D.I.Y.

April L. Hamilton's, ‟The Indie Author Guide”

"The Indie Author Guide" by April L. Hamilton was published in 2010. This is a guide for do-it-yourself authors who are considering or already publishing their own books. April has crammed a lot of information into about 300 pages and while it's already 4 years old in a fast changing industry, there's still plenty of relevant information. The author is an experienced writer and supporter of the indie author crowd. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Association of Independent Authors. You can look up more about the author at www.AprilHamilton.com or Publetariat.com.

One look at the title, written entirely in lower case, gives the idea that this book was written by a do-it-your-self-er but it's well organized and comprehensive in coverage. Quick to read with a double column format and interspersed with headings and subheadings, it includes an ample mix of images which make the book easy to scan if you're looking for specific guidance. The material is so well organized and specified that you may not need a highlighter in hand when reading it, although if your prone to dog-earring pages, you're likely to create an abundance of them in this little volume.

Chapters deal with an assortment of things from organizing your computer to branding and author platforms. There's also information on publishing options, formatting, editing and revision.

Inside, you'll find a section on book covers and e-book formats as well as chapters on promotion and for those interested, a chapter on transitioning to traditional publishing.

Bonus material in the back of the book includes not one but two appendixes. The first contains sample worksheets for calculating costs, royalties, break-even points and record keeping as well as worksheets to track contact or membership information, info on author websites and events. The author gives a web-link to download the worksheets online at indieauthorguide.com (look for the "Worksheets" tab). The worksheets download as a single PDF.

The second appendix is an HTML primer in the familiar two-column layout, organized with sub-heads and a number of images so readers can see what the author is talking about. Material includes a brief explanation of how web pages work and goes on to touch on syntax, formatting and dealing with non-breaking spaces. It ends with a section on best practices and a summary table of commonly used tags. It's worth noting that being four years old, the information on HTML may not conform to the latest HTML5 conventions but it still gives the reader a basic understanding of what is sometimes considered scary computer stuff.

Whether you're considering indie publishing or just looking for information on building a platform, this book will serve as a well rounded starter resource, keeping in mind the mercurial nature of the industry. It's not an exhaustive, technical manual but it's pretty darn meaty.

Ironically the book is published by Writer's Digest. Cover price is listed at $19.99 but check Amazon for better prices, my new copy was purchased for $14.99

Storing and Protecting your Writing Files: Should You Trust Your Important Papers to Electronic Files or the Cloud?

A few years ago a writer friend asked if the writing group we belonged to would take ownership of his body of work, mostly poetry, upon his death.  He wanted his work to be protected and appreciated. Following lengthy discussion, it was decided they couldn’t help him.  Without a permanent archive, they felt his documents would face the same jeopardy whether left to his family or entrusted to their group.  I know he was disappointed.

And I understood his concerns.  Like most writers, I worry about theft, natural disasters (especially fire in our area), and computer catastrophes that would destroy my writing.  I also have some old disks that I can no longer retrieve data from because they became outdated before I transferred my files.  So I recently decided to evaluate a few options.

1. Paper Files

As a baby-boomer, I still trust paper.  So what comes first to my mind is to make 100 copies and send them to your dearest, most trusted friends – no more than two in each state. 

PRO: There’s a chance one of your copies would be safe even if a tsunami wiped out the entire West coast, a tornado took out a couple mid-western states, and a hurricane took out the Carolinas all in the same year.

CON: It would take years to make two friends in each state, then the cost!  You would spend a small fortune making thousands of copies on acid-free paper and then mailing them across the U.S. in archival-grade, acid-free boxes.  You would most definitely lose a few files to attrition: some friends will move and not tell you, some will marry and change their names so you can’t find them without the help of Unsolved Mysteries; while a few, sadly will pass on, and their relatives will simply toss your papers out with the other trash.  Then, think about those nasty divorces.  I can well imagine stacks of my work being used for fuel when a disgruntled wife burns her husband’s clothes out in the front yard. 

2.  CDs and/or DVDs

Saving your work electronically on CDs/DVDs is a lot easier.

PRO:  According to Web-Opedia, a Compact Disc-Read Only Memory disk (CD-ROM) has the storage capacity of 700 floppy disks (remember those?) with enough memory to store about 300,000 text pages.  Wow!  They are small, easy to store and catalogue.  Send a few sets to a couple-three people in different areas and you will be protected … well, at least for awhile.

CON: In researching, I found that professionals in the field believe CDs/DVDs read-only files will last from 5–10–50+ years before they begin deteriorating; but nobody knows for sure, and there is no real scientific data to support their claim.  Experts advise using quality CDs and DVDs, following manufacturer’s suggestions for longevity, and storing them in moderate temperatures with low humidity.  They also suggest you check your stored data every two years for signs of deterioration. 

3.  Flash Drives

But when you get right down to it, CDs and DVDs can’t begin to compare to using a flash drive for storage. 

PRO: These little bits of technology (usually about 1 ½ - 2- inches in length, are a snap to store, easy to send to a few others for safekeeping, and they hold a ton of data.  Although it can vary with formatting, a flash drive with one GB of memory can save 900,000 pages of text.  I seriously doubt that even the wordiest of us writers has that many pages to store – even if we include all those half-started novels we have hidden away in files labeled “To Do.” 

