Five Thought-Provoking Writers/Bloggers

Those of you who read my blogs have probably come to realize that I’m a bit of a blog junkie. I read over a dozen every week because I like to stay informed about writing, publishing, and bookselling issues, trends, successes, and failures. Change is so rapid these days and opinions so varied that keeping well informed is a challenge. Let’s face it, little about the book biz is black and white.

As you probably realized from last week’s post, plenty of discussion is happening about the proverbial balloon bursting for indie writers, or is it? Hugh Howey doesn’t think so. In fact, in his latest post he writes that the glut of books on the market is good. Other writers would disagree with that while some still see opportunity in the glut.

Rather than elaborate on all those opinions, I’m going to give you the names of my five favorite writer/bloggers who constantly write, insightful, thought-provoking posts on this crazy business. I don’t agree with them all the time, but they always give me something to think about.

Aside from Hugh Howey, other favorites include two I mentioned last week: Russell Blake and Kristine Kathryn Rusch,. Another is Anne R. Allen, and last, but certainly not least, is Joe Konrath. Oddly, I haven’t noticed a new blog from Joe since Dec., but I bet something will be in the works soon.

If you have blogs you regularly follow, let me know what they are, so I can add them to the list.

http://www.hughhowey.com/

http://russellblake.com/

http://kriswrites.com/

http://annerallen.blogspot.ca/

http://jakonrath.blogspot.ca/

 Debra

Authors, beware of a company called eBookSmarts!

There is a company called eBookSmarts (.com) run by a fellow named Hassan Shah, and I am appalled at his expectations--and you should be too.

They claim to be able to give you free stats on your books. Sounds okay. I was interested, even though I have other ways of viewing stats. But I have always been open to new ideas, so I thought I'd give them a try.

After finally getting into the site, I went to set up my book info and what did I discover? They actually wanted me to give them my Amazon login info, INCLUDING PASSWORD. WTF???

And you only discover this AFTER you have signed up for their free beta.

When I asked him what "idiot in their right mind" would give him such access, he said "Apparently a couple hundred idiots think our service is worth trying..."

Wow...

Then he mentioned KDP. So he's asking for either my KDP login info which gives him access to all my personal info like bank account info, including the ability to mess with our publications, pricing and more; or he was asking for my personal Amazon account login info, which gives him access to my personal info and credit card. Really??

ANY COMPANY WHO ASKS YOU TO GIVE YOUR AMAZON ACCOUNT INFO IS UNPROFESSIONAL AND BORDERS ON "SCAM"!

Ok, today's rant--over! Maybe...

Got 'Starving Writer Syndrome'? Want to free up money in your home?

As a writer and published author, I know how difficult our industry can be, and how uncertain a writer's income can be. I've had my ups and downs, suffered from what I call "Starving Writer Syndrome" (akin to Starving Artist Syndrome). I've experienced many years where I spent more than I earned. It's not fun, and it places a huge amount of stress on a writer's self-confidence, financial situation and family.

For years, I've made it my mission to help other writers when I can, and therefore I'd like to introduce you, my fellow writers, to my brother, Derek Kaye. He's a financial advisor, and he has a plan for you to free up money in your home--even if you think there's nothing available.

Let me introduce you to Derek's 'Get Your Finances On Track' system...

Would you be interested in discovering a way to quickly free up money and start down a path towards financial abundance?

Discover the Get Your Finances On Track system <== NEW TRAINING!

Derek's new training program is perfect for families and professionals who are making a great household income ...

... yet don't know where it's all going!

For families who are working hard every month ...

... yet are living paycheque to paycheque and don't seem to be able to get ahead!

How to manage your money, stay out of debt and jump on the fast-track to financial independence!

Derek tells me this isn't just about getting out of debt. It's about discovering an entirely new way of looking at money and running your house-hold so that you can finally get ahead and start pursuing your dreams.

So if you're sick and tired of the stress and anxiety of your MONEY managing YOU ...

... change things around with a system that will allow YOU to start managing your MONEY!

Check out this end-to-end system for getting your finances on track.

~ Cheryl

P.S. Stop just dreaming of your perfect life and start designing the one you wish to live!

Learn the "build your future" money management system here <==

Pinterest: 5 Best Practices for Writers -- Or Anyone

1.)   Before you join, look at other people’s boards. What are the boards called? What kind of pictures are in them? What boards would you have, what would they be called, and what would be in them.

This involves deciding how you’ll be using Pinterest. If your answer is, “to promote my books”, don’t bother. You CAN promote your books, but Pinterest is much, much more. It’s a way to share who you are -- or, at least, who you want to present yourself as being. 

2.)   When you join Pinterest, you’re automatically set up with some boards. The first thing you should do is delete or rename any that you won’t be using. Pin stuff into at least one board other than “my books” immediately. When you follow somebody, he or she will go look at your profile. You want to have some interesting pins to offer. Upload a profile picture and fill out the profile information, including your web site or blog address.

3.)   Pin your pictures directly from the source. If you pin a book cover, pin it from the buy page or a page where it’s reviewed. People on Pinterest expect pictures to lead to the source, not to a page that has ganked the picture without attribution.

4.)   When you hover your cursor over a picture on Pinterest, three little buttons appear: Repin, Like and Comment. Do all three. Repinning means pinning the picture to one of your boards (you can make a new board right then and there, if you need to). People get a notice that you repinned their pins, and it might encourage them to look at your profile and follow you. Like pins you don’t want to repin but want to approve. Comment on other people’s pins occasionally. It’s friendly.

5.)   Now that you’re obviously a real person, feel free to be your authory self. Or your cooky self or your vacation rental self. Some of your pins can and should be about your business, but they should also be interesting. Book covers are nice and visual. You can include the price, and the covers will automatically be included in searches for gifts.

You can pin pictures of people to represent your characters, or actors you would like to play your characters. You can pin pictures of settings, houses, furniture, clothes, jewelry relevant to your stories. I have pinboards about my books, but only one is just covers: the rest are book trailers, characters, settings, and so on. I’m working on a series of mysteries set in a neighborhood of Storybook Style houses: I have a pinboard of Storybook Style architecture and elements. When the books are available, people following me will be familiar with the setting already. See how it works?

