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 Thursday, July 30, 2009
Are You Too Ambitious for Your Own Good?
Posted by Jane
Ira Glass has some of the best advice I've ever read for writers, at
least in relation to great storytelling. He's said that you have to be
willing to be bad at what you do for a long time until you actually can
achieve the vision of perfection you have in your head. He even puts
himself out on a limb and offers recordings illuminating how bad he was at radio when he first started.
I
was reminded of Ira when my writer-friend Teresa Fleming shared with me
the following letter from Charles Dickens, where he responds to an
aspiring writer.
Tuesday, Feb. 5th, 1867.
DEAR SIR,
I
have looked at the larger half of the first volume of your novel, and
have pursued the more difficult points of the story through the other
two volumes.
You
will, of course, receive my opinion as that of an individual writer and
student of art, who by no means claims to be infallible.
I
think you are too ambitious, and that you have not sufficient knowledge
of life or character to venture on so comprehensive an attempt.
Evidences of inexperience in every way, and of your power being far
below the situations that you imagine, present themselves to me in
almost every page I have read. It would greatly surprise me if you
found a publisher for this story, on trying your fortune in that line,
or derived anything from it but weariness and bitterness of spirit.
On
the evidence thus put before me, I cannot even entirely satisfy myself
that you have the faculty of authorship latent within you. If you have
not, and yet pursue a vocation towards which you have no call, you
cannot choose but be a wretched man. Let me counsel you to have the
patience to form yourself carefully, and the courage to renounce the
endeavour if you cannot establish your case on a very much smaller
scale. You see around you every day, how many outlets there are for
short pieces of fiction in all kinds. Try if you can achieve any
success within these modest limits (I have practised in my time what I
preach to you), and in the meantime put your three volumes away.
Faithfully yours.
Yikes, right? (You can read more Dickens letters here.)
Here's the secret, though: If you're the writer, do you read this and think: I should just stop trying.
Or do you read this and think: He doesn't know how wrong he is!
Writers in training know they're not good, but they know they're getting better. And they go on to fight another day.
Photo credit: wallyg
Fun | General | Getting Published
Thursday, July 30, 2009 6:06:48 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  Trackback
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Tuesday, July 28, 2009
The Four Stages of Marketing & Promotion (and MWW Recap)
Posted by Jane
This past weekend, I spoke at the Midwest Writers Workshop in Muncie, Ind. It was my seventh year speaking there, and remains one of my favorite conferences. (Read my three recaps from last year, starting with Day 1.)
Among other things, I gave a two-part session on essential tools for online marketing and promotion—and did my best to explain what it means to use Twitter, Facebook, sites, and blogs to build meaningful relationships with an audience.
One of the key takeaways: you can't decide it's time to market and promote on the day of your book's release. By that time, it's far too late. You need to establish relationships and connections the day you decide you want a career as an author.
To help break this down into a manageable process for people, I outlined four stages to marketing and promotion, especially when you're entering any online community and trying to be an authentic member:
- Sign up, observe, and educate yourself (sometimes called lurking). Many people stay at this stage for a long time, simply soaking up good information.
- Participate. Start to make yourself known. This could be as simple as making status updates, posting photos or sample writing, or creating a profile.
- Share something and grow relationships. Focus on what you give people or what you can share that's of value. As you participate and share with others in the community, and do things for each other, relationships grow and develop.
- Ask for help. This is when you might actually put your connections to work as a means of soft or hard marketing. Maybe you want to tell people to pre-order your book on Amazon on a specific day. Or you're hoping that your network will spread the word about an upcoming event you're hosting. So you ask.
People who know you and trust you will be more likely to help you. That's why it's important to establish relationships far before you market and promote a product/service. The relationships have to be meaningful before they have value in a marketing/promotion effort, particularly online.
(Because most authors don't realize the importance of marketing/promotion until it's too late, the first annual Writer's Digest Conference is focused on these types of strategies and skills.)
Other notes from the conference:
- Dennis Hensley gave a rousing keynote about the "re-create 8" — or eight ways to be a better creative thinker (e.g., reduce, rearrange, expand, reverse).
- Eric Butterman, an expert freelancer, gave sessions on how to earn more money writing even in a down economy. He struck me as one of the most engaging and prolific freelance writers I've met in a very long time, who really knows his stuff. (If you can manage to find a workshop or class with this guy, jump on the chance.)
Many thanks to the MWW committee (I'm pictured above with members Alan, Jama, and Barb) for another lovely year. I highly recommend the event to all writers for its hands-on craft/technique sessions as well as access to literary agents.
Looking for more?
Conferences/Events | Getting Published | Marketing & Self-Promotion
Tuesday, July 28, 2009 5:01:58 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) Trackback
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Sunday, July 26, 2009
Best Tweets for Writers (week ending 7/24/09)
Posted by Jane
 I
watch
Twitter, so you don't have to. Visit each Friday or Saturday (or Sunday!) for the week's best Tweets. (If I missed a great Tweet, leave
it in the Comments, or if you want more of a particular category of Tweet, also comment.) Best of BestReading 67 Overlooked Freelance Writing Niches
Great ideas!
@UrbanMuseWriter
100 Inspirational Posts to Make You a Better Writer
@flipbooks
Good post with a list of 25 book blogs [and how to pitch bloggers]
@BubbleCow
Top book marketing posts from @TonyEldridge
@thecreativepenn
Stand AloneSome people write great books but not killer queries; I give the sample pages more weight than the letter.
@rachellegardner
A good memoir requires all the writing ability of fiction, and all the platform & marketing of nonfiction.
@RachelleGardner
DON'T say “the book gets exciting in chap 5” or “the pace picks up toward the end.” Make it shine from page 1.
@rachellegardner
do not put in a query that you are still editing and revising. it's so much better if you are done and at work on the next thing
@BookEndsJessica
Writers, please research your genres for word count. I can' t sell a 39K word romance, nor a 165K mystery.
@MarleneStringer
Begging in a query is a real turnoff. "Please give me a chance!"
@RachelleGardner
Requests for fulls/partials, but no agent yet? Go back and work on craft & story. Take your time, get help.
@RachelleGardner
the sign of a really good writer isn't the first draft, but how well revisions are handled.
@BookEndsJessica
"Plot, in fact, is yearning challenged and thwarted," by Robert Olen Butler. Wish I had said that. Sublime.
@plotwhisperer
Best of Twitter
Sunday, July 26, 2009 7:24:24 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) Trackback
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Friday, July 24, 2009
Your Protagonist Must Have a Goal (Plot-Protagonist Secret #3)
Posted by Jane
Today's guest post is the final installment of a three parter, and comes from the experienced Jim Adam, who I met at a
recent Writer's Digest Editors' Intensive. Visit his homepage, or follow him on Twitter.
Warning: Harry Potter spoilers ahead
To
illustrate the importance of protagonist goal, let's look at an example
(again from the Harry Potter series) of a character who abandons the
role of protagonist while remaining the sole POV character.
At the end of Book 5, The Order of the Phoenix,
Dumbledore tells Harry the Chosen One Prophecy. According to this
prophecy, Harry is the only person able to destroy the genocidal
Voldemort. Dumbledore says that he should have told Harry the prophecy
sooner, but held back because of his desire to keep Harry safe and free
from additional burdens and worries.
We aren't done yet, but
note that warning flags have already gone up. By protecting Harry,
Dumbledore has minimized exactly those things that keep readers
immersed in a story! Safety and freedom from worry for the protagonist?
Since when was that a good idea in a work of fiction? There's a reason
why The Left Behind series chronicles the tribulations on Earth, not the big party in Heaven.
What
the end of Book 5 shows us is that Dumbledore isn't the right
Dumbledore for the Potter series. Whether his "mistake" indicates
soft-heartedness or a desire for personal glory, it doesn't matter.
