4) Marketing: How Fascinating Are You?
If you want to stand out in a crowded market, then you
should be thinking about how fascinating you are. You
need fans who love your fiction. Who talk about your
fiction. Who talk about you.
Fascination explains why Apple's new products create
lines around the block every time Apple releases its
latest gizmo.
Fascination made Marilyn Monroe a cult icon.
Fascination helped bring Adolf Hitler to power.
I've been reading a book lately, FASCINATE, by Sally
Hogshead, a well known brand consultant and speaker.
There are seven ways to trigger fascination, according
to Ms. Hogshead. She summarizes each of these by a
single word:
* Lust
* Mystique
* Alarm
* Prestige
* Power
* Vice
* Trust
Any surprises there? Not yet, I hope. Each of these
sounds reasonable.
The surprises come when you unpack each of these words
to figure out what makes them work. None of them are as
simple as they seem.
Let's look at each of these in turn.
* Lust is anticipation of pleasure. No, it's not just
about sex. It can be the anticipation of anything you
like. Food. Beauty. Skiing. Dancing. Wine. Laughter.
Any sort of pleasure, whether naughty or nice, is fair
game for the Lust trigger.
Lust partly explains the intrigue of Marilyn Monroe,
who was definitely a pleasure to look at. Marilyn's
fans couldn't wait to see her in action.
Lust is part of the appeal of Apple Computer. Every
device Apple makes is both a work of art and a pleasure
to use. Apple fans can't wait for the next cool thing
that they never knew they needed.
Lust, oddly enough, explains part of the success of the
late comedian George Carlin. If you liked his kind of
humor, then you simply couldn't wait to hear his next
routine.
But Lust isn't the only trigger for fascination. As
we'll see, each of the above fired multiple triggers.
* Mystique is about raising questions and NOT answering
them. Those unanswered questions, if they're
interesting enough, will get inside your mind and gnaw
at you forever.
Mystique explains the popular fascination with UFOs.
What aren't "they" telling us about the crash in
Roswell? What are "they" hiding at Area 51? Why won't
"they" come clean about the anti-gravity drive machine?
Mystique is one of the triggers Apple Computer relies
on heavily. What kind of camera will the next iPhone
have? What killer app will it unleash next? Will Apple
fix that one pesky flaw that current iPhone owners love
to hate? Numerous rumor web sites thrive on these kind
of questions. How many rumor web sites deal with
similar questions about HP, Microsoft, or Google?
Mystique is the reason that the Kennedy assassination
still fascinates conspiracy theorists. When Lee Harvey
Oswald was murdered two days after the assassination,
he left behind a zillion questions. Those questions can
never be answered, and that creates mystique.
* Alarm is the fear of something horrible happening. If
it's bad enough, likely enough, and imminent enough,
it's going to fascinate a lot of people.
Alarm about "the Russians" made them endlessly
fascinating in Cold War novels by John LeCarre, Robert
Ludlum, and Tom Clancy. When the Soviet Union broke
wide open, that fear dissipated and Cold War novels lost
most of their fizz.
Alarm about "radical Islam" now fills very much the
same role, which is why you now see more novels
featuring Islamic terrorists than Russian spies. Alarm
only works if people believe it (whether or not that
belief is justified).
Alarm about an impending apocalypse drives the current
fascination with the alleged end of the Mayan calendar
this year, for pretty much the same reasons that alarm
over the second coming of Jesus has driven apocalyptic
fever numerous times over the centuries.
* Prestige is the respect we give to those who have
rank.
Prestige is part of the reason that every US President
becomes instantly fascinating the moment he gets
elected.
Prestige is one reason for the popularity of the
British TV series DOWNTON ABBEY. (Excellent writing and
acting are the other reasons.) The series centers on an
aristocratic British family and its cast of servants,
beginning in 1912 and continuing through World War I.
Prestige is part of the driver for the popularity of
Apple's products. Rightly or wrongly, owning an iPhone
gives you more prestige than owning an Android or
Blackberry.
* Power is the ability to control.
Power is another part of the reason that US Presidents
become fascinating when they take office. The President
is commander in chief of the world's most powerful
military. The President can press "the button."
Power makes the schoolyard bully fascinating. When a
nerdy kid stands up to the bully, fights him, and wins,
the bully loses his power. Suddenly, the nerd is the
fascinating guy and the bully's a bore.
Power makes Google fascinating, because it plays a
major role in deciding the winners and the losers in
the great global marketing game known as search engine
optimization.
* Vice is anything that you "aren't supposed to do."
Vice is coloring outside the lines. It's the Pandora's
Box you aren't supposed to open. It's the forbidden
fruit you aren't supposed to eat. When there's no
reason given to you for a restriction, vice creates in
you a fascination that grows and grows until you feel
compelled to break the rule.
Vice made comedian George Carlin famous in 1972, when
he developed a comedy routine named "Seven Words You
Can Never Say on Television." By saying the words that
must not be spoken, he made himself instantly
fascinating. Forty years later, people still remember
that routine.
Vice was part of the fascination of Marilyn Monroe. The
breathy voice she used in singing Happy Birthday to
John Kennedy came across as delightfully sinful.
* Trust is your loyalty to the familiar or the reliable.
Trust is the reason you choose the unhealthful fast
food in the airport Food Court, rather than the
healthful-looking option from the no-name joint. In
unfamiliar territory, you want to know exactly what
you're going to get and exactly how long it's going to
take to get it.
Trust is a part of the reason Adolf Hitler could
convince a nation to believe the unbelievable. He
repeated the same simple message over and over with no
variation. He eliminated the voice of the opposition.
The same lie, repeated every day, became familiar and
eventually built trust.
Trust is a major part of brand loyalty. FedEx built its
brand on the slogan, "When it absolutely, positively
has to be there overnight." If FedEx failed to deliver
overnight, you'd feel betrayed. If the post office
failed, you wouldn't, because the post office offers
you much lower expectations.
In marketing your fiction, you want to build
fascination in the minds of your fans. How do you do
that?
You choose which of the seven fascination triggers you
intend to pull, and then you focus on those.
Typically, you can focus on three or four triggers.
Your cover art, your web site, your blog, your Facebook
page, your Twitter page -- every part of your public
face -- should present the same message and pull the
same fascination triggers.
Your marketing success will depend on how hard you pull
those triggers and how consistently you pull them.
Want to know more about those fascination triggers?
Want to know how to choose the ones that are right for
you? Want to know how to pull them?
Check out Sally Hogshead's book FASCINATE. Part 3 is
designed to help you figure out how to make your own
marketing more fascinating.
You can visit Ms. Hogshead's web site here and take her
"F-test" to learn your "F-score":
http://www.SallyHogshead.com
~~~~~~~~~~~
This article is reprinted by permission of the author.
Award-winning
novelist Randy Ingermanson, "the
Snowflake Guy," publishes the Advanced
Fiction Writing
E-zine, with more than 29,000 readers, every month. If
you
want to learn the craft and marketing of fiction,
AND make your writing more
valuable to editors, AND
have FUN doing it, visit
http://www.AdvancedFictionWriting.com.
Download
your free Special Report on Tiger Marketing
and get a free 5-Day Course in
How To Publish a Novel.
Friday
Blue Moon Bay by Lisa Wingate
MY REVIEW
Wingate has another winner here. We get to go back to Moses Lake, although we don't see much of our old favorites. We glimpse Birdy and Len all settled in their home and Birdy is going to school, but they have already had their story. This one is about young woman being forced to face the demons she met in high school, like the mother of her high school crush, and the tormenting memories of her father's death. Funny that her uncles and mom live in an old funeral home.
The scenery is perfect, the characters are very believable and the dialog is enchanting. Lisa Wingate has a thang about Texas and can get into the heads of just about any Texan she writes about. She even does a great job of making a 30-something young woman act like the awkward teenager in front of her high school crush when he actually notices her this time. Do you feel sometimes like you are that gangly 17 year old again? Awkward speech, awkward stance, stumbling all over your words? It doesn't happen too often any more for me, but on occasion I get that buterflies-in-my-stomach feeling when looking out at the audience of women who expect me to spout some wisdom in their ears.
Anyhoot. Buy this book. It gets 5 of 5 stars. Its a keeper.
This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Blue Moon Bay Bethany House (February 1, 2012) by Lisa Wingate
ABOUT THE BOOK
Heather
Hampton returns to Moses Lake, Texas, to help facilitate the sale of a
family farm as part of a planned industrial plant that will provide the
area with much-needed jobs. Heather's future fiance has brokered the
deal, and Heather is in line to do her first large-scale architectural
design--if the deal goes through.