BONUS:  If you have a blog, be sure to include pictures and a Pin It button (which you can get from the Pinterest site). That way, pinners who find your blog and want to share it or a particular post with the eleventy-bazillion other people on Pinterest will have something to pin, right?

Now go forth and pin!

Marian Allen
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/marianallena

A Writer's Many Hats

Since tax season is almost here, I was gathering all of my receipts and documentation together, yesterday, and taking a look at last year’s statement, the one that shows I was gainfully employed at a day job. Actually, I was employed for most of 2010, too; but this year, I’m a full-time, self-employed writer: a first for me in thirty years of writing.

I’m glad there’s no line on the electronic form asking for my occupation, because frankly, “writer” doesn’t seem to cut it. I mean, no professional writer simply writes. I started thinking about all the things I’ve done to help my career, and the more I thought about it, the longer the list grew. Here’s all the things I’ve done, as a professional writer, to either get in print, build my reputation, or sell books. See if your list is similar! In no particular order, they are:

Student (I’ve lost count of the number of workshops I’ve attended)

Presenter (workshops and readings/talks)

Course facilitator

Conference panelist and volunteer

Blogger Reader and reviewer

Editor

Press release writer

Poster maker

Display organizer

Website designer

Promoter (in print and especially on the net through social networking)

Bookseller

Mentor to new writers

I've likely forgotten some things, and there are more things I hope to do, but to adequately describe what writers really do, we need to come up with a better word . . . and I’d prefer not to use the phrase underpaid, multi-tasker, or nut case.

Speaking of multi-tasking, I and Kay Stewart, will be launching our debut mysteries, The Opposite of Dark and Sitting Lady Sutra at The Fort Cafe, 742 Fort Street, Victoria on April 12th at 7 p.m. We are delighted to be joined by our friend and terrific writer, Lou Allin who will also be reading from her latest book. If you live in the area, I hope you’ll join us! We will be doing the same in Vancouver on April 27th. I’ll post details in a few days.

THE OPPOSITE OF DARK, http://bit.ly/i983XE FATAL ENCRYPTION, http://tinyurl.com/ddzsxl TAXED TO DEATH, http://tinyurl.com/czsy5n

eBook Piracy: Should pirates walk the plank or be set free?

The issue of ebook (and print book) piracy is being debated on JA Konrath's blog. While he is all for piracy, I am not.

Here's a bit from my most recent post:

This is my recent reply on JA Konrath's blog where piracy pros and cons are still being discussed. I am a bit concerned about new authors taking everything Joe says to heart without looking into the issue--illegal copyright theft and sharing. As much as I respect Joe for his marketing abilities, I am not sold on his argument that since we can't fight them we should embrace piracy and do nothing, turn a blind eye. I'm just not wired that way, and I'm not alone.

Read my entire post at:

http://cherylktardif.blogspot.com/2010/05/hoy-matey-should-ebook-pirates-walk.html

Cheryl Kaye Tardif,
author of The River (and more)

Understanding the myths regarding self-publishing versus traditionally publishing

There are a lot of myths and misconceptions out there regarding the pros and cons of either self-publishing or traditional publishing. I recently came across a blog that was advising writers on 5 Reasons to Self-Publish Your Next Book, and I found all but one of the 5 points to be very misleading. Of course, this is my opinion, based on the fact that I know a lot of authors who have done either or both, and I have done both.

Without printing the author's explanations, here are the 5 reasons the author offered, and my opinion on them.

Reason #1: Self-Publishing is Not Nearly as Difficult As You Think
Reason #2: Publishing Companies Don’t Actually Do Anything.
Reason #3: You Will Make More Money.
Reason #4: You Will Spend Less Money.
Reason #5: A Publisher Will Never Care As Much As You Do.

While I heartily agree with #1, I find the rest of the points quite misleading, especially to newer, less experienced writers. As an author who has both self-published and published traditionally, I am not speaking from one bias. There are definite pros and cons to both sides and I am pro-self-pub and pro-trad-pub.

Allow me to clarify...

#2: Publishing Companies Don’t Actually Do Anything: 
This is untrue for the most part. Publishers do a LOT for their authors; much of it is behind the scenes stuff that authors never have to worry about, such as sending copies to Library of Congress, obtaining and registering ISBNs, obtaining UPC and other codes, finding good editors, finding great cover designers, aligning with a solid distributor so your books get to bookstores and events on time, preparing review lists and packages to entice advance reviewers to read your book, sending out ARCs (advance reading (or review) copies), and so many other tasks BEFORE your book is ready to sell. Of course, self-pub'd authors CAN do these things themselves, but it'll cost time, money and they may not have the connections needed.  

When the book launches, many publishers will assist with book tours and launches (some financially, some with setup), they often pay for co-ops in bookstores (endcaps or special bins that get more notice and advertising), represent the author at book fairs like BEA and the former BEC and more, print brochures and mail out to libraries, schools, bookstores and other book retailers.  

I'm not saying that every traditional publisher does all of this. But a reputable and good one will do much of this. I have heard this from MANY of my traditionally published author friends. 

#3: You Will Make More Money: 
This is very misleading. When you self-pub a book, you WILL make more money per copy--providing you sell them all and AFTER you've paid for them. But the average s/pub'd author prints short runs, anywhere from 200-1000 books on average. S/pub'd authors who write non-fiction and have a strong platform and venues like colleges or organizations to sell their books to will generally print larger runs. These are the s/pub'd authors who tend to make more money. But they also spend more in traveling expenses.  

The average self-pub'd fiction author will make more per copy but sell far fewer copies than they would if they were traditionally published. I know this from experience and from my fellow authors who have shared their stories. I self-pub'd Whale Song in 2003. It was quite successful and I made back my initial investment (subsidized costs and print costs) very quickly. In the first 3 years I made a fair amount of money. In 2007, Whale Song was published by a trad. publisher. A larger print run was printed (one I didn't have to pay for) and the distributor got my books into more libraries and stores than I had on my own. In the first 2 years, I sold more copies because of distribution and advertising that my publisher did. I made MORE money this way.  