Dumbledore has made life easier for Harry, and thus has undercut the
full potential of the story.
Continuing on, the very end of Book
5 shows Harry returning to his aunt and uncle's house where, for three
months, he'll be safe and free from additional burdens and worries.
[Insert the sound of screeching tires here.] Wait a minute! Dumbledore
just said this was a mistake, and now he repeats that same mistake?
Worse, Harry lets him get away with it?
What
we have here is a plot outline forcing our Hero to become a passive
little lamb. Harry goes where the plot outline tells him to go, he sits
on his hands when the plot outline requires him to, and he takes
decisive action only when the plot outline authorizes him to.
According
to Dumbledore, Harry has the ability to stop Voldemort from committing
genocide on the human race. (At this point, Voldemort is back and is
operating in the open.) Exactly what kind of protagonist would go off
and waste three months' time under such circumstances? A goalless
protagonist, that's who.
The goal of destroying Voldemort has
now become Dumbledore's, and the old codger pursues his goal
relentlessly. Unfortunately, he also pursues the goal mostly off
screen, leaving readers to watch Harry pursue various subplots:
Quidditch, romance, and questions like, "What is Draco up to?" and "Who
is the Half-Blood Prince?"
To see how insidious lack of goal (or in this case, the wrong goal) can be, let's look briefly at Book 6 of the Potter series, Half-Blood Prince.
Near the beginning of that book, when Harry learns that he's to be
captain of the Quidditch team, Hermione asks him, "What about the
Defense Association?" [DA is a student group, led by Harry, designed
to prepare students to fight against Voldemort.] Harry replies, "We'll
just disband it."
Oops. Although Voldemort is already killing
people left and right, Harry's goal is to be Quidditch team captain.
The Defense Association is a distraction from that goal, and so it must
go.
The plot outline has won and, as far as the main sequence of
events is concerned, Harry has become goalless. The price for this
isn't that some arbitrary rule of writing has been broken. The price is
that Harry becomes a heartless wretch. People are dying, and if he
applied himself, Harry might be able to stop at least some of that, but
he can't be distracted from his extra-curricular activities even for
such a lofty goal. This is the Hero of seven books?
A goalless
central character can easily lead to a mushy story, one lacking in
conflict and clear direction. (Imagine a goalless Dorothy wandering
about Oz, without even the Wicked Witch chasing after her.) In the
Potter series, however, the disturbance in Harry's world is both real
and impactful. Events move forward inexorably, and the books continue
to resemble stories. Only on closer inspection do we discover that
Harry is an inhuman widget.
As writers of commercial fiction, we need to make sure that:
- Our story has a protagonist.
- Our protagonist has a driving goal.
- Our protagonist has the right goal (prepare to fight Voldemort, not prepare to win the Quidditch trophy).
- Our
protagonist is the right protagonist—one who would accept wise advice
when given (follow the Yellow Brick Road), but one who doesn't just get
led around by parents, wise mentors, angels, friendly locals, etc.
The Overshadowed Protagonist
Speaking
of getting led around by the hand, the overshadowed protagonist seems
to be another common mistake we writers make. Consider our Wizard of Oz
example. Suppose that when Glinda arrives, instead of giving Dorothy
some sage advice, Glinda accompanies Dorothy to the Emerald City. The
result would be that Dorothy gets overshadowed, the dangers to her get
minimized, and—quite likely—the story gets bogged down in backstory and
exposition, as Glinda kindly fills in the poor girl on the history of
Oz, the habits of the Munchkins, the magical processes used in creating
the Tin Man, etc.
Although the real Dorothy is joined and aided
by other characters, although she remains ignorant of much of what is
going on about her, although she never becomes a witch or a Kung Fu
master, still Dorothy retains her goal and is able to pursue that goal
relentlessly. Her goal-driven behavior keeps the trip to the Emerald
City from being a travelogue, and it keeps the trip to the Wicked
Witch's castle from being an arbitrary sidetrack.
Despite
Dorothy's general ignorance, she always has enough information to
pursue her goal under her own impetus. This is the difference between a
protagonist and a widget:
If a protagonist has no clue how to pursue their goal, they might as well not have a goal.
This
is another key point that seems to trip us up as writers. For most
readers, "pursing a goal" means more than a protagonist waiting
patiently or wandering blindly, hoping for inspiration.
In the last book of the Potter series, The Deathly Hallows,
Harry is trapped in that sad state of wanting to destroy Voldemort but
not having a clue how to proceed. He moves one step at a time,
following a trail of breadcrumbs, never fully comprehending what it is
he's doing, or why. It seems an ignominious state for a Hero to be in.
However:
Ms. Rowling apparently realized that Dumbledore was too powerful to
keep around, and so killed him off. Unfortunately, she then allowed him
to manipulate events from beyond the grave, thus turning poor Harry
into a pair of granny glasses scuttling about in the woods. Ms. Rowling
got away with it, and maybe you can too, but why take the chance?
If
we give our main characters goals, make their achieving those goals as
difficult as we can, and then let them pursue their goals under their
own impetus, the result will be a more engaging story. And after all,
isn't that our goal?
Photo credit: TRAFFIK
Craft & Technique | Guest Post
Friday, July 24, 2009 10:53:03 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) Trackback
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Thursday, July 23, 2009
Does Your Novel Fall Victim to the Protagonist/Goal Switcheroo? (Plot-Protagonist Secret #2)
Posted by Jane
Today's guest post is the second installment of a three parter (ending Friday), and comes from the wise Jim Adam, who I met at a recent Writer's Digest Editors' Intensive. Visit his homepage, or follow him on Twitter.
Read Part I (How to Prevent Reader Boredom in Your Novel) here.
Some of us can't quite decide who we want our protagonist to be.
Sometimes this results in a story that contains a lot of POV
characters, but that isn't always the case.
In my novel, I had
one primary POV character for the first 250 pages. Then I switched to
another POV character for the middle 250 pages. And then I switched to
yet another POV character for the final 250 pages. As a result, no
single character was strong enough to tie the book together into a
cohesive unit. A master writer (or somebody with a body of fans
already in place) might have been able to get away with this sort of
thing. Unfortunately, I don't fit into either camp.
POV
switching is harder to pull off than professional writers like Stephen
King or George R.R. Martin make it look. Each POV character brings a
different goal with them, or at least a different slant on a goal, and
as a result, readers can easily find themselves several chapters into a
book, still unable to decide what the story is really about.
If
your story features a lot of POV characters, or if it switches around
between several protagonists along the way, make sure the story truly
requires it. For many of us, POV switching is a sign that we haven't
quite figured out what story we're trying to tell.
Goal Substitution
In
some stories, the protagonist stays the same but their goal changes. If not handled carefully, this can make a story feel like it's gotten
sidetracked, with the plot suddenly chasing after a will-o-the-wisp.
Sure,
plots don't have to be linear, but readers are liable to get confused
(or miffed) if we change either the protagonist or the protagonist's
goal without sufficient justification. In the movie The Matrix, Neo's
original goal is to find out what the matrix is. Partway through the
movie, Neo gets his answer. This forces him to adopt a new goal:
"Figure out how to fit into this new reality." Neo's goal change works
because it's integral to the flow of events, and thus it makes sense to
the audience.
For a protagonist to change goals on a whim,
however, or in response to some ancillary or trivial event: that's
going to be hard for many readers to swallow. Maybe it's a sign that
we're conflict averse, or maybe we think we're perpetrating a "surprise
twist." But whatever the explanation, the result may be the same: a
disappointed reader.
The flip side: if something happens (as
with Neo) to invalidate a protagonist's first goal (such as they
achieve that goal), the story needs to quickly provide the protagonist
with a new goal. Using our Wizard of Oz example, imagine Dorothy
showing up in Oz without any burning desire to get back home. Not only
does she wind up wandering around endlessly, now she doesn't even have
a meaningful goal.
