If
your host has arranged a radio or TV
interview for you, be sure to
promote the
upcoming event where you will be speaking for them.
Sunday, August 31, 2014
WRITING TIP OF THE DAY - SEPTEMBER 1, 2014
One downside in belonging
to a critique group
is our tendency to see someone else’s success
in
a certain genre and think maybe we should try it
too—seeking
that illusive success for ourselves.
TIME MANAGEMENT
I’ve been
thinking about time management and organization lately--after a discussion on the topic with some of my writing friends. It came up not because I’m
disorganized—I’m actually known for being quite organized—but
because my to-do list has grown much too long. Something I’m sure
happens to all of us from time to time. I had to laugh recently when
I ran across an item in a women’s magazine that indicated that
there shouldn’t be more than 7 things on your to-do list for any
one day. Otherwise you would suffer from brain overload.
The root problem
for most of us is that we are often reluctant to say No when being
offered the opportunity to fulfill some job—especially if it’s at
church or in another Christian organization. Recently I ran across a
note I’d taken in a writing class. The teacher made this comment:
“When someone asks me to do something, I ask them if there is
anyone else who could do the job as well or better than I could. If
so, tell them to ask that person. If they can’t find or recruit
that other person, then come back and I will do it.”
One of the keys to
not having too much to do is giving up those jobs that someone else
has been called to do.
HOW TO BECOME A SELLING WRITER - PART 1
Q.
I’ve been writing on and off for years but never seem to get over
the hump of actually getting anything published. Now I’ve decided
I’m going to make a real effort to become a selling writer. Do you
have any tips that will help me achieve success?
A. The
first thing you’ll need to do is set aside specific times to write.
If you wait until you have time, it won’t happen. That means a
number of things. You will need to determine where writing is going
to fall in your life. It certainly does not have to be a full-time
pursuit, but you do need to set aside specific blocks of time to
dedicate to your writing and related activities. Mark those dates on
your calendar, and honor them as you would any other appointment.
All
this means that in order to have sufficient time for writing, you are
going to have to give up something you are already doing. If God is
calling you to write, then He may not be calling you to do some of
the other activities that have taken over your time.
It
will also help if you have a place set up where you can do your
writing. Although you may work on a laptop—meaning you can write
anywhere—it helps to have somewhere to go where you can move out of
a casual setting to one where you are motivated to get down to
serious writing. This will also be the place where you keep your
market guide, style book, reference books, and other tools of the
trade. Make it a place you enjoy being in, not one you dread to
enter. Going to your special work place also serves as a signal to
family members that you don’t want to be disturbed unless it’s an
emergency.
Speaking
of tools of the trade, it is now essential that you work on a
computer. I don’t believe any periodicals or publishers will now
accept hard copies of your manuscripts unless you have an electronic
version as well. If you aren’t able to work on a computer, then you
will likely have to hire someone to type your manuscripts into a
computer, which may cost more than you’ll make on an article or
short story.
The
next step will be to determine what it is you are going to write. If
you write nonfiction, what topics interest you and are you qualified
to write about? If fiction, what genre or genres? Whatever you decide
to write, it is important that you write enough of one topic or type
of writing that editors and readers begin to recognize you as someone
who is well qualified to write that kind of material. Building that
kind of reputation leads to assignments from editors.
Once
you determine what you want to write and who your potential audience
will be, it’s time to start identifying which periodicals will be
interested in what you have to offer. If you were planning to start
with a nonfiction book, don’t. It is critical that you build a
reputation in your field by writing regularly for the publications
interested in your topic. An editor is going to expect you to have
that body of work as preparation for doing your book.
However,
if you are writing fiction, periodical credits are not that important
although you could start with short stories. Use the Christian
Writers’ Market Guide (stuartmarket.com) to identify potential
markets, get their guidelines and sample copies, and spend time
reading and studying them to determine how well your articles might
fit there. This step is critical. Don’t skip it.
In
order to stay on track, it will be important to set goals for your
writing output. Although it’s interesting to see what other writers
are doing in the goal department, it’s important that you set your
goals based on the time you have allotted, the type of writing you
are doing, and the amount of time needed for research or interviews.