But that’s not all.  Today, 32- and 64GB flash drives are becoming common and the Kingston Company recently announced the upcoming release of the world’s largest-capacity 3.0 USB flash drive, the DataTraveler® HyperX® Predator.  The drive currently has a 512GB capacity, but they are planning to release the DataTraveler with a 1TB capacity soon.  (I’ll let you that are better than I am with numbers figure out how many text pages can be stored on that little puppy.)

CON: Their size seems both a liability and a drawback.  They are easy to lose and hard to catalogue.  For me, someone who has to return to a restaurant or store about 25-percent of the time to retrieve my purse, glasses or cell phone, I don’t want to trust all my records to this tiny bit of plastic. 

4. External Hard Drives

I recently purchased a Toshiba 2.0TB external hard drive.  (My only Black Friday purchase in 2013.)  The drive is about one-eighth the size of my older Western Digital external hard drive that holds 298GB – it is about the size of a pack of cards.

PRO:  Both simply plug into a USB port and transferring files is a snap.  They are easy to open and locating files is no problem.  I have had my older external drive for several years and it has never let me down.   The storage capacity of both is phenomenal.

CON: I worry about theft and fire and other disasters with these, just like my computer.  I plan to use one for photos and one for my word documents.  That means I only have each file stored in one place.  Even if I were to put all my files on both, I would have to ship one of them to another place, making updating difficult.  As with other electronic storage, the length of storage before deterioration begins is unknown.

5. Cloud Storage

The most amazing new technology on the storage scene is the ability for us to backup and store our information on the Internet, aka, “the Cloud.”  Since the cost of storing data online began coming down, over 50 major online providers have begun offering cloud storage. 

PRO: Storing your work online eliminates the fear of losing your documents due to theft, fire, or other damage to your home ... a big advantage.  Other advantages I see for online storage: I will never leave the cloud behind in a restaurant.  I will never accidentally drop the cloud over the side of the boat or mix it up with someone else’s.  I’ll never leave it plugged into the home computer when I need it at work.  I’ll never hide it and forgot where I put it.

CON: I have concerns about the safety of information stored on the Internet.  What happens to my data if the Internet or my cloud provider “goes down?”  Are my files lost forever?  Can someone hack into my files and steal them?  How do I know they are safe?

VERDICT

I’ve decided to continue backing up my computer and writing files onto an external hard drive.  But I am also going to begin using some of the free cloud storage to which I have access.  My new Toshiba external hard drive included 10GB of cloud storage at no charge.  I also received 5GB of storage on iCloud with my iPad, and I signed up for the basic DropBox cloud storage plan with 2.5GB of free storage.  I already use DropBox when working with others on projects, so I think I’ll start saving my work on the Toshiba cloud and see what happens. 

As a writer, it is important that you find a way to safely store and protect your work.  You also need to be aware that electronic files deteriorate whether on CDs, DVDs, flash drives, or even hard drives.  You should routinely check your electronic files for deterioration and transfer them before they are lost forever.  Good luck!

How to Write Humor according to North Idaho's own Patrick McManus

by Ana Parker Goodwin

Do any of you write humor? I am probably one of the worst humor writers on the planet, but I'm learning. So here I am, practicing what I preached in my last blog: Write about something you know nothing about and doesn't excite you.

When I was a kid I grew up with a father and his family who had escaped Communist Russia during the Stalin purges. We very rarely laughed.  My father, the head of our household, saw nothing to laugh about. As a matter of fact on my wedding day he became very annoyed that Ron and I were being silly and joking with each other. "Now be serious, Anna," he said. "Getting married is nothing to laugh about." Actually it was probably one of the reasons I fell in love with my husband. He laughed a lot and could find the humor in almost anything. And so in the years we have been together I have learned to laugh.

When I wrote my mystery/thriller book Justice Forbidden I deliberately snuck in some humor even though the plot is serious. And in the next fiction book that I am presently writing in the Justice series, I am adding even more humor. Why?

If we didn't have humor in our lives when things got tough, where would we be? Probably even more anxious and depressed. The thing is, that the world is pretty stressed out right now and many people are reacting with anxiety and anger. That's okay. People have automatic emotions when they listen to the news and for each person the emotion may be different. But don't forget. We all have choices about how we will respond and act. Can you see the problem from a different perspective? Can you turn the picture upside down or at angles and see the funny aspect of it? Comedians have a great way of doing just that. If you can laugh at a situation it will help you cope with what is going on.  

Patrick McManus, who lives here in North Idaho, is one of the great humorists in this country today. I hope all of you have read some of his books. My favorite of the books I read was Never Sniff a Gift Fish. Most of his stories are about his adventures in the woods, rivers, and lakes in the Sandpoint area, just north of Coeur d'Alene. The last book before he stopped writing in 2000, is one he wrote to teach humor writing. The Deer on a Bicycle: Excursions into the Writing of Humor. In his book he included several tips. So if you are interested in writing humor, here are a couple:  

1. Never write real-life humor. I would probably say don't write real life humor if the audience you are trying to reach cannot identify easily with what has happened. Probably Johnny falling off the canoe was hilarious to the family because they knew him, and knew his particular personality, but most of your readers will say, "HUH?"  

2. Write about your bad experiences, not your good ones. Write about your failures, your fears, and situations others have experienced as well and say, "Yeah, that's me," or "That's what happened to my dad, alright."

