Release Your Writing

Will your next book be published by NBC?

2012-01-24T10:40:00.000-06:00

This from the Business of News SmartBrief:

E-books and video are on tap from NBC News, which launched a publishing unit. The company said the expanding notion of a book amid increasing possibilities offered by digital media will allow it to provide a more "immersive" reading experience. NBC has some experience in the field, having worked with Penguin and The Perseus Books Group on enhanced e-books. The New York Times (tiered subscription model)/Media Decoder blog

If the rumor is true: Apple is about to start a self-publishing business

2012-01-18T21:12:00.000-06:00

This Jan. 9, 2012 news could be great for authors or doom for ebooks. What do you think?

"We broke the news last week that Apple is in development of a self-publishing program and many leading websites such as Media Bistro, Paidcontent, and tons of others. The essence of our writeup was that Apple will be holding an event at the end of the month where they are expected to take the wraps off of their self-publishing program for iBooks. This may benefit indie authors that want to submit directly to the service and not be forcibly relegated to doing business with various Aggregators. What does it mean for these companies if Apple starts their own program?

iBooks only launched in the last few years and has been playing catchup with Amazon, Kobo and Barnes and Noble. All of its competitors have expansive ecosystems that have been developed for many years and have solidified partnerships with the leading publishing companies and also smaller ones. The iBooks store is woefully sparse in terms of selection compared to the other stores. Most of their books are overpriced and many bestsellers are not available for an international audience.

One of the advantages Amazon and Barnes and Noble have over Apple is their own self-publishing program. Apple does have a little known process to publish your own books but it involves a validated ePub file, ISBN identifiers from the Library of Congress and a willingness to run the gauntlet of contracts, paperwork, and use iTunes Connect. This entire process is very daunting and many users are unaware of its existence.

Instead of dealing directly with Apple self-published authors have been using official Aggregator’s such as; Ingram, INscribe Digital, LibreDigital, Lulu, and Smashwords. If you live and publishing in Europe, you can do business with Bookwire and Immatériel. Of these, only Smashwords will convert MS Word documents to ePub.

Publishing Aggregator’s are proving to be a popular option for people to self-publish with because they help you along the entire process and normally submit to many other bookstores. Smashwords is one of the leading companies that do this and even provide you an ISBN number for free. They submit to Kobo, Sony, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Apple and a few others. One of the drawbacks of using any major Aggregator service is that they brand your book and serves as self-promotion."

Continue reading at the source: http://goodereader.com/blog/category/e-book-news/

Feb. 11, 2012 Lawyers for the Creative Arts hosts DIY Publishing and more...

2012-01-09T08:40:00.001-06:00

I have attended this even in the past and it is a wonderful learning opportunity. Hope to see you there:

Pen to Digital Press: DIY Publishing in the Digital Age

Date: Saturday, February 11th

Time: 9 A.M. - 6 P.M.

Place: John Marshall Law School, 315 S. Plymouth Court, Chicago, IL 60604

On Saturday, February 11th, Lawyers for the Creative Arts and John Marshall Law School will host an all day symposium titled Pen to Digital Press: DIY Publishing in the Digital Age. This day long program will feature a diverse group of speakers from the writing and publishing professions, professors of law and literature, and members of LCA's Staff and Board of Directors. A detailed program will follow.

Topics to be covered include:

1. Overview of Publishing in the Digital Age: Perspectives and Alternatives;

2. Choosing a Publisher: Contracts and Other Pitfalls;

3. Taking It to the Bank: Monitoring Your Sales and Reading Your Royalty Statement;

4. Problematic Content: Solving Privacy and Defamation Issues; Collaborating; and Legally Using Third-Party Content; and

5. How to Become an Outrageously Successful Author: Using Social and Other Media.

This not-to-be-missed program will include lively round table lunch discussions on hot topics of the day, ranging from how to write a query to idea protection to writing for television to Q & A with literary agents and entertainment lawyers. We will also host a book signing and networking reception at the close and authors are encouraged to bring their books.

Local writers, law and college students, professors, and attorneys are all encouraged to attend.
Full details are available here.

Registration fee is a real value:
$85/person, including lunch and our written materials*
$55 for each student currently enrolled in a full-time higher education program**
* 3.0 MCLE Hours are anticipated.
* *Complimentary for JMLS students and faculty.

Sponsorship opportunities are available by contacting Marci Rolnik at LCA: mrolnik@law-arts.org or (312) 649-4111.

2012-01-04T18:41:00.000-06:00

From the folks at Goodreads.com

The year has just begun, but we're already looking forward to World Book Night 2012. On April 23, 2012 join thousands of volunteers for a million-book giveaway. Inaugurated last year in the United Kingdom and now expanding to the United States, this nonprofit event is looking for enthusiastic readers who want to encourage their communities to read more. World Book Night needs 50,000 volunteers to help distribute 1 million books nationwide, especially in underserved communities that may not have easy access to books.

To become a book "giver," sign up by February 1, 2012. Select one of the 30 available titles—a range of fiction, nonfiction, and books for teens—and you'll receive 20 special-edition paperbacks to hand out to readers near you. The books are available free of charge thanks to support from the publishing industry. This year's lineup includes The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Zeitoun by Dave Eggers, The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver, and many more!

Full details here at World Book Night

Could it be that we're writing too fast?

2012-01-02T13:52:00.000-06:00

Could the computer be making us write too fast? And, with its inherent distractions, maybe that means we'd write better if we slow down. A 2012 conundrum for sure.

Here's a look at some writers who don't use the computer, at least for certain parts of their writing work.

Novelist Orhan Pamuk, a favorite of mine, is Turkey's best-selling writer, and with his Nobel Prize in Literature, the first Turkish citizen to be awarded a Nobel. His prize-winning works are not composed on a computer, but in a graph paper notebook. He likes to write one full page, and then leave the next one open for revisions. Using his notebooks, Pamuk relishes in the absence of a backspace button, and the opportunity to capture inspiration when it strikes.

For bestselling author Tess Gerritsen, her blogging is best done on the computer, but for novels, only pen and paper will do. She doesn't use a computer or even a typewriter, instead using a Bic pen and sheets of unlined paper. Gerritsen is quite comfortable composing articles and other pieces at the keyboard, but for her, fiction is a completely different matter. She struggles to make things work while writing novels on the computer, finding that she hardly finishes a thing at the end of the day because she's spent too much time "perfecting them." But beyond that, Gerritsen values pen and paper for its physical properties: "I like knowing that once the ink’s on the page, it can’t magically disappear when the power goes out.

Michael Ondaatje, the award-winning novelist behind The English Patient, prefers Muji brand notebooks over computers when it comes to writing his works. But interestingly enough, Muji notebooks actually come with a lot of the same functionalities as MS Word, allowing Ondaatje to cut and paste his novels as he goes along. Unlike other pen and paper authors who ultimately transfer their works into type, Ondaatje has been known to compose up to three drafts by hand on his notebooks.

Want to know more? Read the full article "12 Writers Who Still Refuse to Use a Computer" at Accredited Colleges Online.

A quote from my review of "The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Getting Published, 5th ed."

2011-12-26T19:15:00.001-06:00

Here's a link to the full review of The Complete Idiot's guide to Getting Published, 5th ed. by Sheree Bykofsky and Jennifr Basye Sander on the book review page of this blog:
http://releaseyourwriting.blogspot.com/p/book-reviews-for-writers-by-writers.html

One important quote strikes me as so relevant for your 2012 publishing achievement goals. Remember, It's hard work.
Here's the quote:

Writing a book is an art
Self-publishing a book is a business.

2012 Writer's Calendar

2011-12-01T05:28:00.006-06:00

Still time to buy your 2012 writer's calendar...

Bylines Calendar for writers is running late this year but now you can view and purchase the 2012 edition of their spiral-bound calendar dedicated to writers. Here's the link: http://bylinescalendar.com.
Great holiday gift!

I decided a few years ago that I needed a paper calendar specifically for tracking my writing. Between assignments, submission deadlines, and those floating ideas that need to be organized somewhere, using an online calendar or Outlook just doesn't have the flexibility you can get with Bylines Calendar for 2012. The publisher was not able to produce a 2011 edition, due to a family medical problem, so I purchased a different one, and really missed my Bylines.

HAPPILY, it's back and you can order it as a gift to yourself, or for a friend, here.
I even have an essay in it this year, so I'll be even more excited to receive my copy.
Helen

We blog because...

2011-11-24T09:58:00.001-06:00

"Everything that needs to be said has already been said. But since
no one was listening, everything must be said again." Andre Gide

Thanks to Jan Phillips, visionary thought leader, for sharing this quote, along with her MuseLetter this morning.

Jan is the author of Marry Your Muse, one of my all-time favorite books.

Give Thanks for Brain Food for Writers

2011-11-23T09:33:00.001-06:00

Thanks to Writer's Relief for these brain food suggestions for your holiday weekend. Thanksgiving is a perfect time for inspiration, with time away from the computer, family fun, comfort food and holiday memories. So eat well, tell stories, and listen ... the inspiration for your next essay or article might be passed around the table.

Brain Food For Writers:
What To Eat To Support A Creative Mind

By Writers Relief Staff On November 21, 2011 ·

We all know certain foods contribute positively to your physical health, and some foods contribute positively (in inches) to your waistline. But did you know that some foods can support brain function—and maybe even make you a better writer?
You might even see some of them on the table this Thanksgiving!

Antioxidants, like those found in fruits and vegetables, offer disease- and age-fighting power to keep your creative impulses firing at top speed. Blueberries are said to be especially powerful.

Omega-3 fatty acids (from fish oil and flax) are said to boost your brain’s gray matter. That’s like building muscle in your mind. Prepare to do some heavy mental lifting…or just impress people with your mental calisthenics.

Choline is a nutrient found in egg yolk or milk that can help ward off senility. Choline also keeps your memory going strong, so you can actually remember whether your character was wearing a red shirt twenty pages ago or a blue one!

Folic acid: One study found that adults taking regular folic acid supplements demonstrated better cognitive function, especially in memory and critical thinking. So if you’re really having trouble getting past a problematic plot point, it may be time to supplement!

Chocolate lovers rejoice! According to WebMD: “A study by food scientists found that the antioxidant concentration in a cup of hot cocoa was higher than that found in either red wine or green tea.” Of course, getting your antioxidants from veggies (sans whipped cream, fat, and added sugar) may be a better bet. But next time your spouse gives you “that look” for drinking hot chocolate, you can say “I’m doing it for my brain!”

Green tea is good for your brain. People who drink green tea regularly fare better mentally when it comes to aging. This is happy news for writers—especially if you’re the type who stays up into the wee hours working on a manuscript; your green tea can multitask by keeping you both awake AND young! Plus, moderate amounts of caffeine are said to boost concentration as long as you don’t overdo it.

There's lots more. Read full article here: Brain Foods for Creative Writer

Write today - it's a writer's holiday

2011-11-15T08:02:00.001-06:00

Today is I Love to Write Day.
I never heard of this holiday until I saw it on SheWrites.com this morning.

In fact, it is the 10th anniversary of the event - so write something for yourself, and then read more about the history of the event here.

The true steps to self-pub success detailed here

2011-11-06T10:52:00.001-06:00

Jane Friedman, as many of you know, continues to evolve after her long career with Writer's Digest.
In one of her blog posts she advises a writer about whether to update a book with the current publisher, or because of her following, issue it on her own, for far greater royalties on sales.

