A Blog Challenge for You

>Topic: Why you need to reach an international audience, and how to do it.

Qualification: I’ve lived with one toe on each side of the Atlantic for nearly a dozen years, working in Christian publishing.

>Topic: Making the Most of Your Author/Editor Relationship

I've worked with three or four different editors, each comes at a project with a different style, but ultimately provide the author with invaluable feedback. I've also interviewed three different book editors for my blog on the Daily Dose.

>Topic: Getting over the hill (the first one, that is).

The moment you realize that you aren't the new kid on the blog/query/convention circuit anymore, but you still have along way to go. What now?

>Theme: Only you can prevent forest fires and only you can motivate yourself and get 'er done.

Mine will have humor since that's the way I'm wired. :O)

>Celebrity novels: why celebrities shouldn’t write them, and why you shouldn’t buy them.

I will speculate on why a celebrity, successful in one field, should want to enter another he has no experience of; i.e. writing a novel. After all, you won’t find a politician/television gardener/comedian giving a piano recital, or performing on the flying trapeze; they haven’t the skill, and they know it.

So what makes them think fiction is a piece of cake? And why do we buy the darned books once they’re published, as they inevitably are?

>Topic: Serenity, Courage and Wisdom

A post that discusses the importance of the things AUTHORS have control over, including research, networking and writing more books. The post will be based around the Serenity Prayer.

Qualifications: I'm a writer under contract with OakTara Fiction, an active social networker and a consistent blogger. Most of these lessons I learned while waiting for my first book to make it out of publishing limbo.

http://www.msforster.blogspot.com

>Dawson McAllister is still a kid for Christ. From his start-up of a California coffee house ministry, through his 1973 founding of Shepherd Productions, to his present radio audience of a half million listeners in over 425 (Christian & Secular) markets, and through http://www.dmlive.com Dawson’s been standing in the Gap for teenagers for over 30 years. He’s written and conference-led 18 manuals as well as several books including: Please Don’t Tell My Parents and How to Know If You’re Really in Love.

Pitch – Interview Dawson. “The more things Change, the more they remain the Same.”

Qualifications – I served Dawson’s Board for 5 years, a Christian school Board 15 years, and Published Arrows in 2007 (a novel about internet porn).

>TOPIC: It’s Not You, It’s Me — Speed-Dating for Writers, AKA the Query Process.

A humorous take on rejection, navigating the hopeful high of a partial/full request, and staying sane while pitching your baby, ahem, book to agents. Putting it all in perspective using the speed-dating process as a model for demonstration.

Qualifications: I’m a writer in the midst of querying agents for the first time.

>Maintaining a Healthy Body: Can Writers Do That?

Snacking through revisions, writing when the house is finally peaceful–at 2 AM, and fueling energy with caffeine…we all do it! Is it possible to maintain a healthy body as a writer? It is possible and essential. As a writer with diabetes, I've learned the hard way to pay attention to my body's HELP signals. I'll give tips on how to improve our health while we unchain the muse. Exercise, good food, and supportive equipment will go a long way toward improving the writer’s body and mind. And, we might even grow to enjoy the effort!

>Get Over It!: Leaving behind fear and gaining insight from writers workshops

As a hack writer and editor for a travel newspaper, stepping into a class full of MFA students was intimidating. Particularly since it was a creative writing workshop. I’d love to share my experiences to help budding creative writers get over their fear of workshopping, as well as offering some tips for getting the most out of a workshop as both a writer and a reader—particularly for first-timers. I can attest to the nerves involved (I, uh, threw up in the car before workshopping my first long essay) but also the invaluable skills that can be gleaned from it.

>R.K. Mortenson… I'll vote for you if you'll give me your perspective on McKee's NEGATION of the NEGATION!

Haste yee back

>Words have a flammable power. One old poet who tried to stifle his words found that they became "like a fire shut up in my bones." I've had days when I'd have been glad to see a slight wisp of smoke. Unlike California's raging wildfires, my words and message often feel more like a backyard barbeque. Where does the fire come from? How do those of us who love words stoke them for greater impact? As a pastor who teaches weekly and writes daily for a congregation, words as dying embers disturb me. Maybe others share this concern.

>Guest post topic ~~ Writing Ailments & Hazards

Are you afflicted with Spouse-itis, G'out, Terrible Ts or one of the other writerly syndromes plaguing prose and poetry penners today? Is it possible you could have some fatal combo plate of these dis-eases and not even know it?

Get the answers in this blog post and mini-quiz which are crafted with writing parents in mind. Readers will enjoy a dose of laughter, if not actual cures.

