Tag Archives: Authors

Heart vs. Brain: the Business of Writing

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Heart vs. Brain: the Business of Writing

by Natalie Bright

At a community book fair, I shared a table with a energetic lady who self-published a lovely book about her life-time passion of quilting. As it goes at these events with other authors, the conversation always tends to be about writing. Her questions shocked me: “What’s an agent?” “How can I sign-up for social media?”

There seems to be a change occurring within publishing that troubles me. I’ve seen a mother re-arrange the event stage and podium for her writer-daughter, authors texting and ignoring readers at their table, hateful comments to event planners, unapproachable attitudes towards the general public, and misinformed authors who demand that book store owners  “make my book a bestseller”.

I do know of an author who was dropped by Amazon because of the posted book reviews, and this author is extremely bitter and disheartened as you can well imagine. And yet the comments were about bad grammar, senseless plot, and numerous typos.

The opportunities for writers are HUGE, but people are jumping in with both feet before even learning about the industry. After pouring heart and soul into a novel, which is years in the making, it’s devastating when faced with rejection, but it seems some authors sabotage their own work by their lack of understanding and their attitude. What happened to friendly professionalism? The best advice; put your heart into the writing and use your brain to be successful.

A Questionnaire for Your Brain

Do I have a well-written manuscript that is the best that it can be?

Does it exhibit a general understanding of genre structure and story craft?

Is it grammatically correct?

Do I want only eBook versions, or print copies as well?

Do I have the budget to ensure my work is a professional, finished product?

Am I clear about my target market; who will buy my book?

How can I reach my target market; social media, speaking, emails?

Do I have the time to successfully promote my book?

Am I willing to act in a professional manner to do all I can to ensure success for my book?

If I don’t understand all that I need to know, am I willing to learn or pay someone who can help me be successful?

Agent: Yes or No?

Read about agents, editors, publicists, and publishers, if you don’t know the difference.

My manuscript is complete; should I consider an agent?

Does my book have a universal theme which would appeal to a major publishing house?

Is my theme more specific with a limited target market?

Should I consider small, regional or university presses where I can submit directly without an agent?

Can I Have it All?

You may have a vision of what you want, but it may not be a practical vision. Talk to other authors and learn from their mistakes and successes. Join a professional writer’s group, attend the meetings, and ask questions. Learn all you can about story craft and the publishing industry. I have talked to too many people who’ve paid good money resulting in no book in hand. Be receptive to other people’s ideas and then make a decision that best suits your situation. Today, I think that YES, writers can have it all.  You might have one story suitable for an eBook and you might have one story suitable for a regional press.

As in my case, I self-published a nonfiction day-job-related book that has done extremely well based on word of mouth throughout the industry. I had a platform for promotion. However, I’m working with an agent for my children’s historical fiction because I wanted a whole team of publishing professionals behind me. The characters seem larger than life (heart talking), and my brain wants to reach the highest potential of seeing these books in a school library some day.

Go ahead and dream big. Write the book of your heart, make it the best that it can be, and then take your personal feelings out of the equation. As a professional, use your brain to achieve your dreams.

I’m excited for you and can’t wait to read your story, and mostly, I hope your publishing experience is a positive one.

Thanks for following WordsmithSix!

www.nataliebright.com

Authors Reviewing Authors

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Middle Grade Mondays

Authors Reviewing Authors

by Natalie Bright

Writers write and writers read. And most successful writers I know read a lot, which brings me to the question of book reviews.

Should authors be reviewing other authors? The messages are mixed.

Some say no because if you’re going to do a book review, you need to be honest. If you have to give a bad review, why would you want to jeopardize relationships with other authors?  There are professional reviewers who can give honest, unbiased reviews of books. That is their job. The point being, do you want to write novels or post reviews?

The other side argues why wouldn’t you want to help a local author or friend? The gesture will be returned in kind, and everyone wins with the additional promotion. One author told me she only gives blurbs or reviews if she is absolutely blown away by the story and by the writing talent. Most authors post reviews for their friends and the question remains if they’ve taken the time to even read it.