3. Write about personality quirks. My  character, Evelyn Frampton, in Justice Forbidden, is an elderly, eccentric, but very loving neighbor who runs around helping Faythe capture the murderer by hitting the presumed criminal over the head with a wine bottle. She also gets rid of  her dandelions by slurping up puffballs with the vacuum cleaner. Also create two characters who play well off each other like Lucy and her friend in the ancient but very funny show, "I Love Lucy."

4. Use exaggeration but not so much that it seems completely implausible.  You must be able to imagine the situation and see how funny it would look. Of course if you earlier read the title of Patrick McManus' book, The Deer on the Bicycle, you might say, "A deer on a bicycle? That's crazy."  But you can see it in your mind and it would probably make you laugh. Most people are willing to suspend reality for a while if not too absurd. Another one of his stories is called, "A Bear in the Attic," and it's hilarious. I am finding this technique to be one of my favorites to create humor for my books.

5. Say or do the opposite of what someone would expect you to say or do. Although McManus does not mention this technique, I have found that the element of surprise in humor is very effective. I have heard many people use it, including me, and it works really well as long as it is funny and not hurtful to someone. Of course that's true for all humor. Using four letter words over and over for shock value looses it's effect, and for me just turns into shock.

The more I read and learn about writing humor, and practice it in my writing, the more fun it's becoming.  And yes, I'm getting better at it.

If you have any other great ideas and comments about writing humor to help the rest of us schmucks, let us know.

Want to Write a Book? Let Your Yes Be Yes and Your No Be No

I've been reading an interesting little book called Chapter By Chapter by Heather Sellers. I call it a little book because it is compact in size, but there's nothing small about the impact it's been having on my writing life. As writing-advice books go, Chapter By Chapter is not so much about how to write a book as it is about how to set up the rest of your life to make book-writing possible.

One section has set me to squirming, though. In a chapter called "Limits," Sellers writes, "The number once reason books don't get finished is this: Writers say yes to other things." [emphasis hers]

That got my attention, champion yes-sayer that I am.

Sellers continues, "Successful book writers are very rarely also: historical society presidents, garden club secretaries, book group members, room mothers, rumba instructors, feng shui consultants, yoga expert students, and leaders of the town's spring clean-up committee. When you're writing a book, you do not have time for: meetings, grant writing, sonnet competitions, sprawling vacations, breeding dogs, renovating a bathroom, honing your poker skills for the circuit, or starting a nonprofit. . . . Most of the book authors I know limit themselves to one 'extracurricular.' The key difference between successful book writers and failed, not-finishing book writers is this: When they're struggling with the book, the successful writers let the extracurriculars go, not the book-writing effort."

Wow, says I, wincing at my scribbled-on calendar where, in a typical week, choir practice vies for space with critique group and book group and museum volunteer work and church activities and manning phones at a telethon, not to mention fun things like Bunco and movies and lunch with friends, and emphatically not mentioning un-fun but necessary things like weeding the garden and scrubbing the tub. And I don't even have kids!

Let us be clear. Typically, writers don't write well in a vacuum. To write about life, we first need to experience life, which doesn't happen when we're glued to our computers.That said, when is enough enough? When is too much, too much?

I say that writing is one of my highest priorities, right after God and husband. Yet when I see a calendar filled with non-writing-related obligations and commitments, leaving little time to write more than a brief jotting here and there, I have no one but myself to blame. Me and my people-pleasing, agreeable, yessir-you-can-count-on-me ways. And my slothful "you-deserve-a-break-today" ways.

And yet, when I survey the calendar for places to cut back, there is nothing that I want to drop. Everything seems So. Very. Important. Or So. Very. Fun.

*sigh*

What do you think about Sellers' advice, recommending that a writer stick to one "extracurricular?" Reasonable? Extreme? What are your best tips for juggling myriad obligations and also getting your writing done?
 

Get Ready for Get Lit!

 Literature is the thought of thinking souls.

---Thomas Carlyle

For authors, journalists, poets, and writers of all sorts, as well as bookworms and anyone interested in literary works in its many forms, Spokane’s 15th annual Get Lit! literary festival begins Monday. 
 

Get Lit! Programs include a literary festival in the spring as well as educational outreach projects throughout the year, engaging members of the Inland Northwest community in a celebration of the written word and encouraging discussion of literature, at all age levels.

The 2013 Get Lit! Festival takes place from April 8 through April 14, hosting over forty regional, national, and international authors in Spokane who represent a wide range of genres including fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Fiction and nonfiction writers attending will include Joyce Carol Oates, Kim Barnes, Jess Walter, Christopher Mcdougall, David Shields, and many others. Authors will speak and perform readings at a variety of venues such as the Bing Crosby Theater, Gonzaga Univeristy, Aunties Bookstore, and several other places around Spokane.

The festival week will also include writing workshops which will be held on Saturday, April 13 at the Red Lion Hotel at the Park in Spokane. Registration is underway and space is limited to 20 people per session. 

Workshops include sessions on editing and revision, a novel workshop, poetry, crafting evocative prose, voice, etc.  The workshops also include a free workshop for kids (8+ yrs.) and a free teen poetry slam workshop.

Click HERE for the Get Lit! calendar of events.

 

Have Fun and Get Lit!

 

 

Contradictions of Home

 We are very pleased to offer a guest post today by our friend, Jenni Gate.