I am uniquely qualified to write this post as I have suffered from every single one of these maladies.

>Sooner or later, every author in today's Internet-savvy world will need to know the ABCs of building an author website. How do you capture your visitor's attention? What common, avoidable errors cause potential readers to click away?

I've been marketing and designing websites on the Internet since 1999, I'm a fellow aspiring author, and I'm currently co-authoring an author website review series on http://jordanmccollum.com. I'll share the basics that any author can use, whether they hire someone, build it themselves, or use WordPress.

>Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, and Dean Martin recorded Silent Night. The same lyrics, the same melody, the same harmonies. But any fan of crooners could identify the singer in the opening line.
It's about voice.
Nothing's new under the sun. When authors tell the same story, the voice makes it unique.
Finding Your Voice: A Musician's Look at Writing gives ideas to help writer's develop their distinctive voice and the voices of their characters.

>Topic: Gossip Girl, meet Gospel Girl: Five Tips on Writing the Christian YA novel

I'm a multipubbed YA writer with a six-book series (All About Us, from FaithWords). Writing for teens in the Christian market has a few basic differences from those in the secular market. I'll give five tips on how to satisfy teen readers … do you really need to name-drop designer labels? Or include a vampire?

Shelley
http://www.shelleyadina.com

>Sports and writing don't mix. Can you imagine Faulkner putting down the whiskey to go for a run? Or Virginia Woolf psyching herself up for a swim meet? But, as a rower and writer, I've discovered there are writing lessons to be learned in my backward-looking, forward-driving sport. From specific structural issues, to the strategy of creating a career, I've found useful answers while training on the Charles River. Now if I could only figure out how to stay up late revising and still get up for those crack-of-dawn workouts.

I'm a competitive sculler (that's a kind of rowing) and a fiction writer with a small number of published short works. As a kind of cross-training, I write The View Finder, reviews, ruminations, and commentary on movies, books, and language–at henriettepower.com.

>Title: How To Survive Rejections

Rejection, it's all a part of life, we all have to deal with it, but how do you keep on keeping on as a writer?

I know firsthand what it feels like to be rejected, but I feel it is a path I had been chosen to take, so that I may help others along this so called "rocky road to success."

I am a reviewer for BookPleasures and a writer. Working as a reviewer has given me insight on the rejection process.

"Rejections are often gifts of direction"
–Paul Young

Thank you, Rachelle.

>Contest Circuit

I love writing contests. They nourish my writer’s soul.
I loathe writing contests. They can dampen my unique voice.

Join a contest junkie as she shares advice on:

(1) The Right Match: picking your contests well

(2) FEEDback: separating the bitter and sour from the sweet and meaty

(3) Judging: growth by giving back

I’m Elizabeth Langston, a writer of YA fiction and multi-finalist in the Golden Heart® (RWA®), Maggies, Golden Opportunity, as well as a judge for too many contests to list.

>Rejection stinks, but have you ever stopped to consider maybe your writing does, too?

When their work fails to attract interest, many writers blame the industry or the agent or the editor who took a peek at it. They miss the errors professionals find. So what can one do to reduce the risk of rejection? I’d like to offer a few suggestions, as well as the reasons why they can help.

Tara McClendon works as an editor for InspirationForWriters.com and Writers Research Group. You can view blogs she maintains at eyefeathers.blogspot.com and inspirationforwritersinc.blogspot.com.

>Topic: Plot Development with FreeMind

Summary: FreeMind is a free mind mapping tool that can be used for anything from project planning to creating a knowledge base. For authors, it is ideal for outlining and plot development, as well as providing a means to store character information and background in a conveniently accessible platform. In a 500-800 word blog post, I can provide specifics on how your readers can utilize this tool in the development of their tales and/or as a means of maintaining consistency as they write.

>Topic: What Do You Mean My Hero Isn’t Sexy Enough? Surviving Your First Editorial Revision Letter

I’d like to share the exhilarating and mind-numbing experience of receiving my first Editorial Revision Letter. Qualifications: I am a manic novelist & client of WordServe Literary.

>As Christians, we bear witness to human life with God. We are called to offer a cup of water to a thirsty world. As writers, we fill that cup with stories, with reflections, with instruction, and we extend God in us, God with us, to strangers.

It's hard work. The cup that satisfies thirst can only hold what we know, what we have lived, in an authentic, meaningful life. We must fill our well, even as we draw from it, so that we don't run dry.

I'd like to create a space where we can talk about it.