Read the full piece here if you wish, but note these salient points made by Jane. These illustrate exactly what you need for publishing success, especially if you plan to self-publish:

A strong e-mail list with a good open rate (25%+)
Well-established social media network that can help spread word of mouth
The right contacts to help place guest articles/posts on the right sites/blogs that target the book’s target audience
An existing website that can be quickly adjusted on the fly to focus on the re-release
A nice backlog of content connected to the book—or re-purposed from the book—that can be excerpted across sites/blogs interested in your work
Resources to hire a good publicist for the first 3 months of relaunch
Resources to hire a good cover designer
I know you’re business savvy enough to do this on your own and earn quite a bit of money doing it. The big questions for me would be:
Do you have the time & energy to spend on it?
Do you have the resources to hire help as needed?

Memoir - Essay contest

2011-11-03T09:45:00.001-05:00

So if NANOWRIMO doesn't suit your style, how about a fabulous Essay - Memoir contest? This is sponsored by The Writer magazine and Gotham Writer's Workshop.
Here are the details.

Entry fee is just $10 and the judge is Lee Gutkind, founder and editor of Creative Non-Fiction. Ready???

NANOWRIMO launches today

2011-11-01T18:24:00.001-05:00

Today is the beginning of National Novel Writers Month. If you're new to the concept of NANOWRIMO, a gigantic month of speed writing, visit nanowrimo.org and you’ll see this is for real. A month dedicated to starting or working on an existing writing project. It doesn’t have to be a novel, but a commitment to write every day for the month of November.

By signing up (free) at NANOWRIMO, you’ll be able to log in daily and track the words you’ve written. The goal, of course, is to write a draft of a novel in 30 days, approximately 50,000 words. Think its impossible? You’re wrong. And the motivation is nearly irresistible. You’re accountable only to yourself, and by logging in to track your words, you are setting a goal for yourself to at least try to write every day for the whole month. You write on your own computer, not online, so your work stays private.
Thousands of participants have enjoyed this worldwide event, making it great fun. Sign up, log in when you write, and the system tracks your word count toward your goal.

So if you need a kick in the keyboard, get going. This is your month to make a difference.

Helen

Tweet like you mean business.

2011-10-13T12:27:00.000-05:00

While Twitter doesn't lend itself to deep conversations, there are still ways you can create a good impression and get results with it.

MediaBistro.com has a article on seven ways to network more effectively on Twitter. The full article is here.
Of course, it all starts with following the right people. Two other helpful suggestions are to retweet useful information, which I've mentioned here before, and to ask questions. It is an effective tool for peer opinions and to let people know what you're thinking about or working on.

I'm at twitter.com#cclarity if you want to follow me.

Helen

A new twist: Perseus to offer self-publilshed book production, if you work through agent.

2011-10-04T07:13:00.001-05:00

While there are many ebook production services, quite affordable to independent authors, the Bookseller now reports:

US independent publisher Perseus Books Group has launched a distribution and marketing service for authors wanting to self-publish their own e-books, offering a 70% royalty rate to the author.
Called Argo Navis Author Services, it will be offered to authors represented by agencies that have signed an agreement with Perseus, with Janklow & Nesbit Associates the first to have done so.

More details at original post
http://www.thebookseller.com/news/perseus-launches-self-publishing-e-book-service.html

Sweetest Book Mobile ever

2011-10-01T12:56:00.001-05:00

Possibly the sweetest book mobile in the world!

source: “Biblioburro,” Luis Soriano Bohorquez, La Gloria, Colombia.

(click to enlarge)

"Platform" continues to be the operative word in success for writers

2011-09-27T08:54:00.002-05:00

I stress the importance of platform when speaking with writers, especially those trying to attract the attention of an agent and publisher. A strong, polished presence on Facebook, a good blog, and lots of friends on Twitter and now also Google+ seems t be the minimum requirement for the foundation of a solid platform.

Now today, I saw an ad for freelance writer/bloggers for a health/fitness site, and their platform request went beyond the basics to this:

"... Send us 3 pithy, information-packed sentences about yourself, along with your CV (cut and paste, no attachments), 3-5 links to your best published work, and at least 2 links to your social profiles
(Twitter, Digg, StumbleUpon etc.) "

The hiring firm produces an organic healthy food and lifestyle magazine. By requiring you to prove the strength of your social media connections, you can see they want you to have an audience, so you can not only blog for them, but publicize it everywhere, not just in your online portfolio at Facebook and your own blog. Making money online starts with the sites attracting readers, which pays for advertising. If you can bring the readers, you're ahead of other writers who apply.

If you want the specifics on the above job listing, email me at Helen@releaseyourwriting.com.

Publishing and Rejection

2011-09-09T21:25:00.000-05:00

Writer's Chronicle has a long interview this month with Janet Burroway that benefits all of us.

One thing in particular resonates with me now, because two of my clients received rejections from agents today.

Burroway discusses the difficulties of getting published in recent years, and has this to say:

"The agent is now less an advocate than a buffer between the publisher and the writer's unrealistic expectations... Mergers, takeovers, and the disappearance of companies have become commonplace."

So publishers squeeze editors, who squeeze agents, and sadly they put the squeeze on the writers. High hopes are dashed, because only those with a book that will be the road to success for the agent, editor and publisher will see the light.

That's bad news but points again and again to the need for platform-building and doing good agent research.

Selling books to libraries

2011-08-16T09:41:00.000-05:00

Whether we publish traditionally or independently with self-publishing, we know our books get listed in the Baker & Taylor database. This is what most libraries use to find new material, and order books for their collection. If having a listing among the millions of books in B&T isn't enough, you can spend a little money for a direct approach. Maybe you thought you couldn't afford to advertise, but ...

For a fee, this firm offers you a listing in their monthly catalog to libraries. As an example, their half-page ad for one month costs $75. If you need a way to reach libraries, and have your book reach a wider audience, take a look at First Chapter Plus.

BONUS: First Chapter also hosts a huge Blogging Authors, a perfect place for you to participate.

Negative reviews

2011-07-30T22:25:00.000-05:00

A bad review can seem devasting to an author, but in truth, it may not cause much harm.

This is from a journal report in Marketing Science:

"Crunching data that cross-matched book sales against critics’ appraisals in The New York Times Book Review, they found that negative reviews of a new book by an “established” author hurt sales.

“For books by relatively unknown (new) authors, however, negative publicity has the opposite effect,” increasing sales by 45 percent over their expected sales trajectory, they write. Evidently this boils down to increased awareness: the mere act of introducing something to a broader public — even by saying that it stinks — increases the chances that more members of that public will want it anyway."

So cheer up friends, and remember to offer to review books for fellow writers.

I write book reviews professionally, and while my reviews are not always five-star winners, I almost always get a thank-you from the publicist, and often, from an appreciative author.

Source: New York Times Magazine, Oct. 29, 2010

A new hangout, just for writers

2011-07-19T12:35:00.004-05:00

Everything old is new again. In addition to Google Plus, which is a new competitor to Facebook, Google has launched

Google + Hangouts for Writing Groups

MediaBistro.com has a full report and posted a link to a how-to by Mary Robinette Kowal.

In its early stages, it looks useful for writing groups in distant cities, for friends logging in for the commitment to write and then checking back with the group, and creating a structure for discussion or critique. Learn more here.

Mary is one of the people testing the new Hangout for Writers. Learn more and sign up here if you too want to be an early adopter. https://plus.google.com/up/start/?sw=1&type=st

Here's feedback from participants: http://www.jamierubin.net/2011/07/14/my-first-google-writers-hangout/
Helen

Reinforcing the message about the need for a quality book cover.

2011-07-18T15:48:00.001-05:00

Those of you who have seen my workshops and presentations on publishing know I always show this slide:

It is important to not only choose a good title for your book, but to make sure your cover has clarity at thumbnail size.

An online colleague, Stephanie Chandler of Authority Publishing, went much further in explaining how a homemade cover can kill your book. Click here to read her full article: http://authoritypublishing.com/book-publishing/how-a-homemade-cover-design-can-kill-your-self-published-book/

The value of book reviews

2011-06-02T11:23:00.000-05:00

Those of you who hear me speak at conferences, and who follow this blog, know I talk a lot about author marketing. One element is the value of online book reviews. I write reviews for BlogCritics.org, among other venues such as New York Journal of Books, and Salon. Here's an interesting timeline on the power of a review.

I wrote a review for BlogCritics of Think: Straight Talk for Women to Stay Smart in a Dumbed-Down World, by Lisa Bloom on Tuesday. So far, itt has been pushed out to Facebook 35 times and retweeted five times. This is what you want to have happen.

On Thursday, it was picked up by the Seattle Post Intelligencer (seattlepi.com)

And today, the author, her mother, and daughter were on a CNN talk show. The book's publicist alerted me to the fact that the author's mother said "Seattle PI just called Lisa's book the light bulb of the year for women," which she extrapolated from my comment in the review: "this year's light bulb moment for women."

Now we all know she meant to say "Helen Gallagher said..." but its fun nonetheless, to have my writing move from my computer to the original review site at BlogCritics.org, then to the Seattle paper's site, and then a CNN talk show.
What's funny to me is that I never mentioned the sex references, and yet that's the hook the media used to make the book newsworthy for a talk show. Think about that - the universal appeal of the book is about women using their intelligence, but as we know, sex sells.

So, when you do your homework, research and marketing, remember to seek reviews of your book... But also work to keep readers focused on the point you're trying to get across.

Ten recommended books for writers... Eleven if you count mine...

2011-05-25T09:30:00.002-05:00

Thanks to the researchers at Online College Courses for these suggestions, extracted from their post:
"50 Books That Will Make You a Better Writer."

Notable Writers (41 thru 50 on their list)

On Writing by Stephen King: The wildly popular horror master writes his autobiography with heavy emphasis on how literature and his struggles with substance abuse came to shape his career and personhood — for good and for ill.
Zen in the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury: Ray Bradbury’s excellent essay series hemorrhages joy over the writerly arts, and he sincerely hoped they would come to inspire later generations to pick up their pens and express themselves.
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou: Although I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings involves former Poet Laureate Maya Angelou’s memoirs rather than a reflection of her illustrious literary career, it does serve as an intimate, first-person glimpse at one way a writer’s soul might form.
The Believer Book of Writers Talking to Writers edited by Vendela Vida: Everything readers want to know about this book can be found right there in the title. The Believer Book of Writers Talking to Writers comes packed with candid literary discussions by the illustrious likes of Haruki Murakami, Marjane Satrapi, Zadie Smith, Jonathan Lethem, Tom Stoppard, Paul Auster, Dave Eggers and plenty more.
A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway: Writers in search of a little inspiration might want to follow some (but certainly not all) of Hemingway’s actions. Surrounding himself with a new environment, new experiences and some of the most creative people in the world at the time (Gertrude Stein, Pablo Picasso, James Joyce, F. Scott Fitzgerald and a whole host of others) opened himself to ideas that came to impact his legendary oeuvre.
The Writing Life by Annie Dillard: Anyone dismissing writing as an easy art would do well to pick up The Tinker at Pilgrim Creek author’s memoir. Here, she openly discusses the agony and the ecstasy of literary inspiration and perspiration.
Aspects of the Novel by E.M. Forster: Despite being published in 1972, this series of Cambridge University lectures by celebrated English author E.M. Forster drops some incredibly timeless, even fresh, advice bombs.
The Art of the Novel by Milan Kundera: The Art of the Novel serves as both a work of literary criticism and analysis and a self-reflective career memoir.
On Becoming a Novelist by John Gardner: Writing and other creative pursuits offer up solace for anxieties big and small, an overwhelming, evocative and bittersweet sensation John Gardner relates with deep thought and emotion.
The King’s English by Kingsley Amis: Fans of rollicking semantics debates will enjoy this fun read by a British author who finds himself enchanted by American English.

