|
This is an interesting article from Write For Kids Org. Thought I would share.  How to Write a Powerful Ending (via http://writeforkids.org) The first few lines of any story are the most important — and often most difficult — words you'll write. The next most challenging piece of writing is the ending. Once you draw your readers in and take them through your story, you need to leave…
0 Comments
 Last night I attended the Spreading The Word - PR for your Book workshop hosted by Vicki Morrison, a multi-genre author, freelance writer and keynote speaker.
There was to much information a blog post but part of the workshop highlighted 10 ways to market your book. I will detail these below. 10 WAYS TO MARKET YOUR BOOK 1 Your own website! · It is essential for an author to have their own website. · They can be created and hosted very cheaply. · It is a great idea to purchase you name as a domain name (not the name of you book. Remember, the book is your product and you are your brand). · Your website should be the central point of your on-line presence. Everything should link back to your site. 2) Press Release · Press releases are good for attracting the attention of media outlets, book sellers, reviewers as well as readers. · Ideally they should have a letterhead with an image of your book cover and contact details. o Follow this with the books details o Author o Title o Publisher o ISBN o Distributor o RRP (Recommended Retail Price) · When sending press releases out you need to research and target them at the right person. · Find out the targeted person’s name and correct spelling of it. o It’s no use sending a press release and book to a newspaper for a review if they do not review your genre. o Or to the purchaser of a bookshop that doesn’t sell your genre. · The more targeted you can be the more chance of success you have. 3) Articles – Magazines and Newspapers · Most magazines need at least a 3 month lead time for articles. · Newspapers are usually much less. · Perhaps try an interview an expert in the field relating to the content of your book. o The interview can be turned into an article for a magazine relating to your topic o This is a great way of coming to the notice of people interested in that topic · Some newspapers, particularly local one are usually happy to do a story on the success of a local author especially coming up to a book launch. 4) Book Launch · Be professional o Print up invitations (can be done relatively cheaply) o Front (Picture of your book cover) o Back (Details of the launch) · Invite widely o Family and friends o Colleagues o Media representatives o Local book sellers o Local names/celebrities o For children’s books, local teach/librarians o Local member o Mayor/Local councillors o Other authors you know · Try and arrange a special guest to do the official launch of the book. o Could be the Local Member or Mayor o Well known author o Celebrity o Someone related to the topic of your book. · Everything you do, do it as a Point of Difference · Don’t be boring. Think outside the box. o There is nothing as boring as a launch where the author reads from the book after a bunch of speeches and then does a signing. o Have a video or Powerpoint display. o Have someone act out a scene o Have giveaways or prizes o Display art from the book o For kids books, do something hands on related to the book o Raffle off the chance to have the winner’s name used for a character in your next book. · Make the launch special and memorable. · Provide nibbles and drinks o Ask around, you might get some donations or at least offers of help. · Look professional (considering your BRAND) · Most important – ENGAGE THE AUDIENCE. 5) List the book on Amazon · Claim your author page. You can edit it to enhance your brand. · Pay close attention to key words o Take advantage of common search phrases and choose your key words to suit o Make it easy for the Amazon, Google etc. Search bots to find your book. That way it will display closer to the top of the list. o Try to get reviews on Amazon. Good reviews increase sales. 6) Book Reviews Sites and Blogs · Try to get as many reviews as possible. o Find book review sites and request they review your book o Target the sites most likely to review in your genre o If they can’t do a review, they may still post an author interview or bio. Ask. 7) Radio · Try and get an interview on radio stations o Local radio stations are usually open to these o ABC does book and reading segments that might do an interview o Have giveaways o Don’t just try and sell your book, sell your brand · Radio interviews are brilliant in the days leading up to your launch, even the morning of the launch. 