#WWoW! 7 TOP TIPS for Beating Writer's Block

How Do You Beat Your Writer's Block?
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#Wwow - Writing from the Gorilla's Point of View by Sharon Struth

I was having lunch the other day with a friend who shared a hilarious story about purchasing gorilla suits for her sons one Christmas (thank you Lisa O. for a great tale). Later that night, while I read a new book, visions of the gorilla suit returned to me. It wasn’t because the story was about primates. The story stopped me because the writing violated some basic rules about point of view (POV) making me wish the author had slipped on the main character’s suit to tell the story.

Having a story unfold through a single character’s viewpoint isn’t an easy thing to do. However, once you decide to reveal your story through either first person (I, me), third person (she, he) or omniscient narrator (hey, it’s those guys down there), it’s important to stay in a single character’s head. NOT forever, but for—let’s say—a scene or chapter or place clearly marking a POV shift. Otherwise, you’re hopping from head to head, like the story I was reading.

Some writer’s like to argue that “head hopping” makes for a richer experience, so a reader can learn what everyone is thinking or feeling.

The problems with this approach?

First, to agents and editors it shows you’re an amateur. They like books where there is a clear POV character speaking to them…one at a time. Otherwise, the story reads a little like a meeting where everyone is talking at once and it’s difficult to become invested in who matters in this tale.  Also, unless you’re a pro (I’m talking a Nicholas Sparks-like pro), then you probably won’t be able to write this way in a fluid manner. Sure, some author’s head hop. You’ll note their published books typically have printed on top, “NY Times Bestselling author…”

Second, letting everyone know what everyone else thinks at the exact moment of each scene reduces the stakes of the story. As a reader, I want to fully be the character…mind, body, and soul. Consider this: have you ever done something stupid and wondered what everyone who is politely smiling at you really thinks? Yeah, me too. So do my characters. When an author head hops in their writing, the mystery is gone. Good writing is about creating page-turning novels

Third, when you stay one character’s head for a while, EVERYTHING from this one perspective, it gives more opportunities to slowly reveal conflict in your story. An example from The Hourglass, where Brenda (heroine) talks to hero CJ (hero) about her first husband:

“People change.” She shrugged. “Not everything can be fixed.”

The topic left her uneasy. For Brenda, every time the signs appeared—slurred words, a shift in his demeanor or the odor of liquor on his breath—the old wounds of her childhood reawakened. A crater of angst would swell in her gut while her inner soul waited in the same gloomy place as Jack’s until he returned to normal. She pressed her lips tight, unwilling to say more.

CJ’s jaw tensed and, even though he looked at her, it seemed his mind wandered deep in his own life. He replied quietly, “You’re right. Not everything can be fixed.”

Sadness filled the space between them. An emptiness in CJ’s expression left Brenda wanting to know more.

Did you want to know more about what CJ was thinking? Then it’s a good thing I stayed in Brenda’s point of view.

Now go toss on a gorilla suit (or your character’s suit) and pursue your writing journey. What it reveals may surprise you.

THANK YOU to our guest author, Sharon Struth.

You can find The Hourglass here: Amazon / Barnes & Noble

Sharon’s Website: www.sharonstruth.com

For a trailer, excerpt or book group questions visit www.thehourglassnovel.com

Author Bio:

Sharon Struth writes from her home in Bethel, Connecticut where she lives with her husband and two daughters. She's a graduate of Marist College and was raised in Poughkeepsie, NY.

Her debut novel, The Hourglass, is published by Etopia Press. Other writing credits include essays in several Chicken Soup for the Soul Books, the anthology A Cup of Comfort for New Mothers, Sasee Magazine and WritersWeekly.com. She is represented by Blue Ridge Literary Agency (http://www.blueridgeagency.com/)

Using Niche Marketing for Your Book @KayelleAllen #MFRWorg

REPOSTED FROM MFRW - Marketing for Romance Writers: Using Niche Marketing for Your Book @kayelleallen ...

DEFINITIONS

Let's start with two definitions for the term niche marketing. Niche -- A position particularly well suited to the person who occupies it; the status of an organism within its environment and community (affecting its survival as a species). Marketing -- The exchange of goods for an agreed sum of money; the commercial processes involved in promoting and selling and distributing a product or service; engaging in commercial promotion, sale, or distribution.

Niche marketing is networking. It is not selling. It is not carrying around your books or even bookmarks or business cards. Niche marketing is finding out who likes what you write, and finding ways to be seen by them. Let me explain.

Most marketing efforts are overt. Television commercials show a product and explain why you need it. Car commercials focus on the vehicle's aesthetic appeal, economy, dependability, affordability, and the prestige of ownership. An ad for a new product explains how it's used, why you need to try it, and often offers a bargain for ordering now. Who hasn't heard "But wait! Order now and get..."

IT'S NOT SELLING 

The point of niche marketing is not to sell. It's to rub elbows with people who like "what" you sell and letting them discover your product organically. Your signature on forums, emails, and groups should always have links to your website. Never send anyone anything -- even other writers -- without including your professional signature and a link to something relating to your brand. A book, your website, your blog, social media, etc. You can't have niche marketing if no one knows how to find you. By all means, if you have a tagline (and you should get one asap if not), display it in banners and buttons. Mine is below.