_________________________________________________

Oh yes, and my book, which did not make this distinguished list:

2011-05-19T08:42:00.000-05:00

IndieReader now promoting self-published bestsellers.

Use it as a way to size up the competition, and look up some of the authors to see how they have been marketing to reach best-seller status. Also note, although we always say non-fiction sells best when self-published, the top seller is fiction:

"Writer John Locke claims the #1 spot on this week’s list with his novel Saving Vegas. Here’s more from the site: “Three of the books on the List were written by the same author, John Locke. Locke’s book, Saving Rachel, was the first Indie book in history to hit #1 on Amazon/Kindle. In total, he has sold more than 875,000 downloads since January.”

Helen Gallagher

Who do you write like?

2011-05-14T20:47:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Brenda at Off-Campus Writers Workshop for suggesting this site. You paste in a couple paragraphs of your writing and the software compares your writing to a famous author. It's fun - give it a try at I Write Like.

See link at right, which you can also paste into your blog.

Have fun with this!
Helen

Guest post: Penny Colman on organizing her new non-fiction release

2011-05-10T06:00:00.013-05:00

Penny Colman is author of the new book released today, May 20, 2011, published by Henry Holt and Co.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony: A Friendship That Changed the World

AMAZON LINK

I asked Penny to share her thoughts with Release Your Writing blog readers on how she managed to structure this complex story. Penny's response...

I’ve had the feeling before upon signing a book contract, but with this book—Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony: A Friendship That Changed the World—it was particularly intense. What feeling, you ask? Panic in concert with the words echoing in my brain: “And what have I gotten myself into this time!?”

Sure, I had tackled big topics before, including a history of burial, the true story of Thanksgiving, a collective biography of eight historic women with widely varying amounts of source material, and the story of Rosie the Riveter. But this book was to be a joint biography that spanned more than ninety years through the lens of a legendary friendship between two very different women that lasted fifty-one years and was at the center of a momentous social movement that is typically trivialized.

In May 1851 when they met, Elizabeth was thirty-five years old and Susan was thirty-one years old.

Of course, I could have started the book at that point, but I was curious about the differences and similarities in how they grew up. That curiosity certainly ratcheted up my writerly anxieties about how to structure the telling of these separate stories. I spent weeks working through this decision.

I taped long sheets of paper on a wall and made parallel timelines from their births to their first meeting.
I used Post-it Notes so that I could easily add or remove items, as I tried to discern a structure.
Then, one day, I saw it--four time periods that encompassed significant events in both their lives: 1815-1832; 1833-1839; 1840-1847; 1848-1850. Eureka!

With that insight I was able to organize their early years into eight alternating chapters that focused on one and then the other. Here are the title and subtitle of the first two chapters in Part I:

“Ah, You Should Have Been a Boy!”

ELIZABETH CADY: 1815-1832
"An Affectionate Family” SUSAN B. ANTHONY: 1820-1832

Part II covers the years from their meeting through the Civil War. The story of what Elizabeth called the “dark hour of woman’s struggle” appears in Part III. Their final years, in which they go from ridicule to reverence, ostracism to embrace, are examined in Part IV.

With my structure in place, I set off to write a book that brought Elizabeth and Susan to life for me, and, of course, I hope for everyone who reads Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony: A Friendship That Changed the World.

Al Gore's newest ebook

2011-05-05T15:26:00.001-05:00

After delightful presentations to Off-Campus Writer's Workshop and several area libraries in the past month, I'm delighted to direct your attention to David Pogue's column in the New York Times on Al Gore's gorgeous ebook, "Our Choice."

Here is Pogue's blog post:

Pogue writes:
It’s laid out like a book, with 400 photos, illustrations and charts. It works best on the iPad, of course, but the miniature versions on the iPhone/Touch work surprisingly well, too. In both cases, you can zoom out to see scrolling page miniatures at the bottom of the screen for easy jumping around.

In both apps, the real magic is all the visual elements. You can expand every photo and graphic to fill the whole screen; they look spectacular. At this point, you can interact with them. You can tap the corner of any photo, for example, to see where on the planet it was taken. You can press your finger on a bar of a chart to “explode” it into smaller bars, showing the component data underlying the primary bar. (For example, one bar chart shows the six gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect. Hold your finger on a bar to see it split into smaller bars, showing where those gases come from: transportation, buildings and so on.)

Some of the illustrations become narrated animations. Some turn out to be movies (there’s a total of an hour of video), most narrated by Mr. Gore."

This is likely the future of books!

Helen

What came before the internet, ebooks, and tablet computers?

2011-05-03T07:46:00.001-05:00

While ebooks have been around for a long time, it's only the launch of the iPhone and iPad plus ebook readers like Kindle, Nook and Sony that have created the market that now spends about $90 million per month on ebooks. (pw.org). "For the first two months of 2011, e-book sales were up 169.4%, to $164.1 million, equalling the sales of trade paperbacks for the two-month period; trade paperback sales were down 22.5% for the two months at the 19 reporting publishers." [source pw.org].

But what came before? Today's guest post from Online Colleges takes us back to the original 'technologies' used in the act of reading: From the stylus to moveable type - enjoy this compendium of literature's long history. Who could predict it would end up in a multi-billion dollar digitial industry?

Read full story here: http://www.onlinecolleges.net/2011/05/02/10-technologies-that-changed-literature-forever/

Guest Post by Online Colleges

Book Country: Penguin's author site and print-on-demand

2011-04-26T15:43:00.003-05:00

Penguin Group USA is launching a site for fiction writers - for posting work-in-progress, getting critiqued, even getting published.

Later this summer the site will generate revenue by allowing users to self-publish their books for a fee by ordering printed copies. (The books will bear the stamp of Book Country, not Penguin, and the site is considered a separate operation from Penguin.)

The site will also explain the business of finding an agent, marketing and promoting a book, using social media and handling digital and subsidiary rights. Penguin hopes the site will attract agents, editors and publishers scouting for new talent, and allow writers to produce work with more polish and direction than they could otherwise.

More melting and morphing of the industry into a model that is accessible to all authors, not just the top tier.

Keep an eye on Book Country, and read Release Your Writing: Book Publishing Your Way if you need to gain clarity on your publishing and marketing options.

Another great blog sample

2011-04-22T06:49:00.002-05:00

At a lively workshop at the Des Plaines Public Library last night, I used "Julie & Julia" as an example of what can happen if a writer is motivated to start a blog. The Adult Service Librarian, Christine Posinger, shared another great example of a blog:
The Pioneer Woman.

Take a look at the blog to see a perfect example of focus, great use of photos, the author's consistent "voice," and the wonderful platform created by a blog, links to her books, links to her Facebook and Twitter pages, and audio. It's a great example. If you're wondering where to start, the easiest way is... just start.

Go to blogger.com or wordpress.com and sign up for the free blog. Blogger is easier to use, but Wordpress has cooler designs and features.

"How to Write a Book Proposal," by Michael Larsen: My review on Seattle PI

2011-04-20T14:26:00.001-05:00

Writer's Support Group in Lake Zurich

2011-04-16T14:55:00.000-05:00

While presenting a publishing workshop this morning at the ELA Public Library in Lake Zurich, I learned they have a Writer's Support Group that meets monthly, at 9:30 a.m. and at 6:30 p.m.

Full details are here on their monthly calendar. Their next meetings are on May 9th. If you're in the area, its a great opportunity for networking or to discuss your work-in-progress.

Why authors need a sense of humor

2011-04-15T07:10:00.001-05:00

The Onion, America's best satirical journal, has a funny article on the exaggerated realities of author book signings:
http://www.theonion.com/articles/author-promoting-book-gives-it-her-all-whether-its,19985/

My upcoming events are at Book Tour.com -- I'll save you a seat ....

Cheers,
Helen Gallagher

Self-Publishers Online Conference May 10-12, 2011

2011-04-03T13:07:00.003-05:00

http://www.selfpublishersonlineconference.com/If you've never participated a virtual conference, this is the one to attend.

The conference includes 16 experts, Q & A sessions and a virtual exhibit hall. If you need marketing and promotion expertise, for your current or future books, this is the place to be. See full agenda here. Conference dates are May 10-12, 2011, and you can attend by computer from the comfort of your own home.

I'm able to offer you the link to register at a discount. Ready to sign up?
When the registration form asks for a Coupon Code, use Helen11 to receive a ten-percent discount.

NOTE: Early-bird pricing ends April 15th.

Favorite quotes for today

2011-04-01T15:54:00.001-05:00

Two very different quotes are making me happy today:

"We are what we repeatedly do.

Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit."

Aristotle

"Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice Doggie' until you can find a rock."

Will Rogers

Timely quote

2011-03-26T13:00:00.002-05:00

I love the imagery in this quote from Geoffrey Nunberg in the New York Times Book Review section on March 20, 2011 about the enormity of data in our world today. He is speaking of the proliferation of information and internet chatter that has removed writing and reading from a solitary pursuit to a community activity.

"It's as if we've torn down the walls of the library, and now the

reading room is full of street people."

I picture the area around the New York Public Library suddenly becoming the basis for all the chatter and cross-talk taking the place of lovely books. On my first visit to that venerable institution, I enjoyed the beauty of the reading room, years before technology overtook quiet. Not finding a single book available for browsing, I asked the desk attendant, and was told "If you want a book, fill out this slip to ask for it and wait while someone brings it to you." Growing up in Chicago where I could browse the library from the age of 5, and take home as many books as I wished, the New York experience left a mark on me. I've been collecting books for my personal library ever since.

Again: Self-publishing trumps traditional...

2011-03-21T20:16:00.001-05:00

Jane Friedman at Writer's Digest has a splendid and generous post about people choosing self-publishing instead of a book contract with a traditional publisher. Read more here.

If you don't have time, return to the post later and learn from the most successful self-publisher I know of: JA Konrath, who says:

A virtual shelf, like Amazon or Smashwords, carries all my titles, all the time. And I don't have to compete with a NYT bestseller who has 400 copies of their latest hit on the shelf, while I only have one copy of mine. We each take up one virtual space per title. … Virtual shelf life is forever. In a bookstore, you have anywhere form a few weeks to a few months to sell your title, and then it gets returned. This is a big waste of money, and no incentive at all for the bookseller to move the book.

Writing with a non de plume: What's in a name?

2011-03-19T21:49:00.000-05:00

The folks at Writer's Relief have put together a good article on the pros and cons of writing under an assumed name.
I generally advise against it today, because of the online marketing needed for visibility. It seems doubly complex with needing two email addresses, business cards, a different blog identity,and so on. Read the full article here.

