Writing and Publishing News from

August 23, 2009

Sell More Books By Changing How You Do It

Filed under: Book Promotion — Patricia @ 5:27 am

On this day in 2006—three years ago—I wrote in this blog about the ebb and flow of writing. I pointed out that a career, in order to survive, must be allowed (or even encouraged) to change with the times, with the individual’s skills and expertise and with the needs of its clients/customers. And I wrote about the twists and turns my writing career had taken over time.

Of course, my career is still changing shape as I mature and the world of publishing continues to evolve.

Do you step back once or twice a year and take a long look at your current writing career or hobby? Do you see areas where you could improve your reach or your products or services? Do you see opportunities to enhance how you’re doing things and then make those changes? Or do you keep doing things in the same old way?

Hey, if it’s working, don’t fix it. But is it really working or are you just biding your time—waiting for circumstances to return to how they were or, worse yet, how you want them to be? Are you afraid to make any changes? Are you comfortable with the status quo, even though book sales might be down or you’re not getting as many writing assignments? Would you rather wish and wait for the day when people wake up to the fact that they should buy your book? Do you plan to sit tight until the article-writing business opens up a bit—until editors start pursuing your talents?

If this is your attitude, then you are probably in the wrong business. Most business today require more of the owner, manager, staff. If ever there was a time when customer service and reliability was important, it is now. And it is also vital that we toot our horns more exuberantly than, perhaps, ever before.

People are buying books. Magazine editors are hiring writers. Authors are using copyeditors. The world is still going around. But it seems to be spinning at a different speed and frequency than before. So how does one exist in the new environment? How do we sell more books and get that writing work? How? By changing something that we’re doing. What, exactly, does this mean? In most instances, it simply means getting more exposure for your book or services. Here are some ideas:

Reach out farther and more often.
If you’ve been arranging for book reviews on the Web, start also soliciting reviews in appropriate magazines and newsletters, write articles or submit stories to appropriate publications, send press releases announcing a discounted price for fall or new services you’re offering, for example.

Step outside your comfort zone.
If you haven’t been speaking in public about your book, start seeking opportunities. If you have, locate new venues and develop some new, more entertaining material. Do something newsworthy related to your book topic, for example, and then announce it to the world through press releases. Start researching talk radio shows and begin contacting the producers with your credentials. Hire a publicist.

Try new ways of approaching and engaging potential customers/clients.
Rent booths at local book fairs. Arrange for book signings along your vacation route this fall. Go door-to-door with a wagonload of your books and pitch them as Christmas gifts. Join several organizations and associations related to your book theme or genre and get involved.

While you are contemplating your tactics for promoting your book and services this fall, be sure to check out SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network). We have a brand new website. It is so new that our webmaster is still putting the finishing touches on it as we speak. We hope to have everything in place within a few short days. Join up (it’s only $45/year) and gain access to thousands of opportunities, resources, information bits, news bytes, recommendations and more. You’ll also have the opportunity to network with other authors, publishers, freelance writers, graphic artists and others. Sign up for our free enewsletter and get a FREE booklet with 25 ideas for promoting your writing, books and/or artwork.
http://www.spawn.org

Also, if you are still trying to figure out what the publishing industry is all about; how to choose a publisher, what your publishing options are, what is your responsibility as a published author, how does one market a book, where do you find distributors and how do you work with them, how to self-edit, how to write a book proposal, how to start your own publishing company and so forth, read my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book.
http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html

August 22, 2009

Hello, My Name is Patricia and I am a Writer

Filed under: Writing — Patricia @ 6:22 am

Can you use this phrase, yet? When someone asks what you do, can you respond by saying, “I’m a writer,” or do the words stick in your throat?

Maybe you aren’t writing full-time, so it doesn’t seem right to claim writing as your profession.
So, at what point will you be able to accept the label, “writer?”

For me, it was after I sold my first few articles and a publisher accepted my first book. However, I know people who introduce themselves as authors as soon as they decide to write a book.

Twice, recently, someone asked me what I do. While I’ve been earning my living through writing-related endeavors for decades, I must say that I felt a need to explain myself when I responded, “I’m a writer.”