But the currents of Moses Lake have a way of taking visitors on unexpected journeys. What was intended to be a quick trip suddenly morphs into Valentine's week--with Blaine Underhill, the handsome banker who just happens to be opposing Heather's project. Spending the holiday in an ex-funeral parlor seems like a nightmare, but Heather slowly finds herself being drawn into the area's history, hope, and heart.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Blue Moon Bay, go HERE.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Lisa Wingate is an award-winning journalist, magazine columnist, popular inspirational speaker and a national bestselling author of sixteen books. Her first mainstream novel, Tending Roses, is in its eighteenth printing from Penguin Putnam. Tending Roses is a staple on the shelves of national bookstore chains as well as in many independent bookstores.
Recently, Lisa’s Blue Sky Hill Series, set in Dallas, received national attention with back-to-back nominations for American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year Award for A Month of Summer (2009) and The Summer Kitchen (2010). Pithy, emotional, and inspirational, her stories bring to life characters so real that readers often write to ask what is happening to them after the book ends.
Lisa is one of a select group of authors to find success in both the Christian and mainstream markets, writing for both Bethany House, a Christian publisher, and NAL Penguin Putnam, a general market publisher. Her bestselling books have become a hallmark of inspirational fiction. Her works have been featured by the National Reader's Club of America, AOL Book Picks, Doubleday Book Club, the Literary Guild, Crossings Book Club, American Profiles and have been chosen for numerous awards.
When not busy dreaming up stories, Lisa spends time on the road as a motivational speaker. Via internet, she shares with readers as far away as India, where her book, Tending Roses, has been used to promote women's literacy, and as close to home as Tulsa, Oklahoma, where the county library system has used Tending Roses to help volunteer mentors teach adults to read. Recently, the group Americans for More Civility, a kindness watchdog organization, selected Lisa along with Bill Ford, Camille Cosby, and six others as recipients of the National Civies Award, which celebrates public figures who work to promote greater kindness and civility in American life.
Wingate has another winner here. We get to go back to Moses Lake, although we don't see much of our old favorites. We glimpse Birdy and Len all settled in their home and Birdy is going to school, but they have already had their story. This one is about young woman being forced to face the demons she met in high school, like the mother of her high school crush, and the tormenting memories of her father's death. Funny that her uncles and mom live in an old funeral home.
The scenery is perfect, the characters are very believable and the dialog is enchanting. Lisa Wingate has a thang about Texas and can get into the heads of just about any Texan she writes about. She even does a great job of making a 30-something young woman act like the awkward teenager in front of her high school crush when he actually notices her this time. Do you feel sometimes like you are that gangly 17 year old again? Awkward speech, awkward stance, stumbling all over your words? It doesn't happen too often any more for me, but on occasion I get that buterflies-in-my-stomach feeling when looking out at the audience of women who expect me to spout some wisdom in their ears.
Anyhoot. Buy this book. It gets 5 of 5 stars. Its a keeper.
ABOUT THE BOOK
But the currents of Moses Lake have a way of taking visitors on unexpected journeys. What was intended to be a quick trip suddenly morphs into Valentine's week--with Blaine Underhill, the handsome banker who just happens to be opposing Heather's project. Spending the holiday in an ex-funeral parlor seems like a nightmare, but Heather slowly finds herself being drawn into the area's history, hope, and heart.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Blue Moon Bay, go HERE.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Recently, Lisa’s Blue Sky Hill Series, set in Dallas, received national attention with back-to-back nominations for American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year Award for A Month of Summer (2009) and The Summer Kitchen (2010). Pithy, emotional, and inspirational, her stories bring to life characters so real that readers often write to ask what is happening to them after the book ends.
Lisa is one of a select group of authors to find success in both the Christian and mainstream markets, writing for both Bethany House, a Christian publisher, and NAL Penguin Putnam, a general market publisher. Her bestselling books have become a hallmark of inspirational fiction. Her works have been featured by the National Reader's Club of America, AOL Book Picks, Doubleday Book Club, the Literary Guild, Crossings Book Club, American Profiles and have been chosen for numerous awards.
When not busy dreaming up stories, Lisa spends time on the road as a motivational speaker. Via internet, she shares with readers as far away as India, where her book, Tending Roses, has been used to promote women's literacy, and as close to home as Tulsa, Oklahoma, where the county library system has used Tending Roses to help volunteer mentors teach adults to read. Recently, the group Americans for More Civility, a kindness watchdog organization, selected Lisa along with Bill Ford, Camille Cosby, and six others as recipients of the National Civies Award, which celebrates public figures who work to promote greater kindness and civility in American life.
Tuesday
Song Of My Heart by Kim Vogel Sawyer
MY REVIEW
What a delightful romance and character study. I don't know a Western story that I've enjoyed more than the last series from Robin Hatcher. It is certainly clear exactly why Sawyer has so many books published. This one is a charmer, with characters that are believable and that just right amount of tension among them. Miss Shelva and Miss Melva are a little overpowering, but you can't help but like them.
The burning question is should a Christian dislodge their principles to care for family?
We've all faced that challenge at one point or another (if you haven't, you will). Sadie Wagner wrestles with this question because she has the voice of an angel. Should she use it to please the devil and to feed her family?
What would you do?
I give this one 4 out of 5 stars!
This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Song of My Heart Bethany House (February 1, 2012) by Kim Vogel Sawyer
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Kim Vogel Sawyer is the author of fifteen novels, including several CBA and ECPA bestsellers. Her books have won the ACFW Book of the Year Award, the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, and the Inspirational Readers Choice Award. Kim is active in her church, where she leads women's fellowship and participates in both voice and bell choirs. In her spare time, she enjoys drama, quilting, and calligraphy. Kim and her husband, Don, reside in central Kansas, and have three daughters and numerous grandchildren.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Sadie Wagner has always been devoted to her family. So when her stepfather is injured and can't work, she decides to leave home and accept a position as a clerk at the mercantile in Goldtree, Kansas. Goldtree also offers the opportunity to use her God-given singing talent--though the promised opera house is far different from what she imagined. With her family needing every cent she can provide, Sadie will do anything to keep her job.
Thad McKane comes to Goldtree at the request of the town council. The town has been plagued by bootlegging operations, and Thad believes he can find the culprit. After he earns enough money doing sheriff work, he wants to use it to pay for his training to become a minister.
Thad is immediately attracted to the beautiful singer who performs in Asa Baxter's unusual opera house, but when he hears her practicing bawdy tunes, he begins to wonder if she's far less innocent than she seems. And when Sadie appears to be part of the very crimes he's come to investigate, is there any hope the love blossoming between them will survive?
If you would like to read the first chapter of Song of My Heart, go HERE.
What a delightful romance and character study. I don't know a Western story that I've enjoyed more than the last series from Robin Hatcher. It is certainly clear exactly why Sawyer has so many books published. This one is a charmer, with characters that are believable and that just right amount of tension among them. Miss Shelva and Miss Melva are a little overpowering, but you can't help but like them.
The burning question is should a Christian dislodge their principles to care for family?
We've all faced that challenge at one point or another (if you haven't, you will). Sadie Wagner wrestles with this question because she has the voice of an angel. Should she use it to please the devil and to feed her family?
What would you do?
I give this one 4 out of 5 stars!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Kim Vogel Sawyer is the author of fifteen novels, including several CBA and ECPA bestsellers. Her books have won the ACFW Book of the Year Award, the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, and the Inspirational Readers Choice Award. Kim is active in her church, where she leads women's fellowship and participates in both voice and bell choirs. In her spare time, she enjoys drama, quilting, and calligraphy. Kim and her husband, Don, reside in central Kansas, and have three daughters and numerous grandchildren.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Thad McKane comes to Goldtree at the request of the town council. The town has been plagued by bootlegging operations, and Thad believes he can find the culprit. After he earns enough money doing sheriff work, he wants to use it to pay for his training to become a minister.
Thad is immediately attracted to the beautiful singer who performs in Asa Baxter's unusual opera house, but when he hears her practicing bawdy tunes, he begins to wonder if she's far less innocent than she seems. And when Sadie appears to be part of the very crimes he's come to investigate, is there any hope the love blossoming between them will survive?
If you would like to read the first chapter of Song of My Heart, go HERE.
Thursday
Love Blooms in Winter by Lori Copeland
MY REVIEW
I have always enjoyed books written by Lori Copeland. She's been writing for a long time and she never fails with a good premise, good story line, and good character development. This is another winner.
