Mary DeMuth's New eBook a Must-Have for All Writers

Mary DeMuth is one of those authors who truly knows how to engage her audience. When you read 11 Secrets of Getting Published it's almost like you're sitting down having a conversation with her. Not to say that the book's not meaty, because it is. Just about everything a fledgling author needs to know is here: learning the craft, dealing with rejection, insights into the publishing industry, how to market, tips for conferences, and more.

While this book is awesome for those who have yet to publish, it's also great for those who already have a few books on the shelves. We can always use inspiration and encouragement, and this book is full of both. I particularly like "Quick Writing Advice", which is one of three bonus sections.

Right now, the book is at the rock-bottom price of $2.99. According to Mary's e-newsletter, it will go up to $4.99 on August 22nd, which is still a bargain. Download it today and take the first step toward a stronger writing career.

And if you don't believe me, hear what an editor had to say. He was so impressed, he wrote a song about it.



Note: I received a copy of this book from the author for review purposes. I received no financial compensation.

Possibly the Best Book Video to Date - Overbite by Meg Cabot

Lately, there's been a lot of talk on the author loops about book videos, or book trailers. The debate rages about how effective they are, what makes a good video, and whether it's a necessary addition to  our marketing arsenal.

I don't have any hard data on how BVs affect sales, but I can share my personal thoughts. BVs are fun, but they need to be done well, because a poorly executed video can turn a reader off quicker than expired mayonnaise. I've seen quite a few BVs that I liked and were quite professional. A few have made me decide to buy the book if I already knew about it and was considering the purchase. But honestly, I've yet to see one that made me want to buy a book I knew nothing else about.

Until today.

The video below is for Meg Cabot's new book, Overbite. Take a look, then let's discuss.





So, what makes this video so great? Lots of things.

First off, the author is right there, interacting with you, sharing her personality. Yes, it's quirky and a bit over-the-top, but if you've ever read one of Cabot's books, you know how perfect that vibe is.

Second, the video engages the viewer. Rather than little snippets of text telling you what the book is about, you are drawn into the story. New York is full of vampires... from New Jersey! Read this book or die! If you can watch that BV without laughing, well, maybe the vampires got to you already ;+}

Third, this is a great example of promotion on a budget. Oh, I'm sure they spent a fair penny making this particular BV. After all, Cabot is a NYT Best-Selling author, and HarperCollins is one of the big boys. BUT, if you look at the video, you can see how something similar could be made on a budget. There are no special effects, unless you count the cannolis, which do look special indeed. But you see what I mean.

I love this video because it shows what a BV can be. Like lots of others, I'm learning about this new medium and hoping to create something that doesn't suck. (Ironic, how her book is about vampires, who do suck, yet the video doesn't. Hmmm...)

Your turn... what do you think of this video? (Not the book itself... I realize vampires aren't everyone's cup of tea. I may be the only female in America who hasn't read a single Twilight book, nor followed the movies.) Have you made, or are planning to make, a Book Video? What's your gameplan? Maybe we can learn from each other.

The Birth of a Novel by Louise M. Gouge

Thank you for inviting me to your blog, Jen. You posed an interesting question I’d like to answer: How do I develop a story? This is a great topic that writers often discuss amongst themselves, with every writer having her/his own methods and opinions. Do you start with plot, or do you start with characters? Or maybe you start with a setting? Or a theme? I have used all of these as starting points, but one thing is certain: every story must have a plot.

The plot, the sequence of events (including at least one major conflict), can be inspired by just about anything: newspapers or television news, a family legend, a real life humorous or tragic or complex situation, even a movie or television program that I’d like to see happen differently. One of my soon-to-be e-published books began with a real life rebellion in a foreign country. Certain things happened historically, so parts of the plot were pretty well laid out for me. Beginning a book with a plot means finding a conflict and moving on to the subsequent human reactions to it. That brings us to characters.

Without characters, there is no story. The conflict must happen to or within a being of some sort. I begin most of my books with one or more characters. When I was writing Ahab’s Legacy Trilogy, Ahab’s Bride, Hannah Rose, and Son of Perdition, I developed my protagonists based on Captain Ahab in Herman Melville’s Moby Dick. My characters grew spiritually and emotionally as a result of their responses to this mythical anti-hero. Some of my other books resulted from a minor character clamoring for his or her own story. The hero in The Captain’s Lady is a minor character in the previous book, Love Thine Enemy. Jamie Templeton kept telling me what a great hero he would make, so I gave in and wrote his story, which he insisted should take place in England. That brings us to setting.