I'm not talking about an in-your-face "DOWNLOAD NOW!" approach, but a simple and direct one. Set up your profile so that every message ends with your name, your writing tag, and your website. If you don't have a tag and website, create them. These are gems! You can use these everywhere you go. A website gives people a central location to learn more about you and your books, and a tag simply tells people what kinds of books you write. Mine is "Unstoppable heroes, Uncompromising love, Unforgettable passion." Anyone who reads my books is going get these things. It's a few words that say everything about my writing. Using your tag in your signature is a form of passive marketing. By combining passive marketing with niche marketing, you can get a double opportunity to tell people about your books, without hitting them over the head with a "BUY NOW!" message.

Go where people who read your type of book can be found. If you write books about horses, you associate with horse people. If it's cats, then you go where cat folks meet. If it's vampires, maybe you hang out with people who watch vampire movies. Niche marketing means you are part of a group that likes the things you write about. It's not selling or talking about your book. You're just there, being one of the gang. Finding the right niche means being with like-minded people. A guy who sells tractors should find out where farmers hang out. His niche is people who need what a tractor can do. Figuring out what the tractor does and what problems it solves will help him figure out who will buy his product.

Think "what problem does my book solve?" If you write fiction, don't assume your book solves no problems. It likely solves many, including boredom and not knowing what to read. One of the first things to consider is that fiction creates a fantasy for someone. If you can fulfill a fantasy, people will pay you for it. A fiction book entertains. People who want to escape and relax with a good story will pay for the privilege. What prompted you to write the book? Think about that and make notes about your thoughts and needs regarding your decision to write, other than "to make money from a book." We all want that as an outcome, but it's not why we write, is it?

Jot down fantasies your book fulfills. You might be surprised. Then look at who is buying similar books (and movies/TV) that fulfill those. It's not necessarily what you thought at first. Be open to new ideas. Where can you go to reach that crowd? Be prepared to spend some time in research, and in getting to know the fans of the genre or series.

READ MORE by following this link.

===
Post by author Kayelle Allen, multi-published, award-winning Science Fiction Romance author of unstoppable heroes, uncompromising love, and unforgettable passion.

Homeworld http://kayelleallen.com
Unstoppable Heroes Blog http://kayelleallen.com/blog
Twitter http://twitter.com/kayelleallen

The Author's Secret https://theauthorssecret.com
(post also shared with Savvy Authors)

#Wwow - Top 10 Online Sites for Free Photos

Say Cheese! Ever since I became an author, I've had to use pictures for everything! My blog, my website, promotional badges, promotional videos, book trailers ... the list goes on. So, finding a good place online can be time consuming. That's why I stepped in today to tell you of FREE places to find pictures online. If you don't think it's important to use royalty free images and to just copy/paste, you better think differently. Read this from author Roni Loren: Bloggers Beware: You Can Get Sued for Using Pics on Your Blog

I do not work for or represent these places in any way. I've just stumbled upon them and find them useful sites.

1. Open Clip Art
2. Wikepedia Commons - a database of freely used media files
3. Stock XChg - the leading source of free stock photos
4. 20 Free Online Stock Videos - an article that shares 20 different places
5. Stock Vault
6. Creative Commons - Search for free photos or videos from several public domains
7. Free Digital Photos - an extensive selection of free photos
8. Dreamtime - Offers free weekly photos for download.
9. Free Photos Bank
10. Free Stock Photos
11. Photo Pin

Happy picture hunting!

Melinda is a contemporary romance author represented by Dawn Dowdle of Blue Ridge Literary Agency. You can find her on the web at www.melindadozier.com. Both her novels are available at all ebook retailers: Breaking the Rules from Crimson Romance and Love and Other Games from Swoon Romance.

Giveaways - There is no wrong way.

Hi! I hope you're having a lovely Thursday. Today I wanted to talk a little about giveaways. Is it ever hard to decide on what you want to giveaway?

You have a new release. Should you giveaway your new book? A gift card (and hope they will buy your book)? Swag? Or something else totally random?

While there is no real answer on what you should giveaway, I do have a few thoughts. When I first release a book, I don't do an actual giveaway of the book for awhile. Yes, my hopes are people will buy the book.

But I will giveaway a book similar to it. Maybe it's part of the series. I will giveaway the book before or the first in the series. Something that might entice them to want my latest. Such as with Arranged Love, my story Wanted: Wife has a similar feel to it. So I've been giving it away.

I do the gift card thing and usually in $5 increments and give the winner 3 options: Amazon, Nook, or Starbucks. All of these you can do online. I don't know what they will buy with it. But remember, you don't know they are going to read your book either when you give it to them. It could stay on their hard drive. At least with the gift card, they've won something they'll use and if it's a super awesome day, maybe they will pick up my book...maybe they won't.