Stay realistic, and only up the goals when you feel certain you can
meet higher ones. Mark each goal on your calendar, and work
diligently to meet each one.
These
are only preliminary steps. I’ll continue with additional tips tomorrow.
SEMINAR ON MEMOIRS
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Saturday, August 30, 2014
SPEAKING TIP OF THE DAY - AUGUST 31, 2014
Condensing
almost always makes your speech
tighter, crisper, and easier to
understand.
WRITING TIP OF THE DAY - AUGUST 31, 2014
If you query more than one
agent at a time,
you may get more than one positive response.
Talk to
those interested and see which one seems
most experienced and most
enthusiastic about your work.
ENCOURAGING QUOTES . . .
. . . for those times when you need a kick in the pants to get writing.
“Pressure is a word that is misused in our vocabulary. When you start thinking of pressure, it's because you've started to think of failure.”
“Pressure is a word that is misused in our vocabulary. When you start thinking of pressure, it's because you've started to think of failure.”
WRITER vs. INTERNET
I
had an interesting phone call recently from a would-be writer
who had some questions about the market for his writing. When
he mentioned a publisher's phone number that
was no longer working, I asked if he had checked
their Website to see if they had a new one listed. It was then he
let me know in no uncertain terms that although
he had several computers that could be connected to the Internet—none
of them were. He made it clear he wanted nothing to do with e-mail or
the Internet. His next
statement being: “If a publisher doesn’t have a phone number I
can call, they’re not going to get my book.”
I’m sharing this story because it is just that
attitude that will likely prevent
this gentleman from ever getting published. He has put his
publishing future in jeopardy in a number of ways. First, there are
very few publishers today who will accept a phone call from an
unknown author. Next, the majority of publishers prefer an e-mail
contact initially and will also expect to be able to correspond with
an author by e-mail once the manuscript
is accepted.
In today’s publishing world, it is the authors who
know the publisher’s preferences—something they learn from
the market guide or their guidelines—and follow
them exactly who are going to be noticed and considered for those
open magazine slots or the few publishing contracts being offered.
Publishers rule.
Friday, August 29, 2014
SPEAKING TIP OF THE DAY - AUGUST 30, 2014
If
you hear people pronouncing a word differently
that you pronounce
it, check it out to determine
who is right. If you're pronouncing it wrong,
work at
correcting it in your vocabulary.
WRITING TIP OF THE DAY - AUGUST 30, 2014
To find a reputable
agent, talk to successful authors about who represents them.
This is
a small industry so the agents with the best reputations are well
known.
AND THE AUTHOR SAID . . .
“The
writing of a mystery story is more of a sport than a fine art. It is
a game between the writer and the reader. If, once in a while, a
really fine book comes out of this contest, that is good; but the
game's the thing. If, on page 4, the reader knows that the soda
cracker is spread with butter mixed with arsenic, and later on this
is proven to be true, then the reader has won the game. If, however,
when the reader finishes the book, he says, 'I didn't get it—all
the clues were there, plain as who killed Cock-Robin, but I didn't
get it,' then the author has won the game. The author has to play
fair though. He has to arrange his clues in an orderly manner, so
that the reader can see them if he looks hard enough.” - Polly
Simpson Macmanus
FICTION, NONFICTION OR BOTH?
Q – Is it common for
a writer to stick with nonfiction or fiction, or do they cross over
to the other? And if it's OK to cross over, how would you know when
to do that?
A – The answer to that question probably depends on where you are in your writing career. One of the keys to success in writing is to start building a reputation as a writer who does a certain kind of writing—especially if you write nonfiction. You want editors to recognize you as someone who can handle certain topics, or types of writing—such as feature articles, how-to pieces, devotionals, inspirational material, family or marriage topics, or whatever. Once that reputation takes root, editors will often come to you with assignments. For that reason, at the start of your writing career, you will want to give some serious thought as to which path you will follow. Jumping around too much in your choice of topic or type of writing defeats that goal.
If you are a fiction writer, doing short fiction, you will want to write for a specific age group or particular genre to gain recognition in that arena. If you are writing novels, you will likely need to stick with one genre or target audience initially. You could run into a problem if you switch from writing children's novels to adult novels, or visa versa. You never want to confuse your target audience.
