tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66528751938260116372024-03-05T02:44:50.353-05:00Having Fun with WritingClaudia Zurchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00302024950570710809noreply@blogger.comBlogger182125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652875193826011637.post-4508486215008224312023-04-26T21:27:00.001-04:002023-11-11T18:37:38.424-05:00What Do Plants and Writing Have in Common?<p> This morning, a friend shared how frustrating writing our
first novel can be. He said he had listened to a podcast where the author spent
nine years writing her first book. So let’s talk about the frustration first. We
spend hours in front of the computer typing nonstop (that’s on good days when
we’re inspired and have no interruptions). Sometimes, we get tempted to go back
and tweak the manuscript. This can be counterproductive (I’m speaking from
personal experience and what peers have shared). When we stop to edit previous
chapters or paragraphs if we’re working on a short story, we hinder the writing
process and sever our muse. And let’s not even talk about writer’s block or computer
malfunction (that’s for another blog post).</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">How can we fix this issue? Years ago, one of my mentors
advised me always to pick up where I left off. If we go back to earlier
chapters, we’ll most likely start deleting parts that could be important in the
storyline because we’re not being objective. Leave this job for the beta
readers or the editor. Our job is to finish the book. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Writing a book can be likened to a plant’s growth. Let me share
an analogy. I planted bell peppers seeds in pots. A patch of three-inch shoots
didn’t make it because my kitty cat thought she had hit the catnip jackpot. The
ones I was able to salvage started growing strong. They started flowering, and
one day, I caught a wild peacock red-handed feasting on the leaves and flowers
of one of the pots. But he was too handsome to deny him that joy. So I moved
the pots to my kitchen window, and now safe from felines and fowls, they are in
full bloom: I have two peppers! Patience and dedication paid off.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So what’s the point, you might ask? I didn’t give up. The
growing process of the peppers continued despite the merciless attacks. The
plants themselves did the growth process; I only provided watering and
nurturing. We, writers, start with an idea, develop it, flesh it out, and
improve it. Then, once the book reaches maturity, we ask peers, beta readers,
and editors to help us refine it.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">How do you nurture your writing? Are you guilty of revisiting
earlier chapters?<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz4_G0GZUJl3LHG4mESNAIB6DNWTvQVTCqlGGNmcWOPpJy7uxdpZzC9ootRMxWyOywiNX89isQ0kl_n-eHEYRxrJf4PcWERXLVsOP7tN2AGJrST4eveGE_kLxcy2m8qNcnif2KcS_cz5SOWfApJPjDBjlGkjjDcDGWdh32BQC3bckGD5lNYU26fZ9V/s4160/Bell%20Pepper%20Plant%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz4_G0GZUJl3LHG4mESNAIB6DNWTvQVTCqlGGNmcWOPpJy7uxdpZzC9ootRMxWyOywiNX89isQ0kl_n-eHEYRxrJf4PcWERXLVsOP7tN2AGJrST4eveGE_kLxcy2m8qNcnif2KcS_cz5SOWfApJPjDBjlGkjjDcDGWdh32BQC3bckGD5lNYU26fZ9V/s320/Bell%20Pepper%20Plant%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Photo by Claudia Zurc<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCFQW6Gx5pRdq-sTOtmMzGMbDxkNOTUHrgms-sENa147cZAsldgD39DmLm4ujlVEQ5IbsyB4hAT4Ub9TdcLhQgebijFekgH9s9Xk6xi_fG-JDCsPI8MykMKcsEYZuCXDfejSGviYPQtZzT26OpYtfFP_L1lTv5VgD5GN16D849G22OuVM4cHaKYRUc/s4160/Bell%20Pepper%20Plant%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCFQW6Gx5pRdq-sTOtmMzGMbDxkNOTUHrgms-sENa147cZAsldgD39DmLm4ujlVEQ5IbsyB4hAT4Ub9TdcLhQgebijFekgH9s9Xk6xi_fG-JDCsPI8MykMKcsEYZuCXDfejSGviYPQtZzT26OpYtfFP_L1lTv5VgD5GN16D849G22OuVM4cHaKYRUc/s320/Bell%20Pepper%20Plant%203.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> Photo by Claudia Zurc<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF9imKb6JWbP6WRp5qhF9fB6W3jMKTHhS4sXwjOFKCHTFmpKal8vnJ77ebtwcg9m6J4q19dlg22PIbP6YgpZkcSm4swPTGhNWGlyfuNOdyxErrHw1WliSlM_wTzuEetU3ndshp1eI5dMeclEks_Xz3NiBl0UncRAhyBkOzsFWtvQJpeaH4bDl-XrUZ/s4160/peacock%201.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF9imKb6JWbP6WRp5qhF9fB6W3jMKTHhS4sXwjOFKCHTFmpKal8vnJ77ebtwcg9m6J4q19dlg22PIbP6YgpZkcSm4swPTGhNWGlyfuNOdyxErrHw1WliSlM_wTzuEetU3ndshp1eI5dMeclEks_Xz3NiBl0UncRAhyBkOzsFWtvQJpeaH4bDl-XrUZ/s320/peacock%201.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span><span> <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span></span><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><span><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><span><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><span><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><span><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><span><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><span><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><span><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><span><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><span><span> </span>Photo By Claudia Zurc</span></span></p>Claudia Zurchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00302024950570710809noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652875193826011637.post-14039014515543077952023-04-19T14:38:00.000-04:002023-04-19T14:38:16.340-04:00Writing Style: A Writer’s Fingerprint<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglLayAWshivqkdebziET8P94hM9rLjiK3nd1hQmAlCHxnmJ9hHHZQzZPOSRuBC8UsKfg4_-rMtraQE-f-afRBd9waI3VKLfXvOMA1F5rugct95h_0579iXP4fZP70wISFW7jGhEhkDrmj_nh-WZI5AiVIt7vfBXzlbufO0SD2S6h_mXoN6bspzuJNl/s4160/April%2019%202023%20blog%20post%20pic_by%20Claudia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglLayAWshivqkdebziET8P94hM9rLjiK3nd1hQmAlCHxnmJ9hHHZQzZPOSRuBC8UsKfg4_-rMtraQE-f-afRBd9waI3VKLfXvOMA1F5rugct95h_0579iXP4fZP70wISFW7jGhEhkDrmj_nh-WZI5AiVIt7vfBXzlbufO0SD2S6h_mXoN6bspzuJNl/w300-h400/April%2019%202023%20blog%20post%20pic_by%20Claudia.jpg" title="Photo by Claudia Del Balso" width="300" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p></p><p>In the same way, a brushstroke is unique to an artist, so it’s a writer’s writing style. If you love books as much as I do, you’ve probably noticed that each book has its own personality. I am not talking about grammar and syntax (that applies to all books). I’m talking about how the words flow on the page; some are more lyrical than others. Some are simple yet captivating. A writing style is the fingerprint of each author. Although there might be some similarities, there won’t be two identical ones (unless it was plagiarized, and that’s another subject).</p><p>According to <a href="https://literaryterms.net/style/" target="_blank">Literary Terms</a>, “In literature, style is the way in which an author writes and/or tells a story. It’s what sets one author apart from another and creates the “voice” that audiences hear when they read.”</p><p>Let’s take a few examples from twentieth-century writers. Many authors, professors, and pundits have said that Hemingway’s writing style was concise, direct, and realistic. His simplicity and directness were a breath of fresh air. Unlike other authors, he steered clear of verbosity and embellishment.</p><p>Another example of minimalism is Raymond Carver. He didn’t pepper the story with unnecessary details to describe his characters or setting.</p><p>John Steinbeck was careful in how he used his words, especially in dialogues. Some say that although he was straightforward, he was also descriptive. An interesting combination, I would say. Also, because he was curious about the human psyche, his style tended to be realistic. </p><p>George Orwell’s style, like Steinbeck’s, is effortless and rather journalistic. Like Carver, one of his writing traits was avoiding unnecessary imagery or ornate descriptions. Instead, he narrated so precisely, making each word weight while describing his characters and settings without the verboseness.</p><p>Do you have a unique writing style? Do you emulate your favorite author(s)?</p>Claudia Zurchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00302024950570710809noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652875193826011637.post-42543240391076831852023-04-11T21:33:00.004-04:002023-04-19T14:30:12.854-04:00 The Subtleties of a Language<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinA9t2BgPwHYHBwjRzpNbJLYVrBmGPnA5C0Odgc_QDUdaAUK5_PLSdVeIOxko5vkQxM58fydBYRTWpyFXLltZuivwmhzCN9PYor0kVZ3F7thnQMUxmMc9KlGDHK-mYW0PG_vGV17JX8IfnViBFrj7DxQ3aI-E_Lv-XA9u1oSeSSLE2XIur1FCYP28A/s243/Blog%20post%20April%2011%202023%20photo.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="216" data-original-width="243" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinA9t2BgPwHYHBwjRzpNbJLYVrBmGPnA5C0Odgc_QDUdaAUK5_PLSdVeIOxko5vkQxM58fydBYRTWpyFXLltZuivwmhzCN9PYor0kVZ3F7thnQMUxmMc9KlGDHK-mYW0PG_vGV17JX8IfnViBFrj7DxQ3aI-E_Lv-XA9u1oSeSSLE2XIur1FCYP28A/w400-h356/Blog%20post%20April%2011%202023%20photo.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="text-align: left;">We all have good friends who are trustworthy and dependable.
