especially for online services) that take inferior articles.
6. Place poorly concealed ads in order to sell other services and products.
7. Don't rewrite someone elses articles and call it your own. Yes, many people may teach similar concepts but there have been submissions that have smacked of plagiarism.
8. Don't Address your article to the incorrect person, or misspell the editor's name!
9. Don't expect the "big bucks." Sometimes the payment is free magazine copies, or a very small stipend. Chalk it up to experience and something to put on the resume.

Make sure you have a compelling pitch (this is a topic I will write about another time) and the explain your ideas for the possibility of a two or even three part article series. Magazines are looking for quality cohesive pieces and who knows... it could land you a full time job as a feature writer! The best of both worlds is to be a participant on a freelance authors group. Discover these listings on Yahoo by searching under "groups". I'm on a group with a specific periodical I write for on occasion. The editor of the magazine uses this as a way to throw out last minute assignments or requests for a particular magazine piece. Another editor I know has used an email group to ask for a particular "themed" piece for the magazine.  

Two of my recent submissions have been chosen as feature articles. This was unplanned on my part. So how did this happen? My article was timely, exactly what the editor envisioned and while needing editing (yes, for you punctuation gurus I know, my blog posts need work in this area), the editing needed was minimal. The second article was a filler for someone else who had dropped the ball and turned out to be something the editor wanted to highlight in the upcoming edition.

If you know a friend who is an editor, have them read over your work before submission. You want to be known as the writer that needs little editing. Do your homework and do it well. You will be happy with the results in the long run!

What is Your Claim to Fame?

I never aspired to be a famous author.

Although my goal as an educator was much more lofty. It was to become principal of a school, inspire teachers and students and change the world through the educational system for the better. In reality I taught in the "system" for two years, found my renegade teaching practices landed me in hot water and several trips to the Principal and Assistant Principals office (I kid you not.) where I was told a file was being kept on me. I quickly quipped, I too was keeping a file on them.

My not so illustrious career ended after two years and with the wonderful news that I was expecting a child. My husband's career was skyrocketing so it was a good time to stay-at-home, hang up my teaching shingles and turn my interests to my passion, reading. Life's twists and turns always land us on our feet if we remain positive, focused and take a while to kick back and refocus, when there is a need. This is a time as a Christian to seek the Lord, but I was too young, brash and "knew it all" back then. While I prayed I figured that was "bothering" God.

I found I enjoyed writing, took several mail-order courses (this was pre-Internet days) and enjoyed the time with my baby and my writing imagination. Once the rejection letters rolled in I decided it was time to once again regroup and study to learn more about writing.
Currently I find myself in the instructor mode. While I have seventeen books to my credit I enjoy finding ways to improve my skills. In my quest to learn from experts I've networked locally, online and read my share of blogs. After seeking, I decided I wanted to talk to those "in the know" and those with a "claim to fame" and even those who are aspiring and those related in some capacity to the writing and publishing world.

I began my RADIO SHOW FOR AUTHORS as a way to inspire and educate. I have not been disappointed other than a few interviews that did not turn out very well. In order to be invited as a guest for an interview, I ask the author to teach the audience something of value. Either from their experiences of finding a publisher or agent, self-publishing, or perhaps about their writing experiences in general. And as an added bonus, some authors happen to be wonderful teachers of the elements of style, characterization, setting or plot. One author shared how she researched to find deep-secret information that even the CIA questioned her about, for her novel. These interviews and more are archived on the Writing and Publishing Site.

Everyone's claim to fame is different. Not that anyone consciously thinks this through, but I've had some wonderful guests that I believe are on the "Hall of Fame" list. One was Turner Publisher the top Independent Publisher featured in Publishers Weekly Magazine or perhaps an author with over 100+ books... Some books are best sellers, some have sold 10,000+ copies. Many authors are humble, and then there are "THE AUTHORS" those with one book wonders or the "attitude". . . "I've written a book."

I'm not that kind of author and if I ever become one, please let me know. Please. While humility is a virtue I don't have to work on it for the most part. I'm a klutz, even my "tennis pro" teacher, and aging lady who had long ago played at Wimbledon, once asked me to NOT tell anyone she was my instructor. Maybe it was because I told her I played because I liked the clothes. When it comes to writing I think I know my stuff. It has taken years to hone my craft. Some are naturals and perhaps you are one and your learning curve will be shorter. Whatever your passion, keep at it and keep learning. Then you can email me and share your claim to fame with me, and perhaps we can plan an interview.

How Do You Spell O-V-E-R-W-H-E-L-M-E-D?

