writers on the move spring 2011 - a compilation of writing and marketing articles

8/12/2019 Writers on the Move Spring 2011 - A Compilation of Writing and Marketing Articles

1/36

Edited by Karen CioffiPublished by Writers on the Move


2/36

Writers on the MoveSpring 2011: A Compilation of Writing and Marketing ArticlesEdited by Karen CioffiPublished by Writers on the MoveCopyright 2011 Writers on the Move

Smashords Editionhttp!""#ritersonthemove#$om"EBook Digital Publishing Site/s Coordinator: Heather Paye

Welcome to the first Writers on the o!es eBook" We decided to create and offer thiseBook as a gift to thank youfor follo#ing our authors and #riters$ for commenting$ and forfollo#ing and subscribing to our site"

We #ill %eriodically offer ne# informational eBooks that #ill ho%efully hel% you on your#riting and marketing &ourney"

'n addition$ Writers on the o!e no# %ro!ides monthly #orksho%s focusing on #riting

and marketing$ and #ill feature #riting and marketing articles on an almost daily basis on oursite:htt%://#ritersonthemo!e"comWed lo!e to see you there.

For yor convenience! this e"ook is divided into five sections:

Writing (i%s and )d!ice *+ ,ules (o -ee% in ind When Writing for (eens by Dallas Woodburn

(i%s to Writing a .irst Draftby S 0renier

Solidifying a 1oglineby 1ea Schi2asPerfecting Poetry: *3 (i%s for the Beginnerby Carolyn Ho#ard45ohnson(HE S6PE, W,'(E,S .76, 'S 7. 0,E)( S(7,8(E11'90by 5"," (urner(heme Writing by -e!in c9amee

Create Emotion$ 9ot Sentimentality$ in .ictionby i!ian abelWrite 7n; 0oal Setting < Producti!ityby Debra Eckerling$ creator$ Write7n7nline.inal Stages of Self4editing: = (i%sby -aren Cioffi,e#riting a .olktale: Walking (hrough Wallsby -aren Cioffi

arketing (o arket to arketby artha S#ir2inski

Ho# to Coordinate 8our 7#n irtual Book (ourby ayra Cal!ani

SE7 and arketing: Basic (i%s and Definitionsby -aren CioffiBook Promotion: (he .oundationby -aren Cioffi,esources) Bit )bout Writers on the o!e>uotes

Feel free to share this eBook with others, but PLEASE BE SURE that it stays intact.
http://www.writersonthemove.com/http://writersonthemove.com/http://www.writersonthemove.com/http://writersonthemove.com/


3/36

Writing %ips and &dvi$e

*+ ,ules (o -ee% in ind When Writing for (eens by Dallas Woodburn(i%s to Writing a .irst Draftby S 0renierSolidifying a 1ogline by 1ea Schi2asPerfecting Poetry: *3 (i%s for the Beginnerby Carolyn Ho#ard45ohnson(HE S6PE, W,'(E,S .76, 'S 7. 0,E)( S(7,8(E11'90by 5"," (urner(heme Writingby -e!in c9ameeCreate Emotion$ 9ot Sentimentality$ in .ictionby i!ian abelWrite 7n; 0oal Setting < Producti!ityby Debra Eckerling$ Creator$ Write7n7nline.inal Stages of Self4editing: = (i%sby -aren Cioffi,e#riting a .olktale: Walking (hrough Wallsby -aren Cioffi


4/36

10 'ules %o Keep in MindWhen Writing for %eens

"y #allas Wood$rn

*" S%end time #ith teens"olunteer at a high school"Peo%le4#atch at the mall")sk ?uestions"Build relationshi%s"

3" ,ead 8) lit"Some of my fa!orite authors: Ellen Ho%kins$ Sarah Dessen$ 1aurie Stolar2$ 5oan Bauer$

ike 1u%ica$ )nn Brashares$ 1ibba Bray$ ,andy Po#ell$ 5ohn 0reen$ Carl Hiaasen$ )nn,inaldi$ Sonya Sones$ arkus usak

@" ,ecruit a Ateen ad!isory board of readers"

any teens #ill be ha%%y to hel% you")sk them to be honest abo!e all else;

=" )!oid being A%reachy"9othing turns off a teen reader more ?uickly than a condescending tone"

" Be authentic"'nhabit your characters" 1earn their details and ?uirks"What do your characters lo!e Hate .ear 8earn for Dream about

" 'f you use slang$ use it correctly" Same for technology references"

Be sure to consider: #hat is ne# and %o%ular today is tomorro#s Aold ne#s" Do you #antto date your material

F" 0rab em from the first sentence"Ha!e teens read the first %age of your manuscri%t$ and then ask them if they #ould kee%

reading"

G" Dont be afraid to be dark;8ou dont ha!e to hold back" (eens can take #hat you #ant to thro# at them"any of our adult Aclassics such as Catcher in the Ryeand To ill a !ockin"bir##ould

be considered 8) if %ublished today"

" Create acti!e$ !ibrant characters who ha$e so%ethin" at stake"(eens #ant to read about characters #ho are #oin"things$ rather than &ust ha!ing things

done tothem"

*+" ,ead your old diaries I theyre treasure tro!es;,econnect #ith your teen self"Some of my most #ell4recei!ed 8) lit has been based off my o#n %ersonal eJ%eriences;


5/36

B&'( )allas *oo#burn is the author of two collections of short stories+ her latest, a.%.,

was feature# on the PBS book talk show -Between the Lines- an# is a$ailable atA%aon.co%./er short fiction has twice been no%inate# for a Pushcart Prie an# the )anc Books -Best of

the *eb- antholo"y an# she has written stories, articles an# essays for %ore than 01

2ublications inclu#in" Fa%ily Circle, *riter3s )i"est, The Los An"eles Ti%es, an# the ChickenSou2 for the Soul series. *oo#burn is the foun#er of *rite 'n4 For Literacy, a non2rofit

or"aniation that e%2owers youth throu"h writin", an# *rite 'n4 Books, a youth 2ublishin"

co%2any. )ancin" *ith The Pen( a collection of to#ay3s best youth writin" features the work of%ore than 51 ki#s an# teens fro% aroun# the worl# an# is #ue for release in early 6177. Learn

%ore athtt2(88www.writeonbooks.or"8
http://www.amazon.com/3-m-collection-short-stories/dp/0595357865/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244790300&sr=1-1http://www.writeonbooks.org/http://www.writeonbooks.org/http://www.amazon.com/3-m-collection-short-stories/dp/0595357865/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244790300&sr=1-1http://www.writeonbooks.org/


6/36

%ips to Writing a (irst )raft"y: %S &renier

Writing a first draft for a book$ short story$ article or e!en this guest %ost has al#ays beenthe most grueling %art of #riting for me" Why Well$ its not because ' dont ha!e any ideas

floating around in my head" ' can also tell you its not because ' cant find anything to say" (hetrouble ' find #ith #riting a first draft is #here to begin and/or #hich idea to start #ith" 8ou#ould think the first draft #ould be the easiest %art of #ritingK ho#e!er$ ' find it re?uires theclearest mindset in order to finishLmaking it one of the hardest %arts of #riting"

With this in mind$ the ?uestion is #here do ' begin in order to #rite my first draft (heans#er is sim%le" .irst$ ' do research on the to%ic ' %lan to #rite about" 7nce ' ha!e the researchfinished ' outline Mloosely outlineN my thoughts and information" .rom here$ the first draft shouldbe a sim%le creation of the #ords that con!ey the ideas ' #ish to eJ%ress"

't sounds sim%le$ but the truth is this is only the beginning" ' still need to choose !ie#%oint$tense M%ast or %resentN$ de!elo% sub%lots or additional ideas/to%ics for nonfiction and clarify mytheme" ' find the best #ay to do this is by brainstorming or doing some free #riting until an idea$

e!ent$ %iece of dialogue$ character inter!ie# or a setting s%arks my muse" (hese first glim%ses ofstory elements hel% to stimulate my imagination" 9o# ' am ready to start #riting the first draft"