#4: You Will Spend Less Money: 
After reviewing my income tax forms, I can safely say that I spent very close to the same amount with each method I used. When I self-published I had a lot of start-up expenses and printing costs. When I was traditionally published, I had other expenses, like sending out review copies to anyone I wanted to (not including the major reviewers that my publisher took care of). My promotion costs in both cases were nearly the same. However, I spent more on my book launch for my last self-pub'd book than I did for the trad. published one. No matter if you're self-pub'd or trad pub'd there are opportunities out there that will cost money or save you money. (I'm a book marketing coach, and I coach authors about promotion.)  

#5: A Publisher Will Never Care As Much As You Do: 
This statement is both correct and incorrect, in my opinion. You, the author, will care more about your creation as a whole, because you thought it up, slaved over it, perfected it, struggled with it, loved it/hated it, etc. You WANT success so badly that you see your work as a pedway to the top.  

However, a publisher cares too. They see your work as an INVESTMENT. They've purchased the rights, taken a huge leap of faith on it and YOU, they've risked their finances, time and reputation on you and your work. Of course they care. But yes, for different reasons (for the most part) than you, the author. Although, I have heard that there are still some publishers out there who genuinely care about their authors, the books and everyone's success.  

#1: Self-Publishing is Not Nearly as Difficult As You Think: 
This statement is absolutely correct. Nowadays, self-publishing is as easy as a good printer and binding equipment. That doesn't mean the work itself is any good--or the editing. I advise my clients who are considering self-publishing to ensure that their work meets the same high standards of trad. pub'd books. Yes, even a bestseller can have typos, but on average they are better edited. If you self-pub, hire an editor. If you aren't artistically talented, pay for an eye-catching book cover design, not some cheesy looking cut and paste design a ten-year-old could make. You can self-pub completely on your own (I call this DIY self-publishing) or with the assistance of a subsidy publisher (they often have great distribution set in place to get you up and selling much faster than DIY) and some subsidies offer decent editing.  

Regardless of how you publish, make sure you check the publisher (printer, distributor, editor) out very carefully. Contact some of their past and present authors and ask how their experiences were. Check them out on Preditors and Editors and Absolute Write. Above all, be informed about all the pros and cons.  

Happy writing, publishing and promoting!  

Cheryl Kaye Tardif, 
bestselling author & book marketing coach 
http://www.cherylktardif.com  
http://www.shamelessbookpromoter.com

Guest Post: Leave Your Ego at the Door – Collaborative Writing

I invited a friend of mine to pop by The Write Type today. Eileen Bell and I met a few years ago and for a while we were members of a small writers group that met every week. I knew she was a talented writer the first time she read aloud part of a story she was writing. Today, Eileen is going to share her experience of working on an anthology with 3 other authors. ~Cheryl Kaye Tardif

I recently finished a collaborative project called “Women of the Apocalypse,” a novella anthology that was released at the end of October. I worked with three other writers: Billie Milholland and Roxanne Felix from Edmonton, Alberta, and Ryan McFadden from London, Ontario. This is the story of how we survived.

From the outside, it looked like a simple assignment. We were tasked with writing one novella each for an anthology. A small cast of characters for each of us – one Horseman of the Apocalypse, one Archangel, and one female protagonist. We could write in any genre we wanted. The novellas were stand alone stories. No working story lines together. No “four writers writing with one voice.” Seemed like a dream come true, so we all said “Yes!”

We wrote our novellas without any input from the others, in order to allow each writer's voice and style to come through. It was a little difficult, due to a tight timeline and other aspects of our lives that demanded attention, but we all finished, on time, and barely scarred.

Then came the editing. We edited round robin style, giving each writer the opportunity to work on each novella. It was the right thing to do, because we all have different editing strengths, but this was the spot where egos threatened. As Roxanne said, “Need to lick your wounds? Rebuild your self-esteem? No time for such nonsense. Dive dive dive … into the rewrites. And edit your colleagues’ work, while trying to forget which one recently ripped apart yours.”

The hardest part about the editing process for me was remembering to leave the other person's voice and style intact, while cleaning up a wide ranging variety of issues – from grammar to plot holes big enough to drive a concrete truck through! We quickly figured out that ongoing communication was the key to keeping our stories our own, and keeping relationships with each other whole through this process.

The result? A unique anthology, with individual stories that stand on their own, but that work together to tell an even bigger story. And we all remained friends!

Women of the Apocalypse is now available online at www.womenoftheapocalypse.com, or on amazon.com. It is also available at Audreys Bookstore and Chapters Southpoint in Edmonton, McNally Robinson Booksellers in Winnipeg (after November 14th) and Pages on Kensington in Calgary (after November 13th.)

Eileen Bell has written (you guessed it) most of her life. She has completed 3 novels (one burned, one under her bed, one out in the world), several novellas, short stories and personal essays, and is happily working on several new projects. When she isn’t writing she’s living a fine life in a round house with her husband, her dog, her daughter’s cat, and two fish.

Goal Setting Tips for Writers

I know hundreds of writers who fall victim to the deadly P-syndrome. If you’re unfamiliar with it, you’re one of the lucky ones. This syndrome is not only a killer of words and inspiration, but it can also be contagious, claiming other areas of the victim’s life or spreading to others. Washing your hands won’t keep P-syndrome away―unless washing your hands is part of a new mindset, one where you set daily goals.

If you haven’t guessed by now, I’m talking about PROCRASTINATION. It can be extremely debilitating to an author.

Read more about setting goals and check out the easy tips at Market My Novel

~Cheryl Kaye Tardif

Top 10 Tips to Help Authors Successfully Promote Their Books

Most authors should know that it's really up to them to promote their books, not the publisher. The publisher will do what they can do, of course, but the author is the one who can really get the word out there to the masses. So here is my Top 10 list of things authors can do to successfully promote their own books.

1. Promote your book BEFORE it's even published. Think of this like movie trailers. Film companies are super intelligent; they give people a sneak peek to get them interested, then hook them with anticipation by announcing a release date. Authors can do the same. Give your readers a sneak peek--a free sample, a book trailer. Then as soon as you know the release date (and about 1-3 months in advance) start promoting this new release.