Stories have to take place sometime, somewhere, and within some social environment (the social assumptions and customs within any given culture). When I discovered that Florida, my home state, was a British colony during the Revolutionary War, I wanted to set a story here. I had my time and place, but what about the social environment? As it turns out, the people who inhabited this colony at that time were Americans loyal to the British Crown and Englishmen who were in the business of colonizing. How did they interact? What were their dreams and aspirations? What would be my conflict? The more I researched the East Florida Colony, the more my characters and plot came to life, and the results were Love Thine Enemy and At the Captain’s Command. Naturally, because they were set in the American Revolution, each book had a wartime theme, with characters reacting to events over which they had no control. That brings us to theme, and while it may seem odd, I think some of the best stories have war themes.

A book’s theme is the overall statement the author wants to make about her characters or a time in history or some social issue. My husband, David, is a decorated Viet Nam war veteran, and I take pride in his service to our country. However, men and women returning from war often suffer many difficulties as they try to adjust to “normal” life. Like many Viet Nam veterans, David didn’t talk much about his experiences, but when I began to write my post-Civil War series, he opened up. His knowledge and experience undergirded my theme of God’s healing touch on men shattered by war as I wrote Then Came Faith and Then Came Hope. Because it touched my own life so deeply, I’m very proud of that series.

Another book of mine that began with setting is The Gentleman Takes a Bride in the anthology The Wedding Season, with Deborah Hale. This time, my editor asked me to write a Regency romance, which in one word gave me the time, place, and social environment. My theme was an interrupted wedding. Coming up with the perfect plot and characters was a delightful challenge. Here’s what I ended up with: Surely Elizabeth Moberly was born to be a nobleman's bride. She can't possibly be attracted to the untitled stranger who interrupts her cousin's wedding. Yet Elizabeth finds herself drawn to Philip Lindsey's tender heart and strong faith. And if Philip has his way, he'll convince Elizabeth the only title she needs is Mrs. Lindsey, beloved wife.

If you love Regency novels OR would like a chance to form an attachment to them, please give The Wedding Season a try. They’re in Walmart right now and also available at amazon.com and cbd.com. If you would like to know more about my books, please check my website at http://blog.louisemgouge.com/.

The world is full of stories. Why don’t you write one? Whether you begin with plot, character, setting, or theme, or maybe something entirely different, dig deep and you’ll find a whole new world opening up inside of you.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Award-winning Florida author Louise M. Gouge writes historical fiction, calling her stories “threads of grace woven through time.” In addition to numerous other awards, Louise is the recipient of the prestigious Inspirational Readers’ Choice Award. Married to David Gouge for forty-six years, Louise is a mother of four and grandmother of six children. In addition to writing, she teaches English and humanities at Valencia Community College in Kissimmee , Florida. To learn more about Louise, visit her website at http://blog.louisemgouge.com/.


WIN THE BOOK
If you’d like to be entered to win a copy of The Wedding Season, just leave a comment on this post. PLEASE NOTE: USA and Canadian residents only for this one. I’ll pick a winner at random on Wednesday, June 22nd. Please leave an email address so I can contact you if you're the winner. (To prevent spammers from trolling for your email, please use this format with the brackets--you [at] yourmail [dot] com--or something similar.) Good luck!

Career Coach Tiffany Colter on Creating a Plan to Succeed

I'm pleased to welcome today's guest blogger, author and career coach Tiffany Colter!
http://www.writingcareercoach.com/

Building Your Dreams Through Creating a Plan to Succeed

A PLAN

Depending on your personality those two words either fill you with confidence or fear. I am among the former. I plan every little part in my life to the point where my family has rebelled. I like to know where I’m going, how to get there and what to do if I can’t.

One place where a plan is necessary for EVERY person is the plan to success. Starting in high school we each began to plan for our future. Would we take advanced or college prep courses, or were we more interested in working a trade and shadowing. After high school we had to create money plans, called budgets, to make sure we learned to live within our means. And when a person starts a new business they must have a plan for their business in order to secure funding from banks and investors.

What about writers? What kind of plan should they have?

To answer this question I need to change your thinking a little bit. We need to step beyond the belief that writers are simply artists and realize that they are owners of a writing business. So you need to create a plan to succeed beyond “Write one book, then another”.

I’ve listed 5 things that MUST be a part of your plan as you begin your writer’s journey. By starting with all of these [and building on them as you move closer to publication] you will enjoy more success than you would if you were passive in your writing career.