'm a huge fan of finishing a first draft as fast as %ossible" (he main reason$ ' #ant to getmy ideas and thoughts do#n before ' forget them" ' do not s%end time editing as ' #rite my firstdraft" ' do that later and ' may need to #rite a number of drafts in order to get to my final%olished manuscri%t$ but the first draft isnt about that and it is best not to eJ%ect too much or toolittle from it"

7nce ' ha!e #ritten my first draft$ ' make notes of %ossible themes and any uni!ersalelements that may a%%eal to a readershi%" ' also note my reasons for #riting the story" (his mayhel% me find a hidden theme or e!en sub%lot ' can de!elo% later in my re!ision stage" 't is !eryim%ortant at this time ' dont make any changes or do any editing" Why Because its time to

gi!e myself a break" ' let my first draft sit for at least a fe# days and %referably for a fe# #eeks"(his #ay$ #hen ' come back to it and begin the second draft$ ' #ill ha!e a fresh eyes$ moreunderstanding and control o!er my story"

(he thing so remember about #riting your first draft is the #ord OfirstO" Dont make themistake in thinking that once a first draft is #ritten$ the manuscri%t is done" (he first draft is onlyone %art of the #hole #riting %rocess that leads to a finished$ %resentable and ho%efully%ublished book"

Bio( 9S :renier is an awar#;winnin" author an# e#itor who learne# how to hone her

writin" skills at the &nstitute of Chil#ren, the Lea"ue of Utah *riters =/*: cha2ter>, an# !usin" 'ur Chil#ren. /erworks inclu#eBabysittin" Su"arPaw, the Best of Stories for Children aga2ine olume *antholo"y an# o$er 1 short stories, articles, an# crafts for chil#ren alon" with newsletter

articles for writers. @ou can learn %ore about 9S :renier at htt2(88$s"renier.co%.
http://www.amazon.com/Babysitting-SugarPaw-VS-Grenier/dp/1935268066/http://vsgrenier.com/http://www.amazon.com/Babysitting-SugarPaw-VS-Grenier/dp/1935268066/http://vsgrenier.com/


7/36

Solidifying a *ogline"y 'ea Schi(as

9o# #hat the bla2es is a logline Sim%lea logline is your storys heart and soulsummari2ed in one or t#o sentences #hen asked$ ASo$ #hats your story all about

Writers$ at times$ ha!e a hard time %in%ointing the core of the story and end u% rambling onand ona logline #ill hel% %erfect the ans#er to the ?uestion abo!e" )lthough loglines areusually associated #ith screen%lays$ e!en no!elists #ill find them a tremendous hel% inshar%ening their res%onse"

Pinning your story do#n to only a line or t#o is not easy but #ith %ractice you #ill be ableto gi!e your reader a true account on #hat your book entails" (hink of loglines as flash fiction: aneed to %ick and choose #ords carefully to gi!e a com%lete %icture"

'n order to figure out the elements to %lace in a logline think of your book se%arated intothree scenes: the beginning$ the middle$ and the end" .rom each scene take the essence$ or high%oint$ and #rite it do#n" When this eJercise is done look o!er your Qscenes and sim%lify themby someho# combining them into one or t#o cliff4hanging sentences"

.or eJam%le$ lets take Harry Potter:Beginning: Harry Potter disco!ers he has magical %o#ers and recei!es an in!ite to enhance

these %o#ers to a school hes ne!er heard of"iddle: He disco!ers his %arents #ere killed and he is in the %ath of oldemorts anger" He

befriends t#o students #ho become his sidekicks"End: With the hel% of his t#o best friends they riddle out the %u22le of the Stone and Harry

faces oldemort for %ossession of the Stone"9o# lets %lace the abo!e info into a Qhooking logline:) young teens #orld is turned u%side do#n #hen a seemingly innocent in!itation to a

school soon re!eals a magical #orld %ossessed #ith a dark force #aiting to take re!enge on him"8oull note ' didnt mention the best friends since they are secondary to the %lot and not as

crucial to entice a reader" oldemorts name and the Stone #ere also omitted but gi!en a darkero!erall image by %lacing Qa magical #orld %ossessed #ith a dark force" )lso$ by seeding Qthere!enge into a reader it u%s his curiosity to find out #hat #ill ha%%en and ho# the teen #ill deal#ith it"

Here is a basic and sim%le outline to follo# #hat a logline should contain:Who your %rotagonist is$ #hich #ill also ans#er the ?uestion #ho the story is aboutHis goal$ #hat he/she is stri!ing to achie!eWho/#hat stands in his/her #ay) logline #ont eJ%lain the #hole storyline nor any of its sub%lots but #ill gi!e a good

im%ression of its genre and #hat the main characters stri!e is all about"When setting u% a logline instead of gi!ing a name gi!e the descri%ti!e detail of your

character$ for eJam%le:5ohn Smiths adamant belief a #itch li!ing in his neighborhood is the cause of his recentbad luck$ begins to hound the old lady into submission until she suffers a fatal heart attack andno# haunts his dreams to the %oint he takes a family as hostage to %ro!e his sanity and hereJistence"

9o# re%lace his name #ith Q)n eccentric loners and it gi!es the reader the im%ressionof no one coming to his aid since he isolates himself from e!eryone" 7r e!en Qa lonely mans


8/36

no# im%lies a man #ith nothing better to do than to come u% #ith his o#n de!ices to gi!ehimself something to do"

EJam%les of fictional loglines to study:) %air of !igilantes #ho belie!e they are cleaning u% the streets in their neighbourhood

only succeed in riling u% the #rong gang"

(hree musicians are on the ride of their life #hen they sign on #ith an agent #ho ends u%embe22ling all their money$ lea!ing them back on the %oor side of the track to make thecomeback of their life"

) #ealthy #oman %uts her life on the line #hen she sets herself u% as bait to catch herhusbands killer"

(he logline for my o#n soon4to4be4released %aranormal/thriller ADoormans Creek is) young teen and his friends disco!er a ca!eand an entity that %uts them in the %ath of a

serial killer they must track do#n before he murders another family member") logline is your ad$ your hook to cause a reader to %ick u% your book and %urchase it"

7ffer enough of the essence of your %lot to intrigue them$ build their curiosity le!el to such aneJtent they Qneed to find out #hat ha%%ens"

8ou only ha!e those fe# %recious initial minutes to im%ress an editor/reader #ith yourstoryline so make it count"Lea Schias is the foun#er of The !use 'nline *riters Conference an# 2ublisher of

!use&tU2 Publishin". To a## to Lea


9/36

Perfe$ting Poetry! 12 %ips for the +eginner"y Carolyn )o*ard+,ohnson

' belie!e in %oetry" 9ot &ust for %oets$ but for #riters of e!ery ilk" (he essentials of %oetryare often the essentials of other great #riting" So$ e!en if you!e ne!er thought about #riting a

%oem$ you might try this #ith some of your other #riting"(ake a short %rose %iece and think of it as a %oem" Break it into lines and then a%%ly these

t#el!e ti%s" 8ou may find the %rocess informs your other #riting"*" (ry free !erse Mno intentional rhymingN"2# Write dense, poeti$ prose, then divide it into lines or not# -f you don.t, you.ll

have a prose poem#/# +rea lines after important ords# -f you s$an don the last ords in ea$h

line of a poem, you should have a good sense of hat the poem is about## Eliminate as many ade$tives and adverbs as you $an and strengthen your

verbs# 3ou poem ill be more poerful#4# Eliminate as many of the $lutter ords as you $an# &rti$les, $onun$tions,

even some prepositions#5# %ry maing different pi$tures on the page ith the ords# 3our poem $an be

in triplets, $ouplets, indented unusually, even be set up in shapes# %ry to mae thedesign fit ith the sube$t of your poem#

6# &void long, *atinate ords#7# 8se images rather than e9plaining#:# Kno metaphors, similes, assonan$e and alliteration# Play ith them# )on.t

strain#10# -f you ant to rhyme, try to use un$ommon ones# ;o


10/36

for her close4u%$ delicate fingers$ %oised toes$her red sunhat a .risbee againstsky of %ulled taffy clouds on blue"Sea like scallo%s of )lenRon lace belo#$sand stretched a#ay to#ard the Palisades$

the smell of sugary churrosher last sensation"

Carolyn @oardA>ohnson# Briginally published in Pear NoirCarolyn Howard-Johnsonis the author of the %ulti awar#;winnin" Celebration Series of

cha2books with !a"#alena Ball, #irector of the re$iew sitehtt2(88www.co%2ulsi$erea#er.co%8ht%l8

Co%e tweet with Carolyn at www.Twitter.co%8Fru"alBookPro%oThese 76 ste2s are

a$ailable in a little #ouble;fol# flier for use as han#outs at your net book si"nin". ust e;%ailCarolyn at hoonewsDaol.co% an# ask for the e;co2y. Learn %ore about her 2oetry at

www.howto#oitfru"ally.co%82oetrybooks.ht%.