I offer that as background to answer your question about switching between fiction and nonfiction. If you are well established in your writing career, being known for writing a certain type or genre, switching to the other side can create problems for your readers. It is similar to what happens when you switch from one target audience to another—age wise. If you have always written children's novels, and suddenly switch to adult, readers may buy your adult book for their child—thinking it is a children's novel.
So, if you want to make a switch it's often a good idea to create a pen name for the new genre. That way you make a smooth transition with no confusion. Of course, there are writers who do both successfully For example, Debbie Macomber has written general market fiction, Christian fiction, devotional and inspirational nonfiction, and as I recall she has a knitting book because a knitting store plays a part in her fiction. A situation like hers is an exception because she is so well known and it's part of a plan to continually feed her readership. She's also a great marketer who always makes her readers aware of what books are coming out next.
So, if you want to make the switch, don't do it until you are well-established. You will also want to seek the advice of your agent or publisher who can help you make that decision as part of an overall plan to expand your career.
A – The answer to that question probably depends on where you are in your writing career. One of the keys to success in writing is to start building a reputation as a writer who does a certain kind of writing—especially if you write nonfiction. You want editors to recognize you as someone who can handle certain topics, or types of writing—such as feature articles, how-to pieces, devotionals, inspirational material, family or marriage topics, or whatever. Once that reputation takes root, editors will often come to you with assignments. For that reason, at the start of your writing career, you will want to give some serious thought as to which path you will follow. Jumping around too much in your choice of topic or type of writing defeats that goal.
If you are a fiction writer, doing short fiction, you will want to write for a specific age group or particular genre to gain recognition in that arena. If you are writing novels, you will likely need to stick with one genre or target audience initially. You could run into a problem if you switch from writing children's novels to adult novels, or visa versa. You never want to confuse your target audience.
I offer that as background to answer your question about switching between fiction and nonfiction. If you are well established in your writing career, being known for writing a certain type or genre, switching to the other side can create problems for your readers. It is similar to what happens when you switch from one target audience to another—age wise. If you have always written children's novels, and suddenly switch to adult, readers may buy your adult book for their child—thinking it is a children's novel.
So, if you want to make a switch it's often a good idea to create a pen name for the new genre. That way you make a smooth transition with no confusion. Of course, there are writers who do both successfully For example, Debbie Macomber has written general market fiction, Christian fiction, devotional and inspirational nonfiction, and as I recall she has a knitting book because a knitting store plays a part in her fiction. A situation like hers is an exception because she is so well known and it's part of a plan to continually feed her readership. She's also a great marketer who always makes her readers aware of what books are coming out next.
So, if you want to make the switch, don't do it until you are well-established. You will also want to seek the advice of your agent or publisher who can help you make that decision as part of an overall plan to expand your career.
ENCOURAGING QUOTE . . .
“Never be satisfied with what you
achieve, because it all pales in comparison with what you are capable
of doing in the future.” - Rabbi Nochem Kaplan
REJECTION
Lately I’ve been thinking
about rejection—not that I’m feeling rejected—but I’ve been
noticing how different people react to rejection. It seems the longer
we are writers the better we tolerate it. Beginning writers often
find it difficult if not impossible to deal with. I’ve often seen a
single rejection or negative comment send a manuscript into a drawer
never to be seen again.
I am reminded of
an experience I had several years ago when I spoke at a large
writers’ conference. A writing buddy of mine (more experienced at
speaking than I was at the time) was also a speaker at that
conference. After the conference, they sent each speaker a list of
comments about their talk that came in on the evaluation forms. When
mine arrived, I read through it and highlighted all the negative
comments. A few days later my friend sent me a copy of his comments
sheet. I had to laugh when I realized that on his sheet he had
highlighted only the positive comments.
One thing we all eventually learn as writers and
speakers is that not everyone is going to like what you write or say.
One editor may reject a piece with negative feedback, and the next
editor will accept it with enthusiastic praise. My father had a
plaque over his desk at work that said: “You can please some of the
people some of the time and all of the people some of the time, but
you can never please all of the people all of the time.” A good
mantra for the writer or speaker.
