Posts Tagged ‘Blog’
Since I have not yet had the pleasure of getting a pb book contract, there are some areas that I have little to no experience in. I’m looking for comments on how to do a book launch for an article I’m writing. Would love to hear your thoughts and comments.
My First Guest Blog.
Posted on: March 27, 2010
The wonderfully talented Becky Levine has given me the opportunity to be a guest blogger on her blog in April. I’ll post when it goes up so you all can read it. I’m shaking in my boots and I don’t even have socks on. lol.
I’m scared I won’t be a good guest blogger. In order to get past that, I made myself stretch myself as a writer. I’ll let you know what happens.
| From: | |
| Sent: | Thu 3/04/10 10:29 AM |
| To: | little_women_2002@hotmail.com |
Writing and Illustrating
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| Book Title TipsPosted: 03 Mar 2010 09:08 PM PST
One of the questions I always ask an author is, “Was that the title you started with?” I can’t remember anyone telling me, “Yes,” yet. Titles – they are so important and yet, so hard to get right. Anyway, I thought I would pass on Rachelle’s tips and give you the link to her blog, since she has lots of other good stuff you could use. Here’s Rachelle’s 9 excellent tips. 1. Know the genre of your book, and identify what kind of feeling or tone you want to convey with the title. Write it down. This is important, as I’ve seen humorous books with dead-serious titles, contemporary books whose titles say “historical romance,” novels that sound like self-help books… you get the picture. Be clear on what your title needs to instantly communicate. Now you are ready to start brainstorming. 2. Find twenty books on Amazon that are in the same genre as yours and whose titles you like. Write down their titles. Try to get a feel for what works with your genre. What do you like about the titles? What don’t you like? Then put the list away for awhile. |
To find out the other tips offered by Rachelle Garner, go to http://kathytemean.wordpress.com/
I wish I’d said:
I would have loved to said something that was funny and smart that would make others laugh and think at the same time. However, I have a rather dry sense of humor and I forget the punchline to jokes all the time.
I wish I’d said:
I love crafts and doing them with my niece and nephews. I think I had more fun with it than they did. I’ve done them for years and will probably continue to do them until the arthritis in my knuckles stops me from finishing them.
I wish I’d said:
I love animals, dogs, cats, horses, but not bugs, mice and snakes. Those make my skin crawl.
I wish I’d said:
How the words in the stories I read as a child painted pictures in my head and then splashed over to my heart. They lifted me up and carried me away to places I couldn’t even imagine existing.
Reading grounded me and kept me safe when my life wasn’t so secure. It let me dream I could be anything and do anything that my heart desired.
I wish I’d said:
I helped raise some of my nieces and nephews and I fostered that love of reading.
I wish I’d said:
Each and every day, I know just how blessed I am. It makes me a good friend to the people I am lucky enough to know.
I wish I’d said:
I’m so glad to have such an awesome faith. When I was at my lowest point, I did what may well be my best writing thus far.
I wish I’d said:
I like encouraging other writers because I know what the encouragement offered to me has meant to me. I love the pay-it-forward philosophy. the writing community rocks.
I wish I’d said:
How heart breaking my job at the Social Services was and how typing reports about those kids made me a better person.
Since I didn’t on the interview, here are the things I wish I’d said.
This is the first installment in a 3 part interview with fellow author Nina Johnson. The second part of the interview appears on 01/14/10, and third part is scheduled for 01/15/10.
Nina and Peg Networking
I have always wanted to promote fellow writers in their quests for success in their careers. Recently, I’ve talked to several writers who have chosen to start a writing career at a later time in their lives. Many have raised their children, had a full career and are finally embarking on a journey to their dream. They inspire me to dare to dream.
One of those inspirations is Nina Johnson and I’ve invited her to join me on my blog.
Peg: Welcome Nina. It’s so nice to talk with you again. Thanks for taking time away from your busy schedule of the holidays and house hunting to share your journey with my readers.
Nina: Peg, thanks so much for having me. I’m honored that you would find my story interesting. Thanks for the invitation. As you know I’m travelling in the south as we get together for this interview. It is fun to take time out to touch base with writer friends.
Peg: Did you always know that you wanted to write?
Nina: No. As a matter of fact, I didn’t realize that I had any inclination in that direction. I did write a lot but never thought of it that way. I mean I did not write stories but travel logs and letters to friends and relatives kept me busy.
Peg: You and I share a passion for writing picture books. But you also write
Nina: I write as I just said letters to friends and family about travel and whatever comes to mind. I always have. Also I write a journal. I don’t always keep up with it as I should but it really helps me to keep ideas flowing.
Peg: What lead you to your writing journey? Were your parents and teachers support of your writing?
Nina: I always got good grades in school and loved writing reports and doing homework. I loved the feel of the pencil or pen in my hand. I did not equate it to writing, just doing my assignments. My parents were proud of my grades but I don’t think they ever realized that I wanted to write. How could they? I never knew myself.
Peg: As a child or young adult did you have a favorite author or two?
Nina: No, not really. I did not read much as far as books go. I was an active tomboy and since I was the oldest of six girls, I spent a lot of time with my dad working on cars and doing whatever I felt a son would do. After all, my father had no sons and 6 daughters. I thought he needed someone on his side.
Peg: I know what you mean. I was kind-of a tomboy at one time.
Nina: I did read a lot though. I read cereal boxes at the kitchen table, instructions for everything and never gave that a thought. Never thought that I was reading because they were not books.
Peg: I was the same way.
Peg: How did those authors impact your writing?
Nina: I guess as I got older, maybe when I was around 12 or so I did find science fiction fascinating. I don’t remember any authors in particular but I liked the “Best of whatever year” type of collections. Some of those stories I will never forget.
