Writing and Publishing News from

When you wrote your memoir, did it make you cry? Did you sometimes feel sad as the words appeared on the screen (or paper)? Did you feel extreme joy at some points in the process? Perhaps you even stopped writing a time or two just so you could spend a moment remembering a lovely experience or composing yourself after thinking about a sad one.

If you did not feel the emotion of the experiences in your story while writing it, then neither will your readers. They will find your story flat—perhaps, only mildly interesting. Your story is probably more of a narrative—this is what happened—without any depth. You are probably telling your story—relating the surface details—without showing what happened—pulling the reader into the story through raw emotion. You might be sharing your story in a superficial way rather than with any real passion. You may be glossing over your story instead of giving it the depth that will actually involve the reader—make him or her care.

Readers don’t get all that interested in the fact that your dad beat your mom, especially if that’s all you say about it and then you talk about going to school the next day. But take the reader into your frightened mind and let them see through your eyes what exactly took place and how you felt about it and what you felt when you stepped down out of the school bus and faced your friends the next day, and you have accomplished your goal as an author/storyteller.

If you want to involve the reader in your story, you have to get involved yourself. You must feel the pain you are writing about and experience the joy. If you don’t, your readers certainly won’t.

Create an assignment from this concept this week. Take a look at your memoir in progress or your short story. Does it pull at your emotions? If not, go in search of words and phrases that will paint a picture—that will evoke emotion—that will make readers care about the characters or the situation.

In order to develop and foster this skill, I recommend getting involved with a writers’ critique group. Read your work often and listen to what others say. Let your peers help you to develop your writing.

For added help with this aspect of your manuscript, contact me—I am offering discounts to those who truly need the help and who truly cannot pay full price. I can also work with you on those other pesky editorial problems that so many writers adopt—misuse of words and punctuation, spacing problems, muddy writing/lack of clarity, using the passive voice, inconsistencies in the manuscript and so forth. PLFry620@yahoo.com. Email me for a manuscript evaluation.

Also order my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book and study the self-editing section. Order the book here:
http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html

Further, if you want a hands-on lesson in self-editing, check into my NEW self-editing course—which is still not posted at my website. Contact me and I’ll send you the description and other particulars; PLFry620@yahoo.com.

Catscapades Update
A writer/friend/reviewer/cat person commented last night that she read Catscapades, True Cat Tales and absolutely loved it. And, she said, so did her cat. She sent a picture of Belle enjoying the book. I’ll post it at my Catscapades blog soon.
http://www.matilijapress.com/catscapades

Order your copy and gift copies today—Mother’s Day is May 9.
http://www.matilijapress.com/catscapades.html

Have you ever thought about being a ghostwriter? Do you know what a ghostwriter is? Actually, they come in many styles and perform a variety of services for non-writers and others who are just too busy to write or not interested in writing.

What’s the difference between writing for hire and ghostwriting? Sometimes nothing at all. Ghostwriting generally means that you are writing for pay without a byline or without credit.

The writing I did for a couple of local water companies could be considered ghostwriting. When I wrote the history of the water district without credit, that could be considered ghosting. And the work I did for a finance company on a book about credit, was most certainly a ghostwriting project.

We generally think of ghostwriting in relationship to celebrity memoirs. Many of them hire writers to tell their stories. Some non-celebrities use ghostwriters to write their memoirs or a book that could further their careers. Even some of the newspaper and magazine columns you read are ghosted. Locally, a well-known business owner hires a writer to produce a weekly column related to her field of expertise.

By reading this, are you getting some ideas about writing work that you could pursue? We keep hearing that companies are firing their staff writers and hiring freelancers. Sure, they call it “freelancing” rather than “ghosting,” but the concept and the process is quite similar.