8) Social Media (This is a whole topic in itself). · Social media sites can be good for generating word of mouth hype for your book · Pick sites you are comfortable using · Think about who and where your audience are and if they use social media you would be stupid not to use it to reach them · If they don’t use social media then it is not as important. · Make sure ALL your social media sites link back to your author website. · Social Media Sites o Facebook, o Twitter o Linkedin o Goodreads o Pinterest o Google + · DON’T BE ANNOYING o Don’t just spruik your book o Get involved in the community o Promote your brand (YOU) 9) Blog · Start a blog. o A writers blog or o Readers blog o Keep your personal blog separate if you have one o Your promotional or professional blog should be highlighting your brand o Approach similar blogs and request to do a guest blog post o Comment of similar blogs. This generates traffic to your blog o After your books release, arrange a blog tour of sites that your audience may frequent. 10) Join Forums and Discussion Groups · Google groups is a good place to find groups interested in your book’s topic. · Becoming involved in these communities could generate interest in you and your book. · Again, DON’T be annoying. · Goodreads has 12 million members who all love to read books. o Join their author Program o You can add book excerpts o Videos o Quizzes o Host Q & A’s etc. BECOME PART OF THE WRITING COMMUNITY  Sounds Spooky (Picture Book) Christopher Cheng & Sarah Davis Random House Australia. www.sounds-spooky.com ISBN: 9781864718805 Now, this isn’t a new book. It was first published in 2011 and was chosen as a Notable Book by the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA). The reason I am reviewing the book now is that I took it along to Vacation Care this week to read to the kids and they keep asking me to read it again. There is no better recommendation than that. The kids were also impressed that my copy has been signed by Sarah Davis along with one of her delightful 30 second bat sketches. Sounds Spooky is a twist on a haunted house story where the ghost is being frightened by all the spooky sounds being made by three children who sneak into the old house at night. Christopher’s text is atmospheric and flows musically off the tongue, offering the reader plenty of scope to screech and growl at their young listeners during the story. "Plinketty Plunketty Plonk Plink Plunk Twang!"  The illustrations by Sarah Davis, my personal favourite children’s book illustrator, have been created from individually crafted 3D models for this book. Sarah even built the entire haunted house set for the characters to live out their adventure. There is so much detail in each scene that you find something new hidden there each time you read the story. The characters are quirky and appealing, especially the vulnerable young ghost girl.  My favourite scene in the book is where the children are tentatively listening at one side of the bedroom door and the ghost girl is listening at the other. The amount of expression and emotion displayed by the characters fits the scene perfectly.
Sounds Spooky is a delightfully fun book to read aloud to younger children. It leaves the children asking for more. It is also great for newly independent readers.  For those not lucky enough to attend the “A Touch of Magic” writing workshop with Kate Forsyth on Sunday, I have decided to pass on some of the things I learned during the day. First and foremost in this regard is that Kate is lovely, she is genuine, funny, knowledgeable and forthright in her advice. There was just too much information in this workshop to share in one blog post so I will break it up into parts. I try to attend the children's literature festival and at least two writing workshops each year and always come away riding a wave of enthusiasm and new-found knowledge. This recharge of inspiration inevitably improves my determination, my writing or at the very least my writing habits. I’m not meaning to take anything away from the quality of any other workshops I have attended but this one seemed to strike a chord with me. The Workshop After each participant in the workshop shared what they like to read, a little about themselves and their current writing project, Kate wrote two words up on the whiteboard. FOCUS (One project at a time) and DISCIPLINE (See a project through to the end) Several participants had three or four projects on the go and some had a bunch of half finished projects they had moved on from. I have to admit, I am one of the latter although more from a lack of planning than from a lack of discipline. The other thing Kate stressed at this stage was the need to set a realistic weekly word count, and stick to it. 
Being a fantasy writing workshop, the first part of the day was dedicated to what fantasy is and what the different genres of fantasy are.