Intro: Jen Gate

Jenni Gate has worked as a paralegal, a mediator, a small business consultant, and a writer. Born in Libya and raised throughout Africa and Asia, Jenni’s upbringing as a global nomad provided a unique perspective on life. As a child, she lived in Libya, Nigeria, the Congo, Pakistan, the Philippines, and the Washington DC area. As an adult, she has lived in Alaska, England, and throughout the Pacific Northwest. Her published work includes several articles for a monthly business magazine in Alaska and a local interest magazine in Idaho. She has written several award-winning memoir pieces for writing contests. Jenni currently writes non-fiction, memoir, and fiction, drawing upon her global experiences. New adventures abound. To read more about her adventures around the world, visit her at Nomad Trails and Tales.

By Jenni Gate

Growing up among different cultures creates contradictions in our adult lives that we find ourselves dealing with for the rest of our lives. This is true as we try to determine our identities, in coming to terms with personality issues, in transitions, in finding meaning for our experiences, and especially when we try to define what or where is "home."

An average person who grows up in one place for their whole childhood knows who he or she is. He has a strong sense of identity in the place where he spent his childhood. Even if she moved house within a town or city, she can define herself by the geographical boundaries. Someone who is born and raised in a small town identifies so closely with that town that even if she moves away long into adulthood, that place is still home in her heart. There is pride of home, often a deep love for the way of life in which one was raised, and broad, intimate knowledge of the traditions and cultures of home.

When we grow up moving from place to place, culture to culture, we call many places home. We hold diverse realms of cultures, traditions, and social norms within us. When we move from place to place, we are always trying to gauge what the social norms are, learning new traditions, adopting cultures, even new languages. We may feel that we can fit in anywhere, but we never really fit in. We miss the depth and breadth of knowledge a local person has of the culture of a place. Our parents may be able to go home, to a place that nurtured them in childhood, established moral boundaries, set social norms and cultural practices and traditions, but as children who grow up exchanging whole worlds with the sound of a jet engine, we carry a tormenting ideal of home within us that we may never find.

Although it may seem obvious, in practical, real-life experience, this feeling of being out of step or at odds with the particularities of a place is a living contradiction. When we return to our passport countries, we may not have a sense of place to return to. We may look like we belong, so the expectations are the same as for a local person. But in reality, we are hidden immigrants, unfamiliar with the norms, expectations, cultures and traditions of a place. Many of us feel rootless and restless for the remainder of our lives as a result. Some can't wait to pick a place to call home and settle in.

Long into our adulthood, regardless whether we feel settled or rootless, we cringe when anyone asks where we're from. How do we explain that we are from many places, that we have called many places home? How do we choose just one place to be from? Is it where we felt the most accepted? Is it where we just began to set down roots when a parent’s job was transferred or a civil war forced an evacuation? Is it where our friends bonded with us during a coup or war with a closeness we have never felt again? How do we explain that even when we look like we belong, we may be foreign in every other way? If we have parents of different ethnic backgrounds, it becomes even more complicated to explain.

For me, defining home is extremely complicated and contradictory. I feel like an outsider looking in. When I lived in a small town, the provincialism of the townspeople was apparent in every gesture, every comment, every question, and I felt like a complete foreigner at times. Even though I felt love for my country, I also felt split loyalties during international crises, and it was impossible for many of my new friends to understand.

Having lived in many places that are no longer safe to travel to, it has been important for me to read as much as possible about many of the places I have called home. Sometimes I've learned more about a place after leaving it than I did when I lived there. I've had my heart broken when places I once called home become embroiled in war, when they suffer natural disasters or famine. How, in those times, do we describe the sense of helplessness that comes over us that there is little we can do to help the people of a place we once loved?

We hold many homes in our hearts, many cultures, many traditions, many ways of being. We hold places in our hearts that we can never return to. We hold the memories of friendships, of heartaches, of happiness particular to a place. We may never fully belong, but we adapt, we empathize with others, we try to make sense of the contradictions, we struggle with our shifting identities, and eventually we create a sense of home within ourselves.

How do you define "home"? What does it mean to you? Do you have a strong sense of identity because of the homes you've internalized, or is identity a fluid concept, something you change and adapt with every new location?

Dress for the Climate and Warm Up to Your Readers: Tips for Self Publishers

These adorable Shetland ponies, standing on a cold, windswept shore in Scotland, were recently dressed in sweaters and photographed as part of an effort by Scotland’s tourism board to entice visitors to their country. What may prove to be an effective marketing campaign to tout Scotland’s organic knits and genteel farming communities, the idea of dressing for the climate applies to many areas, including writing and publishing.

The climate of writing and publishing has changed dramatically in the last few years, with more books being published today than ever. According to Bowker, traditional print book output grew six percent in 2011, and that publishing mainstay and largest genre, Fiction, turned around a multi-year decline with a 13 percent increase—a growth spurt driven almost exclusively by a strong self-publishing market. According to Kelly Gallagher, Vide-President of Bowker Market Research:

“Transformation of our industry has brought on a time of rich innovation in the publishing models we now have today. What was once relegated to the outskirts of our industry—and even took on demeaning names like ‘vanity press’ is now not only a viable alternative but what is driving the title growth of our industry today. From that standpoint, self-publishing is a true legitimate power to be reckoned with. Coupled with the explosive growth of e-books and digital content – these two forces are moving the industry in dramatic ways.” 