>Topic: Self-editing for writers

Perfection spills from your pen onto the page. You can't cut a word. Not one word. Oh, I so know the feeling. But after 10 years in the publishing industry—most of which has been spent on publications with small staffs—I know one thing. You gotta edit yourself. I'd like to share techniques (including budgeting time for editing) that work whether you're writing for newspapers and magazines or working on fiction and nonfiction.

I have 10 years of experience in the magazine business and have also worked on special projects, including nonfiction books.

portia.stewart (at) gmail (dot) com

>R.K… LOL, that would be annihilation of the negation!

Haste yee back

>Topic: Why every author should have a librarian in his or her corner…

Armed with a master’s degree in “finding the good stuff,” a librarian is an author’s ace in the hole.

National and state library associations sponsor book awards, book conferences, book clubs, blogs, readings, and author visits. Library related publications produce the world’s most respected and widely used book selection and review tools. Put a good story into the hands of a school or public librarian and watch a spark of interest ignite into a blaze of book sales.

We’re librarians. We’re book pushers. We’re an author’s best friends.

>Topic: What a new/aspiring writer learned from attending a writer's conference for the first time–

What to expect, meeting agents, participating in a pitch slam.

>TOPIC: Without meaning to, emerging writers often get a big head. Whether it be a break in literary journal or winning a competition, some of those little achievements in life can make one think, "wow, I am pretty good, aren't I?"

I myself have had those moments, and have seen the repercussions in my fellow writing student's eyes.

My post will explore how it is necessary for emerging writers to remain level-headed in this industry and not let fame – or lack thereof – get to them.

I blog at:
bookworm-megs.blogspot.com
http://www.meganburke.com

>Why a Crit Group?

We write in a void, blind to our own idiosyncrasies. That first critique can sabotage our self-esteem, eliciting a vow to never write another word. Or we can ignore every comment made, blindly positive the reader just didn't 'get it.' Instead, a teachable spirit–in response to kind but honest critiques–can propel your writing forward. But wait, there's more. Did you know your OWN writing will improve the more you critique?

A veteran of both crit partnerships and groups, I'd like to provide some guidelines and encouragement to join the give-and-take.

>Sour Ju Jubes, Sushi, and the Sasquatch: A good and bad writing day

The good day consists of a bowl of oatmeal, exercise, and good solid writing time. It ends while our intrepid writer cooks a healthy meal with fresh garden vegetables and wonders what her characters would eat.

Our writer subsists on sour ju jubes, sushi, colossal chocolate brownies and endless cups of milky tea during the bad writing day. She pulls a classic Sasquatch move when she eschews human contact with her neighbours, who think she’s a recluse, and steals raspberries over the fence as she leaves her lair. The day ends with her practicing her book launch pose with one too many glasses of red wine as she watches a re-run of “Reba.”

http://janmarkley.blogspot.com

>TOPIC: Web 2.0 Tools for Authors: How writers can use the internet to build their author platform.

Qualifications: I am an IT consultant and (self-published) author specialising in online tools and tips. I have recently written an Author 2.0 Blueprint which guides authors in these areas.

Many writers are not very tech savvy and don't realise the amazing potential of what is available to help them online. I know you blog about blogging, and platform building tips. This would be a list based post of the top tools available that are easy to use.

Thanks, Joanna

>Dear Rachelle,

In several non-fiction books I read this summer, even ones I thought were good, the dialogue was off—sometimes way off—which drew attention to the dialogue and away from the story.

My proposed 800-word post, “Dialogue that Delivers: Tips for Non-Fiction Writers,” will outline four simple rules to eliminate the dialogue issues I encountered. Concrete examples will show readers how to revise lousy dialogue into great speech.

I am the author of The Circle of Seasons: Meeting God in the Church Year (InterVarsity Press, 2008) and of articles for Weavings, FullFill, and TheThoughtfulChristian.com.

Yours,
Kimberlee Conway Ireton

>(I'm obeying the word limit this time!)

Every writer must research, whether we're composing historical fiction (like me!) or chick lit. My post will help writers master the Google search with tips like these:

1. Search for the question, not the answer.

2. Use Wikipedia to reach reliable information (plus a hilarious example of Wikipedia's unreliability).

3. Find personal rather than clinical answers.

4. Separate kooks from experts.

5. Use Boolean search operators for good, not evil.

When I'm not writing about ancient Persia, I teach research skills to AP English students. I blog here: howtobeisraeli.blogspot.com

Thanks for your consideration!

