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Writers on the Move Spring 2011: A Compilation of Writing and Marketing Articles Edited by Karen Cioffi Published by Writers on the Move Copyright 2011 Writers on the Move Smash ords Edition http!"" # ritersonthemove#$om" EBook Digital Publishing Site/s Coordinator: Heather Paye Welcome to the first Writers on the o!es eBook" We decided to create and offer this eBook as a gift to thank you for follo#ing our authors and #riters$ for commenting$ and for follo#ing and subscribing to our site" We #ill %eriodically offer ne# informational eBooks that #ill ho%efully hel% you on your #riting and marketing &ourney" 'n addition$ Writers on the o!e no# %ro!ides monthly #orksho%s focusing on #riting and marketing$ and #ill feature #riting and marketing articles on an almost daily basis on our site: htt%://#ritersonthemo!e"com Wed lo!e to see you there.
B&'( )allas *oo#burn is the author of two collections of short stories+ her latest, , a.%., was feature# on the PBS book talk show -Between the Lines- an# is a$ailable at A%a.on.co%. /er short fiction has twice been no%inate# for a Pushcart Pri.e an# the ).anc Books -Best of the *eb- antholo"y an# she has written stories, articles an# essays for %ore than 01 2ublications inclu#in" Fa%ily Circle, *riter3s )i"est, The Los An"eles Ti%es, an# the Chicken Sou2 for the Soul series. *oo#burn is the foun#er of *rite 'n4 For Literacy, a non2rofit or"ani.ation that e%2owers youth throu"h writin", an# *rite 'n4 Books, a youth 2ublishin" co%2any. )ancin" *ith The Pen( a collection of to#ay3s best youth writin" features the work of %ore than 51 ki#s an# teens fro% aroun# the worl# an# is #ue for release in early 6177. Learn %ore at htt2(88www.writeonbooks.or"8
Solidifying a *ogline
"y 'ea Schi(as 9o# #hat the bla2es is a loglineD Sim%lePa logline is your storys heart and soul summari2ed in one or t#o sentences #hen asked$ ASo$ #hats your story all aboutDB Writers$ at times$ ha!e a hard time %in%ointing the core of the story and end u% rambling on and onPa logline #ill hel% %erfect the ans#er to the ?uestion abo!e" )lthough loglines are usually associated #ith screen%lays$ e!en no!elists #ill find them a tremendous hel% in shar%ening their res%onse" Pinning your story do#n to only a line or t#o is not easy but #ith %ractice you #ill be able to gi!e your reader a true account on #hat your book entails" (hink of loglines as flash fiction: a need to %ick and choose #ords carefully to gi!e a com%lete %icture" 'n order to figure out the elements to %lace in a logline think of your book se%arated into three scenes: the beginning$ the middle$ and the end" .rom each scene take the essence$ or high %oint$ and #rite it do#n" When this eJercise is done look o!er your Qscenes and sim%lify them by someho# combining them into one or t#o cliff4hanging sentences" .or eJam%le$ lets take Harry Potter: Beginning: Harry Potter disco!ers he has magical %o#ers and recei!es an in!ite to enhance these %o#ers to a school hes ne!er heard of" iddle: He disco!ers his %arents #ere killed and he is in the %ath of /oldemorts anger" He befriends t#o students #ho become his sidekicks" End: With the hel% of his t#o best friends they riddle out the %u22le of the Stone and Harry faces /oldemort for %ossession of the Stone" 9o# lets %lace the abo!e info into a Qhooking logline: ) young teens #orld is turned u%side do#n #hen a seemingly innocent in!itation to a school soon re!eals a magical #orld %ossessed #ith a dark force #aiting to take re!enge on him" 8oull note ' didnt mention the best friends since they are secondary to the %lot and not as crucial to entice a reader" /oldemorts name and the Stone #ere also omitted but gi!en a darker o!erall image by %lacing Qa magical #orld %ossessed #ith a dark force" )lso$ by seeding Qthe re!enge into a reader it u%s his curiosity to find out #hat #ill ha%%en and ho# the teen #ill deal #ith it" Here is a basic and sim%le outline to follo# #hat a logline should contain: Who your %rotagonist is$ #hich #ill also ans#er the ?uestion #ho the story is about His goal$ #hat he/she is stri!ing to achie!e Who/#hat stands in his/her #ay ) logline #ont eJ%lain the #hole storyline nor any of its sub%lots but #ill gi!e a good im%ression of its genre and #hat the main characters stri!e is all about" When setting u% a logline instead of gi!ing a name gi!e the descri%ti!e detail of your character$ for eJam%le: 5ohn Smiths adamant belief a #itch li!ing in his neighborhood is the cause of his recent bad luck$ begins to hound the old lady into submission until she suffers a fatal heart attack and no# haunts his dreams to the %oint he takes a family as hostage to %ro!e his sanity and her eJistence" 9o# re%lace his name #ith Q)n eccentric lonersP and it gi!es the reader the im%ression of no one coming to his aid since he isolates himself from e!eryone" 7r e!en Qa lonely mansP
no# im%lies a man #ith nothing better to do than to come u% #ith his o#n de!ices to gi!e himself something to do" EJam%les of fictional loglines to study: ) %air of !igilantes #ho belie!e they are cleaning u% the streets in their neighbourhood only succeed in riling u% the #rong gang" (hree musicians are on the ride of their life #hen they sign on #ith an agent #ho ends u% embe22ling all their money$ lea!ing them back on the %oor side of the track to make the comeback of their life" ) #ealthy #oman %uts her life on the line #hen she sets herself u% as bait to catch her husbands killer" (he logline for my o#n soon4to4be4released %aranormal/thriller ADoormans CreekB isB ) young teen and his friends disco!er a ca!ePand an entity that %uts them in the %ath of a serial killer they must track do#n before he murders another family member" ) logline is your ad$ your hook to cause a reader to %ick u% your book and %urchase it" 7ffer enough of the essence of your %lot to intrigue them$ build their curiosity le!el to such an eJtent they Qneed to find out #hat ha%%ens" 8ou only ha!e those fe# %recious initial minutes to im%ress an editor/reader #ith your storyline so make it count" Lea Schi.as is the foun#er of The !use 'nline *riters Conference an# 2ublisher of !use&tU2 Publishin". To a## to Lea<s %o#est byline, she is also an awar# winnin" 2ublishe# author.
for her close4u%$ delicate fingers$ %oised toes$ her red sunhat a .risbee against sky of %ulled taffy clouds on blue" Sea like scallo%s of )lenRSon lace belo#$ sand stretched a#ay to#ard the Palisades$ the smell of sugary churros her last sensation" Carolyn @o ardA>ohnson# Briginally published in Pear Noir Carolyn Howard-Johnson is the author of the %ulti awar#;winnin" Celebration Series of cha2books with !a"#alena Ball, #irector of the re$iew site htt2(88www.co%2ulsi$erea#er.co%8ht%l8 Co%e tweet with Carolyn at www.Twitter.co%8Fru"alBookPro%o These 76 ste2s are a$ailable in a little #ouble;fol# flier for use as han#outs at your neAt book si"nin". Bust e;%ail Carolyn at hoConewsDaol.co% an# ask for the e;co2y. Learn %ore about her 2oetry at www.howto#oitfru"ally.co%82oetryEbooks.ht%. Carolyn )o*ard+,ohnson 'nstructor for the reno#ned 6C1) EJtension WritersT Program Web site: htt%://###"Ho#(oDo't.rugally"com E4mail: Ho5o9e#sUaol"com
yourself lucky and blessed" .or most of the #riting community$ ho#e!er$ #riting is a struggle to balance creati!ity and technical kno#4ho#" 7f course$ one is &ust as im%ortant as the other$ but to focus on technical kno#4ho# at the muse stage$ can be as frustrating as getting Su%erman to #ear a kry%tonite necklace" 1M3'1CA0142: ASho#$ dont tell"B We hear that %hrase as often as Ca%tain ar!el hears the #ord ASha2am;B 'ts more than a mantra$ more than a symbol of mystical$ magical transformationIits the heart and soul of great storytelling" 'm%lication defines this notorious %hrase" (o im%ly$ rather than state$ is a mar!elous tool" 't lends de%th$ humor$ and realism to our characters" By im%lying a reaction$ emotion$ or descri%tion$ rather than stating the facts$ #e must dig dee%er into our characters$ understand