Goodreads

I am beginning to rely on Goodreads more and more. It’s like a humongous book club where everyone loves stories and books, and those that don’t like a book aren’t afraid to say so. I read a lot, and I usually post reviews for stories that I absolutely love. For every book I love there are probably two or three that I couldn’t get past the first chapter, which makes me sad. Does that give me license to trash that author’s work? I don’t think so.

Now that eBooks have become an impulse buy and in my opinion, GoodReads offers varied and honest opinions to guide me in my purchases. My eReader is running over and that’s a good thing. It’s a wonderful time to be a book junky.

Subjective Opinions

The shocking realization that publishing is such a highly subjective business and people are so varied in their personal tastes came to light for me through a contest. One of my very first middle grade manuscripts was submitted to two different contests with varying results.

The first had a $50 contest fee, and came back with scathing comments. This judge did not like my characters, the setting, with the added notation that this should NEVER be in print even as a manuscript. Seriously, one entire page, single-spaced, of why and how much he detested this story. My investment to learn about story craft came back as hate mail.

How about a notation to subscribe to a market listing for magazines?  Your goal will be to actively study submission opportunities and submit X number of freelance articles during 2013.

What about your goals in social media and promotion? These are difficult to measure because the connections you make this year may not reap benefits for months, even years from now. I’ve had invitations to speak come from a contacts I made years before at a chance meeting.

You can define specific activities, for example, actively participating on twitter during the next year, setting up a Facebook fan page, or uploading your inspiration to a Pinterest page. Authors are utilizing Pinterest in unique ways and it’s loads of fun.

Dreaming Big

Add to your worksheet one “dream big” goal. List something you hope to achieve that seems totally impossible. Go ahead and put the “NYT Bestselling list” here if that’s what you want more than anything.

I’m excited to announce that my dream big goal from way back in 2010 was realized this past year in 2012: I signed with a literary agent. Don’t be shy or doubt your abilities. Dream away.

Thanks for Following our Blog

Good luck and Happy New Years, and thanks to all of you who have followed this blog, Wordsmithsix, during the past year. We really appreciate you. Sending out our best wishes that you achieve your writing goals in 2013!

www.nataliebright.com

What’s the Difference?

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What’s the Difference?

Blog

Is there really a difference in a website and a blog? A blog functions as a web log or online diary. Think of it as keeping a journal of Ideas or thoughts on a specific topic online.

Blogs are relatively inexpensive to generate and easy to produce. They are an excellent way to promote your work and yourself to an unlimited audience of readers.

Website

A web site should be considered your official address and location of your web-based business. This is the place people go to purchase products and find official information about you and your writing.

Benefits to the Writer

What are the benefits of blogs and websites to writers? Working together, they can generate worldwide exposure for you and your products. Unlike the past where publicity took months or years, now it can be done in minutes.

Rory C. Keel

FOIBLES

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FOIBLES

by Sharon Stevens

I was reading a young adult novel this week.

Let me rephrase that. I attempted to read a young adult novel until I reached chapter four, and I just couldn’t bear to read another word. I had to put the book down.

It wasn’t that it was evil or dirty. The cover was beautiful. The writing was bright, and the characters engaging. The author brought each person to life, gave them a past, and you just knew the story would share a future until the very last word amid the final period or exclamation point.

So why did I set aside a perfectly good book and weep? Only for the simple fact that the author wasn’t true to the characters stored within the soul of the memories.

It was so hard for me to lay down these pages. I wanted to know the ending and how the main character achieved her goals, but I just couldn’t bear witness as the heroine lost her way. I truly felt whoever wrote the book that she or he betrayed the heart just to write the story, not caring if their beliefs mattered or the time period matched.

My passion in life is to read, and I will read anything and everything within reason…cereal boxes, Reader’s Digest, marketing blurbs, I love it all. BUT I will not sacrifice or betray a book just to read a tale.

Our critique group, Wordsmith Six, works so hard to get it right. We try time and again to share our musings, but we are totally honest and true to our craft. Each speaks up when we hear an echo, or we lose our focus, or our characters stray off the beaten path. Every individual in our group helps us to get back on track before we stray too far afield.

Not only that, the speakers that present at our Panhandle Professional Writers meetings, and the presenters at our Frontiers in Writing Conferences, say in so many words time and again to remain true to the characters we believe in, that we write about.