As the article states:

The minute you decide to take on a nom de plume, be prepared to stick to that name in your correspondence and at writers’ conferences and book signings. You want people to associate that name with you, not give them a slew of different names to remember.

Hint: If you do choose to go with a pen name, choose a name that’s not too generic or linked to someone else. Try an online search of your prospective name to see what comes up.

Thanks to Ronnie at Writer's Relief.

It's award season for books

2011-03-15T14:08:00.001-05:00

One of the best ways to create a long-lasting buzz for your book is by winning an award.

One of the first reputaable award campaigns to run in early 2011 and include books published in 2008 through 2011 is the
http://www.indieexcellence.com/

Catholic Writers Conference Online

2011-03-13T06:12:00.000-05:00

For the third year in a row, I'm a conference participant at the unique Catholic Writers Conference Online. The event runs from March 21 through 27, 2011.

The current conference schedule is here, and as a reminder, this conference is open to all, is free, and you participate by online chat, in forums, or via phone.

Take note of the pitch sessions - your chance to pitch live to at least six agents and editors on the schedule.

My topic is "Power Blogging for Writers" on 3/21 at 7 p.m. Central time, but take advantage of the richness of presenters, topics and variety at this free event all week long.

Day 5: Words Matter Challenge: Captivating words

2011-03-11T07:48:00.000-06:00

I have a long list of favorite writers, not for their story-telling or engaging commentaries, but for their way with words.
among the best are Nicholas Delbanco and Alain de Botton. These are essayists, who whenever writing, are writing to me, with carefully chosen words, painting pictures. In "The Art of Travel," when de Botton describes gazing up into an apartment in Amsterdam, I'm right beside him as he describes what he sees in the apartment, and whispers how he longs to be up there, in that chair, reading a book, and looking out on the city he's in.

In "Lastingness," when Delbanco teaches me about creativity and graceful aging, he teaches me about life as he tells the story of his experiences in Provence, in Madrid, and back at home reading a pile of favorite books.

Day 4: Words Matter Challenge: Mangled Metaphors

2011-03-10T11:42:00.001-06:00

Grammarians must have cringed when author Studs Terkel stated: "Nothing happened nowhere."

As writers, we know what he meant. -- There is always a story to be found, and sometimes the backstory is even more revealing. Whether writing fiction or non-fiction, our job is to write the truths that live beneath the surface.

But mangled language can also be great fun:

mangled words result in hurt feelings

Can become

Wangled mords insult flirt healings.

Thanks to Jerry for the creative boost.

Day 3: Words Matter Challenge: Favorite quote about words

2011-03-09T07:12:00.001-06:00

I have an entire collection of quotes, offering inspiration and wit for writers. My favorite, short but sweet, is by Rita Mae Brown:

"Never hope more than you work."

I am often inspired by the brevity and simplicity of quotes. Another, by Henry Ford, is "Think you can or think you can't. Either way you're right."

The importance to me is the glimmer of motivation that comes from such a tiny suggestion. With "Never hope more than you work," it serves to remind me that, as writers, we can't just wait, to be discovered, to sell our work, or to get published. We can't hope it will happen. We have to make it happen.

Day 2: Words Matter Challenge: Most important document

2011-03-08T01:00:00.006-06:00

The most important document that inspires me in my career is De Profundis, by Oscar Wilde.
Written to his friend, Lord Albert Douglas, while Wilde was in prison, this is an essay of over 50,000 words, written over the winter months of 1897. While it may not be a document that changed history, it was created while Wilde was jailed for public indecency. The indecency? Having a male lover in the year 1897.

Beyond the poignant essence of this massive letter, it resonates with me for the precise, clear writing under adverse conditions. You see, Wilde was not only in prison, but he was allowed only one sheet of blue onion-skin paper per day. At day's end he had to hand the day's page back to the prison guard in order to receive another sheet of paper for the next day's writing. And as you can see, he used every inch of the paper.

I had the pleasure of viewing this document on display at The British Library in London. It was a marvelous, moving experience for me to see it firsthand. Imagine the mental clarity needed to write under such circumstances, and receive inspiration from the conviction and focus of this writer.

As it exists now, available at Project Gutenberg.org and on Wikipedia, the enormous letter remains as it was written, and was apparently never revised when Wilde was allowed to take it with him upon release from prison.

Monday, March 7: Is there a word that has changed, or could change your life? What is it, and what difference would it make?

2011-03-07T12:28:00.000-06:00

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet#HistoryDay 1 of the Words Matter Week blog challenge:
For details, see WordsMatter.Naiwe.com here

PROMPT: Is there a word that has changed, or could change your life? What is it, and what difference would it make?

As a warm-up essay, I'll start the week with the word: INTERNET ... Talk about a life-changing word!

Since first used by the U.S. government in the early 1960s as a resource-sharing electronic communication device, and early use in academics, it rapidly led to a brief life as nationwide free dial-up internet service (read full history here at Wikipedia), we've been given unforeseen opportunities to expand communication, knowledge, resources, improvements in science, medicine, job creation, and business. Technologies came before such as flight, radio, and television, but none have brought such rapid change to so many people.

We might wish to take back a few of the mistakes along the way, improve the learning curve, and shorten the digital divide that has created a benefit that favors a class of people who can afford it. But I doubt anyone wants to go back to the days before the dial tone, modem screeching, busy signal, "you've got mail." early days of the internet.

We fear what may come of a society already reeling from tech-overload, multitasking and absorption in the chaos of streaming video, tweets, chats, and millions of conversations lacking in substance. But still we rush to the lure of exploration with the internet's riches - web sites making our travel plans, worldwide communication, 24x7 live video news from around the globe.

The internet has indeed changed my life, and that of everyone I know. It became my career about 15 years ago. People who chose to disregard it can do so. In fact, it is as simple as turning off a switch. We can revel in a view of history through museum exhibits, scholarly dialog, and reading the works of great authors from past generations right on our computers and digital devices.

Humans have developed all of this in the span of a single decade, so much, so fast, I feel I can almost see tomorrow.

Helen Gallagher

Blog daily during "Words Matter Week," March 6-12, 2011

2011-03-01T08:55:00.000-06:00

The National Association of Independent Writers and Editors (NAIWE.com) invites you to join us March 6-12, 2011 for the fourth annual Words Matter Week.

As evidence that we haven’t advanced too far down the slippery slope of slop and drivel, Words Matter Week has rolled around once more. Billed as a time to celebrate the importance of words, Words Matter Week is celebrated annually online as well as on campuses, libraries, and in communities nationwide.

“Words are the foundation of civilization,” says Janice Campbell, Director of NAIWE. “In every aspect of life, personal or professional, words form the basis of relationships with others. The written word preserves and transmits knowledge, evokes alternate worlds, and provides endless food for thought. Words Matter Week gives us the opportunity to celebrate words and focus on why they matter.”

Learn more at the Words Matter Week Website,http://WordsMatterWeek.com.
I'll be blogging each day for the challenge, and hope to see you there.

More on BN.com Pub-It

2011-02-24T12:34:00.001-06:00

Per my October 6, 2010 post, PubIt, from Barnes & Noble is a great way to put your ebook on sale today for the BN.com Nook ebook reader. PubIt is their digital self-publishing platform for authors and independent publishers. Under the PubIt model, authors are charged no startup fee and will receive a royalty that ranges from 40% to 65%,

The process takes about 15 minutes and you'll need to have an electronic copy of your book ready to load.
What you'll need:

1. Your final manuscript in Word, html or a few other formats. Note that you can't load the book as a PDF, which is common for other ebook sales sites. BN,com puts the book into their unique ePub format for the Nook.
2. A copy of your cover, in a large size, such as 700 by 2000 pixels.
3. An "about the book" and "about the author" blurb.
4. Your desired selling price. For help, look at the current best-selling Nook "Flying Off The Shelves" link here.
5. Your ebook's ISBN if you have one. (If you don't have one, one will be assigned.)
6. Some of you may not like this part: To earn and get paid royalties, you have to provide your soc.security number and link to your bank account. Read the terms, conditions, and privacy statements if this is of concern to you.

Ready to start? Sign up here - it's free.

Improve your writing with better words and a handy phrase counter

2011-02-15T10:50:00.001-06:00

A few years ago my presentations to writers included a demo of Visual Thesaurus. Its great to take a step back and analyze our writing. Liven up your next editing session by using the Visual Thesaurus to find a better word for "ordinary."

And now, thanks to the Phrase Frequency Counter from writewords.uk, you'll never waste time editing out all the redundant, useless language you use when filling a first draft of an article, essay or manuscript.

We all know how to say things the long way, but we can learn to be precise, crisp, and effective, instead of voluminous, clumsy, and wordy.

For Memoir Writers: a recommendation

2011-02-10T11:28:00.000-06:00

For my publishing clients who are working on memoirs, I always recommend they take a look at the memoirs by Patricia Hampl.Her memoirs include The Florist's Daughter, Blue Arabesque, and If I Could Tell You Stories

At Hampl's site, I now see she has a new book, and if you're working on a memoir, analyzing what works, you might want to take a look at the book: Tell Me True: Memoir, History, and Writing a Life (Co-edited with Elaine Tyler May)

"Balancing precariously between history and literature, memoir writers have finally found their place on the bookshelf. But increased notoriety brings intense scrutiny: memoirists are expected to create a narrative worthy of fiction while also staying true to the facts. Historians, too, handle tricky issues of writing from "real life," when imagination must fill gaps in the historical record.

Patricia Hampl and Elaine Tyler May have gathered fourteen original essays from award-winning memoirists and historians. Whether the record emerges from archival sources or from personal memory, these writers show how to make the leap to telling a good story, while also telling us true.

Contributors: Andre Aciman, Matt Becker, June Cross, Carlos Eire, Helen Epstein, Samuel G Freedman, Patricia Hampl, Fenton Johnson, Alice Kaplan, Annette Kobak, Michael MacDonald, Elaine Tyler May, Cheri Register, D. J. Waldie."

More here: http://patriciahampl.com/test/tellme.html

Helen Gallagher

For Teen Writers: The Right Kind of Social Media

2011-02-07T07:03:00.000-06:00

Harper Collins has launched InkPop - a social media site geared to teen writers, and aspiring writers. Book projects are chosen to be reviewed by Harper Collins editors, there is a weekly writing project, pop culture news, videos, teen trends and more.

It looks like a worthy place to hang out, both for teens and adults writing for teens:

Along with searching for more manuscripts from our inkpop community, we’re also working on developing more outlets where readers and writers can just get their ideas in front of editors here. We realize that writing a full novel is difficult and not something that every teen can do every day. We also realize that they are full of great ideas and we want to empower our members to share those ideas with us, so that instead of editors in a room creating books that they think teens will like, teens will really be helping to create the books they want to read.

Write your way through a snow day!

2011-02-02T08:47:00.000-06:00

No school, no work, no errands, so write your way through the day.

As long as you have heat, and electricity to power your gadgets, relax into today's blizzard and use the time to move your writing along:

1. Write an essay, poem, or letter to the editor of your local newspaper about the magic of a "snow day."
2. Call a friend or family member, because you have the luxury of time to chat today.
3. Look up magazine submission guidelines and write a good query for an article. This might be the day you get a paying assignment.
4. Got a current writing project that just isn't moving? Sit down with it and see what you can do - delete, edit, shake it up, and get it moving ahead.