Mae has been cooking for her man for six years every week, but he can't seem to come around to ask the all important question. She keeps hoping. Then there is her very sweet neighbor Pauline who is suffering from old age dementia. She can't take care of her, and her job, and her brother, too, so she finds the name of Tom Curtis in Pauline's desk and writes to him thinking he is her nephew.
Tom can't remember anything about an Aunt Pauline, but since he had no family to ask, she just might be his aunt. In response to Mae's desperate appeals, and since he worked for the railroad, he decided to pay a visit to this end-of-the-line town in North Dakota.
Thus, a tangle of romance and treachery begins. The ending isn't surprising, but is very satisfying, especially when God's providence is glorified rather than man's enterprise. The storyline is uncomplicated, and so it's a fast read for a Sunday afternoon. No nail-biting, but plenty of succinct description that gives you the exact flavor of the countryside and of the town, but not over powering so that you have to skip paragraphs or pages to get back to the story.
All in all, I give it 4 of 5 stars.
This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Love Blooms in Winter Harvest House Publishers (January 1, 2012) by Lori Copeland
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Lori lives in the beautiful Ozarks with her husband Lance. Lance and Lori have three sons, three daughter-in-laws, and six wonderful grandchildren, and two great-granddaughters. Lance and Lori are very involved in their church, and active in supporting mission work in Mali, West Africa.
Lori began her writing career in 1982, writing for the secular book market. In 1995, after many years of writing, Lori sensed that God was calling her to use her gift of writing to honor Him. It was at that time that Lori began writing for the Christian book market. To date, she has had over 100 books published.
ABOUT THE BOOK
A romantic new book from bestselling author Lori Copeland that portrays God’s miraculous provision even when none seems possible.
1892—Mae Wilkey’s sweet next-door neighbor, Pauline, is suffering from old age and dementia and desperately needs family to come help her. But Pauline can’t recall having kin remaining. Mae searches through her desk and finds a name—Tom Curtis, who may just be the answer to their prayers.
Tom can’t remember an old aunt named Pauline, but if she thinks he’s a long-lost nephew, he very well may be. After two desperate letters from Mae, he decides to pay a visit. An engagement, a runaway train, and a town of quirky, loveable people make for more of an adventure than Tom is expecting. But it is amazing what can bloom in winter when God is in charge of things.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Love Blooms in Winter, go HERE.
I have always enjoyed books written by Lori Copeland. She's been writing for a long time and she never fails with a good premise, good story line, and good character development. This is another winner.
Mae has been cooking for her man for six years every week, but he can't seem to come around to ask the all important question. She keeps hoping. Then there is her very sweet neighbor Pauline who is suffering from old age dementia. She can't take care of her, and her job, and her brother, too, so she finds the name of Tom Curtis in Pauline's desk and writes to him thinking he is her nephew.
Tom can't remember anything about an Aunt Pauline, but since he had no family to ask, she just might be his aunt. In response to Mae's desperate appeals, and since he worked for the railroad, he decided to pay a visit to this end-of-the-line town in North Dakota.
Thus, a tangle of romance and treachery begins. The ending isn't surprising, but is very satisfying, especially when God's providence is glorified rather than man's enterprise. The storyline is uncomplicated, and so it's a fast read for a Sunday afternoon. No nail-biting, but plenty of succinct description that gives you the exact flavor of the countryside and of the town, but not over powering so that you have to skip paragraphs or pages to get back to the story.
All in all, I give it 4 of 5 stars.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Lori began her writing career in 1982, writing for the secular book market. In 1995, after many years of writing, Lori sensed that God was calling her to use her gift of writing to honor Him. It was at that time that Lori began writing for the Christian book market. To date, she has had over 100 books published.
ABOUT THE BOOK
1892—Mae Wilkey’s sweet next-door neighbor, Pauline, is suffering from old age and dementia and desperately needs family to come help her. But Pauline can’t recall having kin remaining. Mae searches through her desk and finds a name—Tom Curtis, who may just be the answer to their prayers.
Tom can’t remember an old aunt named Pauline, but if she thinks he’s a long-lost nephew, he very well may be. After two desperate letters from Mae, he decides to pay a visit. An engagement, a runaway train, and a town of quirky, loveable people make for more of an adventure than Tom is expecting. But it is amazing what can bloom in winter when God is in charge of things.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Love Blooms in Winter, go HERE.
Saturday
Marketing: 10, 100, and 1000 Dollar Work by Randy Ingermanson
(From Randy's Ezine)
So you've got a book coming out and the marketing director at your publisher calls you up, very excited about your book.
You're excited too, until she tells you all the things she wants you to do to promote your book.
Put up a web site. Create a blog. Make a Facebook fan page and hang out there. Get active on Google Plus. Starting tweeting. Build an e-mail list. Get on Goodreads. Print bookmarks. Speak at libraries. Do book-signings. Run a contest and give away a new Kindle.
And on and on.
About now, you're probably wondering when you're supposed to find the time to do all this stuff when you have a day job AND you're trying to write your next book.
The first thing to remember is that when a marketing director gives you a laundry list like this, she
probably knows very well that it's really just a menu.
You don't go to a restaurant and order everything on the menu. You order a couple of dishes and leave the rest for next time.
By the same token, you're going to choose one or two things on your marketing director's menu to focus on. The rest, you're going to do badly or not at all.
She'll probably be very pleased if you execute even one of these really well.
She'll probably be very displeased if you make a half-hearted stab at every single suggestion and end up doing all of them badly.
How do you decide what to do and what to leave undone?
Many authors seem completely unable to answer this question. So they do whatever their instincts tell them, or they do what a friend told them to do, or they do nothing at all.
I learned a simple principle from my friend, marketing guru Perry Marshall. Perry likes to divide up all the work you COULD be doing into rough categories based on how much they earn you:
* Ten dollars per hour work
* Hundred dollars per hour work
* Thousand dollars per hour work
These are broad categories. "Ten-dollar" work is anything that earns you between three and thirty
dollars per hour.
Here's an important principle that will save you mountains of grief: If you have all the hundred-dollar work that you can handle, then don't do any ten-dollar work unless you absolutely have to (or unless you love it). Instead, hire somebody to do it for you.
Likewise, if you have plenty of ten-dollar work, then don't take on one-dollar tasks, unless you have to (or unless you REALLY love them).
Believe it or not, authors violate this principle ALL the time.
One big problem writers have is that they can't easily tell the difference between ten-dollar work and
hundred-dollar work. How do you know what your work is earning you?
Let's start with the easy things, which are writing and speaking.
Suppose you know that you can write a novel in 500 hours and your last advance was $5,000. These are typical numbers early in a writing career. Then writing a novel is worth about ten dollars per hour to you.
Later in your career, you might be earning $50,000 per book, and now writing a novel is hundred-dollar work. Nice, if you can get it!
Likewise, it's not hard to compute your hourly rate for doing public speaking. Generally, you'll get paid an honorarium for this, and you can also sell books at the back of the room. It won't take very many speaking engagements to figure out what your actual pay rate is.
But what about all those other tasks you're supposed to do? How much does hanging out on Facebook earn you? What about Twittering? Or maintaining your blog?
It's hard to say for sure, but here you can harness your good common-sense instincts. (Most authors are cheapskates, so let's put that to work.) Suppose that somebody offered to do all your Twitter work for you. How much would you be willing to pay per hour for them to do that? A dollar an hour? Five? Ten?
I suspect that very few authors would be willing to pay a hundred dollars per hour for somebody to tweet for them. I doubt many authors would pay even ten dollars an hour. I'll bet most authors wouldn't pay more than a dollar an hour.
Whatever number you'd be willing to pay, that's probably a decent estimate of its actual value to you.
If you've got the common sense of an anthill, you aren't going to overpay or underpay very much.
Suppose you decide that you couldn't possibly pay more than a dollar an hour to hire somebody to Twitter on your behalf. This means that Twittering is probably only earning you a dollar an hour.
Now here's the simple question: If you have an extra hour in your day, should you spend it Twittering or writing? If writing earns you even ten dollars an hour, then this is a no-brainer. For you, it makes more sense to write than to tweet.
One caveat: If you like to hang out on Twitter and you'd do it for free, then there's no harm in doing so when you're not working. But call it what it is -- entertainment, not work.
You may be thinking, "But what about all the intangibles of marketing? Spending time on Twitter or
Facebook keeps my name in the front of people's minds. It keeps me in the conversation. That's good."