If you decide to seek out ghosting work, beware of ill-informed people who want you to write their books for a percentage of the royalties. No, no, no, no. You need to get paid for your work whether the book ever gets published or not. Otherwise, chances are that you will get a scant $500 or less. What do I base this on? The fact that over 75 percent of all books sell fewer than 100 copies. I also make this prediction based on my observations and experiences throughout these 35 + years that I’ve been in this business. And think about this: someone who hires a writer to write his first book probably knows nothing about the publishing industry, how to produce a book that will sell and how to promote that book once it is a book.

Of course, there are exceptions to this rule—a client with a track record, for example. But if he or she can’t pay you to do the work they require, I would still consider this a shaky situation.

Now, how do you get work as a ghostwriter (or a freelance writer)? By spreading the word that you are skilled, knowledgeable and available. Here’s what I suggest:

• Network within the industry or group you wish to work with.

• Submit articles to publications that your target client base reads.

• Distribute your brochure to key businesses or organizations.

• Sign up for Google alerts to receive notification for ghostwriting work.

• Join a ghostwriters group, study ghostwriting books, etc., for additional ideas.

There is work to be had. It may not be coming as easily as it once did, thus it is necessary for those of us who want this kind of work to stretch and bend in order to locate and land assignments. Let me know if you need further guidance with regard to finding work or gaining the skills necessary for doing this kind of work. And also leave your comments about how you’re getting work in this economy. (Click on “Comments.”)

Catscapades Update
The books with the new cover will ship today! That means that in a week or so, I will be able to send out review copies, enter contests, do book signings and otherwise go into full swing with my promotional efforts. If you’ve been waiting to order your copies of Catscapades, True Cat Tales until the cover problem was resolved, get ready to make your purchase. I’d say it is safe to do so on Friday, April 16. If you are just as happy with the same book and the same cover with a striking pink bar across the bottom, place your order today!
http://www.matilijapress.com/castscapades.html

And be sure to visit the Catscapades blog every few days—I am updating it more often now. If you have a photo of a cat you’d like me to share at my blog, send it along with the story of that cat. PLFry620@yahoo.com.

Publishing Books
Sales for my book, Over 75 Good Ideas for Promoting Your Book, are UP. And I am eager to produce the revised edition—Over 100 Good Ideas for Promoting Your Book. This manuscript is with Allworth Press as we speak. Cross fingers!

For a look at my showcase of writing/publishing-related books, go to
http://www.matilijapress.com

I’ve emptied my first box of Catscapades books. Don’t you love experiencing the milestones in your writing career? I’ve been enjoying them for over 35 years and I still get a thrill when a new book comes out or I find a new outlet for my books, I’m invited to do a book signing, I get a positive review and so forth. I guess the thrill never wears off.

And that’s a good thing. I remember when A.S. Barnes (a publisher with offices in New York and London) published my first book in paperback and hardcover. I was really excited to be a published author. And it took a bookstore owner to bring me back to the reality of my profession. It was during a book signing at his open-air bookstore that he asked me, “What are you going to write next?”

I was taken aback for a few minutes. I was so busy basking in the glory of my accomplishment that I forgot to look to the future. Of course, there is life after a book. And I had to admit that I had no idea what I would do for an encore. The bookseller said, “We need a good book on the local history. People ask for one all the time.”

And that set me on a five-year path toward self-publishing (establishing my own publishing company). I did the research and wrote the 300-page The Ojai Valley, An Illustrated History. And then I established Matilija Press in order to produce it. I sold that book locally, as well as to individuals and libraries throughout the world, for over twenty-five years.

Today, I have 31 published books to my credit and I’ve had many hundreds of my articles published in a variety of publications. And still, there is a thrill with each achievement, triumph and highlight along the way.

But what pleases me the most is that I please my audiences. I love it when a reader says,

“I couldn’t put your memoir, Quest for Truth, down.”

“I learned so much from The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book.”

“Catscapades is absolutely charming and heartwarming.”

“I hosted a most successful luau, thanks to your book, The Mainland Luau.”

“I wish I’d read your book before I made so many publishing mistakes.”

“Thank you for writing this book.”