Swag. I've been published since 2011 and I've never really done the swag thing before. I don't like spending money on things I'm not sure about. I see swag (paper products mainly) and I see my money literally being put into someones trash can. Now, with that said, it doesn't mean you shouldn't give away swag. I actually just did my first swag pack giveaways. I have a conference coming up, so I ordered a bunch of stuff to bring a long. These probably won't be my best giveaways. I'm trying it, so I can't say yet how successful this is.

And on another note. If you're a brand new author and you're wanting to find new readers, then I do suggest giving away your actual book. Like I mentioned earlier, just know, not everyone you send your book to will read it. Books are given away every day and books are bought every day. I must admit, I have books I've bought with ever intention on reading, but then something else came on my kindle and that book got pushed aside 6 months ago now. However, don't let that discourage you, because some are going to read it. They are going to love it and when you're next book releases, you might have found your first few fans. And really, that's what this is all about. Finding fans who love your work. 

Giveaways are tricky, but there really is no wrong way. Readers love them. Many of them spend a lot of money on books, so getting something for free is always great.

Happy Thursday!

-Lacey

#WWoW! Getting the Most Out Of @Goodreads!

Authors have different takes on Goodreads. Some dislike it, don't understand it and just aren't willing to use it. Some have discovered its hidden secrets and use it as another source of social networking. It took me awhile to navigate the site, find all the different ways to use it and make it a useful tool. But, now that I have, it's become part of my media toolkit. I don't spend a lot of time there but I do visit it a few times weekly.

Even before I was an author, I used Goodreads as a reader. I interacted with some authors I enjoyed reading, especially when I wanted to know more about when another book was being released in their series. I also used it to track books I wanted to read and those I'd read. Putting a rating on Goodreads whenever I read a book was second-nature as I kept my growing "Read" shelf up-to-date. I don't think I was alone in this. Many voracious readers gravitate towards Goodreads. So, shouldn't authors too?

Here are the top 12 ways to utilize goodreads as an author.

1. Participate in the site as a reader, not just as an author.

Authors are readers too. List the books you’ve read and want to read. Write short reviews on your favorite books. Be genuine. Notice I said "favorite books". I urge you to think carefully about whether you’ll post reviews that aren’t positive. I make it a policy to only post the books I've read and enjoyed. It's a way to promote those authors while sharing books with others that I liked - a great way to make connections.

2. Friend lots of readers.

Become friends with as many others as possible in the genres of your interest. But don't use them to spam - there's a book recommendation feature on Goodreads that I recommend you NOT use for your own books. Make friends to see what others are reading and share interests. Reading their reviews and posts will give you information on current readers' interests.

3. Join Groups and be active.

Join groups in the categories you read/ write. The groups are similar to Yahoo groups or Google+ hangouts. There is ongoing discussion between members - often a lot of interaction, particularly in the larger groups. There are hundreds of groups on Goodreads, for all different interests. Don't just join author groups - be sure to join groups with readers. Then remember #1 - participate as a reader, not just as an author!

4. Connect Goodreads to facebook.

You can connect to facebook and find your facebook friends who also use Goodreads. You can also allow Goodreads to post your activity to your facebook profile. It's another nice connection to show what books you enjoy as a reader to those who follow you on facebook.

5. List all your books on Goodreads.

They might already be there but they might not. There are a variety of ways books get put on Goodreads - there's even a group of people "the Librarians" who have extra permissions to edit, etc. Excited readers may add a book by ISBN if they can't find it but to be sure that your books are listed as you want, be sure to list them yourself. Include all pertinent information. The more information you include, the easier it is for a reader.

6. Join the Goodreads Author Program.

Through the Author Program, you can create an author profile and then utilize all the other promotional tools they offer. You can host/ advertise events (launch parties, blog tours, book signings, etc) from your profile as well as be able to upload book trailers, excerpts, and create polls or quizzes for your readers.

* Since the site is for readers, here's a place they are likely to look for you. Having a presence here is important. It’s the perfect place to connect with readers who enjoy the genre of books you write. *

7. Link your blog to Goodreads.

You can host a blog directly on Goodreads, or for those who already have a blog, you can connect it to Goodreads so that your posts show up on your profile (see #3). It sometimes takes a day for them to go live but having that connection will draw more interaction to your blog.

8. Create a Goodreads widget for your website or blog.

Goodreads makes it easy to embed a variety of widgets on your site to attract readers to your Goodreads profile. You will be able to choose to promote a shelf (for instance, your "want to read" shelf) or your profile. The directions are simple to follow and its just a matter of cut and paste.

9. Check your Goodreads inbox.

Sometimes readers will try to connect with you through Goodreads because they give you an inbox. I make it a habit to check it weekly so I don't miss an opportunity to "talk" with a reader.

10. Do giveaways.

This is only available if you have print books. Goodreads “First Reads” giveaway program is widely used and is a effective way of getting your book exposure on Goodreads. Once you set the criteria, Goodreads runs the giveaway and you are only required to supply the book once a winner is selected. Having a giveaway will increase those who place your book on their "want to read" shelves and will also lead to more reviews. This is great because the more reviews a book has, the more visibility it gets.