That may be true. Those pesky intangible values may be very significant. But be honest with yourself. How much would you be willing to pay for them? That's the best indicator of their real value to you. If you think it would be worth paying somebody $1000 per hour to gain those intangibles, then do it yourself. If you wouldn't pay ten cents per hour to do the job, then why in the
world would you do it yourself?
You can apply this same kind of thinking to just about any marketing activity your marketing director throws at you. How much would you pay somebody per hour to do this task in your stead?
If that number is very much less than you'd earn from writing, then it probably makes much more sense to do the writing, not the marketing. If you can hire somebody to do the marketing for less than the rate you'd demand, then it probably makes sense to pay them to do it.
If the number is very much more than what you'd earn from your writing, then do the marketing.
You can use this principle to figure out how to say yes and how to say no on just about any required task that comes your way.
What about optional tasks? Does the same calculation apply?
Yes, but there's another decision to make for optional tasks -- the decision whether to just leave it undone. That's a simple decision.
If you can find somebody to do it for less than you're willing to pay, then hire them. Otherwise, don't worry about it because it's just not worth it to you.
There are a zillion ways to market your book. Your marketing director knows you can't do them all. Make her happy and do at least one of them really well. Make yourself happy and do only the ones that are worth it to you.
This article is reprinted by permission of the author.
Award-winning novelist Randy Ingermanson, "the
Snowflake Guy," publishes the Advanced Fiction Writing
E-zine, with more than 29,000 readers, every month. If
you want to learn the craft and marketing of fiction,
AND make your writing more valuable to editors, AND
have FUN doing it, visit
http://www.AdvancedFictionWriting.com.
Download your free Special Report on Tiger Marketing
and get a free 5-Day Course in How To Publish a Novel.
So you've got a book coming out and the marketing director at your publisher calls you up, very excited about your book.
You're excited too, until she tells you all the things she wants you to do to promote your book.
Put up a web site. Create a blog. Make a Facebook fan page and hang out there. Get active on Google Plus. Starting tweeting. Build an e-mail list. Get on Goodreads. Print bookmarks. Speak at libraries. Do book-signings. Run a contest and give away a new Kindle.
And on and on.
About now, you're probably wondering when you're supposed to find the time to do all this stuff when you have a day job AND you're trying to write your next book.
The first thing to remember is that when a marketing director gives you a laundry list like this, she
probably knows very well that it's really just a menu.
You don't go to a restaurant and order everything on the menu. You order a couple of dishes and leave the rest for next time.
By the same token, you're going to choose one or two things on your marketing director's menu to focus on. The rest, you're going to do badly or not at all.
She'll probably be very pleased if you execute even one of these really well.
She'll probably be very displeased if you make a half-hearted stab at every single suggestion and end up doing all of them badly.
How do you decide what to do and what to leave undone?
Many authors seem completely unable to answer this question. So they do whatever their instincts tell them, or they do what a friend told them to do, or they do nothing at all.
I learned a simple principle from my friend, marketing guru Perry Marshall. Perry likes to divide up all the work you COULD be doing into rough categories based on how much they earn you:
* Ten dollars per hour work
* Hundred dollars per hour work
* Thousand dollars per hour work
These are broad categories. "Ten-dollar" work is anything that earns you between three and thirty
dollars per hour.
Here's an important principle that will save you mountains of grief: If you have all the hundred-dollar work that you can handle, then don't do any ten-dollar work unless you absolutely have to (or unless you love it). Instead, hire somebody to do it for you.
Likewise, if you have plenty of ten-dollar work, then don't take on one-dollar tasks, unless you have to (or unless you REALLY love them).
Believe it or not, authors violate this principle ALL the time.
One big problem writers have is that they can't easily tell the difference between ten-dollar work and
hundred-dollar work. How do you know what your work is earning you?
Let's start with the easy things, which are writing and speaking.
Suppose you know that you can write a novel in 500 hours and your last advance was $5,000. These are typical numbers early in a writing career. Then writing a novel is worth about ten dollars per hour to you.
Later in your career, you might be earning $50,000 per book, and now writing a novel is hundred-dollar work. Nice, if you can get it!
Likewise, it's not hard to compute your hourly rate for doing public speaking. Generally, you'll get paid an honorarium for this, and you can also sell books at the back of the room. It won't take very many speaking engagements to figure out what your actual pay rate is.
But what about all those other tasks you're supposed to do? How much does hanging out on Facebook earn you? What about Twittering? Or maintaining your blog?
It's hard to say for sure, but here you can harness your good common-sense instincts. (Most authors are cheapskates, so let's put that to work.) Suppose that somebody offered to do all your Twitter work for you. How much would you be willing to pay per hour for them to do that? A dollar an hour? Five? Ten?
I suspect that very few authors would be willing to pay a hundred dollars per hour for somebody to tweet for them. I doubt many authors would pay even ten dollars an hour. I'll bet most authors wouldn't pay more than a dollar an hour.
Whatever number you'd be willing to pay, that's probably a decent estimate of its actual value to you.
If you've got the common sense of an anthill, you aren't going to overpay or underpay very much.
Suppose you decide that you couldn't possibly pay more than a dollar an hour to hire somebody to Twitter on your behalf. This means that Twittering is probably only earning you a dollar an hour.
Now here's the simple question: If you have an extra hour in your day, should you spend it Twittering or writing? If writing earns you even ten dollars an hour, then this is a no-brainer. For you, it makes more sense to write than to tweet.
One caveat: If you like to hang out on Twitter and you'd do it for free, then there's no harm in doing so when you're not working. But call it what it is -- entertainment, not work.
You may be thinking, "But what about all the intangibles of marketing? Spending time on Twitter or
Facebook keeps my name in the front of people's minds. It keeps me in the conversation. That's good."
That may be true. Those pesky intangible values may be very significant. But be honest with yourself. How much would you be willing to pay for them? That's the best indicator of their real value to you. If you think it would be worth paying somebody $1000 per hour to gain those intangibles, then do it yourself. If you wouldn't pay ten cents per hour to do the job, then why in the
world would you do it yourself?
You can apply this same kind of thinking to just about any marketing activity your marketing director throws at you. How much would you pay somebody per hour to do this task in your stead?
If that number is very much less than you'd earn from writing, then it probably makes much more sense to do the writing, not the marketing. If you can hire somebody to do the marketing for less than the rate you'd demand, then it probably makes sense to pay them to do it.
If the number is very much more than what you'd earn from your writing, then do the marketing.
You can use this principle to figure out how to say yes and how to say no on just about any required task that comes your way.
What about optional tasks? Does the same calculation apply?
Yes, but there's another decision to make for optional tasks -- the decision whether to just leave it undone. That's a simple decision.
If you can find somebody to do it for less than you're willing to pay, then hire them. Otherwise, don't worry about it because it's just not worth it to you.
There are a zillion ways to market your book. Your marketing director knows you can't do them all. Make her happy and do at least one of them really well. Make yourself happy and do only the ones that are worth it to you.
This article is reprinted by permission of the author.
Award-winning novelist Randy Ingermanson, "the
Snowflake Guy," publishes the Advanced Fiction Writing
E-zine, with more than 29,000 readers, every month. If
you want to learn the craft and marketing of fiction,
AND make your writing more valuable to editors, AND
have FUN doing it, visit
http://www.AdvancedFictionWriting.com.
Download your free Special Report on Tiger Marketing
and get a free 5-Day Course in How To Publish a Novel.
Heaven is for Real--for kids as told by Colton Burpo
This is a story that you truly need to read to your kids. It ultimately answers all those questions asked by children when someone dies in the family or the favorite pets dies. Those questions we dread to answer because it is so difficult to form words that will bring peace to our children. A person is there, and then the body remains but there is no life. Where does the life go?
Colton Burpo knows beyond any doubt what happens when you die and he remembered to tell his folks who wrote it down and then Thomas Nelson published the story. Buy the CDs, buy the book for adults first and then buy this one to read to your children. It is worthy, and I know it is true, for I know there is Heaven because God says it is so.
If you do not believe there is Heaven, then read it first. If you do not believe after reading this, then I'm sorry I won't see you when we all get to Heaven on that glorious day.
Heaven is for real, and you are going to like it!
Colton Burpo came back from his trip to heaven with a very important message: Jesus really, really loves children. In effort to reach even more families with this eternally significant story, this runaway bestseller is now told from Colton—kid to kids! Children will receive the same comfort and assurance that so many adults have received from the trade book.