each of their %ersonalities$ and choose the #ords that are %art of that characters leJicon" .or EJam%le: Buffy sna%%ed her gum and eyed the guy in the red ca%e" AWhere can ' get me someDB A5inkies$ Buffy" (he last thing the uni!erse needs is offs%ring from that union"B (helma sho!ed her glasses higher and dragged Buffy back into the mall" )bo!e$ its im%lied$ rather than stated$ that Buffy finds the guy in the red ca%e attracti!e$ follo#ed by the im%lication that (helma belie!es their children #ould be dangerous" (hrough this ty%e of #riting$ you sho# much more than the #ords tell" We can infer abo!e that Buffy is a bit of flirt$ a little boy cra2y" (he guy in the red ca%e must be good looking" (helma is more straight4laced and disa%%ro!es$ likely based on %ast eJ%eriences" 'ts sho#n$ in this short eJchange$ that they are friends #ith differing %riorities$ but en&oy each others com%any" 0reat storytellers$ such as Ste%hen -ing$ fill their books #ith catch4%hrases and anecdotes that build rich #orlds for the reader$ a hint at the life these characters ha!e li!ed off the %age" (hrough these #ord choices$ these small re!elations$ youll gi!e the reader a story they #ont #ant to %ut do#n$ and #ont soon forget" 1M3'6M620A0142: AWith great %o#er$ comes great res%onsibility"B 'f S%iderman ne!er used his %o#ers$ the bad guys #ould get a#ay" 'f Su%erman took the bus$ instead of flying$ chances are$ hed miss sa!ing the day" ) #riter #ho doesnt #rite$ doesnt get %ublished" Writing the #ords$ im%lementing the %o#er of your muse$ your ins%iration$ through im%lication$ can hel% you achie!e successI#hate!er ty%e of success you choose" (his may mean sim%ly com%leting a book$ or hitting the 9e# 8ork (imes bestseller list" Setting goals$ #hiche!er ones they are$ is the first ste% in im%lementing all you!e learned" Be s%ecific$ but be realistic" 'f the goal is to #rite e!ery day$ take the concrete ste%s you need to make that ha%%en" Pre%are ahead of time$ set the alarm on a clock or your #atch$ #arn your family or friends that this time is off limits" Whiche!er %rocess #orks best for you$ follo# through" Prolific #riters are dra#n to their books$ unable to resist immersing themsel!es in the #orld theyre creating" By taking the ste%s abo!e$ youll find yourself caught in the same hy%notic s%ell" 'n fact$ you may find its going to take a heck of a lot more than the 0reen 0oblin of real life or the 1eJ 1uther of distractions to drag you a#ay" ,emember the Su%er Writers .our 's of Storytelling: ins%iration$ intuition$ im%lication$ and im%lementation the neJt time you fli% on the com%uter$ click o%en that %en$ or shar%en that %encilIyou &ust might disco!er the %o#er inside you"
Awar#;winnin" author B.R. Turner li$es in Central *isconsin with her husban# an# three chil#ren. She be"an writin" in hi"h school, an# after a #eca#e workin" as a co%%ercial artist, starte# her first no$el in 7FFF. Asi#e fro% crafts, ca%2in" an# cookin", she lo$es holi#ays. A fa$orite is /alloween, a co%bination of s2ooky su2ernatural fun an# chocolate. 9isit her at htt2(88www.Cennifer;turner.co% to learn %ore4
%heme Writing
"y 7evin Mc2amee )ny #riter #ho has e!er researched the maga2ine market has noticed the maga2ines theme re?uirements" (his is usually included some#here #ith the submission guidelines" ' #rite mainly for the childrens market" Some of the most %o%ular themes include the seasons and holidays" (hese themes are also !ery %o%ular in the trade book market as #ell" Walk into any book store at any time of the year$ and you are bound to see a dis%lay #ith holiday or season themed books" Some of them are treasured classics" Some of them are brand ne# to the market" But all of them re%resent the continuous demand for these ty%es of books" 9o# #riting to fit a theme is not easy" 't may be a little easier than #riting a story from scratch though" )t least you kno# the sub&ect matter" 8ou #ouldnt submit a story about trains #hen the theme is summer" But 'm sure that there are editors out there #ho