Thursday, August 28, 2014
SPEAKING TIP OF THE DAY - AUGUST 29, 2014
When
being interviewed on radio or TV,
you may need to take control of
the interview
to convey whatever message is important to you.
WRITING TIP OF THE DAY - AUGUST 29, 2014
Most agents today will
offer you a contract
if you decide to work together.
That contract
will usually outline what you can
expect from the agent and what is
expected of you.
AND THE AUTHOR SAID . . .
“It's
like making a movie. All sorts of accidental things will happen after
you’ve set up the cameras.
So you get lucky. Something will happen
at the edge of the set and perhaps you start to go with that;
you get
some footage of that. You come into it accidentally. You set the
story in motion and as you're
watching this thing begin, all these
opportunities will show up. So, in order to exploit one thing or
another, you may have to do research. You may have to find out more
about Chinese immigrants, or
you may have to find out about Halley's
Comet, or whatever, where you didn't realize that you were
going to
have Chinese or Halley's Comet in the story. So you do research on
that, and it implies more,
and the deeper you get into the story, the
more it implies, the more suggestions it makes on the
plot.
Toward the end, the ending becomes inevitable." - Kurt Vonnegut
FOR SUCCESSFUL INDIE AUTHORS
Calling all self-published / independent book & e-book authors: Tell us about the promotional strategies that worked for you, and you and your book(s) could get even more visibility in the pages of Writer’s Digest magazine.
We’re looking for the inside stories from indie authors who’ve developed successful strategies for marketing their own books. If you credit your self-made promotional strategy for your book’s popularity, profitability or sales, we’d love to hear the details of what you did, how you did it, and what you’ve learned. Your insights—alongside your bio and information about your book—could appear in the pages of Writer’s Digest magazine.
To be considered for a spotlight in WD, simply answer the questions here. Read more ...
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A CHRISTIAN HORROR FILM?
As Sony Picture’s new film, The Remaining, prepares to open in theaters nationwide Sept. 5, director Casey La Scalia (of Donnie Darko and A Walk to Remember fame) knew the dangers of producing a Christian “horror film” from the start. “I didn’t know if this could work. You’re talking about avid church-goers going to see Paranormal Activity. How do you get them to go?”
But The Remaining really isn’t in the same class as a straight-up horror film, he says. “It’s hard to pigeonhole this as a horror movie. It’s a supernatural action film, because it’s about the end of the world. There isn’t gratuitous violence and slasher stuff. Calling it a horror movie does it a disservice.”
For La Scala, who grew up in and was confirmed in the Lutheran church, sermons based on Revelation or about the rapture were his kind of creepy, so he used the New Testament as a template and a timeline to write, produce, and direct his take on the end of the world. The importance on biblical accuracy was tantamount, and the response from preview screenings was extremely positive.
“It’s really a ‘I need to find faith in God now and love the people I am surrounded by because tomorrow it could end’ movie. That’s really the message.”
And the message doesn’t end with the movie. Top horror artist Kyle Hotz is illustrating the graphic novel adaptation of The Remaining, set for a mid-August release from Kingstone Comics at retail and on all digital platforms. Sony is also partnering with Tyndale House Publishers on the September publication of The Remaining novelization by critically acclaimed novelist Travis Thrasher.
Read the full interview with Casey La Scalia in the October issue of CBA Retailers+Resources, available mid-September.
But The Remaining really isn’t in the same class as a straight-up horror film, he says. “It’s hard to pigeonhole this as a horror movie. It’s a supernatural action film, because it’s about the end of the world. There isn’t gratuitous violence and slasher stuff. Calling it a horror movie does it a disservice.”
For La Scala, who grew up in and was confirmed in the Lutheran church, sermons based on Revelation or about the rapture were his kind of creepy, so he used the New Testament as a template and a timeline to write, produce, and direct his take on the end of the world. The importance on biblical accuracy was tantamount, and the response from preview screenings was extremely positive.
“It’s really a ‘I need to find faith in God now and love the people I am surrounded by because tomorrow it could end’ movie. That’s really the message.”