Beautifully illustrated, under Colton's direction, this book is uniquely written from a child for a child. Colton tells of his experiences in first person and comments on things that will be important to kids. A letter to parents is included to guide them in talking to their children about heaven. Scripture along with Q&A section with answers from the Bible are also included in the book.
Wednesday
Branding Obamessiah by Dr. Mark E. Taylor
 |
| An amazing book. |
Taylor has concisely boiled down all the elements of the political arena such as American culture and advertising, and he helps the Average Joe to understand all the subtle nuance of this man-created, supposed savior of America. Taylor exposes some of the lies with simple eyewitness accounts such as someone from Obama's high school having a completely different set of memories than offered by Obama in his writings. (Several classmates remember he actually did not take part in discussions of racial prejudice in high school.)
"Obama's criticism of 'white folks' did not seem justified by his own personal experience. The irony is palpable" (p. 99) points out Taylor. The man and the message do not make a whole truth, but variations and subtle colorings of truth (pun intended).
If you take a hard look at the photo on the cover, you'll see the kind of subliminal messages the campaign presented to unsuspecting voters. The whole message designed by Obama and the Democrats was so ingenious that even conservative radio host Mark Levin noted, "I can't help but observe that even some conservatives are caught in the moment as their attempts at explaining their support for Barack Obama are unpersuasive and even illogical" (p. 166). Taylor, through intensive research exposes all the tricks and idiosyncrasies of a political campaign that is filled to over flowing, shaken and packed down with religious fervor of the wrong kind.
If you weren't watching, Obama's rallies were organized like ole-timey tent revivals complete with the greeting, "Hello, Believers!" and the Q & A type of motivational, preaching. "You hear what I'm saying?" "Oh, yeah, brother, oh yeah!" There were even some who were "slain in the Obama-spirit", fainting as if on cue for the cameras. Taylor doesn't stop an one documented example but gives the reader ten accounts then asks the question were these eyewitness reports of "slain" devotees legitimate? Excellent question.
This isn't necessarily an expose' of Obama or Democrat tactics, but more an expose' of how the religion of politics has evolved. (Another excellent book which exposes this kind of political/media shuffle is Sarah Palin's Going Rogue.)
This book receives five of five stars. I highly recommend it, and beg you to read it before this presidential election proceeds any farther.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Read more about Mark, including why he wrote the book, in the online author Q&A and in the introduction to the book.
Monday
God, Am I A Nobody? by Sheryl Young
MY REVIEW
I had the opportunity to read this wonderful devotional by Sheryl Young. You might have read my review of her last book, What Every Christian Should Know About The Jewish People. If not, click on the link because it is a great book.
Sheryl is offering something a bit different in that you have a daily dose of Christ-like wisdom about things we face as we work for the Lord:
In today’s world, personal accomplishment gets all the accolades. Economic stability seems elusive or unsatisfying. It’s hard for us to put God’s will before worldly success. Sometimes:
-God doesn’t let us do something, so we try to do it ourselves.-There’s a mountaintop experience when we least expect it.-And sometimes we “labor in obscurity… while He lets others get the credit.”This last quoted statement is from nineteenth century missionary Hudson Taylor’s sermonette, A Higher Calling. Taylor, an Englishman, devoted his life to serving the people of China and challenging other Christians to put the Lord first.
While everyone has these moments, not everyone has the wisdom to overcome Satan's tug toward worldly desires and fleshly appetites. I have often written about the ability we Christians have to make idols of church, church work, our families and other Church Lady things. Take for instance Chapter Thirteen...
O God, Behold
our shield, and look upon the face of Your anointed. For a day in Your courts
is better than a thousand (Psalm 84:9-10a).
How often have we used church work as an excuse for not meeting with God? If you are honest, you'll look back and note at least once this has happened. If you haven't done this, then you will so don't be so smug :)
Sheryl points out the story of Martha always in the kitchen while Mary sits at Jesus' feet. Jesus does chide Martha just a bit, and we can see why for Jesus wasn't long on this earth in His physical body. Mary certainly chose the thing I crave the most, sitting at His feet and learning from His own lips. As the priest told Romeo, "There shalt thou be happy."
You can purchase this book...
You can purchase this book...
“God, Am I Nobody” at the publisher in
paperback or e-book:
or at Amazon Kindle
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sheryl Young has been
freelance writing for magazines, newspapers and the internet since 1997. Her
special interests are Politics, U.S. Government, Society and Education as they
intersect with biblical faith. Her articles and stories have been seen in such
venues as: Yahoo News, The Christian Post, Chicken Soup for the Soul, the
Florida Baptist Witness Newspaper, VISTA National Sunday School Curriculum;
Light & Life Magazine and Better Nutrition Magazine. She’s been a Community
Columnist for the Tampa Tribune Newspaper, Florida Spokesperson for Concerned
Women for America, and the recipient of a First Place “Roaring Lambs” National
Writing Award from the Amy Foundation.
In connection
with being a Jewish believer in Jesus, Sheryl wrote the previous book, “What
Every Christian Should Know about the Jewish People” (2008, Pleasant Word/Wine
Press). (here: https://www.winepressbooks.com/product.asp?pid=1852&search=sheryl+young&select=Keywords&ss=1,
or at Amazon and most online booksellers).
You can see her
blogsite at http://20-20faithsight.blogspot.com,
where she posts some of her articles and also spotlights other Christian
small-press and self-published authors.
Saturday
Randy Ingermanson interviews James Scott Bell
4) Marketing: An Industry Pro Goes E
The e-book revolution is roaring in even faster than predicted by e-enthusiasts. A few facts will make clear what I mean:
A-list novelist David Morrell recently self-published his novel THE NAKED EDGE on Amazon, in Kindle and audio formats only.
A-list marketing guru Seth Godin is due today, March 1, 2011, to self-publish his next book, POKE THE BOX, simultaneously in hardcover and e-format.
In January of this year, self-published e-novelist Amanda Hocking sold a reputed 450,000 copies of her books on Amazon. She is 26 years old. Less than a year ago, she posted her first novel on Amazon. Now, she's a superstar.
In view of these, I wasn't surprised when one of my writing buddies, Jim Bell, recently self-published a new e-book, COVER YOUR BACK. The book contains a novella and three short stories. If the words "film noir" and "femme fatale" ring your bells, then COVER YOUR BACK might well be a book you'd enjoy.
Jim has not abandoned the world of traditional publishing. His venture into e-books simply allows him to do things that he couldn't have done with a paper-and-ink publisher that thinks a year is a short period of time.
I asked Jim to tell me about his venture in an interview for this e-zine. Here's a blurb about him and his writing:
JAMES SCOTT BELL is a bestselling thriller author and served as the fiction columnist for Writer's Digest magazine. He has written three popular craft books for Writers Digest Books: Plot & Structure, Revision & Self-Editing and The Art of War for Writers. Jim has taught writing at Pepperdine University and numerous writers conferences. On June 4th and 5th he is teaching a seminar in Los Angeles for novelists and screenwriters. Information can be found at http://www.jamesscottbell.com
On to the interview. Let's see what motivated Jim to take the e-plunge.
Randy: You recently self-published your first e-book, after more than a decade of publishing paper books with a number of traditional royalty-paying publishers.
What prompted you to take the plunge into the e-book market?
Jim: Because there is absolutely no downside to it, and plenty of upside. The e-market is exploding and I had several stories and a novella that didn't have a home.
E-book publishing allows me to bring new material to my readers, and introduce me to others. I've always admired the old pulp writers of the mid 20th century, who had to write a lot for a penny a word, but created some of the best suspense ever. That's what I always wanted to be able to do, and now can via e-publishing.
The nice thing is that the royalty for these works is great and I get paid every month.
Randy: Let's talk a bit about the process. You decided to write a novella and three short stories. You wrote them in Microsoft Word just as you normally do. Then what happened? How did you take the book from a Word document to its final published form on Amazon and the other online retailers?
Jim: I hired a person to do the conversion for me.
There are many people out there who will do this, and the cost is relatively low. You should be able to find someone for between $50 - $100. It may be a bit more if the document needs more work. I toyed with the idea of doing it myself, but was advised by others to let a professional handle it. So I provided the Word document and the person I hired converted into a format for Kindle, for Nook, and for Smashwords, should I expand to that.
Randy: Many fiction contracts have "non-compete"
clauses in them. Tell us about those and what they mean for the already-published author who wants to venture into the electronic self-publishing world but doesn't want to alienate his publisher.
