Writers Magazette

Vol. 4 No. 2 Articles and News To Help Todays Writers Summer 2011

10 Questions For Our WM Staff Also, In This Issue: Viewpoints Catching Harper Lee How To Make $10,000 a Month Selling E-Books Three Steps To Overcome Writer's Block In Celebration of A Hack Writer From Fractured Fiction To Shelf-Publishing? Book Promotion Facts and Fiction Memorable Book Lines Writing For A Living Description In Fiction ... and much more!

Why You Should Read Writers Magazette

Articles and News For Todays Writers, Plus a Lot More! Dear Writer, There are very few writing magazines that have proven to be indispensable and helpful to writers. Writers Magazette is one of these. Each edition of WM is full of informative advice, and friendly inspiration for writers of fiction and nonfiction. Please Note: If you are looking for a quick fix to literary success, we regret to say that our magazine may not be for you. In truth, writing is hard work. And if you do not put the time and effort into it, you will not succeed. However, if you have a true passion for writing and you are willing to make the effort, WM will help you. Each day, more writers all over the world are finding it extremely beneficial to buy or sign up for a subscription to Writers Magazette, formerly known as The Perspiring Writer Magazine. This printed edition, as well as our online magazine and e-book version, provides informative and entertaining articles for writers with huge ambitions and literary dreams. Sometimes our contributing editors provide serious advice; other times, it is friendly, or even amusing. *Our main goal is to provide you with the best information and news you will need to become a successful writer. True, there are many avenues to literary success. Our way is to fill our magazine with the sage advice of seasoned writers, such as Robert Bly, author of more than 70 books and recognized by many as the #1 copywriter in the U.S.; Nick Daws of the UK, author of more than 50 books as well as numerous short stories and articles; Rob Parnell of Australia, author of the bestselling The Easy Way To Write A Novel and numerous other books, articles, and writing courses; Patricia Fry, a 35-year veteran writer and publishing organization leader and author of 31 books; Susan Malone, author, mentor, and editorial consultant who has helped over 30 of her clients sell their books to traditional publishers. In addition, we have our own friendly, professional WM staff who offer expert advice as well. So is it any wonder that Writers Magazette is growing so rapidly? Take care, and keep writing.
E. P. Ned Burke (WM editor)

*For our online version go to http://writersmagazette.com

Viewpoint:
*We welcome your viewpoint on any subject. Send your submission to Writers Magazette at: writersmagazette@gmail.com or mail to our street address listed on this page.

A Comparison Between Packing and Writing

By Ann Favreau Ill be going on an international trip soon. As I think about packing, it occurs to me that packing for a trip is like writing a story. Let me point out the similarities. PACKING Lay out all the clothes you want to take and then put half of them back. Select one or two basic colors. Coordinate your wardrobe. Bring layers to account for changes in temperatures. Include all necessary medications, sunscreen, camera, umbrella. Bring comfortable walking shoes. Do a little reading about where you are going but be ready for surprises. Keep your important travel documents with you in an easily accessible place. Be confident that your preparations will help you enjoy the trip. I plan to pack a travel journal so that I will have a special place to record my observations. I hope to have some wonderful stories to share with you when I return. WRITING Free write your story and put all that comes to mind in your piece. Then go back later and eliminate those elements that bog down the story line. Minimize the number of characters but let the reader get to know them. Layer the action to keep the reader interested. Try to be concise but include what is necessary. Find a place to write that is comfortable. Research your topic but let your characters surprise you with their narrative and dialog. Rely on the dictionary, thesaurus, grammar and spell checks. Effectively write and revise. Enjoy the creative process.

Writers Magazette

Editor
E. P. Ned Burke

Contributing Editors
Carrillee Collins Burke Madonna Dries Christensen Marshall J. Cook
Writers Magazette is published quarterly byE. P. Burke Publishing, 2532 Clubhouse Cir. #104, Sarasota, FL 34232. Copyright 2011WM. All rights reserved SUBMISSIONS All writing articles and news contributions are welcome. Publisher assumes no responsibility for return or safety of unsolicited materials to mailing address above, but all reasonable care will be taken with such material.

It is best to send articles in body of an e-mail to: writersmagazette@gmail.com

Please Note
Although we believe that all products advertised in WM are true and of value, Writers Magazette or E. P. Burke Publishing cannot warrant or be held responsible for the effectiveness or applicability of these products. All ads are for information purposes only and are not warranted for content, accuracy, or any other implied or explicit purpose.

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Viewpoint:

Following Your Yellow Brick Road

By Rex A. Owens It happened on December 4, 2009. My employer was reorganizing and my position was reorganized out the door. Merry Christmas. I was asked for my keys to the building and to leave immediately. I handed them my key ring and told them to find the right key; that I couldnt find it. My personal items were boxed up by the human resources staff and I was told to return next week to retrieve my stuff. I was given a letter to any potential future employer explaining that I was a fine employee and should be hired. Right at 58 that was not likely. I was also given a letter that said if I did not sue for age discrimination they would give me a wad of cash within 30 days. Do I look stupid? I went for the cash. The first weekend of unemployment was grueling. My wife is a saint. She left work on RIFF day to be with me. She reviewed our budget and we developed a financial plan together that first weekend of unexpected freedom. From the depth of my anger I told my wife I was resolved to never be someone elses employee again never ever. I spent nine long years working on a novel and more writing conferences, classes and critique groups than mentally healthy for anyone. I had a dream of one day devoting myself full time to writing my Yellow Brick Road. I dragged my novel out of its virtual closet to polish and begin the journey to find a literary agent or publisher. By March 2010 I was on the road to sell my novel, my soul, or both. I attended a writers conference in April to make a pitch to several literary agents. I paid $25 each to make my pitch. Can you imagine paying someone to convince them to read your work? Its like paying a company to interview you for a job. What a racket. Nonetheless, I beamed when they both asked me to send them 50 pages of my manuscript. One of the agents lost my submission even though I submitted it electronically. I resubmitted and waited 6 months for the reply this isnt for me. The second agent replied within two
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weeks of my submission. I dont understand your timeline Im not interested. That $50 went down the drain. I decided to try my hand at freelancing to bring in some cash. I wrote a profile of a friends' sustainable cattle ranch with grass fed-grass finished beef. A local special interest newspaper published the story but didnt pay a dime but I had my first clip. The second paper asked if the rancher wanted to buy advertising he didnt. Then I was asked to buy advertising. I didnt. I was a freelance writer and wanted to be paid, but never heard from them again. The local weekly newspaper printed my story without informing me they had accepted it for publication. I contacted the editor and asked to be paid. He said he thought it was a public service piece. I referred him to my original e-mail explaining I was a freelance writer and requested payment. The newspaper editor relented and asked me to submit an invoice and of course the accounting office claimed I didnt have the right form. It took about eight weeks to get paid by the local newspaper. I then sold the story to a national publication. Having a clip in a national magazine is prestigious isnt it? Well, that clip lead to a request for publication rights from another national magazine, so it was worth it. I then launched an Internet career and I am now an independent contractor with both Examiner.com and Suite 101. Together, I have over 70 articles published and routinely publish about 3-4 articles a week. I also landed a monthly column for an e-zine, Extra Innings, specifically for writers. In February 2011, I was contacted by Mischievous Muse Press with an offer to publish my debut historical novel, Murphys Troubles. Mischievous Muse Press is a micro press in California that specializes in working with debut authors and has a unique business model partnering with writers. My novel is scheduled to be published in the spring of 2012. The publisher created a web presence for me at: www.worldnouveau.com/ mischievousmusepress/authorsearch/rexowens. I recently turned 60 and I am now happily following my yellow brick road to a literary life. Ive started work on a second novel and continue to write for Examiner.com, Extra Innings and Suite 101 weekly.