Do you frequently receive comments like these? Have you been successful with your book or your article submissions? If not, maybe you are not writing for your audience.

One of the main mistakes I see writers make is that they write what they want to say without regard for their audiences’ needs and desires. I advise clients and students to keep their audiences in mind every step of the way while writing their novel, memoir or nonfiction book or article.

To learn more about me, my work, my book and course offerings, visit my website. You can order books here, too:
http://www.matilijapress.com or at amazon.com.

I often hear writers say that there is no longer a market for fiction. I can’t let statements like this go unchallenged, so I went into research mode. What did I find? Following are a sampling of the opportunities I located. And most of them are paying markets. You might be surprised at some of the magazines on this list. Their topics range from holistic health and antique collecting to motorcycle lifestyles and witchcraft; and from children’s fiction and sailing stories to hunting/fishing fiction and religious pieces.

I hope that, if you write fiction, you will pursue some of these leads. Why? If you are a freelance writer, publication in these magazines will give you added credibility and published clips. If you have a novel to promote, getting your fiction published in national or regional magazines can help you to create a following and sell more books.

I suggest that you visit websites for the magazines on this list that you wish to write for. Look at their Submission Guidelines (or Guidelines for Writers) and adhere to them.

Study an issue or two of the magazine to get a clear idea of what they publish. If you have a piece that isn’t quite right for a particular magazine, try tweaking it to fit. For example, your fantasy story involving twin teens might be transformed into the story of two elderly women who have just entered into something akin to the Twilight Zone. Your piece featuring a family adventure might work for an ethnic magazine if you just change the race of the family, for example.

You’ll hear writers say that it is extremely difficult to get published these days. And it is, especially for writers who refuse to conform to each publication’s guidelines. This isn’t the time to give up. It is the perfect time to regroup, enter into serious professional mode and submit, submit, submit. Start with some of the over 20 opportunities below.

Because of limited space, I am giving you the bare minimum information. Please use your research skills to locate submission guidelines. Join SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network) for complete information related to these listings and countless others. (See below.)

Gray’s Sporting Journal pays $600 to $1,000 for fiction
http://www.grayssportingjournal.com.

Open Spaces pays in the .50 cents/word range.
http://www.open-spaces.com/submissions.php

Antiques and Collecting Magazine pays $50 to $250
http://www.acmagazine.com.

Lighthouse Digest pays $75 to $150 http://www.lighthousedigest.com.

Hemispheres pays .50 cents/word.
http://www.hemispheresmagazine.com .

Atlanta Magazine pays up to $2,000.
http://www.atlantamagazine.com.

Broken Pencil Magazine pays $100 to $400
http://www.brokenpencil.com.

Boston Review pays $25 to $300. The fiction editor is Junot Diaz, review@bostonreview.net.

New York Spirit pays $150. http://www.nyspirit.com.

Newwitch. http://www.newwitch.

Traders Magazine http://www.tradersmagazine.com.

Art Times pays under $100. http://www.arttimesjournal.com

Outlaw Biker is also a low paying market:
http://www.outlawbiker.com.

Pockets pays .14 cents/word. http://www.pockets.org.

Shine Brightly http://www.gemsgc.org.

Times of the Islands http://www.timespub.tc

Na’Amat Woman pays .10 to .20 cents/word. http://www.naamat.org.

Catholic Forester pays .50 cents word.
http://www.catholicforester.org.

Chrysalis Reader. http://www.swedenborg.com/chrysalis.

Tea A Magazine. http://www.teamag.com.

Poker and Pool Magazine pays up to $200.
http://www.pokerandpoolmagazine.com

Now, if you are a SPAWN member, you will have access to this information in much greater detail come April 1, 2010 and forever thereafter. For the SPAWN Market Update, posted in the member area of the SPAWN website, I also included in this great list, the type of articles the editors are seeking, editor’s names and email addresses, how many words each magazine requires, etc. And I provide these types of opportunities for freelance writers, authors and even photographers and artists monthly in the 11-page SPAWN Market Update.