Jim: Well, publishers are investing money in writers and trying to build them. So a standard publishing contract has a clause that says the writer cannot sell a book that might compete with the one they're publishing. Usually there's language about potential "harm" to the sales of the contracted book. That could mean that a self-published e-book, at a low price point, could be viewed as competition with the published e-book, which might have a higher price point.
On the other hand, a low priced, self-published e-book can be seen as a marketing tool for the other books.
This should all be discussed with the publisher, and a written understanding hammered out.
Randy: Any predictions on the near-term future of publishing? As we speak, Borders is circling the drain and Barnes & Noble is battling to reinvent itself, while dozens of previously unknown writers are earning thousands of dollars per month. Where do you see the world of publishing going in 2011? What are your plans to deal with the massive change?
Jim: I do think the traditional publishing model is undergoing great stress now. There are fewer distributions points, less revenue coming in as consumers turn to lower priced e-books. The old guard will have to be experimenting with new ways of doing things, but that's hard for a big, established business to do.
Meantime, there will be a veritable tsunami of original material self-published. Most of it will be bad. A writer still needs to sweat and strain and get better.
The old model provided a filtering system. But for those who learn to write well, the self-publishing avenue has great potential.
I don't think anyone can predict what the landscape will look like in five years. I have been surprised at the rapid rise in e-readers (as was predicted by one Randall Ingermanson). As a writer I'm taking advantage of the opportunity. Others will do the same. And word of mouth will continue to help the best works get the attention they deserve.
Randy: You probably couldn't have traditionally published your novella WATCH YOUR BACK and you almost certainly couldn't have published your short stories in paper format. Tell us a bit about those stories and why you wrote them. Isn't it enough to be a successful novelist?
Jim: I love the short story and novella form. It used to be we had a thriving short story market in this country, lots of pulp and slick magazines. But that all dried up except for a couple of little magazines, through which it is impossible to make a living. And yes, short story collections are rarely published in print form.
So, here is a way for me to write short form suspense fiction and publish it. As I said, there's just no downside to that. I can provide entertainment for readers at a low cost, and everyone's happy.
Randy: I bought COVER YOUR BACK last week and read through it in a day. Great read! Lots of fun for those who like darkish fiction. What advice do you have for someone contemplating writing exclusively for the self-publishing market?
Jim: First, always be about getting better as a writer.
That should never stop. I started in this business 20 years ago and have kept on studying the craft all that time.
Second, be sure to have your story vetted by several "beta" readers, and even consider paying a freelance editor to go over the manuscript. Readers do notice if the text is sloppy.
Third, hire a good cover designer. You have to make a good first impression with your book cover.
Finally, make some long term plans. What kind of writing will be your specialty, your "brand"? As you build readers, they are going to expect some continuity in your work. That's not to say you can't be flexible and try new things, but an audience is grown largely by coming to rely on the type of story you produce. Think of Stephen King and John Grisham. Even they did not deviate from their genres until they were well established in them.
Randy: Great advice, as always. Thanks for telling us about your adventures on Planet E, Jim!
Permission to reprint granted by author.
Award-winning novelist Randy Ingermanson, "the Snowflake Guy," publishes the Advanced Fiction Writing E-zine, with more than 24,000 readers, every month. If you want to learn the craft and marketing of fiction, AND make your writing more valuable to editors, AND have FUN doing it, visit http://www.AdvancedFictionWriting.com.
Download your free Special Report on Tiger Marketing and get a free 5-Day Course in How To Publish a Novel.
March 1, 2011
Volume 7, Number 3
http://www.AdvancedFictionWriting.com
http://www.Ingermanson.com
The e-book revolution is roaring in even faster than predicted by e-enthusiasts. A few facts will make clear what I mean:
A-list novelist David Morrell recently self-published his novel THE NAKED EDGE on Amazon, in Kindle and audio formats only.
A-list marketing guru Seth Godin is due today, March 1, 2011, to self-publish his next book, POKE THE BOX, simultaneously in hardcover and e-format.
In January of this year, self-published e-novelist Amanda Hocking sold a reputed 450,000 copies of her books on Amazon. She is 26 years old. Less than a year ago, she posted her first novel on Amazon. Now, she's a superstar.
In view of these, I wasn't surprised when one of my writing buddies, Jim Bell, recently self-published a new e-book, COVER YOUR BACK. The book contains a novella and three short stories. If the words "film noir" and "femme fatale" ring your bells, then COVER YOUR BACK might well be a book you'd enjoy.
Jim has not abandoned the world of traditional publishing. His venture into e-books simply allows him to do things that he couldn't have done with a paper-and-ink publisher that thinks a year is a short period of time.
I asked Jim to tell me about his venture in an interview for this e-zine. Here's a blurb about him and his writing:
JAMES SCOTT BELL is a bestselling thriller author and served as the fiction columnist for Writer's Digest magazine. He has written three popular craft books for Writers Digest Books: Plot & Structure, Revision & Self-Editing and The Art of War for Writers. Jim has taught writing at Pepperdine University and numerous writers conferences. On June 4th and 5th he is teaching a seminar in Los Angeles for novelists and screenwriters. Information can be found at http://www.jamesscottbell.com
On to the interview. Let's see what motivated Jim to take the e-plunge.
Randy: You recently self-published your first e-book, after more than a decade of publishing paper books with a number of traditional royalty-paying publishers.
What prompted you to take the plunge into the e-book market?
Jim: Because there is absolutely no downside to it, and plenty of upside. The e-market is exploding and I had several stories and a novella that didn't have a home.
E-book publishing allows me to bring new material to my readers, and introduce me to others. I've always admired the old pulp writers of the mid 20th century, who had to write a lot for a penny a word, but created some of the best suspense ever. That's what I always wanted to be able to do, and now can via e-publishing.
The nice thing is that the royalty for these works is great and I get paid every month.
Randy: Let's talk a bit about the process. You decided to write a novella and three short stories. You wrote them in Microsoft Word just as you normally do. Then what happened? How did you take the book from a Word document to its final published form on Amazon and the other online retailers?
Jim: I hired a person to do the conversion for me.
There are many people out there who will do this, and the cost is relatively low. You should be able to find someone for between $50 - $100. It may be a bit more if the document needs more work. I toyed with the idea of doing it myself, but was advised by others to let a professional handle it. So I provided the Word document and the person I hired converted into a format for Kindle, for Nook, and for Smashwords, should I expand to that.
Randy: Many fiction contracts have "non-compete"
clauses in them. Tell us about those and what they mean for the already-published author who wants to venture into the electronic self-publishing world but doesn't want to alienate his publisher.
Jim: Well, publishers are investing money in writers and trying to build them. So a standard publishing contract has a clause that says the writer cannot sell a book that might compete with the one they're publishing. Usually there's language about potential "harm" to the sales of the contracted book. That could mean that a self-published e-book, at a low price point, could be viewed as competition with the published e-book, which might have a higher price point.
On the other hand, a low priced, self-published e-book can be seen as a marketing tool for the other books.
This should all be discussed with the publisher, and a written understanding hammered out.
Randy: Any predictions on the near-term future of publishing? As we speak, Borders is circling the drain and Barnes & Noble is battling to reinvent itself, while dozens of previously unknown writers are earning thousands of dollars per month. Where do you see the world of publishing going in 2011? What are your plans to deal with the massive change?
Jim: I do think the traditional publishing model is undergoing great stress now. There are fewer distributions points, less revenue coming in as consumers turn to lower priced e-books. The old guard will have to be experimenting with new ways of doing things, but that's hard for a big, established business to do.
Meantime, there will be a veritable tsunami of original material self-published. Most of it will be bad. A writer still needs to sweat and strain and get better.
The old model provided a filtering system. But for those who learn to write well, the self-publishing avenue has great potential.
I don't think anyone can predict what the landscape will look like in five years. I have been surprised at the rapid rise in e-readers (as was predicted by one Randall Ingermanson). As a writer I'm taking advantage of the opportunity. Others will do the same. And word of mouth will continue to help the best works get the attention they deserve.
Randy: You probably couldn't have traditionally published your novella WATCH YOUR BACK and you almost certainly couldn't have published your short stories in paper format. Tell us a bit about those stories and why you wrote them. Isn't it enough to be a successful novelist?
Jim: I love the short story and novella form. It used to be we had a thriving short story market in this country, lots of pulp and slick magazines. But that all dried up except for a couple of little magazines, through which it is impossible to make a living. And yes, short story collections are rarely published in print form.
So, here is a way for me to write short form suspense fiction and publish it. As I said, there's just no downside to that. I can provide entertainment for readers at a low cost, and everyone's happy.