Think about it; I remember when I didn’t know another serious, career writer. Today, everyone is writing a book. Throughout the 1970s and ‘80s, you weren’t taken seriously as a writer because no one, except the big name authors, were considered legitimate. Today, you aren’t taken seriously as a writer because everyone is writing something.

When I responded recently by saying “I’m a writer,” I felt compelled to add, “I actually have carved out a 35-year career for myself in the writing field.”

I needed to justify my claim to show that I am a writer in every sense of the word and I’m not just another person who has suddenly decided to write his memoirs. I needed this person to know that I am the real deal—whatever that is.

But then, this has been career-long issue—trying to get others to understand that I don’t just sit down and write when the mood strikes, I write for a living. And, “No,” my name might not be familiar to you—you’ve probably never read anything I have written.

And now my career isn’t only about writing. It has evolved into a publishing company that’s responsible for producing over a dozen books. It is a virtual bookstore that sells books on a variety of topics. It is a consulting firm where writers and authors can come for assistance and guidance. It is an editorial service as well as a virtual classroom and a source of presentations for freelance writers and authors. On top of this, I have offered my services as a working officer in SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network) for the past 13 years. But who, other than someone who desires my services cares about all this?

How do you view yourself within the world of creativity? Are you a serious writer/author? Do you consider yourself a professional in this field? Maybe you are just starting out, but you aspire to establish a writing career. Or maybe you are writing your first book—a memoir, a novel or a business book designed to promote your work, for example. Will you pursue this project as a professional or do you still view writing as a frivolous activity?

It has been my observation over the years that those who take the necessary steps toward publishing success (whether as an author or freelance writer), have a much greater success rate. And more of these folks can justifiably wear the title, writer or author.

For help in establishing your business model and achieving your publishing dreams, study some of my books. The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book or A Writer’s Guide to Magazine Articles, are two great choices. Check them out at:
http://www.matilijapress.com

Be sure to stop by and see the new SPAWN site. Sign up for the FREE SPAWN monthly newsletter and receive a FREE copy of our new ebooklet, Promote Yourself, 25 Ways to Promote Your Work Whether You’re an Author, Artist or Small Publisher.
http://www.spawn.org

August 21, 2009

Ideas For Your Blog

Filed under: Writing — Patricia @ 6:51 am

Do you ever wonder how someone can come up with enough ideas to keep a blog going day after day after day? Could you think of something fresh to write about every morning of the week/month/year? If you have a blog, how do you come up with ideas? Here’s how I do it.

First, I’m rather predisposed to ideas. I spent many years writing articles for magazines and this means always being on the lookout for and open to ideas and slants. So I use some of the skills and techniques I applied in that career to prepare my blog post each day—well, most days. I realize I’ve missed a few days during the SPAWN transition. It has been mighty busy in the Matilija Press offices and the SPAWN headquarters lately. (SPAWN is Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network)
http://www.spawn.org

Okay, so we’re talking about ideas for a daily (or even weekly blog). Here’s how I come up with them. I write about things that I have:

• Observed
• Read
• Watched
• Overheard
• Learned
• Thought about
• Experienced
• Worried about

I write about things that I:

• Care about
• Enjoy
• Get a kick out of
• Am concerned about
• Believe in
• Want to warn you about
• Dislike
• Recommend

This morning, when I looked at the blank computer screen, the first thought that came to mind was, “What should I write about today?” That’s when I started thinking about blog ideas and how we come up with them. So that became today’s topic.

My blog on August 18… (Has it really been that long since I’ve posted a blog? Shame, shame on me!) Well, that blog was about competition and the topic came to me as I watched a flock of hummingbirds vying for sweet nectar and two of my cats competing for my attention. Obviously, we face competition in the world of publishing, as well.

There is no shortage of ideas or ways of presenting them. So the last thing that a new blogger or article-writer needs to worry about is the availability of ideas. What they do need to work on is developing a habit of recognizing them and tweaking them so that they make a useful point.

If you need help with this concept, sign up today for my on-demand, online article-writing course:
http://www.matilijapress.com/course_magarticles.htm

Contact me here: PLFry620@yahoo.com.

And while you’re surfing around on the Internet today, be sure to stop by the NEW SPAWN site: http://www.spawn.org Let us know how you like it.
Patricia@spawn.org or Susan@spawn.org.