Now, perhaps you can see some of the value in the $65/annual membership fee for joining SPAWN. Join here. And be sure to sign up for your FREE SPAWNews newsletter and download your FREE copy of “Promote Yourself! 25 Ways to Promote Your Work Whether You’re an Artists, Author of Small Publisher.” http://www.spawn.org

Catscapades Update
Check out my new blog entry at my Catscapades blog. I talk about cats and water and show a picture of Lily (kitty) getting showered while sipping out of the spigot. CUTE!
http://www.matilijapress.com/catscapades

This was my blog post in March of 2006. It still contains wisdom four years later.

What distracts you from writing? Do you have cats wandering in and out of your office while you write? Are there children in the house? Maybe your spouse is retired and at home a lot. Perhaps you’re distracted by something as simple as a sunny day or friends going out to lunch or for a round of golf.

Do you allow temptations to lure you away from your writing? Or do you stand strong against the call to go read a novel, watch a cooking show or mow the lawn? How do you handle the lure that threatens to take you away from your writing? If your writing is suffering, your earnings are down and you’re missing deadlines, you probably tend to cave in the face of distraction. On the other hand, if you collect enough money each month to pay the bills and add to your nest egg, you’ve probably established some excellent work habits.

What are some of the habits of highly successful writers? Read on.
1: Establish a schedule and stick to it.
Hobby writers write when they feel like it—when inspiration strikes. Most successful career writers write according to a schedule. At least they begin their career by adhering to a strict schedule. After time and practice, for most professional freelance writers and authors, writing is so much a part of their life that it has become second nature. They write according to the needs and expectations of their editors, publishers, agents, readers and themselves.

2: Say “No” to distractions.
Most people find it difficult to write amidst activity. Barking dogs, a blaring TV, frolicking children, constant interruptions are not conducive to the process of writing. Choose your writing time and place carefully. Be prepared for invitations that you can’t always accept, learn to say no to lunch dates, shopping trips and those other luxury outings you enjoyed before you decided to become a career writer.

3: Set rules.
Retrain your friends, family and neighbors to respect your writing time without totally alienating these people. I recommend that writers give when they take away. When you decline an invitation to lunch on Thursday, offer, instead, a jog together with your sister Saturday morning or offer a Sunday afternoon trip to the swap meet with your neighbor.

4: Look at rejection as an opportunity.
Rejection is often difficult for a writer at any stage of his/her profession to accept. But it is part of the career package. I met a writer once who said that he had never received a rejection letter. I say that he either lied or he wasn’t a career freelance writer–he only submitted a story now and again to a targeted magazine. Rejection is part of this profession and a writer or author must learn to accept this fact. Now, how can you turn a rejection into an opportunity? By not giving up. If your article or short story is rejected, send it to another similar magazine or change it to fit a different niche magazine. If your book proposal is rejected, look it over carefully–have a professional take a look at it and, when you are sure it is perfect, send it to some of the thousands of other publishers out there.

5: Say “Yes” to unexpected opportunities.
Sometimes we shine-on opportunities. We are quick to decline an invitation that might ultimately move our career forward. Sometimes we don’t recognize an opportunity when it kisses us on the cheek. I’ve earned to say “yes” to most opportunities even when I’m unsure about the situation at first. For example, let’s say you get an invitation to speak on the topic of your book in another state. Here’s what you might temporarily perceive as obstacles:

• I don’t know how to get there.
• Travel is expensive.
• I don’t know the people there.
• I’m not a good speaker.
• What if someone in the audience knows more about the subject than I do?

Instead of running these negative tapes, say, “yes” and then figure out the rest. List the positives:

• I might sell books.
• I might have fun.
• I might meet new people and make important contacts.