11. Advertise on Goodreads.

I’ve heard positive stories about the outcome of the Goodreads advertising program though it is a big investment. Advertising starts around $500 a month. Authors who've used it do say that it delivered on sales. NOTE: Since I haven't done it personally though, I can't speak from experience. I mention only as a suggestion to look into.

12. Check the Stats.

I love statistics because it gives real data on success. Goodreads gives us this tool. Since our goal is to get our books in reader's hands (aka, on their shelves), we need to know if what we're doing works. As an author member, Goodreads gives updated stats on how many people have added your books to their shelves, how many have reviewed them, your average ratings, etc. Track that data to determine how well your promotional activities on Goodreads are doing. Then make adjustments.

Are you on Goodreads?
Why? Why Not? Tell Us About Your Experience.

NEXT WEEK, I'm going to talk about reviews on Goodreads. (Oh yeah, I'm going there.)
Paloma
Paloma Beck is a Romance Author living a life of contradiction... she's a happily married carpooling mom writing erotic romance. It's almost naughty! Paloma writes full-time and has three series in the works with others on the fringes. Her books span both the contemporary and paranormal romance genres. 

Connect With Your Readers

I've been reading this great book by Kristen Lamb - Rise of The Machines: Human Authors In The Digital World. I'm a little more than halfway through, but right now the biggest thing had has stuck with me is: TALK TO YOUR READERS! Or people on Facebook in general.

Kristen Lamb wrote something in the book that made a light bulb go off in my head that said, "Duh!"

To be honest, most of my time spent on my Facebook account is interacting with authors. I like their status's,

comment on them, etc. And I am going to admit, when non-author status's come through, I don't comment on them as much, because when I log in to my Lacey Wolfe account, I'm in author mode. It isn't that I don't care what they are saying. I do. I just don't interact.

Wrong.

I should be. Kristen Lamb made a great point. We are on social media to be social. And I was (I'm stressing was, I've changed my ways), that was on there to just be social with other writers. It's important to like the status's and comment on non-writers stuff. Why? Besides the obvious--to hope they like us and one day might want to read us--but to be social. To find new people and those we can build strong friendships with.

I am more than an author. I am a mother, daughter, wife. I have six cats and a spoiled rotten dog full of anxiety. I like to watch the SyFy channel. I just started to crochet. I love to wash clothes but hate to fold them. See where I am going?

When you get on Facebook or any social media, take a step back and remember, while you are an awesome writer, you're also so much more. And use that to connect with your readers/friends.

To learn a little more, check out Kristen Lamb's blog HERE and go on twitter under the hashtag #MyWANA. WANA stands for We Are Not Alone. And I can't recommend her book enough.

-Lacey

Lacey's Favorite Ways To Use Facebook For Promo

Today I wanted to talk a few of my favorite ways you can use Facebook for promotion. Aside from posting your buy links all the time, there are other ways to entice readers into check out your  books.

Flash Giveaways - What is this? You ask people seeing the post to like and comment on the

post. If you're using a fan page, this will help more people see the post. If you have a new release, this is a great time to post the blurb and cover and give something away that is not your new book. Because I hate to say it, but you want people to purchase the book, right? In my thinking, if you just give the book away, people are going to wait until it's offered as a giveaway again. I am a big gift card giver. They don't have to buy my book with it of course, they can get anything they've wanted.

Anyway, flash giveaways are quick giveaways. A few hours or a day. Your choice. But it's something that as more people like, comment, tag, and share, your info is being shared. And how great is that? It's so hard to reach new readers outside of your usual reach. Hopefully you find one that loves you.

Graphics - These are to be eye catchy and you can include excerpts, buy links, etc with them. And I usually use the website pizap.com. Very easy to use. Anyone, in my opinion, can make eye catching graphics there for FREE! Here are a few I've made before to give you an idea.

And finally, check out these pages. They have forms you submit for them to promote your books. It works! And they want your books to share on their pages. Go check them out!

What To Read After Fifty Shades of Grey: https://www.facebook.com/WhatToReadAfter50ShadesOfGrey
 eBook Korner Kafe (non-erotic): https://www.facebook.com/EBookKornerKafe
Korner Kafe Exposed: https://www.facebook.com/KornerKafeX

#Wwow - Wacky Websites for Writers #amwriting

Have you ever been in the writing dumps? Don't lie! We all have! Well, here are some motivating websites for writers that are fun, wacky and helpful.

Written Kitten - www.writtenkitten.net
Positive reinforcement for writers through KITTENS! For every designated amount of words written, you get a new kitten image. I have to say, it's quite humorous!

750words.com

A way to turn your writing into a game. You get points for writing 750 words daily and even more for writing consecutive days. Compare points with others, get badges and motivate other writers.

Rescue Time - www.rescuetime.com

Keeps track of your time spent on the computer. Helps you become more productive. Alerts you when you spend a certain amount of time on an activity, blocks distracting websites, 

Word Hippo - www.wordhippo.com

One place to stop for help with synonyms, antonyms, and such. I like it because it goes beyond a normal thesaurus. It helps with name meanings, words ending with certain letters, 4-letter words, 5-letter words, tranlations, rhymes. You name it!