could tell stories other#ise" (he real challenge of theme #riting is trying to come u% #ith a fresh a%%roach to the sub&ect" What can #e do differently to a sub&ect that has been co!ered thousands of timesD (he ans#er: Plenty and you can ha!e a lot of fun in the %rocess too" ) fe# years ago around Hallo#een$ my %oetry criti?ue grou%$ (he Poets 0arage$ got together and decided to %ut together a %oetry collection based on the theme As%ookyB" >uite a fe# of us had #ritten Hallo#een themed %oems and #ere %lanning to submit them to maga2ines for the follo#ing year" (he idea of %utting together a %oetry collection intrigued us" .or about siJ months$ #e #rote$ criti?ued and re!ised As%ookyB %oems" (he %ro&ect #as s%earheaded by fello# 0arage members$ 1aura Wynkoo% and 5ennifer 5udd" (hey assembled and submitted the collection to !arious %ublishing houses" (he end result #as )n Eyeball in y 0arden: )nd 7ther S%ine4(ingling Poems" So #hat does this ha!e to do #ith taking a fresh a%%roach to themes$ you might askD Well$ as long as a %oem had anything to do #ith something considered s%ooky$ it #as a #elcome addition to the collection" )s a result$ #e had a great miJ of the humorous$ interesting$ cree%y and do#nright sinister" (here are %lenty of %oems about #itches$ but ha!e you e!er #anted to take a %eek at a AWitchs Sho%%ing 1istBD Same goes for #ere#ol!es$ but ha!e you e!er heard the A1o!e Song of a Were#olfBD Did you e!er really #ant to find out AWhere 9ightmares D#ellBD )ll of these %oems are s%ooky and all of them are !ery different" Ha!ing trouble thinking of a ne# a%%roach for a monsterD 9o %roblem$ make one u%" (hats ho# the Winking Wot came to be" We also created an assortment of s%ell casting gargoyles$ ghosts$ ghost fish$ and goblins on %arade" (he %ossibilities are endless" (heme #riting does %resent its o#n set of challenges" But it also can be !ery fun and re#arding to lea!e your o#n uni?ue stam% on a to%ic that has been co!ered numerous times" (heme #riting is a little like coloring in a coloring book" 'ts better #hen you stay inside the lines" But choose any colors you #ant and make it your o#n" e$in !c?a%ee is a writer an# 2oet li$in" in @onkers, ?.@. /e is the author of se$eral chil#ren<s books an# is a contributin" author to the 2oetry collection, An Eyeball in !y :ar#en( An# 'ther S2ine;Tin"lin" Poe%s.
To fin# out %ore about e$in, 2lease $isit his website at www.ke$in%cna%ee.co% or his blo" at www.ke$in%cna%eechil#rensauthor.blo"s2ot.co%.
and des$ribe it ith the five senses, rite it as he FfeelsG it# &bstra$t ords and ideas $an be interpreted by others in different ays, relying on the readers= definition# )etails are reDuired to ma0e the emotion live# @o $an riters avoid FsentimentalityGE Bne e9er$ise is to list $ommon rea$tions to an emotion# %hen the author e9amines those physi$al rea$tions that emotions produ$e, and simple and overused des$riptions are physi$al rea$tions to emotion# @o ever the idea is to find other ays to e9plain those rea$tions so that the reader isn=t left unmoved# F%he tri$0,G )orisiAWinget says, Fis tapping into your <emotion memory#= Cet beyond the pounding heart and $len$hed fist#G -f des$ribing fear, the Fsi$0 stoma$hG might be$ome the tilting li0e the time seasi$0ness $aused lun$h to ant to es$ape# %he details tell the taleM if used $reatively and ell, the details Fsho G the tale# Writers don=t have to abandon abstra$t thoughts and ords $ompletely, but the ma2ority of des$ription should be $on$rete# Williams says she uses no more than t enty per$ent abstra$t and at least eighty per$ent detail hen using emotion in her riting# &voiding sentimentality allo s the riter=s perspe$tive to be used, not someone else=s# Writers then $reate the emotion reDuired in FgoodG pie$es of fi$tion# NNN Sources: 1# +harti Kir$hner, F-t=s sho time?G %he Writer &ugust 2004# 2# )ianna )orisiAWinget, F*et=s Cet Physi$al? Writing Emotions in (i$tion,G +y*ine (ebruary 2005# /# Ellen Ma$aulay, F&$ting *essons,G %he Writer &pril 2004# 1# >ames S$ott +ell, F*eave %hem With @ope,G Writer=s )igest )e$ember 2004# 4# Kristen Williams, F;o Pla$e for @allmar0,G http!"" # o A s$hools#net"hallmar0#htm# 5# 'obert Blen +utler, F%he )ynami$s of )esire,G %he Writer B$tober 2004# 6# William C# %apply, F)on=t be a S@BWB((,G %he Writer ;ovember 2004# NNN 9i$ian Gabel is an author an# 2ublisher of chil#ren<s books. Check out HR9 Publishin" =htt2(88Hr$2ublishin"llc.co%> for sub%ission "ui#elines an# for Iuality chil#ren<s books"