1. Platform before Publication
Many people wonder why I stress so much the need to build a platform prior to publication. The reason is simple, the current market requires a strong sphere of influence for EVERY writer, whether non-fiction or fiction. This will not happen without deliberate effort on your part. Writers must begin thinking about ways to become recognized among people in their target market. This can take many shapes from blogs, to articles in magazines, e-zines and newspapers. You can even focus on public speaking. The key is to have solid numbers to present to publishing houses.

2. Study craft
This is absolutely crucial. It is great if you’re a voracious reader but at some point you must take the time to read some books-and take classes-to improve your craft. I also encourage new writers to get the first 15-20 pages of their manuscript edited by someone who specializes in NEW authors. I don’t say that simply because I offer that service to new writers. I say that because it works. Six years ago when I was pushing hard to publication a writing mentor [who’d written over 30 novels] read the first 20 pages of my book. He gave great advice on MY writing that I never fully understood in a book.

See, when we are reading books on craft we can fool ourselves and say “Okay, I already do that well.” Having someone look at those beginning pages points out what the weakness looks like in your own writing. It is a $20-$30 investment that teaches far more than a book of equal cost. I still have mine 6 years, and 4 manuscripts later.

3. Meet other writers
I’ve always been a loner so I didn’t fully appreciate the value of this advice until I started meeting other writers. I now see the value of having a group of people who understand this business and who support me. Watch out, not all writer’s groups are created equal. Some can suck the life right out of you while others leave you feeling like you can accomplish anything! Find a group of people who are at various stages in the writer’s journey. This will help you by allowing you to learn from some and provide encouragement and help to others.

4. Meet editors/agents
This was TERRIFYING the first time I did it [again, introvert], but I realize it is completely necessary. I am happy to say I now have editors and agents on my list of friends. I see them as humans who have a great deal of wisdom I can learn from. I also realize that they are business partners in my writing business. The Editor’s job is to find and develop great books. The agent’s job is to find and develop great authors. Once I bring my craft and platform to the level that they can work with, they become partners with me in my success. The first step, however is learning from them and learning to treat them like real people. We don’t need to hide from them, nor should we ever seek to take advantage of them.

5. Determine goals and take meaningful steps to accomplishing them.
This is so incredibly important. Determine how many books you’d like to write this year. Let’s say you’d like to write a single 80,000 word manuscript. You will need to research, write an outline [if you do], write a rough draft, edit, revise, repeat. We are ½ way through Feb so you have about 45 weeks [less once you take out holidays, vacations and other excuses-laugh]. That means you need to decide how long a revision will take…a month? Two? Lets say 6 weeks.

Now you have 39 weeks to write that first draft.

But you need to research before and edit after. We’d better take out 4 more weeks.

That leaves us 35 weeks to write the first draft. That’s just over 2,000 words per week. 500 words per day!

So what are you doing reading this blog? You need to get to work.

I’ll see you later, maybe at my common-sense money management blog or my Writing Career Coach blog.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tiffany Colter is a passionate freelance writer whose credits include Today’s Christian, Charisma Magazine, Toledo Business Journal, and the Afictionado E-zine. She enjoys helping others build a strong business and writes a daily marketing blog for writers called the Writing Career Coach and a common-sense money management site, TheBalancedLife.com. Tiffany lives outside Toledo, OH with her husband, a recent cancer survivor, and their four girls.

Resources for Writers: CHRISTIAN WRITERS' MARKET GUIDE 2009

If you've been writing seriously for any period of time, you probably already know what a Market Guide is. But if you don't, here it is in a nutshell: If you're looking for guidelines and contact info for book pubishers, magazines, or agents, this is a great place to start. The big difference with Sally Stuart's guide is that it's specific to Christian markets.

At 547 pages, this brick of a book is packed with info. I particularly like the topical listings for book publishers and magazines. Rather than hunt and peck, trying to find someone who might be interested in publishing your puppet play, you can simply look it up in the topical index and go right to the short list.

New in this edition of the CWMG is a CD-ROM. It contains two Word documents. One is the actual Market Guide. The other is a very long document called "Resources for Writers" which contains over 100 new entries and two new sections, Writers' Helps and Writing Communities.

Another bonus is that Stuart has a blog which she updates regularly with industry changes, contests, conferences, and other interesting writer-related topics. Even if you don't buy the guide, you can still visit her blog at www.stuartmarket.blogspot.com.

According to the book's cover, this is "the essential reference tool for the Christian Writer." After going through it, I'd have a hard time arguing with that. This is a particularly nifty book for those just dipping their toes into the deceptively calm waters of Christian publishing. If you're writing with your eye on publication, this book deserves a place on your reference shelf.