Omniwriter - www.omniwriter.com

Conquer the intimidation of the white screen! Keep focused and relaxed while writing by downloading this program. Creates a relaxing atmosphere for writing with backgrounds and zen-like music.

Unstuck - http://107.22.217.125/index.htm

Have a writing challenge? Go to unstuck to help you make a decision. Say goodbye to writer's block!

Edit Minion - www.editminion.com

A robotic copy editor which checks weak words, "said," passive voice, cliches and more.

Have fun being productive! :)

Melinda Dozier is a contemporary romance author for Crimson Romance and Swoon Romance. You can find more information at www.melindadozier.com

#WWoW! Indie Authors Use NetGalley!

There are new opportunities on NetGalley for self-published authors! And I'm so excited about what this means -the doors it opens- for Indie authors. There are basically three options but I've found OPTION THREE to be the most affordable and beneficial for Indie authors.

What Does NetGalley Do?

NetGalley provides a place where authors/publishers can upload their ebooks (ARCs or older titles) and reviewers can request a copy for review. If approved, NetGalley readers will read and review the titles.

NetGalley gives you fast and easy access to the 120,000 bloggers, journalists, librarians, booksellers, and media people who use NetGalley. And these reviewers are some high profile groups - movers and shakers in the book review realm.

Three ways for Indie Authors to join NetGalley:
OPTION ONE Indie authors can upload their ebooks to NetGalley manually. For $400, you can post one title for six months.
OPTION TWO Indie authors can upload their ebooks to NetGalley through the IBPA program. For $350, they will help you in posting one title for six months.
OPTION THREE 20 indie authors can form a co-op that will have access to 20 title slots for one year. Each individual author can swap out as many titles as they need during that year. The cost is $300 per author for the full year of access, unlimited number of titles.


GOOD NEWS! I jumped at OPTION THREE. When I found it difficult to find space in current CoOps, I decided to form my own. Indie authors interested in being a part of the BECKONING ROMANCE CoOp, contact me. Be sure "NetGalley CoOp" is in the subject header.

LOOK AT THESE STATS FROM THE All Night Reads CoOp (found on Susan Kaye's blog)

"Within a day of getting All Night Reads started, we had 11 titles live in the catalog, with 446 approved requests, of which 286 downloaded right away and 1 person had read and reviewed. ALL IN ONE DAY.
After a week, 19 titles with 2,216 approved review requests (2,185 actually downloaded) and 36 reviews."

THOSE ARE SOME SOLID STATS!

So, $300 feels like an awful lot of money. BUT... here's why it's worth it...

1. It includes a year's worth of NetGalley access for as many books as you want! NetGalley allows you to switch them out which means you could have a new book live each month.
2. It saves you the time of querying reviewers/ bloggers directly. No more cold call emails!
3. It exposes your book to the right reviewers. NetGalley allows the reviewer to request the books they believe matches their reading interest so your book lands in the right hands.
4. It puts your book in front of a diverse audience. NetGalley reviewers include librarians and other media people, as well as book bloggers, general Goodreads reviewers and booksellers.

Indie CoOps are popping up on NetGalley. For information on another Indie CoOp, follow this link to Patchwork Press where my idea to form my own originated from. Here's another author speaking about her experience in forming the All Night Reads CoOp.

It's a new opportunity for Indie Authors! CHECK IT ALL OUT. Then let me know if you want to be a part of the BECKONING ROMANCE CoOp. All genres welcome. We'll begin in 2014 as soon as we have twenty members!

Keep Writing!

Paloma

Stuck on the plot. My tips. #wwow

It's been a few weeks since I posted, and for that, I'm sorry. I've had some personal things going on that pulled me away from blogging as well as writing.

Today I wanted to talk a little but about writing, writers block, and plot bunnies. I often see authors posting status's or asking in groups what they should do when they feel stuck on a book they are writing, and yet

another story is calling to them.

First off, I don't believe in deadlines. Of course, if you follow me on facebook, you'll see I mention them for myself and now you're thinking I'm some weirdo. But what I mean is setting deadline and stressing about it. I usually start writing a book and make a goal as to when I'd like it done. It either happens or it doesn't. And guess what, I'm fine either way. Stressing makes this job no fun. And I intend to enjoy this career.

So what to do if you're stuck. Do you force the words out or walk away? I usually say, walk away for the time being. You can come back and most of the time you will. If another story is calling, then write it. I can't tell you how many times I've been working on a book and something else calls to me. And bam, I can write that book in no time. Yeah, you might have about five work in progresses, but eventually you will finish them and they will make out to the world. But don't force a book.

I'm gonna be honest here too. I have one book out that was forced. It's in a series and in that series, it's the one that gets picked up the worst and has lower ranked reviews. At the time the book was with a publisher and I had a set deadline to have the book with the editor. And the book just wasn't flowing for me. So I forced it.