Stay safe and enjoy the day.

Helen Gallagher

Guest post: Writing Rituals of Acclaimed Authors

2011-01-25T17:07:00.000-06:00

As we enter cold and flu season, take to your bed if you feel ill, but don't stop writing.

Did you know T.S. Eliot practically welcomed a cold? He found that writing while so afflicted greatly helped him concoct unique, gruff voices either for different characters or in the creation of harsher scenes.

That's less harmful than Honore De Balzac's writing motivation: "To keep writing, he drank from 50 to 300 cups of coffee per day. Balzac infamously died of health problems related to caffeine poisoning... Turkish and Parisian blends particularly piqued his fancy, providing him with enough fuel to keep him writing throughout the evening and on into the night."

Perhaps Philip Roth's methods [and I note he is still living] are a better model to follow:
"Philip Roth — much like Vladimir Nabokov — prefers this physical calibration when writing. In addition to this healthy habit, he also pushes himself to walk half a mile for every page he completes. Despite age starting to plague his body, Roth continues this ritual to benefit both body and mind. As with Haruki Murakami, he believes that clarity and creativity come when all facets of a person operate in peak condition.

Toni Morrison rose before dawn to write her way into the day, and Gertrude Stein used her car as her personal space to invoke creativity for writing poetry.

These whimsical author writing rituals, and over a dozen more come to us courtesy of a colleague at MastersDegree.net. Read their full blog post here:
http://www.mastersdegree.net/blog/2011/20-acclaimed-authors-and-their-unique-writing-rituals/

Susan Orlean on publishing today

2011-01-21T12:22:00.001-06:00

Susan Orlean, one of my favorite authors, has a "Free Range" blog at The New Yorker. It includes a great post about finishing a book that she worked on for six years. She details the process of publishing a book and how it has changed. Read the full delightful post at her blog.

She cleverly describes the old way:
1. Think of a book topic.
2. Find a publisher who likes the idea.
3. Write the book.... and so on.

And the new way, which begins with:

1. Think of a book topic.
2. See if the domain name for your title is available. If not, consider changing the topic.
3. Does the book title/topic morph easily into a Twitter hashtag? If not, consider changing the topic.
4. Set up the Facebook page for the book and a fan page for yourself as Joe Blow, Author; send out an e-mail blast to your entire contact list asking people to “like” your fan and book pages.

You get the idea.... go read the rest at
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/susanorlean/2011/01/publish-or-perish.html#ixzz1BhA7w3T2

Sound familiar? It's the PLATFORM discussion I've been having with you for a year now. Only Susan Orlean is much funnier than I am. Enjoy,

Helen Gallagher

Self-pub Children's Books go Mainstream

2011-01-14T22:13:00.003-06:00

Two genres, fiction and children's books, are difficult to sell without national exposure. So self-published authors usually aim low and are satisfied with a reasonably well produced book and low sales.

Publisher's Weekly has an interesting story here about two women who each expanded their success by moving to mainstream publishers.

Be inspired...

Helen

It's 2011: Do You Know Where YOUR Platform Is?

2011-01-12T07:16:00.001-06:00

Writers need visibility online, and in every workshop I give, the subject of platform surfaces. I draw charts, give examples, explain the foundation, yet most writers and authors make a minor, confused effort, groping around in social media without results.

While the state of online media is relatively stable now, use this time to jump in or update your existing presence online. The outreach you can do with the internet costs very little, and is a tremendous benefit in building your platform. In return for greater visibility, your job is to find five or ten sites to set up a profile, keep track of your log-in and passwords, and return frequently to be part of the community.

Here are a few good resources to get you started:

authorcentral.amazon.com
facebook
linkedin.in writing groups
mediabistro.com and avantguild (fee)
redroom.com
shewrites.com

and most important: YOUR BLOG or WEBSITE..

Publisher's Weekly related article.

Wish I'd said that...

2011-01-10T09:29:00.002-06:00

Thought you would enjoy this. Sorry I don't know the source of this quote:

"I WENT TO A BOOKSTORE AND ASKED THE SALESWOMAN,
"WHERE'S THE SELF- HELP SECTION?"
SHE SAID IF SHE TOLD ME, IT WOULD DEFEAT THE PURPOSE."

Release Your Writing blog status

2011-01-05T12:13:00.000-06:00

It's official. This Release Your Writing blog, started in 2007 has now surpassed my Computer Clarity tech blog, started in 2004... way back before you even knew what a blog was.

Now, this Release Your Writing blog is 314 hits away from reaching 10,000. The person who takes it over that mark gets a free copy of my newest book: Blog Power & Social Media Handbook.

Happy Clicking and here's to a thriving 2011 for you.

Guest post: 15 Funniest Writers of All Time: Part 2 of 2

2011-01-04T06:10:00.000-06:00

Here is Part 2 of ...

The 15 Funniest Writers of All Time:

9. Terry Pratchett: What Douglas Adams did to (and for) science-fiction, Terry Pratchett did for fantasy. The highly immersive, engaging and absolutely hysterical Discworld series turns all the familiar elements of the genre upside-down, inside-out and probably some directions that have yet to be invented. Running amongst the eponymous land (which rests upon the back of four elephants, who in turn balance themselves upon a giant tortoise) with some of literature’s most memorable and absurd characters.

10. Amy Sedaris: Stephen Colbert and Paul Dinello, both of whom could have easily forged a spot for themselves on this list, teamed up with this amazingly funny lady for the after school special send-up Strangers with Candy. They also collaborated on a novel, Wigfield, about a small, fictional town cowering in fear over the announcement that a nearby dam is scheduled for demolition. But her deliciously twisted literary career extends beyond that particular team effort. Sedaris once penned the hilarious "Sedaritives" advice column for The Believer, continuing the subversive, politically correct spirit of her television show. For crafty types looking to add a lot of cheek (and more than a bit of naughtiness) to their projects, I Like You and Simple Times make for required reads.

11. David Sedaris: His charming essays about dysfunctional family life and periods of self-doubt and self-delusion charm audiences who see a little bit of themselves in his work. David Sedaris specializes in wonderfully self-deprecating essay collections, with Naked and Me Talk Pretty One Day standing out as two of the more popular. NPR listeners catch him as a frequent This American Life guest, where he ruminates on many of the same subjects found in his books — expatriate life in Paris, homosexuality, drugs, odd jobs, family, mistakes and plenty more. Along with blisteringly brilliant sister Amy, they’ve written a few plays under the banner of "The Talent Family."

12. Jonathan Swift: When Ireland faced a nasty famine thanks to British meddling, Jonathan Swift’s suggestion poked the perpetrators by snidely suggesting his people nosh on babies for sustenance. "A Modest Proposal" stands as one of the finest examples of English-language satire ever published — a must-read for anyone searching for a few yuks that transcend time periods. The sprawling epic Gulliver’s Travels also continuously attracts fans in the modern age, painting English society in an escalating series of absurd, thoroughly delightful adventures. Though published in 1726 and altered in 1735, many of the classic’s themes and razor-sharp observations on human behaviors resonate loud and clear even today.

13. Mark Twain: Samuel Langhorne Clemens — better known by his pen name — possessed a legendary wit that served him quite well in his writing career. His short stories and novels especially exhibit his flair for equal parts whimsy and wryness. Most literary aficionados consider "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" his first notable publication and an essential example of Twain’s heavily celebrated humor. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, an undeniable classic of American literature, blends comedic elements with action, absurdity and a relatable depiction and celebration of youthful imagination. However, his talents extended far beyond his more playful prose. Many also forget that Twain could fire off acidic, sarcastic barbs of comedy gold just as well as he could more lighthearted fare.

14. Sarah Vowell: Like David Sedaris, Sarah Vowell’s appeal comes from her wry, intellectual recounting of life’s little weirdisms. Everything from visiting famous presidential assassination sites to her obsession with The Godfather yields plenty of amusing anecdotes. An unapologetic history buff, readers fascinated with learning about some of the stranger corners to be found in the country will certainly find Vowell’s short stories and essays both delightful and informative. But, as with Sedaris as well, her most poignant works revolve around her family, most especially the interesting relationship with her father. The pair stand diametrically opposed when it comes to religious and political topics, and tales culled from the Take the Cannoli collection wring humor and pathos from the strain. Some may nod their heads and chuckle accordingly as she comes to terms with her American identity in the funny, highly provocative The Partly Cloudy Patriot as well.

15. Kurt Vonnegut: Even the most ardent detractor of the science-fiction genre can likely appreciate this author’s famously sharp observations about pretty much everything. Considered one of the most influential English-language writers in existence, enduring classics such as Player Piano, Breakfast of Champions, Slaughterhouse-Five and Cat’s Cradle boil over with pitch-black satires of religion, politics, society and plenty more. He dissects preconceived notions, ideas and practices about the world and challenges readers’ assumptions about the nature of all that surrounds them. And all throughout his impressive oeuvre, Vonnegut infused the narrative with a humanistic spirit that undercuts some of the overarching darkness.

Part 1 is here. http://releaseyourwriting.blogspot.com/2010/12/guest-post-15-funniest-writers-of-all.html

Grateful for this guest post.courtesy from Jasmine Hall of onlineclasses.org for this two-part guest post.

A Goal Post for 2011

2010-12-31T06:10:00.002-06:00

How's this for finding useful goal-setting ideas in unusual places?

Recently, in a doctor's waiting room, I picked up Diabetes Magazine. Not much of interest to me, until I found an article on diabetes management, suggesting people break goals into manageable steps. The examples given were much the same as what we sometimes do as writers, but the system described looked like it might be a useful idea for you to try in the new year:

Mark each month's page of your 2011 calendar with an attainable goal for that month.

"At the end of the year," says article author Margaret Farley Steele, quoting Michele Jachim, RD, CDE, "you'll have twelve new habits."

We all know that once we focus on a goal, we're more likely to reach it, and without identifying goals, time drifts away and we have nothing to show for it. So, unlike the advice in the article about particular foods or exercise, I found it a helpful reminder for us to think of our specific goals as writers.

What could help you get ahead this year?

Writing three queries a month?
Finding a new personal essay market?
Writing at the library once a week?
Creating the perfect book proposal?
Attending a conference?

See how easy it is to fill your calendar? Set one particular & attainable goal for each month, and let us know how you're doing.

Top Ten Blogs for 2010

2010-12-26T18:45:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite sites for writers is Write To Done.
Here is their list of the top ten sites for writers -- Make these a daily habit for you in 2011.

Helen Gallagher

Guest post: 15 Funniest Writers of All Time: Part 1 of 2

2010-12-23T19:18:00.000-06:00

I get a break for holiday shopping and family visits, courtesy of guest post.courtesy from Jasmine Hall of onlineclasses.org
This list of 15 writers is so good I'll split it over two weeks.

What does it take to be a funny writer? Read here and learn

The 15 Funniest Writers of All Time:

Part 1
Everyone needs to laugh. It’s pretty much the only thing that separates most people from fully succumbing to the overwhelming tragedy of it all. From the lowliest college student to the stuffiest, wealthiest CEO to the spacey young clerk at the local record store with an ironic moustache and creepy preoccupation with female bassists, we all need a chuckle now and then. Fortunately, all media lends itself to the distribution of yuks. Since reading is fundamental, this list focuses on the funny as it is written rather than as it is told in song, dance and on television.