As writers, we not only have the ability and the commitment to build a life and make it come alive, but we also have to honor the most basic concept of writing 101.

We can give our characters a twist or thicken the plot, but we must strive to always be dedicated to those we write into our stories. Instill in them a spirit and passion, trials and tribulations. Never forget that each person connects together at some point, and we have to stand steadfast for each and every one. And please note I would have had this same opinion as a reader way before I became a writer.

My Webster’s Dictionary gives the description of the word “foible” as a weakness. I have nothing against the author of this book, otherwise it was beautifully written. Someday I may return to its pages. To me this was a weakness that would have come across if there had been a strong critique group to catch the glaring errors. He or she has probably sold a million copies. I think it’s that good. And I can imagine that people of all ages have fallen in love with this book. I just can’t be one of them.

My loyalty lies with the characters. They deserve at least that much.

It’s as simple as this, and comes right down to this fact. Bees love flowers, bears treasure honey, and a leopard can never, ever change its spots.

End of story.

Frontiers in Writing 2012

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By Natalie Bright

Frontiers in Writing 2012 will open with a Thursday night book signing event held at Barnes and Noble, 2415 Soncy Road., 7:30 – 9:00 PM, June 28. Classes on Friday and Saturday will be held at the CUB on the Amarillo College Washington Campus. The closing event with John Erickson as the keynote speaker, will be held in the Ordway Auditorium.

Just for Newbies! If this is your first writers conference ever, don’t be shy. We’ll have a short orientation in the Barnes and Noble Classroom just for you starting at 7:30 PM. You’ll be done in plenty of time to attend the autographing and meet some of this years faculty.

The Friday night banquet featuring New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jodi Thomas, will be held in the REC Hall at the FORTAMARILLO RV PARK located at 10101 Amarillo Blvd. West, Amarillo. The REC hall is located on the corner of Amarillo Blvd andHelium Road, just behind Gander Mountain.

PPW is having a Book Fair at Barnes and Noble during this weekend. Every purchase made in store or online will benefit the organization. This gives us much needed funds for future conferences allowing us to keep registration fees as affordable as possible.

Print the registration form by going to www.panhandleprowriters.org

Hope to see you all in June!

Natalie Bright


Frontiers in Writing 2012

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By Natalie Bright

Frontiers in Writing 2012 will open with a Thursday night book signing event held at Barnes and Noble, 2415 Soncy Road., 7:30 – 9:00 PM, June 28. Classes on Friday and Saturday will be held at the CUB on the Amarillo College Washington Campus. The closing event with John Erickson as the keynote speaker, will be held in the Ordway Auditorium.

Just for Newbies! If this is your first writers conference ever, don’t be shy. We’ll have a short orientation in the Barnes and Noble Classroom just for you starting at 7:30 PM. You’ll be done in plenty of time to attend the autographing and meet some of this years faculty.

The Friday night banquet featuring New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jodi Thomas, will be held in the REC Hall at the FORTAMARILLO RV PARK located at 10101 Amarillo Blvd. West, Amarillo. The REC hall is located on the corner of Amarillo Blvd andHelium Road, just behind Gander Mountain.

PPW is having a Book Fair at Barnes and Noble during this weekend. Every purchase made in store or online will benefit the organization. This gives us much needed funds for future conferences allowing us to keep registration fees as affordable as possible.

Print the registration form by going to www.panhandleprowriters.org

Hope to see you all in June!

Natalie Bright


Frontiers in Writing 2012

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By Natalie Bright

Frontiers in Writing 2012 will open with a Thursday night book signing event held at Barnes and Noble, 2415 Soncy Road., 7:30 – 9:00 PM, June 28. Classes on Friday and Saturday will be held at the CUB on the Amarillo College Washington Campus. The closing event with John Erickson as the keynote speaker, will be held in the Ordway Auditorium.

Just for Newbies! If this is your first writers conference ever, don’t be shy. We’ll have a short orientation in the Barnes and Noble Classroom just for you starting at 7:30 PM. You’ll be done in plenty of time to attend the autographing and meet some of this years faculty.