The best part of being a indie or small press writer, is that you usually don't have those dreaded deadlines. So enjoy it. Don't push yourself to write something that just isn't ready.

-Lacey

#Wwow - Legal Mumbo-Jumbo for Writers

So, you received a contract between six to ten pages long. What does it all mean? How do you read it all? How do you decipher all the information? All publishers have their own agreement or contract for their authors. Some are negotiable and others aren't. However, most have the same terms. What do all the terms mean? Well, I've found several resources online to help you.

Romance University: Holly Root on Negotiating Contracts
PublishLawyer: Quick Guide to Book Contract Trouble Spots
PublishLawyer: Parts of a Contract
Publishing Agreement Checklist
Pub Law: Negotiating Terms


And last but not least, follow the hashtag #publaw each week on Twitter for info from @SusanSpann.

Melinda Dozier is the author of several contemporary romance novels with Crimson Romance and Swoon Romance. You can find her online at www.melindadozier.com

#NaNoWriMo Steps for Success

Are you participating in NaNoWriMo? If you are, to be on track, you should have hit your half-way point (25,000 words) by now. BUT that's only if you are writing steady. Some of us write more sporadically, each day a varying word count. It's okay if you're behind - maybe you plan to pull out all the stops during the second half of the month. You have two more weekends and plenty more time so DO NOT QUIT.

To get your "NaNo Winner" badge, you have to hit 50,000 words BUT to feel proud of your accomplishment and to have a product worth publishing, all you have to do is WRITE - regardless of your word count at the end of the month.

If you're like me though (or any bit competitive) you want to WIN! I first participated in 2012, completed the 52,000 words and went on to publish the book "HOLD MY HAND" in April 2013. My goal is to do the same this year. So, here's what's worked for me in the past and some tips that might help you...

Write Every Day.

Even if you don't write a lot one day, always write something. And if you don't feel like it, do it anyway. Writing leads to writing. Once you get started, sometimes the words begin flowing out of nowhere. Write every day.

Create Milestone Goals.

50,000 is a big number. Create milestones -5,000-10,000-15,000-25,000- made up of smaller goals that you can celebrate along the way. It's also less overwhelming to think of the month in stages. Try having weekly goals.

Have a Writing Buddy.

Writing is a solitary venture which sometimes makes it hard to be accountable. Make friends on NaNoWriMo through Writing Buddies, an on-line networking service as part of NaNo. You can message with them to share your goals and get advice and encouragement. Or there might already be an author you know also doing it - connect once a day to compare progress.

Track Your Progress.

Use the NaNoWriMo website to keep track of your word count. It's motivating to watch the count climb throughout the month. You'll see how even just a little a day adds to your total word count. It's a great affirmation!

I'm hovering at 29,000 words right now. And I promise that I'm speaking from personal experience because I'm using these tips I suggested to you. If you want to look me up, I'm happy to be your buddy!
Here's a snippet from my NaNo Project 2013 "Ivy Intertwined". It's my first venture into New Adult Romance and I'm having fun with it. This is in it's rawest form with no editing, proofing or polishing. Enjoy at your own risk! 

Ivy hesitantly steps off the ferry and gazes around, careful to keep her eyes averted from those around her. She might be looking for someone but she might also be hiding from someone. To her relief, nobody approaches her and she recognizes no one. An older man passes her by. A girl about her age runs to meet the handsome man who shared her view of the ocean on the ferry trip across the water.
To the common observer, Ivy appears untouched by the happy people around her but that’s not true. She’s touched. Inside. It’s there, where she’s nearly hollowed out at the same time growing more full with life. A new life that meant giving up an old life she adored. An exchange-one loss for another loss-that will be made even in the end when Ivy will find herself alone.
She snatches up her bag that the crew tossed off the boat into the pile of suitcases accompanying the passengers to the island and begins a pace inward towards town. She carries just one bag, large enough only for an overnight trip. It’s not nearly enough but it was all she could manage. Ivy just needed to escape.
Passing through town quickly, she doesn’t stop to look in the shops or seem to notice the string of people stopping to rent mopeds. Soon enough the island will be flooded with tourists buzzing along the quiet country roads, creating a stir in the willows. By then, Ivy will be tucked away in a place that feels more like home than any place she knows. Needing none of these things tourists need, she looks out past the small town and sets her eyes on the open land ahead. In the distance, she sees a small gray house and smiles.
As she gets closer, the small gray house opens its door to her.  Her grandmother waves as Ivy walks up the path to the old house.

If you're participating in NaNoWriMo and would like to share a snippet of your project, please do so in the comments. Keep it under 500 words so we can read one another's excerpts without taking too much time away from our own WRITING!

Now, get back to it. Go Write.

Paloma

#Wwow - Top 15 Overused Words in a Manuscript #wordchoice #fillerwords #editing #amediting

Choosing Words that Make Your Writing a Masterpiece

How do you choose the best words for your writing? Do you write and then go back to edit the words? Are you one of those brilliant writers who has a dictionary/thesaurus embedded in your brain and the right word comes when summoned?