>It Takes a Village(read: Platform)

If you are anything like me you are in the genesis of your writing career. That means your champagne wishes and caviar dreams of becoming a published author have been rejected more than a Saturday morning telemarketer. In your Holy Grail quest to get published you’ve probably uncovered a dirty, eight-letter word called platform. If creating a cult sized following that can only be rivaled by Oprah makes you sweat like a sinner in church, take heart, it isn’t as bad as it sounds. I will show you how I turned 40 readers into 4,000 in just four months.

http://www.ginnymartyn.com

>Chris Crutcher said, “Simple fact. If I don’t read, I don’t write.” Seems obvious, but if you ask many aspiring authors what they’re reading, the answer is often, “I don’t have time. I’m busy writing.” It’s very hard for writers, especially ones with jobs and families, to accept that reading is not simply a guilt-ridden pleasure, but a necessity if they want to learn their craft. I propose a blog post called The Need to Read, based on the three year, self-designed reading program that I believe propelled me from a “writer of interest” to a 2010 debut novelist.

http://www.joelleanthony.com

>Topic: The unexpected places a good story can take its author.

For Christmas 2007 I wrote a story for my nephew. When it wouldn’t let me go, I sent it to a publisher… and now I’m scheduling book signings for “Oliver’s Surprise” all around the country.

While writing, I forgot about word count, genre, or what anyone but a twelve year old boy would think. While selling, optimistic perseverance and blind luck came into play. Now I'm taking a look back at how I became a published author … and working on a sequel.

>Great opportunity for us, Rachelle; I'm sure Nathan is flattered.

Here is what I have to offer:

PITCH: Creating the Online Web Presence – a collection of suggestions/instructions for and insight into making the most of the Internet through both traditional (facebook, Twitter) and non-traditional (Red Room, Amazon Authors, etc.) mediums; when to start, how to accommodate for later success, and where to draw the line between personal and professional

QUALIFICATIONS: Self-published novelist that relied on the Internet for sales; blogger who, with marketing efforts, witnessed a nearly 10x growth in readership and page hits over two months

>“Larry King Interviews Mark Adair”
(a sneak preview of my future life as an absurdly successful author)

Tonight, we take an inside look at the most famous author of any era, Mark Adair. We’ll ask him about his amazing journey from relative obscurity to the blazing limelight of super stardom. In addition, he’s agreed to give us an exclusive peek into his hectic and opulent life. We’ll finish up by finding out his advice to the struggling writers of today, who might be the Mark Adair’s of tomorrow.

Tonight at 8:00, on Larry King Live.

>Embracing Your Inner Weird

A friend helped me stop writing toward the perceived needs of agents, editors and publishers and encouraged me instead to write something I truly loved. I warned him, “It’s going to be a weird book.” He encouraged me to give it a try. This led to getting an agent, completing the manuscript, and multiple offers on the book, which releases in April from Tyndale/Barna Books.

>The recent death of author Dominick Dunne reminded me of a decades-ago encounter with Dunne, when I was a struggling law student. During the OJ trial, I had the opportunity to eavesdrop on Dunne’s dialogue with a charming Irish bartender, and learned that the law can be poetic, theatrical, and just and unjust at the same time. Most of all, I realized that the law was not about codes, or constitutions or cases, but about people, thus changing me from a legal practitioner into a lifelong teller of stories. This storyteller is now a civil rights attorney and playwright.

>Topic: The Write Way to Change

Through the part-time YMCA job I took to support my writing habit, I’ve discovered the power of using writing exercises to help people reach their healthy lifestyle goals. Engaging the imagination is a powerful tool for motivation.

After working with over two hundred people for two years, I’ve found the pen can be mightier than the treadmill for making lasting change in weight loss, stress levels and exercise habits. God surprised me with an outlet for my writing gift that has nothing to do with being published and everything to do with serving others.

>How NaNoWriMo Changed Me From An “I Can’t” to An “I Did”

As a writer with seven unfinished novels, I’ll share how participating in NaNoWriMo 2008 helped me complete my first novel (now a 2009 ACFW Genesis finalist in the Contemporary Romance category). Getting through that lousy first draft is often the biggest hurdle for novelists. After all, you can’t improve something that’s non-existent. My post will include how I ‘pre-wrote’ the novel, as well as the process of planting yourself in front of the computer and cranking out a 50,000-word novel in thirty days.

catbry1 at yahoo dot com

>"Second Book Blues"

Getting your first novel published is a high like no other, but there is a dark side that is rarely discussed: the second book blues. This blog will explore why it's hard to talk about the sbb, why others' expectations keep us away from the keyboards, and will suggest some strategies for overcoming them.