August 18, 2009

How Do Successful Writers Deal With Competition?

Filed under: Writing — Patricia @ 6:40 am

Every creature seems to be in competition—even the hummingbirds in my yard.

Truly, I’ve never seen such a phenomenon. Usually, we have a few hummingbirds around the feeder outside my office window. There’s Bully Bird and a couple of other hummers who spend every waking hour trying to outsmart the bully. In all of the dozen or so years that I’ve had hummingbird feeders, I’ve rarely seen two birds sit on it at once. If a second bird comes near when Bully is eating, he chases the intruder off.

This year is different. We have an infestation of hummingbirds—and I mean this in the most positive way. Our feeder has maybe a 15-bird capacity, if they were all to sit shoulder to shoulder. Instead of feeding holes, our feeder has a trough. And, during the last several weeks, we have seen as many as 9 hummers sitting and eating calmly at one time. I’m filling the four-cup feeder every three—sometimes, two days. Bully Bird is still around, but he is not effective when the masses arrive and he is learning to relax, share and get what he can out of the situation.

My cats are in competition. Eleven-year-old Max enjoys curling up in my lap each morning for fifteen or twenty minutes. Lily, 4 ½ months old, is the new kid on the block and she loves a spot on my lap after breakfast, too. So each morning the two of them use all sorts of cunning maneuvers to get their special time in my lap.

There’s a lot of competing going on in the job market—with more and more people being laid off.

And the competition for writers and authors is greater now than ever before. There are more healthy retirees writing the books of their lifelong dreams. There are more businessmen and women writing calling card books. And there are more unemployed folks trying to earn some extra cash writing for magazines, corporations, etc. So what does this mean for you?

If you are an author pitching a book to publishers or considering self-publishing, it means taking extra responsibility to create the best product that you can. It means making sure that you have a book that is well-written and needed—a viable product.

If you are an author who is promoting a book, you will need to be more proactive and creative than ever before. Do more of what you’ve been doing if it’s working. Try some new promotional tactics. Expand your horizons by participating in a webinar or teleseminar on book promotion, for example. Study good books on the topic. Sign up for my Book Promotion Workshop. http://www.matilijapress.com/course_bookpromotion.htm

If you are a freelance magazine article writer, continue submitting your work to familiar publications, but also reach out to new paying magazines, newsletters and websites. Revisit those publications that rejected you in the past. Some of them may have new editors who will love your style.

If you work for corporations, organizations and agencies, approach them with new ideas for promo material, brochures, etc. Ask your contacts to recommend you to other companies. Spend time researching other businesses that might need the services of a freelance writer.

Join SPAWN and meet authors who need help with their manuscripts or promotional brochures for their books.

Speaking of SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network), our new website is up. You’ve gotta check it out. Let me know what you think: Patricia@spawn.org.
http://www.spawn.org.

We’re still working on it, so let us know if you see something out of line so we can fix it.

For the rest of this week, I want you to think about the competition you face in your writing work. How have you overcome some of the obstacles? What are you doing differently in order to make your writing pay? Leave a comment here. We’d like to know.

For me, in between all of the work involved with the SPAWN transition, I am just doing more of what I do—submitting articles (to promote my books and my editorial/consulting services). When things settle down here at SPAWN, and I know that all of our members are happy, I will be contacting clients and customers to see if they need any help. I’ll be setting up speaking engagements at various writers/publishing conferences throughout the U.S., to name a few.

August 16, 2009

Hate Book Promotion? Use the Bartering System

Filed under: Book Promotion — Patricia @ 5:44 am

I enjoyed meeting members from the newly revised California Writers Club, San Fernando Branch yesterday. My talk on two steps to successful publishing was well-received and members had some great questions. I especially enjoyed the opportunity to mingle with authors and writers and hear about some of their projects.

It seems that most authors and writers I meet these days are new—just starting out writing a book or thinking about selling their writing work. Many express the sentiments I heard yesterday, “I just want to write. I don’t care about all of that marketing stuff.”

