9 Things Authors CAN Do to Restore Value to Writing Books

by Cindy Sproles @CindyDevoted

In this day of brick and mortar bookstores dropping like flies I realize the price of a book can be $12-$15. By the time the publisher takes their cut, the distributor takes their chunk, and agents get their share, book dealers can barely butter their bread and authors are left crumbs. When you factor in book returns to the publisher and those monies being taken away from the author - you can see why people tell writers to keep their day job.

Email Etiquette for Writers

by Molly Jo Realy @RealMoJo68

Welcome to The Right Conversation. I’m one of your social media ninjas, navigating you through the cyber-world with all its twists, turns and rabbit holes.

This month’s topic: Email Etiquette.

In today’s world of instant gratification for questions and answers, it’s important to pause before you hit send. Whether you’re initiating or replying to an email, here are few guidelines to help you maintain a respected and respectable email reputation:

Basic Errors That Could Keep Your Writing From Being Published

by Vonda Skelton @VondaSkelton

A few years ago my 12-year-old granddaughter and I were behind a van with this slogan painted on the back window: 

"Customer Service at It's Best." 

Being the good grandmother that I am, I pointed out the mistake and proceeded to explain why the slogan was incorrect. She didn't want to hear my wise counsel...until I said that little apostrophe could be the difference between getting a job and not getting one, whether she wanted to be a writer, a teacher, or a CEO.

She didn't believe me, but it's true...especially in writing.

Tips for Getting Writing Clips — Publishing as a Second Language

by Linda Gilden @LindaGilden

“Send published clips with submission.”

“Query/clips for fiction.”

“Query/clips or complete manuscript.”

These are all taken right from the market guide. But you may wonder what that word “clips” means to a writer.

The term originates from the time writers clipped, or cut, their articles from newspapers or magazines so that they would have examples of their writing to share with other editors. Writers requested extra printed copies of the articles they wrote in order to make sure they had enough clips to share.

Tips to Overcome the Barrier of No Unsolicited Manuscripts

by Cindy Sproles @CindyDevoted

Tips to overcome the barrier of
no unsolicited manuscripts

No unsolicited manuscripts!  Ah, the pain of reading or hearing those three words is every writer’s nightmare. 

As the squeeze on the publishing industry grows tighter and tighter, so grows the frustration of the new writer.

Everywhere we turn, we see the words no unsolicited manuscripts. With such stop signs how could we expect to ever be published? 

The greater question becomes, “Why don’t they accept unsolicited manuscripts?”

Carolina Christian Writers Conference

Edie here. We're ramping up into writing conference season. I've already attended two this year as part of the faculty—Asheville Christian Writers Conference and Florida Christian Writers Conference. I'll be part of another one in a couple of weeks, the Carolina Christian Writers Conference. Linda Gilden is the director and a good friend. Today I persuaded her to give us a preview of what to expect!

Carolina Christian Writers Conference

PSL, Publishing as a Second Language—What is Genre & How Do I Figure Out Mine?

by Linda Gilden @LindaGilden

When I started writing one of the strangest words to both my ear and tongue was the word genre. It is pronounced ʒɑn·rə or ˈʒɑ̃·rə but even knowing that, the pronunciation seemed awkward.

After using it for a few years, I began to get used to using this word. It became easier to say and the more I heard it the more common it seemed. But the mystery still remained as to what a genre really is.

A Writer’s Publishing Team

by DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills

A writer’s passion for a book project isn’t enough. Success depends on her team’s 100% commitment to the project. Writing and publishing are not single-handed ventures. 

It takes a community of specialized people to write, edit, design, market, promote, and sell a story that readers will eagerly purchase, read, and recommend.

Take a look at the overall picture of what goes into placing a story in front of a reader’s eyes.

The Differences Make a Difference

by Eva Marie Everson @EvaMarieEverson

In a month, I will either be on Cloud 9, or absolutely out of my mind. Because in one month, we’ll be on the verge of Florida Christian Writers Conference. And I’m one of the two directors.

Egads.

This past weekend, someone who plans to be at the conference as a First Time Conferee told me that one of the “differences” FCWC offers is why she chose our conference this year over others.

And what are those differences, you ask?

Idea Starters for Writers—Calendar Days—October’s Crazy Holidays & Special Occasions

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

Idea Starters for Writers—Calendar Days

Are you looking for a unique article idea to pitch to a magazine? What about a different blog post or a social media update that gets everyone's attention? Today may be just what you're looking for—it’s time again for Calendar Days. These aren't just fun to read. They’re also a great way to jumpstart our creativity and a fun writing prompt idea. 




In addition, calendar days are great conversation starters for social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, especially when two contrasting holidays fall on the same date or if you can personalize them to someone you know. Here are some that stood out to me this month: 

I can't help but giggle at the holidays that fall on the same date this month, like October 30 has Create a Great Funeral Day and Frankenstein Day. That just hits me as ironic. And personally, I think of Cathy Baker, a wonderful poet,  on October 1, Poetry Appreciation Day, Lisa Jordan on October 3 for Card Making Day, and finally, I can't help but remember Julia Tomiak on October 16, Dictionary Day. I just love her Diary of a Word Nerd blog! 

Write Hard and Pray Harder

by Lori Hatcher @LoriHatcher2

Jackie lives a charmed life. Writing opportunities fall into her lap, she wakes up with creative thoughts, and she always seems to be in the right place at the right time when publishers are looking for a new project.

Seth is the same way. Big name bloggers invite him to guest blog. Focus on the Family magazine calls him for article ideas, and people line up to promote his book. Like a modern-day Midas, everything he touches goes viral.