As with all things creative, comedy comes burdened with a hefty load of subjectivity. What one finds riotously knee-slapping, another will scoff or take offense. So read this list as such rather than something definitive and solid. Anyone who grows irritated over omissions or inclusions should probably just step away from the internet for a while and reassess a priority or two. Follow an adaptation of the Mystery Science Theatre 3000 mantra – "It’s just an article. I should really just relax."

Douglas Adams: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series remains a classic of both science-fiction and comedy, with the initial radio series spawning five novels by Adams (and one by Eoin Colfer), a miniseries, stage shows, a computer game, comic books and a feature-length film. Even beyond that, though, he wrote a plethora of other essays and novels, with the Dirk Gently series comprising one of his more famous humorous contributions following the Hitchhiker’s juggernaut. With considerable cheek, wit and irreverence, he relentlessly prodded politics, religion and society, creating some delightfully absurd and memorable characters, situations and descriptions along the way.
Woody Allen: Though known primarily as an influential, if not outright legendary, filmmaker, plenty of Allen’s short stories and essays stand up as some of his most essential works. "The Whore of Mensa" highlights many of his strengths as a writer and comedian. His familiarity with genre literature and films allows him to play with — if not outright subvert — the associated cliches and tropes. The descriptions and dialogue alike crackle with wry, dry delivery spiked with a tinge of neurotic tension, made especially apparent in the sample readings available on his website.
Jane Austen: Contemporary audiences thrill to Jane Austen’s Regency romances, proclaiming them ever so sigh-worthy and clamoring to find Mr. Darceys of their very own. This mindset, unfortunately, entirely precludes the author’s status as one of the sharpest satirists to ever write in English. Beloved classics Emma, Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility all humorously pick apart English society, particularly the upper classes, and romances in a way that appears perfectly straightforward on the surface. Understandably, when the books have been completely and progressively further removed from their initial context, it is difficult for most first-time readers to pick up on their abject hilarity.
Michael Ian Black: The State and Stella alum’s bizarre, surreal humor doesn’t appeal to every audience, but his blog and essay collection My Custom Van elicit liberal laughs from the people who find such things appealing. Best described as whip-smart dumb comedy, he gleefully parodies the raunchy observations of his "edgy" mainstream contemporaries — when he isn’t penning some of the silliest, most absurd prose this side of Monty Python, anyways. For fans who enjoy their Cracked splashed with few shots of McSweeney’s, Black is definitely a writer who needs to be read to be believed.
Margaret Cho: Even factoring her stand-up and performance art out of the equation, Margaret Cho is a formidable comedienne. At a time when women receive wrong-headed dismissal regarding their capacity for humor, she challenges popular assumptions with acidic takes on gender, sex and sexuality, race, politics, body image, substance abuse and more. All of Cho’s works — comedic or not — provoke viewers and readers into thinking about serious issues, most especially her memoir I’m the One that I Want and the politically-charged I Have Chosen to Stay and Fight. Neither book is intended to be read as comedy, but her blog certainly delivers a regular dose of both humor and insight.
Warren Ellis: Comic books comprise most of Warren Ellis’ literary output, with Transmetropolitan and Nextwave standing out as the most kinetic and gut-busting of the lot. Frenetic silliness characterizes his more hilarious offerings, with his only novel (as of now) toning it down slightly. Crooked Little Vein injects the writer’s fondness for bizarre, obscure sexual practices into a twisting, deconstructed noir narrative that easily equals his transhumanist and superheroic graphic fare. Even those who have yet to pick up any of Ellis’ printed works still pop over to his blog and Twitter feed for boozy, hyperactive good times.
Sandra Hill: She writes romance novels involving time-traveling Vikings.
Christopher Moore: Moore’s books overflow with humor, all of them his love of parody and deconstruction. As of this article’s publication, he has released eleven novels, most notably Lamb, You Suck, Fool and A Dirty Job. Like a hybrid of Terry Pratchett and his hero Kurt Vonnegut, he blends fantasy and humanism into such diverse narratives as a hitherto-unknown disciple dishing on Christ’s childhood and an everyman thrust into a career dealing in souls. At least three of his books have landed on bestseller lists, too — certainly a not-insignificant accomplishment.

Part 2 next week, and thanks again to guest post from Jasmine Hall of onlineclasses.org

Would CostCo want to carry your book?

2010-12-14T06:53:00.003-06:00

Many of you know, I support groups that support writers. In one of my valued online groups, SPAWN.org, I learned of one person's experience with Costco. His story is so exciting, I commandeered it, with his permission, as a guest post here.

"A couple of months ago, while flipping through the Costco Connection magazine, I noticed a monthly column called Member Connection, where they profile Costco members who have interesting stories or events to tell about.

What caught my eye is that one of the three profiles on this page was of a woman who had written a book. They had a picture of her holding up her book (which was not available at Costco) along with a couple of paragraphs (one third of a page) about how she came to write it.

So, I sat down and emailed Costco Connection a brief version of my press kit, explaining that I had written a book and why it might interest Costco members. That was in August.

A couple of days ago, I got an email from a Costco Connection reporter who informed me that they liked my story and wanted to include me in the column in the February issue. We did a telephone interview yesterday, and I emailed some photos for them to choose from.

Good news all by itself, and I was thrilled. But, here's the exciting part... I decided, a few hours before the interview, to email the reporter a pdf copy of my book, "in case you might find it useful" for interview prep."

When he called to conduct the interview, he was effusive about how much he loved the book, and asked if I would mind if he passed it on to the Costco book buyer. I, of course, said I would be most grateful for that, and mailed a couple of paperback copies for him to pass on and one to keep for himself.

Now, I realize that getting your book onto a Costco table is about as easy as getting it on Oprah, and I don't hold out much hope that it will actually happen. But, I do know that someone in the book buying office will read it, and it won't end up in that roomful of 100,000 books that never got opened.

And, at the very least, Costco members nationwide, and possibly in Canada and the UK, will be exposed to a couple of paragraphs about my book. I could not have purchased that kind of press.

If you have a note, photo or story to share about Costco or Costco members, email it to connection@costco.com with "The Member Connection" in the subject line or send it to "The Member Connection," The Costco Connection, P.O. Box 34088, Seattle, WA 98124. Submissions cannot be acknowledged or returned."

Thanks to David Perkins for allowing me to share his success story with Release Your Writing blog fans.
Learn more about David and his book Dear Austin: A Letter To My Son, at http://www.davidmperkins.com and http://www.davidmperkins.com/amazon.

And as for supporting groups who support writers, I think you'll agree my SPAWN membership was worth a full year's dues for this one tip alone.

Write on,
Helen Gallagher

A Snow Day!

2010-12-12T17:51:00.000-06:00

How lovely to have a snow day for writers. Pile up the writing magazines, books, and polish up a draft article or story.
Lest the weather get you down, I'm reprinting a timely poem, courtesy of my favorite Irish pub, The Celtic Knot in Evanston:

"I heard a bird sing

In the dark of December.

A magical thing

And sweet to remember.

'We are nearer to Spring

Than we were in September,'

I heard a bird sing

In the dark of December."

~Oliver Herford

Finally... Amazon reveals your book's sales ranking

2010-12-10T20:07:00.001-06:00

I've had a behind-the-scenes resource for years to track book sales, and I get monthly royalty statements from my publisher, Virtual Bookworm. But many clients wait 6 months or more to know what their book is doing in the market.

Now, Amazon lets you see this information for your own books, in your Amazon Author Central pages. If you don't have an Author Central page at Amazon yet, better get going...

Then follow this link, sign in and track your weekly sales. https://authorcentral.amazon.com/gp/metrics

Thanks for the early Christmas present, Amazon !!

Google ebooks: READ THE CONTRACT before signing up

2010-12-07T09:17:00.000-06:00

Signing up to distribute your books on Google eBooks will not make you rich. Be very cautious and don't sign up to have Google distribute your books until you read the entire agreement. Google can determine your price, or even make your book 'free.' What's in it for you??? Use caution before you jump in.

Helen

Learn more about Smashwords

2010-12-01T20:23:00.000-06:00

I've written here before about Smashwords, for brilliant ebook distribution, and I mention it in every workshop and presentation I give. Learn more about why you should take advantage of Smashwords and their offerings for your book distribution. Here's a video link about Smashwords.

The mind of a writer: On display

2010-11-23T11:25:00.002-06:00

This photo of an author's desk shows the leaps the mind takes in putting words together. The photo is shown with the accompanying story on the Poets & Writers site here.

How interesting to have the author, John Casey, annotate the meaning of all those ideas, notes and fragments.
(Click on image to enlarge).

NaNoWriMo makes Op-Ed page in New York Times

2010-11-14T12:16:00.000-06:00

Hello, all you ambitious NaNoWriMo participants. You're almost half-way through the month, slogging through a sea of words. Today's New York Times has a cute op-end titled "Word After Word After Word," and since you're too busy writing to read teh newspaper, I'll delivery the salient points here:

NaNoWriMo started in 1999 with 21 participants and has grown into an enormoius non-profit helping people burst free of inhibitions and work with a common deadline. Your group has now produced almost a billion words, nearing the 2009 total of almost 2.5 billion.

Last year, slightly more than 19 percent of NaNoWriMo writers made it to the finish line.

As the Times piece says:

"This is the lovely thing about language. We all get to use it, and use it reasonably well, and words are so easily recycled. ... In NaNoWriMo, the talented and inexperienced, the experienced and untalented, and all of the rest, can use as many words as they want, knowing that we will never run out and not one will be wasted."

Write on,

Helen

Directory of Book Reviewers

2010-11-12T13:28:00.000-06:00

Self-published and independent authors seek resource for book reviews.

Christy Pinheiro, a colleague in another writing group put together this fabulous directory.

Go forth and get reviewed!

Book Review: The Nighttime Novelist: Finish Your Novel in Your Spare Time, by Joseph Bates

2010-11-09T17:45:00.005-06:00

I posted this on BlogCritics yesterday -and NANOWRIMO is the perfect time to read it and get inspired to write a draft of your novel this month. Published by Writer's Digest, they were kind enough to tweet my review on their page, resulting in a huge number of Facebook updates.

And yes, the book is gorgeous, as mentioned in the original review here. The Nighttime Novelist

Worldwide Blogs

2010-11-04T08:02:00.001-05:00

In workshops, I always remind people that the Web is indeed Worldwide. As such, we are missing a huge market if we don't attempt to reach beyond US borders in our blogs. As a reminder, here's where the US stands in the global picture. Notice the tremendous potential you are missing if you aren't targeting our Canadian friends, with useful blog posts, links to Amazon in Canada, etc. ~~Make a goal for the 4th quarter of 2010 to stretch your reach:~~ Plan now to expand your reach in 2011.

11-10-11 NOTICE Chart has been corrected by provider:

Graph source: Technorati.com / State of the Blogosphere

2010-10-23T16:25:00.001-05:00

Ever wonder why you should keep plugging along at social media? Think no one will notice you online? One of the many sites I visit and update is scribd.com.

And, Laura Novak found out that it really does pay. A former New York Times writer, TV news reporter and now author of Finding Clarity: A Mom, a Dwarf and a Posh Private School in the People’s Republic of Berkeley, she rose to the top on Scribd.com. As she says:

"In less than a year, I have become a top female author on Scribd.com, with 43,000 followers. As a result, the Scribd team invited me to read from Finding Clarity at this year’s Lit Quake festival in San Francisco.