I bet none of us would like to hang out with fake friends. But what if those fake
friends are part of your vocabulary when learning a second language? You don’t
want to have to depend on them. </span></div>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Have you ever read an email from a friend whose mother
tongue differed from yours and realized that the word used meant something
else? I’m talking about false cognates or “false friends,” which are words in
different languages that sound or look the same but have entirely different
meanings. False cognates can cause novice language learners to misuse words.<br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Here are a few examples of false cognates in different
languages:<br />
<br />
<b>ITALIAN:</b> camera = room<br />
<b>ENGLISH:</b> camera = macchina fotografica<br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b>FRENCH:</b> bras = arm<br /><b>ENGLISH:</b> bras = brassiere</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b>SPANISH:</b> libreria = bookshop/bookstore<br /><b>ENGLISH:</b> library = biblioteca </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b>SPANISH:</b> pronto = soon<br /><b>PORTUGUESE:</b> pronto = ready </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b>ITALIAN:</b> burro = butter<br /><b>SPANISH:</b> burro = donkey </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Imagine an Italian tourist in a Spanish restaurant asking
for some “burro” instead of “mantequilla.” I bet the server would be left
scratching his/her head, thinking about how to bring a donkey to the table. How
about a Frenchman complimenting the tone arms of his female anglophone friend, “Tu
as de beaux bras.” But if her French conversational level is not so advanced,
she might take it the wrong way. Or they could have a good chuckle. It all
depends on the situation and who says it. </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">False cognates, for instance, could be dangerous in a
serious situation at the hospital or a police station. Just imagine a scenario for
the following words.<br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b>SPANISH:</b> intoxicado(a) = poisoned<br /><b>ENGLISH:</b> intoxicated = drunk </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b>SPANISH:</b> molestar = annoy/bother<br />
<b>ENGLISH:</b> molest = to assault/abuse someone sexually </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b>SPANISH:</b> constipado(a) = to have a cold<br /><b>ENGLISH:</b> constipated = unable to defecate </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b>FRENCH:</b> pain = bread<br /><b>ENGLISH:</b> pain = ache/hurt</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">False cognates are part of language learning. In a
classroom setting, using them can be fun. For instance, children as early as
preschool can be taught to use cognates because they can develop cognate
awareness in their primary tongue to understand a second language.<br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">And for adults, these false friends are a double-edged
sword unless you’re ready to laugh it off while committing a faux pas. It doesn’t
matter what level you are at in your target language; just be aware of these duplicitous
friends, and you’ll avoid pitfalls while studying a new language.</p>Claudia Zurchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00302024950570710809noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652875193826011637.post-40782382890380839292019-02-03T16:57:00.001-05:002023-11-11T18:39:34.171-05:00Self-Publishing: Another Publishing Option in the 21st Century<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ixH82bnEhMUePvQZSBve6DNks08n2Wm0bFhktno2f7-xNpsS0VkUZsDeMb1REgOLz9Xnp1D8qgI1eZc3sgZCpaGzDU-CE16gOtqUNSbgq2xdBs76yCT8GTpL2HS_lSGEu5h3FxpEbLQ/s1600/Keyboard+for+Self-Publishing+Blogpost.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ixH82bnEhMUePvQZSBve6DNks08n2Wm0bFhktno2f7-xNpsS0VkUZsDeMb1REgOLz9Xnp1D8qgI1eZc3sgZCpaGzDU-CE16gOtqUNSbgq2xdBs76yCT8GTpL2HS_lSGEu5h3FxpEbLQ/s320/Keyboard+for+Self-Publishing+Blogpost.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: Claudia Zurc. February 3, 2019</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
After grueling weeks, months, even years of writing your
book, you’re ready to share it with the world. But, where do you go to have it
published? Who do you contact? Should you publish the traditional way or
self-publish? These and a myriad of other questions regarding the future of
your book may keep you up at night.</div>
A great number of new authors would rather get published
with big-name houses; however, publishing houses are swamped with manuscripts
every day. Let’s face it; they’ll just consider those who merit being
published―the next J.K. Rowling or Stephen King― in other words, those who’ll
bring readership and big money.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
As a new author, you have to ask yourself (and be honest!),
am I seeking recognition, am I doing it for the money, or both?</div>
Everyone has different motives for writing, but whatever the
reason, you still have to do the legwork. <br />
<br />
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">Have your book edited by a
professional</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">Research all publishing
houses in your genre</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">Edit once again (you don’t
want to send a slapdash copy)</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">If you get some
rejections, do not take it personally; it’s part of the process</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">Consider revising your
manuscript as it may be lacking some elements that are not appealing to publishers</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">If anything fails, go the
self-publishing route</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">Do not give up!</li>
</ul>
Being self-published does not mean that you can slack. On
the contrary, you have to work twice as hard. You have to be involved from
beginning to end. Moreover, you cannot sell yourself short. Self-publishing
does not mean you’re less commendable as an author. You can see it as another
option to get your book out and in the hands of your audience while waiting to
get discovered by a big house. Even better, you can see self-publishing as
getting acquainted with the industry while paving the way for your second book.<br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;">Note:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;"> I wrote
this article with the new author in mind. I am aware that established authors
already work with a publishing house.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
Claudia Zurchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00302024950570710809noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652875193826011637.post-64342329847682514682017-05-14T14:23:00.005-04:002023-11-11T18:40:11.713-05:00Fiction: A Sliver of the Truth<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrcOyjjSxQoG6j-5zeec24qU2lEGo2b32dT37OsKhKVy6jURGjNnZLoO03Z2Xml50Lv4-mu7EwNV_-7_bNUIGx8rqJ94budEA9dEqaklYMVJjvduu3wAQd2inS69s-DrBDNFAcnbm_pJA/s1600/Fiction-a+sliver+of+the+truth.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrcOyjjSxQoG6j-5zeec24qU2lEGo2b32dT37OsKhKVy6jURGjNnZLoO03Z2Xml50Lv4-mu7EwNV_-7_bNUIGx8rqJ94budEA9dEqaklYMVJjvduu3wAQd2inS69s-DrBDNFAcnbm_pJA/s320/Fiction-a+sliver+of+the+truth.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="left">
Photo: Claudia Zurc</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Oscar Wilde, who opined in his 1889 essay The Decay of Lying
that, "Life imitates Art far more than Art imitates Life". (Original
source: Wikipedia)<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
I decided to write a blog post about this subject because I
am working on a short story that takes a sliver of truth from an event that
occurred to me. Although writing the story was cathartic, the inspiration was
nonetheless painful.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
When I asked my mentor if I could write fiction using real
events, he said that most fictional stories originate from real life events.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
So when you start writing your short story or novel, make
sure that you’re objective about what you already know. If you’ve done some research
and want to include it in your narrative, use a language your readers will
understand. You’re not writing a thesis.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
Facts add seasoning to any narrative, but no matter the
genre, good fiction transports the reader into another world. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
Another point to consider is being efficient on how you use
the information from sources, such as magazine articles, newspaper reports,
scientific books, etc. Don’t overwhelm your reader with unnecessary information
or detour a colorful anecdote and turn it into a medical or police report.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
Be true to your story. Facts can be fun if you do it right.
If a detail doesn’t move the story forward by establishing the setting,
advancing the plot or shedding light on the characters, get rid of it. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“The reason we use
truth in fiction is so we can tell a bigger, better lie,” says David Hewson,
bestselling author of the Nic Costa thriller series. “It’s the lie—how big,
convincing and ‘real’ it is—that matters.”</div>
Claudia Zurchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00302024950570710809noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652875193826011637.post-3942104554005133992017-05-07T16:14:00.002-04:002023-11-11T18:40:34.915-05:00Writing a Short Story<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjijo4zT3dTQz0m8nVgi1cy72mrV6Z6R05U2X7Y0lPOYgknR6NvS2xuVqtePdiVHNoQvbGeYV7axWBAKenAmebrnvp6KOwsvOP5V4wN8aFTOGTz4g0WmfMeQRhgXArabZ33sgEQbx3im5s/s1600/Sat+Feb+11+2017_5.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjijo4zT3dTQz0m8nVgi1cy72mrV6Z6R05U2X7Y0lPOYgknR6NvS2xuVqtePdiVHNoQvbGeYV7axWBAKenAmebrnvp6KOwsvOP5V4wN8aFTOGTz4g0WmfMeQRhgXArabZ33sgEQbx3im5s/s200/Sat+Feb+11+2017_5.jpg" width="111" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: Claudia Zurc</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span face=""calibri" , "sans-serif"" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Most writers (seasoned or not)
know that writing a short story is not easy. It has to appeal to the emotions
of the readers. Since it conveys the writer's interpretation of reality, the
language used must evoke emotions, bring the characters to life, it should
suggest a human experience. Here are some tips to keep in mind when writing a
short story.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""calibri" , "sans-serif"" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">1. Read</span></b></div>
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<span face=""calibri" , "sans-serif"" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In order to be able to write a
good short story, you must read other short stories first. It will help you
learn how other authors made an impression on the reader and use their style as
basis to create your own style and impression.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""calibri" , "sans-serif"" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">2. Brainstorm your story</span></b></div>
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<span face=""calibri" , "sans-serif"" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Think of something you want to
talk about with your readers. Focus on this idea and think of other concepts
that you want to associate with the main characters or plot. What is it that
you want to convey? Is there a message or moral in the story? </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""calibri" , "sans-serif"" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">3. Plan out the scenes</span></b></div>
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<span face=""calibri" , "sans-serif"" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">On a separate sheet of paper,
write down the possible characters of your story and list the main events in
order. By doing so, you will keep your writing aligned with your pre-conceived
story events.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""calibri" , "sans-serif"" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">4. Choose your point of view</span></b></div>
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<span face=""calibri" , "sans-serif"" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Who tells the story? How is it
told? This is vital for a short story to be effective. Once you choose your
point of view, make sure it stays constant throughout your story to maintain
consistency. Remember: the point of view can change the feel and tone of the story
radically.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""calibri" , "sans-serif"" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">5. Visualize your characters</span></b></div>
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<span face=""calibri" , "sans-serif"" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Unlike a novel, too many main
characters in a short story can create confusion. For a short story, create a
maximum of only three main characters. Your characters have to be convincing;
they cannot be flat; therefore, they must speak naturally in proportion with
their traits. </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""calibri" , "sans-serif"" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">6. Writing a good introduction</span></b></div>
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<span face=""calibri" , "sans-serif"" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Make your introduction
interesting to hold the reader’s interest and encourage them to read on to the
end. Introduce your main characters and set out the scene. The scene must be
some place you know much about so that you'd be able to supply the necessary
snapshot for a clearly described setting. Do not reveal the climax in the
introduction.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""calibri" , "sans-serif"" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">7. Build up a great plot</span></b></div>
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<span face=""calibri" , "sans-serif"" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">From your introduction, draw out
events that will eventually create a problem or a conflict for the main
character/characters. Intensify the conflict as the story moves forward. This
will keep your reader engrossed in your story. </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""calibri" , "sans-serif"" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">8. Show don't tell</span></b></div>
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<span face=""calibri" , "sans-serif"" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The characters should be the ones
responsible for expressing the story through their actions and dialogue and not
the writer telling the reader what is being expressed. </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""calibri" , "sans-serif"" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">9. Avoid using passive voice</span></b></div>
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<span face=""calibri" , "sans-serif"" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In order to do this, use verbs in
the active voice in your story. Instead of saying, "The children were kidnapped
by the man”, say “The man kidnapped the children.”</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""calibri" , "sans-serif"" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">10. Use some dialogue</span></b></div>
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<span face=""calibri" , "sans-serif"" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Don’t use dialogue as filler.