At one point, yesterday, I suggested bartering. I said, “Maybe you know someone who is a great marketer—promoter. What do you have to trade that person for his/her expertise and work on behalf of your project? Do you teach dancing? Are you a massage therapist? Maybe you could trade writing or editing services for promotional work or housecleaning.

I am a great advocate of the bartering system, as long as each individual can use or desires what the other has for trade. I once traded an editing job for a week at a beach house. That was an excellent trade for both parties.

I also believe in doing what you do well and farming out the rest—even if you have to pay for it. If you hate promotion, you won’t do a very good job and you won’t do it for long. Without promotion, your book will die.

I’m using my time today to catch up in the yard—my poor neglected yard—and to edit the new SPAWN website. It is live. But it will need some tweaking and repairing in the next few days. Please, if you see a problem, let us know. There’s a lot to pay attention to and it’s easy to miss something. http://www.spawn.org

Don’t forget to join the hundreds of other authors who are experiencing success because they studied my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book.
http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html

August 15, 2009

How Writers/Authors Deal With Rejection

Filed under: Writing — Patricia @ 5:22 am

While preparing one of my article-writing classes for current students, I came across this phrase: “Rejection is only an opinion and a circumstance.” Yet, how many of us take those rejections we receive from publishers and editors personally?

Rejection is only an opinion and a circumstance.

For those of you who don’t know what I mean by this, let me explain. Sure, sometimes a manuscript is rejected because the writing is not up to par. It happens. But for the most part, rejection happens for any of the following reasons:

For magazine articles:
• The editor is not in the market for a piece on this topic at the moment.
• They recently published an article on this subject.
• This subject is counter to the beliefs of their advertisers.
• The editor received several articles on the same topic and yours didn’t make the cut.
• You have no credentials in the topic and the next writer does.
• The slant and style of the article is wrong for that particular magazine.
• This is not a popular topic for readers of this magazine.
• Your article is too short, long or you didn’t do enough research.
• The editor doesn’t like cats, so isn’t interested in your cat story. (His opinion, right?)

For book manuscripts:
• The topic doesn’t fit the publisher’s current needs.
• Your angle and style isn’t appropriate to this publisher’s audience.
• Your platform isn’t impressive enough.
• Your proposal indicates that you don’t have a handle on what it will take to promote this book.
• The publisher feels that this topic should be handled by an expert in the field, not someone who had one experience with it.
• Your proposal isn’t as strong as the next authors.
• Your research skills are lacking.
• You did not hire a professional editor before submitting your manuscript.
• Your name is Bob and the publisher’s wife ran off with a man named Bob, so he refuses to accept anything from anyone with that name.

Or it could be that the editor or publisher woke up on the wrong side of the bed and has decided to hate every manuscript that comes across their desks the day yours comes in. I had an editor reject me once because I misspelled his name. The sad thing is that I carefully copied his very long, very complicated name from my current copy of Writer’s Market. It was correct as far as the listing in Writer’s Market. In fact, in this editor’s nasty letter to me, he said, “I’ll bet you used the erroneous spelling from Writer’s Market.”

The fact is that if you want to be a freelance writer or a successful author, you must be able to withstand the discomfort of rejection from time to time. The more active you are at submitting articles or stories to paying markets, the more rejection you will experience. The more books you write and the more publishers you approach, the more rejection you will likely experience. It’s a fact of life for writers and, while repeated rejection letters could be a definite red flag indicating that you are a lousy writer with projects that no one wants, this is probably not the case for most of you. Most likely, the reasons why your work is rejected are listed above.

For more about rejection, writing a book proposal, submitting to publishers, promoting and distributing books, self-publishing, public speaking, self-editing and so, so much more, read my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book. http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html

August 13, 2009

Successful Authors Expose Themselves

Filed under: Book Promotion,Publishing — Patricia @ 11:42 am

You probably read and hear about the value of exposure for authors. I know it’s something I write and talk about often. But do you really understand the concept? Do you pursue avenues that will give you or your project the necessary exposure?

Let me tell you a story. This is one that is reenacted over and over and over again throughout the industry. One thing we do at SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network) is to offer opportunities for our members to get exposure for their books and services. On the member application, for example, we have a box they can check if they would like to write articles for SPAWNews. I went through a batch of recent membership forms recently. While in the process, I noticed that about ¾ of new and renewing members checked “yes, I want to write articles for SPAWNews.” Alongside this field is the email address where they can submit their articles or request additional information.