Qualifications: After an incredible day where my debut novel went to auction and was sold in a 2-book deal, I found myself humbled and terrified to write the second book. But, after nearly a year of procrastination and stress, my second book has legs!

>Book Proposal Prep: Profiling Your Audience

A critical part of book proposals is demonstrating that you know your audience and can sell books. That’s why it can be important to test-drive your material with your audience before pitching books to publishers or agents.

I’ll talk about my strategy of using online communities, traditional publications, and friends to test my material, get to know my audience, and gather statistics. This information is most important for first-time authors who don’t yet have a lofty platform or publishing history. The knowledge gives insights into how to effectively market and shape a book.

>The 3-Act Story Structure: the secret to writing a best-seller.

Once you get over the concept that everything in fiction, movies, etc is scripted or has a formula, you begin to appreciate what it takes to create a blockbuster. Story breakdowns are invaluable. Doesn't matter if you've published five book or none, we owe it to our readers to write the best story we can write. …

I.e.; Fifteen minutes into [Collateral] the movie we meet the hero, know the theme is chance meetings can drastically change your life, see love interest, see set pieces and witness central story question.

>Howdy,

Guest Post Topic:

How to go from being a first-time blogger, to securing a book deal.

Qualifications:

After deciding to change lifestyles, I stopped being a translator for the Irish Navy, and moved to L.A to pursue my dreams. I decided to document my random adventures in a blog I set up, and this week signed my first book deal. All of this is within 7 months of writing my first ever blog post. The first step of many in a new journey!

http://trickaduu.com

Life is Beautiful!

Mark.

>Suggested blog topic: L. L. Bean and Me: Story Characters

I've never, never, never EVER used people I know or any other real people as characters in any of my three published novels. So where do I find my story characters? I'll share with blog readers how my story characters come to me, and offer more tips on creating interesting story characters.

>Blog Topic: THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS WRITER'S BLOCK: It's Called Lack of Planning

I don't leave home without a map and if I'm going more than 100 miles, I need a Triptik. Here are some tips to avoid "hitting the wall" in the middle of your story.

>Topic: Keeping the Orange Cheeto Dust Off Your Keyboard

Post Theme: Which foods make the best snacks when writing, and which snacks are the best foods for thought?

Post will end with an interactive question: What do you snack on when you’re writing, and what does it do for you?

Author Qualifications: I snack when I write.

>Online Research for Writers

There’s nothing more convincing than the truth. I'll show your readers how to use Web resources to enliven their writing with historical context, accurate settings and appropriate slang. We'll browse archived issues of the New York Times. Finally, I'll explain how to hone query responses with Google’s advanced search features.

Stacey Dennick found so many useful resources while researching her MFA in Writing thesis that she created a website to house them all. http://www.writersquest.org is a free portal for all things writerly, from forensics for writers, to writing prompts.

>Rachelle, would you prefer topics dealing with some aspect of writing (writing process, life-of-an-author, publishing industry, etc.) or are you interested in other topics as well? It seems that most of your guest bloggers deal with the former. As it happens, I specialize more in writing about the latter.

Thanks!

>Topic: Why do we write? (And what motivates an unpublished writer to keep writing?)

Qualifications: I have a BA in English lit and a MLIS. I've worked in libraries (public and corporate) and a publishing company. I currently write from the chipped kitchen counters of my life, at home with my four young children.

I write because at the end of all I do, washing the twentieth fork and picking up the last bread crust tossed to the tile floor in my suburban America, I want to know there is something of me left. A thought, a mind, a will.

>Hi Rachelle,

When I first discovered online writers' sites I couldn't help being drawn in by the promise of a community of like-minded souls. The opening chapters of "The Baer Boys" made the first Short List on YWO. "Boomerang" was one of the first to make it to the Editor's Desk on Authonomy. But the experience hasn't exactly been all positive. How to Get the Most Out of Writers' Sites (Or Should You Bother?), would be my subject. I'm currently writing a follow-up novel to "Boomerang" and blogging about it on Writing a Novel, Living a Life.

Best,
Alan

>Oh my stars, how much fun is this???

Newly contracted and agented author Ruth Logan Herne would love to blog about how to make the square pegs of 80,000 word single titles fit into the round holes of 60,000 category romance. Included in this blog, but not limited to blog-mania, is advice on how to re-dress the lone unchosen book of the series to raise its marketability in other lines.

Understandably the blog author refuses any and all responsibility for the reader's angst and possible hair loss as a result of following directions on said blog.