Catching Harper Lee

By Madonna Dries Christensen For nearly 50 years, Harper Lee has embraced a lifestyle reminiscent of Boo Radley, the unforgettable recluse in her only novel, To Kill A Mockingbird. Like Boo, it takes something special for Lee to emerge. In 2007, she visited the White House to accept The Presidential Medal of Freedom. President Bush said, "To Kill a Mockingbird has influenced the character of our country for the better. It's been a gift to the entire world. As a model of good writing and humane sensibility, this book will be read and studied forever." Nelle Harper Lee was born in Monroeville, Alabama, on April 28, 1926, the youngest of four children born to Frances Finch Lee and Amasa Coleman Lee. She maintains that her story is not autobiographical; that it simply evokes a time and place she knew well. But her father unquestionably inspired Atticus Finch, and Truman Bulldog Persons (later Capote), her childhood playmate, was clearly the model for Dill, Scout and Jems peculiar friend. In the early 1950s, Lee left law school for New York City, to write. She once said that TKAM was like Topsy; it just grew. The J. B. Lippincott editors liked the manuscript, but thought it shapeless. A monetary gift from friends enabled Lee to take time off from her airline's job to revise. Finally one editor said, It might not sell even twenty-thousand copies, but we love Nelle. Its 1960 publication came at the onset of the civil rights movement. Told in honest, easy to understand prose, Lee's depiction of racial segregation and discrimination in the South opened the eyes and minds of Northerners and Southerners alike. Within a year, over a half million copies had sold. The book spent 80 weeks on bestseller lists and was serialized in Reader's Digest. Lee won the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award and other honors. The novel has been translated into 40 languages, and is assigned reading in many schools. Popular with Ninth Grade students, one reason cited is that they admire the moral fiber of Atticus Finch. One student said, It taught me to see other points of view. Another said, It speaks to small town ideals and racism, important topics.

In Lee's last known interview, in 1964, for Roy Newquists book, Counterpoint, she said she never expected her novel to do well, that she simply hoped someone might like it and give her encouragement. The massive attention, however, ...was one of sheer numbness. It was like being hit over the head and knocked cold. Asked about a rumored second novel, she replied, It goes ever so slowly. I want to do the best I can with the talent God gave me. I would like to leave some record of the kind of life that existed in a very small world. I would simply like to put down all I know about this because I believe there is something universal in this little world, something decent to be said about it, and something to lament in its passing. If there ever was another manuscript, perhaps its tucked away in an old chifforobe, like the one Tom Robinson broke apart for Miss Mayella in the book. Lees only other published works were four essays, and a letter for O Magazine. When TKAM was re-released in 1993, Lee wrote the Forward.
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She said, Please spare Mockingbird an Introduction. As a reader, I loathe Introductions. I associate Introductions with long gone authors and works that are being brought back into print after years of internment. Although Mockingbird will be thirty-three this year, it has never been out of print and I'm still alive, although very quiet. Mockingbird still says what it has to say, it has managed to survive the years without preamble. Atticus Finch explained to Scout that it's a sin to kill a mockingbird because they harm no one and give only pleasure with their singing. Later, Sheriff Tate advises Atticus that he plans to tell the townsfolk that Bob Ewell fell on his knife, rather than reveal that Boo Radley stuck a knife into Ewell to save the Finch children. Tate says, I never heard tell that it's against the law for a citizen to do his utmost to prevent a crime from being committed, which is exactly what he did, but maybe you'll say it's my duty to tell the town all about it and not hush it up. Know what'd happen then? All the ladies in Maycomb includin' my wife'd be knocking on his door bringing angel food cakes. To my way of thinkin', Mr. Finch, taking the one man who's done you and this town a great service an' draggin' him with his shy ways into the limelightto me, that's a sin. Overhearing this, Scout tells Atticus that Mr. Tate is right. When Atticus asks what she means, Scout replies, Well, it'd be sort of like shootin' a mockingbird, wouldn't it? So, if Lee wants no angel food cakes, no interviews, it would be rude to invade her privacy. Folks in Monroeville refute the notion that shes a recluse, saying she socializes but does not like publicity. Ironically, at the same time theyre protecting their famous resident, theyve built a cottage industry of tourism around her. The 1903 courthouse has a Harper Lee/Truman Capote exhibit, and its the setting for an annual play based on TKAM. The production is always sold out but, reportedly, Lee has never attended. The Alabama Bar Association erected a monument in Monroeville to Atticus Finch. Such is the power of her memorable characters. The benevolent ghosts of Maycomb hold sway with a tenacious force that frays the line between fiction and reality. Despite choosing to wear a mantle of mystery, Harper Lee remains a literary giant. Her timeless story, rich in its sense of place, voice, plot and characterization, is everything a novel should be. Her words give pleasure to first-time readers and
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to those who read her book again and again. Whether she likes it or not, she's a curiosity, whose presence fans must conjure through imagination and by borrowing a few of her words. Envision a pleasant summer evening, after a sweltering day during which ladies bathed before noon, after their three oclock naps, and by nightfall were like soft teacakes with frostings of sweat and sweet talcum. Mockingbirds chatter in a live oak, its branches laden with Spanish moss twisting in the breeze. Wearing a flowered frock, the snowyhaired Miss Nelle glides on the porch swing. Shes "a proper Southern lady," the kind Aunt Alexandra hoped Jean Louise (Scout) would become, one of those women the precocious child described as, "fragrant ladies who rocked slowly, fanned gently, and drank cool water."

Must a toy be tangible, or might it be as weightless as a whisper secreted in a boys small fist? Keep an open mind and step back and enjoy the magic of this new book compiled by Madonna Dries Christensen. Now on sale at Amazon.com and other sites or visit http://writersmagazette.com for link.

