As a writer, what are some of the challenges you face, and how do you overcome those challenges?

We love to help build a sense of community and connect with writers, authors, and book lovers in the literary community. Each week, we’d like to feature a segment where the those in the literary community can share their experiences and support one another throughout the process.

This week we’re asking, ”As a writer, what are some of the challenges you face, and how do you overcome those challenges?“ Many writers face many different challenges. It could range from (and/or include) writers block, not having enough time to write, or organizing their manuscript, to confusion about the publishing process, understanding E-books, or how to publicize their book. Which ever it may be for you, we are asking you to share  you’re experiences. Please feel free to comment below and add to the discussion!

Tips for Creating a Smooth Manuscript

You’re a writer. You have an idea for a book, and you spend weeks, months, even years crafting your idea into a manuscript. You have friends and family read it and tell you they think it’s great. As a result, you become more confident and start submitting your work to publishers.

In a nutshell, that’s how many of us think; that it’s an easy process and we’re going to have the next bestseller. But it’s not that easy. Here’s one thing publishers and editors can agree with: Not all manuscripts are created equal. You may feel your work is a masterpiece, only to find markups and edits all over your work after submitting it, or even worse, receiving  rejection letter after rejection letter. Well here are a few tips for you to follow when writing and revising your manuscript that will  help you develop and polish your work before it leaves your hands.

Proofread

Sometimes the simplest mistakes can hurt your chances of impressing an agent, editor, or publisher.This goes for not only your manuscript itself, but for emails, query letters, and any type of correspondence. Watch for spelling errors, grammar, and punctuation. Some of us may be used to short-hand abbreviations used with texting or Twitter, so be careful not to write, “U,” or “Thx,” when typing. All of these will affect your professionalism and your talents as a writer.

Transitions

One thing an editor will be looking for is transitions. For example, how well one paragraph flows into the next. They’ll also be looking at how well you bring your reader into situations (too fast or too slow), and how each of your scenes and chapters tie in with the overall story. You want to make sure your work is seamless…this goes for fiction and non-fiction manuscripts.

Show the readers, don’t tell them

When outlining a novel, you may start out by listing the situations in a scene, which is often a great idea to getting your ideas down on paper. But when you begin filling in your story, you want to show the readers instead of telling them. What do I mean by this? Instead of making a laundry list of actions and reactions, provide the readers with details of characters, their expressions, movements, etc. Create a scene where the reader can come to their own perceptions of your characters and story by the details and descriptions you offer.

Give credit where credit is due

When editors read through a manuscript, they also look for citations. If you’re submitting a non-fiction manuscript, be sure to cite quotations, work from another book, and photographs. In today’s day and age, it is very easy to Google a photograph or text of a book. Does it mean you should do it?

There are copyright laws out there and the last thing you want on your reputation is that you plagiarized someone else’s work. So if you do decide to use the work of others, please give them credit for it.

Some General Misconceptions About Publishing

The publishing process is complex. It’s one thing to say, “I just wrote a book, now I want to have it published,” yet quite another to set the ball in motion. As authors prepare their manuscript for a publisher(s), many have preconceived notions about how things happen. We want it to be printed as is. We don’t want to pay for editing (friends and family have seen it, that should be enough, right?). We want it to be free. We want high royalties. We want the publisher to handle all of the work. Right?

Wrong. Sure there are publishers out there will print and publish your work as is, but that doesn’t ensure the highest quality product for you or you audience. Sure there are publishers that will provide the work “for free,” but that doesn’t mean you’re not paying for it via your royalties. All these things must be taken into consideration, researched, asked about, and fully explained before you make major decisions.

Below are some of the most common misconceptions that I’ve come across that I feel should be addressed right away. Please feel free to add to this list, as I’m sure there will be more to come on this topic. So let’s take a look.

The submission process is, or should be, the same for all publishers.

Every publisher is different. Each will have its own set of guidelines. One publisher may accept romance novels, while the other may accept science fiction. The same is true for non-fiction material. That is why it’s important to research publishers and learn about what they accept and do not accept. If you submit a manuscript without following the specific guidelines of the publisher, it could be considered an unsolicited manuscript. Your manuscript may not even make it to the rejection pile; instead, it may end up in trash. It is a waste of the publisher’s time, as well as your time, to submit work without following the publisher’s guidelines.

My work doesn’t need to be edited before I submit it to publishers.

Proofreading, editing, revisions, and more revisions are all necessary for a manuscript to be at its best when submitted

to publishers. When friends and family read your manuscript, more often than not, they are not looking at your work objectively. A writer needs to have at least a second set of eyes to evaluate the content and offer constructive criticism.

Please keep in mind that editing is a very in-depth process and will help you further develop your work as you prepare for the publishing process. It takes time and expertise, and the editor is there to help you refine and develop your work to make sure it is of utmost quality. It will also help make a better impression with publishers when your work is free of errors and is fully developed.

Writers should stay away from publishers who charge fees for services.