One sign of a goalless protagonist is that
they get pushed about by events. Instead of acting, they react.
Even
if we throw life-threatening challenges at them, the challenges still
begin to seem disconnected and arbitrary. The result is generally that
the story looses its zip and, possibly, many of its readers.
A
goalless protagonist seems to be especially common in "translation"
stories where the main character is pulled out of a mundane life and is
suddenly transported into an amazing Other World. The Wizard of Oz and
The Matrix both show how to make such a premise work.
Many of
us who attempt translation stories, however, try to carry the story
with clever, amazing, and humorous interludes. The Munchkins,
Scarecrow, the sentient trees, Tin Man, Cowardly Lion, Emerald City: we expect these elements to hold the reader's interest by themselves. Maybe they will, maybe they won't, but certainly Dorothy's story loses
something if she's wandering about goalless, just enjoying the scenery.
The protagonist's goal is the glue that holds a story together, giving events heightened purpose and interest.
In tomorrow's final installment, we'll look at examples that illustrate the importance of goal, as well as what happens in the case of an overshadowed protagonist.
Photo credit: nasebear
Craft & Technique | Guest Post
Thursday, July 23, 2009 5:13:10 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) Trackback
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Wednesday, July 22, 2009
How to Prevent Reader Boredom in Your Novel (Plot-Protagonist Secret #1)
Posted by Jane
Today's guest post is a three parter (ending Friday), and comes from the inimitable Jim Adam, who I met at a recent Writer's Digest Editors' Intensive. Visit his homepage, or follow him on Twitter. Warning: For any Harry Potter readers and/or movie fans who do not know the outcomes of Books 6 and 7, spoilers lie near the end.
Most people define plot as "the events that make up a story," and that's a fine definition. Except that for writers, it's a shortcut to the hot place. I've been burned by it, and as I read unpublished works by other struggling writers, I see them getting burned by it too.
Here's a better definition:
Plot is the set of actions that protagonists take to achieve their goal.
Wait, don't leave yet! I know you've seen this definition before and are bored by it. Maybe you have every right to be bored, but for many writers, the simplicity of this definition is misleading. We look at it and think, "Yeah, yeah, I learned that twelve years ago." But however simple the rule seems, many of us still haven't mastered it. We continue to churn out stories that are collections of disconnected events, stories that lack drive and intensity, and stories that wander off course.
What ties a series of scenes together, so that they feel truly connected?
- A common cast of characters?
- A common central conundrum?
- A common setting?
- Cause-and-effect relationships?
Even taken together, all of these elements aren't enough. Only by giving goals to key characters, and letting those characters drive the story, can we make a sequence of events hang together as an integral plotline.
Maybe it sounds easy, but I continue to struggle with this concept in my own writing, and based on what I'm seeing in various workshops, I'm not alone.
The One Sentence Plot Description
My editor tells me that I should be able to describe any novel in a single sentence of the form:
Protagonist must do X or else Y will happen.
Does that sound reductive? Too linear? Maybe it is. But for those of us struggling to get our act together, simpler is better. Sadly, for many of us, our one-sentence plot statement would be something like, "Gretta must do what she's told when she's told until I reach the desired word count."
Characters without strong goals become widgets, pushed about by our word processors. They meekly subvert their personality to the predefined plot outline. As a result, they come across as passive, unreliable, dull.
The Right Protagonist for the Job
Consider The Wizard of Oz. When Dorothy steps into the Land of Oz, her eyeballs bulge. Goodness, they certainly don't have flowers like these in Kansas! As she wanders about, a soap bubble lands and out steps Glinda, the Good Witch of the North. Glinda tells Dorothy, "To get back home, follow the Yellow Brick Road. That'll take you to the Wizard, and he'll be able to help you."
Dorothy straightens her back and stomps her foot. "I most certainly will not! Go visit a Wizard? Ha. What do you take me for?" And so Dorothy tramps off into the wilderness, carefully avoiding the Yellow Brick Road whenever it comes into sight. A thousand pages later, she's still at it, no closer to getting home than when she started.
The problem here isn't that our shadow Dorothy lacks a goal, but that the author has selected the wrong Dorothy for the story. This alternate Dorothy's hard-headedness makes her look like a dolt, someone that readers will have a hard time identifying with, sympathizing with, or caring about.
The more cynical reader, of course, sees this alternate Dorothy for what she really is: a convenience for the author, who wants to write an epic story but can't be bothered to come up with a true plot, and so makes do with an episodic travelogue.
If a protagonist (or villain) has the path to victory laid out for them, and then turns away from it for some arbitrary reason, the story loses intensity. Some readers may even lose their faith in the story's trustworthiness.
At the risk of being pelted with bludgers, I'm going to use Harry Potter to illustrate this point. In the Potter series, at the end of Book 6, Half-Blood Prince, the evil Voldemort has won. Voldemort's nemesis (Dumbledore) is dead, and Voldemort's Death Eaters are inside Hogwarts itself—locked in battle with Dumbledore's loyal followers.
Voldemort's path to victory is clear. He need only join the fight and he can carry the day. Instead, his Death Eaters flee Hogwarts, and for the next three months, Voldemort quietly sits on his hands so that Harry can have his traditional summer vacation at home.
In this case, the villain is forced to turn his brain off precisely because the protagonist of the story isn't the right protagonist. Harry is neither ready, willing, nor able to take up Dumbledore's mantle. If Voldemort played his cards, Book 6 would end with Harry Potter dead, and Book 7 of the series would vanish.
The arrangement here reminds me of a Warner Brothers cartoon: A wolf and a sheepdog walk up to a time-clock and punch in. "Morning, George," the sheepdog says. "Morning, Ralph," the wolf says. They move to their respective positions, the 8 a.m. whistle blows, and they begin feuding over the sheep. When the 5 p.m. whistle blows, they clock back out and walk home together amiably.
When a story manipulates key characters, forcing them out of character in order to achieve something the writer considers important, the result can become farcical. The best way we can avoid this fate is to:
- Make sure our key characters have solid goals that they pursue vigorously.
- Make sure our protagonist is well-matched (both in ability and in temperament) to the obstacles he's expected to overcome.
If the obstacles aren't great enough, reader boredom will likely set in. If the obstacles are too great, we'll be forced to cheat in order to reach a happy ending. Of course, both the first Oz book and the last Potter book cheat. The Wizard of Oz suddenly decides that witches melt if touched by even a drop of water; The Deathly Hallows introduces three godlike magical artifacts to get Harry across the finish line. What this shows, I think, is that if we have a strong story, nothing's going to stop us. However, for those of us with boxes full of rejection slips or an interest in producing the very best story possible, we need to carefully match our protagonists to the obstacles they face, and vice versa.
Photo credit: principia aesthetica
Craft & Technique | Guest Post
Wednesday, July 22, 2009 10:00:16 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) Trackback
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Monthly News from Glimmer Train
Posted by Jane
Glimmer Train has
just chosen the winning stories for their May Short Story Award for New
Writers competition. This competition is held quarterly and is open to
any writer whose fiction hasn’t appeared in a print publication with a
circulation greater than 5,000. No theme restrictions. Word count
range: 500-12,000. Their monthly submission calendar may be viewed here.First place
Noa
Jones of New York, NY (pictured above), wins $1200 for “Brother Ron”. Her story will be
published in the Fall 2010 issue of Glimmer Train Stories, out in
August 2010.
Second place
Farley Urmston of Sherborn, MA, wins $500 for “Pretending”.
Third place
Benjamin Janse of Jamaica Plain, MA, wins $300 for “The Great Storm”.
A PDF of the Top 25 winners can be found here.
Deadline approaching!
Very Short Fiction Award: July 31.
This competition is held twice a year and is open to all writers for
stories with a word count range not exceeding 3,000. No theme
restrictions. Click here for complete guidelines.