Celebrate Wins: %he biggest in is finishing your passionApro2e$t, hether it=s an essay to submit to a magaHine, a boo0 proposal, or fullAlength manus$ript# +ut there=s nothing rong ith treating yourself to a fan$y meal out, a ne )R), or that s eater you have been eyeing for ee0s# Set goals, a$$omplish them, re ard yourself# %he biggest re ard is the pride in a$$omplishment? Congratulations in advan$e? VVV
Debra Eckerling is the creator of *rite 'n4 'nline J www.*rite'n'nline.co% J a website an# co%%unity for writers, which focuses on networkin", "oal;settin", an# 2ro#ucti$ity for writers in all areas. *riters can 2ost weekly "oals on the *rite 'n4 FaceBook 2a"e J www.FaceBook.co%8*rite'n'nline an# %onthly "oals on www.*rite'n'nline.co%8:oals )ebra has written for national, local, tra#e, an# online 2ublications. A co%%unications s2ecialist an# K2ersonal trainer for writers,L )ebra trains in#i$i#uals, eA2erts, an# entre2reneurs, so they can or"ani.e, articulate, an# co%2lete their writin" 2roCects. www.*rite'nTrackLA.co%.
*orl#. @ou<ll "et 6 free e;books on writin" an# %arketin" in the 2rocess, an# two %ore free e; books Cust for sto22in" by.
aren Cioffi is an author, "hostwriter =for businesses an# in#i$i#uals>, an# freelance writer. For writin" an# %arketin" infor%ation $isit aren at htt2(88karencioffiwritin"an#%arketin".co% an# si"n u2 for her free newsletter, A *riter<s *orl#. @ou<ll "et 6 free e;books on writin" an# %arketin" in the 2rocess, an# two %ore free e; books Cust for sto22in" by.
Mar0eting
(o arket to arket by artha S#ir2inski Ho# to Coordinate 8our 7#n /irtual Book (our by ayra Cal!ani SE7 and arketing: Basic (i%s and Definitions by -aren Cioffi Book Promotion: (he .oundation by -aren Cioffi
%o Mar0et to Mar0et
"y Martha S*ir(inski We #rite because of our %assion for #ords or maybe #e #ant to educate others$ moti!ate$ or &ust entertain" Whate!er the reason$ #e #rite because #e lo!e it" Some %eo%le may #rite for their o#n %ri!ate en&oyment$ but most of us #ant millions to en&oy our hard #ork" 6nfortunately$ that means #e ha!e to get out there and market our books and oursel!es" 't #ould be great if they all lined u% around the block at our book signings or %acked the house at one of our book readings" Ho#e!er$ if you are &ust starting out there is a good chance thats not going to ha%%en" 8ou are going to ha!e to %ush u% your slee!es and get busy" 'Tm not on the 9e# 8ork (imes bestseller list""" &ust yet$ but ' ha!e %icked u% a fe# ti%s along the #ay" Dont think &ust bookstores for signings" Who are your charactersD Do they like to cookD Ha!e a book signing in a kitchen store or the grand o%ening of a ne# restaurant" ' sell childrens books" 8oull find me at childrens bouti?ues$ festi!als and grand o%enings of any ty%e of com%any that caters to childrens acti!ities" )re your books geared to#ards female readersD Pair u% #ith #omen #ho do home sho#s" (hink Pam%ered Chef$ ary -ay and so on" )round the holidays your books may be &ust the last minute gift they #ere looking for" Ho# about a #orksho%D Ha!e something you can teach your readersD y books are geared to#ard getting children to mo!e during the story$ to use their imagination and their bodies to bring the story to life" ' gi!e #orksho%s on health$ eJercise and nutrition" ' sell most of my books at these e!ents" E!en if you dont feel like you could gi!e a #orksho%K you could %air u% #ith an eJ%ert" ,omance no!els your nicheD Pair u% #ith a marriage counselor for a free #orksho% on building a better marriage" urder mysteries