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Archive for the ‘writing’ Category

The 4 most important elements of a great novel

Posted in Author Solutions, authors, Editing, helpful hints, Indie book publishing, self publishing, writing, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 6, 2013 | Leave a Comment »

The Author Learning Center was created with the purpose to help authors learn from other authors to improve their craft, understand their publishing options, plus gain insights on marketing and bookselling. I have made the statement before that I think it is the most comprehensive resource on the web for aspiring authors to learn about writing, publishing and marketing. The latest example that supports my case is this interview with Meg Waite Clayton, author of Wednesday’s Daughter’s among others.

Every good story has a beginning, middle and end. If you don’t have those, you don’t have a story

In this interview, which was filmed at The San Francisco Writers Conference, Meg shares some practical advice on the key elements to include in a novel that is well written. The interview is only three minutes long and definitely worth the watch, but in case you don’t hit play, here are her recommendations.

  1. Focus on the plot–Every good story has a beginning, middle and end. If you don’t have those, you don’t have a story
  2. Let your characters have flaws–Perfection is not that interesting according to Meg. Anger, frustration, shortcomings–these are the things that make characters interesting and help the reader relate to them.
  3. Deliver the details in an interesting way–Don’t just say the person has blue eyes. Describe the eyes as “dirty blue eyes” which tells you something about the person making the observation as well as the person being described
  4. Pay attention to your word choices– She quotes Mark Twain who says the difference between lightning and lightning bug is one word, but the addition of that one little word makes a huge difference.

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Will shorter attention spans and smaller screens impact the books we write?

Posted in Author Solutions, authors, book marketing, self publishing, writing, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on April 21, 2013 | 10 Comments »

Photo Illustration by C. J. Burton for The Wall Street Journal

Photo Illustration by C. J. Burton for The Wall Street Journal

Earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal, ran an interesting article titled, The Age of Bite-Size Entertainment, with the subtitle, As the world goes mobile, get ready for more movies, books and music that can be snacked on in a single sitting.

In the opening paragraphs, the writer made these observations.

When soap operas “All My Children” and “One Life to Live” come back to life online later this month, episodes will run for 30 minutes, about half as long as the hourlong blocks that ran on broadcast television for most of the shows’ 40-year run. Why? Because they’re likely to be watched on the go.

Everyone is talking about the binge-viewing craze, but as people increasingly consume TV, movies, books and music on mobile devices, briefer is better. Shorter formats “are in-betweeners, the cream in the middle of the Oreo,” says Jeffrey Katzenberg, chief executive of DreamWorks Animation.

Some of the biggest forces in entertainment are rushing out bite-size portions, not just to adapt to mobile technology but to test the appetite for heartier versions. If a serialized e-book catches fire, publishers will print the novel. A short film that goes viral on YouTube can lead to a feature film or television series. A well-received EP might prompt an album.

I have to admit before this article I had not given much consideration to whether this trend would impact the way we write books. Will we have to develop characters and plots more quickly?  Will the best writers be those who can write the best chapters and then string those together into a book, rather than outline a great book and then write the chapters to fit the outline? In a media and image driven culture, will dialogue become even more important when writing a book?

These are just some of the questions I have been thinking about in light of this article.  At this point, I don’t have any answers, but I wanted to know what you think. Use the comment section to offer your opinions and let me know if you have started writing differently to fit a shorter format.

Some of the biggest forces in entertainment are rushing out bite-size portions, not just to adapt to mobile technology but to test the appetite for heartier versions

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Phase 2 of a successful book marketing campaign: Once you submit your manuscript.

Posted in Author Solutions, authors, Ebooks, Indie book publishing, Publishing, self publishing, writing, tagged , , , , , , , , on April 7, 2013 | 9 Comments »

In an earlier post, I introduced the idea that there are three phases of a successful marketing campaign. The first phase is Before You Submit Your Manuscript. Phase 2 is Once You Submit Your Manuscript. This is when you truly begin to prepare the groundwork for the launch of your book.

marketing-381x300Here are the key things to focus on during this critical phase.

• DEVELOP YOUR BOOK’S MEDIA “HOOK.”
Sometimes called the “elevator pitch,” this is the two-minute speech you would give to get media outlets
interested in featuring your book. Above all, make sure your pitch is brief, clear and unique. Don’t just talk about your book, but make sure you talk about the topic of your book in your pitch.

• PLAN YOUR BOOK LAUNCH EVENT
One of the key elements of your marketing plan should be a book launch party. This is a way to generate
interest and start the grassroots promotion of your book. In addition, if done correctly, it may be a way to gain important media attention. Be creative in your planning and location. Tie it in to the theme or subject of your book. And don’t forget to have fun. Publishing a book is an accomplishment. Take pride in your achievement.

Marketing your book takes work, but if you prepare appropriately, it can be a lot of fun.

• IDENTIFY OTHER VENUES FOR BOOK SIGNINGS
Most local churches, bookstores and libraries welcome authors who are interested in speaking or holding
book signings, but they want to plan for them in advance. So even before your book is available, make
contact with locations that you think would host a book signing. However, do not set a date until your book is available for purchase.

•ASSEMBLE YOUR MAILING LIST
When it comes time to invite people to your events, you want to have a quick and easy list you can use to distribute announcements. Prepare that list now, and be sure to accommodate for both email and regular mail.

• SEND OUT YOUR BOOK LAUNCH INVITATIONS
When you approve your author copy at the end of the publishing production process, send out your
invitations to your book launch, and include local members of the media in your list.

• FINALIZE YOUR MARKETING PLAN, CALENDAR AND BUDGET
A sustained effort is another key to an effective book marketing campaign. Establish the discipline of setting a
calendar of your activities for the coming year and planning the investment needed to accomplish those tasks. It will keep you accountable and help you reach your goal of connecting with as many readers as possible.

Marketing your book takes work, but if you prepare appropriately, it can be a lot of fun. This is when you get to take the manuscript that you have worked on for so long and put it into the hands of readers. There is not many things more thrilling for an author than that.

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