My take on the definition of fantasy writing – across all the genres – is: Fantasy stories draw upon fairytale and myth or have a quality of strangeness and wonder. The genres covered included; High (or Heroic) Fantasy · Imaginary world · Serious tone · Epic in scope – grand struggle – good v’s evil · Hero’s journey · Often multiple volumes · Often involve magic rings/swords, mythical creatures · Happy ending. Adventure Fantasy (used to be called Sword and Sorcery) · The journey is important · Heroes are often warriors, thieves, wizards, pirates or charming ne’re-do-wells · Adventures usually end with a happy return to home. Historical Fantasy · Set in our world during a true historical time period · Will include elements of fantasy to some degree o Mythical creature o Herbal Lore o Persecution of witches or those with ESP abilities o Fortune tellers o Time Travel o Duel linked time periods Fairy Tale Retelling · Either retells a well known fairy tale, or · Deals with personal transformation · Quite often YA Dark Fantasy · Focus on stories with elements of horror in a fantasy setting · Fantastic creatures – evil to the core · Evil appears early, usually after a brief opening scene of calm · Evil intensifies as the story continues Romantic Fantasy · Romance – growing love · Usually a love triangle · Fantasy, magic, mystery elements or setting · Blending the two genres together Urban Fantasy (trend appears to be over) · Modern real world setting · Fantasy elements intrude into the real world Magic Realism · Magic happens in the midst of everyday events · Subtle, the line between reality and fantasy is blurred. One genre Kate did not touch on is alternate history. Some people believe this category was invented by writers who wanted to write historical fantasy but were too lazy to research all historical details. Any blunders can then be attributed to the “Alternate” part of the genre. The second part of the workshop looked at The Writer’s Tool Box · Character - Plot - Setting · Structure · The writing style – language, word choice, sentence structure · Parts of novel – Action, Dialogue, Description · Pacing · Peaks and Troughs - Light and Shadow · Surprise and Suspense I will expand on these topics in part 2 of this blog post.  They say, writers are great observers, brilliant people watchers, noticing everything, collecting stories and creating magic on the page from the things they see. If this is correct, in Harry Potter terms, I would have to be a complete muggle. There will be no magic on my page. I have used the Harry Potter reference deliberately here. Not because I write children’s stories and J K Rowling’s books are such a big part of recent children’s literature, but because of my recent brush with a Harry Potter celebrity. Last week while holidaying at the Tangalooma Wild Dolphin Resort on Moreton Island in Queensland, I spent a relaxing afternoon enjoying a swim in the resort pool with actor Tom Felton. For those non Harry Potter movie fans, Tom played the part of Harry’s nemesis, Draco Malfoy in all of the movies. Tom is in Australia as a guest at the Brisbane Supernova Convention. As a big Harry Potter fan of both the books and the movies, you would think this would have been an exciting experience for me.  The truth of the matter is... It wasn’t. Here comes the part about my not so awesome observational skills. You would think with over 21 years as a police officer and now working as a writer, my observational skills would be honed to an amazingly keen edge. I should be able to shave with the sharpness of those skills. Wrong again. I’m now going to relay a conversation I had with Rebecca, one of the entertainment staff on the island, late in the afternoon as the launch made its way back to the mainland. Rebecca “The guy who played Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter movies is on the launch, heading back on the launch. He was here on a day trip.” Me “Really, I love Harry Potter. It would have been brilliant (Ron Weasley quote) to have met him.” Rebecca “He did a segway tour along the beach earlier but spent most of the afternoon swimming in the top pool.” Me “Oh, hang on. I spent most of the afternoon swimming in the top pool!” So there you have it. I spent a lazy afternoon swimming in a resort pool with Tom Felton aka Draco Malfoy and didn’t even realise it. Am I embarrassed or what?  In my defence, last night I Googled images of Tom for something a little more recent. He has actually changed quite a bit from the smug, pale skinned blond kid who played the part of Draco. That is my excuse and I’m sticking to it.