Instead, use it to bring your story to life. Dialogue reveals who the
characters are. Engage the reader by using direct quotes, for instance, “Call
her at once!” Mom said.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""calibri" , "sans-serif"" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">11. Finish off in a few words</span></b></div>
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<span face=""calibri" , "sans-serif"" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Make your ending unique but not
hanging in a loose end. Make it satisfying without making it too predictable.
Keep it short but leave the reader with a feeling of resonance. Your conclusion
should wrap up everything from start to finish.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""calibri" , "sans-serif"" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">12. Edit and ask for opinion</span></b></div>
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<span face=""calibri" , "sans-serif"" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Go through your story and fix all
your grammar, spelling, and construction mistakes. Delete sentences or
paragraphs that don’t move the story forward. Have your friends read the text
and ask for their opinion as readers. Moreover, a fresh pair of eyes will point
out mistakes you may have missed.</span></div>
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<span face=""calibri" , "sans-serif"" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">With some knowledge on the basic
elements and some creativity, you’ll craft a good story. You’ll never know
unless you try it.</span></div>
Claudia Zurchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00302024950570710809noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652875193826011637.post-33475459681945642332017-05-01T21:16:00.000-04:002017-05-01T21:46:09.014-04:00Good Copy Editing –and Editing in General<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Before the Internet and social
media took the world by storm, proofreaders, copy editors, and editors were
three distinct positions. Nowadays, it’s a blurred line. Some of you may even
use them interchangeably –when in reality they’re not.<br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">To better explain what copy
editors do, let’s look at the late Bill Walsh’s definition, “Copy editors check
written material, usually as the final step before it is set into type, to
correct errors in grammar, spelling, usage and style (in this case, <i>style</i>
refers to a given publication's guidelines for consistency in how words,
phrases, typographical elements, etc., are to be used -- or not used).” Walsh,
a copy editor for the Washington Post, was passionate about his craft. His three
books are witty, humorous, yet filled with great advice on how to apply the
basic rules to unique, modern grammar issues.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">When I took an editing class at
Concordia University in Montreal, we read the book, “Creative Editing” (I still
use this book as a reference), which I consider the bible for copy editors. On
page four, the following sentence validates my love for editing: “Copy editors
are the very heart of the media organization, supplying the lifeblood for
healthy existence and serving as gatekeepers of the news for the public.” This concept
refers to both newspaper and magazine copy editing.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">No matter what you write or for
whom you write, if your text is not edited, you run the risk of confusing your
readers. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">You may even say that “the
editing process begins before a story is ever written” as it’s cleverly put in
“Creative Editing”. Unless you’ve been in this business for some time, you
won’t appreciate the beauty and intricacies of the craft. In essence, if you
write, you edit; if you edit, your write. And you want to produce the cleanest,
most concise copy that will keep your audience reading!</span></div>
Claudia Zurchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00302024950570710809noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652875193826011637.post-55610583751122853072015-11-09T15:13:00.000-05:002015-11-09T15:13:07.228-05:00“one good deed deserves another”The following inspiring story is by guest writer, Lori Leonard.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4H6Pn2lPZfAfbf5I-Hk4quDGAFnAwaJ9f5PS1po1iPQIqVSKq5dlKWPUWEzFa2q36MppqgwbpfxN9Uvza9nMyEbgVHSahIa6tMK3qxUM7I4GsF8X3sDVa6Iyg77dniptaIz5kj6Ag3aA/s1600/Fred+Levine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4H6Pn2lPZfAfbf5I-Hk4quDGAFnAwaJ9f5PS1po1iPQIqVSKq5dlKWPUWEzFa2q36MppqgwbpfxN9Uvza9nMyEbgVHSahIa6tMK3qxUM7I4GsF8X3sDVa6Iyg77dniptaIz5kj6Ag3aA/s320/Fred+Levine.jpg" width="290" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.tripletroublebooks.com/">Fred Levine</a> lives in
Montreal, but spent much of his childhood in the Laurentians. He has fond
recollections of cherished family time. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">When Fred was young,
he enjoyed writing, drawing and “cartooning.” When school was on strike, he
initiated a stationery company and created unique memo pads. </span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Raised in
Beaconsfield, Fred’s family later moved to Westmount. He attended Brandeis
University and graduated Cum Laude in psychology, with a minor in philosophy. He
moved to Toronto, met his wife and pursued a career in advertising. His family
began with daughter Jordyn, followed by triplets Jaimee, Jesse and Justin. Family
life was hectic. They <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>lived in Toronto
for 20 years. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">As time passed, Fred
realized he still enjoyed writing and thought it would be fun to write a book
about his triplets, but had no intention of illustrating it. </span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Tragically, life for
Fred and family turned upside down when he suffered a seizure and was diagnosed
with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">anaplastic astrocytoma</i>, a rare
cancerous brain tumor. Fred was forced to endure difficult treatments and was susceptible
to seizures which he still experiences today. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Unable to work, Fred focused
his energy on completing his children’s book and decided to illustrate it which
provided a welcome form of “therapy.”</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fred Levine’s first book, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Triple Trouble: One Good Deed Deserves Another</i> was published in
2013. In 2015, Fred published another book <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Triple
Play</i> about his family being part of a baseball team. Both are “feel-good”
children’s books for ages 6-12. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The books
include poems with humorous cartoons; pay-it-forward life lessons of “being
there for each other”.</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Fred donates all
proceeds from these books ($25), to the Gerry and Nancy Pencer Brain Trust. Fred
says cancer was never his first choice, but he wanted to use it to create an
optimistic outcome. </span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Fred’s message: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Remain optimistic, live your life and do
what you want to do. Remember a very important life lesson - one good deed
deserves another.” </i></span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">If you are seeking a uniquely
illustrated children’s book, and want to share Fred’s message of kindness,
order via <a href="http://www.tripletroublebooks.com/"><span style="color: blue;">www.tripletroublebooks.com</span></a><span class="MsoHyperlink"><u><span style="color: blue;"> .</span></u></span> </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy3V6eISO0fB0cOIQqMeL2SQfpQvr5CHTYPZxgEFcQUiUPMONxbTgk7luwknDBMetpFIBcsb7annUebwlqLEsZm-p7ksJQ0J0abQOxvxXHZM-Hwaajk7gQfxxQeG4LAS7hd-d10n4nzMM/s1600/Triple-Trouble-book-photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy3V6eISO0fB0cOIQqMeL2SQfpQvr5CHTYPZxgEFcQUiUPMONxbTgk7luwknDBMetpFIBcsb7annUebwlqLEsZm-p7ksJQ0J0abQOxvxXHZM-Hwaajk7gQfxxQeG4LAS7hd-d10n4nzMM/s320/Triple-Trouble-book-photo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
Claudia Zurchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00302024950570710809noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652875193826011637.post-79970928632970929112015-08-18T22:21:00.001-04:002015-08-18T22:21:35.185-04:00Attending Writers’ Conferences Put Authors on the Road to Success
The information below is a GUEST BLOG POST by book publicist Scott Lorenz.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">There are several good reasons why writers should invest the time and
effort required to attend writers’ conferences.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Attending a writers’ conference only takes a few hours, or a couple days
at the most, a small investment, and a little effort to register and arrange
travel and lodging, but the payoff can be big.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Attending a writers’ conference gives you a great chance to pitch your
book, learn about the major publishing houses, meet book editors, agents and
book marketing specialists. If your book is six months or a year from being
finished, you can meet people who will give you valuable ideas on shaping your
book and provide other advice to help you wrap up your project when you return
home. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Or maybe you have been working on your book for a few months and are
feeling insecure or unsure whether you really can be a published author.
Attending a conference is a good way to get a reality check from book editors
to get a professional opinion on your plot and characters and to determine
whether you are on the right track.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Most importantly, attending a writers’ conference provides you with an
opportunity to learn about the publishing business from fellow authors. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You will also get honest and helpful
professional assessments from book editors that will be more than worth the
cost and effort of attending the conference. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Of course, you will want to prepare for any writers’ conference you
attend by having a plan of what you want to find out and what you will do while
there. You will want to develop an ‘elevator pitch’ of your book that you can
deliver in 30 seconds. Have a one pager available with your book cover, author
headshot, short 50 word synopsis, short bio, website URL, Twitter handle and
your contact information. You never know who’ll you’ll meet so be prepared for
that moment.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Now that
you are ready, here are some writers’ conferences that you should consider
attending:</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
<!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Willamette
Writers Conference</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Aug 7-9,
2015</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://www.willamettewriters.com/wwcon"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="color: #0563c1;">www.willamettewriters.com/wwcon</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Fifth
House Lodge:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Remembered Self: A
Weekend Workshop </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Aug 15 -
16, 2015</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://www.fifthhouselodge.net/calendar.cfm"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="color: #0563c1;">www.fifthhouselodge.net/calendar.cfm</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">San
Francisco Writing for Change Conference</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Sep 12,
2015</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://www.sfwritingforchange.org/"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="color: #0563c1;">www.sfwritingforchange.org/</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Kentucky
Women’s Writers Conference</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Sep 11-12,
2015</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://www.womenwriters.as.uky.edu/"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="color: #0563c1;">www.womenwriters.as.uky.edu/</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">American
Christian Fiction Writers Conference</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Sept.
17-20, 2015</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://www.acfw.com/conference"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="color: #0563c1;">www.acfw.com/conference</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Florida
Heritage Book Festival & Writers Conference</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Sep 24-26,
2015</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://www.fhbookfest.com/"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="color: #0563c1;">www.fhbookfest.com</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Southern
California Writers’ Conference</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Sep 25-27,
2015</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://www.writersconference.com/la/"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="color: #0563c1;">www.WritersConference.com/la/</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Chicago
Writers Conference</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Sep 25-27,
2015</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://www.chicagowritersconference.org/"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="color: #0563c1;">www.chicagowritersconference.org/</span></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">St.