That's it. I've had it. Enough.

I would say that I quit, but being self-employed poses a quandary. It isn't so much the work load, the overflowing desk with everything screaming, "Me First!" at the same time, or the to-do list that would be buried if I hadn't automated it with those annoying reminders. The problem stems from saying yes to many projects and having them require my attention all at once.

So what is a harried person to do when quitting is not an option? Well, blog about it of course and then when it is out there for the world to see changes must be made. Seeing where the fault lies or understanding the cause does not help when you are in a bind. What is called for are the big-guns. You know the kind you pull out when you are sick of the mess and the troops (a.k.a the kids for those of us with them) or the cleaning service is marched in and ordered to come to the rescue. Since the word overwhelmed is the theme of the day, I decided to see what the acronym could garnish in the way of help for me, and perhaps for you as you carry on with you life.

O ...Obstacles

The first order of the day was deciding I had too many objects on my to-do list for a normal mortal and I decided to find an assistant. After I found one (and a great one at that) I obtained a company (tish-tish we are not discussing this right now...all in good time...another time....after the ink dries). Therefore I found I had relieved my work load in one area and added to it in another.

V ...Virtual Assistant

I decided to hand the new business to the virtual assistant and she has been an amazing asset and things are purring along somewhat. Other than a few hiccups and an overload of emails to my already overloaded in-box things are moving along well, except I'm back to Square One.

E ...Eager

When I am busy my brain goes into overload and somehow with the adrenalin rush, my brain cells are in full gear and I have an outpouring of many ideas and projects I'd like to tackle, but all I can muster is a reminder line in my "Ideas" folder. If you do not have one begin today.

R ...Restoration

Last week, by providence I had a migraine and subsequent headaches. Life happens. After a nice vacation of restoration...for a few days, and after many hours of sleep I had the rest my body craved and I found I lost more hours that I could not afford.

W ...Weaknesses

I am NOT a perfectionist but I am true to my word and many of my words have remained unfulfilled which brings me to the next word...

E ...Energy

In a burst of energy to get all things done today, I have made a small dent in my IN Box and my To Do List. I'm feeling better already

L ...Lessons

I've learned I can not be so hard on myself. I ask as much or more of myself as I do of others. In fact, I am far more patient with other people. Therefore if a project will be delayed, so be it. I am not going to stress about it...today.

M ...Management

I am on a new path, that of a person who is healed of being overwhelmed. I can not and will not let the to-do list overflow again. Currently there are many changes being made behind the scenes and time planned for those big projects that will take my full attention not a few minutes here and there. Managing my time and getting the work load lessened is the fix of the day.

For me the vision is clear and finding a clear path where I can step one foot before the other moving forward and not back is the goal. I'm finding relief in the little things. I "make" myself go swimming each day, I stop and enjoy the sunset, I eat dinner while the food is still warm and other things that most people take for granted.

When a twitter post was answered it really hit home. My post said something like, "It's Saturday evening, the family is watching a movie and I'm working!" and I had several messages asking me about the movie title. I had no idea. I was upstairs in my office working and they were downstairs!

Authors sometimes live a lonely life, but there is good news! I still have my sense of humor and I enjoyed blogging about it. When all is said and done, there is no other profession I'd rather have than that of being author.

Writing Fiction: Dreaming with My Eyes Open

by Mary Beth 

When we were at the beach a week and a half ago, my husband Curt had two of our kids outside swinging. "Daddy," my youngest said as she soared high on her swing, "I can dream with my eyes open!"

Curt thought he knew what she meant so he probed a bit to find out if he was guessing right. "Are you dreaming right now?" he asked her.

"Oh yes!" she said.

"What are you dreaming?" he asked.

She proceeded to tell him an elaborate tale about knights and kings and princesses and dragons. And, she pointed out, it was all happening in front of her eyes even though she wasn't asleep. Curt later told me this story and smiled as he said, "She's just like her mama!"

I admit. I dream with my eyes open a lot. While I am running. While I am driving. While I am washing dishes or sitting still. As I told someone recently: I am never idle and never bored. I get to go places, meet people and live adventures. Who cares if the places, people and adventures aren't actually happening? They are to me.

Novel writing has been a great extension of the dreams I dream with my eyes open. I get to tell the stories that entertain me and hope they entertain others as well. I love the possibilities that lie in front of me as I spend time this summer investigating ideas and fleshing out characters, determining what my next steps will be, my next novel-writing adventure will be. The world of storytelling is filled with potential. New ideas wait around every corner, hiding within the "What if?" question most writers are very good at asking.

I love dreaming with my eyes open. My life is all the richer for it.