Peg: Tell my readers how you actually became a writer. Tell them what your husband said.
Nina: My husband said to me one day, “ Nina, you have spent these last years helping me get my company on it’s feet, now I want you to do what you have always wanted to do.” I asked him what that might be since I had no idea what I always wanted to do. He said, “You want to write children’s books!”
Peg: That is so cool. He’s really supportive, isn’t he?
Want to hear more of Nina’s story, check out the next installment of this interview.
First Goal: Blogging.
Posted on: January 6, 2010
It’s my goal for 2010 to be more dedicated to posting on my blog. I find it easy to get all caught up in the day-to-day life things and before I know it the day is gone. Then, I scramble to find a topic. I hate that I know that about myself. So . . . it is time to stop. I vow to be more dedicated as I build the habit of blogging to the very best of my ability.
1. I want my blog to be a reflection of all that I want my life to be as a writer. I want my reader to know who I am as a writer. I want to make my readers laugh. I want to make them cry.
2. I want it (my blog) to be filled with information that other readers can say “Wow! I didn’t know that.” I want it to be stuffed with tips that are clear and concise, both in the post of my own tips as well as those from other writers that I read.
3. I want to post book reviews that will help parents and others want to share the books I’ve chosen to review.
4. I want to stretch myself as a writer with articles that stimulate and advance writers on their own personal writing journey. I feel like I would love to give new writers the same thing I’ve been given by others. It’s a “Pay-it forward” thing. By the way, that movie is one of my all-time favorites.
5. I want to share my own journey with others. I like posting about my successes and not-so successes. I want those who feel alone in their writing to know that there is a great source of support out there. Personally, I wouldn’t be writing this blog if not for the writers in my life.
6. I want to share chats on various sites, like #kidlitchat and #YAlitchat.
7. I want to include videos from experts in the field as well information on contests and challenges from other writers. It is my humble opinion that the more opportunites for a writer to grow, the more of a chances they have to make their career what they have always dreamed it would be.
Methods to accheive this include:
A. Subscribing to other writers blogs.
B. Particpating in chats that include writers, illustrators, editors, and publishers, etc. I never know what I might learn.
C. Reading books, taking courses, attending conferences are some of the ways I can hone my skills.
D. I can take risks and try new things . . . maybe it will lead me to a new passion.
E. Blogging helps me stay focus, so I can blog more.
I found this article about blogging and how quotes from Confucious can make you a better blogger. As that is one of my personal goals for the next year, I put this on my favorite list to refer to at a later time.
About the Author: Michael Aagaard is something so rare as a serious Danish online copywriter. In fact, he recently launched the very first Danish blog dedicated to the fine art of online copywriting.
Confucius, the father of Confucianism, died more than 2500 years ago, but his teachings are still relevant — not least when it comes to blogging.
Here are five classic Confucian quotes that are vital to remember if you want a successful blog.
1. The essence of knowledge is having it, to apply it
Information and knowledge sharing are the main driving forces behind the web. If you want people to read your blog and follow it loyally, you can’t be greedy with your knowledge.
You need to give your readers something that will make their lives better — every time they visit your blog. When you feel you’re giving too much away for free, you’re on the right track.
Read the rest of the article @http://www.copyblogger.com/confucius-blogging.
CBI Clubhouse Article.
Posted on: December 1, 2009
I am a CBI Clubhouse member and love what I am learning there. This article is one of the reasons why. Jon has gratiously allowed me to post excepts and videos from his site. Read the excerpt and then check out the link.
http://cbiclubhouse.com/2009/11/four-steps-to-becoming-a-better-writer/
Four Steps to Becoming a Better Writer
Nov 30th, 2009 | By Laura Backes | Category: The Writing Process
Great writers aren’t born – they’re made. Here are some of their secrets.
I was recently asked “Can I get published as a children’s book author if I’m not a good writer?” I was caught off guard at first, but the more I thought about it, the more I appreciated the question. The sender is aware of her limitations, but dreams of getting published anyway. She’s not suffering under the delusion that she’s the next J.K. Rowling, and I appreciate that. She’s going to look at her work with a critical eye, and search for ways to make it better. This is assuming that it’s possible to learn to write well. I believe that it is.
Very few writers have the natural ability to create vibrant, relevant, compelling stories right out of the gate. Most have to work at it. And those who see writing as a skill that is never quite mastered, requiring a lifelong devotion to the learning process, will be most successful. Where this gets tricky is that unlike other skills – such as baking a cake – there is no foolproof way to learn how to write. So while I can’t give you a one-size-fits-all method, I can offer up some ideas on how you can find the path that works best for you.
Read, read, read. Why are editors always telling aspiring authors to read piles of children’s books? Because they provide a concrete representation of what works. Be sure you read good books (check reviews or ask a librarian or teacher for recommendations). By simply reading, you’ll grasp the ebb and flow of a story, how a character is introduced and developed, the types of conflicts appropriate for each age group, how to build tension in scenes and chapters, the relation of sub-plots to the main storyline, how dialogue moves the plot along, and much more. You’ll experience firsthand how a skilled author utilizes sensory images to immerse the reader completely in the story. By comparing several authors writing for the same age group, you’ll hear different literary voices.
Do Editors Care if You Blog?
Posted on: November 2, 2009
In this past week, I’ve had several different points of view about the value of blogging offered to me by some fellow writers. Of course, I have my own view as I blog, Duh! It wouldn’t be very smart for me to dislike blogging, now would it?
http://networkedblogs.com/p16402394 Today, I found an article on BookEnds, LLC A Literary Agency where they encourage blogging.
Don’t take my word for it, read the article for yourself.
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