2. Have your book PROFESSIONALLY edited. If you want longevity as a writer, you must treat this like a career. This means that even self-published, author-originated works must be edited professionally by someone who knows HOW to edit. NEVER be the only editor for your book. If you put out an inferior product you will lose fans and sales, and bookstores will not promote you. If you're going to do this, do it right! You're competing with every other book out there, and there are millions, so find a good editor.


3. Once your book is published, promote the heck out of it! Too many authors leave marketing up to their publisher. This is your baby, no one else's. As soon as your book is released, you have a window of about 3 months to get it off the ground, and another 3 months to keep things rolling. Not even a publisher can market your book as well as you can, and if you don't know how, LEARN. If you don't know where to start, I'm a book marketing coach; I can teach you.


4. Create a solid internet identity. What will we find if we Google your name right now? Will we find someone else with the same name who sells lawn ornaments? Are there 10 hits? 1000? 100,000? Are the first 3 pages of any search engine all about you or at least 90% you? If not, you've got work to do. Make sure you have a professional looking website and blog. Don't use a free host with ads for your site. Invest in a domain name (your name preferably) and pay for hosting.


5. Blog at least 2-3 times a week. On numerous blogs. Blogging about anything sells books. Readers like to see the human side of their favorite authors, so blogging should not be a hardcore sales pitch every post. Find a controversial or thematic angle within your book and blog about that. My novel Whale Song dealt with assisted suicide. I not only researched the topic, but I blogged about it and was then contacted by a radio station because of my blog post and then was interviewed. Blog about the journey you took to get where you are in your writing career. Blog about editing, rejections, writer's block, courses, anything that might be helpful to other writers.


6. Hold a virtual book tour. VBTs are an excellent and inexpensive way to get the word out about your book. Other bloggers are now promoting YOU. There is, however, an effective way to do this and an ineffective way. Successful blog tours have the following main elements: thoughtful planning, research, themed articles/posts, calls to action, proper scheduling, advertising and high sales. Your book should reach the bestsellers lists on Amazon, at the very least.


7. Sell your book on a specific day by holding a contest. If you ask people to order from one major retailer, like Amazon for instance, on a specific day and offer them some kind of incentive, you will have the opportunity to make Amazon's bestsellers list. Pick a day, offer a prize they can't turn down (remember: never make your book your prize-at least, not the book you are trying to promote) and have a proof of purchase to ensure sales are submitted on one day. Once you make Amazon's list (and don't forget, books are broken into categories), you're a "bestselling author" with a "bestselling novel". That statement alone attracts more success.


8. Find out where your readers are. The goal is not to have your book in every bookstore. First, very few books achieve that. Second, having them in a store is no good if no one is buying them. So find out where your readers are. If you write mysteries, find out where mystery readers meet in your town. Become a guest author at a book club. Look for online reading groups or sites like GoodReads and start schmoozing with readers.


9. Cultivate personal relationships with bookstore staff. Most authors underestimate the power of signing books in a store. Too many authors focus entirely on sales, or lack of sales. Forget sales! Think about relationships instead--with store staff, customers and potential fans. That is what is important. When you build these relationships you will have store staff who will hand sell your book and go out of their way to promote you, invite you to special events and feature you on special front-end shelves that publishers have to pay for. Customers can turn into media contacts and interviews. Potential fans can turn into lifelong fans who will buy everything you write and recommend you to their family and friends.


10. Contact media for every event or set of events. If holding a bunch of signings during October, call it your "fall tour" and promote it. Send out press releases to local TV, radio, newspapers and magazines. Send out online releases to services like 24-7pressrelease and free online services. Just Google 'press distribution services'. Many authors consider interviews a form of success, and the more you create a need for your area of expertise (whether writing, getting published, or a particular theme from your book), the more media will want to interview you.

It takes a combined effort and partnership between author, publisher and retailers to make a book successful. A partnership. That's how you must think of it. So don't just throw your "baby" out in the world and expect someone else to baby sit it or expect it to fend for itself.

Take control and responsibility seriously. Being a writer is the emotional, creative side; being a successful author of a published book means you have to recognize the business side. It comes with the territory. Accept it. Embrace it. And be the most successful author you can be.

~Cheryl Kaye Tardif,
bestselling author and book marketing coach
http://www.cherylktardif.com/

Bestselling author Gail Bowen critiqued my novel Divine Justice - aka Sometimes it's best to leap before you look!

Everyone has heard the old adage, "Look before you leap." Well, sometimes it's best to just leap right in before you look. Looking often stops us dead in our tracks and prevents us from moving forward. Anyone who knows me would probably say I boldly push my way through most barriers. Why? Because I have my eye on the prize, and I can be very persistent, I've been told--perhaps akin to a puppy who wants a treat. :-)

Weeks ago, one of my writer friends posted a notice to our writing group--I think it was Crime Writers of Canada. The post revealed that bestselling author Gail Bowen had accepted the role of Writer-In-Residence at the Toronto Public Library and was accepting samples of manuscripts and would give in-person critiques.

Now Gail and I go waaaaaay back. Well, not me and her personally, but me and her books and movies. I've been a fan of the Joanne Kilbourn murder mysteries since forever. The movies, starring Wendy Crewson, were one of my first experiences at watching something originally created by an author I had read--other than all the Stephen King movies. When the powers that be stopped filming the Joanne Kilbourn movies, I was heartbroken. (Rumour has it that they may be filming 4 more in the future. YAY!)

I followed the link in the email to the Toronto Library website and very quickly scanned the page for the mailing address. Then I immediately printed off the first 3 chapters of Divine Justice, a novel that is in final edits before it goes to my agent. Sealing the envelope, I walked to the post office, told the gal there that my sample was going to be critiqued by the awe-inspiring Gail Bowen, kissed the envelope (ok, I do that sometimes) and sent it on its merry way.

Shortly after, I received an email from Peggy Perdue, Librarian and Curator of the Arthur Conan Doyle Collection. When she discovered I wouldn't be able to go to Toronto and that I had assumed (yes, I know...) that Gail would have lots of submissions from out-of-town writers and that she'd maybe email a critique, Peggy mentioned I didn't really qualify. To which I replied, "I do understand why you'd keep this local. But...darn. Perhaps you could slip my manuscript under her door...hehe I'd love to chat with Gail."