10 Questions For E. P. Ned Burke

WM: When did you first want to be a writer? EPNB: I can recall the exact day. When I was in fourth grade, my teacher asked the class to write a letter to our moms for Mother's Day. Something personal, she said. So I poured my heart out telling my mom how I loved her for all that she had done for me, something I'd never told her verbally. I should explain that in our family, outward affection or any emotion was repressed, except for joy and laughter. In fact, I had only heard my mother cry one time, and that was behind her bedroom door. It was years later before I learned it was because she had suffered her second miscarriage. So when I handed her the letter I expected a sweet smile and a thank you, maybe a little kiss on the cheek if I were lucky. Instead, I saw tears well up in her eyes and roll down her cheeks as she read my letter. Then she gave me a long hug. I was confused and asked if she liked the letter. Between sobs, she said: "I love it. I will cherish it forever." That night she proudly showed it to my father. He didn't cry, but I could tell the letter touched him as well. And that was the moment I realized the true power of the written word. WM: What writers influenced you? EPNB: Mark Twain was the first. Then in prep school I discovered Edgar Allan Poe. First, it was his poetry; then his short stories captivated me. Later, it would be Hemingway and Fitzgerald, followed by John Irving, Vonnegut, and others. WM: What is your latest work? Book, article, etc. EPNB: My 3rd Amos Grant mystery novel, The Dead Ringer of Taterville. I also have several e-books and many articles clogging up the Internet these days.

WM: What is your writing process? EPNB: For novels, I slave over the first chapter until I feel it is right. Then I move forward. I see each chapter as a scene in a movie. I like to be as surprised as the reader when I get to the ending. Perhaps not the best formula to emulate ... but it works for me. WM: When and where do you do your best writing? EPNB: My mornings are for reading e-mails and working on my websites. So the best time for me to write is at night, often until 2AM. I'm lucky to have a home office where I now do all my writing. WM: What famous writer (past or present) would you like to interview and what one question would you ask? EPNB: Hmmm? So many writers ... so many questions to ask. But I guess I'd like to ask Edgar Allan Poe just what the heck happened to him after he got off that train in Baltimore? WM: What do you feel is the hardest part of being a writer today? EPNB: The almost complete absence of magazine markets for short story writers. Years ago, writers like Hemingway, Fitzgerald, O. Henry and others could eke out a living simply writing for the many magazines that accepted short fiction back then. It was a great way to learn the craft. Now these markets are all but extinct and today's traditional fiction book publishers seldom hand out contracts to new authors. Sadly, corporate profit mentality has taken over this once highly creative and independent-thinking industry. WM: What are your immediate and future goals? EPNB: My immediate goal is to make sure that Writer's Magazette and Yesterday's Magazette get out on time.
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After that, I'd like to finish my next Amos Grant novel and a personal memoir I'm now working on. WM: What are your thoughts about the future of printed books, magazines, and newspapers? EPNB: I believe printed books will be around for quite a while. One reason being that the big money people who recently bought up nearly all of the New York publishing houses will want a good return on their investments. As for print magazines: Well, they may survive a few decades longer than print newspapers (which I love) but newspapers have an uphill fight for survival against the instant information and latest news now available online. WM: What do you enjoy reading? EPNB: I lean toward mysteries. As for nonfiction, I read memoirs and quite a few magazines on writing, golf, computers, politics, humor-especially Woody Allen. Besides the classic writers mentioned before, my favorite authors of today would include some recently deceased authors, such as the late great Robert B. Parker, Stuart Kaminsky, and Kurt Vonnegut. Then you can add living authors James Patterson, James Lee Burke, Stephen King, David Baldacci, and Dan Brown to the mix.

How would you like to have these three mystery novels for the price of one? How would you like to download them right now? Go to:http://epburke.com

Available at Amazon.com and other outlets, as well as at: http://epburke.com Be sure to order extra copies of Writers Magazette at our MagCloud website. http://magcloud.com
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Who else wants to recall that magical year when innocence came to an abrupt end? Visit http://epburke.com for more details.

10 Questions For ...

Madonna Dries Christensen

WM: When did you first want to be a writer? MDC: I don't recall it ever being a goal or a want. I drifted into it. The idea might have been planted at about age 25, when I read To Kill A Mockingbird and thought that it must be wonderful to create something like that. But I didnt act on it. In my forties, I wrote a family history. At age 50, I submitted my first work, an essay from the history, and it was published. That was easy, I thought, but soon learned that its not easy. I took writing classes, attended seminars and conferences, read writers magazines, began writing daily, got a few more publications under my belt, and gradually began thinking of myself as a writer. Ive now published five books, a handful of ebooks, several family histories, and assorted fiction and nonfiction in more than a hundred publications. Three Pushcart Prize nominations. I publish an online magazine for a local family history project; Im Contributing Editor to Yesterdays Magazette and Writers Magazette; and a columnist for Extra Innings. To paraphrase Topsy in Uncle Toms Cabin, my career just growd. WM: What writers influenced you? MDC: Harper Lee, of course. When I first began writing, someone said my work brought to mind Eudora Welty; another person mentioned Willa Cather. I dont lay claim to being even close to those two, but I admire their body of work, as well as that of Anne Tyler. Reading her makes me a better writer. WM: What is your latest work? MDC: Toys Remembered, an anthology of stories by men about their childhood toys, and a 135 page update to my family history. WM: What is your writing process? MDC: Hands on the keyboard. My thoughts and fingers work together, creating as I go. Except for scribbling notes when Im away from the computer, I write nothing in longhand. I tend to edit as I go. I like paragraphs to be pretty much the way I want them before moving on. Once a draft is complete, I enjoy revising and revising. Sometimes I dont know when to stop revising. Is it finished yet? WM: When and where do you do your best writing? MDC: Whenmost anytime; Whereat the keyboard in my office. WM: What famous writer (past or present) would you like to interview and what one question would you ask? MDC: Im a broken record on this subject Harper Lee. The obvious question: Why did you stop writing for publication? WM: What do you feel is the hardest part of being a writer today? MDC: Marketing. Due to technology, theres a vast competition for sales. Anyone who wants to do the work can write a book. Marketing is the hard part. WM: What are your immediate and future goals? MDC: Keep writing, every day, whether or not I have a market in mind. WM: What are your thoughts about the future of printed books, magazines, and newspapers? MDC: I dont expect to see an end to printed books during my lifetime, but 50 years from now, libraries might have become book museums.
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WM: What do you enjoy reading? Any particular author? MDC: Eclectic taste; mainstream fiction, historical fiction, Civil War era, World War II era, memoir, Anne Tyler, James Lee Burke, Janet Evanovich, Pat Conroy, Anne Rivers Siddons, Chris Bohjalian, John Irving, Ursula K. Le Guin, Bill Bryson, to name a few.

Look For Links for Toys Remembered, Dolls Remembered, Masquerade, Swinging Sisters and The Quiet Warrior In Our Online Edition at http://writersmagazette.com

The Quiet Warrior

A Vietnam veterans struggle with an unpopular war. 10 - WM - Summer - 2011

10 Questions For Marshall J. Cook

WM: When did you first want to be a writer? MJC: I can't remember not wanting to be a writer. WM: What writers influenced you? MJC: Franklin W. Dixon (Hardy Boy ghostwriter Leslie McFarlane), William Gilmore Beymer (material grandfather, professional writer all his life, wonderful man), Wallace Stegner (as both teacher and writer), William L. Rivers (journalism teacher and writer), William Faulkner, Ernest Hemingway, Flannery O'Connor, J.D. Salinger, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., Ken Kesey, Ernest Gaines, John Dunning ... and just about every other writer I've ever encountered, my writing students, my writer friends ... I'm obviously easily influenced. WM: What is your latest work? Book, article, etc. MJC: I just finished a novel called The Second Kick of a Mule and am starting to shop it to agents. Next up: a novel centered on the labor movement in 20th century America, Wobblies, Joe Hill and all, with excursions into newspaper publishing, radio drama, exhibition baseball, silk weaving, folk singing, and I'm not sure yet what all. I write a craft column called "Writing Better Every Day" for "Creative Wisconsin," a column for how writers learned what they needed to know, "Don't Keep the Day Job," for "Writer's Magazette," and a series on "The Voices of Radio" for Yesterday's Magazette, plus columns, reviews, profiles, and rants for my monthly newsletter for writers, "Extra Innings." WM: What is your writing process?