The Friday night banquet featuring New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jodi Thomas, will be held in the REC Hall at the FORTAMARILLO RV PARK located at 10101 Amarillo Blvd. West, Amarillo. The REC hall is located on the corner of Amarillo Blvd andHelium Road, just behind Gander Mountain.

PPW is having a Book Fair at Barnes and Noble during this weekend. Every purchase made in store or online will benefit the organization. This gives us much needed funds for future conferences allowing us to keep registration fees as affordable as possible.

Print the registration form by going to www.panhandleprowriters.org

Hope to see you all in June!

Natalie Bright


Writing Conference

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POST CARDS FROM THE MUSE

Writing Conference

The Panhandle Professional Writers is hosting Frontiers in Writing, an annual writing conference, later this month. I have been to three of these and have learned something new and exciting while enjoying every single one.

So what do I expect to get from a conference? Well, there will be a lot of different successful writers that are willing to share what they have learned in their careers. If this was the only reason I had for going to the conference, it would be enough because I still have a lot to learn about writing .

But that is not the only reason I go to the conference. I also enjoy supporting the local authors that bring their published works to sell. It’s a cool experience to buy a book written by a friend and ask them to autograph it.

But probably the number one reason I have for choosing to go to the writing conference is to meet other writers. There are no people on the earth, except maybe grandchildren, who are more fun to be around than writers. These are the people who transport me to another world with just three or four words. These are the people who introduce me to entire populations that live in the worlds they create. These are the people who never cease to thrill me with a story.

Now how much is that worth!

Congratulations. You have just received a post card from the muse.

For more information about the Frontiers in Writing, visit  http://www.panhandleprowriters.org/fiw-conference

Nandy Ekle

“I AM,” I SAID

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“I am,” I said 

I often find myself wondering who am I, or what am I? With the stress of the daily grind, I lose sight of my identity and my purpose. As I begin this new adventure in writing a blog, I’ve decided it’s time to set the record straight. I am Barbara Propst aka Cait Collins. I am a widow, a daughter, a sister, an aunt, and a friend. Above all, I am a writer.

Why do I write? I ask myself this question quite a bit; especially when my characters take me in a direction I did not intend for the story. The truth is I write because I must. If I do not write something every day, all those crazy characters invading my mind will zip in and demand to know what my problem is. Have I forgotten I left them clinging to a ledge facing starvation?  Where’s the white knight? So you don’t know how I get out of this mess!  Oh, yeah, these fictous monsters drive me crazy and keep me up at night.

While this scenario might be a bit of a stretch, there is a grain of truth in it. I write because I have stories tell. I write because I believe I have something to say. I write because it’s cheaper than a therapist.

Yes, writing is good therapy. Think how many of your enemies you can kill off in a story. You get out the bad stuff and remain free from a prison term.

Seriously, I invite you to explore creative adventures with me. I don’t have great pearls of wisdom, just simple thoughts on a craft I love. There’s no theme to my Outtakes. I’ll write whatever I take out of my mind.

– Cait Collins

Click on the author page above to connect with Cait.

WRITING HORSES

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WRITING HORSES – Joe Nichols

After several days of 100+ degrees in my home in the Texas panhandle, I head south to Fredericksburg where it’s really hot. I do have a good reason to be here for sure. I hauled a horse owned by my wife and I to the Gillespie County Fairgrounds to run him in a Quarter Horse race.

My whole life has been involved with fast horses, rodeo broncs, and cow horses. Cow horse? A cow horse is used to handle and work cattle, such as gathering and driving them to different pastures, or to a corral to be sorted, doctored, branded, or shipped to market. Modern times will never replace this valuable tool still used on today’s ranches, feedlots, and livestock auctions.

A working cow horse provides the nucleus for my current novel and the reason for this blog. I would like people from all walks of life to enjoy my story. If I can help the folks not familiar with the western lifestyle to understand it better, the story of Donnie Williams will relate to anyone.

In chapter one of TRAILS END, the prominent aging rancher, Robert Jarrett, learns that sixteen-year-old Donnie is in jail. When Robert decides to go to the police station, it begins the transformation of Donnie’s life.

Next Wednesday, we’ll talk more about the story and some “cowboy terms”. Also, I’ll give you the results about “Rare but Special” in his race.

Click on the author page above to connect with Joe.