In other words, there is more competition than ever to get your work read and enjoyed by others. If you have contracted with a publisher and they own the print and electronic rights to your book, even if you give input, they will have the final say about how your book appears to readers. But if you are an independent self publisher and have retained your rights, you are the one in charge of catching the eye of your reader. And to do this, the same way you would want to dress up for a new job interview, you will want to take care to “dress up” your book to have its best possible chance in the current publishing climate.

You can’t put a sweater on your manuscript and click a cute photo (well, maybe you can), but you can focus on a few key elements to make your work as attractive as possible to potential readers.

Write a Compelling Story

This, of course, is the “biggie” and goes without saying, but many times when we think we have written the very best story we can write, there is still plenty of room for improvement. When you are ready, give your manuscript to a few trusted readers who you feel will give you clear, constructive feedback. Also, at some point, have a professional editor go through it to help you pin down the structure and conceptual soft spots. Find an editor that fits within your budget and use them to full advantage. Consider editing as a long-term investment in your book.

Formatting the Manuscript

For your print version, format your book as if it were formatted by the slickest New York Publishing house. Include a complete Table of Contents and front matter. Use headers and footers in the chapters and sections. Leave plenty of white space for the reader and use an easy to read typeface. Begin each chapter on its own odd-numbered page so that the beginnings are always facing the reader. A good way to decide on your format is to find a book that you feel has a layout you would like to see in your own book and use that as an example. Just about any format you find can be done using Microsoft Word.

For your ebook version, you won’t be able to use the headers, footers, and page numbers because ebooks consist of free-flowing text. But if you use photographs in your ebook, because of the now-prevalent color ereaders, always use color photographs in the ebook version if you have the choice. Also, a linked table of contents in your ebook makes it easy for the reader to maneuver back and forth through your book. Otherwise, it can seem cumbersome to the reader.

A well-formatted book creates a slick, professional look to your book, and caters to your reader. They will appreciate it, even if they don’t realize it. A poorly formatted book will likely be noticed by the reader.

Create an Enticing Book Title

One thing that can draw a reader to your book is the title. The title should relate in some way to your story, and hopefully, provide a hook for the potential reader/buyer. Make a list of titles you think may work for your book. Look at bestseller lists and try to think why those titles work. Try out titles on your friends and family to get their reaction. But in the end, your title must work for you, your book, and for the reader. Coming up with a good title that will entice your reader can be fun, and difficult.

Create a Pickable and Clickable Cover

The first thing a potential reader will notice about a book besides the title is the book’s cover. If they see it on a bookstore shelf, you want them to pick it up. If they see it on an online bookstore webpage, you want them to click on it. The cover gives the reader her first impression of the book, and as the author, you want it to be a positive impression.

If you are an independent self-publisher, you are in charge of your cover. You can do it yourself using design software, or if you are not inclined to tackle it yourself, there are many book cover designers you can find for reasonable prices with a little searching. Whichever way you go, create a cover for your book that entices the reader to reach for it, either by hand or by mouse.

Promote 

Put together a promotion plan before your book is published and revise it as needed as you go. These days, it is easier to promote your book online by building yourself a platform that includes social media, websites and blogs, and promotional tools that are made available through online booksellers, such as Amazon’s free promotions, which will help with your book’s visibility and sales. Get into the habit of consistently promoting your work in some way. Try to do at least one thing a day that will help promote your work.


Even with consistent reading and research, it’s difficult to keep up with today’s fast-changing marketplace, but focusing on these key elements for your book, will help your book compete in its best light as the climate continues to change.

Writing in the Dark: Learning from Others

On Wednesday I had a speaking engagement with the Idaho Writers League (IWL) in Coeur d’Alene. I had set my alarm for 5:00 am and as soon as my alarm went off and I flipped back the covers to get out of bed, our power went out. Luckily I had printed out the audience handouts and my notes the previous day, but for the next couple of hours I stumbled around our dark house getting ready to head out for my presentation with only the flashlight app on my iphone to guide me.

That’s how it is sometimes. We fumble around and make do until the light shows us the way. This is true in many facets of life, including in our writing life. As beginners we often stumble around in a dark new world full of unknowns, looking for guidance not from an iphone app, but from those who have come before us and left a trail of experience for us to follow. We read books written by authors we admire and try to emulate their writing style, we read books written in genres in which we want to write, we read how-to book after how-to book to learn as much as we can about the craft of writing, all serving to broaden our knowledge base and begin shining a light on our own path towards becoming the writer we hope to become.

I was reminded when talking at the IWL meeting this week what a wonderful way the writers in these groups support each other in their work, experiences, and growth as writers. They are, in broad terms, on the same path. Their energy, excitement and eagerness to learn inspire me. Writers groups are a great way to connect with other writers in your area. If you’ve never attended a writers group, try one out by attending a meeting. You will find friendly faces, new writing contacts, acceptance, encouragement and guidance.

The Coeur d’Alene chapter of the IWL meets the second Wednesday and the third Thursday of each month. For details of meeting places, scheduled events, and membership, visit their website: Idaho Writers League - Coeur d'Alene Chapter. You may also contact the current President of the Coeur d’Alene chapter, Faye Higbee at mdnf.higbee@gmail.com.

Another high-energy, active group in the north Idaho area is the Spokane Authors and Self-Publishers group, which meets the first Thursday of each month in Spokane. For details of meeting places, scheduled events, and membership, visit their website: Spokane Authors and Self Publishers. For additional information, contact Dave McChesney at daveeva@comcast.net.

You can find information on more local writing groups listed in the right-hand sidebar of this blog.