Carolyn )o*ard+,ohnson'nstructor for the reno#ned 6C1) EJtension WritersT ProgramWeb site: htt%://###"Ho#(oDo't.rugally"comE4mail: Ho5o9e#sUaol"com
http://www.compulsivereader.com/html/http://www.twitter.com/FrugalBookPromohttp://www.twitter.com/FrugalBookPromohttp://www.howtodoitfrugally.com/poetry_books.htmhttp://www.howtodoitfrugally.com/http://www.howtodoitfrugally.com/mailto:[email protected]://www.compulsivereader.com/html/http://www.twitter.com/FrugalBookPromohttp://www.howtodoitfrugally.com/poetry_books.htmhttp://www.howtodoitfrugally.com/mailto:[email protected]


11/36

%@E S8PE' W'-%E'=S (B8' -=S B( 'E&% S%B'3%E**-;$y ,./. rner

Su%erman sees through lead$ Batman has the biggest bag of techno4gadgets in the business$and Wonder Woman fights for &ustice #ith a fe#$ #ell %laced$ bits of &e#elry" Su%er Writers see

e%ic ad!entures in the smallest details$ de!elo% their indi!idual tricks and techni?ues$ and #ith afe#$ #ell %laced #ords and %hrases$ make the intangible$ tangible" (o be a Su%er Writer$ho#e!er$ one must first understand the nature of their %o#er"

S3/A4:1ets face it$ #ithout ins%iration$ our muse is as eJciting as the Hulk on a good hair day"

7ur muse &ust sits there$ brooding and inscrutable$ big and #ell " " " hulking$ but o!erall$ dull anduseless" 6ntil suddenly$ ins%iration strikes$ goosing the muse into action$ shaking the earth #iththe %ounding thunder of creati!ity"

'ns%iration is a tricky thing$ ho#e!er" 7ne sim%ly cannot say A)h4ha; and begin #riting at#ar% s%eed" (here must be a sound basis to %ursue this idea" We must ask: can ' make this

uni?ue is it interesting #ill ' be able to sustain this %remise for an entire no!el or is it bettershared through a shorter medium and most im%ortantly$ am ' %assionate about this idea

'f theres no %assion this idea is likely not an o%tion #orth %ursuing" Published authors areoften offered ideas from non4#riters" (hey are ins%ired and belie!e the idea so fascinating andtitillating$ the author #ill be honored to #rite the book" (he author usually res%onds #ith achuckle and a shake of the head" AWrite someone elses book 'll ne!er li!e long enough to%ursue my o#n ideas" 'n this regard$ #e are lucky" 9ot many other %rofessions create so manyo%tions you can dis%ose of one sim%ly because its lacking emotional a%%ealIor %assion"

Choose to eJ%and on the ideas that grab you #here you li!e$ let the others %ercolatesome#here out of sightIin a folder$ in a com%uter fileIuntil the day the idea$ %erha%s combined#ith another$ has the %o#er of high !oltage gamma rays"

54:7kay$ you!e chosen to #ork on that ins%ired story" 'ts timely$ uni?ue$ and youre

%assionate about the idea" (his is going to be one heck of a ride; 8our intuition is kicked intohigh gearIyoure o%erating on feeling$ on the emotional im%act that %assion has on your%riorities" Suddenly$ you dont care if the (asmanian De!il eru%ted in your li!ing room$ itdoesnt matter if the kids are %laying #ith (hing 7ne and (hing (#oIyou are on a roll;

But #ait$ #hats that )n e!il$ ugly force dri!ing a#ay your ability to create" 'ts taller thanyour muse$ its faster than your ty%ing s%eed$ and it can lea% %ages in a single bound" 'ts yourinternal editor" Wheres the kry%tonite #hen you need it Belie!e it or not$ its lurking insideyouIits that ringing bell that &angles #hen something is #rong$ but %erforms #ith sym%honic

beauty #hen all is #ell" 1isten for the tone$ not the internal editorIthats the bad guy$ the onetrying to kidna% your muse$ tie him to the railroad tracks of your %lot$ and run him do#n #ith afreight train of grammar$ %unctuation$ and s%elling"

(hat first draft is an eJclusi!e %arty" 7nly your muse and intuition are in!ited" Who caresho# many mistakes you make (his isnt going to be %ublished as is$ there is no one #atchingo!er your shoulder saying$ Ayou missed a s%ot" 'ts a &oyous time of creati!ity"

'f youre one of those eJtraordinarily disci%lined souls #ho #ant e!ery %aragra%h %erfectbefore mo!ing onto the neJt and end #ith a com%lete manuscri%t that needs no re!isions$ count


12/36

yourself lucky and blessed" .or most of the #riting community$ ho#e!er$ #riting is a struggle tobalance creati!ity and technical kno#4ho#" 7f course$ one is &ust as im%ortant as the other$ butto focus on technical kno#4ho# at the muse stage$ can be as frustrating as getting Su%erman to#ear a kry%tonite necklace"

M3'CA4:ASho#$ dont tell" We hear that %hrase as often as Ca%tain ar!el hears the #ordASha2am; 'ts more than a mantra$ more than a symbol of mystical$ magical transformationIitsthe heart and soul of great storytelling" 'm%lication defines this notorious %hrase"

(o im%ly$ rather than state$ is a mar!elous tool" 't lends de%th$ humor$ and realism to ourcharacters" By im%lying a reaction$ emotion$ or descri%tion$ rather than stating the facts$ #e mustdig dee%er into our characters$ understand each of their %ersonalities$ and choose the #ords thatare %art of that characters leJicon" .or EJam%le:

Buffy sna%%ed her gum and eyed the guy in the red ca%e" AWhere can ' get me someA5inkies$ Buffy" (he last thing the uni!erse needs is offs%ring from that union" (helma

sho!ed her glasses higher and dragged Buffy back into the mall"

)bo!e$ its im%lied$ rather than stated$ that Buffy finds the guy in the red ca%e attracti!e$follo#ed by the im%lication that (helma belie!es their children #ould be dangerous" (hroughthis ty%e of #riting$ you sho# much more than the #ords tell" We can infer abo!e that Buffy is abit of flirt$ a little boy cra2y" (he guy in the red ca%e must be good looking" (helma is morestraight4laced and disa%%ro!es$ likely based on %ast eJ%eriences" 'ts sho#n$ in this shorteJchange$ that they are friends #ith differing %riorities$ but en&oy each others com%any"

0reat storytellers$ such as Ste%hen -ing$ fill their books #ith catch4%hrases and anecdotesthat build rich #orlds for the reader$ a hint at the life these characters ha!e li!ed off the %age"(hrough these #ord choices$ these small re!elations$ youll gi!e the reader a story they #ont#ant to %ut do#n$ and #ont soon forget"

M3'6M6A4:AWith great %o#er$ comes great res%onsibility" 'f S%iderman ne!er used his %o#ers$ the

bad guys #ould get a#ay" 'f Su%erman took the bus$ instead of flying$ chances are$ hed misssa!ing the day" ) #riter #ho doesnt #rite$ doesnt get %ublished"