Randy: I bought COVER YOUR BACK last week and read through it in a day. Great read! Lots of fun for those who like darkish fiction. What advice do you have for someone contemplating writing exclusively for the self-publishing market?
Jim: First, always be about getting better as a writer.
That should never stop. I started in this business 20 years ago and have kept on studying the craft all that time.
Second, be sure to have your story vetted by several "beta" readers, and even consider paying a freelance editor to go over the manuscript. Readers do notice if the text is sloppy.
Third, hire a good cover designer. You have to make a good first impression with your book cover.
Finally, make some long term plans. What kind of writing will be your specialty, your "brand"? As you build readers, they are going to expect some continuity in your work. That's not to say you can't be flexible and try new things, but an audience is grown largely by coming to rely on the type of story you produce. Think of Stephen King and John Grisham. Even they did not deviate from their genres until they were well established in them.
Randy: Great advice, as always. Thanks for telling us about your adventures on Planet E, Jim!
Permission to reprint granted by author.
Award-winning novelist Randy Ingermanson, "the Snowflake Guy," publishes the Advanced Fiction Writing E-zine, with more than 24,000 readers, every month. If you want to learn the craft and marketing of fiction, AND make your writing more valuable to editors, AND have FUN doing it, visit http://www.AdvancedFictionWriting.com.
Download your free Special Report on Tiger Marketing and get a free 5-Day Course in How To Publish a Novel.
March 1, 2011
Volume 7, Number 3
http://www.AdvancedFictionWriting.com
http://www.Ingermanson.com
Thursday
The 13th Demon by Bruce Hennigan
MY REVIEW
This will be a short review. I found this book very disturbing. Blood is everywhere, and that is rather sickening. Although, I have complete confidence that Satan is more than capable of committing the evil acts described in this book. I'm not sure that it would be as overtly physical, but entirely plausible covertly.
If you don't mind all the blood (and there is plenty of it), then this is a page-turner suspense. Just beware this is not for the faint-hearted.
3 of 5 stars
This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing The 13th Demon Realms (October 4, 2011) by Bruce Hennigan
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Bruce Hennigan was born and raised in the isolated countryside of Shreveport, La., a place full of possibilities for the active mind of a young boy. The fertile imagination he cultivated while playing deep in the Louisiana woods would lead to a lifelong love of creative writing.
In 2006, Hennigan pursued the Certified Apologetic Instructor Certificate from the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. He has become a frequent speaker at regional and state events on apologetics and his strong point is in making these sometimes hard to understand issues easily approachable for the average Christian. Hennigan’s experience in apologetics inspired him to write his new novel, The 13th Demon: Altar of the Spiral Eye, a supernatural Christian thriller that combines science and faith. Now, combining his love for apologetics and his love for the art of writing, Hennigan is pursuing a career as the “Michael Crichton” of Christian fiction building powerful, fast paced stories around the truths of Christian apologetics.
Hennigan currently resides in Shreveport with his wife and daughter. He continues to write and to practice radiology at the Willis Knighton Health Care System. He has secured Jeff Jernigan of Hidden Value Group (www.hiddenvaluegroup.com) as his literary agent and has signed a five book deal with the Realms imprint of Charisma Media for “The Chronicles of Jonathan Steel”.
ABOUT THE BOOK
When Jonathan Steel wakes up on a beach in a raging thunderstorm, naked, beaten, and bleeding, he has no idea who he is or how he got there. But just as he starts to make progress in his slow journey to recovery, tragedy strikes again, taking everything in his new life that he has come to love and rely on.
Filled with rage and a thirst for revenge, he searches the countryside for the entity responsible—an entity called only the Thirteenth Demon. His quest brings him to Lakeside, Louisiana, and a small country church where evil is in control and strange writing on the walls, blood-soaked floors, and red-eyed spiders have appeared in the sanctuary.
As he faces the final confrontation with an evil presence that has pursued him all of his life, he must choose between helping the people he loves or destroying the thirteenth demon.
If you would like to read the first chapter of The 13th Demon, go HERE.
This will be a short review. I found this book very disturbing. Blood is everywhere, and that is rather sickening. Although, I have complete confidence that Satan is more than capable of committing the evil acts described in this book. I'm not sure that it would be as overtly physical, but entirely plausible covertly.
If you don't mind all the blood (and there is plenty of it), then this is a page-turner suspense. Just beware this is not for the faint-hearted.
3 of 5 stars
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
In 2006, Hennigan pursued the Certified Apologetic Instructor Certificate from the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. He has become a frequent speaker at regional and state events on apologetics and his strong point is in making these sometimes hard to understand issues easily approachable for the average Christian. Hennigan’s experience in apologetics inspired him to write his new novel, The 13th Demon: Altar of the Spiral Eye, a supernatural Christian thriller that combines science and faith. Now, combining his love for apologetics and his love for the art of writing, Hennigan is pursuing a career as the “Michael Crichton” of Christian fiction building powerful, fast paced stories around the truths of Christian apologetics.
Hennigan currently resides in Shreveport with his wife and daughter. He continues to write and to practice radiology at the Willis Knighton Health Care System. He has secured Jeff Jernigan of Hidden Value Group (www.hiddenvaluegroup.com) as his literary agent and has signed a five book deal with the Realms imprint of Charisma Media for “The Chronicles of Jonathan Steel”.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Filled with rage and a thirst for revenge, he searches the countryside for the entity responsible—an entity called only the Thirteenth Demon. His quest brings him to Lakeside, Louisiana, and a small country church where evil is in control and strange writing on the walls, blood-soaked floors, and red-eyed spiders have appeared in the sanctuary.
As he faces the final confrontation with an evil presence that has pursued him all of his life, he must choose between helping the people he loves or destroying the thirteenth demon.
If you would like to read the first chapter of The 13th Demon, go HERE.
Monday
MY REVIEW
Usually Deeanne Gist has an excellent storyline, great character developing and some suspense within the love story.
This novel is a little different incorporating a "Gentleman Jack" type of villain within the storyline in which the real hero, a Texas Ranger, finds it difficult to "get" his criminal because the people think the villain is some type of Robin Hood. It is quite interesting how Gist weaves this story. However...
I was only into the third chapter and was thoroughly disgusted with the bird thing that Georgie has... I'm quite sure all the bird hat and clothing decoration information is quite true because Gist does an excellent job with research. It's just the bird-loving goes overboard for me. What could have been a personality quirk actually becomes an overwhelming character flaw, in my opinion. It reminds me of some eco-environment "persuasions" that some writers indulge in which is annoying to say the least. Frankly, there is nothing between the two "love birds" that explains why the two fall in love. It is rather after the old-fashioned, from the eighties, iron-sharpening-iron kind of love story. It is merely physical attraction after all disguised as "love".
I give this on 3 out of 5 stars. I liked it, but it could have been so much better.
This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Love on the Line Bethany House (October 1, 2011) by Deeanne Gist
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
After a short career in elementary education, Deeanne Gist retired to raise her four children. Over the course of the next fifteen years, she ran a home accessory and antique business, became a member of the press, wrote freelance journalism for national publications such as People, Parents, Parenting, Family Fun, Houston Chronicle and Orlando Sentinel, and acted as CFO for her husband’s small engineering firm--all from the comforts of home.
Squeezed betwixt-and-between all this, she read romance novels by the truckload and even wrote a couple of her own. While those unpublished manuscripts rested on the shelf, she founded a publishing corporation for the purpose of developing, producing and marketing products that would reinforce family values, teach children responsibility and provide character building activities.
After a few short months of running her publishing company, Gist quickly discovered being a "corporate executive" was not where her gifts and talents lie. In answer to Gist’s fervent prayers, God sent a mainstream publisher to her door who licensed her parenting I Did It!® product line and committed to publish the next generation of her system, thus freeing Gist to return to her writing.
Eight months later, she sold A Bride Most Begrudging to Bethany House Publishers. Since that debut, her very original, very fun romances have rocketed up the bestseller lists and captured readers everywhere. Add to this two consecutive Christy Awards, three RITA nominations, rave reviews, and a growing loyal fan base, and you’ve got one recipe for success.
Her latest releases, Beguiled, Maid To Match, and Love on the Line are now available.
Gist lives in Texas with her husband of twenty-eight years and their border collie. They have four grown children. Click here to find out the most up-to-the-minute news about Dee.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Rural switchboard operator Georgie Gail is proud of her independence in a man's world ... which makes it twice as vexing when the telephone company sends a man to look over her shoulder.