>Topic: Roots before branches, and what does that mean to me?

More than just a great song lyric, or a pithy phrase, this concept has been on my mind since I heard the song by Room For Two. What does it mean for this middle-aged, aspiring author in terms of his personal life and his writing? I believe that I’ve discovered, or rediscovered, if you will, some truths that can apply to my personal life as well as my writing aspirations. And since I’m just an average Joe, they just might apply to others as well.

>Just tell the story.
Show, don’t tell.

Learn the rules. Abide by them.
Throw the rule book out the window.

Your story must be new.
There’s no such thing as a new story.

Don’t let criticism tell you how to write your story.
You must listen to criticism.

For every piece of writer advice I’ve received, I’ve also received the opposite. Some of these contradictory statements I’ve heard from the same author! There is no advice that blankets every situation. My topic will address how we take our contradictory advice and use it to strengthen and center our writing.

writerropes.blogspot.com

>Believe it or not, agents get accosted at conferences while in the bathroom, napping, and even during their presentations. The perpetrators have one thing in common—they made an impression. A bad one.

Don’t be the joke of the conference. Former FWA conference director Lori Strongin will give readers a trial-by-fire checklist on how to maximize agent one-on-one time. Master the art of the successful elevator pitch. Discover what business cards really say about you as a professional and as a writer. And learn about the fine line between confident and cocky in, “Do’s and Don’ts of the Conference Circuit.”

>Character Therapy

If one out of every four people has a mental disorder and sees a therapist, wouldn't it serve to reason that fictional characters have the same issues? Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Jeannie Campbell explains what "character therapy" is and how it can help with things like plot feasibility and psychological consistency.

Avoid cliched or stereotyped characters. Pick the therapist's brain so you don't have to pick yours.

Would offer a free manuscript assessment (up to three chapters), as well as a character assessment of one major character to one lucky blog commenter that day. Assessments are posted to The Character Therapist blog.

Jeannie Campbell
Where Romance Meets Therapy

>Pitch: Becoming an Irrepressible Writer. How to learning and maintain resilience – the most important tool in a writer's toolkit. Martin Seligman's "Learned Optimism" has serious and important implications for writers, who lose out if they cannot deal with adversity. Learn how to apply the proven, international research and theories of the Positive Psychology movement to the vicissitudes of the writer's life and increase energy, productivity and creativity.

Qualifications: Carol Coven Grannick is a published writer for adults and children and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker whose column, "The Irrepressible Writer" appears regularly in the Illinois SCBWI PRAIRIE WIND http://www.intelligentlight.com/PrairieWind).

>Topic: To potty train or not to potty train, the ultimate toddler dilemma.

As a mom of three boys I fight the urge to compare and compete. I don't want my kids to be left behind. I'm doing better. I'm learning to release this temptation. This was a hard lesson learned when I brought home a little video sure to do the potty training trick. A reality check is always good for me, and I'm not afraid to laugh at myself for the benefit of other moms in the trenches.

Qualifications: A published humor columnists since 2005.

http://rebekah-outnumbered.blogspot.com/

>Hey Rachelle,
I'm late getting here and wow! you have lot's of ideas already. But just in case…

"Do your advertising materials reflect you and your genre?

Or, though I'm just breaking into bookcovers, I could talk about that process.

Thanks!

>Confessions of a Closet Writer

I still can’t talk about it without getting flustered. Most times I don’t talk about it at all. I never bring it up.

If people ask me about it, I try to give them a concise answer. Then I change the subject.

But I’m doing better, much better. Blogging and blog reading helped. I even joined a critique group. It’s nice to know I’m not alone. There are lots of us out there.

Hi, I’m A.L. Sonnichsen, and I’m a Closet Writer.

alsonnichsen.blogspot.com

>Writing From Your Heart and Soul.

How does one open their heart and connect to their soul in order to share deeper insights and higher perspectives through their stories, articles and books? I'll guide readers through a process on your blog site.

I am a transformational coach, writer and spiritual teacher. I have published one book, From Chaos to Calm, and am looking for an agent and publisher for my new book, Your Treasure: A Journey of True-Self Discovery. I have blog site where I write Insights & Inspiration articles and Spiritual Insights articles.

>Tips for Non-Fiction Writers
Facts without a well thought out presentation leave the reader bored and ready to close the pages of a potentially life-altering book. The essential elements of creativity and personality are equally necessary for the non-fiction writer as they are for those who write fiction.
What is it that makes one non-fiction book stand out more than another? How can an author tuck her own personality neatly between the lines? What can non-fiction writers learn from those who write fiction?
Sharing lessons I’ve learned (and am still learning) on my publishing journey.