your %assionD Pair u% #ith a %olice officer or marital arts eJ%ert to gi!e a free seminar on %rotecting yourself" aybe %oems are your thing" Pair u% #ith a chocolate sho% and ha!e a tasting and a reading around /alentines Day" (he only limitation is your imagination" A(here is no use trying$B said )liceK Aone cant belie!e im%ossible things"B A' dare say you ha!ent had much %ractice$B said the >ueen" AWhen ' #as your age$ ' al#ays did it for half an hour a day" Why$ sometimes 'T!e belie!ed as many as siJ im%ossible things before breakfast"B 1e#is Carroll By( !artha Swir.inski, author, 2resenter an# teacher www.!o$e%ent2lus.co% www.*holeChil#Publishin".co%
@o
/irtual book tours$ also kno#n as blog tours$ are an effecti!e #ay of book %romotion" ) !irtual book tour %uts your name and book in front of hundredsLsometimes thousandsLof readers" 'f you hire a %ublicist to coordinate it for you$ the %rice can go from a fe# hundred to se!eral thousand dollars" Ho#e!er$ if you do it yourself$ its %ractically free" Best of all$ you dont need a car or an air%lane to tra!el through the blogos%here" 8ou can do it in your %a&amas from the comfort of your o#n home" )ll you need is a com%uter$ internet connection$ and a basic kno#ledge of blogs" Ho#e!er$ be %re%ared to s%end a lot of time at the com%uter for the duration of the tour" ) !irtual book tour is time consuming because the bloggers #ho host you #ill ask you to #rite guest %osts$ articles$ and ans#er inter!ie# ?uestions for them" any ne# authors often ask if !irtual book tours guarantee book sales" (he ans#er is 97" ) !irtual book tour doesnt guarantee sales but it does guarantee a certain amount of !isibility and eJ%osure for you and your #ork" (he follo#ing ste%s #ill hel% you coordinate your o#n !irtual tour: Start %lanning at least @ months in ad!ance" (his #ill gi!e you enough time to research blogs$ contact bloggers$ send re!ie# co%ies Mif re?uestedN$ and #rite guest %osts or ans#er inter!ie# ?uestions" 8ou #ant readers to be entertained #hen they read about you and your book$ so youll ha!e to gi!e them something ne# in e!ery inter!ie#" Writing the same ans#ers in the different inter!ie#s doesnt #ork and youll only be turning readers a#ay" Decide ho# long youll #ant the tour to be and ho# many sto%s youll make" /irtual book tours can be as short as one #eek Mmini book tourN or as long as se!eral months" 't de%ends on your schedule and on ho# much time youre #illing to allocate for it" (#o4#eek and one4month tours seem to be the most %o%ular" 6sually$ there are @ sto%s for each #eek and many authors %refer the sto%s to be on onday$ Wednesday and .riday" (he choice is really u% to you" 't all de%ends on ho# much time$ #ork and commitment youre #illing to gi!e" Decide #hen your tour #ill take %lace" 'f you ha!e a holiday book$ like a Christmas childrens book or a horror no!el$ youll #ant to schedule your tour during December or 7ctober$ res%ecti!ely$ in order to maJimi2e your books marketing %otential" S%end some time online researching blogs and make a list of those that match the content or theme of your book" 'f your book is a mystery no!el about a !iolinist$ for instance$ youll #ant to make a list of mystery and !iolin blogs" (hats #ere the %otential readers and buyers of your book are" (hats #here your au#ience is" 'f you choose general blogs$ then make sure they get a decent amount of traffic a month" 8ou can check ho# many hits a blog or site gets on )leJa"com" Write a tem%late for contacting hosts$ this #ay you #ont ha!e to #rite indi!idual ones for each one" (he message should include a brief intro$ full information about your book Mblurb$ link to co!er art$ %urchase %age$ re!ie#s$ etc"N$ and a %olite re?uest to be hosted on their blogs" ention that youre a!ailable for an inter!ie# or a guest %ost" )s an alternati!e$ you can re?uest a book re!ie#$ but you must be #illing to send them a re!ie# co%y" 'f youre lucky$ the blogger #ill acce%t an eBook co%y$ sa!ing you the eJ%ense of a %rint co%y and %ostage" Be a#are$ ho#e!er$ that not all bloggers are #illing to read electronic co%ies unless they ha!e eBook4 reading de!ices" -ee% in mind that re!ie#s are one of the most effecti!e #ays of book %romotion$ and #hen you com%are it to ads$ theyre reasonably chea%" 1et the bloggers kno# youll be aggressi!ely %romoting the tour$ thus bringing traffic to their blogs"