MaryBeth Whalen is passionate about her Lord, her family and her writing. She is an author of fiction and non-fiction titles. Her first novel, "The Mailbox" has been released and she is working on her next two titles.

You can find more information about her here as well as her ministries page: http://www.marybethwhalen.com

MaryBeth's is a Proverbs 31 Ministries speaker.

Taste Testing: A Forum for Fiction Authors

by Brenda Layman

I don’t write a lot of fiction, but I enjoy it immensely. Fiction lifts us out of our daily life and transports us to any place or time that an author can imagine and create. My writing is usually short, direct, and if I have done my research well, useful. The kind of writing I am usually paid to do is like the ham sandwich in the lunch bag. Fiction is the cream-filled cupcake.

A good ham sandwich is a valuable thing. It’s filling, and it provides the protein and carbohydrates that enable us to tackle an afternoon’s activities. A good cupcake isn’t strictly necessary, but it sure does make lunch more enjoyable. That, I think, is the role of fiction. It makes intellectual life more enjoyable.

That said, it is clear that I admire the pastry chefs of writing, those cupcake bakers, the writers of fiction. I love their mysteries, their comedies, and even their tales of terror and woe. They create new worlds of wonder; they entertain; they entice; they enthrall. They deserve our admiration and our support. Theirs is often a lonely existence, as they sit before their keyboards, deep in the narratives they wrest from their imaginations and render, characters still wriggling, into print for readers to enjoy.

The purpose of Fiction Writers’ Platform is to give writers another place to communicate. It is a place to share, and to elicit comments and suggestions for improvement. It is a place where those cupcakes, so delicious and still warm from the oven, are offered for tasting. Is the crumb delicate, the filling rich and satisfying, the frosting smooth and appealing? Is the recipe right, or does it need a bit more or less of some ingredient? FWP is a safe, free place to try out literary concoctions. I love to sample them, and I thank the authors for sharing them.

About Brenda:

Brenda Layman is a free lance outdoor writer who lives in Ohio with her husband and photographer, Mark. She is the Feature Writer for Hunting & Fishing at online magazine Suite101, and is a regular contributor to Ohio Valley Outdoors and Pickerington Community magazines. Brenda is a member of The Ohio Smallmouth Alliance, and she edits the organization’s newsletter. She is a member of The Outdoor Writers of Ohio and The Ohio Writers Guild. She published several articles over the years, but began writing in earnest after the death of her daughter, Carol. As a writer, her response to the tragic event was to put her emotional struggle into words. Her journal became a book, Song of Joy, a Guide to Recovery from Sorrow (AuthorHouse, 2006). The book is available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and can also be purchased as an e-book. Writing and publishing her book led Brenda to join The Ohio Writers Guild, where colleagues encouraged her to pursue writing about her passion for the outdoors. This led to her present career as an outdoor writer. Brenda is also an experienced public speaker.

What to Do When Life Doesn't Go According to Plan

by Debbie Taylor Williams
www.debbietaylorwilliams.com

Author of:  The Plan A Woman in a Plan B World; Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion; If God is In Control, Why Am I a Basket Case; If God is In Control, Why Do I Have a Headache?; Prayers of My Heart, and others.


Do you have a great idea for a book?  Has God stirred your heart about a topic on which to write?  Do you have the perfect title?  If so, congratulations!  You may be on your way to writing the next best seller.  But what if you walk in a bookstore and see the title already on the shelf?  What if you have the book, but not the “speaking platform” required by many publishers?  What if another author steals your idea and sells the book you thought God had given you to write?

Let me assure you, all of the above can happen.  Our best Plan A can quickly fall through a crack.  When that happens, what can we do?  What should we avoid? 

1.    Recognize that our worst nightmare may be the crucible from which our most inspired writing comes forth. 
2.    Fall on your knees before God.  Praise Him as Sovereign God.  Praise Him that He knows the plans He has for you and that they are good.  Confess your trust in Him and His best for your life.
3.    Seek God’s will and how He wants you to move forward. 
4.    Acknowledge that God’s ways are higher than yours.  Trust Him.
5.    Defuse any “land mine” thoughts that could maim you and your relationships with others. 

Land Mines to Defuse
1.    Bitterness.  The number one cause for depression is anger.  God teaches us, “Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity,” Eph 4:26.  If anyone had a right to be angry for being wrongfully treated it is God the Father and Son.  When our plans as writers fall apart, it is not the time for us to fall apart.  Rather, it an opportunity for us to work out what God has worked within us:  Christ in the Holy Spirit.  Carefully and cautiously we must take hold of the bitterness in our heart and hold it from us, as we would a poisonous snake.  “Do not give the devil an opportunity.”