MJC: Uh, process? (smiling) At this point, I get my butt in the chair, turn on the computer, and write, every day, six days a week, sometimes a little, sometimes a lot. I keep a little notebook with me and jot stuff down when stricken. WM: When and where do you do your best writing? MJC: Before dawn, home office, or whenever/ wherever lightning strikes. WM: What famous writer (past or present) would you like to interview and what one question would you ask? MJC: Wow. No fair. Mostly I'd just like to sit down with any of the folks mentioned in question two and many, many others and just get them talking. One writer? One question? That's ALL I get. OK. Here you go: Writer: Fran Striker. Question: 60,000 words a week -- REALLY? WM: What do you feel is the hardest part of being a writer today? MJC: We're all prisoners in a giant A.D.D. ward, holding our stories up meekly, murmuring "Wouldn't somebody like to read this?" WM: What are your immediate and future goals? MJC: I'm 66 years old. I've been given so much more than I ever expected, certainly much much more than I could ever "deserve." (We don't "earn" life to start with, really.) When I wake up in the morning, I give thanks for the new day, new opportunities. I want to learn to listen better and talk less. I want to follow the wisdom of Micah, verse 6: love the good, do justice, and walk humbly with your God. WM: What are your thoughts about the future of printed books, magazines, and newspapers?
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MJC: I suspect they'll be a place for them for a long, long time yet. Funny how they are becoming the most permanent records we have, isn't it? (Try accessing that floppy disc now.) And people love them as tangible objects as well as conveyors of words and pictures. For writers (I will never bow to the term "content provider"), it really doesn't matter what medium our words get expressed in. Our job is to write as honest, sincerely, and well as we can, to respect the reader, and to try to get out of the way. Nothing so far has changed that. WM: What advice would you give a young writer? MJC: Pay attention. Try stuff. Hold nothing back.

You can contact Marshall J. Cook for more info by e-mail at mcook@dcs.wisc.edu or visit:

www.dcs.wisc.edu/lsa/writing
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10 Questions For Carrillee Collins Burke

WM: When did you first want to be a writer? CCB: As a child, I loved stories. I suppose you could say my grandmother and grandfather taught me that books could take me anywhere. My grandmother would tell me stories about the "wee people" and about mice living on the moon. I'd listen to her tell me these tall tales as we sat on the front porch swing in the dark with the moonlight on our faces. The moon, she'd say, was Swiss cheese and the dark spots were the holes. My grandfather was a teacher and he enjoyed listening to me read as we sat side by side in his big rocker. I began thinking then that maybe one day Id also be a storyteller. WM: What writers influenced you? CCB: Mark Twain and later Kurt Vonnegut because they were both storytellers as well as writers. WM: What is your latest work? Book, article, etc. CCB: My poetry book "Window To My Heart" and before that, "Country Girl," a collection of my short stories. WM: What is your writing process: CCB: I type the entire story out on my computer from beginning to end without stopping. Then I go back and rewrite and rewrite it until I am satisfied with the result. WM: When and where do you do your best writing? CCB: I can write anywhere, but I prefer an open space. I like to write and glance out the window from time to time and see what is going on outside. I hate closed doors. WM: What famous writer (past or present) would you like to interview and what one question would you ask? CCB: I guess Robert B. Parker because I loved his writing style and his characters. What would I ask? Nothing, I guess. I'd just shake his hand and tell him how much I enjoyed his books. WM: What do you feel is the hardest part of being a writer today? CCB: Getting your book published with a traditional publisher. WM: What are your immediate and future goals? CCB: I'd like to regain the writing spark I had years ago. I've been in a bit of a slump lately. I have three novels that I'd like to go over and rewrite. WM: What are your thoughts about the future of printed books, magazines, and newspapers? CCB: Oh, Lord, I do hope printed books never go away. I'd be lost. I love the feel and smell of books. I love seeing their bright colors and sturdy spines stacked on the row of bookcases that line our walls. I also enjoy reading the newspaper with my breakfast each morning. No iPad or iPod for me. WM: What do you enjoy reading? Any particular author? CCB: I love Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum novels. Her characters are so real and her men are so romantic and believable. Her writing brings a smile to my face. If I don't touch base with her characters on a regular basis I experience withdrawal pains. But when I want a good mystery story, I will read James Lee Burke, James Patterson, Harlen Coben, Sandra Brown or Jonathan Kellerman.
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How To Make $10,000 a Month Selling E-Books

By Robert W. Bly Before the Internet, there was a niche in mail order marketing that involved selling books on how to get rich in mail order, the audience primarily composed of business opportunity seekers. Now the Internet has created an equivalent market of people who want to get rich on the Internet, and an equivalent niche: selling e-books on how to make money writing and selling ebooks. Most o these e-books are specifically on how to make money on the Internet, and deal with various aspects of selling information online. A few are on more general marketing and selling topics. Hardly any deal with subjects outside of business and business opportunities. The business model works as follows: You write an e-book on a topic of interest to your potential buyers (Internet millionaire wanna-be's) and format it as a downloadable PDF file. Next, you write a long, powerful sales letter to sell the e-book and post it on the Web as a microsite. Unlike conventional Web sites, which have a lot of buttons and clicking options, the only thing you can do on a microsite for a single e-book is read the sales copy and, if interested, order the product. (E-books are typically covered by a 30-day money back guarantee. Even though the product can't be "returned," anyone who says they are dissatisfied gets a refund.) Finally, you drive traffic to the e-book site through a variety of promotional methods, including ads and articles in other people's ezines, announcements in your own e-tine, banner advertising, co-registrations, cost per acquisition (CPA) deals, making affiliate deals with other online marketers, and sending e-mails to your house file (renting a traditional opt-in list does not typically work for e-book offers because o the high cost).