Pre%are a schedule" 0et a #eekly or monthly calendar #ith enough s%ace for notes" (his #ill hel% you !isuali2e the entire tour" )s the bloggers res%onses start flo#ing in and you agree on s%ecific tour sto% dates$ record the follo#ing information on the calendar: blog name and 6,1$ hosts name$ #hether its for a guest %ost$ article$ inter!ie# or re!ie#" 'n case of re!ie#s$ send the book to the blogger as soon as %ossible Mat least t#o months in ad!anceN$ gi!ing him or her enough time to read and re!ie# the book" Dont lea!e #riting guests %osts and ans#ering inter!ie# ?uestions for the last minute" (ake your time" ,emember readers #ant to be entertained and informed" 0i!e them !aluable information$ add a touch of humor and kee% your !oice fresh and interesting" )lso$ dont #ait until the last day to send the material to the host" Send it at least a #eek in ad!ance" ) fe# days before the tour starts$ double check your calendar to make sure all is in order$ then %ost the com%lete schedule$ #ith the correct hosts links$ on your #ebsite and/or blog" )lso$ send a reminder to all your hosts" (o make this easy$ %ut your hosts contact info in a se%arate email folder and email them together #hen needed" ake sure you u%date your tour schedule on a daily basis in case of last minute changes" 7nce the tour starts$ %romote it; )nnounce it to all your friends$ colleagues and relati!es and in all forums$ grou%s and lists you belong to" 8ou can also send a %ress release for eJtra eJ%osure" .or the duration of the tour$ be sure to !isit your tour sto%s to #rite comments or ans#er ?uestions !ia the Q1ea!e a Comment feature on the blogs" 'nteracting #ith readers #ill make your !irtual book tour more interesting and entertaining" .inal ti%s: Consider offering a %ri2e at the end of the tour to one lucky #inner" (his #ill encourage !isitors to comment on your tour sto%s and follo# you all through the tour" (he %ri2e could be a gift certificate$ a goody basket$ or e!en a free criti?ue" 'ts not recommended to offer a co%y of the book youre %romoting as gift" 'f %eo%le think they might #in it$ they #ont buy it" 7nce the tour is o!er$ dont forget to thank your hosts and offer to return their fa!or in the future" (his makes for good internet net#orking and %rotocol" Awar#;winnin" author !ayra Cal$ani writes fiction an# nonfiction for chil#ren an# a#ults. She<s ha# o$er ,11 re$iews, articles, short stories an# inter$iews 2ublishe# in 2rint an# online. 9isit her website at www.%ayracal$ani.co%.
7ne last note about SE7$ kee% your key#ords sim%le and concise" )nd$ often its of greater benefit to use long4tail key#ords" (hese key#ords may not get as many search hits$ but they do get a much more targeted audienceK this lea!es you #ith less com%etition" )n eJam%le of a key#ord might be$ Aallergy relief"B )llergy relief is a !ery generic and hea!ily used key#ord" 'n order to make it more s%ecific and hone in on a narro#er audience/searcher$ you might use$ Aallergy air cleaners$B or maybe$ Aremedies for allergies$B or$ Aallergy sinus medications"B 8ou #ant to narro# the %laying field" (here are free tools to test out and analy2e key#ordsK here are three of them you might try: htt%://freekey#ords"#ordtracker"com/ htt%://###"key#orddisco!ery"com/search"html htt%://###"#ordstream"com/key#ords/ aren Cioffi is an author, "hostwriter =for businesses an# in#i$i#uals>, an# freelance writer. For writin" an# %arketin" infor%ation $isit aren at htt2(88karencioffiwritin"an#%arketin".co% an# si"n u2 for her free newsletter, A *riter<s *orl#. @ou<ll "et 6 free e;books on writin" an# %arketin" in the 2rocess, an# two %ore free e; books Cust for sto22in" by.