Writing the #ords$ im%lementing the %o#er of your muse$ your ins%iration$ throughim%lication$ can hel% you achie!e successI#hate!er ty%e of success you choose" (his may meansim%ly com%leting a book$ or hitting the 9e# 8ork (imes bestseller list" Setting goals$#hiche!er ones they are$ is the first ste% in im%lementing all you!e learned"

Be s%ecific$ but be realistic" 'f the goal is to #rite e!ery day$ take the concrete ste%s youneed to make that ha%%en" Pre%are ahead of time$ set the alarm on a clock or your #atch$ #arnyour family or friends that this time is off limits" Whiche!er %rocess #orks best for you$ follo#through"

Prolific #riters are dra#n to their books$ unable to resist immersing themsel!es in the#orld theyre creating" By taking the ste%s abo!e$ youll find yourself caught in the samehy%notic s%ell" 'n fact$ you may find its going to take a heck of a lot more than the 0reen 0oblinof real life or the 1eJ 1uther of distractions to drag you a#ay"

,emember the Su%er Writers .our 's of Storytelling: ins%iration$ intuition$ im%lication$and im%lementation the neJt time you fli% on the com%uter$ click o%en that %en$ or shar%en that%encilIyou &ust might disco!er the %o#er inside you"


13/36

Awar#;winnin" author .R. Turner li$es in Central *isconsin with her husban# an# three

chil#ren. She be"an writin" in hi"h school, an# after a #eca#e workin" as a co%%ercial artist,starte# her first no$el in 7. Asi#e fro% crafts, ca%2in" an# cookin", she lo$es holi#ays. A

fa$orite is /alloween, a co%bination of s2ooky su2ernatural fun an# chocolate. 9isit her at

htt2(88www.ennifer;turner.co%to learn %ore4
http://www.jennifer-turner.com/http://www.jennifer-turner.com/


14/36

%heme Writing"y 7evin Mcamee

)ny #riter #ho has e!er researched the maga2ine market has noticed the maga2ines themere?uirements" (his is usually included some#here #ith the submission guidelines" ' #rite

mainly for the childrens market" Some of the most %o%ular themes include the seasons andholidays" (hese themes are also !ery %o%ular in the trade book market as #ell" Walk into anybook store at any time of the year$ and you are bound to see a dis%lay #ith holiday or seasonthemed books" Some of them are treasured classics" Some of them are brand ne# to the market"But all of them re%resent the continuous demand for these ty%es of books"

9o# #riting to fit a theme is not easy" 't may be a little easier than #riting a story fromscratch though" )t least you kno# the sub&ect matter" 8ou #ouldnt submit a story about trains#hen the theme is summer" But 'm sure that there are editors out there #ho could tell storiesother#ise"

(he real challenge of theme #riting is trying to come u% #ith a fresh a%%roach to thesub&ect" What can #e do differently to a sub&ect that has been co!ered thousands of times (he

ans#er: Plenty and you can ha!e a lot of fun in the %rocess too") fe# years ago around Hallo#een$ my %oetry criti?ue grou%$ (he Poets 0arage$ got

together and decided to %ut together a %oetry collection based on the theme As%ooky" >uite afe# of us had #ritten Hallo#een themed %oems and #ere %lanning to submit them to maga2inesfor the follo#ing year" (he idea of %utting together a %oetry collection intrigued us" .or aboutsiJ months$ #e #rote$ criti?ued and re!ised As%ooky %oems" (he %ro&ect #as s%earheaded byfello# 0arage members$ 1aura Wynkoo% and 5ennifer 5udd" (hey assembled and submitted thecollection to !arious %ublishing houses" (he end result #as)n Eyeball in y 0arden: )nd7ther S%ine4(ingling Poems"

So #hat does this ha!e to do #ith taking a fresh a%%roach to themes$ you might ask Well$as long as a %oem had anything to do #ith something considered s%ooky$ it #as a #elcome

addition to the collection" )s a result$ #e had a great miJ of the humorous$ interesting$ cree%yand do#nright sinister"(here are %lenty of %oems about #itches$ but ha!e you e!er #anted to take a %eek at a

AWitchs Sho%%ing 1ist Same goes for #ere#ol!es$ but ha!e you e!er heard the A1o!e Songof a Were#olf Did you e!er really #ant to find out AWhere 9ightmares D#ell )ll of these%oems are s%ooky and all of them are !ery different"

Ha!ing trouble thinking of a ne# a%%roach for a monster 9o %roblem$ make one u%"(hats ho# the Winking Wot came to be" We also created an assortment of s%ell castinggargoyles$ ghosts$ ghost fish$ and goblins on %arade" (he %ossibilities are endless"

(heme #riting does %resent its o#n set of challenges" But it also can be !ery fun andre#arding to lea!e your o#n uni?ue stam% on a to%ic that has been co!ered numerous times"

(heme #riting is a little like coloring in a coloring book" 'ts better #hen you stay inside thelines" But choose any colors you #ant and make it your o#n"

e$in !c?a%ee is a writer an# 2oet li$in" in @onkers, ?.@. /e is the author of se$eral

chil#ren


15/36

To fin# out %ore about e$in, 2lease $isit his website atwww.ke$in%cna%ee.co%or his

blo" at www.ke$in%cna%eechil#rensauthor.blo"s2ot.co%.
http://www.kevinmcnamee.com/http://www.kevinmcnamee.com/http://www.kevinmcnamee.com/http://www.kevinmcnameechildrensauthor.blogspot.com/http://www.kevinmcnameechildrensauthor.blogspot.com/http://www.kevinmcnamee.com/http://www.kevinmcnameechildrensauthor.blogspot.com/


16/36

Create Emotion, ;ot Sentimentality, in (i$tion$y %ivian 8a$el

ood riting reDuires the use of emotion, both in the riting and from or in theriter# What Emotion in the riting itself and the author 3es, good riting does

reDuire emotion from the ords and from the riter# &$tually, good riting reDuires$reative and effe$tive use, not overuse, of emotion#

Preparing fi$tion, hether in a short story or novel, ithout emotion results intelling rather shoing# %elling a story may provide the readers ith ne$essaryinformation, but shoing allos the reader to FseeG the events, a$tions, and plotunfold# Shoing emotion ithout resorting to sentimentality is a maor $omponent inriting vivid, poerful stories that readers $an visualiHe#

-n high s$hool and $ollege, most $lasses $on$entrate on thought, on the mind##%ea$hers and professors en$ourage, even reDuire, students to use big ords, figuresof spee$h, literary devi$es, and long, dense senten$es to $reate emotion in riting#

3es, figures of spee$h and literary devi$es have a pla$e in poetry# 3es, if used

sparingly and $reatively in fi$tion, figures of spee$h $an $onvey $ompli$atedemotions# @oever, hen overused or misused, figurative language, a$$ording toStephen King, in Bn Writing, Fthe results are funny and sometimes embarrassing#G

3et emotions are ne$essary in fi$tion riting# &$$ording to )ianna )orisiAWingetin F*et=s et Physi$al? Writing Emotion in (i$tion,G sin$e emotions are su$h anintegral part of the human $ondition, FI fi$tion riters must employ des$ription thata$$urately e9presses a $hara$ter=s feelings#G @oever, she $ontinues, simplisti$ andoverused des$riptions leave the reader unmoved# 8sing $li$hJs these simplisti$ andoverused ords or phrasesL results in sentimentality#

When e tal or read about highlyAemotional sube$ts lie roman$e and death,e are tempted to use $li$hJs# &fter all they are found everyhere and represent the

short$uts e use in song and ord# Kristen Williams, in F;o Pla$e for @allmar,Gstresses this need to avoid these short$uts in items e rite#

Williams defines sentimentalityas the e9aggerated and affe$ted use of emotionin riting# &ffe$ted is further e9plained as being most often $onne$ted to $li$hJs andmelodrama, hi$h Faffe$tG emotion, shoing only the surfa$e ith no substan$e orustifi$ation, no foundation# %hese types of riting emotion no ne perspe$tive onthe e9perien$e but are short$uts#

Writers, espe$ially beginners, use sentimentality be$ause doing so is easy#&dmitting or des$ribing $ompli$ated situations is hard# 8sing sentimentality meanspresenting things in bla$ and hite, not delving into the $ompli$ations that a$tuallye9ist# Food riters,G Williams says, Fill dive right into this $omple9ity instead of

staying on the surfa$e#G>ames S$ott +ell e$hoes this thought in his arti$le F*eave %hem With @opeG!