Resolved to my fate and believing my manuscript would be shredded as I requested, I crawled back into my den and licked my wounds. No Gail...waaaaa! It's not fair! Why didn't I move to Toronto? Then I put this out of my mind and focused on my next project.

A month passed and I received my sample in the mail. The first thing I saw was a lovely note Gail Bowen had written on the first page. She said Divine Justice was "wonderful--strong, original & compelling!" This made my month! Having a writing peer, especially one I admire so much, tell me my work is wonderful is a piece of heaven, and something I'll never forget. Throughout my manuscript she'd added notes, tips, suggestions--everything I then added to my manuscript on my computer.

We need writers like Gail, ones who are willing to relocate temporarily and sacrifice their time to help other writers. The Writer-In-Residence program is so vital to our literary culture and to writers. Having this opportunity helps me believe a little more that I'm in the right place at the right time doing the right thing. Having a positive critique experience is not always a common thing, but it's evident that Gail really took the time to get to know my characters, the hint of plot, my humour and what I thought was one of my best lines. I learned so much through this critique.

Thank you, Gail, for giving your time and expertise as a WIR, and for taking on an additional out-of-town project. I so appreciate it. And yes, Gail, one day we'll celebrate our successes over a glass--or bottle--of wine. :-)

The moral of this tale: Sometimes it's best to leap before you look!

If I'd spent time really looking over the website, I probably would have figured out it really pertained to Toronto writers. Or I would have talked myself out of doing it for any number of reasons. If I'd emailed and asked about the critique program, I would have found out I didn't really qualify--and never mailed my sample.

Fate? Destiny? Law of attraction? Darn right!

For more info on Toronto Public Library's Writer-In-Residence program, please go HERE.

Author Cheryl Kaye Tardif interviews Vikram Narayan from BookBuzzr.com

Hello Vikram, and welcome to The Write Type ~ Multi-Author Musings. We are so happy to have you visit us. Since I’ve used BookBuzzr and fReado.com myself, I can say that you offer a terrific service for authors and their readers. And it’s free!

Can you tell us a bit about yourself? Are you a writer? Reader?

I’m a serial entrepreneur who’s obsessed about building the next big thing on the Internet. I earned an MS in Industrial Administration from Carnegie Mellon University some years ago. I’m also a keen martial artist and practitioner of Aikido. I’m an avid reader of books and listener of audio books. I do have a book inside me that is waiting to come out some day soon.

Where did the idea for BookBuzzr come from? Why did you decide to create it?

A few months ago, an author friend of mine – Chetan Dhruve – was describing the pain that authors face in marketing their books online. There are two problems with traditional author sites:

1. Most of the traffic goes to 'destination sites' such as Facebook, MySpace, Yahoo or the New York Times. So your author site may not receive the kind of traffic that you would want.
2. Even if a fan of your book comes to your site, it's not easy for her to easily share information about your book with her friends.

So how do you market your book in an era where the attention-spans of consumers measure a few micro-seconds? How do you tempt your potential readers to flip-through the pages of your book? How do you allow easy sharing of your book on networks such as Facebook, MySpace and other social networks?

So I asked him what would be a dream online marketing tool. Chetan, in a few moments of inspiration, described what he’d want and we sketched out the screens of the ultimate online book-marketing tool. I got the product developed in a few months using developer resources at another software business that I own.

What exactly is BookBuzzr and how does it work?

BookBuzzr is a free, online book-marketing technology that can be placed instead of your book-cover image on your author website, Facebook profile and blog. BookBuzzr is more than just a replacement for your book-cover image. It's a portable author website that allows your book information and extract to be shared on Facebook, Blogs, MySpace and more. So every time a fan of yours decides to post your book-widget on his or her blog, your entire information (including where to buy and buzz about your book) becomes available there. It’s like your business card on the Internet!

Apart from the easy share-ability, we've worked hard at making the pages of your book look and act like a real book. So when a reader clicks on the edge of the book, the page turns like a real book. Somehow, this seems to elicit a "wow!" from most people who try BookBuzzr.

fReado.com is the site which carries all the books that are available in BookBuzzr format.

Is it difficult for an author to set up a BookBuzzr widget?

Putting up your book into BookBuzzr format is quite simple. If you know how to share your videos and photos on Facebook or MySpace you know how to use BookBuzzr.

How many authors are using fReado?

We expect to have over a 1,500 authors & books on fReado by the end of this month.

Are there any recognizable names using BookBuzzr? Any “big” authors”?

We have quite a few big name authors using BookBuzzr. Chetan Dhruve whose inspired vision gave us the start for BookBuzzr is a pretty well-known name and his book has become an international sleeper-hit that’s been translated into 5 languages. Author Tony Eldridge whose book “The Samson Effect”, acquired by a Hollywood studio, is also using BookBuzzr.

Are publishers using your service to promote their authors’ books?

Yes. We’re making it easier for publishers to mass upload their books and author information with just a few clicks. We’ve got about 60 Publishers who have begun using fReado and BookBuzzr.

Can you give us an example of a BookBuzzr book widget?



Where do you see BookBuzzr in 3 years?

The other day, we got a testimonial from the author Lee Murphy and he said, “I think you have a terrific service and I know I have already sold one copy on Amazon as a direct result of it.”

So we know that we have a unique little book-marketing technology that every author needs. Our challenge is to let authors know about this free resource that can help every author in building and extending their platform. So in terms of where we see BookBuzzr in 3 years … we want to be the first place where every author goes when he or she begins to think about marketing books online. If every book-cover image on every author, publisher and book-seller’s website is replaced with the BookBuzzr book-widget, then I would say that most of our mission has been accomplished.

Towards this end, we’re making several improvements to BookBuzzr in the coming months to make it easier for fans to distribute a book-widget on their Facebook profiles, Twitter, blogs, social networks and cell-phones.

Thank you, Vikram!! I am sure that authors will be very excited about your service/product, especially after they've tried it once.

For more information on BookBuzzr and fReado, please check out http://www.bookbuzzr.com/ and http://www.freado.com/.