But I am determined to work on honing my muggle-worthy observational skills or I may never find the magic again.  It has been a while since I posted a blog but today I went to the Heroes and Villains Pop Culture Expo. at Penrith. Two actors I really like were guests and I have been looking forward to meeting them since I heard about the event. It is probably not fair but when you meet celebrities, especially ones you admire, you have certain expectations about them. It is such a wonderful feeling when the real person lives up to those expectations you have of their celebrity. It is an even better feeling when they exceed them. Marc Singer and Amber Benson are just really lovely, genuine and friendly people.  Marc Singer is a favourite actor of mine. I loved the movie Beastmaster when I was a teenager and he was great in his starring role on the original 'V' sci-fi series. I bought a nice leather bound book a few months ago. The cover is tooled with Celtic designs and has brass clasps and the paper is thick and beautifully handmade. I decided to use the book as an autograph book. - I actually decided to do that after Supernova when I saw Kate Forsyth, one of my favourite authors using a similar book for autographs. - This was the first opportunity I had to use it. I wanted to make the book a little bit special so I decided I would sketch all the celebrities I get autographs from. One page for each celebrity. If I know I'm going to meet them I'll do the sketch first. If I don't know I'll add it in later. Mark thought his sketch was awesome. He is officially the first person to sign in it.  Amber Benson has a special place in my heart. Not only is she a great actor from one of my all time favourite TV shows, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, she is also an author of horror/urban fantasy books. Writing, especially speculative fiction, is one of my great passions.
Amber loved the sketch I did of her and asked if I was an artist. When I told her I was a writer and my first book was coming out later in the year, her face lit up and she gave me some great encouragement. When I told her my second book was a horror story for kids, she cheered and knocked fists with me. My son met one of his favourite actors too. Manu Bennett from the series Spartacus was another really nice guy. It was an awesome day.  I stumbled across a reference to this years Supernova Expo. I was going to go last year but life got in the way and I only remembered it was on when I saw a story about it on the news. It was too late to get tickets.
The Sydney Supernova Expo is on the 15th - 17th of June. I'm getting my geek on and have already put the date in my calendar. There is a huge line up sci-fi and fantasy stars from Movies, TV, Books and Comics to tease out the nerd in all of us. Here is the full list of stars. Movies and TV
I must have brought up my sons the right way because they are as excited as I am. http://www.supanova.com.au/news/10th-birthday-giving-presents/ I was swapping emails with my writing friend Mo Johnson over the New Year break. We were catching up with what we had been up to. I mentioned a couple of thing that I was excited about, finishing the first draft of my new novel, winning some prizes with two of my stories published in Narrator Magazine, selling quite a few pieces of my art and getting some illustration work.
Her reply was, "It sounds like it's going to be the Year of Jeffery." I thought about Mo's comment and decided that she was right, and that I was going to make 2012 the Year of Jeffery. I have a number of manuscripts that I am sure are ready to find a home. I have a new manuscript with a storyline that turned out much better than I originally planned - with some serious editing it could be something special. And I have been doing some artwork that I am really delighted with. So this year is definitely the time to do something serious about it. While looking at some publisher websites researching the best fit for my stories, I found one publisher based in Melbourne that publish speculative fiction novels, a magazine and a small number of children's book each year. One interesting thing about IFWG Publishing's site was that they have a list of their artists. I queried to see if they were interested in considering my chapter book ' Paper Magic' when they opened their books for submissions in March, and I also asked how to apply to become one of their illustrators. I left a link to my web gallery just in case. I received a reply the same afternoon with an offer for an illustration job. It was an internal colour illustration showcasing a serial novella, 'Avoiding the Searchers' which will feature in all five issues of SQ Mag this year. The Editor loved the illustration and asked if I wanted to submit a illustration for the cover of the May edition. SQ Mag is a speculative fiction magazine that prints science fiction, fantasy and horror stories. The last few covers have been sci-fi and fantasy oriented so I thought I would do an atmospheric horror based illustration. I emailed a copy off today and received a reply about ten minutes later. They loved the illustration and if approved by the magazine's Chief Editor, it looks like I'll have another illustration credit to my name. Hopefully, they will also love 'Paper Magic' when I send it through at the end of the month.  I received an unexpected email from the staff at Narrator Magazine on Thursday night. It was part apology and part notification. The email went like this.
