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.

Take for example this interview with Robert Dugoni. He is the author of a number of best-sellers, including Bodily Harm, Murder One and The Cyanide Canary. He shares how to turn rejection into motivation to be a better writer.

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.

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

National coverage may be one of your goals, but the best place to start is locally; then expand from there.

HOLD YOUR BOOK LAUNCH EVENT.
Congratulations! You are a published author. Time to celebrate. If fact, this is one of the most important things to do once your book is live. It is a great way to recognize your hard work and share the joy of becoming a published author with others.  Also, don’t think you only need to hold your event at a book store. That is always an option, but you can be creative. I know authors who have held their launch events at a restaurant or a church. Have fun with it.

With a solid marketing plan, you can make your book stand out from the crowd.

SCHEDULE OTHER EVENTS.
You laid the groundwork in Phase Two. Now follow through using your press materials to finalize a calendar of events where you can promote your book and signings. Don’t just think locally. As you travel, plan ahead and look for bookstores or venues that might be interested in having you sign your book. Also, if you are part of church, synagogue or organization consider asking the leadership if there are any other potential speaking opportunities.

PITCH TO LOCAL AND WEB MEDIA OUTLETS.
Using the hook you developed in Phase Two, contact local reporters at newspapers and broadcast media (radio, TV) to try to secure stories about your book. Identify websites and bloggers that might be interested in your topic, and make a pitch to them as well. National coverage may be one of your goals, but the best place to start is locally; then expand from there.

COMMIT TO A SOCIAL MEDIA SCHEDULE AND FOLLOW THROUGH
One of the keys to social media is being clear on your audience and message, but it is also important to be consistent. You are trying to build a relationship with potential readers so as in any relationship, sporadic or infrequent contact is not a good thing. . Also the more you give them, the more they will have to promote out to their audience about you.

If you have a blog, encourage reader interaction with your posts. Comments allow for feedback from readers, offering you the chance to learn what they liked and disliked about a certain post or even a certain section of your book. Paying close attention to the words of your followers can help you define your target audience.

EVALUATE AND REVISE YOUR PLAN.
Even the best-laid plans will not go exactly as you thought. Be willing to evaluate results and make adjustments. If something is working, try to find a way to expand your efforts in that area. If something didn’t work, adapt or try something entirely new. Make changes learned from experience to accomplish your goals.

Starting your marketing efforts locally is always a good idea. As you learn what works best, you can adapt and improve your plan appropriately as you gradually expand your efforts into larger markets and non-traditional venues.