Traditional publishing is becoming increasingly difficult to break into, especially for new authors. Now-a-days, writers are taking their dream of publishing into their own hands and are finding other outlets where they can publish their work. Both self-publishing and small/Print On Demand publishers are becoming more popular because they allow writers to remain in control of their work and earn higher royalties. POD also eliminates the risk of printing too many books at a time and having to warehouse inventory. Interestingly enough, traditional publishers are now incorporating POD equipment and practices into their realm to keep up with the changing times.

Publishers should be responsible for all promotion and marketing for my work.

While publishers will perform such services (sometimes for a fee), it is imperative that the author plays an active role in the promotion and marketing of his/her book. Along with the publisher, the author must be willing to promote his/her work at any given opportunity in order to achieve the best results.

This may include book signings, handing out your business card when meeting people, attending seminars, networking, utilizing social media, blogging, and doing everything you can do to get your name out there and share your achievements with others.

Publicity vs Marketing: Similarities and Differences

Through my experiences, I’m realizing that many people have different views, opinions, and assumptions of how to define publicity, marketing, and sometimes advertising. They do fall into the same family of careers and services, however, they are all very different from one another. So I thought, I’d like to take this opportunity to outline the similarities and differences of the above, so you can have a clearer idea of how each of these work.

Publicity: Publicity, or often known as public relations or media relations, is just that. A professional in this arena would work with a client to pitch their story, event, achievements, etc. to the media. The media includes broadcast, print, and Online outlets, which all have their own staff of journalists who cover different beats, or topics.

There is an art to publicity, or PR, in how to craft releases and alerts to capture the attention of journalists, and to have them cover the story or event. Publicity does reach the audience, but the main focus is toward the media.

Marketing: Marketing, which is related to publicity,  is geared specifically toward the client’s audience. It could include a marketing plan, brand development, and encompass having materials created such as business cards, fliers, etc. to enhance the project.

A marketing professional will work with the client to identify the target audience and will offer a tailored plan as to how to reach that audience. Also, if there are products to be sold (for instance a toy with a children’s book), product development will tie into the marketing plan.

Advertising: When people publicize or market their work, often times others will say they are advertising. Again, advertising is related to the above, but it is different. To advertise, which can be the most costly of the three, entails paying a fee to have a print ad (newspapers, magazines) or commercial (radio, TV) strategically placed to target your audience.

Things to consider include a full-page ad in the newspaper, a one-inch x one-inch ad in a magazine, a 60-second video commercial, or 30-second radio slot.  Advertising is very much competitive and can become the most expensive venture.

So as you can see, publicity, marketing, and advertising are related to one another, yet have their differences. It is my hope that you can use the above outline to differentiate between the three, and when asked what type of services you would like performed, you will have a better idea of how each one operates.

10 Ways for a Book Author to Share Free Content on the Internet

Hello everyone! Today’s blog post is going to address 10 ways for a an author to share free content Online.  It was posted on Twitter via @BubbleCow (www.bubblecow.co.uk) and was written by Phyllis Zimbler Miller. I thought this would be fitting to the writing community and wanted to share it with you. So please take a few moments to read the article  below and learn about how you can share your content, build an audience and network, and learn how it will lead to success for you and your book. Enjoy!

by Phyllis Zimbler Miller

Book authors sell their books — the fruits of their writing labor. Thus it may seem counterintuitive to recommend that, for online book marketing success, book authors must be willing to share abundant free content.

Why is this?

On the Internet people are usually looking for relationships (connections) before buying something. Even if the book author has an effective website – one that makes it immediately clear what’s on offer and provides an easily visible BUY button, this effective website is often not enough by itself to motivate buying the author’s book.

Let’s look at 10 ways that fiction and nonfiction authors can share free content:

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1. Offer a free sample chapter on their websites and on other sites around the Internet.

2. Write a blog with information based on their book or on another interest.

3. Provide book group discussion questions.

4. Leave thoughtful comments on other people’s blog posts.

5. Participate in conversations on Twitter.

6. Write articles and upload these to article directories such as Ezinearticles.com.

7. Participate in groups on Facebook and LinkedIn.

8. Write book reviews on Amazon.

9. Write brief book review comments on Glue.com.

10. Upload several chapters or the entire book to fReado.com.

Now let’s discuss what all this free content sharing does:

• Perhaps most importantly, it demonstrates that you can indeed write well – that your book is probably well-written.

• It also demonstrates that you’re not just out to sell your books. You’re interested in engaging with readers. In fact, readers can contact you directly at social media sites such as Twitter.

• Third benefit? You may have just written enough new material to compile into an ebook that you can sell off your website.

• And, finally, it does help you sell your books because people are reminded of you and your book at different places around the Web. How many times have you decided to buy something and then forgotten to buy it? With your name and writing examples all over cyberspace you’ve provided potential fans with subtle reminders about your book.

Some writers are concerned that others will “steal” their material if that material is so easily accessible. I believe you have to be willing to take this slight risk in order to reap the greater probability of having people become interested in your writing.

Although some writers are happy to write only for themselves, most writers would like as large a reading public as possible. Being willing to share free content on the Web can help book authors attract a wider fan base.