>WARNING: BLOG PITCH FOLLOWS

Can you name these authors?

Who wrote: "The Power of a Praying …..?"

Who wrote: "A ….. After God's Own Heart?"

Whether you can name them or not, these authors are known by most Christian publishers, editors, agents, and others. The reason? These authors have established a strong brand identity.

Trying to break in? You'd be surprised how much it matters if you can find a "brand" that represents what you do. Publishers love that; so do editors and agents.

We'll write a post about creating your own brand identity, based on a seminar we're doing at the San Diego Christian Writers Guild Fall Conference, Sept 25 and 26.

BTW: Answers are Stormie O'Martian and Elizabeth George.

>140 comments already? Sheesh! Okay, here goes (AHEM!):

Topic: The fine art of shameless self promotion: Why good writing is not enough.

Most writers are by nature introverts, more likely to study the crowd than join it. Yet the need to build a recognizable name is more important than ever in today's publishing market. Fortunately, savvy use of social media gives authors a myriad of opportunities to build a strong platform.

>Topic: Writers can't stray from faith on the path to publication.

Through pangs of self-doubt, stinging critiques, the inevitable onslaught of query or manuscript rejections and even negative reviews after publication, a writer must have faith in God, first, and in one's self to overcome challenges on the path to success.

Qualifications: I've developed a blog to encourage and inspire writers on the path to publication at http://www.heathersunseri.blogspot.com.

>We all have dreams; unfortunately, we also barely have time to deal with reality. Finding time to work on things we love and enjoy isn't easy. I will write a guest post for you about making the most of every moment we are given. Such a post would include details on being goal oriented, task management, scheduling, & identifying time-traps. As an aspiring writer who has struggled with balancing life { wife, mother, student, career-woman } & who was tragically reminded of how short life really is, I have learned the necessity of critically evaluating what fills my days. I would love an opportunity to share what I have learned.

>Sorry–trying again while signed in…

In 100 Words or Less: a Short Treatise on Appealing to Today’s Audience with Concise Precision

A topic on which I am miserably UNqualified to share (if you need proof, just read my blog!), I am in awe of today’s audience and admire several authors who have honed the skill of writing concisely. I would appreciate the motivational challenge to research and report on this writing style that’s in such demand.

A wife, mother, caretaker for elderly relative, home educator, and aspiring-but-amateur writer (in that order), I tend to write memoirs that illustrate fresh manna I encounter daily.

>Topic: Revising for an agent – without an offer in hand.

I write for the QueryTracker blog, as well as carry a healthy following on my own blog. I’ve done specific revisions for an agent without the promise of an offer. This is a scary place to be, yet hopeful at the same time. I’d like to give my advice—from the author’s side of the equation—on how to handle revisions requested by an agent. How to communicate. What questions to ask. In today’s market, where this might become more common, I think this could be valuable information.

Thank you!

>Topic: How to Win at Writing Competitions, Even When You Don’t Place

If you’re spending a lot of time on contests, some writers say, then you aren’t focusing on publishing. You aren’t building relationships with editors. And you’re sure to lose money in the long run, even if you win a contest or two. But my own experience – and that of over 50 writers I’ve surveyed – disputes those admonitions. In this blog I’ll discuss the many benefits of entering competitions as part of your career strategy.

Qualifications: I’ve entered, won, administered and judged numerous contests at regional and national levels.

>My parents held high positions in the synagogue. They were respected and admired, but behind closed doors they beat and bullied my sister and I. They taught me God was punishing, demanding and cruel.
Based on those lies I lived my life believing it had no value or purpose. I became wild, out of control and believed I had no right to exist. The deception hardened after I had been kidnapped,held for six months and raped.
My story is written to inspire others to understand the true nature of God.

>Topic: A courageous, honest look at my place in the writing industry. I have little knowledge and few skills. Who am I to dare to break into this business? And at what point should I just concentrate on cleaning the john?

Qualifications: I am fully self-aware and trained in social work. I do not see a conflict of interest in the 'physician healing thyself'.

>See? My limited skills stop me from deleting one of the posts. Is this akin to showing up to an interview fifteen minutes late? What can I say? God puts up with me.

>What Good Is Owning A Stradivarius If You Can’t Play That Pup?

Do we really need more instruction on the mechanics of Twittering or using Facebook?

Please, no.

We need guidance to how to be more compelling.

We’re teaching people how to build a marketing Stradivarius, but offer little coaching on how to play anything worth listening to.