Augustine Writers Conference</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Oct 1-6,
2015</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://staugustinewritersconference.com/"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="color: #0563c1;">http://staugustinewritersconference.com/</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Write on
the Sound Writers’ Conference and Pre-Conference</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Oct. 2-4,
2015</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://www.writeonthesound.com/"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="color: #0563c1;">http://www.writeonthesound.com/</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Breathe
Christian Writers Conference</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Oct 9-10,
2015</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://www.breatheconference.com/home/"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="color: #0563c1;">www.breatheconference.com/home/</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">New York
Writers Workshop: Pitch Conference & Workshops</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Oct 16-18,
2015<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nov 13-15, 2015</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://www.newyorkwritersworkshop.com/"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="color: #0563c1;">www.newyorkwritersworkshop.com</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Castle
Rock Writers Conference</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Nov 6-7,
2015</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://www.castlerockwriters.com/"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="color: #0563c1;">www.castlerockwriters.com/</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><br />
Select a writers’ conference of interest to you and be prepared to enjoy the
benefits of meeting other writers, acquiring knowledge you can use immediately,
learn about different genres, find a new market for your book, elevate your
professional effectiveness, meet editors, agents and publishers, become
inspired and return home energized.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">The
Bottom Line:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"> Make a commitment to attend at least one
writers’ conference in 2015. You’ll be glad you did!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://www.book-marketing-expert.com/"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">About Book Publicist Scott Lorenz</span></b></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Book publicist Scott Lorenz is President of Westwind Communications </span><a href="http://www.book-marketing-expert.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">Book Marketing</span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">,</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"> a
public relations and marketing firm that has a special knack for working with
authors to help them get all the publicity they deserve and more. Lorenz works
with bestselling authors and self-published authors promoting all types of
books, whether it's their first book or their 15th book. He's handled publicity
for books by CEOs, CIA Officers, Navy SEALS, Homemakers, Fitness Gurus,
Doctors, Lawyers and Adventurers. His clients have been featured by Good
Morning America, FOX & Friends, CNN, ABC News, New York Times, Nightline,
TIME, PBS, LA Times, USA Today, Washington Post, Woman's World, & Howard
Stern to name a few. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Learn more about Westwind Communications’ </span><a href="http://www.book-marketing-expert.com/"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: #0563c1;">book marketing</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"> approach at </span><a href="http://www.book-marketing-expert.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">http://www.book-marketing-expert.com</span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>or contact Lorenz at </span><a href="mailto:scottlorenz@westwindcos.com"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: #0563c1;">scottlorenz@westwindcos.com</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"> or by
phone at 734-667-2090. Follow Lorenz on Twitter </span><a href="https://twitter.com/aBookPublicist"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">@aBookPublicist</span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
Claudia Zurchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00302024950570710809noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652875193826011637.post-21674723966014423472015-05-11T13:20:00.002-04:002015-05-11T21:43:45.524-04:00Be humble and write your way to success <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
*Note: for clarity and brevity the male pronoun has been
used in this post.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
Whether you are an aspiring writer or an established one,
your writing can only get better by two obvious factors: writing as much as you
can and being open to constructive criticism.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
A lot of amateur writers make the mistake of not paying heed
to feedback from fellow writers and/or mentors. Even when they’ve published
some of their work (i.e., short stories, articles, novella, novel, etc.), they
still need a support system.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">A humble writer is a
smart writer;</b> he is more interested in honing his writing skills than
tooting his own horn. Leave the ego at the door! Even great writers need an
editor and a healthy dose of criticism from his peers.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
Carver was known for his realistic portrayals of characters
and his minimalist style. Nonetheless, Carver still needed an editor to bring
his work to the next level. Remember, editors work hard to improve fiction, and
as writers, you don’t want to get reputations of being difficult to work with. Although
the story is indeed yours, you still want to put your best work out there. What
good is it to write it if it’s not worth publishing it?</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
Ernest Hemingway also believed that writing in the euphoria of
the moment (whether you're drunk or not) is advisable, but editing should be done when the ecstasy of
writing has left you. Edit your work after you’ve taken a break from writing.
If you can't edit your own work (for whatever the reason: lack of time, inspiration, or skills), ask a colleague to do it for you or hire a
professional editor.</div>
In conclusion, a good writer will not only write as often as he can but will also be
open to constructive criticism. A good writer invests time in researching, writing, getting feedback,
editing, and re-writing the piece (if necessary).<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br />
As Indian composer and singer-songwriter, A. R. Rahman said, "Success comes to those who dedicate everything to their passion in life. To be successful, it is also very important to be humble and never let fame or money travel to your head."</div>
Claudia Zurchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00302024950570710809noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652875193826011637.post-84757722659930976532015-04-05T20:46:00.001-04:002015-04-05T20:46:27.447-04:00DEFINING GENRE MATTERS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_hyphenhyphenMnRkvH5vfUyWLi1sQKmBtzOmaDxnh4cK58Vsm6fuvxdVxKwWmGSO74nVCWskR9Ym__c8d8_0eL3Ts7ucQhR_bUjGBG7a3GVW-VWN1NiM_ahDg6HmZxuN7bhnz-7O3GgfTUEntsFbs/s1600/cross+genre.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_hyphenhyphenMnRkvH5vfUyWLi1sQKmBtzOmaDxnh4cK58Vsm6fuvxdVxKwWmGSO74nVCWskR9Ym__c8d8_0eL3Ts7ucQhR_bUjGBG7a3GVW-VWN1NiM_ahDg6HmZxuN7bhnz-7O3GgfTUEntsFbs/s1600/cross+genre.jpg" /></a></div>
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">A hybrid or <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">cross-genre book</span> is a <span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">genre</span>
in <span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">fiction</span>
that blends themes and elements from two or more different genres is the definition I found in <em>Wikipedia</em>.</span><span lang="EN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This
type of genre is a hot trend in the current marketplace. A caveat when writing
a hybrid genre is that you need to be aware of who you’re writing for. Where in
the bookstore would your target reader go in search of books like yours? In its
most basic sense, genre is all about audience expectations. Genre fans turn to
their books for a particular kind of escape, whether it be solving a mystery,
becoming lost in another world or feeling swept up in a romance. <br />
<br />
<b>IDENTIFY A BASE GENRE.</b><br />
First and foremost, there needs to be a base. The most popular flavors are
mystery, romance, fantasy, science fiction, literary, horror, historical,
thriller, comedy and drama. The first thing you need to do is decide where your
story fits best. To pick your base—your focus—start by asking yourself this key
question: At its core, what is the plot of your story centered on? <br />
<br />
<b>ADD EQUAL PARTS OF MORE THAN ONE GENRE.</b><br />
Any ingredients you add to your base should enrich it, not overpower it.
Remember, your story may have elements of a romance, a murder mystery and a new
fantasy world, but that doesn’t mean it falls under all three genres. You have
to decide: Which one is the focus? </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Your
book can’t be in two places at once—and knowing where it will likely end up can
reinforce that critical element of understanding who you’re writing for.<br />
<br />
<b>PUT THE STORY FIRST.</b><br />
Don’t try to force your book into any given genre—or subgenre—because it’s the
hot new trend. To enhance a story, the introduced elements have to play a part <i>in</i>
the story. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
Claudia Zurchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00302024950570710809noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652875193826011637.post-28647374674645669362015-02-08T14:34:00.000-05:002015-02-08T14:34:41.665-05:005 Smart Methods for Solid Research
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 7.5pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">As with <a href="http://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/advice-for-students-10-steps-toward-better-writing.html" sl-processed="1"><span style="color: windowtext;">writing</span></a> skills,
though, research skills are rarely taught — professors and mentors assume aspiring
writers and students know or can figure out how to do good research. Thank heavens
for Google, right? If you took a bibliography course in university, like me,
you might still remember your “real” research skills ―that doesn’t include
Wikipedia, Google, or any search engine. </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Before
you start doing all the research for your next novel, you first need to keep in
mind what ALL professors and publishing companies despise: plagiarism. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;">
<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1. Be
Diligent. </span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Nobody said that being a sleuth
was going to be easy. The Internet is not the only source of information. Libraries
(remember them?) have a myriad of resources, including DVDs, microfilms, CDs, good
old books, etc.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;">
<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2. Do
research of your research. </span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I know it
seems redundant but it’s important to double check your facts, especially when
the information obtained comes from a dubious source. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;">
<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3. Be
selective. </span></b><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Use information effectively for a specific purpose.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;">
<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">4. Develop
a scheme for tracking your work.</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Whether you audio/video record
or take notes of your findings, make sure you save them in two different places
and always back up your computer. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;">
<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">5. Avoid
cutting and pasting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This could lead to plagiarism.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
Remember to cite properly and give credit to your sources.</span></div>
Claudia Zurchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00302024950570710809noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652875193826011637.post-7203356310557168712014-12-31T17:30:00.000-05:002014-12-31T17:30:24.767-05:00HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ3pSLzqZQH_czZgH3qSdL17MLbPMa0GEjCeAHZHphDyVHR4IgOg7Vk04TUHj4AhcLTTOpZkUJ-2Y-VOXoNq2BTFtTit2wvJrfIm5UrL6Xilart_ELnE888fYRERhkqY2AUlwcVD0XY-s/s1600/2015_Happy+New+Year+-BLOG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ3pSLzqZQH_czZgH3qSdL17MLbPMa0GEjCeAHZHphDyVHR4IgOg7Vk04TUHj4AhcLTTOpZkUJ-2Y-VOXoNq2BTFtTit2wvJrfIm5UrL6Xilart_ELnE888fYRERhkqY2AUlwcVD0XY-s/s1600/2015_Happy+New+Year+-BLOG.jpg" height="224" width="400" /></a></div>
Dear bloggie friends,<br />
<br />
I hope 2014 was everything you expected it to be (if it wasn't, then I hope it was a year to learn great life lessons). May 2015 inspire you to continue writing.<br />
<br />
Wishing you ALL continued success in your writing career.<br />
<br />
Celebrate Life! (including the good, the bad, the obstacles, the success, and everything in between).<br />
<br />
Happy 2015!!!Claudia Zurchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00302024950570710809noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652875193826011637.post-91814862113413196822014-11-24T19:51:00.000-05:002014-11-24T19:54:31.723-05:00Must-Have iPhone Apps for Authors & WritersHi fellow bloggers!<br />
Once again, my colleague has offered to write a blog post for my blog :)<br />
For all you techies out there, this post is for you!<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">As
a modern day writer, you've learned when and where you write best. Rarely, I'm
sure, does inspiration strike when you're seated at your desk in front of your
computer at 9:00am. More likely, you're inspired while you're out and about. In
order to efficiently capture and save every new idea, detail, story line, etc.,
you need to download some new apps to your iPhone. The list below will help you
research, brainstorm, write, and even publish your work whether you're at home,
at the office, or in the middle of daily errands. Check em out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Wikipanion</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"> brings the Wikipedia
website to your phone's catalogue of apps. It is useful for quick research on
the go.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b><span lang="PT" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: PT;">Evernote</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"> syncs to your
desktop computer or tablet. That way, if you're making additions or edits to
your work on your cell phone, you'll be able to work from your most recent