An "affiliate deal" involves arranging with another online marketer to sell your e-book to his audience in exchange for a cut of the revenue ranging from 30% to 50%. "Affiliates are my most successful method of selling e-books," says Joe Vitale, author of numerous e-books including the best-selling Hypnotic Writing (www.hypnoticwriting.com). Vitale recommends searching the Internet for online marketers who sell other people's products on their site. "Recruiting people who buy your e-book and love it is the best way to get affiliates," says Fred Gleek, an online information marketer (www.seminarexpert.com). Include a section in every e-book explaining how the buyer can become an affiliate and sell your e-book to his audience. "With a new e-book, your own list represents the absolute best way to sell a whole lot of e-books really, really fast," says e-book author Jim Edwards, "People who have bought from you before are highly likely to buy again." The "model" for this genre of "how to get rich online by selling e-books on how to write and sell e-books is eBook Secrets Exposed (www.ebooksecretsexposed.com) by Jim Edwards and David Garfinkel (www.hypnoticwriting.com). Edwards makes a handsome living writing and selling e-books; he has sold 5,000 copies of various e-book titles ranging from $29 to $49 over the last 12 months. Keep in mind that the manufacturing and shipping costs for e-books is zero, which is what makes them such an attractive, profitable information product. "I have two e-books that each generate $10,000 to $12,000 gross each per month," says Edwards. "Another does $3,000 per month in sales, and two others generate $1,200 per month each. One e-Book sold $43,000 in 30 days." What topics works best? "Topics that address an urgent need that the prospect is aware of, and that you can market to pre-formed Internet groups of prospects," says Garfinkle. "These groups are usually composed of e-zine subscribers and are groups that spend a lot of time on a single Web site or discussion groups that allow production promotion." He says that e-books on marketing and big-ticket consumer item topics (e.g., how to negotiate the best price for a car, or how to buy or sell your house) work well. And what won't sell in the e-book marketplace? "Informative, even valuable topics
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around which there is no pressing need most of the time," says Garrfinkle. He recently advised another online marketer not to go forward with a planned e-book for junior executives on how to sell their ideas to others. The reason? He couldn't find an interested community on the Web of junior managers that have spent money on career-improving topics. "Also, except in rare situations, most junior managers don't feel urgency about selling their ideas to others," David notes. A word of caution to the buyer: Some e-books are quickly compiled, shoddily researched, recycled trash, and a rip-off of their $19 or $29 selling price. Reason: The barriers to entry in ebook marketing are so low, anyone can do it. And so the market is flooded with thin PDF documents written by amateurs hoping to make a quick book. Your best bet if you want to buy and read marketing e-books: Buy from the proven authors mentioned in this article - Jim Edwards, David Garfinkel, Fred Gleek, Joe Vitale - as well as other known experts in entrepreneurial online marketing including Terry Dean, Corey Rudel, Jeffrey Lant, and Jim Straw. BOB BLY is an independent copywriter and consultant with more than 25 years of experience in business-to-business, high-tech, industrial, and direct marketing. He is the author of more than 70 books including The Complete Idiot's Guide To Direct Marketing (Alpha Books) and The Copywriter's Handbook (Henry Holt & Co.). His articles have appeared in numerous publications such as DM News, Writer's Digest, Cosmopolitan, Inside Direct Mail, and Bits & Pieces for Salespeople.

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3 Steps To Overcome Writers Block

By Susan Malone Got writers bloc? As folks in rural Texas say, were agin it. Okay, so thats somewhat flip. But the truth is that here, we dont allow it. Dont believe in it. Dont succumb. Its one of the few things that will get you whipped into shape from this office. Yes, many, many folks have huge problems with writers bloc. I hear about it every day. And it does exist, as do a plethora of psychological problems and neuroses. And rest assured, thats all this isa neurosis. We all know the origins of it by now: fear of failure (or success); fear of not being good enough (or of believing your work is so much better than whats being published); of thinking the first draft as to be absolutely perfect (any 12-steppers out there want to respond to this one? Or a host of other deep-seated lies of the ego. As any artist whos been practicing a craft will attest, the biggest hurdle to producing beautiful work is to get the ego out of the way. That, in turn, lets true creativity and artistry bubble up from the deep unconscious, where we plug into that numinous quality of beauty, from which all art originates. As Keats said, Beauty is truth, truth beauty, that is all/Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know. So, problem solved. Okay, there I go being flip again. But far too much emphasis is given to avoiding writers bloc, and what a terrible malady it is to suffer through. Because this is one of those instancesfor certain where the more focus you give it, the bigger a beast it grows to be. Especially for a monster that does not, in reality, even exist (except front and center in that dastardly ego). As any scribe whos been at this long knows, writing is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration. Its all about the work. And theres only one way to accomplish that: butt in chair, fingers on keyboard. I have one prescription for my writers when suffering from this made-up malady, and its failsafe. Works every time. Might not the first day, or the second. But if you dont give up on the process, it will work. Step One: Carve out a time every day to write. Yikes! That sounds like work. Where is all the glamour of being Hemingway? (Note: he wrote every day, even if it was just a paragraph). Tough real-life schedule? Four AM has always been a favorite time of mine . . . Step Two: Sit your butt in that chair every day at your appointed time. No matter what. Unless your hair is one fire or your child is in the hospital, I dont want to hear why you cant. Just do it. Step Three: Write. Cat got your fingers? Thats fine. Sit there. Write the yellow pages. Write why your husband/boyfriend/sister is a first-rate crumb and doesnt understand you. I dont care what you write, just write. This is the key to the kingdom. I have yet to find the writer plagued with horrid bloc who after doing this for three days, didnt find himself back to work on the novel, short story, memoir, etc. (And conversely, I can always tell when someone wimps out and cheats. I have my ways. Something about making those fingers work is kinda like the motion of the ocean for a child in a carit puts your conscious mind (ego) into a lull and voila! Out comes art (or a dream, if youre in the car, which in essence is part and parcel of the same thing). Julia Cameron in Finding Water recommends writing morning pages every day. A stream-ofconsciousness set of pages first thing in the morning that just lets all your demons outmany of which you didnt even know were there. While I dont do that, I like the idea of it. If writers bloc has set in, however, do this. A few additional notes here as well. Most importantly, forget caring about this first draft. Stop it. I order you. Doesnt matter if its the worst schlock youre ever seen, and wouldnt even let your cat eat it. Nothing in a first draft is permanent. Not even that lovely line youre so amazed came out of you (half the time even those end up on the editing-room floor as well). First drafts dont matter. Let yourself go. Let your fingers go. Quit thinking! This is the creative stage, and were trying to get you, the you of the ego, out of the way. Just write.
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If your goal is to write for forty-five minutes every morning, and you end up with one well-written line, wow! Give yourself a big pat on the back from me. Thats the entire point in a nutshell. Go have a nice cup of coffee and watch the sunrise. And tomorrow, you can build upon that line. *Susan Mary Malone is author of By The Book (novel), BodySculpting: The Weisbeck Way; Fourth and Long and Five Keys to Understanding Men. See her short stories, "Descent," "The Dream Delicious," "Illusion of the Heart" at Amazon.com/Shorts or www.maloneeditorial.com Over 30 Maloneedited books have recently sold to Traditional Publishers!