Where is the training on how to write scintillating content?

Are there guidelines to developing surprising, funny, informative posts that will make authors stand out?

I have a few ideas.

Jim Rubart- sometime Marketing Guru. Columnist—Quantum Marketing—Christian Fiction Online Magazine

>Rachelle, I'd like this opportunity to share my personal bad experience with an agent, that went awry. I'd like to warn people what to look for in a good agent and stress the importance of research. I won't be naming names (my old agent is safe) but I cannot stress enough how invaluable it is to understand how easily my experience can happen to anyone.

>I long to shed ten pounds by tomorrow morning. If my teenagers lost their hormonal attitudes today, I’d be doing the happy dance. And wouldn’t it be nice if slapping a few clever phrases on a page made me a writer?

But some things take time. Writing involves a process that cannot be rushed. Like great athletes or musicians, writers need years of practice to reach proficiency. There are no shortcuts.

So what’s an aspiring writer to do while they learn? I’ll tell you how I’m patiently getting the most out of my learning to write days.

>If we are allowed a second shot – this is one idea I not seen, and it might be useful…

What’s in a name?

For your characters, almost everything. The names you choose for your paper children describe their ethnicity, social standing, relationship with their fictional parents…their names are the fletching on the arrow of their lives, arcing through your story.

Take Tom Clancy’s recurring character, Jack Ryan. Knowing the basic context of Clancy’s novels – present-day America – you can say, Irish Catholic, parents probably admired Jack Kennedy, so Jack was born around 1960. Jack is the diminutive of John, so Mr. Ryan should be pretty informal. All of these fit.

Choose the right name, and the character is partly formed.

>I went on this Big Adventure with the hopes of writing a book about it. My agent turned the proposal down, a publisher said no, and finally (finally!) I got a big break and when (WHEN!) I get a book contract, I would love to guest blog about believing BIG when your chances seem slim.

>Crash Diets and Binge Writing

The desire to write well and to lose weight requires the same disciplines. Yet I am inclined to crash diet and rush through the writing process, expecting instant results.

A Tae-bo session doesn’t result in baggy pants nor does one writing marathon result in excellent storytelling. Both practices are a daily habit—not a one time deal.

How are these two disciplines related? Why do we struggle with glacial results? How can we accumulate good, lifelong habits?

My qualifications include an intimate knowledge of crash diets and the (occasional) discipline of writing.

>In a society whose racial, religious, and cultural labels increasingly blend into one another, how can a writer reflecting that reality find her genre niche? Born in Puerto Rico, I moved to the U.S., where my parents became evangelical ministers. My fiction explores the tensions among conflicting religious points of view, as well as those between Latino and Anglo cultures. My writing is too religious for the secular market and too secular for a CBA-type market. How can I remain true to the vision guiding my fiction: that we are all wrestling to define the meaning of redemption? http://www.judithmercadoauthor.blogspot.com

>Do You Wanna Be My Agent?
Circle Yes or No

I've found my dream agent and I am convinced we are a perfect match! There are just two problems. He doesn't even know I exist and it will take more than a third grade-inspired note to get his attention.

Two weeks ago I'd never used the term query letter in a sentence and now it dominates my thoughts. Add to it an addiction to Query Shark and it's easy to understand why I'm a mixture of excitement and doubt.

A fresh look at the query process and the one reason we take our chances at the circled yes.

>My name is Jason Black. I'm a freelance editor, recently featured as a speaker and book doctor consultant at the PNWA 2009 Summer Writers Conference.

As an editor, I specialize in character development. I've seen countless mistakes in the way aspiring novelists portray their characters, most of which fall into a few clear cut categories. My guest post would illuminate three of these and include concrete, hands-on tips for avoiding them.

Samples of my other character development tips are available at http://www.plottopunctuation.com/blog, and starting in October, also in a monthly column for Author Magazine (http://authormagazine.org/). Contact me at jason@plottopunctuation.com.

>Topic: Guilt is out. That’s so Bible Belt fundamentalist. Glad that’s over.

And yet…if we’ve outgrown our guilt, then why do so many believers still feel vaguely second-class in their Christianity? (In a reverse Lake Wobegon kind of way). Maybe not feeling guilty, but not feeling quite innocent, either. Maybe a little numb. Why?

Qualifications: Ron Vanderwell knows the Christian subculture from the inside out. The son of a preacher, raised in a Midwest town where no one mowed their lawn on Sunday. Over the years he’s slowly discovering the questions for which his faith offers answers.

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