version and you won't lose any new ideas.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">The
</span><b><span lang="DA" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: DA;">Google Mobile</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"> app allows you to access Google (obviously)
and you can use voice commands or search by images.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">The</span><b><span lang="PT" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: PT;"> Voice Memos</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">
app comes pre-loaded on all iPhones. This is a fantastic tool for writers
because sometimes, it's just easier to say your latest and greatest idea and
have it recorded.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Dragon
Dictation</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">
transcribes whatever you say, instantly.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Your
phone's <b>camera</b> is an excellent resource. You can snap images or video
and use them as inspiration when developing location, characters, or
situations.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Feeling
stumped for a topic? Download the <b>Idea Generator</b> app. It will generate
three words for you, which will hopefully spark some sort of creative idea,
enabling you to get back to what you do best - writing!</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Creative
Whack Pack</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">
delivers 84 interactive creative strategies to stimulate your brain and get you
thinking creatively!</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Mindjet</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"> is perfect for
writers who are very visual when they're developing their work. It allows you
to create visual maps as you outline articles, characters, plot, and themes.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Writing.com</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"> has created the app <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Writing Prompt</b>, which generates over
600 writing prompts and you can save your favorites.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">My
Writing Spot</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">
is exactly that, a spot on your phone for you to write. On the app, you can
easily access a dictionary or thesaurus and it will autosave all of your
progress</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Office2</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"> is ideal if you
prefer to write in a word document. The app allows you to edit your Microsoft
Word and Excel documents and is also compatible with Google Docs and MobileMe,
so you'll be able to access everything from your phone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Writer's
Studio</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">
allows you to write, edit, and format an entire book on your phone. You can add
images, graphics, and audio.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">WordCount</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"> is a very straight
forward app. It counts your words and lets you know how long your piece is.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Dropbox</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"> is a life saver. It
backs up all of your files in real time, and saves 30 days worth of various
versions. You'll never have to worry about whether or not you saved your latest
and greatest piece because Dropbox will have already saved it before you could
even worry about it.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Byword</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"> is designed to make
writing more enjoyable by giving you all the tools you need to write
effectively and has keyboard shortcuts and word counters with live updates. The
app allows you to sync your work, export it, and publish to the web platform of
your choice.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: FR;">Contour</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"> is the award-winning
story development system that streamlines the process of turning your movie
ideas from first glimmer to full outline.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD;">A Novel Idea</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"> is the premier tool
for plotting your story and recording bursts of inspiration. You can create
your characters, setting, scenes, ideas, and link them together to create your
story.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Story
Tracker</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">
makes keeping track of your submitted stories, novels, poems, scripts, and
articles easy.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Pages,
</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Apple</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: FR;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">s
highly rated cloud-centric word processing app, will let writers seamlessly
access and work on documents on their iPhone, iPad and Macintosh, storing them
securely in the cloud. Pages has hooks built in to let you easily export your
work to Word or PDF (or plain text or .mobi).</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Index
Card for iPad</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">
is a must for serious writers or screenwriters working in Scrivener. You can
work on elements of your Scrivener project on the iPad in Index Card files,
then fairly easily sync them back to the Scrivener project. This is a pretty
good workaround to the fact that an iOS version of Scrivener is not yet
available.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">The Bottom Line:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"> Download some new
apps today to ensure no writing material, ideas, or concepts are ever lost
again. You can brainstorm, write, edit, and share while you're on the go.
There’s no need to be chained to a PC again! </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Be
sure to let me know if you have a favorite app for authors and I’ll include it
on an updated version of this article.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">About Book Publicist Scott Lorenz</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Book publicist Scott Lorenz is President of
Westwind Communications, a public relations and marketing firm that has a
special knack for working with authors to help them get all the publicity they
deserve and more. Lorenz works with bestselling authors and self-published
authors promoting all types of books, whether it's their first book or their
15th book. He's handled publicity for books by CEOs, CIA Officers, Navy SEALS,
Homemakers, Fitness Gurus, Doctors, Lawyers and Adventurers. His clients have
been featured by Good Morning America, FOX & Friends, CNN, ABC News, New
York Times, Nightline, TIME, PBS, LA Times, USA Today, Washington Post, Woman's
World, & Howard Stern to name a few. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Learn more about Westwind Communications</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">’ </span></span><a href="http://www.book-marketing-expert.com/"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;">book marketing</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> approach at </span></span><a href="http://www.book-marketing-expert.com/"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;">http://www.Book-Marketing-Expert.com</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>or contact Lorenz at
scottlorenz@westwindcos.com or by phone at 734-667-2090. Follow Lorenz on
Twitter </span></span><a href="https://twitter.com/aBookPublicist"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;">@aBookPublicist</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Claudia Zurchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00302024950570710809noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652875193826011637.post-73162795398126594402014-11-09T11:09:00.001-05:002014-11-09T11:09:20.165-05:00How Authors Can Use Listmania to Promote Their BookMy colleague and book publicist, Scott Lorenz of Westwind Communications offered to share some valuable advice on promoting your book.<br />
<br />
Whether you're a published author or an emerging writer, you'll find his advice helpful.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">As a book publicist I am always on the lookout for effective
inexpensive ways to reach book buyers. One way is to tap into the power of
Amazon by using Listmania lists. How?</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Listmania is a free marketing tool that allows all Amazon
account holders to create a list of their favorite things such as books. It is
ideal for authors to list their own book on their list along with other books
in the same genre to gain from their popularity and association. For example if
you have a book similar to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Harry Potter</i>
then listing that book along with your book and other similar books, your book
can benefit at as it may show up on Google, Bing and Amazon searches. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Here’s how to create
a Listmania list on</b> </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=hp_14279651_create?nodeId=14279651#create"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial;">Amazon:</span></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Click the “Edit Your Profile”
button on the top right-hand corner of the page.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Click the “Lists” tab in the
Contributions section of Your Profile.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Click the “Create your first one
now” link or “Manage your Listmania Lists” link if you already have existing
lists.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Provide the requested information
for your list and click the Preview button to review your list and Publish list
when you are finished.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.5in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Here’s the information you’ll be asked to enter:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Name Your List:</b> Make it searchable by keywords, other bestselling
authors’ names or book titles</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Your qualifications:</b> Your qualifications should be a description of
why you’re an expert in the subject of your list.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Introduction:</b> You can add an optional introductory paragraph to
describe the list.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Add tags</b>: This allows you to add keywords that help others discover
your list.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Add Your Book:</b> This is the core of your list. You can add anything
from the book listings on Amazon.com; (you can add anything on Amazon for that
matter)</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Authors often use Listmania as a way to promote their own
titles while grouping them with similar books. It is clever, discreet and
effective” said Rosanne Dingli, author of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Death
of Malta</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">According to Luke</i>. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">“My Listmania is a definitive listing of China photo books
that were exhaustively compiled from every genre, from mass-market coffee table
books to independently-published eccentricity,” said Tom Carter, author of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">China: Portrait of a People.</i> His book is
considered the most comprehensive book of photography about modern China, and
it’s listed with other books in the photojournalism genre. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">According to Anna Weber, a literary strategist, “Authors can
ask others to list their book on their own Listmania and – if in good taste
professionally, to secure recommendations from other readers who are looking
for new books to read and purchase.”</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Most authors are unaware of this inexpensive and valuable
promotional service but should become familiar with it. By creating a list, and
adding their own book, the author should also add their competition to the
list. It is ideal for the author to create a list with his or her book listed
along with the genre competition before someone else creates a similar list
without that particular author’s book listed. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">“I never understood the exposure Listmania provides each
book on a list…it is invaluable. Eventually I saw how often my lists started
popping up all over Amazon, and how my book was now appearing under “suggested
reading” on other books’ product pages, I realized that Listmania was an
untapped goldmine of free and effective book promotion,” adds Carter.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Whether you are a well-known author or self-publishing your
first book, Listmania is an economical way for you to promote your book. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%;">The Bottom Line:</span></b> Listmania
gives authors free exposure leading to more sales and recognition. Make a
Listmania list TODAY!</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://www.book-marketing-expert.com/"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">About
Book Publicist Scott Lorenz</span></span></b></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">Book publicist Scott Lorenz
is President of Westwind Communications, a public relations and marketing firm
that has a special knack for working with authors to help them get all the
publicity they deserve and more. Lorenz works with bestselling authors and
self-published authors promoting all types of books, whether it's their first
book or their 15th book. He's handled publicity for books by CEOs, CIA
Officers, Navy SEALS, Homemakers, Fitness Gurus, Doctors, Lawyers and
Adventurers. His clients have been featured by Good Morning America, FOX &
Friends, CNN, ABC News, New York Times, Nightline, TIME, PBS, LA Times, USA
Today, Washington Post, Woman's World, & Howard Stern to name a few. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">Learn more about Westwind
Communications</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: FR;">’ </span><a href="http://www.book-marketing-expert.com/"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">book marketing</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">
approach at </span><a href="http://www.book-marketing-expert.com/"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.Book-Marketing-Expert.com</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>or contact Lorenz at scottlorenz@westwindcos.com
or by phone at 734-667-2090. Follow Lorenz on Twitter </span><a href="https://twitter.com/aBookPublicist"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">@aBookPublicist</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Claudia Zurchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00302024950570710809noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652875193826011637.post-39118271667217491722014-10-23T09:38:00.001-04:002014-10-23T09:42:32.142-04:005 Ways Your Competition Can Help You Promote Your Books<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">If you want to market successfully, you need to be smart.