--
If
you didn't know, Writer's Digest partnered with Glimmer Train to
publish two compilation volumes of the best stuff from their Writers Ask newsletter. Be sure to check them out.  
General | Getting Published
Wednesday, July 22, 2009 9:47:33 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) Trackback
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Tuesday, July 21, 2009
5 Elements of Query Letters
Posted by Jane
 Earlier this year, I taught an online class where I offered "extreme makeovers" on query letters. To help ensure everyone took away some concrete advice, every attendee was invited to submit a 1-page query for review. It was a successful workshop, so we're repeating it again this Thursday. In preparation for the workshop, I take the query letters that are submitted and categorize their basic elements into "good", "OK", and "needs revamped." The five elements I look at are: - Personalization. What effort has the writer made to ensure this letter has been customized for a particular editor, agent, or publishing house?
- Hook. How effective is the hook? Is it too long? Is it clear? Does it cover everything an editor/agent needs to know to say, "Yes, I've got to see more!"
- Bio. For nonfiction, people often slip up and don't emphasize the right aspects of platform or credentials. For fiction, it can be difficult to know what to mention, if anything, when you're unpublished. So I always give examples showing the best-case scenario, as well as examples when you rely on your hook and overall charm or professionalism to carry you to the finish line.
- Basic info. Have you included the necessary information about title, genre, word count?
- Opening/closing. There are lots of red flags and stumbles that can make it onto the page. Some aren't deal breakers, others are. I show examples of both.
I speak at conferences frequently about query letters, but seeing real examples of what's working and not working can be the best way to learn how to fix your own. Go here for the link to register ($99); after the event has concluded, you'll have access to the recording for a year. Plus I'll share a recap of the event on this blog, offering some takeaways for everyone. In the meantime, here are some excellent query resources. Essential Blogs
Great Posts From the Guide to Literary Agents blog
Want to know more about upcoming online events? Click here for more.
Conferences/Events | Getting Published
Tuesday, July 21, 2009 12:38:14 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) Trackback
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Monday, July 20, 2009
Turn Your Dragons Into Princesses
Posted by Jane
Rilke's Letters to a Young Poet is one of the greatest writing advice books of all time. You can highlight nearly every passage as an inspirational gem. But there isn't any quantifiable advice in it.
As much as Writer's Digest focuses on the nuts-and-bolts of craft/technique, and beats the drum of marketing and promotion, everyone on staff recognizes that what sets the successful apart from the unsuccessful is rarely quantifiable.
Maybe there are some numbers you can look at, for a vague generalization:
These numbers only point to a larger felt sense that a writer knows in his gut, physically (but may intellectually ignore) when it comes to recognizing the effort or determination required.
But your motivation and desire to write or express yourself doesn't lie in the numbers. Whether you like it or not, it keeps its home in the hopes and fears that go much deeper than the writing goals you might have set for yourself.
One of my favorite passages from Rilke:
Perhaps all the dragons of our lives are princesses who are only waiting to see us once beautiful and brave. Perhaps everything terrible is in its deeps something helpless that wants help from us.
We all have some kind of dragon holding us back, and we typically give it a name that obscures its real identity. Maybe your dragon is "not enough time" or "writer's block" or "publishing industry is unfair." But is that really the true, felt sense of what's holding you back? Only you can tell. (And I recommend this book to find out what that true, felt sense might be.)
Every creative person, every artist, needs someone who encourages them, who can see the potential inside, who can see the princess in the dragon. My father told me as a little girl that I could do anything and be anything that I wanted. And I could tell he really believed it. And so I believed it too.
What do you hang onto? What can turn your dragon into a princess?
Note: It's a busy week for me, so I'll have guest blogger Jim Adam here on Wednesday-Friday. (Curious what I'm up to? Check out my live, online class on query letters this Thursday, and the Midwest Writers Workshop.)
Photo credit: james_michael_hill
Craft & Technique | General | Getting Published
Monday, July 20, 2009 4:45:36 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) Trackback
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Friday, July 17, 2009
Best Tweets for Writers (week ending 7/17/09)
Posted by Jane
I
watch
Twitter, so you don't have to. Visit each Friday or Saturday for the week's best Tweets. (If I missed a great Tweet, leave
it in the Comments, or if you want more of a particular category of Tweet, also comment.) Best of BestWhy do agents turn down good books? Outstanding summary
@jamesscottbell
The Top 10 Blogs for Writers
@MattPenna
43 Helpful and Terrific Blogs for Writers
@DebNg
Conference Prep/Networking In A Bottle--AND What You Can Do If You're Staying Home!
@AnnaDeStefano
Platform 201 for Busy Writers: @glecharles writes about finding 1,000 true fans
@dbschlosser
Stand AloneDon't respond to a query rejection by saying you know you can sell me on your book over the phone. Convince me with your writing.
@agentgame
Tired of seeing coffee, dreams, weather, beds, alarm clocks, screaming in first paragraph. Everyone does this. Don't be that writer.
@kate_mckean
Please don't spend time in your query telling me how much movie potential your book has.
@agentgame
Best of Twitter
Friday, July 17, 2009 5:26:39 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) Trackback
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10 Steps to Put Social Networking Under Your Spell
Posted by Jane
Today's guest post is from content maven Meryl Evans. She helps
businesses build and maintain relationships with clients and prospects
through content. She’s also a long-time blogger who started blogging on
June 1, 2000. Follow Meryl on Twitter.
Do you scream for help in removing the spell that social networking
has cast over you? Do social network sites like Twitter, Facebook,
LinkedIn, and YouTube hypnotize you for hours, stealing your magical
paid work time?
Social networking may affect more people in our industry because we know writing can be a lonely job, especially those
doing it on a freelance basis from a home office. Even introverts
desire to connect with someone and the Twitters of the Internet enchant
us.
Here are some easy clues that signify you're bewitched, bothered, and bewildered by social networking:
- You press "get new e-mail messages" constantly.
- You're always looking for @yourname Twitter replies.
- You check for wall updates on Facebook.
- You watch the latest viral video on YouTube.
Many
folks (me included) are guilty of these behaviors even though we have
loads of work. Our work doesn't fulfill our human need for connection.
Social networking can and does for many of us.
Look all you
want, but you won't find a magical overnight cure. Instead, call upon
common sense, organization, and getting things done (GTD) thinking.
These strategies will help you dip into the social networking cauldron
without double double, toil and trouble—or tracking down eye of newt
and wool of bat.
- Accept that you can't keep up with all of the
social networking sites. You're not the only one struggling with this.
It's OK not to join or use everything. (See #8.)
- Post a profile on
major social networking sites. You don't have to do it all at once.
Notice I've said "major" sites.
- Connect your accounts
with other sites. For example, LinkedIn has an application that imports
your blog entries into LinkedIn. Facebook has the same and can also
import your Twitter feed (may not be a good idea, but that's not in
this recipe). FriendFeed is a pro at integrating your account with
others.
- Pick a few sites to use on a regular basis. Remember writing and reading blogs count.
- Schedule your participation. Twitter isn't about posting one tweet
after another. You could start with five minutes in the morning, again
at lunch time, and do a last check in the evening. Whatever works for
you. Routine turns things into a habit.
- Turn off e-mail
notifications. For sites you don't use regularly, turn off your e-mail
notifications so they don't drive you crazy. (See #7 for another
option.)
- Filter all social media e-mail into a single folder.
If you still want to receive e-mails knowing when someone connects with
you, then set up e-mail filters to send all messages from Facebook,
Twitter, LinkedIn, and so on into one folder. It's less bothersome than
messages in your inbox and in your face.
- Join other networks
as you come across them. Your connections will invite you to yet
another social network site. You never know who uses one site more than another, and you never know what the next big thing in social networking will be
unless you have a crystal ball and an available medium. Be open.