Other writers, however, sing the chorus of the old Hee Haw song about bad luck.

Tried and True Ways to Attract Readers

by DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills

We writers can become so involved with our stories that we forget we’re writing for readers—not agents, editors, marketing and promotion types, or sales staff.

Entertainment is our aim,

And writing is our game.

There are 7.2 billion people in this world. We will never meet each person, but we have the opportunity to contact them and make a friend from anywhere. How amazing to reach others with a well written story—to give and not to take. That’s a challenge, and one I welcome.

Where does a writer find sound ways to bring people under the umbrella of a reader . . . and a friend?

Write Smart: Don't Dumb Down Your Writing & Insult Your Readers

by Vonda Skelton @VondaSkelton

Readers are smart. They’re smart because they read. And if there’s one thing smart readers hate, it’s when writers treat them like they’re dumb.

One way writers dumb down their readers is by info-dumping. Check out these examples:

“When are things going to get back to the way they were before? Can you believe it’s been ten years since daddy left us?” 

Marsha turned from her sister and wiped a tear. “We had to move into public housing and go on food stamps. Then our brother died and Daddy never even knew. And then you had to ago into rehab. It’s all his fault.”

Let’s be honest here, would we ever have a conversation like that with our siblings? I doubt it. After all, it’s simply a retelling of facts we would both already know. It’s dumping info on to the page for the perceived benefit of the reader. But our readers won’t appreciate the so-called benefit. They can see through our ruse. They know that we’re taking the easy way out.

It's the Author's Responsibility to Keep Readers Reading

by Cindy Sproles @CindyDevoted

J. R. Ewing heard a noise outside his office door. He walked into the hallway and BOOM! Shot. Twice. This was the season ender for the 1980 television show, Dallas. America was taken back when they realized they were left without the answers to two questions:      

1. Was J. R. Ewing dead?  
2. Who shot him?

That closing scene was every writers dream come true . . . having the viewer/reader hungry for more.

Fiction is the most read genre in the country. Not only do authors vie for a spot on the fiction shelves of a bookstore, bigger yet, they vie for the reader’s attention. Thanks to the world of technology and media bumping up a viewer’s expectations, writers must step up the pace to draw the reader in.

Social Media Basics for Writers—Scheduling Tips for Using Hootsuite

Last week we started discussing how to use Hootsuite, my secret weapon for social media time management. 

Today I'm finishing up. One thing I've discovered, there's too much information to put in one single post. So this will be continued in at least one more post.

Now on to business at hand.

Here is step by step how I schedule Tweets and Facebook Posts in Hootsuite.

Writers are Speakers - 7 Ways to Destroy Your Speaking Career

by Lucinda Secrest McDowell @LucindaSMcDowell

Writers are often asked to speak. 

Whether you are a writer-who-speaks or speaker-who-writes, it is always important to keep some basic principles in mind as you venture out to various events. 

Remember, that your speaking can enhance your writing career. So, be on the lookout for these 7 mistakes you don’t want to make.

Confronting Your Bad Reviews

by Warren Adler @WarrenAdler

Every serious novelist worth their salt believes in their soul that they have written a brilliant novel or multiple novels in which the reader will find compelling characters engaged in deeply imagined stories that profoundly illustrate the human condition.

What every novelist, traditionally or self-published, yearns for is for others to be moved by their work, to be praised, acclaimed, recognized and celebrated for what they truly believe is their masterful artistic performance.

Of course, they might deny such a characterization and offer the explanation that it is the only the work itself that matters to the true artist. And while such a conviction does have the ring of truth, human vanity and the power of the ego is too deeply embedded in the psyche to be denied.

With that thought in mind, how does a novelist whose work is presented to the scrutiny of allegedly influential reviewers react to those who trash their book?

5 Ways to Survive the Christian Fiction Downturn

Edie here. Today I'm really excited to introduce you to the newest member of The Write Conversation Blogging Team, Cyle Young. Cyle is an award-winning author with his own amazing collaborative writing site, Almost An Author. So join me in welcoming him to the group!

5 Ways to Survive the Christian Fiction Downturn
by Cyle Young @CyleYoung

The internet has been abuzz recently with the recent closing of Abingdon Press’s fiction division.

Publishers and agents everywhere are grasping to understand the economic impact of that change. Christian fiction authors are left to ponder what place they can hold in an ever-diminishing CBA fiction market.

But as disheartening as the news is for fiction authors in the CBA, there’s a small light at the end of the tunnel. Publishers are still publishing Christian fiction—this isn’t the apocalypse.

If you are a Christian fiction writer, here are 5 ways you can “roll with the punches”, and adjust to the recent changes in the CBA.

Overcoming the Fear of Writing Failure

by Cindy Sproles @CindyDevoted

Overcoming the fear of writing failure.

"So Mom, how's book two coming?" My son's voice echoed through the phone. "Mom. You there?"

"Uh, yep. I'm here. I have some ideas."

“That's never been a problem. How's the book coming?"

"I can't seem to get started?"

"Why?" He asked.

"I don't know."

"You got a story in mind?"

"Yes."

"Then just write it."

I'd stretched my fiction wings so far, the muscles ached and I was successful. Now I faced writing book two.

Publishing as a Second Language, Part Two—Cover Letter vs. Query Letter

by Linda Gilden @LindaGilden

If you missed the first post in this series, Linda covers Glimpses From a Writer's Glossary

Of all the terms new writers hear when they begin their careers, cover letter and query letter are some of the more confusing. Both are letters that go to editors, so shouldn’t you just write a good letter and be done with it?

Cover letters and query letters each have their own functions. It may not be a deal breaker if you send one in place of the other, but it may look unprofessional.