Quips & Quotes

Who wants to become a writer? And why? Because its the answer to everything. Its the streaming reason for living. To note, to pin down, to build up, to create, to be astonished at nothing, to cherish the oddities, to let nothing go down the drain, to make something, to make a great flower out of life, even if its a cactus. Enid Bagnold ***** The road to hell is paved with adverbs. Stephen King ***** To gain your own voice, you have to forget about having it heard. Allen Ginsberg ***** "An old racetrack joke reminds you that your program contains all the winners' names. I stare at my typewriter keys with the same thought." Mignon McLaughlin ***** Cheat your landlord if you can and must, but do not try to shortchange the Muse. It cannot be done. You can't fake quality any more than you can fake a good meal. William S. Burroughs ***** All readers come to fiction as willing accomplices to your lies. Such is the basic goodwill contract made the moment we pick up a work of fiction. Steve Almond ***** Writing a book is a horrible, exhausting struggle, like a long bout of some painful illness. One would never undertake such a thing if one were not driven on by some demon whom one can neither resist nor understand. George Orwell

Available on Amazon.com or check for link on our online edition at http://writersmagazette.com

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***** Not a wasted word. This has been a main point to my literary thinking all my life. Hunter S. Thompson *****

Don't Keep The Day Job:

In Celebration of A Hack Writer

By Marshall J. Cook This hack writer didnt need a day job. He wouldnt have had time for one; he was too busy writing. He made enough money writing, in fact, to support his family through the Great Depression. Francis Hamilton Striker (shown at left) was born in Buffalo, New York just after the turn of the century, graduated from Layfayette High School there, and went to the University of Buffalo but dropped out and got a job at local station WEBR as an announcer. In 1929, at age 26, he lit out for Cleveland and got an announcing job at WTAM. He wrote his first radio script there, a biography of Stephen Foster. WEBR lured him back to Buffalo with the fancy title of station manager, and Striker wrote everything from skits to half hour mysteries and westerns. He also freelanced, creating, writing and selling series to stations nationwide. For George Trendle at WXYZ, Detroit, he created three forgettable series, including one called Warner Lester, Manhunter. Trendle wanted an adventure series for kids and asked Striker to develop one. Stiker had already come up with a heroic mixture of Robin Hood and Zorro, a champion of the oppressed, for a series called Covered Wagon Days for WEBR. The masked avenger shot silver bullets, rode a horse named Silver, and was an ex-Texas Ranger. Sound familiar? Trendle convinced him to move the series-and himself-- to WXYZ, where he became head of the script department. He reworked old Covered Wagon scripts, gave his hero a faithful Indian companion, and The Lone Ranger was born. Trendle convinced Striker to sign over all rights to

the series and started taking credit for creating the series himself, but it was Strikers baby. The series was an instant success, and Striker wrote and edited every script for the full 21-year run. He also created The Green Hornet and Challenge of the Yukon (Sergeant Preston) for WXYZ. By 1939 he was cranking out an estimated 60,000 words a week -- including 156 Lone Ranger scripts and 365 newspaper strips a year, a dozen Long Ranger juvenile novels, and 30 episodes of two movie serials! The radio show achieved the highest ratings of any radio Western ever, 12 million listeners a week, and the newspaper strip had 71 million readers. Striker also wrote some of the scripts when the Ranger made the transition to television, where it became the highest rated Western there, too. Thus Striker qualifies as one of our first true multi-media writers. He typed all his own scripts, wearing out a typewriter every six months. He had to pound hard to make seven or eight carbons of each script for the radio actors-- and pity the poor one who got the eighth carbon! His biggest challenge may have come when Earle Graser died in a car crash on April 8, 1941, the day after giving his final three performances as the Lone Ranger. (They had to repeat each broadcast three times for different time zones.) The next day, Striker had to produce a new script in which the Ranger was badly wounded and spoke only in weak phrases while Tonto carried the show. The shows announcer, Brace Beemer, took over the role and made it his own. Fran Striker died on September 4, 1962, at age 59, in a car accident. He had just finished a historical novel, One More River, published posthumously. His papers are archived at the University of Buffalo. He was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1988. A hack? Maybe. But Fran Striker gave me a hero Ive never forgotten, and I still try to live by the creed Striker wrote for The Lone Ranger: That all men are created equal and that everyone has within himself the power to make this a better world. ... That God put the firewood there but that every man must gather and light it himself ... That all things change but truth, and that truth alone, lives on forever. I could have worse heroes, huh?
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Who Else Wants To Be A Published Writer?

Ask yourself these questions: Do you like new experiences? Is carpe diem your motto? Do you want to read about one writer's path to success? Can you handle the hard truth about the writing life? Do you know the basics of putting together a writing plan? Why is procrastination not such a bad thing for a writer? What single quality do you need to finally get accepted? *The answers to these and other questions are answered in this killer e-book. Plus, it comes with bonus books! New expanded e-book with tons of resources for writers, plus quick links to hundreds of publications looking for writers.
http://wannabeawriter.com
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From Fractured Fiction to Shelf Publishing?

By William D. Canavan Whats a short story got that I aint got character? A short story should have a beginning, middle and an end. It should also take the reader somewhere: Spiritually, mentally, emotionally; either through character growth, action that accomplishes somethingsome kind of transformation or statementits not just there it doesnt merely show up and present itself because it doesnt take up much space; its a fast read and keeps a website going. The trees hung over the road as I walked, thinking of what was, compared to what is now. I saw her sitting on a park bench not far from where I stood, her dog squatting in the familiar position. It reminded me immediately of some of the latest fiction Ive read . . . In short fiction you still need to get to know enough about the main character to care; her personality and motivations, her history and problems. Its not supposed to look like the writer grabbed an event out of the Classified Ads, slapped a little milieu around it, threw in a few laborious adjectives, and said: Writing fiction; aint it grand! Heres another: The dog walked around the park bench and sat next to the one-legged duck that quacked for vanilla wafers. Quack, it said. Wow, I thought as I approached even closer, this has depth. Suddenly, a vampire appeared, flaring fangs, voluptuous lips, penetrating eyes, and bit that one-legged duck, because the dog could run, but the duck couldnt. The End. Hmm. Some writing Ive found on websites lately may be mislabeled anecdotes, or thoughtful slices of wisdom, or even humorous jargon to send in an e-mail, but its not short fiction. And how short is a short story before its not a story any longer, its just short?