Guest Post: GumboWriters interviews freelance editor John Paine

Hey, this is Cheryl here, bringing you a great interview full of valuable tips and information, compliments of my friends at GumboWriters.com. Today's interview is with freelance editor John Paine. I feel obligated to add that for some writers, having their work edited can be very "paine-ful" (sorry--it just had to be said), but professional editing is a necessary process that separates great works from mediocre. With that said, please check out the interview. ~ Cheryl Kaye Tardif

GumboWriters: John, you've been in the business for a long time. How did you get started and what is it exactly that you do?

John: Not surprisingly, I started as an aspiring young writer. I decided at age 30 that I really didn't have the talent to be great, and I moved to New York to get an editorial position in publishing. I rapidly rose through the ranks and created a unique position for myself as a manuscript editor, or a house doctor. That's because those years of writing gave me a good intuitive feel for what writers try to get done in their stories. For 20+ years I have been helping authors both with large-scale story structure and with line-by-line, intensive editing. Depending on the project, especially in the field of nonfiction, I have served as virtually a ghostwriter.

Tell us the difference between line editing, copy editing, development editing, and what would you say is your forte?

Actually, the ranking is developmental editing, line editing, and copy editing. Developmental editing consists of helping authors to direct their characters and their plots to become stronger. I usually write page-specific notes that amount to roughly 15-20 pages, giving suggestions for new scenes, what scenes might be cut for better pacing, where more character background might be inserted, and which scenes might be moved around for a solid, building story. Line editing is what it sounds like: using a pencil line by line to prune and add to an author's text so that every sentence is crisp, using action verbs and effective sentence stem-dependent clause structure. As a former writer, I often write in phrases, sentences, or paragraphs to make sure the scene doesn't turn in unexpected directions that lose the reader. Copy editing is much more minor, consisting of a grammar, spelling, and punctuation check. A good copy editor will also help with sentence smoothness.

Why should a non-fiction editor write a book proposal first? And is that something you can help them with?

Today 95% of nonfiction books are sold through proposals. These are selling documents that give an outline of why an editor should buy the book. They come in pieces that are fairly standard, although proposals do not follow a strict template. They should contain an opening overview roughly 3-5 pages long that should capture an editor's attention right away. An author bio section is necessary, because most nonfiction authors are also speakers or have media contacts that will help sell the book. A competition section, with five or so competing books, lets the editor know (1) there is a market for your book and (2) why your book is different from what's out there. A section that contains a summary of each chapter is a vital part, because that's where you can show what the book will actually contain. Finally, 1-3 sample chapters are provided to provide a glimpse of your style, since a vast difference exists between a popular self-help book and a serious academic work. And yes, I do write (and sell) proposals regularly, as you might have been able to guess by now.

Why should writers work with you when they have thousands of other choices? What makes you so special, John?

I think there are many good editors, at least the ones who have New York publishing experience or the equivalent. My own approach is to keep the author in the driver's seat as much as possible. That means using constructive criticism that is politic in making its points. I like being nice, and I seek a good rapport with an author. I think I give sound advice, both for large-scale plot issues and for character enhancements. I know I'm an excellent line editor, because that's how I established my reputation in the first place. Judging by now many authors come back to me for their later books, I believe I provide a service that genuinely helps them learn how to write books. Finally, a word of caution to authors: Beware of these guys hanging out on the Net; a lot of their backgrounds aren't even close to being acceptable. Everybody is a self-appointed critic in the world of writing, so look closely at their credentials.

Is there anything wrong with having an editor edit your work before you send it to an agent or an editor? Is that cheating?

Seeking help as a writer is a wise decision most of the time. Seeing the forest for the trees in a book is probably the most difficult decision-making area in the arts. There are just so many words. In my profession, what often happens is that a writer who uses me the first time experiences a marked learning curve, one that tapers off in the second and third books as he or she applies the structural/character-building methods that I have taught them. By the fifth or so book, if you've been paying attention, you don't need an editor anymore. I know for a fact that agents like authors who have shown true desire by hiring an editor before they make their submission.

Won't agents and editors be disappointed that you didn't come up with the brilliant manuscript by your own doing?

Publishing is a business, by and large. If you are the next Norman Mailer or Alice Munro, you aren't going to hire an editor anyway. You'll be making those editorial decisions yourself. But that includes less than 1% of all writers. If you're writing for the popular market, an agent or editor is less worried about your artistry than your ability to keep readers on the edge of their seat.

Are there any famous or successful authors who work with editors before submitting their work to their agents or editors?

The more famous the author, the less editing he or she will accept. You could call it the diva equation. That's not to say they wouldn't benefit by editorial help, but they're fawned upon by their publishers, and they're making millions, so why should they bother?

Who are some of the best-known authors you've worked with?

I have worked with dozens of well-known authors. Anyone who is interested can visit my website, johnpaine.com.

How many books or book proposals would you say you've worked on that have ended up being sold? And what are some of your favorites (i.e., most well-known)?

Every year I help roughly 10 authors sell their books. I also work for publishers, so that number is doubled, in terms of published books I edit annually. I take a lot of pride in what I do, and I don't work on books that I don't think have a chance of being published. This summer, on the fiction side, I helped a debut author sell his psychological thriller, and that gave me a great deal of satisfaction, because he is so talented. On the nonfiction side, I helped turn a doctoral thesis into a history book that was bought by Harvard University Press, and that also was a challenge that gave me a great deal of pleasure.

How much do you charge for your services? Will authors have to re-mortgage their house to pay for it? Do you take payments?

It depends on the book. A ballpark figure is $10 per double-spaced manuscript page. I work in phases anyway, so a payment system is already built in. I'll charge for the read and initial editorial letter; then a retainer; the developmental edit; and the line edit. I will work out a payment schedule if needed, but obviously I'd prefer that the invoices be paid in full.

If we're interested in using your services, what is the first step and how does the process work?

The first step is to visit my website: johnpaine.com. That serves as my resume, so an author can check my credentials. The last page on the site has a contact sheet. I ask that an author send a 1-2 page synopsis plus 25 pages of the book so that I can evaluate whether he or she really should be spending money on me. I then call the author for a preliminary discussion of the book, plus my editing procedures, fees, timing, etc., at no cost. If the author decides to go ahead, the first step is my reading the entire manuscript and then a phone call to discuss which directions the editing might take, followed by a written editorial report. Along with that is an estimate for the entire edit, with fixed maximums for the different stages of editing.