2.    Fixations on the Past.  As writers, we can forlornly look at what “should’ve been, could’ve been.”  Rather, we must fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy before Him endured the cross, despising the shame,…” Heb 12:2.  In others words, we must recognize how looking back can be a land mine.  Certainly, Lot’s wife would warn us, “Don’t fixate on the past.”  You may not turn to salt if you keep looking back, but your heart will certainly become hardened if you don’t keep your eyes fixed on Jesus.  

Are there disappointments when plans don’t go as we expected?  Of course!  However, God still has A+ plans for your life.  Seek His face.  Defuse dangerous land mines in your mind that can harm you, others, and the cause of Christ.  Experience the good works and plans God has for you.

Real Life: Writing What You Know

You have heard the saying, "Write what you know," and I have heard entire lectures revolving around those words. Some say it is a misnomer and you can write whatever you want now that the internet allows you to research at a click of a button. Others say for a first book it is very important to be knowledgeable and your work will reflect this knowledge.

I agree that writing what you know makes it much easier to write a book for a first time authors. If you are grappling with research, test marketing chapters of your book to family and friends, and trying to write a book while juggling your normal job activities, or home, it can all be overwhelming.

In these types of discussions there is always an exception to rule. For example, a first time author writes a best selling book, and obtains an agent and publisher on the first try! Yes, these things do happen, yet for most of us writing and all that goes along with publishing takes hard work. Knowing your subject matter will allow for the learning curve to be a bit smaller.

When my daughter, Christina and I wrote our first novel, I had several failed attempts and a stack of rejection letters to show for my previous efforts, way before she was even born. I attempted my brief foray into writing a best-selling-novel (I never think small), when I was first married and at home with my new baby. After leaving the teaching profession, I was hungry for some type of brain stimulation. Babies are adorable (I've had five), still I wanted something to strive toward. A magazine article caught my eye, with an enticing well written ad piece (of course), about trying my hand at writing in the form of a home study course. (It was a Readers' Digest Course). I was immersed in education all of my life and I loved to learn. I would have been very happy taking writing classes, but at the prodding of the instructor I submitted my work.

It was inevitable that the rejects came, and I was prepared, but it did not lessen the hurt. I sent out a few more and then decided, like any other good life-long learner, that I needed to learn some more. So, began my adventure in reading anything I could get my hands on that taught additional writing skills, techniques, and success stories. Oh, and did I mention I once owned nearly every volume of the latest Writers Market?

Then came my lucky break, a speaking engagement, and then another, and another. Until, the prize speaking engagement, a state convention. I needed a book and fast! I decided to use my teaching skills and pull together a book on the topic of teaching science. It was a hit, currently is in its fifth edition, and was chosen, along with seven of my other titles, in the coveted book on 100 top picks for curriculum. Which brings me back to the original point. For this author, it helped to write what I knew. I taught science successfully in the home and was able to translate my story from complete aversion of the topic as a student, an educator and homeschool parent, to enjoying the subject immensely.

It was five years after my success in self-publishing that my daughter asked me to teach her to write a novel. This was outside of my success scope and so I tried to put her off. Eighty or so pages of typed text reflecting no instruction on transitions, dialogue, setting or plot resulted in a crash course on teaching her to write a fiction novel. We were ultimately successful and upon her entrance to college she had completed three novels. Book number one and book three were set in Florida and in locales we knew well. [I now publish another author's workbook, Susan K. Marlow, on teaching children grades 2 though 8th fiction writing, "Reach for the Stars: Young Author's Fiction Workbook"] 

Another success story are radio show guests, the Youngs. Hal and Melanie have a passel of boys. And so, they decide to write a book on bringing up boys, "Raising Real Men." Three of my five children are boys and I can attest that the Youngs know their topic well. They could have written about their daughters, but they are still very little, and the Youngs did not feel they had the experience to write a book on the topic. If you are interested in the interview, they will be featured live at 3:30 ET on Monday, March 29th. If you are reading this after the fact, you can still listen to the replay in the archives on the Blog Talk Radio website. I am looking forward to the interview, where I will ask some of the not so obvious questions, such as, "How did you write a book with a houseful of kids?" among others that are more writing specific to keep with the theme of my show, "Education for Authors, no matter what stage of their writing journey" ... sorry once a teacher always a teacher!