articles out there in cybers%ace on self4editing" (ake the time and read a fe#$ then go o!er your manuscri%t" D. Co"er and Design (his ste% is more rele!ant to those #ho decide to self4%ublish$ or use a Print4on4Demand MP7DN" (he co!er is the first im%ression a reader #ill usually ha!e of your book$ neJt is the interior design" (hese as%ects are &ust as im%ortant as the story itself" 'm sure youre familiar #ith the eJ%ression that you only get one shot at making a good first im%ression" Well$ you can relate that to your book co!er" Dont skim% on time$ effort$ or money #hen coming u% #ith your books co!er and design" 0ip: 'f you are #riting a childrens book$ do not do your o#n illustrations unless youre a %rofessional illustrator" aren Cioffi is an author an# "hostwriter =for businesses an# in#i$i#uals>. For writin" an# %arketin" infor%ation $isit =htt2(88karencioffiwritin"an#%arketin".co%> an# si"n u2 for her free newsletter, A *riter<s *orl#. @ou<ll "et 6 free e;books on writin" an# %arketin" in the 2rocess, an# two %ore free e;books Cust for sto22in" by.
'esour$es
Writing
The #rugal Editor $ %ut &our Best Book #orward to A"oid Hu'iliation and Ensure Success )uthor: Carolyn Ho#ard45ohnson (his book takes you through the #riting %rocess from start to finish" 'ts %ro!ides easy4to4 understand and !aluable ad!ice$ ti%s$ information$ and resources" The reat ra''ar Book )uthor arsha Stramek (he book %ro!ides information about grammar" 't includes eJ%lanations$ great eJam%les$ and re!ie#s" 't focuses on only those grammatical terms #hich are necessary to a!oid mistakes or to im%ro!e #riting skills" Children(s )riters )ord Book )uthor: )li&andra ogilner and (ayo%a ogilner (his book lists #ords in grou%s by gradesK %ro!ides a thesaurus of those #ordsK %ro!ides detailed guidelines for sentence length$ #ord usage$ and themes at each reading le!elK and more" 'ts a !ery hand book to ha!e if youre #riting for children" @esA @o can 'earn )o* to Write ChildrenBs "ooks
)uthor 9ancy '" Sanders (his is the ne#est of the best4selling and a#ard4#inning authors G+W %ublished books" (he book %ro!ides ste%4by4ste% instructions for becoming a successful %ublished author" Bird by Bird )uthor: )nne 1amott Heres a ?uote from the 9e# 8ork (imes Book ,e!ie#: ASu%erb #riting ad!iceP hilarious$ hel%ful and %ro!ocati!e"B Ste!hen *ing $ +n )riting, A -e'oir o. the Cra.t )uthor: Ste%hen -ing (his book offers insight and instruction on the craft of #riting"
Suotes
A8ou must be the change you #ant to see in the #orld"B M!. :han#i A0od doesnTt re?uire us to succeedK he only re?uires that you try"B M !other Teresa A'ts not #hat you!e done that matters 4 its #hat you ha!ent done"B M !ark Twain A0i!e #hat you ha!e" (o someone$ it may be better than you dare to think"B M/enry *a#sworth Lon"fellow, 701N;7006 A-no#ing is not enoughK #e must a%%ly" Willing is not enoughK #e must do"B M:oethe A) %rofessional #riter is an amateur #ho didnt ?uit" A M Richar# Bach OEasy reading is damn hard #riting"O M ?athaniel /awthorne ODonTt tell me the moon is shiningK sho# me the glint of light on broken glass"O M Anton Chekho$ O'f you #ant to be a #riter$ you must do t#o things abo!e all others: read a lot and #rite a lot" (hereTs no #ay around these t#o things that 'Tm a#are of$ no shortcut"O
MSte2hen in"