- Do
social networking when stuck. Social networking is a marketing tool for
writers, therefore it should be a no-guilt activity as long as you
focus on building relationships and sharing knowledge.
- Close
the browser or application. Get off the social network site or related
application. Don't leave it open. Douse whatever tempts you.
This
10-step recipe will put you in charge of
stirring bubbles of your social networking time. And be vigilant: networks
can still charm their way back and cause time management trouble.
Photo credit: Steph Gary Evie Jack and Thomas
General | Guest Post | Marketing & Self-Promotion
Friday, July 17, 2009 9:23:46 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) Trackback
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Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Read My Writing and Tell Me What to Do
Posted by Jane
I laughed out loud today when reading a post by one of my favorite bloggers, Derek Sivers, where he describes the single most common request he receives from people.
It's EXACTLY what we experience every day at Writer's Digest—and he offers the absolute right response!
… the single most common request … “Take a listen to my music and let me know what I should do.” …
Most of the time, the music is good. Not the best or worst thing you’ve ever heard, but good. … The music itself usually doesn’t make it clear what someone should do.
What if I was in a different industry and people said:
“I’m trying to find a spouse. Look at my photo and tell me what I should do.”
or:
“I want to be a millionaire. Look at my bank account and tell me what I should do.”
The real answer is “it depends … ”
- What are your goals? Why are you making music?
- What have you done so far? What’s worked? What hasn’t?
- What is your reaction to criticism or setbacks?
- Are you future-focused or present-focused?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses?
- What are your habits? Are you growing or coasting?
- How do you measure success? Fame? Money? Emotional response?
- What’s your timeline? 1 year? 3 years? 30 years?
- … and 50 other questions that would make this article too long.
It’d take many hours of conversation to get enough information to
responsibly tell someone what to do.
I receive a lot of phone calls from writers who ask, "Can you please take a look at my writing and tell me what to do?" Or they simply want to be told if they should continue in their efforts to get published.
Without having a deep understanding of the person, it's tough to offer useful information. I usually ask a couple of the questions above, but end up delivering a few of the key business facts: You have to offer something unique and be passionate enough that you don't stop in the face of (years of) rejection.
Do you wonder if you have what it takes? Really only you can answer that question.
But if you're looking for more advice, here are a few places to start:
Photo credit: Stillframe
Getting Published
Wednesday, July 15, 2009 2:50:01 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) Trackback
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Monday, July 13, 2009
Love Prompts? You Need PROMPTLY.
Posted by Jane
Creative writing prompts (or finding inspiration) is one of the most popular, evergreen topics at Writer's Digest. So this week we're very proud to launch a new blog called Promptly by Writer's Digest editor Zachary Petit.
Promptly will offer prompts, activities, and inspiration—and a little positive reinforcement in the form of free books that get sent our way—to help you get your pens moving and keep them that way.
For any of you who are fans of our weekly newsletter prompt, or Robert Brewer's Wednesday poetry prompt, you need to check out Promptly!
Craft & Technique | Fun
Monday, July 13, 2009 5:24:34 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) Trackback
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Saturday, July 11, 2009
Best Tweets for Writers (week ending 7/10/09)
Posted by Jane
I
watch
Twitter, so you don't have to. Visit each Friday or Saturday for the week's best Tweets. (If I missed a great Tweet, leave
it in the Comments, or if you want more of a particular category of Tweet, also comment.) Best of BestDo Self-Publishing Services Take Advantage of Writers?
(via @selfpubreview)
@thecreativepenn
10 Places to Find Freelance Writing Jobs (via @debng)
@Mediabistro
A MUST read blog post about book sales - quality stuff
@BubbleCow
Want to be a working writer? New blog post about the business of staying published
@AnnaDeStefano
Knowing Characters by using the Proust Questionnaire
@Le_Shack
65 Useful Blog Posts for Brand New (and some veteran) Freelance Writers
@FreelanceWJ
Stand AloneWhen you don't get your calls returned, that doesn't mean you are unimportant - usually it means the other person is poorly organized or doesn't return calls well. The lesson to be learned: Don't let others shape your view of yourself.
@sanderssays
Writers and Bloggers: Finding the time (to write) is not the issue as much as finding the will to do it. -Dave Barry
@DebraMarrs
At ThrillerFest, had intellectual tussle about next 'big thing' w/agent Miriam Kriss. She says 'steampunk.' If u have any, send it her way.
@KFZuzulo
Getting Published, Agents/EditorsWhat Agents Want: The Same Thing, Only Different
@debbimack
What *every* author should know about Bookscan!
@Bookgal
Podcast: author @sethharwood on podcasting to print publishing success
@thecreativepenn
Excellent wisdom on writing children's books [from editor at Arthur A. Levine]
@merylkevans
Craft & TechniqueHow not to start a story (via JA Konrath)
@mariaschneider
10 Tips for Creative Writers by Dennis G. Jerz
@BellaVidaLetty
The Art vs. Craft Gap: a Writer’s Paradox (via @WriteToDone)
@thecreativepenn
A Writer's Number One Mistake
@GodsAngel1
Conflict—start something
@motsjustes
How writing disagreements differs from real-life confrontations by @ElizabethSCraig
@dbschlosser
Snappy, informative post by @VictoriaMixon: all you need to know about writing a novel in 1000 words.
@careyamy
Some ways to figure out the emotional heart of your story
@chavelaque
Editing plastic fake-lip whistles out of your manuscript -- great writing analogy/advice by @ElizabethSCraig
@dbschlosser
Advice on pacing your book's plot
@BubbleCow
A very interesting article on getting your first draft done: First Draft Secrets: Five Simple Steps
@rumberg
Publishing News/Trends & The Future of PublishingFree is wrong for writers; Freemium might not be
@glecharles
The Book Buying Industry is a Mess
@selfpubreview
A very long, but interesting & thoughtful look at the future of print books
@wordywoman
Marketing/PromotionWhy Every Author Needs a Powerful Online Presence by @MichaelHyatt
@AuthorTech
Three steps to building an author platform: Get around, get connected, get online.
@glecharles
Interesting post offering six methods to help promote your novel
@BubbleCow
Good author resource from Berrett-Koehler on managing and using Amazon
@janetgoldstein
Do's and Don'ts of promotional emails, for authors and publishers--good post from Shelftalker blog
@victoriastrauss
Just posted: Marketing is a service, a breakthrough point of view
@sanderssays
Blogging
8 Blog Tips from Tim Ferriss
@BubbleCow
Self-Publishing
Self publishing is not Print On Demand (via @BubbleCow) BUT POD is a fantastic option for people!
@thecreativepenn
Twitter on TwitterHow I Tweet — FAQ by @chrisbrogan. A really awesome guide for Twitter etiquette.
@Mediabistro
Online & Offline Resources/ToolsResources for the Beginning Novelist
@alittlesandy
The Writing Life / Philosophical / Inspirational"Eat, Pray, Love" author muses on creativity. Captivating.
@PowerJourneys
Silencing the Voice That Says You're a Fraud (WSJ --a must read for writers!)
@danyelsmith
Looking for more social networking and updates from Writer's Digest?
Best of Twitter
Saturday, July 11, 2009 5:38:12 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) Trackback
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Friday, July 10, 2009
Twitter: Food for the Muse
Posted by Jane
Today's guest post is from monthly contributor Darrelyn Saloom. Follow Darrelyn on Twitter. (That's her not-naked Twitter profile pic above.)
Are there more writers than social media marketing gurus, naked people, or insatiable sex addicts on Twitter? Well, marketing gurus may have us beat. But, at least, there are a few worth following for interesting tweets. But writers do seem to outnumber the naked, insatiable sex addicts, though I continue to marvel when opening an e-mail, and someone’s nipples stare back at me. So-and-so is now following you on Twitter. Really? Then put on some clothes!