F)elve into your $hara$ter=s heart# &s the author, you must feel the big emotions asmu$h as your fi$tional $reation does#G

&uthors $an avoid sentimentality ithout losing emotion needed to rea$hreaders# %he riter simply has to deal ith the emotion in an original and $omple9manner by trying to avoid abstra$t ords and ideas# %his is a$$omplished by stayingith $on$rete des$riptions# &s +ell stated, the author must e9perien$e the emotion


17/36

and des$ribe it ith the five senses, rite it as he FfeelsG it# &bstra$t ords and ideas$an be interpreted by others in different ays, relying on the readers= definition#)etails are reDuired to mae the emotion live#

@o $an riters avoid FsentimentalityG Bne e9er$ise is to list $ommon rea$tionsto an emotion# %hen the author e9amines those physi$al rea$tions that emotions

produ$e, and simple and overused des$riptions are physi$al rea$tions to emotion#@oever the idea is to find other ays to e9plain those rea$tions so that the readerisn=t left unmoved# F%he tri$,G )orisiAWinget says, Fis tapping into your ames S$ott +ell, F*eave %hem With @ope,G Writer=s )igest )e$ember 2004#

4# Kristen Williams, F;o Pla$e for @allmar,G http!""#oAs$hools#net"hallmar#htm#5# 'obert Blen +utler, F%he )ynami$s of )esire,G %he Writer B$tober 2004#6# William # %apply, F)on=t be a S@BWB((,G %he Writer ;ovember 2004#

NNN

9i$ian Gabel is an author an# 2ublisher of chil#ren for sub%ission "ui#elines an# for Iuality chil#ren


18/36

Write Bn? oal Setting O Produ$tivity"y #e$ra 6ckerling! Creator!Write4n4nline

oals are an essential $omponent of produ$tivity# -t=s important to no hatyou are striving for if you ant to a$hieve it# oalAsetting is not ust an a$tivity for

the beginning of the year it=s a yearAround ne$essity# oals should to be looed atdaily, and revised and restated eely, monthly hatever it taes to get to yourpersonal finish line#

Setting Goals:A Set a personal goal, as ell as a professional one, espe$ially hen you are settingyour annual goals# 3es, arti$les, short stories, pages, outlines, et$#, are important#+ut so is selfAimprovement# 3ou are more liely to a$hieve your riting goals if$ertain things in your personal life are in order# -f your des is a mess, then organiHingit should be on the top of your goalAlist#

A *oo at your goals every day# -t=s easy to negle$t your goals hen you do not

bother to loo at them# Conversely, if you loo at your goals freDuently, they stay inyour mind, and you are mu$h more liely to a$$omplish them# Post your goals in apla$e you go to freDuently! the bathroom mirror, the fridge, your $omputerFallpaper#G - no one person ho puts her goals as the allpaper on her $ellphone# %hat ay, henever she goes to mae a $all, she has to loo at them#

A Set realisti$ goals# -t=s oay to overshoot and to even $hange them if yourproe$t goes in another dire$tion# -f you ant to rite an hour a day, but you thin /0minutes is more doable, then that=s the goal you should set# When you are under lesspressure, you are more liely to sit don and rite#

Accomplishing Goals:

A >oin a riters support group or have a goalAbuddy# Set eely or monthly$he$Ain times# &$$ountability is a ey motivational element in getting your goalsdone# -f your buddy and"or the people in your riters group mae their goals, you$ertainly ill ant to do so, as ell# %here=s a huge in$entive in feeling if your friendsand peers $an mae their goals, so $an you?

A Set a plan# +rea don your proe$t into doable parts, and put deadlines inyour $alendar# -f you are riting a boo, set due dates for the outline, ea$h $hapter,and rerites# -f you are trying to sell your boo, novel, or s$reenplay, $ome up ith anumber of Dueries to send every ee to agents and publishersQand sti$ to it# -f you$heat on your goals, you are only $heating yourselfQand prolonging your potentialsu$$ess#

A Mae ritingAtime a priority# -f you $an$el a do$tor=s appointmentQor hairappointmentQithout noti$e, hat happens 3ou get $harged# -f you $an$el ritingAtime be$ause something else $omes up, you are only negle$ting yourself# %here aree9$eptions! si$ $hild, day ob, emergen$y# 3et, for the most part, riters tend toforgo their personal proe$ts for other priorities# 3ou $an start penaliHing yourself formissing your goalsQhave a money ar and pay yourself for missed ritingAtime# Brbetter yet, ust sit don and rite?
http://www.writeononline.com/http://www.writeononline.com/http://www.writeononline.com/


19/36

Celebrate Wins:%he biggest in is finishing your passionAproe$t, hether it=s an essay to submit to amagaHine, a boo proposal, or fullAlength manus$ript# +ut there=s nothing rong ithtreating yourself to a fan$y meal out, a ne )R), or that seater you have beeneyeing for ees# Set goals, a$$omplish them, reard yourself# %he biggest reard is

the pride in a$$omplishment? Congratulations in advan$e?

V V V

Debra Eckerlingis the creator of *rite 'n4 'nline Jwww.*rite'n'nline.co%J a

website an# co%%unity for writers, which focuses on networkin", "oal;settin", an# 2ro#ucti$ity

for writers in all areas. *riters can 2ost weekly "oals on the *rite 'n4 FaceBook 2a"e J

www.FaceBook.co%8*rite'n'nlinean# %onthly "oals onwww.*rite'n'nline.co%8:oals)ebra has written for national, local, tra#e, an# online 2ublications. A co%%unications

s2ecialist an# K2ersonal trainer for writers, )ebra trains in#i$i#uals, e2erts, an#

entre2reneurs, so they can or"anie, articulate, an# co%2lete their writin" 2roects.

www.*rite'nTrackLA.co%.
http://www.writeononline.com/http://www.writeononline.com/http://www.facebook.com/WriteOnOnlinehttp://www.writeononline.com/Goalshttp://www.writeononline.com/Goalshttp://www.writeontrackla.com/http://www.writeontrackla.com/http://www.writeononline.com/http://www.facebook.com/WriteOnOnlinehttp://www.writeononline.com/Goalshttp://www.writeontrackla.com/


20/36

(inal Stages of SelfAediting! %ips"y 7aren Cioffi

(here is so much in!ol!ed in self4editingK the lists and check%oints can fill a book" (he!ery first ste% is to be %art of a criti?ue grou% and ha!e your manuscri%t criti?ued in its !arious

stages" When youre sure its in good sha%e$ then you mo!e on to %roofreading and self4editing"Be sure to check grammar$ storyline$ %unctuation$ sho#ing !s" telling " " " you kno# the deal"9o# its time to do a fine tuning self4edit"

1. /ead yor manscript,ead it again" (ry to read it slo# and #atch for all the self4editing ti%s you!e learned and

think you!e a%%lied" S%otting our o#n errors is difficult since #e kno# #hat #e #rote andintended" Some of the other ti%s here #ill hel% #ith this %roblem"

2. Change the font and read it again"Sur%risingly$ you #ill s%ot errors you &ust gla2ed o!er before" 8ou #ont run through it the

same #ay you did #ith the original font"

9. /ead each paragraph from the last sentence to the first(his is an interesting method for an additional self4edit" 'ts hel%ful because your brain

#ont be on auto4%ilot" 8ou #ill s%ot glitches #ithin sentences that you #ould gla2e o!er #henreading normally"

9ote: ' dont mean reading each sentence back#ardK read each sentence as you #ouldnormally$ but read the last sentence first and #ork your #ay to the beginning of the %aragra%h"

. 3rint yor manscript7kay$ ' kno# #hat you en!ironmentalists are thinking " " " 'm one also" ' try !ery hard not

to #aste %a%er in order to %rotect and sa!e our trees" But$ there is a difference bet#een readingon a com%uter and reading %a%er co%y" 'll be honest$ ' dont kno# #hy our brain %ercei!es itdifferently$ it &ust does"