And the message doesn’t end with the movie. Top horror artist Kyle Hotz is illustrating the graphic novel adaptation of The Remaining, set for a mid-August release from Kingstone Comics at retail and on all digital platforms. Sony is also partnering with Tyndale House Publishers on the September publication of The Remaining novelization by critically acclaimed novelist Travis Thrasher.
Read the full interview with Casey La Scalia in the October issue of CBA Retailers+Resources, available mid-September.
SOCIAL MEDIA SEMINAR
Putting the Social Back in Social Media
Presented by Suzanne Kuhn
Tuesday, September 2
8:00 to 9:00 p.m., Eastern Time
By having a specific strategy, you can keep social media manageable, while increasing your reach.
Suzanne Kuhn serves as Director of Coaching under SuzyQ, a partner of BelieversPress. With more than 25 years in book retailing and event sales, Suzanne’s experience gives her an edge when coaching authors, facilitating tours, and ensuring more successful and profitable events.
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E-BOOK SEMINAR
Understanding and Selling E-books
Presented by Andrew MacKay
Thursday, September 11
8:00 to 9:00 p.m., Eastern Time
E-books are all the rage. Every author owes it to themselves to develop a working knowledge of e-book publishing and distribution. In this session, learn about:
● E-book file formats
● Design challenges and best practices
● Distribution options
● How to build a strategy based on your audience
● The role of free in e-book strategy
Whether you’re an expert or newbie, you’ll receive important information to plan your e-book publishing strategy.
Andrew Mackay serves as Publishing Consultant for Believers Press. He has worked in and around publishing for more than ten years, mostly with independent Christian authors. He loves books and loves connecting with authors to help them create publishing strategies that work.
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Wednesday, August 27, 2014
SPEAKING TIP OF THE DAY - AUGUST 28, 2014
Avoid
filling your speech with “uhs.”
It is an annoying habit that
needs to
eliminated all together.
The same for “you know.”
WRITING TIP OF THE DAY - AUGUST 28, 2014
Although agents are
always busy working
to sell your book and others, they should not
be
ignoring your reasonable inquiries about
what’s happening with your
book.
IS MY WRITING A BUSINESS?
Q.
I am starting to have more success with my writing and am concerned
about what I need to do—tax-wise or business-wise—to call my
writing a business. At what point is my writing actually considered a
business?
A.
You may be too late for this year, but you can make plans to set up for business starting in January, and begin keeping records the IRS requires.
Here are a few of the things you need to know to get started:
The
IRS will want to know if you are writing as a hobby or you consider
your writing a business—the difference being that you are either
doing it for fun or you have a profit motive. If you are doing it as
a hobby, you can deduct the expenses associated with your writing but
only up to the amount you actually made during the year.
If
you consider it a business, you can deduct most or all of your
expenses, even in excess of your income; but the IRS expects you to
make a profit three out of the first five years. For that reason, you
need to plan your switch to the profit motive when it looks like that
is likely to happen. However, you can get around that three-year
requirement if you can prove you have tried hard to make a profit and
have the evidence to prove it. Such evidence would include keeping
detailed financial records with receipts, submitting regularly, and
having the rejection slips to prove your submissions.
Learn
what the IRS considers legitimate deductions. These include such
things as postage, office supplies, business travel, conference fees,
and office equipment. For some of the trickier deductions, these free
IRS publications help you make those calculations: Publication 535,
Business Expenses; Publication 463, Travel, Entertainment, Gift, and
Car Expenses; and Publication 587, Business Use of Your Home.
Some
possible deductions have certain limitations on them, so checking out
these IRS publications is important. For example, some of the larger
deductions are allowed only if you make enough income to cover them.
As a self-employed writer, you may also be eligible to deduct a part
of your health insurance costs, as long as you are not eligible for
health coverage through your regular employer or that of your spouse.
One
of the more difficult deductions to claim is a home office. This is
one you will have to hold off on until your business is well
underway, and then you will need to carefully check out the
guidelines and restrictions for making such a deduction.
All
of the above are federal laws. State and local laws vary from state
to state, so check the laws for your city and state. Some states will
require a business license, payment of state taxes, etc.