Read her full guest post here at Chuck Sambuchino's Guide to Literary Agents blog.

Learn about her work touring the book circuit and doing in-store readings BEFORE her book is even published. Talk about a great way to build a following, and to improve her manuscript by reading live with an audience!!

Cheers,
Helen Gallagher

Library of Congress chooses POD to re-issue out-of-print books

2010-10-14T08:37:00.004-05:00

As print-on-demand surges ahead of traditional publishing for authors, the U.S. Library of Congress is even using POD, through CreateSpace, to re-issue thousands of out-of-print titles. I chose CreateSpace for my newest book: Blog Power & Social Media Handbook, to have a fast and inexpensive blogging guide for my publishing clients and fans of my earlier book, Release Your Writing.

CHARLESTON, S.C. – Oct. 5th, 2010 – CreateSpace, part of the Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) group of companies, today announced an agreement with The Library of Congress to make at least 50,000 public books available through www.amazon.com. The Library of Congress also reached an agreement with Amazon Europe to make tens of thousands of books in the public domain available around the world to customers on www.amazon.co.uk, www.amazon.de and www.amazon.fr using print on-demand technology, an inventory-free, cost-efficient publishing solution that only manufactures titles as customers order them.

"We are pleased to now give the public a way to enjoy print on-demand access to library collections around the world," said Dr. Deanna Marcum, associate librarian for Library Services, The Library of Congress.

With Createspace Print on-Demand, these national libraries will make a large selection of content available quickly and easily via CreateSpace's host of U.S. distribution channels, including www.amazon.com, ensuring wide public access with little economic investment. Since titles are only manufactured in response to customer demand, no inventory is needed and the titles will never go out of stock, making print on-demand an economic, convenient, and environmentally responsible public access solution for libraries.

Your books can receive the same good distribution at very low cost.

read full release here

Pub-It latest self-publishing service from Barnes & Noble

2010-10-06T08:08:00.000-05:00

Publishers Weekly reports: "Barnes & Noble officially launched PubIt! today, its digital self-publishing platform for authors and independent publishers. Under the PubIt model, authors are charged no startup fee and will receive a royalty that ranges from 40% to 65%, depending on price of the e-book (or other digital content). Using a Web-based platform, publishers, upload their e-books, set the list price and track their sales and payments. Titles can be priced between 99 cents and $199.99. For e-books priced at or between $2.99 and $9.99, publishers receive 65% percent of the list price with B&N receiving the balance. For those priced at $2.98 or less, or $10.00 or more, publishers receive 40%."

So PubIt! joins Lulu and CreateSpace as great options to get your book produced and made available for sale online. Remember, though, no one will buy your book if they aren't aware of it. so, after the easy publishing process, put your energies into author marketing.

International Freelancers Day

2010-09-23T09:54:00.000-05:00

Are you ready? International Freelancers Day starts tomorrow, and runs through Saturday - that's 9/24 and 25.

This online conference is partly run by the authors of The Wealthy Freelancer, a book I reviewed a few months ago. Read review here.

Release Your Writing, Kindle edition

Here's an introductory 90-second video if you're not aware of the conference. It's free and will have loads of video programs non-stop online.

September: What happened to your summer goals?

2010-08-31T19:56:00.002-05:00

September is here and summer is winding down. Have you moved along on your writing goals? Have you had the time you need to follow through?

If not, here's your motivation: GET IT DONE is NAIWE’s 2010 Summer Challenge.

Visit NAIME.com

The folks at NAIME, National Association of Independent Writers and Editors, offer a challenge to take this summer to learn, grow, and get ready for a busy and successful autumn. There are three parts to the challenge:

1. Read three books that will stretch your mind and inspire your creative spirit.
2. Finish one project that’s been nagging at you for longer than you care to admit.
3. Brainstorm a new project that will bring you an additional stream of income, then take the first step to make it happen.

My goals for the Get It Done challenge are:

1. I'm on book two of the three I committed to reading. The first was The Wealthy Freelancer.

2. After attending a conference in July, I haven't kept my goal of querying one editor each week. I'm back on track now with this.

3. Additional income is easy for any writer with the power of ebooks. I'm issuing a new one in September, and one more by the end of the year. Writing an article for an online marketing is also feasible. It might be an easy goal for you to tackle too. In August, I've had $150 in extra revenue with quick sales to these markets.

Lonely Planet review of the "Eat, Pray, Love" locations

2010-08-30T19:21:00.000-05:00

I had the pleasure of seeing the "Eat, Pray, Love" movie with an assignment to then review Lonely Planet's travel guides to the destinations: Italy, India and Bali. The full review is posted on Blogcritics.org.

Cogent POV from Seth Godin

2010-08-29T16:32:00.001-05:00

Excerpt from Media Bistro interview 8-25-10

You blog every single day. How do you keep your ideas fresh for your readers?

"I don't buy that the people don't have enough ideas. It is hard for me to imagine how someone can go through the whole day and have talker's block, I have never met anyone who woke up in the morning and had so little to say they were mute until they went to bed that night. People don't get talker's block, so why do we get writer's block? We get writer's block 'cause we are afraid, it's easy to talk because you can deny it later and it disappears, but once you write it down, that's when the fear comes from. That's where you say I don't have any good ideas and all I do is write like I talk. If I have something interesting to say, I say it and then I write it down, it's not that hard. I think that the art here is in chopping down the wall, the barrier between what you want to say and what you are afraid of, and letting people hear your best stuff."

Seth Godin

What it takes to succeed in self-publishing

2010-08-18T18:16:00.000-05:00

The Cliff Notes version of an Cathie Beck's articulate blog post about her self-published success story. Read the full post at shewrites.com.

Cathie Beck's take-aways:

Decide what you want. Be specific. (Do you want to sell your book or self-publish for the long haul?)

Take an online book marketing class (I teach one now). Learn what works.

Write a 25-word description of your target market: age, gender, income.

Get in front of every online (and otherwise) audience you know.

Pick a launch date and build a Web site.

Get at least one good review. Use it everywhere.

Have faith and go for it with every ounce of your being.

Well said, Cathie.

Helen Gallagher

East of Eden Writers Conference: September 24-26, 2010

2010-08-10T19:34:00.003-05:00

Oops... The following East of Eden Writers Conference has been cancelled.... Salinas is still worth a visit though, and so is the need for all of us to support our writing groups. Sending good wishes to the Santa Clara Valley chapter of the California Writers Club.

*******

It's too darn hot this summer. Plan your autumn getaway to Salinas, California for the East of Eden Writers Conference, Sept. 25-26, 2010. If you've never been to Salinas, you;ll see the land loved by the amazing John Steinbeck is alive with his writing.

And the Steinbeck Center is an amazing museum and tribute to this great American writer. Workshop sessions cover fiction, non-fiction, poetry, mystery, and the business of writing. Learn more at http://www.southbaywriters.com/EastofEden2010/workshops.html

Helen Gallagher
Release Your Writing

A question on sending your manuscript to a POD firm

2010-08-10T08:43:00.002-05:00

A client posed this question today, and I thought I'd let my email response do double-duty by posting it here:

Yes, it is safe to send them the manuscript before you have a contract. Until the POD firm approves it, they can't offer you a contract. They need to be sure, first of all, that it is not racist or hate literature. And, they have to be sure the document format and layout is something they can work with.

As the publisher, they have a legal obligation to produce quality, so they have to see it before you sign the contract. Nobody in the publishing book business wants to claim ownership of our work. I always say its like a shoe salesman - chances are they don't want to steal your shoes while you're walking around the shop in theirs.

Best writing of a bad sentence

2010-07-26T09:21:00.002-05:00

A sentence comparing a kiss to the sucking of a very thirsty gerbil has won Seattle-based novelist Molly Ringle the world's worst writing contest. Ringle, who says she only writes bad fiction when she fails at good fiction, took the Bulwer-Lytton prize for the opening sentence to the worst of all possible novels yesterday with:

"For the first month of Ricardo and Felicity's affair, they greeted one another at every stolen rendezvous with a kiss – a lengthy, ravenous kiss, Ricardo lapping and sucking at Felicity's mouth as if she were a giant cage-mounted water bottle and he were the world's thirstiest gerbil."

Courtesy: Maggie Ball, CompulsiveReader.com

Got a book in the oven?

2010-07-20T08:20:00.003-05:00

You and your colleagues can collaborate on a book project together at Book Oven.
Writers, editors, designers, all can collaborate, even publish right from the site.

The site is fairly new. Here's how it works. I hope you'll let me know if you try it out...

-- As a writer, you either start writing on Book Oven, or upload text of an existing manuscript

-- You either invite collaborators (editors, designers, reviewers, proofreaders), or find them on our site

-- You work with editors/reviewers to improve your text. Your editors can leave annotations in the margins of your text, and if they have the right permissions, they can directly edit the text

-- You can use Bite-Size Edits to proofread/copyedit your text - either by yourself, in a private group, or by opening your project to the world
When you are ready to publish your text, you can generate an .epub ebook file, an html file, or a PDF file

-- Eventually, you'll be able to generate a PDF formatted for print-on-demand

-- Eventually, you'll be able to sell the epub and print-on-demand book in the Book Oven store, and through partner retailers

Self-publishing increases 188 percent in 2009...

2010-07-12T17:30:00.005-05:00

Something to celebrate in this guest post by Stephanie Chandler:

Bowker recently released a new publishing industry report revealing trends in traditional and self-publishing. The report shows that traditional publishers released an estimated 288,355 book titles in 2009, down by 1/2% from 2008. Yet, non-traditional book titles, including print-on-demand and other self-publishing methods, increased a whopping 188% over 2008 with 764,448 new titles released. Yowza!

It is also interesting to note that for the first time ever, over 1,000,000 new book titles were produced in 2009.

What does all of this mean for authors? There is no denying the trend toward self-publishing (or self-publishing assistance by custom publishers). Traditional publishing channels are flat and failed to grow in 2009, which is likely due to the challenged economy.

It is also clear that the competition is increasing. With more than 1 million titles per year vying for the attention (and wallets) of readers, it's more important than ever that authors make sure to produce titles that stand out against the competition. If you self-publish, avoid cutting corners! Make sure your book is edited along with a professional cover design and all the elements one would expect from a traditionally published book.

And keep in mind that author marketing is more important than ever. Keep the wheels in motion and remember that it is a marathon, not a race. Marketing should be a daily activity that authors engage in to stay competitive.

What do you think about all of this?
By Stephanie Chandler, Author, Speaker, CEO of Authority Publishing & BusinessInfoGuide.com, Focus: Internet Marketing, Publishing, Small Biz

Ebooks: Don't Overlook the $ales Potential

2010-07-11T10:34:00.004-05:00

If you use traditional publishing or print-on-demand, the publisher can convert your book into an ebook, and Smashwords.com can convert it to all the formats needed for ebook readers, iphones, and the next new thing that comes along. And, did you know, you earn higher royalties on ebooks? Since they cost almost nothing to produce and place into the sales channel, you can earn up to 70 percent per book, like I do on my Release Your Writing ebook.

Need more incentive:
The Hachette Book Group, states that James Patterson's novels have now moved 1.14 million copies in electronic form, making him the first author to sell over 1 million e-copies of his books.