I asked our newsletter editor how many members have contacted her about writing for SPAWNews. Can you guess how many? None!

When our member forum was up and running, we had maybe 2 dozen participants total over a period of 5 or 6 years. The same is true of our discussion group. Every member is offered the opportunity to participate in the discussion group and only a handful ever has—always the same people.

We have a Member Directory, where members are listed along with their bio info of choice. It has been only with coaching that we’re finally enticing more of them to list their website addresses and promo reflecting their books and services. But very few members will remember to send us important changes to their bios. (Even changes to their email addresses.)

Another benefit is the fact that members can place announcements in SPAWNews (over 2,000 circulation) about their upcoming book signings, the sale of a piece of their art, published articles, new books, new services or product offerings, speaking engagements, awards received, etc. Most authors, for example, could be posting an announcement every few months, at least. Yet, few of our members think to use this opportunity.

And then there is the SPAWN Market Update—a monthly newsletter for members only—archived forever in the member area of the SPAWN website. Among other things, this newsletter lists dozens and sometimes hundreds of opportunities in the form of publishers seeking manuscripts, magazine editors open to article/story submissions, competition for screenwriters, jobs for artists and/or photographers, book promotion opportunities and so much more. Yet, there are members who put off looking at each monthly issue of the SPAWN Market Update, neglect to read it, avoid reading it and make excuses for not spending time with it. And some of these members end up leaving SPAWN saying, “I just can’t justify the $45 annual membership fee.”

What? A hopeful author who is a member of SPAWN and who participates in what we offer, could conceivably save hundreds, if not thousands of dollars simply by educating him/herself about the publishing industry—by learning how to check the credibility and reputation of specific companies, by discovering appropriate publishers and how to do their own search to find others, by understanding how to approach publishers and what it takes to produce a successful book. I don’t have time or space to list the ways members could earn hundreds of thousands of dollars.

This is just the tip of the iceberg, but I’m sure you get the idea. And you may recall my harping on this subject before.

No matter what aspect of writing, artwork or publishing you are pursuing, and no matter what organizations or groups you are joining, vow to get the most from your experience. Know what they offer and how to tap into it. And then take the time to study it and glean from it. The time spent in this mode will be far, far more beneficial to your publishing career than time spent texting, watching TV, downloading music, clubbing, complaining about the lack of help out there for people like you or even working overtime.

So my advice to you is Join and Participate. But make sure you are joining a group or organization that is compatible to your goals.

For more about writing, publishing, book promotion and even joining, read The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book, http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html. Five people took my advice this week and ordered their copies. Thank you! And, as soon as you start reading the book, YOU will be thanking me!

August 12, 2009

The Fine Points of Publishing

Filed under: Publishing,Uncategorized — Patricia @ 4:58 am

There’s lots popping in the Matilija Press offices.

Two of my articles appear in two useful newsletters this week: RJ Pramshufer used my article, “How to Organize Your Small Book Project” as his lead article in Publishing Basics. Read it here: http://www.publishingbasics.com/current. And Fran Silverman published my piece, “How Many Book Promotion Activities Should You Do?” in her Book Promotion Newsletter. http://www.bookpromotionnewsletter.com

Dana Cassell, publisher of Freelance Writer’s Report ran an article I thought was interesting this week in her online newsletter, Writers-Editors Ezine, http://www.writers-editors.com It features how to test a magazine for the likelihood of them buying your piece. Well, one of the things she recommends is choosing magazines that use a lot of submissions.

I found that interesting for a couple of reasons. That was exactly one of my personal criteria when I was earning my living writing for magazines. The more articles the magazine published each month, surely, the greater my chances of having my articles accepted.