Connect with your fellow writers and let them and their experiences help light your path, and you theirs.

Trailers: Not Just for Movies Anymore

Lots of authors and publishers now create video trailers for their books. As movie trailers do for movies, these book trailers also serve as promotional tools. They are meant to inform potential readers and encourage them to buy and read the authors’ books. As a short video file, it can be placed on an author’s website, a blog, bookseller sites, and other venues in which the author/publisher wishes.

There are plenty of businesses that will create book trailers for authors, but costs can vary greatly depending on the complexity and length of the video. You can, however, do the work yourself with a couple of computer programs and a few hours of your time.

Basically, all I did for my book trailer was create a slideshow using text and still images, added music to the slideshow, then ran the slideshow through a program that converted it into a mp4 video file. It took me several hours and several drafts before I was satisfied with the finished product, but that is partly because I enjoy tinkering with such things, and because I was learning as I was going.

The Trailer Slideshow:
For the slideshow I used Microsoft PowerPoint because the program was already available on my computer. If you have a Windows based machine with Microsoft Office programs, PowerPoint may also be on your computer. If not, other slideshow programs are available that will work for your trailer.

Images:
Many of the images in my book trailer are personal images, but I also found photos through the NOAA (National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration) site, which are free to use as long as you give NOAA credit. I also purchased a few photos from the Bigstock Photos website, which cost $1 to $3 each. Several websites offer free clip art and photo stock, but make sure your anti-virus software is up to date before going to sites you are not familiar with.

Text:
The text in my trailer consists of text boxes placed on a slide in the slideshow program.

Music:
In my trailer I used royalty-free music. You can search the web to find royalty-free music that is made for this type of use. One example of a royalty-free music site can be found at: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/

Video Converter:
Once my slideshow was complete, I ran the file through a program called the Moyea PPT to Video Converter that turned the PowerPoint file into a mp4 movie file. The program can be found at: http://moyea-ppt-to-video-converter.en.softonic.com/

You Tube:
When your video file is done, post it on You Tube. From there, it is easy to embed the video file on a website, blog, your Author Page on Amazon, and other places, plus your trailer gets views from You Tube visitors.

As examples of book trailers, I have included four below. The first is the trailer I made for my book, South to Alaska, which is nonfiction. I have also included trailers for a historical fiction book, a fiction book, and a children’s book by other authors. Although I’m not sure of what process was used to create the other three trailers, they also appear to have been made using still images and blocks of text, so nothing too fancy here that can’t be done with a slideshow and video converter.

If you are interested in creating a book trailer, go to You Tube and key in "book trailer" to see more examples.

Enjoy!

Nonfiction

Historical Fiction

  

Fiction

  

Children

 

I hope this is helpful to some of you who may be considering creating a book trailer as a promotional tool. Having a trailer for your book is useful and fun...and you can do it yourself with a couple of simple programs, plus some time and effort.

Have you thought about making a trailer for your book?

Exclamation Mark: Its Use and Abuse!

In an ebook titled Write Good or Die, edited by thriller author Scott Nicholson, was an article written by Nicholson titled Seven Bad Habits of Highly Unsuccessful Writers. In the article Nicholson, who had worked as a freelance editor and journalist for several years, reminded writers of a handful of minor problems that can "sap the vitality out of an otherwise compelling story." These included proper comma usage, point of view confusion, too many useless mannerisms, the use of adverbs, and the importance of clarity when using "he said" and "she said" in dialogue.

He also mentioned the overuse of exclamation marks in writing. Nicholson advises writers to “hoard your exclamation points and only dole them out when necessary.” He further states that dependence on them indicates a lack of power in your action sentences.

I personally haven’t noticed the overuse of exclamation marks in my general reading, but I have noticed that they seem to be prolific in online writing, emails, and text messages. There are even websites and blogs that discuss the overuse of exclamation points. One site titled Excessive Exclamation!! shows, as an example, a shot of a Carl’s Jr. receipt on which is printed:

Please let us know how we did!!!

In his article,Nicholson advises:

Adding a bit of visual oomph or dialogue tag is a better choice: "‘Look out,’ he shouted, diving for cover as bullets zinged overhead." The word "shouted" does the work of the exclamation point, though if you are in the book’s climax or a particularly brisk and intense scene, then one or two can do the work of unnecessary words, too. In this case, I’d let "Look out!" slide, assuming exclamation points weren’t already hopping all over the page like drunk celebrities begging for tabloid coverage. Anyone using two or more exclamation points together will not only be rejected but taken out and shot!!!

His point about exclamation marks reminded me of an old Seinfield episode I saw years ago when Elaine, who worked as an editor for a New York publishing house, purposely peppered her boyfriend’s manuscript with exclamation marks because she was upset with him. This got her in trouble with her publisher boss. For fun, below is a short clip of the episode:

You can find Nicholson's entire article here.

While contemplating the use of exclamation marks, remember to check out our Events page for writing-related happenings in the coming weeks.

Have a wonderful weekend.



Scott Nicholson is the author of 10 thrillers, including the Bram Stoker finalist The Red Church, Drummer Boy, Disintegration, and The Skull Ring. He’s published over 60 stories in seven countries, as well as numerous writing articles, five screenplays, several comic books, and magazine features. He’s won three North Carolina Press Association Awards as a newspaper reporter and also has a freelance manuscript editing business, in addition to hosting pop-culture shows and an annual paranormal conference. More information at www.hauntedcomputer.com.