My hometown friends are dressed and interesting and have a variety of careers. But for my friend Deirdre, a boxer, they don’t do cartwheels from the mailbox when the Southern Review or Glimmer Train arrives. Or shiver at news of an author’s interview or book signing. Too much talk of writing and my best girlfriends zone out on me. Even my beloved husband rolls his eyes. (He will accompany me to an out-of-town book event, though I’m usually dropped off, front of the bookstore, side of the street.)
So Twitter has become a refuge of sorts, a place to connect with enthusiastic readers and writers. And professionals who appreciate writers enough to post helpful articles and tips. Every week, Jane Friedman compiles Best Tweets for Writers. Every week! Daily, she and others post valuable advice about the business of writing and publishing, a treasure-trove of information.
Information that (before Twitter) was not available to me. I’m too busy scavenging time for my husband, my aged mother, running a household, caring for grown children and grandchildren, two cats and a dog, collaborating with the boxer, Deirdre Gogarty, on her remarkable life journey, editing a novel for a client, and then (if supper is cooked and the house is clean) squeezing out time for my own writing. So, yes—like you—I’m busy!
But as writers we must find ways to feed The Muse. And other than the boxer (she and I spend hours discussing writers and writing), Twitter cooks up The Muse food I need. So, what do I mean by Muse food? Well, let’s look at a sample menu: Poetry. Reading poetry is one of the best ways to stir inspiration. Read poetry and weep, laugh, marvel—and feed. Narrative Magazine floats by in a tweet. I click, I read, I’m inspired. Always. And there are poets aplenty on Twitter, posting astute lyrical treats (@TheDarkEngine).
Still hungry? Feast on comics artist @elizafrye, illustrator/author @CarinBerger, collaborating authors @deberryandgrant, photographer/filmmaker/physician @DocMacaStat, passionate blogger @CodyDaigle, travel writer @holeinthedonut, or bask in the intellect of @DaveWiner. And so many others who stream by, tweeting works of art, brilliant insights and observations, or posting links to their own inspirations, sated and sharing their food.
On Twitter, I’ve befriended published authors such as Andrea Gillies, a gifted writer, who lives on a remote peninsula in northern Scotland. Her memoir Keeper opened my eyes to the hardships and horrors of caring for a family member with Alzheimer’s. And she did so with such gut-wrenching honesty and beauty (and humor), it forever changed me. Made me hold my loved ones stronger; pet my cats and dog longer, and cease taking for granted my memory.
So, for the naysayers, who would argue that Twitter is too time-consuming; that the time spent reading and posting tweets is wasted; I understand your thinking. It’s what I thought at first. But I’m here to tell you that the opposite has proven true for me; because Twitter cooks up a daily banquet, which feeds The Muse, who lives in that inner world of cravings. For me it’s the world of shivers and cartwheels and tweets.
And like anything else in life, Twitter returns whatever you give. If you are positive and kind, that’s what you’ll find. For the life of me, I don’t understand why so many celebrities (and authors) only follow a few people, who are already their friends. In my opinion, they are missing out on a world of cuisine. After all, things didn’t work out so well for Narcissus who only peered into the pool at his own reflection.
If you’d like to share your Twitter experiences, leave a comment below. I’d love to read what impact Twitter has had on The Muse in you.
Best of Twitter | Guest Post
Friday, July 10, 2009 9:49:07 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) Trackback
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Thursday, July 09, 2009
Not All Books Need to Be Well-Written to Sell
Posted by Jane
If you're writing a nonfiction book, the first question you need to ask yourself is whether your book is more about ideas/information or art.
If your book is more about ideas/information, it means:
- you need credibility or authority of some kind in your subject area to be taken seriously by publishers and other insiders
- you need expertise and/or experience to understand the conversation/community you're entering into and how to present fresh and compelling ideas or information
- you need an excellent understanding of your audience and their needs
- your platform (or visibility) in a community will be essential to selling and promoting yourself and your book
- you don't do the book first to become an expert; you're an expert or credible source first (with a platform) which justifies having a printed book
- you write a book proposal because you need to present a business plan for why the market needs your book
- your audience doesn't care as much about the quality of expression (artform) as the quality of ideas and information
If your book is more about art, it means:
- you need skill at the craft to be taken seriously, which usually means years of practice
- you may not need any expertise/experience of any kind if your writing evokes strong emotion, passion, or deep meaning
- you often need to write the book first, and write it flawlessly, in order for it to sell (assuming you are not a celebrity or notorious or bizarre person who can garner media attention)
- you might write a proposal, but when it comes to art and making meaning, storytelling is much more powerful than statistics and business plans (of course, remember that even a book about ideas/information needs a mythical story behind it or a way to help people find meaning to stand out from the crowd)
If your book is about ideas/information, that doesn't mean it shouldn't be as well written as possible. In fact, the most powerful books about ideas (by people like Malcolm Gladwell) are works of art.
But when you're pitching an agent or publisher, make sure you know whether your book is idea-driven or art-driven. It makes a difference in your perspective and slant.
When it's about the ideas or the information, you're a salesperson armed with information on the market and your authority. You can do the same with your art, but if the art doesn't match your sales hype, you're back to square one.
Photo credit: Sailing: "Footprints Real to Reel"
Agents | Getting Published
Thursday, July 09, 2009 2:58:18 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) Trackback
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Wednesday, July 08, 2009
That Unquantifiable Factor That Helps You Get Published and Succeed
Posted by Jane
Lately I've come across a refrain of advice that gets truer the longer I'm in the business: the strength of your relationships is essential to getting ahead, which means having a network of people who like you and/or trust you.
A few examples:
- I'm reading a yet-to-be-published business book by a woman who was the first female VP of manufacturing at Procter & Gamble. Her entire argument comes down to trust. Are you creating experiences with your colleagues that lead them to trust you, recommend you, and essentially "vote" for you to get the new project, get promoted, or get a new job?
Recognize that by being useful and good to others, you will
eventually build a very strong team of supporters. They’ll lift you up
to new heights and protect you. If you falter they will be there to
bring you back up and support you.
I think it’s one of the most overlooked components of business. Simply, we’re always able to say that at the end of the day, all you have is your friends.
For writers, this is why I advise going to conferences and meeting with people in the industry. Even if you have only a moment to make an impression, if that person likes you or is impressed by you, then it makes your job easier when it comes time to query or submit.
Part of the problem with the cold query or cold contact is that no relationship has been established, and the person on the receiving end doesn't know if you're nice or crazy. That's why referrals are so valuable to writers—because they help agents/editors feel confident and compelled to pay attention if the recommendation comes from someone they trust.
On side note, but related: In my final month of high school, there was a highly unfortunate incident where I unwittingly distributed to the entire school, via e-mail, another student's private and unflattering opinion of an administrator. As a student with a trouble-free record, it was mortifying—and even more mortifying when I got raked over the coals for it. I had to call my mother in front of the head administrator and describe the entire embarrassing incident, then was grounded to my room for a week, except for class time and meals. (It was a residential high school.)
I'll never forget that administrator staring at me squarely and declaring, "I would not say to THIS WALL what I would not say to THE WORLD."
Point being: Your interactions with people—and what you say and do—matter tremendously. When you complain, cast aspersions, or talk negatively about any situation or person, no matter what the setting/environment, always consider the repercussions. Sometimes, even when we think we are confiding privately, it is much more public than we realize. And it can lead to people being wary of us and less trusting.
Think about the kind of person you trust, like, and recommend—they probably make you feel good afterward, not drained. It's like Aunt Josephine said in Anne of Green Gables: "I like people who make me like them. Saves me so much trouble forcing myself to like them."