The second reason I found this interesting is because, I wrote a column for the monthly SPAWN Market Update just this week on that very theme and I listed several magazines that publish 100 pieces per month 0R MORE! The opportunities are out there and your chances of being published are sometimes in the numbers. (Note: The SPAWN Market Update is published each first of the month in the member area of the SPAWN website: http://www.spawn.org

The same is true of publishers. When you are seeking a publisher, do you ever check to see how many books they publish each year and how many submissions they receive? Publishers post information like this in the Writer’s Market. Here’s an example: Pocol Press in Clifton, Virginia publishes 6 titles per year and they receive 110 submissions. Ooligan Press produces 4-6 books and receive somewhere around 500 to 600 submissions. Hollis Publishing publishes 5 titles and receives under 50 submissions. Gibbs Smith Publisher produces 80 titles and receives 3,000 to 4,000 queries.

I see that some professionals are suggesting that you purchase your copy of the Writer’s Market in September. Guess what? I already have mine and I purchased it online at a discount here http://www.writersdigestshop.com/?r=writersmarketsite

A client of mine—someone who also attended my publishing workshop in Ventura, recently—called yesterday to ask about a particular “self-publishing” company. This made me realize how much there is for someone to learn and retain at the beginning of the publishing process. In my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book, (which she bought) and in the workshop, not to mention during consultations with her, I have explained how to check out specific “self-publishing” companies—through Mark Levine’s book The Fine Print of Self-Publishing, and by doing a Google search using the publisher name and the word “warning,” for example.

As it turns out, she had already been talking to a representative at the publishing company and really didn’t like what she was hearing. She said she didn’t think it was reasonable that she should send him money now in order to “hold her spot.” No, no, no. Her book is still in the development stages. It will probably be months before it is ready. Hopefully, she will have gained a lot more savvy and knowledge by then and be prepared to make better decisions.

By the way, I looked up the “self-publishing” company she was interested in and it is at the bottom of the heap of Mark Levine’s recommended companies. It was listed under “Publishers to Avoid.” So glad she checked with me, before succumbing to the charm of the representative.

If you are just venturing into the large world of publishing or if you have been dabbling in it for a while and still feel somewhat confused and intimidated, be sure to read my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book. I give you a bird’s eye view of the publishing industry, including the “self-publishers,” and I help you to choose the situation that is right for you. I actually give pros and cons of each publishing model. Read more about this book at http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html

August 10, 2009

Writers’ Passwords, Usernames and Other Bothersome Details

Filed under: Editing,Writing — Patricia @ 5:30 am

Do you belong to a lot of groups related to writing, publishing and/or your writing/book topic or genre? Do you Twitter, participate in forums, order airline tickets, etc. online, have a merchant account, maintain a blog, sell books at Amazon.com, have more than one Internet account, belong to membership organizations, bank online and so forth? If so, you are dealing constantly with usernames and passwords.

How do you juggle them all? Do you use the same password for everything? I’m rather concerned about doing that. It’s sort of a fear of having all of my eggs in one basket. If my password is somehow found out, possibly someone can break into all of my secure online places.

But who can remember 39 passwords. Yes, that’s how many of them I have—39! Certainly, some of them I don’t use but once. I use some of them infrequently and others I use constantly. But I don’t want to forget any of them, so I write them down in a log. Every once in a while, I organize my list of passwords and type them up on clean pages. And I refer to this log often.

I keep these pages in a binder along with instructions for using the various aspects of my merchant account, blogs, online banking systems, etc.; lists of quick links to my site; lists of websites I want to remember; a time zone chart and my list of writing credits.

How do you keep track of all this stuff? On your computer? In your head? On post-its pasted all around your office? In a neat and organized file box? Or not at all? It would be useful for all of us to learn some more effective organizational tips. We would all appreciate it if you would share yours.

While my system may not be the most sophisticated, I am thankful, each time I need to recall a password, that I have my little log book.

In the meantime, I am working diligently with my board toward the next phase of the SPAWN transition. For those of you who are just tuning in, SPAWN is Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network http://www.spawn.org. We have just voted in a new board and we’re about to launch a brand new, updated website—hopefully, before September 1. Here I am, without any experience in web design, inputting pages into the new website for the expert webmaster who does know what she’s doing. I am definitely in unfamiliar territory this summer—even to the point of dealing with companies who provide services for websites and other business aspects that are a bit intimidating. So far, I’m still here—the organization is still operating. Life is good.