As I work on my newest WIP, I can tell when I am having a bad day. I use and reuse the same words or phrases all the time. Here are my favorites this week:

Come on!

Why all my characters are saying this is beyond me!

smiled 

I promise to try not to use this anymore as a tag. My characters are just happy!

I was just saying...

I don't even know where or why this came about.

Generally, most authors keep a list of overused, passive or filler words to run through their manuscripts as they do final edits/revisions. To tighten your writing, search for the following words: 

1. very
2. -ing words
3. just
4. really
5. simply
6. started to
7. began to
8. all adverbs
9. rather
10. feel/felt
11. saw
12. realize
13. heard
14. was/were
15. that

Even better, try these free online tools to help tighten your writing:

Writer's Diet Test: http://www.writersdiet.com/wasteline.php

Pro Writing Aid: http://prowritingaid.com/en/Analysis/Editor#

Now, for a bit of fun for those of you with a sense of humor. In honor of WORD CHOICE, check out this funny commercial (WARNING: Language Advisory)

I'd say those word choices are selective! 

How about you? What are your favorite words when you write? Which words have you overused? 

Melinda Dozier is the author of Love and Other Games: Trouble with Gold and Breaking the Rules available from Swoon Romance and Crimson Romance.

#WWoW! Authors join Read Tuesday!

Here's an opportunity for authors to promote their books during the holiday season... READ TUESDAY.

It'll be a huge day like Black Friday, but for buying and gifting books at amazing sale prices.

In 2013, the date for Read Tuesday will be Tuesday, December 10.

It's SIMPLE TO SIGN UP and participate. In fact, I've already done it! My self-published books will be part of this HUGE HOLIDAY SALES EVENT!

THE ORIGIN OF READ TUESDAY

*taken directly from the READ TUESDAY Website.*

On Black Friday and Cyber Monday, there are great discounts on electronics, tools, toys, and clothes, for example, but very few books seem to be discounted more than usual. There are millions of books to choose from. Most tend to remain at ordinary prices during these big sales events.

Read Tuesday is a special event dedicated to big book savings. Thousands of books will be on sale on Read Tuesday. This is a great opportunity for readers to stock up on books from their favorite participating authors and publishers.

Discounted books also make great gifts for the holidays. It’s easy to gift e-books, returns are not a problem with most retailers, the gift is delivered instantly (but you can schedule when to have it delivered), and there are no shipping and handling charges. Share the gift of reading.

Read Tuesday is also a great opportunity for authors, small publishers, and booksellers to benefit from a huge holiday sale event. Books are featured in their exclusive catalog once you sign up for the event.

FOLLOW READ TUESDAY ON TWITTER.

FOLLOW THE READ TUESDAY BLOG.

So, with the countdown beginning to the holiday season, here's a chance for authors to promote our books to shoppers. This event is going to be huge with a large marketing campaign that will ensure maximum exposure. Sign up. Join the hundreds of other authors participating already.

Then, get back to work... and Keep Writing!

Paloma

#wwow - Critique Partners - Why You Need One.

Today I wanted to talk about the importance of critique partners and having ones who will be honest. Of course we all want to hear that our work is great and its going to be the next best seller, but I can tell you, it can always be better. There are always plot holes or somewhere it could be better. So when your choosing a critique partner, be sure to look for someone with experience in this industry.

I have two wonderful critique partner. Ella Jade and Tamaria Soana. Every now and then I write something and turn it in without them reading it first. Guess how those edits go? No where near as as good as when I have them do a read through.

What are some things you want your critique partner to look for?

1. Plot holes of course. A funny example. In the last Hot Bods book, Opposites Attract, I didn't have my CP's read it. During edits, my editor found a naughty scene where the couples was intimate. My hero reached behind his head to get a pillow. Guess what? He was on top, straddeling her. I don't think there were any floating pillows in that room. lol. So, if I'd taken the time to have them read it, I bet they would've spotted that!

2. Over used words. You might not always see that you used the word normal six times in a paragraph. Eventually you'll learn to spot those, but when you're reading your own writing, you're going to miss those

things.

3. Things just not reading right. You wrote it and when you read it, it makes sense. But your CP might read a sentence and think "what the heck is she trying to say?" And that's important! If they don't get it, chances are someone else won't either. And do you want to leave your readers wondering if they know what you're trying to say?

4. Overall suggestions. Do they think something could be taken away or something needs to be added. Should something be reworded or was there too much telling and not enough showing.

Most importantly, if you read a suggestion that you don't agree with. Never forget, you're the author. But before you make a rash decision to ignore what your CP has said, let the comment sit before you move on. Your CP isn't there to trash you. Your CP if there to help you and your writing succeed.

#WWoW! It's NaNo Time! @NaNoWriMo

What's NaNoWriMo?
National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to creative writing. On November 1, participants begin working towards the goal of writing a 50,000-word novel by November 30.

YOU WRITE. NOT EDIT. YOU ONLY WRITE. WRITE. WRITE.