)s youre reading your manuscri%t$ use a colored %en or %encil and mark the teJt you finderrors in" 7nce you finish$ go back to your com%uter document and correct the errors"

(he other %ractical as%ect of this %rocess is its a good idea to ha!e a hard co%y of yourmanuscri%t near its final stage" 6nless you ha!e an offsite backu%$ you cant be too careful M'dbe ske%tical of this also I you ne!er kno# #ith any online systemN" '!e lost a number of files#hen my com%uter broke" )nd$ '!e e!en lost files on 2i% dri!es #hen the dri!es failed" So$ fromeJ%erience 'm cautious #hen it comes to sa!ing my #ork"

'f you do actually utili2e Ste% = and %rint your manuscri%t$ be sure to recycle it if you no

longer need that co%y" ' reuse %a%er ' %rint by using the back for notesK #hen it can be discarded$' recycle; 8ou can either ri% it into %ieces or shred it so your !aluable content isnTt usable toothers"

aren Cioffi is an author, "hostwriter =for businesses an# in#i$i#uals>, an# freelance

writer. For writin" an# %arketin" infor%ation $isit aren athtt2(88karencioffiwritin"an#%arketin".co%an# si"n u2 for her free newsletter, A *riter


21/36

*orl#. @ou


22/36

'eriting a (oltale! Waling %hrough Walls"y 7aren Cioffi

When a #riters %useseems to be on !acation$ she may be at a loss for story ideas" Whilethere are a number of sites and tools online to hel% get the creati!e &uices flo#ing$ one tool that

#riters might o!erlook is studying folktales",eading folktales is a great #ay to s%in a ne# yarn$ es%ecially for childrens #riting" '

recently did a re!ie# of a childrens %icture book %ublished by Syl!an Dell that #as based on an)merican 'ndian folktale" (his sho#s they are %ublishable"

.olktales$ also kno#n as tall tales$ and folklore$ are stories s%ecific to a country or region"(hey are usually short stories dealing #ith e!eryday life that come from oral tradition that is%assed from generation to generation" ost often these tales in!ol!e animals$ hea!enly ob&ects$and other non4human entities that %ossess human characteristics"

(here is eJican folklore$ 'rish folklore$ Chinese folklore$ as #ell as folklore from manyother countries that ha!e tales uni?ue to their area" (here is also )merican folklore thatencom%asses stories from each of the + states" (here is a huge su%%ly of stories to s%in and

#ea!e"'n addition to re!ie#ing a cou%le of %ublished childrens books that #ere based on

folktales$ ' #rote a childrens fantasy story based on an ancient Chinese tale"'nterestingly$ %rior to recei!ing an outline of the tale from a Chinese nonfiction #riter '

kne# from one of my #riting grou%s$ ' ne!er thought of re#riting folktales" But$ once gi!en theoutline$ ' lo!ed the story and the message it %resented" (he outline itself #as !ery rough and#ritten #ith an adult as the main character MCN$ #hich is often the case #ith !ery old folktales"

)fter reading the story ' kne# the C #ould need to become a child" ' think e!erychildrens #riter is a#are that children #ant to read about children$ not adults" )nd$ the Cneeds to be a cou%le of years older than the target audience the author is #riting for"

Based on this$ ' decided to make my C a *34year4old boy" )nd$ since ' liked the ancient

Chinese fla!or of the story$ ' ke%t it and made the story take %lace in the *th

century China")fter this #as set$ ' needed to come u% #ith a title and the Cs name"When choosing a title for your book$ its im%ortant to kee% it in line #ith the story and

make it something that #ill be marketable to the age grou% youre targeting" ' chose *alkin"Throu"h *alls"

)s far as the characters name$ you #ill need to base it on the time %eriod and geogra%hiclocation of the story$ unless the character is out of his element" Since my story #as to take %lacein China$ ' used a Chinese name$ Wang"

(o kee% the fla!or of your story consistent$ you #ill also need to gi!e it a feeling ofauthenticity" (his #ill in!ol!e some research" Ho# did the %eo%le dress during the time of yourstory What names #ere used What did they eat What ty%e of #ork or schooling #as

a!ailable What locations might you mention What ty%e of cro%s and !egetation #ould be%resent What ty%es of homes did they li!e in (here are many as%ects of the story that you #ill#ant to make as authentic as %ossible" )nd$ it does matter$ e!en in fiction storiesK it #ill addrichness to your story"

(he neJt time youre in the library$ ask the librarian to sho# you a fe# folktales" (henimagine ho# you might re#rite one or more of them for todays childrens book market"


23/36

aren Cioffiis an author, "hostwriter =for businesses an# in#i$i#uals>, an# freelancewriter. For writin" an# %arketin" infor%ation $isit aren at

htt2(88karencioffiwritin"an#%arketin".co%an# si"n u2 for her free newsletter, A *riter


24/36

Mareting (o arket to arketby artha S#ir2inski

Ho# to Coordinate 8our 7#n irtual Book (ourby ayra Cal!aniSE7 and arketing: Basic (i%s and Definitionsby -aren CioffiBook Promotion: (he .oundationby -aren Cioffi


25/36

%o Maret to Maret"y Martha S*ir(inski

We #rite because of our %assion for #ords or maybe #e #ant to educate others$ moti!ate$or &ust entertain" Whate!er the reason$ #e #rite because #e lo!e it" Some %eo%le may #rite for

their o#n %ri!ate en&oyment$ but most of us #ant millions to en&oy our hard #ork" 6nfortunately$that means #e ha!e to get out there and market our books and oursel!es" 't #ould be great if theyall lined u% around the block at our book signings or %acked the house at one of our bookreadings" Ho#e!er$ if you are &ust starting out there is a good chance thats not going to ha%%en"8ou are going to ha!e to %ush u% your slee!es and get busy"

'Tm not on the 9e# 8ork (imes bestseller list""" &ust yet$ but ' ha!e %icked u% a fe# ti%salong the #ay"

Dont think &ust bookstores for signings" Who are your characters Do they like to cookHa!e a book signing in a kitchen store or the grand o%ening of a ne# restaurant"

' sell childrens books" 8oull find me at childrens bouti?ues$ festi!als and grando%enings of any ty%e of com%any that caters to childrens acti!ities"

)re your books geared to#ards female readers Pair u% #ith #omen #ho do home sho#s"(hink Pam%ered Chef$ ary -ay and so on" )round the holidays your books may be &ust the lastminute gift they #ere looking for"

Ho# about a #orksho% Ha!e something you can teach your readers y books are gearedto#ard getting children to mo!e during the story$ to use their imagination and their bodies tobring the story to life" ' gi!e #orksho%s on health$ eJercise and nutrition" ' sell most of my booksat these e!ents" E!en if you dont feel like you could gi!e a #orksho%K you could %air u% #ith aneJ%ert" ,omance no!els your niche Pair u% #ith a marriage counselor for a free #orksho% onbuilding a better marriage" urder mysteries your %assion Pair u% #ith a %olice officer ormarital arts eJ%ert to gi!e a free seminar on %rotecting yourself" aybe %oems are your thing"Pair u% #ith a chocolate sho% and ha!e a tasting and a reading around alentines Day"

(he only limitation is your imagination"A(here is no use trying$ said )liceK Aone cant belie!e im%ossible things" A' dare say youha!ent had much %ractice$ said the >ueen" AWhen ' #as your age$ ' al#ays did it for half anhour a day" Why$ sometimes 'T!e belie!ed as many as siJ im%ossible things before breakfast"

1e#is Carroll

By( !artha Swirinski, author, 2resenter an# teacherwww.!o$e%ent2lus.co% www.*holeChil#Publishin".co%
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/l/lewiscarro108181.htmlhttp://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/l/lewiscarro108181.htmlhttp://www.movementplus.com/http://www.wholechildpublishing.com/http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/l/lewiscarro108181.htmlhttp://www.movementplus.com/http://www.wholechildpublishing.com/