Here is the link for the radio show. Hope you'll join us, or subscribe to the RSS feed

and download the mp3 to listen to later.

http://www.WritingandPublishingRadio.com

Blog Tours for Authors

Years ago I created a Virtual-Field-Trips website for kids and parents to surf the net and learn from interactive, educational websites. Unfortunately, the site was hacked and while I was able to rebuild it in part, I ran out of time. I loved the idea of traveling virtually. No effort, no packing, no expense, no car sickness, and no kids asking the proverbial question, "When will we be there?"

Well, the idea of a Blog Tour is basically the same thing. You travel without leaving home! An author can use a blog tour as a platform to build momentum to coincide with a new book launch. It is a publicity tour for the book. What a wonderful idea! My radio show guest, Cara Putman, explained her success with running several for her newly launched books. I often take notes as I interview, and today was no different. Cara had excellent information to share. To listen to the interview go to WritingandPublishingRadio.com

How-To Find Blog Book Reviewers

Begin by searching for blog reviewers in your book genre. For example, you can search for:

"Historical Fiction Blog Book Reviewers"
"Christian Blog Book Reviewers"
"Mystery Blog Book Reviewers" etc.

Once you find the bloggers, look at their websites and read their blogs. Contact them to see if there is an interest in obtaining a free book for a review. Your blog blitz can be a one day, one week or one month tour. I had 100+ bloggers blog a review for the book, I co-authored with my daughter when she was a teen, Truth Seekers Mystery Series, "The Missing Link: Found." Some of those reviewers went to Amazon, Christian Book Distributors, etc., to post their reviews.

Ask the reviewers to contact you when the review posts. This is important for several reasons. Cara shared that when the blog is posted you should visit the blog and interact with those who post a comment. In fact letting the blog host know you will stop by to interact, is a good idea. More people may post a comment if they realize the author is coming to pay a visit. This makes sense, especially in regard to the idea of a "Blog Book Tour." In fact, not only will you be able to answer questions, comment on a post and direct them to your personal blog, you may sell some books.

Type of Review
The type of blog review can vary. It can be an interview, a guest blog post by the author or the typical, "this is what I think about the book" type of review. You may want to suggest your preference to the book reviewer, but use whatever method works best for you. Make their job as easy as possible by including as much information as you can, and if you have one include a press-release.

In fact, when I ask my radio show guests for a blog post the week the show airs I am sometimes surprised. Some guests send their posts in Notepad to remove all the "junk" associated with word files on most computers. All I need to do is copy, paste into my blog, and include a picture if they send one. Cara further surprised me by including all of the information in the body of the email including a link to her picture using HTML code. When I pasted the information into the blog post window and hit preview I was edified to see the finished product was perfect. The word "expert" comes to mind!



Follow-Up Via Email

Cara mentioned it is a good idea to follow up via email to make sure the blogger knows when the book releases, and hopefully with enough notice the Blog Book Reviewer will coincide the post within a few days of the release. This will create more "buzz" for your book. A follow up email is also a good reminder to post a review on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or CBD, or one of the other websites where you book may be for sale. Giving the blogger the list with a link of where your book resides on this website will save them time in having to search for your book, especially if you have many titles.

Will Sales Soar?
The jury is still out on whether or not you will see a major spike in sales by the Blog Review Book Tour. As authors what is important is publicity. Having name or brand recognition is the major topic of many author and publisher forums. How to become a household name is important in this industry. If you obtain this type of publicity and someone sees your book they may buy it based upon name recognition.


Either way, money can't buy positive publicity, and a Blog Book tour is one way to obtain this in a relatively inexpensive manner. Plan ahead of time, plan well and most of all be ready to send your thank-yous when the tour is over. If you keep track of those who were prompt with their posts you will have a basis for further tours in the future, with your next book!

Writing a book? It is time to get your book off the computer and into the hands of an eager reader! Felice can help you! She is the author of  many books and the creator of a new series of non-fiction how-to the: Information in a Nutshell Series, "Writing and Publishing." See what author Dan Poynter says about her book here!   Isn't it time you get a copy?

An Author's New Years' Resolution

New Year's Resolution: An Author's Plan

New Resolution:
Click the "publish post button on blog", so this will become published at the right time! Okay, I goofed. Now you know I'm only human!


Have you hoped to become an author? Are you working on a second book? Do you have a plan? The most prolific authors that I know are those who are well organized and have a plan.

If you have not considered writing one, today is the day!

Goals for 2010  

Research:

If you are an author, research is your best friend whether you write fiction, non-fiction or poetry. Understanding how to write is half the battle of becoming an author. Having a well researched topic is also important. I remember researching England for a novel based in a country I had not visited. I have folders of information pertaining to the city, history and local delicacies. After my research I felt I had traveled there. Know your topic.