Why reinvent the wheel if there are more effective ways to promote yourself and
your books? If you take the time to see what your competitors are doing, you’ll
discover plenty of ideas and inspiration to keep you going – without resorting
to only imitating what others do.<br />
<br />
You’re simply being a smart marketer, and that means keeping your finger on the
pulse of what’s happening. Understanding your market means being aware of who
else is in the space. What books have they written? How do they price their
books? How do they reach their audience? When you learn these things, you’ll
have a better understanding of your market, and you’ll be in the perfect
position to set yourself apart from your competitors.<br />
<br />
This isn't about copying anyone. Imitation is <em><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">not</span></em> the
sincerest form of flattery in this case. But you should know who else is in
your market. You’ll gain so many insights from keeping tabs on your
competitors. You’ll also learn some valuable marketing tips, and if you’re ever
wondering how to get your message out more effectively you may find the answers
from observing what your peers say and do to keep their fans engaged.<br />
<br />
Here are some ways you can keep up with the competition:<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">1. Google search and alerts</span></strong>: You start by looking
for others in your market. You’ll find names and book titles, but you’ll also
discover ways to touch base with your fans. No matter your topic, search for
authors and books, but ignore the big names and titles. At their level, they
can do just about anything and they’ll succeed – that’s one of the bonuses of
their success, they are now their own brands (think Stephen King, Nora Roberts,
Deepak Chopra). Look for the level below this supergroup because these are the
authors who are working hard to break through.<br />
<br />
Develop your list of competitors and sign up for their newsletters and follow
them on social media. This is how you’ll learn what they do to market
themselves, but you’ll also support another author. You’ll learn a lot from
this stage of your research, starting with the best social media sites for your
market. Then take a closer look at what they do, what they share, how
frequently they blog. You’ll save a lot of time down the road by doing this
research and using the results to help you focus your own marketing efforts.<br />
<br />
You can also set up Google Alerts, and use sites like talkwalker.com and
mention.net to monitor their activity. You’ll also see where they've been
featured, and you can use that information when it’s time to pitch yourself.<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">2. Go to the bookstore</span></strong>: A significant portion of
book awareness still comes from brick and mortar stores, and knowing what’s
selling well in your market is important. Bookstores will only stock books they
believe will sell. Check out your genre and see what’s in stock, but once
again, focus not on the big names but on the authors you don’t know. The big
names get shelf space easily, but it’s much more of a challenge for
lesser-known authors. You should buy copies of those books, too, as part of
your research. Then you can see how they handled their topic, and you can
discover ways to address the issues more effectively. Or, you’ll learn how you
can make your book different from theirs.<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">3. Look for reviews</span></strong>: Find the books on Amazon and
then read the reviews. See what readers say; what did they like? What did they
feel was missing? You can discover issues and trends that haven’t been covered,
or realize you can address the issues from a new perspective that meets
readers’ needs.<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">4. Attend author presentations</span></strong>: If you’re lucky, at
least one of the authors you’re following will have an event in your area that
you can attend. This is a great way to network, meet people in your market, and
support another author. If the author has a speaking event make note of the
questions attendees ask because they can be fodder for topics you can cover –
in your blog, in a new book, etc.<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">5. Check out conferences</span></strong>: This is an opportunity
for you to learn from others in your field. You’ll get to meet people, network,
and gain new ideas. You’ll get stale if you remain stuck in your office. You’ll
also find it easier to remain motivated when you keep up with your industry.<br />
<br />
A big component of success is getting to know your market and keeping up with
what’s going on. The benefits are manifold: you’ll learn, get new ideas, make
contacts, and build connections with colleagues (they aren't just competition)
as well as fans. That’s what all the research, learning, and sharing is
ultimately about: helping you grow your own fanbase.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Article reprinted from "The Book
Marketing Expert newsletter," a free e-zine offering book promotion and
publicity tips and techniques. http://www.amarketingexpert.com</span></b><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></div>
Claudia Zurchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00302024950570710809noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652875193826011637.post-9487626628230049242014-01-28T11:22:00.000-05:002014-01-28T11:22:02.797-05:00Attention Montreal and Laval Writers!
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<b><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Laval
Families Magazine <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Laval Families Magazine</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> is
always looking for talented, experienced freelance writers to improve our
magazine, ancillary publications and website. Our general goal is to have local
stories of interest to the Laval and North Shore Regions. If you think you can
help us achieve this goal, please read below. <br />
</span><b><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
Write For Us</span></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">At
Laval Families, our mission is to provide relevant information that informs,
inspires, and entertains our community. The goal of our features, sections, and
columns is to educate, inspire, and uplift readers. We look for writers who
share our vision and demonstrate a fresh, engaging style, and focus
specifically on topics that matter to families in our community. <br />
<br />
Articles may include family-related topics ranging from health, education,
fashion, news, community development, senior living, family pets, fitness and
wellness, psychology, parenting, childcare, environment, and spirituality. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<b><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Inquiries and proposals for
Articles, Columns and Illustrations:</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We are happy to consider any story
idea or illustration that reflects the values and mission of the magazine.
Please keep in mind that submissions are accepted on an individual basis, and
consideration concerning articles is subject to the focus of the current issue,
relevance to the publication and space available.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We publish our print and online
versions five times a year.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Please check out our latest issue
at: </span><a href="http://www.lavalfamilies.ca/"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.lavalfamilies.ca/</span></a></div>
To inquire please send an email to: <a href="mailto:cdbc2007@hotmail.com"><span style="color: blue;">cdbc2007@hotmail.com</span></a> with “Contributor
for LFM” in the subject line.<br />
<br />
<o:p>Absolutely no spam mail! </o:p><br />
Claudia Zurchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00302024950570710809noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652875193826011637.post-52659655627856632082013-12-30T11:33:00.000-05:002013-12-30T11:33:39.816-05:00HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFcTKZZfFMMxfZtDMV-i4Xrc1nDBgbElqFqtj0hiVZcfwal5hMqNlAC96eezLUzYp7CJdaNtnvaM4xmeY4XHpMSH81sOO1_DY3ur8kIHQvCheGoyY9-4ckcUyFy8BtrkrRunt4m_ZraSA/s1600/PICT0212.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFcTKZZfFMMxfZtDMV-i4Xrc1nDBgbElqFqtj0hiVZcfwal5hMqNlAC96eezLUzYp7CJdaNtnvaM4xmeY4XHpMSH81sOO1_DY3ur8kIHQvCheGoyY9-4ckcUyFy8BtrkrRunt4m_ZraSA/s320/PICT0212.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Dear Bloggie friends and readers, near and far:<br />
<br />
Another year has gone by, and as we get ready to welcome 2014, <strong>the Year of the Horse</strong>, I want to remind you that any obstacles we encounter in our writing or in our life are just opportunities to make us better.<br />
<br />
May 2014 fill you with the strength of the horse so you can accomplish all your goals.<br />
<br />
Keep writing and I'll see you in 2014!<br />
<br />
Claudia Zurchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00302024950570710809noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652875193826011637.post-17855457235804155672013-12-12T17:12:00.002-05:002013-12-12T17:15:01.818-05:00Attention Canadian Writers!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpqbLLqoBfwFaZDtQbqXgOFUQimngdZrlfo6K4s8E8L1YnWpxFj0_7zu8a2jSzuLzlzuBcRa3m5qG6UI-Nf_qZalukb3il6N8z7X8MJxY8SWINPoArqudAm9cbODJmgdcqUIYVCee2jOY/s1600/Canada+Flag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpqbLLqoBfwFaZDtQbqXgOFUQimngdZrlfo6K4s8E8L1YnWpxFj0_7zu8a2jSzuLzlzuBcRa3m5qG6UI-Nf_qZalukb3il6N8z7X8MJxY8SWINPoArqudAm9cbODJmgdcqUIYVCee2jOY/s320/Canada+Flag.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b><span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">CALL
FOR SUBMISSIONS<br />
</span></b><span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
<b>21st Annual Short Prose Competition for Developing Writers<br />
$2,500 PRIZE</b><br />
<br />
The Writers' Union of Canada is pleased to announce that submissions are being
accepted until<b> March 1, 2014</b> for the 21st Annual Short Prose Competition
for Developing Writers. The winning entry will be the best Canadian work of up
to 2,500 words in the English language, fiction or non-fiction, written by an
unpublished author. <br />
<br />
<u>PRIZE</u> <br />
<b>$2,500</b> for the winning entry, and the entries of the winner and
finalists will be submitted to three Canadian magazines. <br />
<br />
<u>JURY </u><br />
Writers <b>Mark Abley</b>, <b>Ranj Dhaliwal</b>, and <b>Erin Dunham</b> will
serve as the jury.<br />
<br />
<u>ELIGIBILITY</u> <br />
This competition is open to all Canadian citizens and landed immigrants who
have not had a book published in any genre and who do not currently have a
contract with a book publisher. Original and unpublished (English language)
fiction or non-fiction is eligible. <br />
<br />
<u>HOW TO SUBMIT ENTRIES</u>: <br />
Entries should be typed, double-spaced, in a clear twelve-point font, and the
pages numbered on 8.5 x 11 paper, not stapled. <br />
Submissions will be accepted in hardcopy only. <br />
Include a separate cover letter with title of story, full name, address, phone
number, email address, word count, and number of pages of entry. <br />
Please type the name of entrant and the title of entry on each numbered page.
This is not a blind competition. <br />
Make cheque or money order payable to The Writers' Union of Canada. Multiple
entries can be submitted together and fees can be added and paid with one
cheque or money order, <b>$29 per entry</b>. <br />
Entries must be postmarked by <b>March 1, 2014</b> to be eligible. <br />
Mail entries to: SPC Competition, The Writers' Union of Canada, 90 Richmond
Street East, Suite 200, Toronto, ON M5C 1P1. <br />
<br />
Results will be posted at <a href="http://www.writersunion.ca/" target="_blank"><span style="color: windowtext;">www.writersunion.ca</span></a> in May 2014.