Guest post guidelines

2010-07-06T16:10:00.001-05:00

If you're interested in sharing a guest post at Release Your Writing, here are our easy guidelines:

1. entry should be between 200 and 400 words.
2. photo of guest author is permitted
3. topic should be relevant to writing: wanting to be a writer, how blogs make writing easier, the dream of writing a best-seller, etc.

The entry should be sent to me for approval and posting. If it all looks good, it will be posted immediately and kept on the site at least one-year.

Thanks for your interest in Release Your Writing.

Guest post: Blogging tips

2010-06-30T09:45:00.004-05:00

The following resources are provided to Release Your Writing by Accredited Online Colleges.com

60 Awesome Search Engines for Serious Writers
This is the first of seven posts. Accredited Online Colleges asked if they could share these with my blog readers. Let me know when you're ready for Post #2...

June 20th, 2010

Finding the information you need as a writer shouldn’t be a chore. Luckily, there are plenty of search engines out there that are designed to help you at any stage of the process, from coming up with great ideas to finding a publisher to get your work into print. Both writers still in college and those on their way to professional success will appreciate this list of useful search applications that are great from making writing a little easier and more efficient.

Professional

Find other writers, publishers and ways to market your work through these searchable databases and search engines.

1. Litscene: Use this search engine to search through thousands of writers and literary projects, and add your own as well.
2. Thinkers.net: Get a boost in your creativity with some assistance from this site.
3. PoeWar: Whether you need help with your career or your writing, this site is full of great searchable articles.
4. Publisher’s Catalogues: Try out this site to search through the catalogs and names of thousands of publishers.
5. Edit Red: Through this site you can showcase your own work and search through work by others, as well as find helpful FAQ’s on writing.
6. Writersdock: Search through this site for help with your writing, find jobs and join other writers in discussions.
7. PoetrySoup: If you want to find some inspirational poetry, this site is a great resource.
8. Booksie.com: Here, you can search through a wide range of self-published books.
9. One Stop Write Shop: Use this tool to search through the writings of hundreds of other amateur writers.
10. Writer’s Cafe: Check out this online writer’s forum to find and share creative works.
11. Literary Marketplace: Need to know something about the publishing industry? Use this search tool to find the information you need now. (Note: Includes Small Presses. HG)

Book Review: "Writers and Their Notebooks" edited by Diana M. Raab

2010-06-16T08:38:00.005-05:00

A collection of essays by writers about their notebooks and journals. Perfect for summer reading (and writing)...

The overall emotion in this collection is a love of writing, and a celebration of notebooks and journals as the place to embrace our beloved art. Most of the essays include a sentimental regard for the many years of notebooks the writers have amassed, a memory of their first journal, and the value of old journals for recalling experiences and details from the past. More often than not, these details work their way into new writing. Author Katherine Towler notes, “My years as a journal writer were essential to the work I am doing now, and to the work still to come.”

In Writers and Their Notebooks, Raab describes words on the pages of a journal as “the music and voice of one’s true emotions. Whether the writer is expressing deeply held beliefs, recording snippets of overheard dialog, making observations, listing ideas for future projects, or copying a favorite poem, the notebook should be a vital part of the creative tool kit.”

There is the rare reference to blogs as “simultaneously a diary and a piece of performance art,” and the need for the computer when “what’s waiting is not a thread but a flood. The pocket notebook is for the hint, the computer for the deluge.” Rare is the lucky writer who is so inspired by the notebook that it must pour forth as fast as one can type, “the resonant data impinging deliciously on the mind,” as poet Kim Stafford discovers.

Read full review here.
First published as: http://blogcritics.org/books/article/book-review-writers-and-their-notebooks/

2010-05-29T22:10:00.004-05:00

Jane Friedman, Writer's Digest boss-blogger at There Are No Rules, shares this statistic from the BEA sessions this week:

The computer is still biggest e-reading device (37%); then Kindle (32%); iPhone (10%); iPad (3% after 3 weeks in market!).

Once people start using/buying e-books, they don't go back & tend to become more exclusive to e-books.

Are your reading habits changing? Are you happy enough with a hard drive full of books, instead of an inviting pile of books on your nightstand? Not me. I read and review plenty of ebooks, but I want the inviting titles, colors, and shapes enticing me to hold a book and read the words.

Children's books go interactive!

2010-05-19T11:46:00.005-05:00

This is extraordinary....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gew68Qj5kxw

This is especially relevant for authors of books for children. It looks like the days of a simple picture book are gone forever! Let's hope not...

As AOL News recently reported, of the top 16 book apps for the iPad, a whopping 13 of them are children's books, a revealing statistic about the potential that multimedia e-reading devices have for the children's book genre. Many of these book apps are intended for the younger set, with activities that help children learn words and read sentences, engaging them in the plot of the story. For those too young to read, apps offer animated illustrations the reader can touch and move while a recording of the story plays, and children can record themselves reading as they progress in their ability. One app even lets parents make a recording of themselves reading the story on a web cam. Then, when the child reads the story on the iPad, the video recording appears in the corner of the screen - even when they aren't there, parents can read to their children.

These apps are not all simple illustrated storybooks. Some of them use amazing animation and allow children to interact with the story at an unprecedented level. Many book videos demonstrating the capabilities of children's book apps have been posted, including a montage of anticipated books for various age levels from Penguin and an impressive look at the Alice in Wonderland book app.

Info courtesy of bookhitch.com

How to get an agent to keep reading...

2010-04-27T16:58:00.004-05:00

Writer's Digest had loads of free e-newsletters, and they often focus on a productive strategy to help you get ahead. Here for example are the seven reasons agents stop reading. You can see the full article here.

1. Generic beginnings
2. Slow beginnings
3. Trying too hard
4. TMI (Too Much Information)
5. Clichés
6. Loss of Focus
7. Unrealistic internal narrative

Now that you know what makes them stop reading, rework your proposal to improve your odds of success.

Self-Published book award list

2010-04-03T07:09:00.003-05:00

Use this list of Writer's Digest Self-Published Award winners to do a little reverse engineering. Look at the winning books in your category.

1. Go to the author's web site or blog. How well do they promote the book?
2. Go to Facebook or LinkedIn and search for the author's profile. Are they highly visible? Do they have a large following?
3. What can you learn from their marketing strategy? They didn't become a Writer's Digest award winner without some effort.
4. What should you do to get your work known?

Writers Digest's 17th Annual
Self-Published Book Awards winners :

Children's Books
http://www.writersdigest.com/article/self_pub_kids17/

Genre Fiction
http://www.writersdigest.com/article/self_pub_genre17/

Humor Writing
http://www.writersdigest.com/article/self_pub_humor17/

Inspirational Writing
http://www.writersdigest.com/article/self_pub_insp17/

Middle-Grade/Young Adult
http://www.writersdigest.com/article/self_pub_youngadult17/

Life Stories
http://www.writersdigest.com/article/self_pub_life17/

Mainstream Fiction
http://www.writersdigest.com/article/self_pub_main17/

Nonfiction
http://www.writersdigest.com/article/self_pub_non17/

Poetry
http://www.writersdigest.com/article/self_pub_poetry17/

Reference Books
http://www.writersdigest.com/article/self_pub_ref17/

Thanks to Rowdy at FWOI for these links.

Highlight text from web pages

2010-03-24T08:44:00.004-05:00

Last week, I did a demo of i-lighter.com, software that highlights text on web pages.
You save the highlights on a dashboard screen, and can retrieve them, see where they came from, and sort them.

Shortly after the demo, we learned the i-lighter company is closing down, due to lack of profit. Unless someone comes along (are you listening Google?) and buys them this week, the product will cease to work.

So, not to disappoint... I found WebNotes, which does the same thing. It's more complex, but you can enjoy the basic, free features and get more complicated if you are using it for grant research or a large paper.

Women's History Month

2010-03-12T07:20:00.003-06:00

Barnes & Noble.com has a wonderful collection of videos and interviews, celebrating Women's History Month here.

Hunting for an agent? Three good links...

2010-03-06T09:03:00.003-06:00

I'm enjoying an agent panel this morning at the Univ. Wisconsin Milwaukee Spring Writer's Festival. Here are links to the three recommended sites for those seeking an agent:

AgentQuery
Association of Author's Representatives
AuthorAdvance.com

Giving in to blow-out card...

2010-02-16T09:52:00.005-06:00

The fantasy: A year of Vogue magazine and an attractive bag. Not jut an ordinary tote bag, but what looked like a Vogue-ish big red textured leather bag. Big enough for my books, journal and notebook computer. How could I not.

The reality: Said bag arrived not in a handsome box via UPS but in an envelope - not even 9 x 12 - just a 6 inch envelope. Unless there's such a thing as inflatable leather, I'm about to be disappointed. The bag turns out to be vinyl [yes, I know... was I really expecting leather via blow-out card?] Yes, I was, but not $400 Vogue-leather, but maybe $40 Target or Kohl's .... And unlike the blow-out card deception, the bag is a very dorky size - like Easter purses in the 1950's.

So now I'm saddled with a year of Vogue - which, if you're not a fan of high fashion, is generally about 60 pages of full-color glossy ads before you even get to the Table of Contents. There are then about three decent articles among 200+ pages of expensive photo shoots, outrageous models, wearing "the season's all-important new braid," and eye makeup that would embarrass a Bird of Paradise.

You won't see the bag any time soon. I talked my sister into taking it to store her paintbrushes and art supplies.

Go forth and blog...

2010-01-31T07:57:00.000-06:00

Last week, the Associated Press reported that Pope Benedict XVI urged priests to use multimedia tools, to do what we do --- have a presence where are readers are.

The Pope, though, according to the article, also “praised new ways of communicating as a "gift to humanity" when used to foster friendship and understanding."

"That doesn't mean that (every priest) must open a blog or a Web site. It means that the church and the faithful must engage in this ministry in a digital world," Monsignor Claudio Maria Celli, who heads the Vatican's social communications office, told reporters. "At some point, a balance will be found." Celli, 68, said that young priests would have no trouble following the pope's message, but, he joked, "those who have a certain age will struggle a bit more."

Sisters: An Anthology, radio clips

2010-01-20T09:35:00.003-06:00

If you were unable to attend our Celebration of Sisters event at The Book Stall on Saturday, we have an upcoming Sisters: An Anthology salon scheduled with the Women's Exchange. Date will be posted as details are worked out.

For a treat, in the interim, enjoy this brief audio clip from WFCR Radio
http://www.wfcr.org/

Amazon offers royalties on Kindle book sales

2010-01-20T09:32:00.000-06:00

This from MediaBistro...

Amazon Announces 70 Percent Royalty Option for Kindle Publishing
By Jason Boog on Jan 20, 2010 10:23 AM

This morning, eBookNewser broke the news that starting on June 30, 2010, Amazon (AMZN) will offer a new 70 percent royalty option for works published on the Kindle.

Here's the official language: "For each Kindle book sold, authors and publishers who choose the new 70 percent royalty option will receive 70 percent of list price, net of delivery costs. This new option will be in addition to and will not replace the existing DTP standard royalty option."

The new revenue split resembles a rumor about the Apple Tablet from last December. Some insiders believe that Apple (AAPL) will strike a 30/70 revenue split with publishers.