Phyllis Zimbler Miller’s company Miller Mosaic LLC just launched the Miller Mosaic Internet Marketing Program to help people promote their brand, book or business — http://budurl.com/marketingonweb

Does My Book Need Editing?

One thing that I have come across time and time again is the age-old debate of editing. Some of the things we’ve either heard or said ourselves, include:

“Is editing necessary?”
“Why should I pay to have it done when I can have my friends look over my work?”
“My book doesn’t need editing!”

But the truth is, editing is necessary. Your friends aren’t editors (although some may be!). And books do need editing. As a writer, it is important to have at least one or two sets of eyes look through your work. They may catch mistakes that you weren’t aware of, for one. Or perhaps they may correct some proofreading errors. But more than that, an editor will help you further develop your work. An editor will work with you to develop characters, plot, and climax, as well as alert you to any holes in the story, the need for transitions, and the areas that may need more attention and detail. They read your work line by line for the quality of the content.

Many may feel that editing costs too much, and would rather look through their own work for any holes or mistakes. But understand that editing is an involved process. It takes time. It takes knowledge. And, like everything else, it is an investment. But the editor is there to work with you to help you produce the best work possible, which is the ultimate goal.

Question for Authors

I’d like to bring back the Q&A section of my blog. In previous posts, we’ve held discussions about the writing process and author’s experiences with rejection letters. I’d like to open a new discussion about the challenges we face when wanting to publish our work. So, here we go!

Authors, what is the biggest challenge you face when publishing your work? This can range from sending submissions, organizing a manuscript, or marketing the final product. What is your biggest challenge and how did you/are you overcoming it?

Are You Ready to Self-Publish?

Hello everyone! I hope your week is off to a great start! I came across another great resource that I’d love to share with you. It’s an article about self-publishing featured on Fiction Matters. The article highlights four aspects of the self-publishing process and asks the aspiring reader if s/he is ready to commit to them.

The four questions:

1) Can you afford to have your book professionally worked on?
2) Do you have a strong sales background?
3) Do you have a strong marketing background?
4) Could you quit your job to sell your book full time?

These are four important questions to ask yourself if you are considering self-publishing. Many aspiring authors may not realize, but self-publishing your work is just like running your own business. You will wear all of the hats and be responsible for every aspect of your book being successful, as it is a full-time commitment.

So ask yourself these questions above. Are you ready to self-publish your work? If you are, keep in mind that you have an endless amount of resources at your fingertips to help you in your endeavor. All you need to do is ask!

Future of Self-Publishing, POD.

Good afternoon everyone! Today is a beautiful day here and I hope you’re all enjoying your weekend. So I’ve been reading a lot of articles and blog entries about the future of self-publishing and print-on-demand publishers. I must say, a lot of it is very inspiring, and personally, I think it’s a wonderful option for first-time authors who are looking to get a head start in publishing their book. Of course there are pros and cons to traditional publishing and POD, but I think many aspiring authors are turning to self-publishing as a viable option. From what I’ve been reading, it’s proving to be the right way to go.

Below are some links to the articles I’ve mentioned above.

http://bit.ly/18IH8c
http://bit.ly/4q63ub

These are great success stories, and I think we’re going to be hearing more of them. What do you think?

More Good News in Rochester!

I’m always glad to share good news in the midst of all the tragedy that is being reported in the news. And I’m sure many people would agree with me that we are ready to see and hear more good news than bad. Sometimes it’s just overload. On that note, I’d love to share something positive! Something positive about the growth and development taking place here in Rochester. Amidst the news of the economy, there are businesses who continue to thrive, grow, expand, and succeed, and one of those businesses is Bene-Care. Take a look at our press release to see what new changes and developments are happening!

 

Bene-Care to Occupy Newly Renovated Building in Penfield

Bene-Care, a specialist serving the health insurance needs of local businesses, signed a contract Tuesday, April 7 to purchase property and renovate a 13,085 square-foot building that will become their new office space.

The new location, 1260 Creek Street in Penfield, is undergoing extensive renovations and improvements. The building will soon feature new energy efficient windows to allow for natural light and a complete revamp of the lavatory facilities, which along with other building upgrades, will meet requirements for wheelchair-accessibility. The exterior of the building will have two new stair towers to conform to fire code regulations and new paving in the parking lot. The developments will be a benefit to both the community and Bene-Care, as they continue to grow.

“As the options for health care coverage have increased, our business has grown in response to customer needs,” said Bill Bach, President of Bene-Care. “I’m proud to be part of the growth of Rochester. The renovation of this property will accommodate our continued growth as we expand customer support services in a dynamic healthcare marketplace.”

The project is being supported by Comida, as well as the Small Business Association. The SBA is fast tracking approval of this project which falls under part of the stimulus package. The purchase of the new property will be made by Bach Properties. Construction is slated to begin April 15.

The anticipated move-in date for Bene-Care is early September. An Open House event will be announced upon completion of the project, welcoming clients and the community to help celebrate their growth, achievements, and new location.

For more information about Bene-Care, please visit www.bene-care.com