Manuscripts will not be returned.</span><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Claudia Zurchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00302024950570710809noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652875193826011637.post-20969205870232655132013-11-15T20:43:00.000-05:002013-11-15T20:43:14.733-05:00How committed to writing are you?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilySthJhhogx4uidJH85b3fo6crMzzd0JUoc2CvLgwd0r-AU780IT0cBR_XjUWRS5JpnAHFtwOBuQmA6x2e1yPJ78zYEp3_rzRbwz09GyXGMmdxouFME9Y_xgCdabhFf3cnAP0PRrNrpQ/s1600/Commitment+to+work.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilySthJhhogx4uidJH85b3fo6crMzzd0JUoc2CvLgwd0r-AU780IT0cBR_XjUWRS5JpnAHFtwOBuQmA6x2e1yPJ78zYEp3_rzRbwz09GyXGMmdxouFME9Y_xgCdabhFf3cnAP0PRrNrpQ/s320/Commitment+to+work.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Google free images<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">With
the ubiquitous social media tempting us 24/7, it is difficult for part-time writers
to sit down and commit to one hour of quality writing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">NOTE:</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> When I say part-time writers, I mean those of us
who have a full-time job outside the writing industry and only write on our
spare time.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I
read an article that talked about the different distractions we face. These are
some of the examples below.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Distractions can range from
total attention-grabbing tasks to minor distractions:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Immersive</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">:
You completely divorce yourself from your original task to dedicate all of
your attention to the distraction. Examples include incoming phone calls
and face-to-face conversations.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dominant</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">:
You allow the distraction to occupy your mind; the original task slowly
develops back into your mind. Examples include web browsing or grabbing a
cup of coffee.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Distraction</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">:
Your attention is drawn away from your original task; once you return to
the original task, you proceed more slowly and less accurately. Examples
include ongoing text conversations and hunger.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Background</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">:
Your attention is slightly diverted from your original task, which reduces
your speed and accuracy. Examples include overhearing conversations or the
television is on.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The author of the article
also offered some solutions to this problem.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Establish
Goals</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: Writing daily, weekly, monthly, and even yearly goals
can help you stay on top of your efforts. How many articles do you want to
write per week? Write it down.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">List
Tasks</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: Write down all of the things you need to do to
achieve your goals in addition to daily maintenance tasks such as checking
emails, following up with clients, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Prioritize
Tasks</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: Determine how important each task is by measuring its
value against your goals and its importance to anyone else involved.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Budget
Time</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: Create a time budget by slotting time each day for
your tasks, such as writing, brainstorming, checking email,
business calls, making dinner, and other activities.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Plan
Long-Term</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: Brainstorm topics relevant to your audience ahead of
time by establishing an annual editorial calendar.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Execute
the Plan</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: Your plan is only effective if you use it. Tweak your
plan as needed and increase efficiency by using methods like <em>time-boxing</em> to squeeze more value out
of your time.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A word to the wise: be honest with
yourself. The author also adds that you can’t completely separate yourself from
these pesky distractions but you can be proactive about them. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Not all distractions can be
easily dismissed, nor are they all bad! Consider whether the distraction is
worthwhile by measuring its importance based on its value to you, significance
to others, and urgency.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
Claudia Zurchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00302024950570710809noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652875193826011637.post-5003825585715941712013-10-16T14:15:00.000-04:002013-10-16T14:51:56.735-04:00Are You Shy? <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgfM79l0rJP9_yZSsXmI_WQS6eSm4lbs1HqZD6asJDTOwECk1Q2hFKnt9LZaF8xeDSzuVkttjImWCDsSfFX3OsjiV-83qO-GGzXJPL6HlqAbsl80TfIUsJ9F9nRYVORHxuSN8Y9QkX_zw/s1600/SHY+-+Anthology.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgfM79l0rJP9_yZSsXmI_WQS6eSm4lbs1HqZD6asJDTOwECk1Q2hFKnt9LZaF8xeDSzuVkttjImWCDsSfFX3OsjiV-83qO-GGzXJPL6HlqAbsl80TfIUsJ9F9nRYVORHxuSN8Y9QkX_zw/s1600/SHY+-+Anthology.jpg" /></a></div>
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<td style="background-color: transparent; border: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Shy</span></i><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> is an anthology filled with personal essays and poems
by authors and poets who have been labeled by the world -- teachers, parents,
and peers -- as shy. Here, they proudly own up to their shyness, and their
message is clear: they don't need to be cured! Why should they, when nearly
half of North Americans consider themselves shy? Join Montreal contributors
Jeff Miller, Eve Krakow, and Brian Campbell for readings and a semi-raucous
celebration of shyness. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">I am happy
to share that this anthology will feature fellow writer, Eve Krakow. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Shy</span></i></b><b><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">
Anthology Launch:</span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></b><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
<strong>Monday, November 11 at 7:00 p.m. at Le Dépanneur Café, 206 Bernard West, </strong></span><span class="pp-headline-item"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><strong>Montréal, QC H2T 2K4</strong></span></span><span class="pp-headline-item"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Please visit their Facebook page at: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/160112187526687/" target="_blank"><span style="color: windowtext;">https://www.facebook.com/events/160112187526687/</span></a><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
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<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Book Jacket:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Shy</span></i></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
An Anthology<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
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<td style="background-color: transparent; border: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Editor Naomi K. Lewis, Rona Altrows<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<td style="background-color: transparent; border: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0in;"><br />
</td>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“We're not exactly scene-stealers, so
you don't hear much from us shy folk—and that's usually how we like it.”
—Elizabeth Zotova, “My Dear X” </span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The pages of this anthology are filled with
personal essays and poems of thoughtful musings, raw memories, and humorous
self-examinations by authors and poets who have been labelled by the
world—teachers, parents, and peers—as shy. Here, they proudly own up to their
shyness, and their message is clear: they don’t need to be “cured”! Why
should they, when nearly half of North Americans consider themselves shy?
</span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Editors Naomi K. Lewis and Rona Altrows have enlisted writers from across the
continent and have created a moving anthology that will appeal to all, either
because we are shy or because we know someone who is. </span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Contributors: Rona
Altrows, Debbie Bateman, Wade Bell, Alex Boyd, Janis Butler Holm, Brian
Campbell, Weyman Chan, Lorna Crozier, Mike Duggan, Ben Gelinas, Elizabeth
Greene, Vivian Hansen, Elizabeth Haynes, Steven Heighton, Jennifer Houle,
I.B. Iskov, Eve S. Krakow, Shawna Lemay, Naomi K. Lewis, Shirley Limbert,
Carol L. MacKay, Micheline Maylor, Don McKay, Stuart Ian McKay, Bruce Meyer,
Jeff Miller, Dhana Musil, Lori D. Roadhouse, Kerry Ryan, Sydney Sharpe,
Natalie Simpson, Sylvia Stopforth, David Van Buren, Aritha van Herk, Russell
Wangersky, Cassy Welburn, Madelaine Wong, Elaine Woo, and Elizabeth Zotova.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="mso-cellspacing: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;">
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<td style="background-color: transparent; border: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0in;"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Format:</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Trade Paperback<o:p></o:p></span>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;">
<td style="background-color: transparent; border: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ISBN:</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> 978-0-88864-670-5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
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<td style="background-color: transparent; border: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Price:</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> CND$ 24.95, USD$ 24.95, £
20.99<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
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<td style="background-color: transparent; border: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Discount:</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Trade<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
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<td style="background-color: transparent; border: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Subject:</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Canadian
Literature/Essays/Poetry <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
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<td style="background-color: transparent; border: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Publication Date:</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> September 2013<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
<a href="http://www.uap.ualberta.ca/UAP.asp?LID=41&bookID=1095" target="_blank"><span style="color: windowtext;">http://www.uap.ualberta.ca/UAP.asp?LID=41&bookID=1095</span></a>
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Claudia Zurchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00302024950570710809noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652875193826011637.post-6309459955089396312013-09-22T13:02:00.000-04:002013-09-22T13:02:38.155-04:00The Girls of Piazza d'Amore<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_IuZZps7vj-gO18dhyphenhyphenuij3vW1razxx1Y018CEDpxVFpZPt9qnxasKupjNGH8B7wJqK-AMpXuh2YLTmg_mGzgOjiaZgJNqHgEW6nEFmBmqmAnGGL0pSilR86C_g1_xJUzrZpsnLkH_XUA/s1600/BOOK+COVER-+Connie+McParland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_IuZZps7vj-gO18dhyphenhyphenuij3vW1razxx1Y018CEDpxVFpZPt9qnxasKupjNGH8B7wJqK-AMpXuh2YLTmg_mGzgOjiaZgJNqHgEW6nEFmBmqmAnGGL0pSilR86C_g1_xJUzrZpsnLkH_XUA/s320/BOOK+COVER-+Connie+McParland.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
On September 19<sup>th</sup> I had the pleasure to attend
Connie Guzzo-McParland’s book launch at the <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Cultural Center of Little Italy in Montreal which is better known as Casa
d'Italia. Connie is a versatile and accomplished author, businesswoman, and
publisher, to name a few. </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her debut
novel, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Girls of Piazza d’Amore, </i>is
the love story of three girls, and the forces that lead them to leave their
village for a better life across the ocean.</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Born in Italy and raised in Montreal, Connie shares a richly
texture story of immigration and childhood. However, at the book launch she
explained that she wanted to tell much more than that and hoped the reader could
read in between the lines of these simple stories and see the bigger stories
within them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She then added, “In putting
down on paper some of the images of village life I carried in my head for
years, I hoped to illustrate how a group of people were affected by the changes
happening in villages all over south Italy in the 50s- soon after the effects
of the war and just before the modernization of Italy and its economic boom of
the 60s.”</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Connie read two excerpts from the novel; they were humorous,
light, picturesque, and colorful. Before reading, she explained that “the novel
only alludes to these issues in a lighthearted, cheerful tone, since it’s
recounted from the perspective of a young girl. For the general Canadian reader,
I wanted to show that the men and women who would become their factory workers,
their tailors, barbers, gardeners all carried interesting stories behind them.”</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
I posted the book cover so you can get the feel of the
village. Connie told the audience that, “the cover image represents a very
important landmark of the village, a communal water fountain in the outskirt of
the town, where women used to fetch water every evening and also do their
weekly laundry. It was also the meeting place for young people to exchange
glances and love notes, and some key scenes in the book are set in this
fountain.”</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Although Connie is the Co-director and President of Guernica
Editions, she published her book with Linda Leith Publishing.</div>
<br />
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I hope I have piqued your interest so you, too, can enjoy this
beautifully written story about love and friendship in Italy. </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
ISBN 978-1-927535-19-6 (pbk.)</div>
Publisher: <a href="http://www.lindaleith.com/"><span style="color: blue;">www.lindaleith.com</span></a><br />
<a href="mailto:Leith.lindaleith@gmail.com"><span style="color: blue;">Leith.lindaleith@gmail.com</span></a>
Claudia Zurchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00302024950570710809noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652875193826011637.post-87992966351520212432013-06-07T15:35:00.000-04:002013-06-07T15:35:26.196-04:00Seven Tips from Ernest Hemingway on How to Write Fiction<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj40NnsNdkftR7EULz0OkdH_p52Anm36oxRFD2107pRVVKpn4ddTce_C-9CuSsJtJct0hcm35BV-pi2t8Tifplz8UOH64zBIII9pG1rZYX0WB9b-V0JyZK_4bI2rAoutsCUED-USXYmetw/s1600/Ernest+Hemingway.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj40NnsNdkftR7EULz0OkdH_p52Anm36oxRFD2107pRVVKpn4ddTce_C-9CuSsJtJct0hcm35BV-pi2t8Tifplz8UOH64zBIII9pG1rZYX0WB9b-V0JyZK_4bI2rAoutsCUED-USXYmetw/s1600/Ernest+Hemingway.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<strong><span lang="EN" style="font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">1: To get started, write one true sentence.</span></strong><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<br />
<strong><span lang="EN" style="font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">2: Always stop for the day while you still know what
will happen next.</span></strong><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<br />
<strong><span lang="EN" style="font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">3: Never think about the story when you’re not working.</span></strong><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<br />
<strong><span lang="EN" style="font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">4: When it’s time to work again, always start by
reading what you’ve written so far.</span></strong><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<br />
<strong><span lang="EN" style="font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">5: Don’t describe an emotion–make it</span></strong><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">.<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<br />
<strong><span lang="EN" style="font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">6: Use a pencil.</span></strong><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<br />
<strong><span lang="EN" style="font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">7: Be Brief.</span></strong><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<br />
<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Article Source: <a href="http://www.openculture.com/">Open Culture</a> <a href="http://www.openculture.com/">http://www.openculture.com/</a></span></em>Claudia Zurchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00302024950570710809noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652875193826011637.post-35986928077742528962013-05-09T09:32:00.001-04:002013-05-09T09:35:14.072-04:00I Have a Ton of Reviews for My Book But it's Not Selling! <span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>I am attending two book launches in May and I will also be interviewing the authors. I thought this article I got from "<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">The Book Marketing Expert
Newsletter" was appropriate since one of the authors was looking for book reviewers.</span></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>I'm passing on this helpful information to my fellow writers and bloggie friends.</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Over the years I've heard this phrase
thousands of times. Authors getting great reviews, getting awards, even local
media and still, book sales aren't happening. When you have external
validation, it's hard to really understand where the disconnect is, isn't it?