Education:

Do you know the essential steps for writing your book successfully? It takes much more than just placing your words on paper. Well, that does help! If you would like a course that takes you through weekly lessons, assignments and must-have information join my exclusive writer's ecourse here: http://WritingMembership.com You not only receive an ecourse you receive a private email to ask me questions, a writer's membership website full of writing and publishing information, and for a limited time, a free phone consult with me!



Hire a Consultant:

When I began writing my first book I had no where to turn. Writing consultants were not readily available and not at a price I could pay. I asked several of my friends who were published and while well meaning, their advice was spotty at best. Literary consultants come in all shapes, sizes and costs. if you are serious about getting your writing going, quickly this may be an option for you.

Felice to the Rescue: I am a consultant for those who want thirty minutes of my time or longer. It is affordable, email me at felice (at) mediaangels.com and explain your needs. I can design a customized plans depending upon your needs. I have been consulted to rewrite entire manuscripts as well as analyze a publishing company saving one customer thousands of dollars (all after a thirty minute phone call). Don't be fooled by publishing companies that appear to be legitimate publishers but in reality are vanity presses.

Read:


A good author in any genre is one who is widely read, or an expert in their field. I had the pleasure of reading an excellent manuscript by an aspiring author, who happened to be a relative. When I asked her how she was able to write so well, she shared that she had read over 200 books in her chosen genre. That is doing your homework! Her work reflected an understanding of the writing process.

Read good blog posts from authors in your genre, or those who understand the publishing process. Follow blog posts of publishers or agents. Remember to post on those blogs. Get known. I posted regularly on several blogs and when I emailed the person, they remembered my name because of blog post interaction. It helps.

Write:

This is what divides the professional author from those who are aspiring. Authors write. Aspiring authors talk about writing a book. Spend the time daily, or at least three times a week or more getting words down on paper. Schedule and give yourself a deadline. That is the only way I can accomplish my scheduled writing of blog posts, e-course lessons, or my own full length writing projects. 

I did talk about writing, for about ten years. Even after I completed two full length fiction novels, I let the work sit after a few rejection letters. Even though these rejection letters included personalized comments (that is considered close, but not close enough!). Plan. Schedule, and do it!


Become Published:

Whether it is your completed book or not, you can become published. Write articles, write blog posts for your own blog or others. Get your writing known. Having a following on a blog post is a start. If you do not have a blog, it may be better to offer guest blog posts on other blogs. Do you follow any blogs? Make sure you post often, get to know the author, get to know the author's following, and contribute positively. In this way it will not come as a shock to the blog author if, at some point, you offer a literary piece as a guest blogger.


Send out our Manuscript:

As previously mentioned, you need someone to read your work. If you are writing only for yourself you have accomplished your goal. If you are writing for someone else to read your book, you have to get it off your computer and into the hands of someone whose opinion counts. This means someone other than a personal family member (unless that person happens to be a literary consultant!). Ask my daughter, a co-author on the Truth Seekers Mystery SeriesTM, if you want to know what a critique looks like! We received many of them with our first drafts, but that only encouraged the two of us to write better.

Market
Not sure how to begin? Read this blog backwards. Start with some of my earlier posts and you will learn what I call the ten most effective ways to market your book. You will find these techniques work especially well for first time authors, as well as veteran writers.


Start a Page on a Popular Site
Have you heard of Squidoo Lenses or perhaps HubPages? These are two websites and I am sure there are many others that allow you to become published. HubPages is a bit daunting as you are graded on the website based on an algorithm only known to the site creators. I was not happy with my first score so I tried harder the next time. Try you hand on writing with these sites, but don't stop there. In fact I was once tempted to post a HubPage on how so many talented authors were wasting their time putting up HubPages. (You can earn revenue with these services, but for most it's not enough to buy a meal). Why did I try these sites? Because some of those I consult asked me about them and I wanted to learn if there was value. The value I give it is getting your work in print.


Teach a Class
We are not all teachers, I know that, but if you have any ability this may be a way to get others to learn about your books. I have many non-fiction books, which easily lend themselves to teaching. If you can create slide presentations, you can teach a class. If you are interested in monetizing your class, you can here, http://www.ScholarSquare.com.


Do you have any ideas of how to begin this year? If so, please share.

Leadership Training and Communication

 Communication with a Purpose

What does it take to be a leader?
How do you learn leadership skills?
Can you communicate effectively and with purpose?
How does this information help an author?