Hemingway wrote his version of a six word narrative: For sale: baby shoes, never worn. He did so under pretense of a bet, and as far I know theres no absolute proof that he declared it his greatest achievement. With all the hours he put in and all of his tremendous accomplishments, of course there is reason to speculate on the historical significance of these six words, but literary value? Is it considered a short story? If so, does that mean I can write 24 more, similar to that, and have a one page collection of short stories? Will a major book publisher swallow it up and declare another literary genius has been discovered? Even if I tap the readers emotions like Hemingway did: This war, this bullet, love you, or Car wreck, my God! Hes dead! Im not sure it classifies as fiction. Its not that hard to write and its not intellectually demanding to read. It promotes a thought process, presents a vague event, triggers some emotion; and although it has a beginning, middle, and an end--I was always taught that there should be no loose ends. What war? Wheres the bullet? Does he die? Was he brave or a coward? Who is you? What caused the car wreck? Was anyone else injured? Who died? Ill let the universities figure that one out. Another thing I cant figure out is this e-book self-publishing. Ive got absolutely nothing against self-publishing, that is, self-publishing through a publisher, or self-publishing with previous experience and know-how. However, with the ebook phenomenon looming on the horizon, and all of the self-publishing technology that is available; i.e., conversions of PDF files into ebooks, I think there needs to be a new label for whats happening; maybe shelf-publishing? Thats where it needs to stayon the shelf. Many of these newly titled shelf-publishers cant write well, punctuate correctly, and arent smart enough to even consult someone who will give them an honest opinion about their plot (thats why I love my editors). These people are living examples of what I hear from time to time from people who dont understand that writing is work. Ive always thought I could write, they say. That means, sit down and type something up, run the spelling and grammar check, print it out and mail it away. Im not sure some of these shelfpublishers even read any fiction.
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Am I being harsh? Yup, because I find it fictionally frightening when I read some of the stuff out there. I spend my time and money to download and read some of these creations, to see what new, young writers are rolling out these days (not all of them, just the select few with an L stamped on their foreheads), and I cant even finish the thing. Worse than that, I cant get a refund on either my money or my time. So, as we go into a new phase of available online fiction, whether on personal websites or in e-book form, Im hoping that the fractures will heal and the editors and publishers will prevail. Its not a bad idea to read a few of the reviews before downloading some of these frustrations, either. Assuming the shelf-publishing writers are so harried from writing without thinking, publishing without editing and reading countless volumes of stuff, I wonder if any of them realize that Ernest is up there on a cloud, punching away at another grueling six word story: I wrote, I won; I laughed.

Description In Fiction
By Rob Parnell I picked up a story the other day written in the 1950s. Here's an extract: "Two stories high and built of granite, rose the Georgian house, but the porch and its pillars were of red, conglomerate stone. They broke the unbending gravity of the grey front with a touch of color. Behind rolled blue hills, now melting into the splendor of gold and orange above them; while southward, beyond a little park, extended meadowlands, wooded ridges, and fields of corn yellowing to harvest ..." Phew! It's all very poetic but you'd be lucky if a publisher read past the first sentence; we're simply not supposed to write like this anymore. Conversely, I was researching for a radio interview recently and tried to find modern examples of locality descriptionfailing to find very much at all. I was surprised actually at how little description modern authors use. I did find this, by Kathy Reichs, to use as an example: "The building stood alone on an acre of land that was entirely enclosed by an electric fence. Surveillance cameras dotted the barrier's upper rim, and powerful floods lit the perimeter ..." Do you notice how much more succinct and direct this is compared to the example above? And by the way, this is about the only piece of description in the first 100 pages of Reich's novel! Modern fiction is all about actionpeople doing things, thinking, making links, engaged in puzzle solving and obstacle tackling. Gone are what we take for granted. What things, places and
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people look like are only included if they are unusual or pertinent to the plot. I get emails about this all the time. "Where can I find a good resource to teach me about description?" Well, you probably can't. It's not specifically taught anymore, because, I would imagine, it's not a tool you're going to use much as a modern author. I guess it's because of the communication boom of the past 50 years. Because of TV, movies, the Net etc, most of us know what things and places and people look like. We only need shorthand notes to work out for ourselves what a "blonde attorney" or a "old warehouse" might look like. So descriptions of "flowing golden tresses across her pinstriped jacket" or "aging stone and broken glass amidst rusted girders" become redundant, even gratuitous. Today, readers just want the story and nothing much else. If you read a lot of bestsellers which I doyou'll see there's no real trick to writing popular fictionit's more to do with discipline. The best writers seem to know when to hold back and almost disguise the fact that they're writers at all. The story, plot and characters are everything and the only things that drive the novel. Any superfluous wordage is excised and don't be fooled by the finished products you buy off the shelf. Modern novels are ruthlessly edited, pared back, honed and rewritten, sometimes numerous times by editors, proofreaders and by the authors themselves to achieve what seems like effortless, but tight writing. Remember the old adagewhether it be description or any other prose related activity: "When in doubt, leave it out!"

Book Promotion Facts and Fiction

By Patricia Fry Many writers throughout the nation are suffering something that others only dream of. Theyre experiencing overwhelm. Theyre exhausted. They dont know what to do next. Why? And why would anyone want to suffer this way? These authors have completed their books. Theyre holding their published books in their hands. Some of these authors have boxes of books stored in their spare rooms, garages or storage sheds. They feel a sense of completion and accomplishment after months or even years of solid work. Others dont have stored books, but they can order as many books as they want/need from their publishing service for a price. Both groups of authors are stuck. They dont know what to do next. The initial, Im an author, realization is waning and book orders are not coming in by the thousands. What next? What now? Some wonder, is this what the experts meant when they said, Enjoy the process because, as hard as it is writing the book and as difficult and foreign as the process of publishing might be, it will only get harder. Book promotion is not for sissies. Some of these authors are completely at a loss. Others are dashing here and there asking for answers and hoping for miracles. They approach other authors at book festivals and tap into the blogs and websites of professionals. And they ask, Please, do you have an easy quick fix for me? Tell me how to sell my books. I only need to sell a few hundred to get my money back. What happened to, Sure, Ill promote this book. I should be able to sell thousands. The market is huge and Im willing to get out there and tell people about it. Well, who doesnt believe that their amazing book will sell practically by itself? But, alas, the book becomes a reality and another kind of reality sets in. The concept and the process of promotion is actually quite daunting. These struggling authors want someone to chart a course for them or at least give them ideas