26/36

@o to Coordinate 3our Bn Rirtual +oo %our"y Mayra Calvani

irtual book tours$ also kno#n as blog tours$ are an effecti!e #ay of book %romotion" )!irtual book tour %uts your name and book in front of hundredsLsometimes thousandsLof

readers" 'f you hire a %ublicist to coordinate it for you$ the %rice can go from a fe# hundred tose!eral thousand dollars" Ho#e!er$ if you do it yourself$ its %ractically free" Best of all$ youdont need a car or an air%lane to tra!el through the blogos%here" 8ou can do it in your %a&amasfrom the comfort of your o#n home" )ll you need is a com%uter$ internet connection$ and a basickno#ledge of blogs" Ho#e!er$ be %re%ared to s%end a lot of time at the com%uter for the durationof the tour" ) !irtual book tour is time consuming because the bloggers #ho host you #ill askyou to #rite guest %osts$ articles$ and ans#er inter!ie# ?uestions for them"

any ne# authors often ask if !irtual book tours guarantee book sales" (he ans#er is 97") !irtual book tour doesnt guarantee sales but it does guarantee a certain amount of !isibilityand eJ%osure for you and your #ork"

(he follo#ing ste%s #ill hel% you coordinate your o#n !irtual tour:

Start %lanning at least @ months in ad!ance" (his #ill gi!e you enough time to researchblogs$ contact bloggers$ send re!ie# co%ies Mif re?uestedN$ and #rite guest %osts or ans#erinter!ie# ?uestions" 8ou #ant readers to be entertained #hen they read about you and yourbook$ so youll ha!e to gi!e them something ne# in e!ery inter!ie#" Writing the same ans#ersin the different inter!ie#s doesnt #ork and youll only be turning readers a#ay"

Decide ho# long youll #ant the tour to be and ho# many sto%s youll make" irtual booktours can be as short as one #eek Mmini book tourN or as long as se!eral months" 't de%ends onyour schedule and on ho# much time youre #illing to allocate for it" (#o4#eek and one4monthtours seem to be the most %o%ular" 6sually$ there are @ sto%s for each #eek and many authors%refer the sto%s to be on onday$ Wednesday and .riday" (he choice is really u% to you" 't allde%ends on ho# much time$ #ork and commitment youre #illing to gi!e"

Decide #hen your tour #ill take %lace" 'f you ha!e a holiday book$ like a Christmaschildrens book or a horror no!el$ youll #ant to schedule your tour during December or7ctober$ res%ecti!ely$ in order to maJimi2e your books marketing %otential"

S%end some time online researching blogs and make a list of those that match the contentor theme of your book" 'f your book is a mystery no!el about a !iolinist$ for instance$ youll #antto make a list of mystery and !iolin blogs" (hats #ere the %otential readers and buyers of yourbook are" (hats #here your au#ienceis" 'f you choose general blogs$ then make sure they get adecent amount of traffic a month" 8ou can check ho# many hits a blog or site gets on)leJa"com"

Write a tem%late for contacting hosts$ this #ay you #ont ha!e to #rite indi!idual ones foreach one" (he message should include a brief intro$ full information about your book Mblurb$ link

to co!er art$ %urchase %age$ re!ie#s$ etc"N$ and a %olite re?uest to be hosted on their blogs"ention that youre a!ailable for an inter!ie# or a guest %ost" )s an alternati!e$ you can re?uesta book re!ie#$ but you must be #illing to send them a re!ie# co%y" 'f youre lucky$ the blogger#ill acce%t an eBook co%y$ sa!ing you the eJ%ense of a %rint co%y and %ostage" Be a#are$ho#e!er$ that not all bloggers are #illing to read electronic co%ies unless they ha!e eBook4reading de!ices" -ee% in mind that re!ie#s are one of the most effecti!e #ays of book%romotion$ and #hen you com%are it to ads$ theyre reasonably chea%" 1et the bloggers kno#youll be aggressi!ely %romoting the tour$ thus bringing traffic to their blogs"


27/36

Pre%are a schedule" 0et a #eekly or monthly calendar #ith enough s%ace for notes" (his#ill hel% you !isuali2e the entire tour" )s the bloggers res%onses start flo#ing in and you agreeon s%ecific tour sto% dates$ record the follo#ing information on the calendar: blog name and6,1$ hosts name$ #hether its for a guest %ost$ article$ inter!ie# or re!ie#" 'n case of re!ie#s$send the book to the blogger as soon as %ossible Mat least t#o months in ad!anceN$ gi!ing him or

her enough time to read and re!ie# the book"Dont lea!e #riting guests %osts and ans#ering inter!ie# ?uestions for the last minute"(ake your time" ,emember readers #ant to be entertained and informed" 0i!e them !aluableinformation$ add a touch of humor and kee% your !oice fresh and interesting" )lso$ dont #aituntil the last day to send the material to the host" Send it at least a #eek in ad!ance"

) fe# days before the tour starts$ double check your calendar to make sure all is in order$then %ost the com%lete schedule$ #ith the correct hosts links$ on your #ebsite and/or blog" )lso$send a reminder to all your hosts" (o make this easy$ %ut your hosts contact info in a se%arateemail folder and email them together #hen needed" ake sure you u%date your tour schedule ona daily basis in case of last minute changes"

7nce the tour starts$ %romote it; )nnounce it to all your friends$ colleagues and relati!es

and in all forums$ grou%s and lists you belong to" 8ou can also send a %ress release for eJtraeJ%osure".or the duration of the tour$ be sure to !isit your tour sto%s to #rite comments or ans#er

?uestions !ia the Q1ea!e a Comment feature on the blogs" 'nteracting #ith readers #ill makeyour !irtual book tour more interesting and entertaining"

.inal ti%s:Consider offering a %ri2e at the end of the tour to one lucky #inner" (his #ill encourage

!isitors to comment on your tour sto%s and follo# you all through the tour" (he %ri2e could be agift certificate$ a goody basket$ or e!en a free criti?ue" 'ts not recommended to offer a co%y ofthe book youre %romoting as gift" 'f %eo%le think they might #in it$ they #ont buy it"

7nce the tour is o!er$ dont forget to thank your hosts and offer to return their fa!or in thefuture" (his makes for good internet net#orking and %rotocol"

Awar#;winnin" author !ayra Cal$ani writes fiction an# nonfiction for chil#ren an#

a#ults. She


28/36

SEB and Mareting! +asi$ %ips and )efinitions"y 7aren Cioffi

'n its sim%lest form$ %romotion is a tool or strategy under the marketing umbrella" (hemarketing umbrella co!ers the creation or manufacturing of a %roduct or ser!ice$ ,


29/36

7ne last note about SE7$ kee% your key#ords sim%le and concise" )nd$ often its ofgreater benefit to use long4tail key#ords" (hese key#ords may not get as many search hits$ butthey do get a much more targeted audienceK this lea!es you #ith less com%etition"

)n eJam%le of a key#ord might be$ Aallergy relief" )llergy relief is a !ery generic andhea!ily used key#ord" 'n order to make it more s%ecific and hone in on a narro#er

audience/searcher$ you might use$ Aallergy air cleaners$ or maybe$ Aremedies for allergies$ or$Aallergy sinus medications" 8ou #ant to narro# the %laying field"

(here are free tools to test out and analy2e key#ordsK here are three of them you might try:

htt%://freekey#ords"#ordtracker"com/htt%://###"key#orddisco!ery"com/search"htmlhtt%://###"#ordstream"com/key#ords/

aren Cioffiis an author, "hostwriter =for businesses an# in#i$i#uals>, an# freelancewriter. For writin" an# %arketin" infor%ation $isit aren at

htt2(88karencioffiwritin"an#%arketin".co%an# si"n u2 for her free newsletter, A *riter