Sometimes though, it may be just a matter of taking a closer look and analyzing
your marketing using a different lens. Let's take a look at some things that
you may want to consider: <o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 16.2pt;">
<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">* Leverage:</span></span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> First and foremost is leverage. How
are you leveraging all of these other things? If you're not, you might consider
it. It's easy enough to slap an award sticker on your book, but what else have
you done to promote this? Consider:<br />
<br />
* Announce it locally: Especially if you won the award. Honorable mentions are
great, but not as appealing to local media.<br />
* Contact your local bookstores. If they've said no before perhaps adding an
award to your resume might entice them. Remember people like what other people
like. The same goes for bookstores.<br />
* Add it to your website. That's a given. Same for your email signature line.<br />
* Reviewers: If you have reviewers that are pending, meaning you're targeted
them with no response, why not make a second (gentle) sweep and let them know
you won this award?<br />
* Endorsements: If you've been after high-profile endorsements for your book
but they keep eluding you, you may have a better chance of it with an award in
your pocket, so try pitching them again. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">
<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">* Reviews:</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> If you have a lot of reviews and
aren't seeing a lot of sales, I would say take a lesson from the
"leverage" piece above and see if any of it applies to your pulling
in more reviews. For example, if you have endorsers who haven't responded to
your requests, or bookstores that have given you the brush-off, this could be a
great way to gain their attention. The same doesn't apply to reviewers,
however. Most reviewers aren't swayed by books that have tons of reviews. They
either select the book or they don't, so don't push this one too hard. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 16.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">* Engagement:</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Sometimes when we get a
"hit" somewhere we tend to focus all of our energy there. That's a
great thing, but maybe now it's time to step back and see what else you can do
that you haven't focused on. Try engaging readers. When was the last time you
sent a round of thank-you notes to reviewers who reviewed your book, or posted
a thank-you on their blog? If you're getting a lot of comments on your website,
or on blogs or interviews you've done elsewhere, I would encourage you to
connect with readers there, too. Additionally, have you considering getting
onto GoodReads, Library Thing or Wattpad and building readership there? And a
final note on engaging. If you're a fiction author perhaps you should consider
engaging your readers with your characters. If you can get your readers to fall
in love (or in hate) with your characters, you can really build a strong
audience that way. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">
<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">* Media gets media:</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Some authors also come to me saying,
"I've gotten tons of local media but nothing nationally." This is
also pretty typical but here's something you can do. Media loves media and the
more media you get, the more you'll get - if that makes sense. When you pitch
yourself to national media, include a one-sheet of all of the places you've
been featured. Even if it's in your own town. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 16.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">* The plight of book reviews:</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Do book reviews really sell books?
Candidly, it's hard to know. I do know that lots of exposure sells books but
it's really about the right kind of exposure and, beyond that, it's about
exposure in a myriad of areas. If you've been heavily focused on getting a ton
of book reviews, and your Amazon page is populated with more fond words than
you know what to do with, maybe it's time to move into a new area of promotion.
Content, content: There was a discussion around content during a recent event I
attended at both Digital Book World and Tools of Change. Both of these programs
had folks talking about the importance of free and also of putting out frequent
content. Don't wait eighteen months to release a book which leaves your reader
hanging for more from your characters. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">
<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">* Realigning your perspective on book
sales:</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Truth is, most of us
think we should be selling more than we are. We hear the "average" in
book sales and then on the flip side, we hear about folks like Hugh Howey who
is selling zillions of copies of his book. Where's the reality? Well, the
answer is somewhere in between. If you have all these awards and are selling a
book a day, I would say that depending on your market that may not be a bad
start. For example, if you're sitting in the contemporary romance market,
that's a pretty cluttered category so you may not sell as many as if you were
in something more niche. I've seen some authors who can't get beyond selling a
book a month. Seriously. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 16.2pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Reviews, awards, and nods from important
people in your industry are fantastic, but like a tree falling in the forest if
you don't tell folks about it, no one will know. Yes, you do often have to hit
readers over the head with things if for no other reason than people are busy.
Got an award? Shout it from the rooftops. Got tons of great reviews? Let's see
if that can be a stepping stone to something else. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the end, everything is a pathway to
something else. If you get a bunch of awards for your book and figure your work
stops there, that's a big mistake. Follow the path to something else, which
will take you to something else, and so on. At some point at the end of that
road you may very well find a pot of gold, and, you'll likely be selling more
books.</span></span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><o:p>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>Reprinted from "The Book Marketing Expert newsletter," a free
ezine offering book promotion and publicity tips and techniques. </em></span><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001rIO4FiYy8-tVvvxZAEF-5KtkTfCxcJdMoabz9GTqK1d2Q_LhIGewm1goAea8cO5BdGSlwjLXJe038DsYWIRpTTBw-auk6TLTUtIM9TJ02iTeaiTirJBPgvbEtzVWDF7-" target="_blank"><span style="color: windowtext;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>http://www.amarketingexpert.com</em></span></span></a></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>Claudia Zurchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00302024950570710809noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652875193826011637.post-65589735819109585742013-04-18T20:32:00.001-04:002013-04-19T12:41:24.924-04:00Short Stories: Call for Submissions<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwc0M_j_OFCHlO1MVi_xxCBbUbw5kX1WgJqB9ArmRAoLKfBwdrOU0ABHPt7bWthDaBUfJgz2U9s2aZ90ysZ2nZjs-J4GknCizDt36a800qnWnHpslTAGbGuBVR7Rf49mVSTnkVPMkYwvM/s1600/RainbowCaterpillar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwc0M_j_OFCHlO1MVi_xxCBbUbw5kX1WgJqB9ArmRAoLKfBwdrOU0ABHPt7bWthDaBUfJgz2U9s2aZ90ysZ2nZjs-J4GknCizDt36a800qnWnHpslTAGbGuBVR7Rf49mVSTnkVPMkYwvM/s320/RainbowCaterpillar.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Rainbow
Caterpillar Bookshop calls for submissions for <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
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<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2013
Mother Language Kid Lit Award<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Competition open to short stories for
young children, aims to support the preservation in Canada of mother languages<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
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<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Toronto, Ontario, March 27, 2013 – </span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Submissions are currently being
accepted for the second annual Rainbow Caterpillar Mother Language Kid Lit
Award. The Award aims to reward writing excellence and support authors who want
to write in their mother languages other than English.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“By encouraging authors to write in
their mother language, we want to help create a vibrant literary production for
children in foreign languages, but with a uniquely Canadian perspective,” says
Happie Testa, co-owner of Rainbow Caterpillar Bookstore.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The competition is open to Canadian
residents, submissions are due on April 30<sup>th</sup> and the guidelines are
available online at <a href="http://www.rainbowcaterpillar.ca/kid-lit-award.html"><span style="color: windowtext;">www.rainbowcaterpillar.ca/kid-lit-award.html</span></a>.
The winning story will receive the Rainbow Caterpillar Kid Lit Award in the
amount of $750. Other deserving submissions will be recognized with an
Honourable Mention. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“We hope this award
also encourages parents to pass their mother language on to their children
raised in Canada,” says Hanoosh Abbasi, co-owner of Rainbow Caterpillar. “We
feel that it is important for parents to have access to good books from their
countries of origin. We also think parents want to put their ancestral culture
in the context of our shared Canadian culture where many often have more than
one background and speak more than one language hanoon a daily basis.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Award will be presented at the
Canadian Ethnic Media Association (CEMA) 35th Annual Awards Gala to be held in
Toronto on Multiculturalism Day June 21, 2013. CEMA is an organization
dedicated to the promotion of ethnic media in creating an understanding of
Canada and the retention of cultural links with countries of origin. <a href="http://canadianethnicmedia.com/"><span style="color: windowtext;">http://canadianethnicmedia.com</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span> </div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://www.rainbowcaterpillar.ca/kid-lit-award.html#_Toc302978909">Submission guidelines click</a>: <a href="http://www.rainbowcaterpillar.ca/kid-lit-award.html#_Toc302978909">http://www.rainbowcaterpillar.ca/kid-lit-award.html#_Toc302978909</a></span></div>
Claudia Zurchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00302024950570710809noreply@blogger.com4