for promoting their books. When they receive suggestions, some of them begin reciting all of the reasons they cant spend the time promoting. A typical response is, Oh, I tried that. Yes, I went out and spoke to my daughters preschool PTO (or my husbands poker club, or my neighbors tai chi class) and sold only a few copies of my poetry book. That didnt work. Authors, before you decide to write a book for publication, please think it through. Read recommended books by professionals in the publishing field. This would include Patricia Fry, Dan Poynter, Marilyn Ross and Brian Jud. Study until you understand what book promotion is all about. Heres what book promotion is not: It is not a one-shot proposition. In order to sell books, you must get exposure and plenty of it. Sending out one round of press releases may result in some sales, but, in order to continue selling this book, you need to continue putting it before your potential readers. Not everyone buys on impulse or purchases a product the first time they see it. In fact, theres a statistic that says the typical consumer needs to see a product seven times before finally purchasing it. It is not a one-week, one-month or even oneyear commitment. You cant put a time limit on a promotions program. More realistically, you might put a number on it. For example, I want to sell 1,000, 5,000 or 10,000 copies. You can certainly plan a hard-hitting, month-long promotional campaign or make a one-year commitment involving certain promotional activities. But your work doesnt stop there, unless you simply dont want to make any more sales. The fact is that your book will sell for as long as you are willing to promote it. It is not a one-activity process. You cant expect to rely on press releases, book reviews or bookstore sales only, as a means of selling books. In order to reach your entire potential audience, you must promote in a variety of venues using an assortment of avenues. I generally advise my students and clients to pursue three to five primary promotional activities at first and then add others as they go along. Choose activities that match your skills. For example, youre a teacher. Set up workshops throughout your region and beyond, speak before appropriate groups and design a seminar to take nationwide. But also send press releases to newspapers in every state
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and hand deliver books to independent bookstores. If yours is a novel, your main activity might be submitting stories to magazines in a wide variety of categories. But youll also want to build an intriguing website and promote it all over the web. Offer freebies and launch contests from your website and maybe start a newsletter. For either a fiction or nonfiction book, solicit book reviews from every magazine, newspaper, website and newsletter you can find. I know one author who claims to have had 75 reviews for his nonfiction book. It is not a task you can push off on someone else. The truth is that no one else cares as much about your book as you do. And no one else really knows the heart of your book like you do. The only way to experience selling success at the hands of another is if youre paying that person to promote your book. You might hire a publicist, for example. Many authors do. And a good publicist can definitely help you sell a lot of books. But hiring a publicist does not let you off the hook. Even if you decide to invest in a publicist, you will be expected to participate in the promotion of your book. One author told me, Ive never been so busy promoting my book as Ive been since I hired a publicist. She found herself on daytime TV shows, traveling to other states for book signings and demonstrations. And she sold a lot of books in the process. It is not for the shortsighted, timid, reserved individual. Do not expect to use the same skills, demeanor and mindset in selling your book as you did while writing it. Writing is a solitary activity pursued from the inside out. The process of publishing brings you out of yourself somewhat. Youre forced to begin thinking about promoting yourself and your book. Of course, if you go with a fee-based POD self-publishing company, you may end up back in your comfort zone feeling confident that everything will be taken care of. If you want to sell books, your comfort zone is a dangerous place to hang out. The fact is that once the book is in your hands, it is your responsibility to get it into the hands of your readers. So, if you are shy, lack speaking skills and hate selling, I suggest that you either give up your dreams of being a published author or start some self-improvement programs, immediately.
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Folks, do your homework long before you decide to produce a book. Heres what I suggest: * Learn what publishing is all about. * Find out what it takes to promote a book. * Dissolve your tendency toward denial. Promotion IS necessary. * Work to strengthen the skills youll need for promoting your book. * Devise a realistic and complete promotions plan before entering into publishing. Book promotion, for those who want to sell more than a few copies of their books to friends and family, is a time-consuming, long-term commitment which requires plenty of energy, creativity and dedication. Its darn hard work! You used care in writing your book. You worked hard to find the right publishing option and to see it through. Now you must work ten times harder to make your book a success in the marketplace. Patricia Fry is the executive director of SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network). She is also a lecturer, editorial consultant and the author of 33 books, including The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book www.matilijapress.com/ rightway.html. Sign up for one of her seven online courses: www.matilijapress.com/ courses.htm. Learn more about her author services at www.patriciafry.com. Follow her informative blog at www.matilijapress.com/ publishingblog.

Need A Speaker For Your Next Writers' Event?

Invite Patricia Fry, 35-year veteran writer, publishing organization leader and the author of 31 books to speak to your writers' group or at your conference. Visit Patricia Fry's websites:
http://www.patriciafry.com http://www.matiliapress.com

Writing For A Living

By Nick Daws One question I get asked a lot is, "What's it like being a full-time writer"? So in this article I thought I'd talk a bit about my working routine, and also about the pros and cons of writing fulltime (for a living, in other words), versus writing part-time. Actually, I have been a full-time freelance writer for 15 years now. For ten years before that I had a variety of full-time jobs, and wrote in whatever spare time I could find. I'm lucky nowadays to have my own office (I definitely see it as an office rather than a study), in an extension we had built a few years ago above our double-length garage. I work normal hours, though if Jayne is around during the day the hours sometimes end up being a bit more flexible. One thing I try to avoid, however, is burning the midnight oil. I know some writers swear by it, but personally I find that if I work late at night my mind is still buzzing when I go to bed. As a result I don't sleep well, meaning I am less productive the following day. Anyway, I start most days by checking my email and replying to any queries that have come in from editors, clients, colleagues and buyers of my writing courses. After that, I'll spend the rest of the morning working on whatever project is currently occupying my attention. This time is usually the most productive for me - I'm definitely a morning rather than a night person - so I try to schedule my more demanding tasks for this time. I take a fairly late lunch - typically at around 1.30 to 2 p.m. - then do another hour or two in the office. After that, I usually go out for a walk. Often this takes me to our local supermarket, where I'll buy something for our evening meal. I visit this place so often I have been mistaken for a member of staff there! Still, I think it's important to fit a bit of fresh air and exercise into the day, and a walk to the local Morrisons fits the bill nicely for me. When I get back I'll do another hour or so in my office, generally finishing at around 6 pm. That's my basic daily routine, though obviously there are variations. Some days I may be giving talks to writers' groups or conferences,

for example, or attending a book launch. Equally, some days I might go out somewhere for the day with Jayne, or meet up with a friend for a swim or a pub lunch. OK, so it may not be the most glamorous of lifestyles most of the time, but it works for me! So how does this compare with working parttime? Well, I can only speak from my own experience, but I find that working as a full-time writer has many advantages. The most important to me is that (obviously) I have more time to devote to writing, and I can also allocate my 'best' hours to it, rather than trying to write in the evening when I'm pooped. I enjoy the freedom of working for myself, and in general pursuing my own interests. One of the big attractions of being a feelance writer is that you get paid to find out about things that (by and large) really do interest you. On a more mundane note, it's nice to be able to arrange your own schedule, take time off when you want to (deadlines permitting), and be around when the gasman or the plumber needs to call! What about the downsides? Well, yes, there are some. Writing for a living means that, unless you are lucky enough to have some other private income (I don't), you always have to focus on paying the bills. That means that you can't take on too many speculative projects, such as novels that may or may not get published. If you are thinking about becoming a full-time freelance, I would also strongly recommend ensuring that you have at least some 'guaranteed' source of income to get you through the first few months. If you can get commissioned to write a series of articles or (even better) a regular column or two, that will help greatly. But even an unrelated sideline can grease the wheels of your journey into full-time freelancing. When I left my last salaried job, working as information officer for a national charity, I had a sideline selling copyright-free artwork packs. From my job I knew that lots of charities and similar organizations needed artwork tailored to their requirements so I got a cartoonist to draw one for me. I don't sell them any more - computer clip-art has taken over everywhere - but in my first few years as a full-time freelance I was very grateful for the extra income. Of course, nowadays a great source of sideline opportunities is the Internet.
WM - Summer - 2011 - 25

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Experts scoffed at my crazy idea of a magazine devoted solely to personal essays about the past ... ... then the rst issue came out.
That was 38 years ago. And today Im happy to report that Yesterdays Magazette is still around, and is still preserving personal essays of the pastnow as a glossy printed magazine, as well as a PDF e-book and a free online magazine. For those of you who may have never read nor subscribed to "The Original Magazine of Memories," you now have the unique opportunity to do so. Thanks to the world Internet, Yesterdays Magazette now reaches every corner of the globe, from Baltimore to Bangladesh. And regardless of cultural differences, we all seem to share similar memories from our past. YM has always believed that Everyone Has a Yesterday and everyone, regardless of social status, has a worthwhile memory to share. Yesterdays Magazette can help you preserve your memories. Subscribe. Enjoy it. And then share your life with the world. After all, isnt that why we are all here? To leave our mark?

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