So you want to be a screenwriter

Screenwriting is the art and craft of writing scripts for film and television.  Writing for film is potentially one of the most high-profile and best paying careers available to a writer.  The capricious nature of the film industry makes it possible for a complete unknown to launch a career simply by writing a commercially-appealing screenplay and getting it into the hands of the right people.   - Unknown Internet source

Have you ever thought of writing a screenplay?  Do you want to see something you’ve written up on the big screen?  Do you have an idea for a television series or a made-for-TV movie?  Have you written a book you want to see made into a movie? 

Well, if you are, there is good news for you whether you live in Shoofly, North Carolina, Whynot, Mississippi or Athol, Idaho.  The Internet has changed the way Hollywood does business.  Today you don’t have to move to Los Angeles and slip copies of your project under doors hoping the right producer will read it.  If you learn industry standards, do the work and properly market your project, you have a chance to see your work become a reality without a change of address.

Don’t get me wrong, becoming a screenwriter isn’t easy.  It will take commitment, a lot of hard work and a little bit of moxie to see your project through.  But you can get there from your little corner of the world … no matter where it is. 

More good news for us Hollywood outsiders – you don’t have to do this alone.  The Internet offers hundreds of related sites and online courses.  And once you start looking, you'll discover amazing screenwriting software and dozens of helpful books written by professionals in the field that will help you in your quest to become a screenwriter. 

You might also consider joining a local or Internet writing group for additional support as you learn the craft of screenwriting.

Do you have what it takes? 

You may have heard that breaking into the movie business is tough.  It is. 

However, if you write a script that features a character who has a clean and specific goal, and there is strong opposition to that goal, leading to a crises and an emotionally satisfying ending, your script will automatically find itself in the upper 5 percent.  Few would-be writers have mastered even the basics of screenwriting.  

  If your script also presents a well-crafted story with a strong story concept and an original character with whom people can sympathize, there are agents and producers awaiting the advent of the next great screenwriter. 

Daniel Trottier, The Screenwriter’s Bible, A Complete Guide to Writing, Formatting and Selling Your Script

If you are interested in screenwriting, you probably already have an idea for a movie.  You have an idea kicking around in your head that you see as the next Hollywood blockbuster.  But is it?

There are dozens of reasons a project gets accepted or rejected – most of them financial – and all of them out of your control.  There is little you can do to alleviate these concerns unless you learn about the current market and what type of project is in demand. 

Many novice screenwriters are interested in writing ana utobiography or a biography of someone close to them.  Unless it is a humdinger with universal appeal, chances are slim your life story or the story of your grandmother will make it onto the screen.  Does this mean you should drop it?  Absolutely not. 

Write that first screenplay.  Learn the basics and write the storyline that is keeping you awake at night.  Learn how to format a screenplay, write a logline and pitch your idea. 

Who knows?  You might beat the odds and your screenplay gets produced.  But at the very least, you will have become a screenwriter; and now that you have written that story you’ve always wanted to write … now that it is out of your head … your mind is free to come up with other ideas for that next blockbuster. 

What is a screenplay?

The following is taken from Syd Field’s book, Screenplay, The Foundations of Screenwriting: A Step-by-Step Guide from Concept to Finished Script, long considered a must-have reference for screenwriters. 

Well, for one thing, a screenplay is not a novel, and it’s most certainly not a play.  If you look at a novel and try to define its fundamental nature, you’ll see that the dramatic action, the story line, usually takes place inside the head of the main character.  We see the story line unfold through the eyes of the character, through his/her emotions, words, actions, memories, dreams, hopes, ambitions, opinions and more.  The character and reader go through the action together, sharing in the drama and emotion of the story.  We know how they act, feel, react, and figure things out. 

A play is different.  The action, or story line, occurs onstage, under the proscenium arch, and the audience becomes the fourth wall, eavesdropping on the lives of the characters, what they think and feel and say.  They talk about their hopes and dreams, past and future plans, discuss their needs and desires, fears and conflicts.  In this case, the action of the play occurs within the language of dramatic action; it is spoken in words that describe feelings, actions, and emotions. 

A screen play is different.  Movies are different.  Film is a visual medium that dramatizes a basic story line; it deals in pictures, images, bits and pieces of film:  We see a clock ticking, a window opening, a person in the distance leaning over a balcony, smoking; in the background we hear a phone ringing, a baby crying, a dog barking as we see two people laughing as their car pulls away from the curb.  “Just making pictures.”  The nature of the screenplay deals in pictures, and if we wanted to define it, we could say that a screenplay is a story told with pictures, in dialogue and description , and placed within the context of dramatic structure. 

This blog is the first in a series I am writing to help writers interested in learning how to write a screenplay.  Through these articles I will share the fundamentals of screenwriting using information gathered from the works and words of professionals in the field. You can find both Syd Field's and David Trottier's books at Amazon.com.  

Writing Book Reviews: An Opportunity for Writers and Readers

Many readers enjoy telling their friends, relatives, and others about books they have read. Whether the books are fiction or nonfiction, they like to share their likes and dislikes—what they learned, how the book affected them, how it relates to their own lives, how they found the book exciting or well-written. Some do so informally through personal conversations and email, while others like to share their responses to books with the public by posting reviews on blogs, on websites, or in other venues such as the Barnes & Noble and Amazon online retail sites.