Manuscript Editing
I did a chapter evaluation this morning around 4:30 a.m. Yeah, I really should wait until I’m more awake. But I was pleased with my work. I just want to say that one thing I see often in manuscripts is inappropriate breaks in the continuity of the story.

Folks, try to remember to bring your readers along with you at every turn and twist of your story. Do not end one paragraph with a character having just hit a golf ball while her friends stood around watching and then start the next paragraph abruptly with them getting into the car. Move us (readers) from the green to the parking lot by having the golfer wipe her club and place it in the leather bag, walk with her friends toward the parking lot, reach the car and then get in.

Also, remember to identify the characters frequently. Using “they,” “them,” “he,” “she,” etc. for too many sentences/paragraphs, tends to create some confusion after a while. Remind the reader who is speaking, golfing, etc., by using names or other identifying references.

These are just a few of the things a good editor can help you with, but you will spend less on this service if you develop good habits along these lines as you write.

And don’t forget, it is ONE space between sentences now. Type one space after all punctuation. I still see way too many manuscripts and emails where the author uses two spaces. This is out-dated. Get into the habit now of hitting your spacer bar only once after every period, question mark and so forth. Hey, you hit it once after commas. Just pretend that end-of-sentence punctuation marks are all commas, too.

For more of my wisdom and expertise (ah hem), check out my array of books, classes and services at http://www.matilijapress.com

August 8, 2009

You, Too, Can Experience Success as an Author

Filed under: Publishing — Patricia @ 7:58 am

I heard a phrase on a talk radio show yesterday that struck me so strongly that I wrote it down on a post office receipt while stopped at a stoplight. The host said something like, “You can get all of the advice and counseling available, but it won’t do any good if you fail to make use of it.”

Boy did this sound familiar. It’s something that I nag SPAWN members about alllll the time. If you fail to read SPAWNews and the SPAWN Market Update; if you neglect to visit some of the resource and article pages at the SPAWN site; if you decide not to participate in SPAWNDiscuss, the SPAWN Catalog of Member’s Books and Services, etc.; if you don’t take advantage of those opportunities and resources we list that relate to your projects, then of course you’re not going to benefit to the degree that you desire from your membership.

The same is true with regard to the conferences you attend, the experts you consult with, the books and articles you read, the webinars you tune into, the newsletters/magazines you subscribe to and the blogs you visit. If your project is stagnating, if your book sales are dismal, if “rejection” is all you hear, these days, maybe it is time to do something different. Sure you may attend educational events, join professional organizations, subscribe to appropriate publications, visit pertinent blogs. But are you listening, participating, reading and adopting into practice those things that could possibly help you to succeed?

Successful authorship, for example, requires your full attention. There’s a LOT to be learned. There’s tons to consider, adopt and adapt. And one thing is for sure; if what you’re doing isn’t working, something needs to change. It is up to you to find out what that is and to make the change.

I often see authors and freelance writers move their businesses forward and none of them do this by staying in their comfy groove. All of them venture out and put into action those things they learn that make sense to their projects. They are proactive. They don’t sit around waiting for someone else to do something for them.

I have a friend who, several years ago, fell into a weird mental state—a sort of depression. She began searching high and low for help. She visited a shaman, various psychologists and therapists, psychics and hands on healers of various kinds. And she told each of them, “I can’t do anything for myself. I refuse to do any sort of processes or exercises. You have to heal me without my help.” It’s true!

My friend is currently in an assisted living care facility in pretty much the same shape as she was when she started seeking help.

Here’s another anecdote: Sometimes I am asked who influenced me the most or helped me the most to get where I am today? The first time I was asked that question, I contemplated it for a long time. The answer actually came to me immediately, but I thought, “That can’t be right. That’s not an appropriate response.” But I realized it was true and I responded, “Me! I am the one who worked hard to learn the ropes, who stuck my neck out, who experimented and who made the commitments and took the steps necessary to building my business. I influenced my ‘success’ by being proactive.”

Recently, I read an interview with another author and he had the guts to say the same thing.

Folks, if you are seeking success as an author or a freelance writer, do the work, take action, be proactive on behalf of your project. Only you can create the success you desire.

While pursuing your success, be sure to check out some of my books and online courses at http://www.matilijapress.com I also do consultations with authors and freelance writers.

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