By
the time your business is in full swing and you are making
significant income, you may want to hire an accountant to do your tax
returns. Just keep in mind that every accountant may not be familiar
with the tax laws as they relate to writing, so it helps if you can
find one who does tax returns for other writers.
**If you have a question, send it to stuartcwmg@aol.com.
AND THE AUTHOR SAID . . .
“I'm
convinced that all writers are optimists whether they concede the
point or not . . . . How
otherwise could any human being sit down to
a pile of blank sheets and decide to write, say two-
hundred thousand
words on any given theme?” - Thomas Costain
DEADLINES
As
writers, dealing with and meeting deadlines is just part of the
business. But I’m afraid that often we tend to treat them too
casually. In reality, we should regard those deadlines as a
commitment.
Over
the years I’ve only missed a few deadlines—and always because of
circumstances beyond my control. The first one was a book deadline
that coincided with my mother’s death. Although I knew there was a
good reason for missing the deadline—and that my editor would
surely understand—I also knew that I had a responsibility to inform
my editor as soon as I knew I was going to miss it. It’s best not
to wait until the deadline is upon you, or already past, which puts
editors in a position where they have to scramble to make the
resulting adjustments.
Another
time deadlines were in jeopardy was when my husband fell off a
two-story roof and came away with 9 rib fractures, 6 pelvic
fractures, and a broken shoulder. Although being with him in the
hospital, recovery center, and caring for his needs during the next
several weeks meant I was going to be hard pressed to meet upcoming
deadlines, I never totally abandoned my concern for meeting them as
soon as it was at all possible. I felt strongly the responsibility to
meet that commitment and let my editor know I would likely be
late—but asking when the latest I could submit and still not put
her behind schedule.
Both of the above instances of being late with
deadlines are extreme, but generally we should have no excuses for
not meeting our deadlines. The wheels of publication—both with
books and periodicals—run like a train. If even one writer misses a
deadline it can throw the whole train off the tracks. With magazines
it may mean that the publication will have to substitute another
piece for the one you didn’t produce in time—and may give the
editor pause before giving you another assignment. With books, it is
even more serious. Because all the steps of the publishing process
are based on you meeting your deadline, being late often means that
your project goes to the end of the line (often meaning they won’t
meet your projected publication date), and you may even lose the
interest and attention of the editor who has championed your book
from the beginning. The writers who don’t pay close attention to
deadlines are destined to lose the interest and respect of their
editors. And editors are never unhappy if you're early.
ENCOURAGING QUOTE . . .
“One
reason we are so harried and hurried is that we make yesterday and
tomorrow our business,
when all that legitimately concerns us is
today. If we really have too much to do, there are some items
on the
agenda which God did not put there. Let us submit the list to Him and
ask Him to indicate
which items we must delete. There is always time
to do the will of God. If we are too busy to do that,
we are too
busy.” - Elisabeth Elliot
CATHOLIC WRITERS' RETREAT
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Tuesday, August 26, 2014
SPEAKING TIP OF THE DAY - AUGUST 27, 2014
As speakers
we have a dual obligation:
to ourselves to be the best we can be,
and to
our audience to give them the
highest quality presentation we can.
WRITING TIP OF THE DAY - AUGUST 27, 2014
Before writing a novel,
develop a resume for all main characters—
describing their life
history as well as appearance, style, ambitions, etc.
Most of these
details will not appear in the story,
but will determine how he will act
or react throughout the book.
AND THE AUTHOR SAID . . .
“One
of the few things I know about writing is this: Spend it all, shoot
it, play it, lose it, all, right
away, every time. Do not hoard what
seems good for a later place in the book, or for another book,
give
it, give it all, give it now. Some more will arise for later,
something better. These things fill
from behind, from beneath, like
well water. Similarly, the impulse to keep to yourself what you have
learned is not only shameful, it is destructive. Anything you do not
give freely and abundantly
becomes lost to you. You open your safe
and find ashes.” - Annie Dillard
Q & A - SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS
Notice: Send your questions to: stuartcwmg@aol.com
Q – If you
make simultaneous submissions to several publishers, and decide to
accept an offer from one, are you obligated to contact the other
publishers? Is there a difference if they are periodical
publishers—rather than book publishers?