An editor sometimes contacts me and asks me to write an article on a topic that I don’t know much about. I am often invited to give workshops or give speeches in places that are unfamiliar to me. I might get more editing work than I can comfortably handle. Most of the time I say “yes” and most of the time things work out. Sure there are some challenges along the way, but, for me, once I’ve committed to something, I can usually find a way to make it happen.

6: Take risks.
Writing for publication involves constant risk-taking. You’re always trying to write what the editors and the public wants and what publishers want. You do your research to find out what they want, but it’s still a constant process of second guessing them. What if you fail? There are risks in public speaking, in traveling and in investing in your book or a travel opportunity to promote that book. You could fail–or you could perceive that you failed. (And that’s another blog topic). But one thing is for sure, if you don’t take those risks, you won’t succeed.

7: Promote, promote, promote.
Whether you are a freelance writer or an author, you must constantly promote yourself, your work and/or your products. Highly successful writers/authors, do not sit around waiting for success to happen to them, they are out there making it happen.

If you want success as an author, you really need to read and study my latest book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book. Order it at:
http://www.matilijapresss.com/rightway.html

If you are trying to break in as a freelance article writer, you may want to read my book, A Writer’s Guide to Magazine Articles,
http://www.matilijapress.com/writingpage.html

It has taken a while for the trickle-down effect to reach some writers. Even while high unemployment figures were being quoted on the evening news and during the time massive layoffs and failed businesses were being reported, most working writers were still writing. But things are changing and I’m wondering if you’re feeling the crunch.

Here’s what I see occurring—there are more people writing and this includes retirees and the unemployed. More writers and, by the way, non-writers, are hanging out their shingles—advertising themselves as ghostwriters, editors, book doctors, writing coaches , publishers and so forth. Just look at the abundance of unfamiliar names cropping up on articles published in your favorite writing/publishing newsletters and magazines. There’s also an influx of new books, blogs, courses, webinars, etc., by new kids on the block. Have you noticed?

Another thing I’ve noticed is more freebies for authors. Oh my gosh, everywhere you go on the Web, there are free classes, free webinars/teleseminars, free books, free articles and, of course, you can get an enormous amount of valuable information on blogs such as this one, free ezines and so forth.

I want to accomplish two things with this blog post today:

BEWARE
First, a warning. Please make sure that when you hire an editor, book doctor or sign up for a course or conference, for example, the individuals involved are credible and knowledgeable. What is their background? How long have they been writing/publishing/teaching/editing?

You may recall the story I told here a year or so ago about the potential client who thanked me kindly for my quote to edit his book, but said that he had found someone who charges much less and he was going to hire this other individual. In fact, the author suggested that I consider adjusting my fees as the other person was charging more per hour, but promised that they could edit the manuscript in a much shorter time. As I recall, this other “editor” claimed he could edit at around 25 pages per hour. Unbelievable! Well, the author came back a few weeks later to report that I was absolutely right when I told him that this individual would probably just do a quick check using his Word spell and grammar check and call it good.

You really have to be careful who you are dealing with, what their experience is and what their process is. Also, be sure to get references. I often tell audiences at writers’ conferences and so forth, to avoid hiring your neighbor—a retired professor—your son’s high school English teacher or a coworker who seems to have a good vocabulary to edit your book manuscript. Make sure your editor is credible and experienced in editing book manuscripts.

Share Your Story and Receive a Free Gift of Your Choice
The second thing I’d like to accomplish here is to get a sense about how the economy is affecting you. There’s a free gift in it for you—see below: For example:

• How is the economy affecting you personally, if at all?

• What are you doing differently this year to get work as a freelance writer, article-writer, editor, etc.?

• What about your book sales? Are they up/down/the same?

• What are you doing differently to maintain or increase sales?

• Have you hired anyone to edit, write, teach you? How did you choose this individual? How did it work out?

• What would you suggest to other writers/authors who are struggling in this economy?

Respond by leaving a comment here. The more detail the better. And as for your FREE gift for participating, what would you like? Choose one:

1: Free manuscript evaluation? (3 chapters or around 25 pages and table of contents).