I've asked quite a few questions and will attempt to answer them using my life experience as a basis. I never considered becoming older an asset until recent years. While I've earned every gray hair on my head, I take pains to have them professionally covered up on a frequent basis! So, if you can not learn about my years of experience via my hair color, how then can I share it? On a stage or with words.

What does it take to be a leader?

A leader is someone who is commendable, trustworthy, and honorable. A leader is someone you want to follow, and you have confidence that the information imparted will be accurate. Leadership takes experience, confidence and ability. It also takes an art in communicating information accurately.


How do you learn leadership skills?

You can learn leadership skills through life experiences or formal education. In college I joined many organizations and was elected to leadership positions much to my surprise. Only as an adult with some introspection have I learned that a leader is someone who is not afraid to learn and to tackle a job, any job. A leader is not afraid to learn the menial jobs, or those beneath their skill levels. I was elected because those in the organization knew I wasn't afraid to do the job, and I would do it right.

Can you communicate effectively and with purpose?

Many of us take communication for granted. I talk too much at times and give too much information. I have learned to take the time to listen and address those questions that I am asked...only. That takes skill! Not everyone wants to know the entire account or history of printing if they ask a question about publishing. No matter how exciting I think it is! Listen, and answer the question. Or explain the information as concisely, or as briefly as possible.


How does this information help an author?

Authors who have a speaking platform will find they have a ready-made outlet for selling their books. Many of us who speak professionally find the bulk of our sales result after a speaking session. Even if the topic is different from the book authored. Being a leader in your field, a "expert" or someone of knowledge, experience and expertise will help you to find an audience eager to hear what you have to say. Do you have value? Only you can answer this question, but authors of all kinds need to give value in their work, and use it when speaking from a platform.

Leaders are not all created equal.

As much as I'd love to say you too can learn to become an wonderful leader, while the skill set might be attainable, the desire, drive and talent are often innate. Many wonderful people have leadership skills but don't do well in a public setting, or in front of an audience. I do think some people are born leaders but that doesn't mean you can't learn what it takes and aspire to lead. If not in front of a live audience, you can use the Internet in the form of blogs, social media forums or the printed word to show the ways in which you can shine in your chosen profession.

The idea here is that being an author doesn't mean that you hide behind your book. You, after all are your best sales-person. You believe in your book or you wouldn't be spending the time to put it together. You will lead people into purchasing you book if you show passion and excitement for your topic. I once met a romance author who spent much of her time teaching classes and mentoring others. She told me she wrote in threes...one part was the actual writing, one part was learning and one part was giving back, in the form of education or mentoring. That is leadership. Perhaps not in the traditional sense of the word, but in a form that others would aspire to duplicate. Analyze your skills and become a leader today!

15 Commandments for Getting FREE Publicity

15 Commandments for Getting FREE Publicity

By Carolyn Howard-Johnson

An Excerpt from THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER:

HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON’T

A huge retailer once said that advertising works, we just don’t know how, why, or where it works best.

What we do know is that advertising’s less mysterious cousin, publicity, works even better. It is the more reliable relative because it is judged on its merit alone and carries the cachet of an editor’s approval. It also is surrounded by the ever-magic word “free.” The two are easily identified as kin.

These two often walk hand-in-hand and yet they can be incompatible. The editors of good media outlets will not allow the advertising department to influence them. Still, in an effort to be completely impartial they reserve the right to use advertiser’s stories editorially if they deem them newsworthy.  That is why it is helpful to use advertising in a vehicle that plays to the audience you would like to see standing in line for your book. This paid-for exposure then becomes an entrée to the decision-makers. A contact in the advertising department may be willing to put a news release on the desk of one of his editors, maybe even encourage her to look at it.  There are no contracts, but it does sometimes work. If you’re going to try this route, choose a “little pond”, a bookish brochure or an “arty” weekly so that the dollars you spend will be noticed.

Sometimes a magazine or newspaper will run a special promotion called advertorial.  These are sections where you pay for an ad and then the newspaper assigns a reporter to cover the story you want told. The article carries some of the prestige of editorial copy—that is the general reader may assume the article has been chosen only on its merits because of its copycat character. The writer or editor you meet will can be approached when your have something exceptional.

Still, advertorial isn’t exactly FREE. If FREE sounds more like the fare that will serve your needs, carve out some time to do it yourself and follow these 15 commandments:

Educate yourself: Study other press releases. Read a book like Publicity Advice & How-To Handbook, Rolf Gompertz, a SPAN member. Join publicity oriented e-groups.