A – When it
comes to simultaneous submissions, there are a number of acceptable
actions or reactions you will always want to follow:
* Before
submitting simultaneously to any publisher, check the market guide
or their guidelines to determine if they are actually open to such
submissions. Some publishers expect them—others may have an angry
response and you will miss an opportunity to sell to them.
* Once you
have identified those who are open, start by submitting to them one
at a time.
- After you've given each of them time to respond, you can move on to those who are open and prepare those simultaneous submissions.
- You always let the publishers you are submitting to know that it is a simultaneous submission. As long as a publisher has indicated simultaneous submissions are acceptable, you don't risk getting a rejection by sending one.
- Once you get your first acceptance in response to your submission, you can either accept it or wait to see if you get a better offer (such as a more prestigious publisher or higher payment).
- When you accept an offer, you are not obligated to contact the other publishers to let them know the project has sold—but it is the responsible and ethical thing to do. In most cases you will be submitting to these same publishers in the future and you want to stay in their good graces.
- That other possibility is that you may get more than one positive response. In that case you definitely need to let those you decide to turn down know that the piece has been sold. Thank them for their interest and assure them that you'll be getting back to them with another submission in the near future. Then see that you do. Again, you don't want to burn any bridges.
ENCOURAGING QUOTATIONS . . .
. . . for those moments when you need a kick in the pants to get you back to your writing.
“I learned that courage was not the
absence of fear,
but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who
does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” - Nelson
Mandela
LEARN THE BASICS
When I evaluate
manuscripts for people, one of the most frustrating aspects of that I
face is the fact that many writers will write whole books without
knowing the basics of getting the material on paper. It’s
frustrating for me that I have to send them back to start over, and
I’m sure it’s even more frustrating for them to realize that much
of their work has been in vain. Although you don’t have to take any
particular instruction or earn any degrees to become a writer, I want
to encourage you to learn as much as you can about the process before
you take on any major projects.
It’s true that
you learn a lot about writing by actually doing it, but there’s a
lot to be said for knowing all there is to know about how it is done
correctly. With so much competition in the marketplace, it will be to
your advantage to present editors with material that reflects that
know-how and professionalism.
For that reason I want to encourage you to attend
conferences where you can get those basics down pretty quickly; read
books on writing—both general books on how the publishing process
works and books on how to write the particular type of writing you
are interested in. It might be novels, devotionals, how-to books,
children’s picture books, Bible studies, or poetry. There is also a
number of writing courses available on tape or directly from the
Internet. Many of the online sites offer a good deal of instruction
for free. These days with so
much help available, there’s no excuse for entering the marketplace
without the basic skills necessary to impress an editor.
Monday, August 25, 2014
SPEAKING TIP OF THE DAY - AUGUST 26, 2014
To
improve vocal variety,
read aloud from the phone book
or a cookbook
with expression.
WRITING TIP OF THE DAY - AUGUST 26, 2014
A good agent will have a
professional relationship
with most of the editors and will be
considered someone
they can trust to bring them appropriate
manuscripts for
their house and for the current market.
NW OHIO SEMINAR - OCTOBER 18
The NW Ohio Christian Writers 26th Annual Fall Seminar will be held on Saturday, October 18. Bob Hostetler, award-winning writer and speaker will be the keynote speaker. Seminar will be held at the Holland Free Methodist Church, 6605 Angola Rd., Holland OH 43528. For questions, call Linda Tippett, 419-882-3705; shelleyrlee@gmail.com; www.nwocw.org; facebook.com/NWOhioChristianWriters. Cost before October 7th is $45 for members and $55 for non-members. Late registration or at the door, $65. Make checks payable to Northwest Ohio Christian Writers and mail to: Martha Willey, 1917 Terri Rue, Northwood OH 43619.
NY TIMES BEST SELLERS - WEEK OF AUGUST 31
ECPA member titles appearing on New York Times Bestsellers List, posted this week for August 31, 2014:
- THE FIVE LOVE LANGUAGES by Gary Chapman (Northfield) is #1 in Advice, How-To & Miscellaneous.