These public book reviews range from brief, summary reviews, to formal critical reviews. Some readers post reviews simply because they enjoy sharing what they have read, others establish themselves as a book reviewer and are paid for their reviews by posting through for-profit web content sites or writing reviews for print publications such as newspapers and literary journals.

Book reviewers are sometimes sought out by publishers to review books. In return, the reviewers reap the benefit of receiving free books. One program that flips this publisher-seeking-reviewer method on its head, however, is the method provided by BookSneeze.

Established 2010 by Michael Hyatt of Thomas Nelson, BookSneeze is a program that supplies book review bloggers with free books in exchange for a 200-word honest review of books published by Thomas Nelson. A Christian-focused publisher, Thomas Nelson, is one of the largest trade publishers in the United States, acquired by HarperCollins in 2012.

To become a book review blogger for BookSneeze, you must have an actively maintained personal, public blog (it is suggested that new content should be posted at least once a week); your blog must have a minimum of 30 followers (followers can be from a variety of sources such as Google, Twitter, Facebook, etc.); and bloggers must reside in the United States.

Reviewers can sign up for a free account with BookSneeze. Once the application is accepted, reviewers can select from the available books. BookSneeze will mail a free copy of the book selected and will also provide resources to use in the reviewer’s post, such as book cover art, available audio/video clips, etc..

When ready, the blogger must post their review of the book on their blog, as well as one consumer website (such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads, etc.). Once the reviews are posted, the blogger provides a link to the review on their BookSneeze account. The reviewer is then able to request their next book for review.

BookSneeze will also provide an external link from its site to the reviewer’s blog, which can help with the blogger’s ranking.

Even if you don’t have a currently active blog, if you love books and like to share your thoughts about them, consider checking out BookSneeze. This could be that first step to getting started as a book reviewer, not to mention a great way to build your reading/lending library.

Bookshelf Makeover: Keeping Current

Does your bookshelf need a face lift? I know mine does.

We all have our favorite “How To” writing books on our shelves that we purchased years ago and still refer to on occasion. But there are many writing-skills books published each year by authors with new experiences, perspectives and ideas about how to be successful in our writing endeavors.

As writers, it’s important to keep informed not only about the writing and publishing industry in general, but also about the current resources for writers. Even if we have heard the same information from a different author, sometimes it takes the right thing said the right way by the right person at the right time to finally click in our head and put us on a new path toward reaching our writing goals. Keeping informed helps guide us toward better decisions in our writing and our writing careers.

To get a jump on what’s new, here are 10 books about writing due to come out within the next several months. They are available for preorder and will be published in both paperback and ebook formats.

Good Prose: The Art of Nonfiction

Tracy Kidder and Richard Todd

Random House, January 2013

Lessons from a lifetime of writing and editing from Pulitzer Prize winner Tracy Kidder and author Richard Todd. 

 

Writing Irresistible Kidlit: The Ultimate Guide to Crafting Fiction for Young Adult and Middle Grade Readers

Mary Kole

Writers Digest Books, December 2012

Authored by literary agent and blogger Mary Kole.

Monkeys with Typewriters: How to Write and Read Better
Scarlett Thomas
Canongate UK, December 2012

Exploring how fiction works, this manual shows you how you can learn to understand it well enough to crack open any fictional narrative, and, if you like, start creating your own.



Vex, Hex, Smash, Smooch: Let Verbs Power Your Writing
Constance Hale
W. W. Norton & Company, October 2012

A writing handbook that celebrates the infinite pizzazz of verbs.



Wired for Story: The Writer’s Guide to Using Brain Science to Hook Readers from the Very First Sentence
Lisa Cron
Ten Speed Press, July 2012

This guide reveals how writers can utilize cognitive storytelling strategies to craft stories that ignite readers’ brains and captivate them through each plot element.

Writing 21st Century Fiction: High Impact Techniques for Exceptional Storytelling in Modern Fiction
Donald Maass
Writers digest books, October 2012

Donald Maass heads the Donald Maass Literary Agency in New York City, which represents more than 150 novelists and sells more than 150 novels every year to publishers in America and overseas.

Where Do You Get Your Ideas?: A Writers Guide to Transforming Notions into Narratives
Fred White
Writers Digest Books, November 2012

Fred White is a professor of English at Santa Clara University, where he has been teaching courses in composition and literature since 1980.

The Arvon Book of Literary Non-Fiction Writing
Sally Cline
A&C Black, October 2012

The Arvon Book of Literary Non-Fiction Writing offers new insight into the critical impact and nature of this evolving genre, adding to the ongoing debate and offering valuable instruction to authors.

The Arvon Book of Crime Writing
Michelle Spring and Laurie R. King
A&C Black, October 2012

The Arvon Book of Crime Writing captures the essence of Arvon teaching into a practical handbook for writers, packed with tips and advice from leading novelists as well as reflections on the genre itself and practical instruction on great storytelling.

A Year of Writing Dangerously: 365 Days of Inspiration and Encouragement
Barbara Abercrombie
New World Library, June 2012

Barbara Abercrombie provides a delightfully varied cornucopia of inspiration — nuts-and-bolts solutions, hand-holding commiseration, and epiphany-fueling insights from fellow writers, including Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners and Abercrombie’s students who have gone from paralyzed to published.


So, get ready to discover new resources to add to your library. Consider getting ahead in the line by dusting off your bookshelf, sliding over the old favorites, and making space for the new.

Happy Browsing!