Dashing Luke Palmer is more than he appears though. He's a Texas Ranger working undercover to infiltrate a notorious gang of train robbers. Repairing telephones and tangling with this tempestuous woman is the last thing he wants to do. But when his stakeout puts Georgie in peril, he realizes more than his job is on the line.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Love on the Line, go HERE.
Usually Deeanne Gist has an excellent storyline, great character developing and some suspense within the love story.
This novel is a little different incorporating a "Gentleman Jack" type of villain within the storyline in which the real hero, a Texas Ranger, finds it difficult to "get" his criminal because the people think the villain is some type of Robin Hood. It is quite interesting how Gist weaves this story. However...
I was only into the third chapter and was thoroughly disgusted with the bird thing that Georgie has... I'm quite sure all the bird hat and clothing decoration information is quite true because Gist does an excellent job with research. It's just the bird-loving goes overboard for me. What could have been a personality quirk actually becomes an overwhelming character flaw, in my opinion. It reminds me of some eco-environment "persuasions" that some writers indulge in which is annoying to say the least. Frankly, there is nothing between the two "love birds" that explains why the two fall in love. It is rather after the old-fashioned, from the eighties, iron-sharpening-iron kind of love story. It is merely physical attraction after all disguised as "love".
I give this on 3 out of 5 stars. I liked it, but it could have been so much better.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Squeezed betwixt-and-between all this, she read romance novels by the truckload and even wrote a couple of her own. While those unpublished manuscripts rested on the shelf, she founded a publishing corporation for the purpose of developing, producing and marketing products that would reinforce family values, teach children responsibility and provide character building activities.
After a few short months of running her publishing company, Gist quickly discovered being a "corporate executive" was not where her gifts and talents lie. In answer to Gist’s fervent prayers, God sent a mainstream publisher to her door who licensed her parenting I Did It!® product line and committed to publish the next generation of her system, thus freeing Gist to return to her writing.
Eight months later, she sold A Bride Most Begrudging to Bethany House Publishers. Since that debut, her very original, very fun romances have rocketed up the bestseller lists and captured readers everywhere. Add to this two consecutive Christy Awards, three RITA nominations, rave reviews, and a growing loyal fan base, and you’ve got one recipe for success.
Her latest releases, Beguiled, Maid To Match, and Love on the Line are now available.
Gist lives in Texas with her husband of twenty-eight years and their border collie. They have four grown children. Click here to find out the most up-to-the-minute news about Dee.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Dashing Luke Palmer is more than he appears though. He's a Texas Ranger working undercover to infiltrate a notorious gang of train robbers. Repairing telephones and tangling with this tempestuous woman is the last thing he wants to do. But when his stakeout puts Georgie in peril, he realizes more than his job is on the line.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Love on the Line, go HERE.
Thursday
Teens and Their Supernatural Pursuits
(Editor's note: This is a guest post for October by Melody Carlson)
By Melody Carlson
Have you even wondered why some teens are drawn toward things like Ouija boards or psychics? Or why séances are still popular at sleepovers? Does it just have to do with Halloween and that spine-chilling need for a good scare? Or could it be something more? And, as a Christian, should you be concerned?
Those questions, as well as some confused reader letters, prompted me to tackle the “supernatural” in one of my teen novels (Moon White, TrueColors, Nav Press). And whenever I write an issues-based novel, I’m forced to research—and often in some dark places. So I began scouring websites, learning more about Wicca and the occult, trying to grasp what was really going on with today’s teens—and how I could write about it in a helpful and relevant way.
But, as usual, when I write a teen book, I go back to my own adolescence...trying to connect with my inner teen...and I suddenly remembered a short era when a friend and I got very interested in witchcraft. I had honestly forgotten about this time and was fascinated to recall how we scoured some witchcraft stores on a local campus—I think we even purchased a few things. Fortunately, this interest was short-lived and I became a Christian not long afterward.
However, as I reconnected with my inner teen, I had to ask myself—why had I looked into witchcraft back then? Why do teens dabble with it now? Suddenly the answer became crystal clear. I was searching. I’d been calling myself an atheist for several years by then, but I was spiritually hungry—starving in fact. Consequently I was looking for spiritual answers—something that would fill that empty void within me. I wanted a supernatural force in my life and I didn’t even care where it came from. I needed something bigger than me, more powerful than me, something to hold onto. I had no idea at the time that I was really searching for God.
This realization changed the way I viewed my research. Instead of feeling disgusted and dismayed by the witchcraft/Wicca sites (which are not particularly enjoyable) I began to recognize that these people (mostly girls) were simply searching too. They wanted a power source in their lives just like I wanted one in mine. They just hadn’t found God yet.
This led to another discovery. A girl who’s attracted to a religion like Wicca is usually seeking to gain some control over her life. Something is wrong and she wants to change it. To do so, she’s often enticed to purchase something—like “magical herbs”—to create a potion that will give her some control over her situation. Unfortunately, she doesn’t even realize she’s being tricked.
But think about it, wouldn’t you love to have control over a bad situation sometimes? Wouldn’t you love to be able to change the circumstances that make your life unpleasant? So what if someone offered you the “power” to do just that? Perhaps if you’re fifteen, you wouldn’t see that person as a charlatan and you would fall for it.
Which brings me to another important factor in understanding this generation’s attraction to the supernatural. Follow the money. The more I researched, the more it became painfully obvious that Wicca and witchcraft and the occult are money-making enterprises. Thanks to the internet, these savvy distributors sell anything imaginable—and many things you can’t. That leads to some serious motivation—these marketers want to hook their unsuspecting young customers and reel them in. Of course, these potions and trinkets and how-to books don’t come with a money back guaranty. Nor are they approved by the FDA. Yet they are a multi-million dollar industry.
So, in a way, it’s a perfect storm. Teens that are insecure, lost, unhappy, and searching...meet up with an unregulated industry that offers supernatural answers and power and control...for a price. And, oh yeah, I never even mentioned how this opens a door for Satan to slip in and wreak havoc. For that...you’ll have to read the book.
By Melody Carlson
Those questions, as well as some confused reader letters, prompted me to tackle the “supernatural” in one of my teen novels (Moon White, TrueColors, Nav Press). And whenever I write an issues-based novel, I’m forced to research—and often in some dark places. So I began scouring websites, learning more about Wicca and the occult, trying to grasp what was really going on with today’s teens—and how I could write about it in a helpful and relevant way.
However, as I reconnected with my inner teen, I had to ask myself—why had I looked into witchcraft back then? Why do teens dabble with it now? Suddenly the answer became crystal clear. I was searching. I’d been calling myself an atheist for several years by then, but I was spiritually hungry—starving in fact. Consequently I was looking for spiritual answers—something that would fill that empty void within me. I wanted a supernatural force in my life and I didn’t even care where it came from. I needed something bigger than me, more powerful than me, something to hold onto. I had no idea at the time that I was really searching for God.
This realization changed the way I viewed my research. Instead of feeling disgusted and dismayed by the witchcraft/Wicca sites (which are not particularly enjoyable) I began to recognize that these people (mostly girls) were simply searching too. They wanted a power source in their lives just like I wanted one in mine. They just hadn’t found God yet.
This led to another discovery. A girl who’s attracted to a religion like Wicca is usually seeking to gain some control over her life. Something is wrong and she wants to change it. To do so, she’s often enticed to purchase something—like “magical herbs”—to create a potion that will give her some control over her situation. Unfortunately, she doesn’t even realize she’s being tricked.
But think about it, wouldn’t you love to have control over a bad situation sometimes? Wouldn’t you love to be able to change the circumstances that make your life unpleasant? So what if someone offered you the “power” to do just that? Perhaps if you’re fifteen, you wouldn’t see that person as a charlatan and you would fall for it.
Which brings me to another important factor in understanding this generation’s attraction to the supernatural. Follow the money. The more I researched, the more it became painfully obvious that Wicca and witchcraft and the occult are money-making enterprises. Thanks to the internet, these savvy distributors sell anything imaginable—and many things you can’t. That leads to some serious motivation—these marketers want to hook their unsuspecting young customers and reel them in. Of course, these potions and trinkets and how-to books don’t come with a money back guaranty. Nor are they approved by the FDA. Yet they are a multi-million dollar industry.
So, in a way, it’s a perfect storm. Teens that are insecure, lost, unhappy, and searching...meet up with an unregulated industry that offers supernatural answers and power and control...for a price. And, oh yeah, I never even mentioned how this opens a door for Satan to slip in and wreak havoc. For that...you’ll have to read the book.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)