- THE BEST YES by Lysa TerKeurst (Nelson Books/Thomas Nelson) is #4 in Advice, How-To & Miscellaneous.
- HEAVEN IS FOR REAL by Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent (Thomas Nelson) is #6 in Paperback Nonfiction; #6 in Combined Print & E-Book Nonfiction; and #7 in E-Book Nonfiction.
- INSTINCT by T. D. Jakes (FaithWords) is #13 in Advice, How-To & Miscellaneous.
ENCOURAGING QUOTE . . .
. . . for when you need a kick in the pants to get you back to your writing!
“Before success comes in any man's
life, he's sure to meet with much temporary defeat and, perhaps some
failures. When defeat overtakes a man, the easiest and most logical
thing to do is quit. That's exactly what the majority of men do.”
Napoleon Hill
SAFE SLEEPING WHILE TRAVELING
If you are traveling alone especially, here are a few tips to help guarantee your safety while staying in a hotel or motel.
- Request a room close to the elevators.
- If the desk clerk or bellhop announces your room number where others can hear, insist on a new room assignment with the number passed on to you in writing, and silent. Never say your room number out loud in public.
- A hotel staff member should accompany you to the room and be sure the telephone, door lock, and balcony doors are in good working order before you unpack. I once went to my room at a hotel after checking in to find a man sitting in my room, and he refused to leave.
- Avoid those fumbling delays at your door by having the key card in your hand and pointed in the right direction.
- Most hotel room door lock automatically, but use the security chain and peephole before opening the door to anyone. If someone identifies themselves as a hotel employee (and you are not expecting one), do not allow them into the room until you check with the main desk to see if they sent this person.
- Never leave the “Make Up the Room” sign on your doorknob when you're away. You don't want to announce your absence.
- One of the first things you will want to do is memorize the fire-escape guidelines and have clearly in mind where your closest stairs and/or exits are located.
- Never go out to walk at night or even jog during the day without checking with the concierge to find out if it is safe to be out alone and where the safest places are to walk or jog.
- If staying in a motel, ask that you have a room with front-door parking to avoid a long walk across a parking lot.
- If renting a car, avoid long, lonely walks through tunnels or across parking lots by asking ahead of time if they provide valet parking or shuttle bus service when picking up or returning the car.
BLOGGING 101 SEMINAR
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Sunday, August 24, 2014
SPEAKING TIP OF THE DAY - AUGUST 25, 2014
A
flip chart, chalkboard or PowerPoint
should only be used in groups
small enough
to be able to read the written points clearly.
WRITING TIP OF THE DAY - AUGUST 25, 2014
When we talk about the
agent getting 15%
of your income from the book, that includes
the
advance, royalties, and payments for subsidiary rights.
LOST LUGGAGE
Anytime you travel by air, there is
always the fear of the airline losing your luggage. I once flew to
Canada to speak at a conference, and I arrived at my destination only
to find they had lost my luggage. I was at the conference for four
days and didn't get my luggage back until the night before I flew
home. That experience taught me two things—you need to prepare for
that possibility and you can survive the experience. Here are some
tips that will help you avoid that situation.
- Be sure your luggage is well constructed and not in danger of being torn or crushed. Some travelers prefer the newer metal suitcases.
- Don't depend on the little name tags that the airlines provide—which can be easily ripped off. Each bag needs to have a rugged name tag. Always include identification inside each bag as well.
- Never put your speaking notes, handouts, or any important documents in your checked luggage. Carry them with you.
- Women: Carry what you need for make-up with you on the plane. Men: Carry what you need for shaving. Plus a change of underwear and a toothbrush and paste.
- Travel light for short trips. A hang-up bag could be carried on board. Most hotels now have ironing boards and irons in the room, if needed. Women, when possible, plan to wear the same pants or skirt and just bring different tops. Wear the same shoes and purse.
- Always count how many items you are carrying by hand. If you started out with four, be sure you have four at each stop along the way, and when you're heading home.
2015 MARKET GUIDE SPECIAL
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WRITING MYSTERY NOVELS
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