Read, read, read: Your newspaper. Your e-zines. Even your junk mail, a wonderful newsletter put out by the Small Publishers of North America (www.spannet.org) and one called The Publicity Hound (www.publicityhound.com.)  My daughter found a flier from the local library in the Sunday paper stuffed between grocery coupons.  It mentioned a display done by a local merchant in the library window. My second book, "Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered," became a super model in their lobby and I became a seminar speaker for their author series. Rubbish (and that includes SPAM) can be the goose that laid the golden egg.

Keep an open mind for promotion ideas: Look at the different themes in your book.  There are angles there you can exploit when you’re talking to editors. My first book, "This is the Place" is sort of romantic (a romance website will like it) but it is also set in Salt Lake City, the site where the winter games were played in 2002 and, though that’s a reach, I found sports desks and feature editors open to it as Olympics © fervor grew and even as it waned because they were desperate for material as the zeal for the games wound down.

Cull contacts: Develop your Rolodex by adding quality recipients from media directories. The website http://www.gebbieinc.com/ has an All-in-One Directory that gives links to others such as Editor, Publisher Year Book, and Burrell’s. Some partial directories on the web are free and so are your yellow pages. Ask for help from your librarian—a good research librarian is like a shark; she’ll keep biting until she’s got exactly what she wants.

Etiquette counts: Send thank-you notes to contacts after they’ve featured you or your book. This happens so rarely they are sure to be impressed and to pay attention to the next idea you have, even if it’s just a listing in a calendar for your next book signing.

Partner with your publicist and publisher: Ask for help from their promotion department—even if it’s just for a sample press release.

Publicize who you are, what you do: Reviews aren’t the only way to go. E-books are important promotion tools and Twitter is big news right now (find me at www.twitter.com/frugalbookpromo). Katy Walls, author of “The Last Step,” coordinated an “anthology” of recipes from authors who mention food in their books (yes, some my family’s ancient recipes from polygamist times are in it). If you'd like a copy of the article on how to make an e-book like that work for you, go to www.budurl.com/FreeContent. Other helpful articles on promotion await you there, too.

Think of angles for human interest stories, not only about your book but about you as its author. Are you very young? Is writing a book a new endeavor for you? Several editors have liked the idea that I wrote my first book at an age when most are thinking of retiring, that I think of myself as an example of the fact that it is never too late to follow a dream.

Develop new activities to publicize: Don’t do just book signings. Use your imagination for a spectacular launch. Start an award. I give the Noble (Not Nobel!) for literary work each January at www.MyShelf.com. Get charities involved. Think in terms of ways to help your community.

Send professional photos with your release: Request guidelines from your target media. Local editors won’t mind if you send homey Kodak moment--properly labeled--along with your release. Some will use it; it may pique the interest of others and they’ll send out their own photographers. It’s best, however, to send only professional photos to the big guys.

Frequency is important: The editor who ignores your first release may pay more attention to your second or twenty-fifth. She will come to view you as a source and call you when she needs to quote an expert.  This can work for novels as well as nonfiction. I received a nice referral in my local newspaper because I am now an “expert” on prejudice, even though my book is a novel and not a how-to or self-help piece.

Follow Up: Shel Horowitz, author of Marketing Without Megabucks (http://www.frugalfun.com), reports that follow-up calls boost the chances of a press release being published. Voice contact builds relationships better than any other means of communication.

Keep clippings: Professional publicists like Debra Gold of Gold & Company do this for their clients; you do it so you’ll know what’s working and what isn’t.

Evaluate: One year after your first release, add up the column inches. Measure the number of inches any paper gave you free including headlines and pictures. If the piece is three columns wide and each column of your story is six inches long, that is 18 column inches. How much does that newspaper charge per inch for their ads? Multiply the column inches by that rate to know what the piece is worth in advertising dollars. Now add 20% for the additional trust the reader puts in editorial material.

Set goals: You now have a total of what your year’s efforts have reaped.  New publicist-authors should set a goal to increase that amount by 100% in the next year.  If you already have a track record, aim for 20%.

Observe progress: Publicity is like planting bulbs. It proliferates even when you aren’t trying very hard. By watching for unintended results, you learn how to make them happen in the future.

Carolyn Howard-Johnson is the author of THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON’T (www.budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo ). For a little over 2 cents a day THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER assures your book the best possible start in life. Full of nitty gritty how-tos for getting nearly free publicity, Carolyn Howard-Johnson shares her professional experience as well as practical tips gleaned from the successes of her own book campaigns. She is a former publicist for a New York PR firm and a marketing instructor for UCLA's Writers' Program.. Learn more about the author at http://carolynhoward-johnson.com or http://HowToDoItFrugally.com