Who can sign up for NaNoWriMo?
Valuing enthusiasm, determination, and a deadline, NaNoWriMo is for anyone who has ever thought fleetingly about writing a novel. That means YOU can do this.

**I participated for the first time in 2012. The result was my book HOLD MY HAND that I published in April 2013. Proof that this system can work.**

How do I sign up for NaNoWriMo?
Go to their website. Register. It's that easy. The accountability is all yours. If you try it and don't succeed, try again next year (or not).

Is there any support?
Yes! You can find writing buddies -these are other writers in your genre who you can share ideas with online. You are also placed geographically into regions of writers. Each region has a leader who often hosts in-person writing events too.

There's also this great program called COME RIGHT IN where local venues are supporters of NaNoWriMo. What does this mean for you? Well, if you’re a Wrimo, it means you’ll have a space in your neighborhood where you can get to know your fellow writers and simultaneously pen your NaNo masterpiece! If you’re a staff member at a library, bookstore, another community organization with space for writers—or a student or faculty member at a college or university—you’ll be able to welcome a flood of avid novelists and engaged community members into your space.

Think about it. If you're looking for incentive or a jumpstart or need to power through a new book, this is a great program. I wrote my first self-published book HOLD MY HAND during NaNoWriMo 2012 and plan to do it again this year. Want to join me? Once you register, look me up and I'll be your on-line Writing Buddy!

Paloma

#WWoW! Blog Titles that Get Traffic!

Explore more infographics like this one on the web’s largest information design community – Visually.

#Wwow - Premade and Custom Made Book Designers

Since I've been thinking about self-publishing a novella, I've been asking around for good Cover Artists or Book Cover sites.

Bellow, find a list of resources for simple premade book covers -- some sites have other services for more extended service. This is by no means an endorsement of any of these artists or sites. I haven't used any personally at this time. However, it's a good idea to check them all out before making a final decision!

Cover Your Dreams - Premade Book Covers

Erin Lark Designs - Premade Book Covers

Go On Write - Premade Book Covers

Hot Damn Designs - 

The Killion Group - Custom Book Covers

LFD Designs - Custom & Premade Book Covers

Rae Monet, Inc. - Premade Book Covers

Safari Heat Author Services - Premade Book Covers

Seductive Designs - Premade and Custom Book Designs

Self Pub Book Covers - Test out how your book title would look!

Suzannah Safi - Custom Book Covers

Taria Ried - Premade Book Covers

The list could continue. In fact, have you had any great experiences with a designer? Have any resources to share? Leave a comment below!

Melinda Dozier is a contemporary romance author. Her first four novels were released in 2013: The Boy Next Door, Time Changes Everything from Entranced Publishing, Breaking the Rules from Crimson Romance and Love and Other Games: Trouble with Gold from Swoon Romance.

The Pros and Cons of Self Publishing

Have you written a story and tossing around the idea of self publishing it? It's a scary idea, really. Or at least it should be.

I consider myself a 50/50 author. I self publish and I use small press. I began to self publish a little over a year ago, and to be honest, I enjoy it and have thought about doing it more than I am now. Some authors have great luck with, while others's I've talked to haven't. So again, it's 50/50 if it's for you or not.

I thought for today's post, I would make a Pros and Cons list on self-publishing that might help you with your tough decision.

Pros

• You're in complete control. You choose your release date. You choose your editor (PLEASE HIRE ONE!) You find the cover artist that you want.
• Does your book need a sale to possibly get in more readers hands. Put it on sale. 
• You've got full control. Need to make changes to the manuscript? You can easily do this and upload a new version. Want a new cover because yours isn't working. Get a new one. 
• Obviously, all money earned is yours. And after 60 days, you will get a paycheck monthly from Amazon and Nook. You'll know what's coming so you can plan your months 60 day in advance.

Cons

• All expenses are out of your pocket. You pay for edits. You pay for the cover. You pay for marketing (thought few small presses pay for book tours. But there are some out there that will.)
• It's all you telling the world about your book, unless you've hired a blog tour company or a PR person.
• If you've never published small press and gotten to know some authors you might feel super lonely trying to connect. Most of the relationships I've built have been from my time at a small press.
• Each publishers pay different. Some are monthly, some quarterly. You don't see your sales until you have a statement. And you earn a percentage of the net sales. Remember though, your profit is paying the publisher and your editor, so you're usually only getting 40% of what's earned on the book. 

Hopefully looking at those lists, you'll get a better idea if you want to attempt self publishing. Two pieces of advice I have are:

• If this is your first time publishing, I really do recommend going with small press because you will learn so much about the publishing world. Even if you want to self publish one day, give the small presses a shot at first. And ask around before submitting to just any press.
• If you self publish, please, I am begging you, hire an editor! Do not put your work out there without one. Reviews will come in and will say your book wasn't edited. This isn't good for your career. And your best friend since second grade isn't an editor (well unless they really are). Hire someone who knows point of view, what readers are looking for, and so on. Yes, it can be a lot of money out of your pocket, but in the end it's worth it.

See ya next Thursday! Got pros or con to add, please leave a comment. :)