Photo credit: Sara Lechner
General | Getting Published | Marketing & Self-Promotion
Wednesday, July 08, 2009 6:17:58 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) Trackback
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Tuesday, July 07, 2009
The Secret Weapon Behind Writer's Digest Books
Posted by Jane
Our executive editor of Writer's Digest Books—who has been part of Writer's Digest for longer than I have—is probably the best-kept secret we have around here. That's because she's a little shy, a bit modest, and likes to work behind the scenes.
Starting today, we're gently nudging her into the limelight by launching Kelly's Picks. For those of you who know and fondly recall the Writer's Digest Book Club (which folded last year), Kelly's Picks is meant to offer some of the same personalized recommendations, straight from the person who acquires the 20+ titles per year for our list. Kelly knows writing how-to books better than anyone (plus aspires to get that Great American Novel written).
Kelly works with nearly every author on our list—James Scott Bell, Donald Maass, NM Kelby, and Heather Sellers, just to name a few. She's so endeared to our authors that one of them dedicated her most recent Writer's Digest Book to her:
I hope you'll enjoy this new feature at WritersDigest.com, and both Kelly and I welcome your feedback on what would be helpful to you in selecting the best books to advance your craft and your career.
Follow Kelly on Twitter: @kmnickell
F+W Life | General | New Titles From Writer's Digest
Tuesday, July 07, 2009 11:05:26 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) Trackback
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Sunday, July 05, 2009
Best Tweets for Writers (week ending 7/3/09)
Posted by Jane
I
watch
Twitter, so you don't have to. Visit each Friday or Saturday for the week's best Tweets. (If I missed a great Tweet, leave
it in the Comments, or if you want more of a particular category of Tweet, also comment.) Best of Best17 Reasons book manuscripts are rejected
@cassidylewis
Ten Marketing Questions Authors are Asking (excellent) via @chipmacgregor
@thecreativepenn
The media comments on self-published books (via @MoriahJovan) [for everyone who wonders why the self-pub stigma continues]
@thecreativepenn
Publishers will turn into sports teams, trading lists the way teams trade players. Another aspect of verticalization.
@MikeShatzkin
Do family businesses have some advantages over their competitors in our changing industry? I think so.
@MikeShatzkin
13 Lessons Learned Launching an eBook
@problogger
Do Twitter and Blogs Really Drive Book Sales? (via @charabbott )
@thecreativepenn
Stand AloneFriday self-editing tip: make sure your dialogue is appropriate for characters given educational backgrounds, upbringing & context
@IPublishPress
When agents/editors refer to EDITING, they rarely mean typos & punctuation. Usually it's more content/structure.
@RachelleGardner
When you open your query with a question to which my answer is NO, you've pretty much killed it.
@RachelleGardner
Getting Published, Agents/EditorsTen things editors look for in non-fiction
(Or....collaborate with a big name!)
@RachelleGardner
Great discussion about agents and eeking out a living as a novelist in the 21st century
@JonathanEvison
More Thoughts on Re-Pitching Agents
@BubbleCow
Authors: 6 Other Things to Do with Your Book Idea (via @TSCB )
@thecreativepenn
Literary agent @ChipMacGregor answers the really “Basic, Basic, Basic Questions” about getting published. Excellent!
@MichaelHyatt
Author's job: come to the agent with a publishable book [get a trusted editor] from @RachelleGardner
@dbschlosser
PSA about vampires (what you should know if your novel has vampires, zombies, faeries, pixies, or Dick Cheney)
@NathanBransford
4 Other Ways to Get a Literary Agent
@ScifiWatch
Craft & TechniqueHow to Write About Plights Without Falling Prey to “Plight Syndrome”
@collazoprojects
Starting sentences w/participles confusing the actual function of participles
@dbschlosser
THE secret to great writing: Show or tell
@BubbleCow
How music can help your writing
@benwhiting
Ten Things to Help You with Titles
@thecreativepenn
As an author, who should you be writing for? Chances are, your audience.
@GreenleafBookGr
Finding plot and character inspiration from the Bible
@benwhiting
Why Stories are the Writer’s Elemental Tool from @WriteToDone
@TXBirder
Publishing News/Trends & The Future of PublishingThe rise of the e-book first, print book later publisher. The new e-book publishing landscape.
@PublishersWkly
Mike Shatzkin's smart, thoughtful look at the evolving role of literary agents
@twliterary
"'Free' is just a way to destroy your competitor, but it doesn’t make a business sustainable." (writers: read this one)
@glecharles
If you read only one article this week/month, make sure it's this one. [Is scientific publishing about to be disrupted?]
@jwikert
Martha Stewart web initiatives versus Penguin's. There is emerging opportunity but Big 6 will miss it.
@MikeShatzkin
"It was highly edited, full of personality ... Proof that you don’t need to have everything, just the right things."
@glecharles
@realjohngreen's case for lower advances, higher royalties, and more frequent payments to authors
@mitaliperkins
Publishers as judges of best Internet content?
@stefaniecpeters
Agents need to be more flexible on e-rights: Agents must be more flexible when selling
@TheBookseller
Michael Hyatt, the Tweeting CEO [of Thomas Nelson]
@PublishersLunch
Great article if you haven't seen it: Clive Thompson on the future of reading-not publishing-in a digital world.
@GreenleafBookGr
Most newspapers will disappear in the next 5-10 years, along with the vast majority of websites and wannabe writers.
@glecharles
Proliferation of ebook devices, platforms, reader softwares, and retailers making you dizzy? It's GREAT for publishers
@MikeShatzkin
Marketing/PromotionDeveloping a Platform For Nonfiction Writers
@tonyeldridge
Need help finding the perfect name for your author website? Here are 6 free tools to help.
@AuthorTech
10 Secrets of the Best Social Media Users
@AlexKaris
7 Ways to Build Your Author Brand Online by @MichaelHyatt
@AuthorTech
Marketing a Book @chrisbrogan starts marketing his
@thecreativepenn
What is the purpose of a book cover? Seth Godin’s answer may surprise you
@MichaelHyatt
19 management chores for your online presence you COULD do every day by @chrisbrogan
@Mediabistro
Blogging
I’m watching Tim Ferris video, “How to Build a High-Traffic Blog Without Killing Yourself.” It’s excellent.
@MichaelHyatt
Blog to Book: An Elegant Execution from The New Yorker
@selfpubreview
6 great lessons to blogging brought to you by Copyblogger & Winnie the Pooh
@flipbooks
Jennifer Fulwiler guest posts on agent @RachelleGardner 's blog: How to Build Traffic on Your Blog.
@GreenleafBookGr
Awesome demonstration of blogging authentically
@pamslim
E-books and e-publishing
How to Write an Ebook that Sells in 2009 by Copyblogger
@JDEbberly
So you want to write an ebook? 30 tips for success
(via @dmscott)
@thecreativepenn
Self-Publishing
Ready to get your book into bookstores? Here are some great tips (via Publishers Weekly)
@Bookgal
Self publishing carnival of great links (Thanks @BryceBeattie )
@thecreativepenn
Twitter on TwitterMashable compares 19 different Twitter apps. It includes ratings and the “hit feature” for each
@MichaelHyatt
Twitter directory of industry people you might want to follow [very good and manageable list of agents, editors, publishers]
@susanwrites
Online & Offline Resources/ToolsJust discovered "Smashing Magazine." Check out their "50 Free Resources to Improve Your Writing Skills"
@jwikert
50+ writer uses for twitter
@merylkevans
Authors who share
@motsjustes
Here's something to bookmark on your iPhone: iKnow's 100 Best Reference Tools for your iPhone
@jwikert
Ten Books for Mothers Who Write
@alittlesandy
The Writing Life / Philosophical11 Types of Bad Writing Advice RT @paperbackjack: Everything you know is wrong
@nicoledenae
The Full-Time Writing Life: If It Doesn't Kill You 1st, It'll Kill You 2nd
@jeffvandermeer
10 Ways to Lose 10 Pounds from Julia Cameron's Writing Diet
@QuipsAndTips
Steve Almond explains why he never says no to ANY writing assignment. No matter what.