Article provided by www.GumboWriters.com

Cheryl talks about using contests to promote novels at 'Your Shelf Life'

Today I was featured at 'Your Shelf Life', a great blog geared for writers and readers. The main question asked is what can you do to extend your 'shelf life' as an author and the 'shelf life' of your books.

I talked to Sandy about how I use contests to keep things fresh, interesting, exciting and interactive.

How Contests Can Promote Your Novels & Extend Your Shelf Life

~Cheryl Kaye Tardif

Promotion Is Just Another Word For Party

Writers no longer have the luxury of simply writing. Whether striving to be published or already published, writers must promote themselves. This self-promotion can make a difference when it comes to acceptance by a major publisher—they will generally choose a writer with a ready-made readership over one who hasn’t a clue. And self-promotion definitely makes a difference when it comes to marketing a published book—no one will read it if they don’t know it exists.
The successful authors are those who accept promotion as a way of life, or at least an adjunct to their writing life. And truly, it’s not hard. Nor is it dull.

Repeat after me: promotion is just another word for party.

If you think of promotion, you get depressed, feel inadequate, start making excuses why it’s not for you. On the other hand, if you think of a party, you perk up, get excited, gear for fun. And that is exactly the attitude you need when you promote.

Many people have told me recently that they admire my ability to promote myself without being obnoxious, but the truth is, I learned how to do it from other authors. Or rather I learned how not to do it from them. Sometimes I get dozens of emails in a day from authors asking me to buy their books. I don’t read such emails. Do you? I didn’t think so. Then don’t send them. Why waste the effort on something that so many people find dreary?

If you’re on Facebook (and of course you are), I’m sure you get several event invitations every day. An unknown author has a book released. An unknown author is guest blogging. An unknown author is giving away a book. Do you respond to such anonymous events? Probably not. You want fun. And so do your potential readers.

So think party.

I’ve thrown two successful online parties so far. My “HALLELUJAH! MY NOVELS HAVE FINALLY BEEN PUBLISHED! LET’SPARTY!” party lasted a week and was full of games, gifts, videos, puzzles. Sure it took time to set it up, but it was fun for people. Or at least it gave the illusion of fun, which is the same thing when it comes to the Internet.

Most recently I threw a “PAT BERTRAM IS TWO YEARS OLD TODAY” party to celebrate the second birthday of my online persona. The idea was just quirky enough that it drew attention. I don’t know that I sold any books because of it, but a lot more people are aware of me now, and that’s a good beginning.

So, when it comes to marketing your book—have fun. Be creative. Throw a party.

How much time should an author spend tweeting, Facebook-ing and MySpace-ing?

So how much time SHOULD a writer spend on online social networks?

The quick answer: Not so much time that your manuscript is piling up around you--unedited or unfinished.

All writers need to find ways to use social networks; it doesn't have to be time consuming. Only you can determine how much time you spend on your social networks. I recommend an average of 15-30 minutes each for MySpace and Facebook, 2-5 times a week, depending on your schedule. This would include reading and responding to emails, contacting friends with requests (especially reviewers), leaving comments on your friends' pages (socializing), sending invites to events or a bulletin (MySpace) announcing your new article, book, event etc. It all boils down to time management. 3-5 hours a week is a good goal.

Twitter requires less time. 5-10 minutes a day is all that's needed to make an impact on sales, word of mouth, and opportunities. One book marketing expert, John Kremer, likes to send out about 10 tweets (messages) a day. Mine will vary, but on average, I probably send out 5-10 messages every other day. More lately because I'm promoting a contest that is bringing new followers in by the hour. :-) I suggest people set small goals. Use a timer if you have to so you won't go over--or stick to one thing a day. Start small, working up to your goals.

As I mentioned in my presentation at the recent Get Publishing conference, all authors will have various needs. The first thing you need to do is determine WHO you need to connect to and WHY. Who can help you move forward in your career? Publishers? An agent? Bookstores? Magazine editors? Readers? Book Clubs? Book reviewers? Newspaper reporters? TV talk show hosts? Radio hosts? etc. This is the first step--target your network.

In the past I have been reviewed by a New York Times bestselling author because of my friendship with her on MySpace. It happened very quickly after connecting with her. I also have 5 other known authors who will be blurbing my new novel once my agent finds a publisher.

I have found numerous book reviewers through all social networks, and through them found other marketing opportunities, like guest blogging on their blog and using them as hosts for a VBT.

I have had film producers and directors contact me through these networks. Some have read my novels and my screenplay for Whale Song.

I have been interviewed as a result of online networking. I've had book clubs pick up my books; schools have too--which means I'm selling books.

The main thing is by being on these networks it becomes a "viral" form of marketing. Like a virus, word spreads and we all know how vital word-of-mouth advertising is. Twitter is perfect for this. Just add "RT" to your tweet and others will re-tweet your message to all their friends. And so on...and so on...

The bottom line is this: if you want to be a successful writer who is able to continuously bring forth new works and get paid for them, you will want to spend time marketing your books EVERY DAY.

I always try to do at least 3 things a day that will move me forward in some way--even if it's giving someone a bookmark at Starbucks. As with any kind of marketing, it has to be balanced with your writing and other life. If you're spending more than an hour a day maintaining the top 3 social networks (MySpace, Facebook and Twitter), then you might want to look at how you're spending that time. It's totally up to you though.

~Cheryl Kaye Tardif, author and book marketing coach

Keeping It Real

Writers are on my mind a lot these days, but then they usually are because I’m always reviewing someone’s book, meeting with my critique group, plus chatting with and making new online friends all the time. But with the Left Coast Crime conference coming up in Hawaii, I’m especially thinking about this special gathering of writers. Some of my favourite authors will be there as will many new writers eager to sell their books, meet potential fans and schmooze with the famous. I hope they won’t be disappointed.