2: Free ebook of your choice—request a list.

3: Free Book Promotion, Self-Publishing, Article-Writing or Book Proposal course for you with one paid student. Get your writing buddy to sign up and you get the course for FREE.

4: Free copy of A Writer’s Guide to Magazine Articles OR Over 75 Good Ideas for Promoting Your Book OR The Successful Writer’s Handbook with purchase of The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book. Contact Patricia Fry here: PLFry620@yahoo.com
Learn more about my offerings here: http://www.matilijapress.com

Does this seem like an oxymoron? Well, think about it—there are many instances when you must rely on your fiction-writing skills in nonfiction. What about the memoir? I’m working with a client now whose book manuscript features depictions of actual people as examples throughout. She is a give-me-the-facts type of more academic writer and I’m helping her to bring her real “characters” to life.

We use anecdotes even in our how-to, self-help and informational books. And it’s often necessary, or at least recommended, that these anecdotes be fleshed out much the same as one would do for characters in a novel. And what about story books? The Chicken Soup stories are nonfiction. The stories in my new book, Catscapades, True Cat Tales are true. Yet, no one will be interested in reading stories that are written in stiff, academic style.

Readers respond to writing that evokes emotion, whether it tugs at their heart strings, scares the wits out of them or makes them mad as hell. A good fiction writer can put the reader in the story with the characters and make him/her care. Nonfiction writers who include true-to-life anecdotes or who are trying to tell a true story, need to borrow some of these techniques.

It takes practice, if you’re a staunch nonfiction writer, to get to the point where you can flesh out your profile pieces, to make your anecdotes sing, to create stories that touch one at a deep level. But, if you are writing a memoir, a biography, a how-to book featuring several case studies or a book of stories, this is a process you really must learn.

Instead of just listing the occurrences the way things happened, practice using imagery to make the story come alive. Rather than simply telling the story, use words and anecdotes that put more emotion into your story. Instead of using mundane terms that might work for a piece of nonfiction, use more descriptive words—create word pictures.

If your brain doesn’t automatically work that way, it can take practice. So practice. Here are some suggestions to get you started:

• Get poetic. Force yourself, if you have to, into using a poetic tone to describe something ordinary—an object or an activity, for example. You probably won’t write using the words and phrases you come up with in this exercise, but it will get you off dead center and loosen up your, perhaps, stiff, stifled way of communicating.

• Visualize the scene you are working on. Try to see it in great detail. Write what you see.

• Practice giving your characters personality. Rather than having Bob grow up, graduate and get a job, have him grow up playing in the cornfields of Iowa, graduating despite heavy burdens at home and landing his first job as a car hop on roller skates.

• Don’t be afraid to make readers cry, experience fear or laugh. That’s what we read for—to feel.

• Read, read and read some more. Study the techniques used by some of the great fiction writers.

The leap from nonfiction writing to fiction can be mighty for some staunch “give me the facts, Ma’am” kind of writers. But you are a writer, after all. You worked to develop the skills you have. If you want to write your memoir or a book of stories or do more profile pieces, and if what you’re writing falls a little flat, use these ideas and practice, practice, practice. You’ll soon see your storytelling skills become sharper and sharper.

If you need help with your manuscript, contact me here: PLFry620@yahoo.com

Catscapades Update
Our shipment of Catscapades, True Cat Tales arrived last week. We’re already receiving comments from happy readers. One animal person said, “This is a book that can be read again and again. It’s not just information, it’s a feeling.”

Another reader says, “Well, I’ve read Catscapades from cover to cover & loved it! This will be a treasured book that I will re-read many times. I’m grateful for your gift to write & your ability to get these stories in print for all of us to enjoy. But beyond actually enjoying the stories, I found the stories brought to mind my own life cat encounters. It is a great little book!”

Order your copy from Amazon.com or at my website: http://www.matilijapress.com/catscapades.html

Visit our Catscapades blog:
http://www.matilijapress.com/catscapades