@roncharles
Fun10 Ways to Take a Bad Author Photo
@saltpublishing
Looking for more social networking and updates from Writer's Digest?
Best of Twitter
Sunday, July 05, 2009 6:03:49 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) Trackback
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Friday, July 03, 2009
There Are 2 Types of Writers: Which Are You? (The Other Side of the Slush Pile)
Posted by Jane
  Today's guest post is from the insightful Jim Adams (Migdalin.com). I met Jim at the June WD Editors' Intensive. He also contributed this piece about the benefit of hiring a professional editor.
The Fire in Fiction, by Donald Maass, informs us that there are two types of writers:
- One type writes in order to write.
- The other writes in order to be published, obtain fame, and receive impressively large royalty checks.
As with any dichotomy, this one has its problems, but recently I gained a better understanding of why Mr. Maass would come up with such a dichotomy in the first place.
Recently, I got a chance to sit on the Other Side of the Slush Pile.
Most writers' workshops qualify, in some sense, as slush piles, but the online community Authonomy, run by HarperCollins, takes things one step further. Authonomy lets authors post their books, or significant portions thereof, and then lets them vote for each other's work. Books get rated based on how many votes they have, and books at the top of the ratings get looked at by one or more purchasing editors at HarperCollins.
While you can only vote for five books at a time, you can comment on as many books as you like. Having posted a goodish portion of my own book, I set about providing comments to several individuals who had befriended me or who had suggested a bout of mutual mastication, so long as I went first …
So, I began to read, and I began to critique.
My efforts were unappreciated. I had failed, you see, to follow the prevailing custom, which was to write a critique thusly:
This book was so good, I was tempted to cut off my fingers, because compared to you, I don't deserve to write even a grocery list. Excuse me while I go change my underthings: that's how much your words moved me! I especially liked how you capitalized the first word in every sentence. Masterful!!
Let me reiterate that Authonomy is a slush pile. While I haven't been part of the community for long, the few books I've read and commented on so far are (in my inexpert opinion) not ready for publication, and I don't mean they're in need of a thorough proofreading. The problems I've seen have been fairly major. But, using Mr. Maass's dichotomy, most people on Authonomy appear to be Type 2 writers. They're looking for validation, not criticism. They're looking for publication and a paycheck, not insight into how they might improve their work.
Naturally, it's difficult to accept criticism on a book that took you a year or more to write. And who wants to hear that a book they believe is finished still has significant room for improvement? Move a few commas around? Be happy to! Revise a few sentences for clarity? Well, if you insist. Rewrite the book so it begins on page one, ends at a meaningful destination, and accomplishes something at regular intervals along the way? How dare you!
Of course, tact plays an important part in writing any critique, but having learned my critiquing skills at critters.org, I write tactful critiques as second nature. After all, my book is out there too, and if it's to be savaged, I prefer to have it savaged without unnecessary invective or rancor. But tactful or not, I get the impression that most of the writers on Authonomy aren't interested in meaningful feedback.
To be fair, another part of the equation here is: Who to believe?
Do you believe the fifty people who agree with you that, "Oh my God, this is going to be bigger than Harry Potter," or do you believe the one lone voice of dissent? In all likelihood, the voice of dissent is just a psycho-killer wannabe who fills his time between stalkings by pulling the wings off budding novelists. Your best bet is to quote the immortal Buzz Lightyear ("You are a sad, strange little man, and you have my pity."), and go on about your business.
Still, whatever the psychology, the end result is the same. Individuals stroke each other and promote books that are half-baked.
It's possible that over-eager writers are outnumbered by those who suffer from the opposite problem: the curse of endless revision. We can't know for sure, but it's worth mentioning. Balance in all things. Sooner or later you have to pull the cake out of the oven, put the icing on it, and let people cut themselves a slice. If someone then tells you the cake could have stayed in the oven just a bit longer, well ... who knows. Maybe they have a point, or maybe next time they don't get invited to tea.
Craft & Technique | Getting Published | Guest Post
Friday, July 03, 2009 10:44:53 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) Trackback
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Thursday, July 02, 2009
Who Exactly Are the Middlemen in Publishing? Can They All Disappear?
Posted by Jane
There have been a number of thought-provoking articles lately on:
If
you take these opinions to their logical extreme, then eventually we'll end up with
just the authors and their readers—without any publishers, agents, or
booksellers around to interfere or steal away profit.
Do these middlemen interfere? (And/or steal?)
Or do these middlemen provide a service, contribute value, and/or offer quality curation for particular audiences?
Certainly there are many types of middlemen. The question for me is: Which will survive and why? The ones who contribute the most value?
Also consider:
- Do booksellers really want to take on the responsibilities of
publishers—which involves fielding the needs, wants, and desires of
thousands of authors? (And are authors ready to give up relationships
with established and talented editors?)
- Do authors really want to take on the
responsibility of agents, which involves scrutinizing contracts and
financial statements from publishers, and knowing the business so well
you can smell when something's wrong—and fight like a bulldog for the best outcome?
As far as the role of
booksellers, that seems a little more in question. Publishers already
have the means and ability to sell direct to readers. So do authors.
What qualities do booksellers need to cultivate to remain relevant in
their middleman position?
Consider this from the current issue
(July-August 2009) of Poets & Writers, where Jofie Ferrari-Adler speaks with Jonathan Galassi,
president and publisher of Farrar, Straus and Giroux:
Actually, at our sales conference … some of the salesmen were
saying that neighborhood bookstores are doing better in the economic
crisis because people are more interested in buying locally and
supporting small businesses. … It's not just more, more, more. But I think all of the
traditional bookstore chains are in trouble. Amazon is very, very
effective. But I think Amazon is a potential … frenemy. It's
not just interested in being a bookstore. So I think we have to sell
our own books to people. … bookstores are the weakest link in the chain. … There are always going to be bookstores, but I don't think that's
where the future of bookselling is.
As a final note, read this especially fine and
thought-provoking post by my colleague Guy Gonzalez, who discusses ways
in which gatekeepers (or curators of great content) will survive
alongside the crowds.
What do you think? Post in the comments.
Photo credit: Dreamer 7112
Industry News & Trends
Thursday, July 02, 2009 1:42:04 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) Trackback
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Wednesday, July 01, 2009
The Hardest Part About Developing Platform (Who Are You Anyway?)
Posted by Jane
The hardest part about developing a platform is deciding what you're all about. In business terms, it would be considered your unique selling proposition (USP).
Identifying this USP—or your reason for being!—involves deep self-knowledge, an understanding of what you want out of life, and how that interrelates with what other people need and enjoy.
It boils down to 3 questions:
- What are you passionate about?
- Who's your audience?
- What are your strengths?
Think of it as a Venn diagram.
What are you passionate about?
What's the unique content,
authentic experience, or remarkable work you would undertake even if
you weren't paid for it? What motivates you to get up in the morning?
Who's your audience?
What are the needs of your audience? How do they want to be approached? What
kinds of appeals are they most receptive to? Where can they be found?
What are your strengths?
When
are you strongest in interacting and reaching and serving? What formats
or mediums are a good fit for you—and match your passion? When is your
content/service/product at its best? (Example of bad fit: Your passion for the cave dwelling Luddite movement combined with your Twitter marketing strength.)
What you're looking for is
that moment of peak experience, when who you are and what you're
passionate about and how it is expressed or manifested all comes
together to create a compelling experience that your audience needs and loves.
Think
about times when you've experienced peak performance, the times when
you felt you were in your absolute element, better than anyone else in
the world at what you were doing in that moment. You felt happy,
fulfilled, relaxed, joyful. Some people call it "flow."
That's the seed of your platform.
Building Readership | General | Marketing & Self-Promotion
Wednesday, July 01, 2009 6:05:26 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) Trackback
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