Disappointment’s also been on my mind lately. It was triggered by a comment from the famous octuplet mom, Nadya Suleman. She was speaking to an interviewer about supporting her family and how she liked to write and wanted to write a book. I wasn’t clear whether it would be about her experiences or a work of fiction, but my immediate response was, “Oh no, don’t rely on writing income for your livelihood.”

The truth is that only a small percentage of authors make a living from writing, mainly after years of learning their craft and building writing credits. There’s simply too much competition and too many writers willing to work for little or no pay. Perhaps Ms. Suleman’s fame and unique situation will result in a publishing contract with a big advance. But with acquisition freezes and massive layoffs in the publishing world these days, who knows?

What really worries me is that I’ve heard and read about people who are counting on writing income as part of their retirement plan. And some of these people are just starting to write as they approach their retirement years. I hope they do their homework.

Don’t get me wrong. It’s wonderful to dream and ambition is necessary, but I worry about those who set themselves up for failure because they didn’t learn how the business of writing really works. If you know someone like this, make sure they take a reality check before they place every egg they own in their creativity basket.

See you when I'm back from Hawaii!!

To read excerpts of Taxed to Death and Fatal Encryption, visit http://www.debrapurdykong.com/. Both books are now available on Kindle.

Interview with Meredith Holmes, author of Unseelie

One of my first independent reviewers, Christina Whitcher, is now the PR coordinator for a small speculative fiction publishing company called Drollerie Press, and she recently contacted me about one of her authors. Meredith Holmes lives and writes mostly in Southeast Texas. Unseelie is her first published novel and she hopes there's many more to come.

Today I'm interviewing Meredith about her debut novel, an urban fantasy/romance titled Unseelie.

1. Meredith, welcome to The Write Type. First, how did Unseelie get started?

Unseelie began as an exercise for NaNoWriMo (www.nanowrimo.org). A local shop had a display of greeting cards including one with this absolutely beautiful faerie prince on the front and the image just stuck with me so when it came time for NaNoWriMo, I began by writing about this prince, whom I decided was named Cadfael (from an old word meaning "battle prince"). Alfhild came soon after, and the story just grew around the characters.

2. Did you research mythology and legends before writing Unseelie or did you make a lot of it up as you went?

Most of Unseelie was researched in terms of mythological origins of names (I have a "thing" for names!) and stories about ancient heroes and the like but some of it was made from whole cloth or "inspired" by old legends. Take Jenny Greenteeth, for example: in the legends, she's nothing like the character of the same name in Unseelie outside of a few key similarities. Characters like Alfhild and Cadfael aren't based on any historical or legendary characters pre se but I was definitely inspired by some ancient stories when creating them!

3. Is Unseelie a romance?

Yep, but that's not the sole focus--there's a war, conflict between humans and supernaturals, self-discovery... It's pretty complex!

4. Did your background prepare you for writing or is it something that just "happened"?

I never went to school for creative writing though I did consider it! I was always making up stories about imaginary friends as a kid and later writing them down, at the encouragement of my mother and grandmother. I remember making little books at my grandma's house, stapling them together to "bind" them and giving them to my grandparents for the bookshelf! Writing just grew out of that early fantasy life and the support of my mom and maternal grandmother.

5. What's your next project?

Other than finishing grad school? I have several stories in the works right now but the one in the home-stretch is the first of a trilogy about demons and some pretty ancient alliances that carry into the modern world. It's another supernatural-romance story but much different in tone and characters than Unseelie. It's more of a mystery than not but it's definitely supernatural romance.

6. You work on more than one story at once then?

Definitely. I get ideas and have to start writing them out before I lose them. Some authors keep notebooks of plot ideas or characters, I keep files on my hard drive (backed up to the moon and back--I'm super careful about that!). I have snippets of stories, some all the way up to their fifth and sixth chapter, waiting in the wings. I tend to work on the story whose characters are most insistent on getting written first.

7. How does writing impact your life outside of the process?

Oh, it's pretty much in every aspect of my life. If I'm not doing it, I'm thinking about it and it's become a very big part of my life. It's gone from me poking at a NaNoWriMo story to getting published by Drollerie Press. Unseelie is my first book (I've had short stories in ezines before, and they are now on Drollerie) so of course I was really excited during the entire process. Now that Unseelie is out and available since December on Drollerie's site, Mobipocket and Fictionwise, the excitement is still there but it's getting spread out to my WIPs as well because now I know what it's like!

Links:
http://www.meredithholmes.com/
http://drolleriepress.com/bookshop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=18_41
Email Meredith at: meri.holmes (at ) gmail (dot) com

Thank you again, Meredith, for sharing your inspiring journey with us. I wish you the best in success! ~Cheryl Kaye Tardif, bestselling author of Whale Song

Are You Doomed?

Here's another gem I picked up from ByLine Magazine. I've kept it pinned to my bulletin board a long time. Byline says:

"There is a cartoon from the For Better, For Worse, strip about a young journalism major who suffers several days when he can't write anything that "works". He begins to have second thoughts about his chosen path in life and confides in his girlfriend: 'Maybe I'm too emotional for this. I'm full of self-doubt, I'm sarcastic and compulsive and analytical, and half the time I life in a fantasy world. I don't have any of the creative elements that make someone a writer!' The punch line that the reader supplies, of course, is that the poor kid not only has the qualities, he's doomed to be a writer."

I know that doom and I suspect many of my colleagues do too.

To read Excerpts from FATAL ENCRYPTION visit http://www.debrapurdykong.com

Authors: Learn how to use social networks to promote yourself

In July 2008, I presented on a panel at the 2008 CanWrite! Conference in Edmonton, Alberta. The topic of the panel was Hot Trends, Hot Markets. As an author, I was looking at this topic from the perspective of aspiring and published authors.

As someone who's been nicknamed "Shameless Promoter" because I promote my books with everything I've got, utilizing everything I can think of or learn about, I want to share what I've learned. This information will help writers and authors connect with readers and fans, which can lead to sales once a book has been published.

The question I asked myself was: "Which hot trend or market is really on fire today, one that actually benefits writers and authors?"

The answer I came up with?

SOCIAL NETWORKING!

Read my article: How Can Authors Use Online Social Networks?

~Cheryl Kaye Tardif (aka 'Shameless Promoter')
http://www.cherylktardif.com/