30/36

+oo Promotion! %he (oundation"y 7aren Cioffi

E!ery author has thought it$ said it$ and heard it: %romotion is the roll4u%4your4slee!es$ anddig4in %art of #riting" 'ts the much more difficult and time consuming as%ect of #riting that

e!ery author needs to become in!ol!ed #ith " " " if he #ants to sell his books"(o actually sell a book$ you need to ha!e a ?uality %roduct" (his is the bare4bottom$ first

rung of book %romotion " " " the foundation"

he FondationCreate a ?ality 3rodct

(he !ery first ste% in book %romotion is to create a ?uality %roduct" Ho%efully$ you noticed' said create a Iuality 2ro#uct$ not &ust a good story" What this means is that all as%ects of yourbook need to be to% notch"

A. The Story(o start at the !ery beginning$ the first factor to be dealt #ith is to be sure your story has all

the essential elements" )ccording to 8ale49e# Ha!en (eachers 'nstitute$ there are fi!e ma&orelements of a story: characters$ setting$ %lot$ %oint of !ie#$ and theme"

)ll the elements of a story should com%lement each other$ should mo!e each otherfor#ard$ dra# the reader in$ and end #ith a satisfying conclusion" (hey should #ork together tocreate a story that #ill be remembered"

Su%%ose your story is action %acked and %lot dri!en$ but it lacks belie!able and sym%atheticcharacters$ it #ill fall short" (he same holds true if you ha!e a belie!able and sym%athetic

character$ but the story lacks mo!ement" )gain$ it #ill be lacking" )s #ith all things in lifebalance is necessary$ the same holds true #hen #riting a story"

B. Join a Critique rou!

8es$ this is %art of creating a Iuality story" E!en eJ%erienced authors de%end on the uni?ue%ers%ecti!e and eJtra eyes that each criti?ue member %ro!ides" (hey #ill hel% find: grammaticalerrors$ holes in your story$ unclear sentences and %aragra%hs$ o!eruse of %articular #ords$ and#eak !erbs$ among other elements"

(hey #ill also %ro!ide guidance and suggestions"Check out this article for more information about &oining a criti?ue grou%:

Criti?ues are Essentialhtt%://###"karencioffi"com/3+*+/+G/criti?ues4are4essential/

C. Editing

8es$ again$ this is a necessary ste% to take to ensure your manuscri%t is in the best sha%e%ossible before it becomes a book" 1ook for an eJ%erienced and ?ualified editor to hel% t#eakyour manuscri%t" But$ before you send it off to be edited$ self4edit it first" (here are a number of
http://www.karencioffi.com/2010/08/critiques-are-essential/http://www.karencioffi.com/2010/08/critiques-are-essential/


31/36

articles out there in cybers%ace on self4editing" (ake the time and read a fe#$ then go o!er yourmanuscri%t"

D. Co"er and Design

(his ste% is more rele!ant to those #ho decide to self4%ublish$ or use a Print4on4Demand

MP7DN" (he co!er is the first im%ression a reader #ill usually ha!e of your book$ neJt is theinterior design" (hese as%ects are &ust as im%ortant as the story itself" 'm sure youre familiar#ith the eJ%ression that you only get one shot at making a good first im%ression" Well$ you canrelate that to your book co!er"

Dont skim% on time$ effort$ or money #hen coming u% #ith your books co!er and design"

ip:'f you are #riting a childrens book$ do not do your o#n illustrations unless youre a%rofessional illustrator"

aren Cioffiis an author an# "hostwriter =for businesses an# in#i$i#uals>. For writin" an#

%arketin" infor%ation $isit =htt2(88karencioffiwritin"an#%arketin".co%> an# si"n u2 for her freenewsletter, A *riter


32/36

'esour$es

Writing

The #rugal Editor $ %ut &our Best Book #orward to A"oid Hu'iliation and EnsureSuccess

)uthor: Carolyn Ho#ard45ohnson(his book takes you through the #riting %rocess from start to finish" 'ts %ro!ides easy4to4

understand and !aluable ad!ice$ ti%s$ information$ and resources"

The reat ra''ar Book

)uthor arsha Stramek(he book %ro!ides information about grammar" 't includes eJ%lanations$ great eJam%les$

and re!ie#s" 't focuses on only those grammatical terms #hich are necessary to a!oid mistakesor to im%ro!e #riting skills"

Children(s )riters )ord Book

)uthor: )li&andra ogilner and (ayo%a ogilner(his book lists #ords in grou%s by gradesK %ro!ides a thesaurus of those #ordsK %ro!ides

detailed guidelines for sentence length$ #ord usage$ and themes at each reading le!elK and more"'ts a !ery hand book to ha!e if youre #riting for children"

@es @o can 'earn )o* to Write ChildrenBs "ooks


33/36

)uthor 9ancy '" Sanders(his is the ne#est of the best4selling and a#ard4#inning authors G+ %ublished books"

(he book %ro!ides ste%4by4ste% instructions for becoming a successful %ublished author"

Bird by Bird

)uthor: )nne 1amottHeres a ?uote from the 9e# 8ork (imes Book ,e!ie#: ASu%erb #riting ad!icehilarious$ hel%ful and %ro!ocati!e"

Ste!hen *ing $ +n )riting, A e'oir o the Crat

)uthor: Ste%hen -ing(his book offers insight and instruction on the craft of #riting"

Self-Publishing and Promotion

Self+3$lishing Manal)uthor: Dan Poynter:(his book goes into great detail about ho# to #rite$ %rint and sell your o#n book"

he Frgal "ook 3romoter )o* to #o What @or 3$lisher WonBt)uthor: Carolyn Ho#ard45ohnson(his book is &ammed %acked #ith ad!ice$ ti%s$ and information about %romotion"

/ed )ot nternet 3$licity An nsiderBs &ide to Marketing @or "ook on thenternet

)uthor: Penny C" Sanse!ieri(his book %ro!ides an in de%th look at internet marketing"


34/36

& +it about Writers on the Move

'f you!e been a reader at our site o!er the last cou%le of years$ and ha!e !isited lately$ youkno# #e!e made B'0 changes to the grou%s format$ site design$ and logo"

7ne thing about marketing$ its an ongoing &ourney thats constantly changing" 9e#technology$ ne# sites and ser!ices$ and ne# strategies create an e!er4changing marketing #orld"

Writers on the o!e #as founded in 3++G by -aren Cioffi" 'ts original %ur%ose #as to%ro!ide a !ehicle for authors to !irtually tour each other in a uni?ue ongoing %latform

Since then$ #e!e t#eaked our %romotional strategies here and there and ha!e e!ol!ed intoa marketing grou% of authors and #riters #ho #ith combined talents$ kno#ledge$ and eJ%erience

are able to offer #riting and marketing hel% to our readers and !isitors through articles$ features$book re!ie#s$ #orksho%s$ and other formats to come" 'n addition$ #e continually stri!e toincrease our indi!idual !isibility"

We ho%e to offer additional eBooks on s%ecific to%ics$ %odcasts$ and other forms ofinformational tools to hel% guide you through the #riting and marketing &ungle"

'f youre interested in becoming a Writers on the o!e member or #ould like to offersuggestions on #orksho%s$ %lease email me at: karencioffi MatN ymail MdotN com


35/36

uotes

A8ou must be the change you #ant to see in the #orld"M!. :han#i

A0od doesnTt re?uire us to succeedK he only re?uires that you try"M !other Teresa

A'ts not #hat you!e done that matters 4 its #hat you ha!ent done"

M !ark Twain

A0i!e #hat you ha!e" (o someone$ it may be better than you dare to think"M/enry *a#sworth Lon"fellow, 701N;7006

A-no#ing is not enoughK #e must a%%ly" Willing is not enoughK #e must do"M:oethe

A) %rofessional #riter is an amateur #ho didnt ?uit" AM Richar# Bach

OEasy reading is damn hard #riting"OM ?athaniel /awthorne

ODonTt tell me the moon is shiningK sho# me the glint of light on broken glass"OM Anton Chekho$

O'f you #ant to be a #riter$ you must do t#o things abo!e all others: read a lot and #rite alot" (hereTs no #ay around these t#o things that 'Tm a#are of$ no shortcut"O


36/36

MSte2hen in"

Re%e%ber( ?othin" 9enture#, ?othin" :aine#

writers on the move spring 2011 - a compilation of writing and marketing articles

Documents