Good afternoon, Just a quick email to let you know we haven’t forgotten about you! Congratulations on your piece winning a prize in our Spring edition! We’ve had a busy week, so we’ve not had a chance to send your certificates and magazines through the post, but not to worry, we will have them in the mail for you first thing tomorrow morning. Kind Regards Leah Hey, I was happy enough that both of the stories I submitted to the magazine were accepted for publication. I didn’t really expect to win any of the prizes. Needless to say, I jumped onto the website to see which one of my stories won, and which prize it was. I certainly didn’t expect what I found. Both of my stories placed in the judge’s choice prize. “Always the Children” placed second and “The Dancing Suit” placed third. I was blown totally away. Today, we had our Writers’ Group meeting and one of the group members congratulated me on the great review of my stories in the latest edition of the magazine. I’ll add another needless to say here. I came home from the meeting and fired up the computer to check out the reviews for myself. “Always the Children” - A moving, heartfelt story. The life of an ambulance officer is sympathetically drawn and the unimaginable grief of dealing with the loss of a child is beautifully evoked. “The Dancing Suit” - The characters of Robert and Beckett are strongly detailed to create a rich descriptive air of the period. A seemingly innocent and charming anti-hero soon becomes the readers worst nightmare in a surprising twist in the tail story. They were a little off the mark with the first review as it was the life of a police officer but still, I don’t think I could have asked for a better review. As an added bonus, I discovered that the prize not only consisted of a certificate but there was a monetary component as well. So this makes these two stories my first official payed literary endeavours. I don’t think I’m anywhere near ‘in profit’ yet, but when the editor loves my new novel once I finish editing it, I may just be on my way. If you want to check out the review visit: http://www.narratormagazine.com.au/nswactsummer2011.html You can also read the stories online at the same site. Just click on the Central Tablelands – Spring Edition icon. Let me know what you think.  BATHURST ARTS TRAIL READY TO LAUNCH: (Back row) Rachel Ellis, Karin Smith, Colin Fenn, David Lake, Cathie Hale, Anne Glendenning Walton, (front row) Mary Cuppaidge, Merilyn Rice, Louise Ranshaw, Marjo Carter are part of the Bathurst Arts Trial. BATHURST has A wealth of talented artists and their works are coming to life with a new Art Trails initiative. The Arts Trail will operate on the first weekend of each month starting on November 5-6 and operating once a month until May next year.
The idea behind the trail is the opportunity for local residents and visitors to engage with the artists, speaking with them about their inspirations and work processes and seeing their work in their own surroundings. Arts Trail chair Louise Ranshaw said in the light of promoting Bathurst as a desirable Evocity, it is important to demonstrate to potential residents that there is a cultural heart to this city, which we residents live with all through the year. Thirty-one local and surrounding artists have taken the idea and will link in with winery cellar openings to give people a greater variety when discovering Bathurst and the local area. The launch was held on October 25 in preparation for their first trail on November 5th. “We had more than 50 people attend the launch,” Ms Ranshaw said. “Everyone was excited to have arrived at this stage and were able to examine a proof of the brochure/map which will be placed at the Bathurst Visitor Information Centre and various cafes and public spaces in and around Bathurst.” Brochures will be developed and Bathurst Arts Trail website website will launch in the coming weeks. Keep an eye out for the flags and signs. Drop in and say hello to an artist. |
AuthorJeffery E Doherty is an children's writer and artist who writes chapter books, picture book texts, junior and young adult novels. Archives
August 2024
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed