Writing the Middle Grade Novel: From Start to Finish - Part Three

Writing the Middle Grade Novel: From Start to Finish - Part Three

By Suzanne Lieurance

In Part 1 of this article you learned how to get your story started. In Part 2, you learned some tips and techniques for plotting your story. Many writers who start a middle grade novel get halfway through the story and then give up on the project. That doesn't have to be the case for you. Here are a few tips to help you FINISH your manuscript.

1. Don't ask for feedback too soon. Any criticism too early can confuse you or make you stop working on your story altogether. Wait until you're at least 6 chapters into your story before you ask for feedback. Better yet, have a story synopsis to show your critique group, along with your first 6 chapters, so they can see where you are wanting the story to go.

2. If you get stuck on a particular chapter, skip it for the time being and move on to the next chapter or even move several chapters ahead. This will keep you writing, and sometimes you'll figure out WHY you just couldn't get a particular earlier chapter to work and you'll be able to go back and write it once you have a later chapter in place.

3. Don't worry too much about having all the details for every chapter at first. The first thing you must do is just get the entire first draft on paper. This is the MOST important thing, so just keep writing.

4. Avoid endlessly rewriting the first chapter or the first couple of chapters instead of moving ahead to new chapters. Generally, writers are excited to write the first chapter or two. And the writing flows easily. After that, it starts to become more difficult and we think if we go back and rewrite those first few chapters, we'll be able to write the next ones just as easily as we wrote the first ones. But that's a trap that keeps you from moving ahead.

5. If you get so stuck that you just can't seem to figure out anything for any new chapters, stop and move away from the chapters. Get a pad of paper and start interviewing your main character-or the character who doesn't seem to be doing what he/she needs to be doing to move the action forward. You're probably stuck because you just don't know your characters well enough.

6. Go back and write another chapter. Keep following steps 2-5 until you finish the entire manuscript. Just focus on writing one chapter at a time and eventually you'll have the entire book completed.

Now you know how to write a middle grade novel - from start to finish, so what are you waiting for? Get started and keep writing until your novel is completed!

For more writing and marketing tips and resources visit Suzanne Lieurance's Working Writers Club and sign up today. It will put your writing career in 'drive.'

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Suzanne_Lieurance

If you missed Parts One CLICK HERE.

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WANT TO WRITE FICTION FOR KIDS. CHECK OUT THIS IN  DEPTH 180 PAGE EBOOK:

Fiction Writing for Children

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Additional Writing Articles

Write a Novel That Sells
Simple as ABC: 6 Basic Tips for Writing Children’s Fiction (Part 1)
Creating and Beefing up Conflict

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To keep up with writing and marketing information, along with Free webinars - signup for A Writer's World Newsletter on the right top sidebar!

Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Multi-award Winning Author, Freelance/Ghostwriter, Editor, Marketer

Find Karen’s eBooks on writing and marketing at:
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com

Karen Cioffi Writing Services - A Team of Professionals Writing 4 U
For Businesses and Individuals
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com/karen-cioffi-writing-services/

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Beyond Book Sales Income: Book Marketing and Diversification

Beyond Book Sales Income: Book Marketing and Diversification

I love the internet . . . you can find almost anything and learn just about anything by doing a search. In a webinar provided by Steve Harrison of Quantum Leap. The guest speaker was Jack Canfield. For those of you who haven’t yet hear of him (this would be amazing if you are in the writing field), Canfield is the co-creator of Chicken Soup for the Soul.

Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen had a dream. They would have a New York Times best selling book. But, the road to success wasn’t easy . . . they received 144 rejections from publishers. This did not stop them—they moved forward with visualization and positive projection techniques. Chicken Soup for the Soul came out in 1993. Since they didn’t have enough money for a publicist so they did their own marketing. By 1995, they won the Abby Award and the Southern California Publicist Award.

This was the second teleseminar I had the privilege of attending featuring Canfield. The information offered was geared toward the strategies needed to make money publishing books through marketing and diversification. This concept is very similar to a video clip I watched of Robert Kiyosaki, author of Rich Dad Poor Dad, which was also presented by Steve Harrison.

So, what exactly are the concepts of book marketing and diversification?

8 Book Marketing and Diversification Tips to Help Make Money

1. Build a platform.

Start your platform when you are thinking of writing a book—don’t wait until you are published. Creating connections, contacts, and readers takes time.

2. Realize you will most probably not get rich writing books.

Yes, that’s right, you will not automatically become wealthy from book publication. But, while you won’t get rich, it will open doors that will not otherwise be open. This is the opportunity for diversification—don’t just look straight ahead—use your peripheral vision.

3. Learn how to market and sell YOU and your books.

Never stop learning about writing and book marketing. Read about the subjects; attend conferences and teleseminars; join writing and marketing groups; and follow blogs that provide valuable and up-to-date information. But, remember, you don’t want to just sell your books, you want to sell what you have to offer along with your books.

4. Research areas you can diversify in.

If you are published there are a number of doors that will magically open. You can create e-books; you can present teleseminars, webinars, or workshops; you can offer classes or coaching; you can even write a book about your experiences and successes.

Tip: Before you start charging for your expertise, offer some free services. This will help establish you as an expert in your field.

5. Never stop selling.

Find new avenues to sell your books and services. Utilize some of the suggestions in #4 above.

6. Build your subscriber list. 

According to expert marketer Jim Edwards, if you don't have a list that's continually growing, you're sunk.

You'll need to develop a trusting relationship with your readers by providing quality information on a regular basis, along with quality products.

7. Believe you can do it.

This is probably the most important tip for success. Canfield is a firm believer in the power of tweaking your subconscious and projection.

8. Pay it forward.

As the Bible tells us, “There is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving.” New World Translation, Acts 20:35.

Aside from being good for you as a writer and marketer, giving back is good for the universe and our troubled world.

Don't have a book yet to 'strategize' into an online empire? Don't fret.

You can turn your blog into an info product generation machine with InstaProduct, a brand new and revolutionary Wordpress Plugin. Being able to create info products is the #1 skill online publishers have developed. This has made many a wealthy self-published author.

Check it out: InstaProduct

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Related Book Marketing Articles

SEO Marketing Tips to Help Get Links to Your Site
Book Marketing Strategy: Blog Commenting and Sharing Posts
How to Drive Traffic to a Website Using Expert Information Content

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To keep up with writing and marketing information, along with Free webinars - signup for A Writer's World Newsletter on the right top sidebar!

Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Multi-award Winning Author, Freelance/Ghostwriter, Editor, Marketer

Find Karen’s eBooks on writing and marketing at:
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com

Karen Cioffi Writing Services
A Team of Professionals for Businesses and Individuals
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com/karen-cioffi-writing-services/

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10-Second Story Ideas - Adapt Familiar Titles and Phrases

10-Second Story Ideas - Adapt Familiar Titles and Phrases

by Deb Gallardo

This 10-second story inspiration comes from clever book titles that immediately made me ask "What's this story about?" These titles are fun, but more importantly, they are compelling. How can YOU create similarly quirky titles (and stories) that set the imagination soaring and will drive people in droves to your book? To answer that, let's look at the sources of these titles before they were so cleverly transformed.

TITLES

"The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse" is a nod to "The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse," which heralds the end of the world as we know it.

"The Big Over Easy: A Nursery Crime" is a play on words for "The Big Easy" (nickname of New Orleans, Louisiana), and which was a dark film about a police investigation into mob violence and possible police corruption.

"Thursday Next: First Among Sequels (Book 5)" alludes to the British novel and miniseries "First Among Equals," about four politicians vying to become Prime Minister of the UK.

"Duncan Delaney and the Cadillac of Doom" calls to mind "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom," the quintessential adventure tale with an impending cloud of doom hanging over it.

ANALYSIS

Notice how, in the first title, juxtaposing chocolate bunnies and the apocalypse makes an immediate statement. It sets the mind to wondering 'What could chocolate bunnies possibly have to do with the end of the world?'

In the second title, we can deduce from the fact it's a "nursery crime" having to do with eggs, that this is probably about Humpty Dumpty, but that he didn't just fall. He's been murdered.

With the third title, even if you aren't familiar with this delightful novel series, you can tell it has something to do with books and politicians vying for position.

Finally, the last title just jumped out at me with its "Cadillac of Doom" phrasing. I have no idea what this story is about, but I can brainstorm about cars of doom for quite awhile. Asking what-if is the easiest way to do that.

* What if the Cadillac is a portal into another dimension? Sci-Fi / Fantasy

* What if the trunk of an abandoned Cadillac is the entrance to a secret underground facility? Mystery / Thriller

* What if the Cadillac is haunted by the ghost of a girl who spent 10 minutes of adolescent passion in its backseat, never to hear from the boy again so she kills herself? Horror

* What if the Cadillac curses its owner with too much good luck? Paranormal (with a moral a la "Twilight Zone")

10-SECOND STORY IDEA TIP

Find a phrase or title that is almost universally recognized. Here are two examples: "A Tale of Two Cities" and "It was a dark and stormy night." We begin by substituting words to alter the meaning.

1. Use a play on words - "A Tail of Two Cities" --- "It Was a Dark and Stormy Knight."

2. Substitute similar-sounding words - "A Tale of Two Cityslickers" --- "It Was a Dark and Smarmy Sight."

3. Juxtapose vivid contrasts - "A Tale of Two and a Half Cities" --- "It Was a Dark and Stormy and Cushy Little Playpen"

You may come up with your own devices to transform a familiar title or phrase into something clever. Whatever method you employ, the point is to have fun with it. And, of course, to inspire your writing!

NOTE: Longer phrases can be easier to transform than, say, two-word titles like "Great Expectations." But the beauty is -- there are NO rules.

The possibilities from this one method are almost endless. So set your imagination free!

In addition to this technique for finding story ideas, I invite you to visit The Story Ideas Virtuoso blog, where you will find multiple ways to inspire your writing in this and other articles: Lessons Hurricane Ike Taught Me.

And as my gift, you may download two excerpts from my digital resource "Story Ideas - The Calendar of Our Lives" on finding story ideas from the seasons, weather, holidays and other life events related to the calendar at The Calendar of Our Lives.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Deborah_Gallardo


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Other Articles on Writing

Writing Fiction: Character Believability and Conflict
Being a Writer: Learn the Craft of Writing
Writing Children’s Books – Genre Differences

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Need help getting your writing career in DRIVE? Check out:

The Working Writers Club

I've been a member for a number of years!
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To keep up with writing and marketing information, along with Free webinars - signup for A Writer's World Newsletter on the right top sidebar!
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Multi-award Winning Author, Freelance/Ghostwriter, Editor, Marketer

Find Karen’s eBooks on writing and marketing at:
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com

Karen Cioffi Writing Services
A Team of Professionals for Businesses and Individuals
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com/karen-cioffi-writing-services/

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Writing the Middle Grade Novel – From Start to Finish Part Two

Writing the Middle Grade Novel – From Start to Finish Part Two

By Suzanne Lieurance


*****

In Part 1 of this 3-part article, you learned how to get your novel started. Now, here are some tips and tricks for plotting and writing your novel.

1. When plotting your novel, start from the ending and work your way back to the beginning. Where do you want your main character to end up at the end of the story? What will he/she have accomplished and how will this character have changed by the end of the story?

Think of some big culminating event for your novel and create a "ticking clock" so your main character must solve the overall story problem before time runs out (things must happen quickly so you can sustain the dramatic tension throughout the story).

2. Write the jacket flap copy for your book-just one or two paragraphs that let the reader know what the story will be about. By summarizing this, YOU will get a better idea of EXACTLY what your story is about, too.

3. Next, figure out all the steps it will take for your main character to get to the ending. First, where does your character start out? What does he/she want more than anything? What happens next to change things a bit and make it a bit more difficult for your main character to get what he/she wants?

4. Turn your plot into an outline of chapters. Try starting with a 12 chapter outline, although your story may end up being longer than 12 chapters. But 12 chapters keeps it manageable at the start. This will also help you create your story in 3 acts of 4 chapters each.

5. As you're creating your outline, keep the plot triangle in mind. Introduce your characters and setting at the bottom left side of the triangle. Then, create rising action as you develop problems for your main character (your story starts moving up the triangle this way). These problems all lead to the climax of your story (which is at the top of the triangle). Generally, plan the climax for chapter 10 or 11 of the story, then resolve everything in the final chapter or so.

6. For each chapter, think of what MUST happen in order for your main character to move closer to the climax and the ending of the story. You'll think of more complications brought about by the antagonist or other outside events as you do, so don't worry about having all of this in place from the start.

7. As you're outlining, think in terms of scenes you can create for each chapter. Plan for 1 to 3 different scenes per chapter, for the most part. Consider your main character. Based on what he or she is like, how can you use other characters to create an interesting subplot? In middle grade, you don't want too many subplots and they need to be fairly simple.

Follow these tips to create a compelling plot for your story to avoid the sagging middle! Then, read Part 3 of Writing the Middle Grade Novel - From Start to Finish with tips for finishing your manuscript!

For more writing and marketing tips and resources visit Suzanne Lieurance's Working Writers Club and sign up today. It will put your writing career in 'drive.'

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Suzanne_Lieurance
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6025056


If you missed Part One, CLICK HERE.
For Part Three, CLICK HERE.

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Want to write fiction for children? Check out Fiction Writing for Children.

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Related 'Writing' Articles

Imagery and Your Story
Children’s Writing and Publishing: The Traditional Path PART 1
Writing Elements: Is There a Right Mix?

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To keep up with writing and marketing information, along with Free webinars - signup for A Writer's World Newsletter on the right top sidebar!

Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Multi-award Winning Author, Freelance/Ghostwriter, Editor, Marketer

Find Karen’s eBooks on writing and marketing at:
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com

Karen Cioffi Writing Services - A Team of Professionals Writing 4 U
For Businesses and Individuals
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com/karen-cioffi-writing-services/

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A Writer's World Logo Poll

It seems creating logos is one of the most difficult things. My new project is to create a logo for A Writer's World, my writing and marketing newsletter with information on Writers on the Move's free webinars.

I'd really appreciate your input on the following logos:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

There you have it, five different logos.

For number 5, I tried to use black text, but it comes blurry when converted into a jpg, so had to go with yellow.

They're listed here in the order I created them.

PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHICH YOU LIKE BEST, IF ANY.

OH, while you're here PLEASE sign up - the opt-in is on the top right sidebar!

Thanks a bunch,
Karen

Small Business Marketing - Know Your Customer’s Online Behavior

Small Business Marketing - Know Your Customer’s Online Behavior

Small business marketing, specifically internet marketing, boils down to predicting online behavior in terms of what it will take to turn a visitor into a customer.

According to the “experienced marketers and expert testers” at MarketingExperiments.com, this is a key element to success.

You’ve done your research and created a product or service to sell to others. And, you’ve researched your target market. Everything is in place to attract potential customers to your site.

But, once you get the prospect to your site, then what?

The purpose of bringing visitors to your site is the have them buy what you’re selling – this is called conversion. The ratio of the number of visitors to the number of buyers is your conversion rate.

Knowing your customer’s online behavior will help you enhance your site’s conversion rate.

According to a webinar presented by Marketing Experiments, How to Increase Conversion in 2012, for every action or step you want a visitor to take, it must be worth his time and money – it must be worth the opportunity cost.

In other words, the buyer must feel that choosing your product or service is of greater benefit compared to spending that money and time on another product or service. And, each step in the buying process must equate to a perceived benefit. The perceived value must outweigh the perceived cost, including time and effort.

The webinar offered four factors or key principles to small business marketing that will help guide the potential customer to the desired online behavior:

1. Appeal – Is your product desired enough by the prospect? Have you made your product and promo copy effective and enticing enough?

2. Exclusivity – Can the prospect find your product or service elsewhere online or is your offer unique and exclusive?

3. Credibility – Are your promo copy claims believable enough for the prospect to take action?

4. Clarity – Can the prospect quickly and easily understand what your site and offer is about? And, are the steps needed to purchase what you’re offering easy to follow and minimal? Having an effective heading that conveys the value of the offer, is essential to this element.

These four key principles are necessary to your small business marketing strategy – they’re needed to effectively lead a customer through the steps of buying.

Testing and research demonstrate that you must have “an unbroken chain of Yeses” in order to get the conversion. Along with this you must reduce buyer anxiety that usually appears during an involved buying process.

This means you must simplify the buying experience for the customer to allow for a smooth flow that maintains “cognitive momentum.”

Steps you can take to simplify the customer’s buying experience include:

• Have an effective image on your site – studies show that images increase clicks
• Have a clean and uncluttered page – clutter causes distraction, which breaks the “yes” chain
• Make the shopping cart steps as minimal as possible – keep it short and simple

In its simplest form, your ‘small business marketing customer value proposition’ needs to answer the question of ‘why should that customer buy from you, rather than from your competitor.’ And, you must convey that answer quickly, simply, and effectively in order to drive desired online behavior.

To check out Articles One and Two in this three-part series go to:

Small Business Marketing – Know What Consumers Buy (Part 1)
Small Business Marketing - Meet Your Customers' Wants (Part 2)

For information on driving traffic to your site, check out:

How to Attract Customers with Information Marketing

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Other Marketing Articles:

Blog Posting, Keywords, Anchor Text, Tags, and Website Statistics Part1
How to Create an Ebook – 5 Simple Steps

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To keep up with writing and marketing information, along with Free webinars - signup for A Writer's World Newsletter on the right top sidebar!

Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Multi-award Winning Author, Freelance/Ghostwriter, Editor, Marketer

Find Karen’s eBooks on writing and marketing at:
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com

Karen Cioffi Writing Services
A Team of Professionals for Businesses and Individuals
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com/karen-cioffi-writing-services/

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Writing the Middle Grade Novel Part One

Writing the Middle Grade Novel - From Start to Finish: Part One

By Suzanne Lieurance

Are you aching to write a middle grade novel but you don't really know how to get started much less finish such a project? Then here are a few tips to help you get going:

1. Start with a main character - your protagonist. Ask yourself - What does this person want more than anything in the world? The way your protagonist strives to get whatever it is that he/she wants will become your major plot or storyline. Your protagonist should not be perfect. If he/she is, he/she won't be believable, so don't forget to give this character a few flaws. But remember to give readers some reason to like this person. Readers need to like your protagonist so they'll care what happens to him/her. If they don't care what happens to him/her, they won't want to read your book.

2. Create another character (or situation) who will try to keep your main character from getting what he/she wants most. This character (your antagonist) doesn't have to be evil. He or she just has to be at odds with your main character for some reason.

3. Get to know the people who will be in your story REALLY, REALLY WELL. To do this, create a profile for each of your main characters, or create a series of questions to ask your characters and then interview them to get their answers to these questions. One of the questions you ask your protagonist should be "What do you want more than anything?" Another helpful question to ask he/her is, "What are you most afraid of?" As you're asking these questions to each of your main characters, you'll discover each of their strengths as well as their weaknesses.

4. Decide on the point of view (POV) you will use to tell your story. Your story should be told from your main character's point of view. But will you tell it from this character's 1st person POV or his/her 3rd person POV?

Try writing the story from a 3rd person POV first. After you've written it, check the voice of the story. Is it weak or strong? If it's weak, rewrite the story from the 1st person viewpoint of your main character and see if that strengthens the voice.

These tips should help you get started. Next, you'll need to know how to plot and write your story so you avoid a sagging middle and you don't run out of steam before you finish your manuscript. Read Part 2 of this article for tips to help you start writing your story.

For more writing and marketing tips and resources visit Suzanne Lieurance's (the Working Writer's Coach) Working Writers Club and signup today. It will put your writing career in 'drive.'

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Suzanne_Lieurance
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6025039

FOR PART TWO of Writing the Middle Grade Novel CLICK HERE.


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Want to learn how to write fiction for children? Check out Fiction Writing for Children. It's a 180 page ebook that's actually a ‘course in a book.‘ It’s taken directly from my 8 week eCourse of the same title and gives you all the basics of writing fiction for children, finding a publisher or agent, and marketing books. (The eCourse offers personal feedback and editing from me on the assignments)

Fiction Writing for Children discusses everything related to writing fiction for children – it’s a detailed ‘writing, publishing, and book marketing’ map from Point A to Point Z.

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Additional Writing Articles

Writing Children’s Books – Genre Differences
Writing a Fiction Story: Walking Through Walls Backstory
Use Characteristics to Create a Believable Protagonist

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To keep up with writing and marketing information, along with Free webinars - signup for A Writer's World Newsletter on the right top sidebar!

Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Multi-award Winning Author, Freelance/Ghostwriter, Editor, Marketer

Find Karen’s eBooks on writing and marketing at:
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com

Karen Cioffi Writing Services - A Team of Professionals Writing 4 U
For Businesses and Individuals
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com/karen-cioffi-writing-services/

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PUTTING WORDS DOWN ON PAPER: Random Act Of Kindness - Karen Cioffi

PUTTING WORDS DOWN ON PAPER: Random Act Of Kindness - Karen Cioffi

A HUGE thank you to Susanne Drazic for her KIND words! They are certainly appreciated

Tips for Teachers from Author Suzanne Lieurance

Tips for Teachers from Author Suzanne Lieurance

Thank for your following me on Day 3 of my 5-day virtual tour for my middle grade historical novel The Lucky Baseball - My Story in a Japanese-American Internment Camp, from Enslow Publishers. Obviously, this book was designed for classroom use as a way to supplement the regular social studies textbooks when it comes to helping students learn about events in American history. But I think readers enjoy the book mainly because they get to know and like the main character, Harry Yakamoto, a young Japanese-American boy growing up in Seven Cedars, California, in 1941, when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and Harry's life changed forever.

Watch the trailer for my book here:

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

When I visit schools across the country I sometimes talk to students about using real events in history as the basis for creating fictional stories. I even have a workshop about this, so I can guide students to choose historical events to research so they can create fictional characters who witnessed these events.

I love to visit schools, libraries, and bookstores to talk about my writing and my books. I particularly enjoy helping teachers and school librarians see how they can use nonfiction to help students write better fiction. Teachers and librarians can find out more about this at my website at www.suzannelieurance.com.

Here are a few activities from the free Educator's Guide (email me if you'd like the guide) that was created for my book:

Language Arts

Have students write a fictional journal entry describing their first sight of Manzanar, and their feelings and fears as they get off the transport bus.

Mike’s father was arrested before his family ever left for Manzanar; they didn’t know where he was or if they would ever see him again. Have students write a letter from Mike to his father describing his feelings about the separation.

Math

Harry, his father, and his grandparents had to live in a partitioned unit, or small apartment, that measured only 20 by 25 feet and had a single window, a light bulb hanging from the ceiling, and a small oil stove for heat.

Using a tape measure and chalk (or masking tape), have students lay out an outline of that area based on these dimensions to show how small the living space actually was for a family of four.

Have students determine how many square feet each person would get? Using graph paper and drawing to scale, have students try to fit in cots, a stove, and other furniture they think is necessary for a family of four into a 20x25 foot space drawing.

About 110,000 Japanese and Japanese-Americans were eventually evacuated and moved into ten isolated relocation centers in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Utah and Wyoming. Have students find out the average population of the United States during World War II. Based on the numbers above, have students find the percentage of Americans (Japanese descent) who were sent to internment camps, such as Manzanar.

Manzanar held 10,046 prisoners at its peak; two thirds of those were under the age of 18.  Have students figure out the number of children at Manzanar.

When evacuees left their homes during the spring and summer of 1942, they left behind an estimated total of approximately $200,000,000 worth of real, commercial and personal property. Many people tried to sell their household possessions before they left, but most were only given a few days to pack and get their affairs in order. Therefore, many were prey to fortune hunters who offered them far less than fair market value for their things. Have students research and compare prices for goods in 1942 to the prices of today.

If you have any questions about the book, leave them here as a comment and I will answer them for you.

Happy reading!



P.S. Follow Day 4 of my tour tomorrow at  http://www.launchpadpublishing.com/apps/blog

You can also check out my review of  The Lucky Baseball:

http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/2010/12/lucky-baseball-by-suzanne-lieurance.html



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Other Book Marketing Articles

Book Marketing – Create a Blog
Plan a Virtual Book Tour: The First Steps
Book Promotion: The Foundation

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To keep up with writing and marketing information, along with Free webinars - signup for A Writer's World Newsletter on the right top sidear!

Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Multi-award Winning Author, Freelance/Ghostwriter, Editor, Marketer

Find Karen’s eBooks on writing and marketing at:
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com

Karen Cioffi Writing Services
A Team of Professionals for Businesses and Individuals
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com/karen-cioffi-writing-services/

Small Business Marketing - Meet Your Customers' Wants

You just started your own business and you’re creating a small business marketing plan. You may already have created a great product. At least you think it’s a great product. But, is there a customer base for it? Or, is your product name effective? Do you know what your target market’s ‘wants’ are?

Marketing studies are showing that in order to sell effectively, you need to know what’s motivating your potential customer to make the choices he does. This means you need to know what your potential customer wants.
   
People buy what they need, want, or desire. But, ‘when push comes to shove,’ people buy what they want, rather than what they need.

So, you need to determine what it is your potential customer wants and craft your small business marketing strategy around that.

Suppose you’re selling a book on ‘alternative health.’

Many people may know they should look into alternative health options, maybe find an acupuncturist or naturopathic doctor, but if you don’t promote your product to their ‘want’ it won’t motivate the prospect to buy. 

So, what does it mean to promote to a customer’s want, rather than his need.

Well, instead of promoting your alternative health book by explaining that Western medicine may not meet their health needs and that it’s important to address the underlying causes, rather than just the symptoms of illnesses, tell the potential customer that alternative options will allow him to regain his health and vitality. Tell him how this product will actually alleviate his problem. Do you see the difference?

Please be aware though that the above example is just that, an example. In your small business marketing you must always be honest and never, ever make guarantees in regard to someone’s health. Your product or service must be of value and it must fulfill your marketing claims.

As the example demonstrates, people buy based on feelings: Will the product or service make me feel, look, or smell better? Will it help me learn something, or earn more money? Will it get rid of my pain?  Will it make me a better golfer? And, it’s your job to answer the relevant questions effectively.

Watch just about any TV commercial. The marketers are selling an image. They’re selling to the viewer’s wants. Think of clothing commercials. Some don’t even have words; you simple watch a beautiful or handsome model wearing the product. You want to look like the model in those clothes, whether consciously or subconsciously. This motivates you to buy those clothes. The ad is addressing a ‘want.’

Just as a chef prepares a meal for both the taste and visual appeal of a dish, so must a marketer present his product or service in a manner that will be appealing on all fronts to the target market.

Your small business marketing must address your potential customer’s ‘what’s in it for me’ (WIIFM) question appealingly and effectively.

If you need help attracting customer's to your site, check out:

How to Attract Customers With Informational Marketing
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com/books-on-marketing/attract-customers-with-information-marketing/ 

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More Marketing Articles

Small Business Marketing – Know What Consumers Buy (1)
Small Business Marketing – Know Your Customer’s Online Behavior (3)
Book Marketing – Create a Blog

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To keep up with writing and marketing information, along with Free webinars - signup for A Writer's World Newsletter on the right top sidebar!

Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Multi-award Winning Author, Freelance/Ghostwriter, Editor, Marketer

Find Karen’s eBooks on writing and marketing at:
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com

Karen Cioffi Writing Services - A Team of Professionals Writing 4 U
For Businesses and Individuals
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com/karen-cioffi-writing-services/



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Professionalism and Writers

Practicing Professionalism: Some Author Do's and Don'ts

By Harriet Hodgson

The book business is a tough business. Authors like me may work for a year or more on a manuscript and, after it is finished, not be able to sell it. This brings us to the topic of professionalism. Can you pitch a book and remain professional? I've been asking myself this question a lot, as I try to market the two books I wrote last summer.

According to the dictionary, "professional" means you are competent, expert, or a consultant. "Professionalism" is defined as professional character, spirit, and methods. As I identify and follow marketing leads I try to be professional. Some days it is a challenge because I want the sale so much. Yet I try to be professional in my contacts with publishers.

Courtesy still counts in an electronic world. Many business transactions are conducted with cell phones, tweets, emails and blogs. That doesn't mean we throw courtesy out the window. Acquisitions editors are swamped with manuscripts and courtesy can make their days easier. One publisher referred me to the senior editor of another publishing company. I emailed her and received a reply two days later. Though her reply was not what I hoped to receive, I thanked the editor for her promptness and for getting back to me.

Proofreading is part of professionalism. Before you send an email, book query or proposal, you should proofread it carefully. This is hard for me because I wear bifocals and my eyes are sensitive to light. If you have similar problems, ask a family member or colleague to proofread your work. Katharine Sands discusses proofreading in her book, Making the Perfect Pitch: How to Catch a Literary Agent's Eye. Recommending proofreading may sound ridiculous, she points out, but it is critical. "I'm constantly surprised by the carelessness and breeziness of some letters and proposals I receive," she comments.

Correct formatting shows your professionalism. The public library may have books about manuscript formatting. Electronic submissions are different, however. Moira Allen tells why in her article, "A Quick Guide to Manuscript Format," posted on the Writing World website. Use a readable font, she advises, and avoid bold, underlining or italics. "Most email programs don't translate these well," she explains.

Following submission guidelines demonstrates professionalism. These guidelines are listed in the Literary Market Place, the Writer's Market, and publishers' websites. Michael Larsen's book, How to Write a Book Proposal, is also helpful and I have used it often. Writing a proposal for my latest book took me a week. I let it "percolate" for a week and went back to it. Then I took the time to put the pages in protective sleeves and glue the cover design (which I paid for) on the cover of the folder.

Persistence factors into professionalism. You need to be persistent in order to sell a book. But there is a huge difference between being persistent and being a pest. After I have queried a publisher I try to avoid re-contact, yet sometimes it is necessary. For example, the expert who was going to write the Foreword of my book is unable to do it and referred me to another expert. This is something a potential publisher needs to know.

I know professionalism works in my favor and that is why I work at it. Time and professionalism are on my side.

Copyright 2011 by Harriet Hodgson
http://www.harriethodgson.com

Harriet Hodgson has been an independent journalist for 35+ years and is the author of 30 books. Her 26th book, "Smiling Through Your Tears: Anticipating Grief," written with Lois Krahn, MD, is available from Amazon. Centering Corporation has published several of her books, including "Writing to Recover: The Journey from Loss and Grief to a New Life," a companion journal with 100 writing prompts, "The Spiritual Woman: Quotes to Refresh and Sustain Your Soul," and "appy Again! Your New and Meaningful Life After Loss"

Hodgson has two other new books, "101 Affirmations to Ease Your Grief Journey" and "Real Meals on 18 Wheels: A Guide to Healthy Living on the Highway," Kathryn Clements, RD, co-author. Both books are available from Amazon. Please visit Harriet's website and learn more about this busy author and grandmother.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Harriet_Hodgson
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6670942

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Additional 'Writing' Reading

Article Content Formatted and Search Engine Ready Part1
Successful Writing Strategy: Know Your Intent
Is Your Manuscript Ready for Submission?

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To keep up with writing and marketing information, along with Free webinars - signup for A Writer's World Newsletter on the right top sidebar!

Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Multi-award Winning Author, Freelance/Ghostwriter, Editor, Marketer

Find Karen’s eBooks on writing and marketing at:
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com

Karen Cioffi Writing Services - A Team of Professionals Writing 4 U
For Businesses and Individuals
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com/karen-cioffi-writing-services/

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Tradebook Tips for Teachers from Children’s Author Mayra Calvani

Tradebook Tips for Teachers from Children’s Author Mayra Calvani

The water cycle is included in every science curriculum. Here in Belgium it is taught to fourth grade students. Both elementary and middle school teachers will benefit from my new nonfiction picture book, The Water Cycle. It is the first in a series of four about the weather.

There are many water cycle books out there. My book takes a new angle because in addition to describing the journey of the water droplets from the clouds to the earth and back to the clouds again, it explores the feelings that the different types of weather can evoke in people. The pictures and questions invite children to ponder. For example, rain can make you happy if you’re playing outside in your shiny new boots, but it can make you feel sad and melancholic if you’re indoors and watching from the window. If rain turns into a downpour and eventually a flood, it can evoke in you a whole new set of feelings. The same goes for snow, hail, a blizzard, etc. At the end of the book there are vocabulary activities. At the moment, I’m planning on hiring a teacher to create a complete teacher’s guide. When it’s ready it’ll be available free via my blog and website.

Here are some links to activities about the water cycle that parents and educators can use to complement my book:

Diagram, word search crossword, cloze and other worksheets at
http://bogglesworldesl.com/watercycle_worksheets.htm

More water cycle activity pages, http://www.kidzone.ws/water/

Free power point presentations of the water cycle at http://science.pppst.com/watercycle.html

Finally, teachers and parents can show students what they can do to become more ecologically responsible and be ‘hydro-logical’: http://water.epa.gov/learn/kids/drinkingwater/behyrdological.cfm

Thank you, Karen, for this opportunity to talk about my book on your blog!

About the book: The Water Cycle: Water Play Series Book 1, for ages 4-8, follows the water droplets in their journey from the clouds to the earth and back to the clouds again. Written in a lyrical style, the book takes a new angle on the water cycle by showing the feelings it evokes in people. It also has fun learning activities at the end.

What reviewers are saying…

 “Written in Calvani’s delightful prose, “Huddle inside the CLOUD high up in the sky, the water droplets are excited,” While also complemented by the imaginative artwork of Alexander Morris’ fun illustrations, makes this book both easy to read and informative. The author also includes for her young readers a word search and glossary learning activity—a great addition to every teacher and homeschool parents’ teaching library.” –Carol Fraser Hagen, reading specialist and special education teacher.

You can read the complete review at http://www.carolfraserhagen.com/2012/04/30/reading-about-science-book-recommendation


And, you can check out my review of The Water Cycle at:
http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/2012/05/review-of-water-cycle-book-1.html

Purchase The Water Cycle: Water Play Series Book 1 from Guardian Angel Publishing: http://guardianangelpublishing.com/water-cycle.htm

Purchase from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1616332379/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

About the author: Mayra Calvani writes fiction and nonfiction for children and adults.  and has authored over a dozen books, some of which have won awards. Her stories, reviews, interviews and articles have appeared on numerous publications such as The Writer, Writer’s Journal, Multicultural Review, and Bloomsbury Review, among many others. Visit her website at www.MayrasSecretBookcase.com and get the first two lessons of her popular Walking on a Rainbow Picture Book Workshop free! 
Book information:

Title: The Water Cycle: Water Play Series Book 1
Author: Mayra Calvani
Illustrations: Alexander Morris
Genre: Children 4-8
Print ISBN: 9781616332372; 1616332379
eBook ISBN: 9781616332389; 1616332387
Published: March 15, 2012
Pages: 20
Price: $10.95 print; $5.00 e-Book
Publisher: Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
http://guardianangelpublishing.com/water-cycle.htm

Be sure to follow along on Mayra's week long book tour. The next stop is tomorrow, May 10th, at Launching Pad Publishing: www.launchpadpublishing.com/apps/blog/

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Other Children's Book Reviews

Ruthie and Hippo’s Fat Behind
What is Electricity and Magnetism?
How the Moon Regained Her Shape

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To keep up with writing and marketing information, along with Free webinars - signup for A Writer's World Newsletter on the right top sidebar!

Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Multi-award Winning Author, Freelance/Ghostwriter, Editor, Marketer

Find Karen’s eBooks on writing and marketing at:
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com

Karen Cioffi Writing Services 
A Team of Professionals For Businesses and Individuals
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com/karen-cioffi-writing-services/

Review of The Water Cycle Book 1

The Water Cycle – Water Play Book 1

Author: Mayra Calvani
Illustrator: Alexander Morris
Publisher: Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
ISBN: 9781616332372
Publication Date: March 2012
Reviewed by: Karen Cioffi

Being a strong proponent of education, I love books that teach children in a fun and engaging way. The Water Cycle by Mayra Calvani does just that.

According to USGS.com, “Earth's water is always in movement, and the natural water cycle, also known as the hydrologic cycle, describes the continuous movement of water on, above, and below the surface of the Earth. Water is always changing states between liquid, vapor, and ice, with these processes happening in the blink of an eye and over millions of years.”

This is what the author conveys to children in an understandable and entertaining way.

Dealing with the water cycle, this vividly illustrated picture book brings the young reader on a journey from clouds being too full of water droplets to contain them, to rain, to condensation. The full water cycle.

The story begins with a lively and wonderful hook that immediately grabs the child’s attention, “Huddled inside the CLOUD high up in the sky, the water droplets are excited. They know something BIG is about to happen.” And, the author uses this technique throughout.

Another helpful strategy for fostering learning is that the clouds, rain, and ocean take on human characteristics with faces. This is another element that makes the read fun and engaging. Along with this, the illustrations, many full pages, are right on the mark. They will definitely help the child better grasp the water cycle process.

Along with a delightful story, the author included fun reading comprehension activities at the end of the book: Seek and Find Words. Find these words in the story, then find
these words in the puzzle; and Match the words to the correct sentence. Both these exercises are helpful tools to further aide in the child’s understanding and retention of the content.

It’s been quite a while, but I still remember learning about the water cycle in school, but it was done with a much more formal teaching method. Today’s books, including The Water Cycle, strive to make reading and learning fun for children.

Children are our greatest asset and resource. Teaching them to grow informed and knowledgeable is our responsibility. The Water Cycle, and books like it, helps us do this. It is a great learning aide for the teacher and classroom, and will be a perfect addition to any child’s home library.

For a useful and very interesting snapshot of the water cycle visit:
http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/watercycle.html 

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WANT TO WRITE FICTION FOR CHILDREN? CLICK HERE!


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Other Children's Book Reviews You Might Find of Interest

Review of Trouble on Earth Day
Review of The Lucky Baseball
Day’s End Lullaby Video Review

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To keep up with writing and marketing information, along with Free webinars - signup for A Writer's World Newsletter on the right top sidebar!

Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Multi-award Winning Author, Freelance/Ghostwriter, Editor, Marketer

Find Karen’s eBooks on writing and marketing at:
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com

Karen Cioffi Writing Services - A Team of Professionals Writing 4 U
For Businesses and Individuals
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com/karen-cioffi-writing-services/

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Supermoon - Saturday, May 5th

SUPERMOON

I love astronomy and Saturday, May 5th, we'll have the “biggest full moon of the year.”

Here’s an excerpt of the article:

The biggest full moon of the year, a so-called "supermoon," will take center stage when it rises this weekend, and may interfere with the peak of an annual meteor shower created by the leftovers from Halley's comet.

The supermoon of 2012 is the biggest full moon of the yearand will occur on Saturday (May 5) at 11:35 p.m. EDT (0335 May 6), though the moon may still appear full to skywatchers on the day before and after the actual event. At the same time, the annual Eta Aquarid meteor shower will be hitting its peak, NASA scientists say.

To read the full article go to:
http://news.yahoo.com/supermoon-may-outshine-meteor-shower-weekend-201132286.html

It might be worth having the kids stay up for!

Karen

How to Create Literary Fiction by Maggie Ball

How to Create Literary Fiction

By Maggie Ball

As a book reviewer, I get anywhere from fifty to one hundred review requests a week. Of these, I might accept five or so. While I do occasionally take nonfiction books, most of what I accept will be in the genre known as literary fiction. But just what is literary fiction?

What differentiates literary fiction from what most publishers class as commercial or genre oriented fiction, and why am I biased towards it? It's a question I get asked regularly. Some, like author David Lubar ("A Guide to Literary Fiction," 2002) equate the label with work that is pompous, dull, plotless, and overly academic: "If you're ever in doubt about whether a story is literary, there's a simple test. Look in a mirror immediately after reading the last sentence. If your eyebrows are closer together than normal, the answer is yes." Publishers often use this label for work which defies other genre distinctions, eg it isn't romance, isn't "chick-lit," isn't science or speculative fiction, isn't a thriller, action, or political drama. It is meant to denote a fiction which is of higher quality, richer, denser, or, as the literary fiction book club states, work which "can make us uncomfortable or can weave magic."

These distinctions aren't always clear, and there are some superb exceptions to the genre rule, such as Margaret Atwood or China Mieville, whose high quality work fits the speculative fiction genre, or Umberto Eco and Iain Pears, whose work is full of mystery and suspense. All writers feel that their work is high quality, and most write fiction with the goal of producing great work. So how can we ensure that our work is literary fiction rather than some other form? Here are five tips to guide writers who are inclined to produce literary fiction:

1. Aim for transcendency. The one quality which seems to be present in abundance in literary fiction and much less so in other forms, is what agent and author Noah Lukeman calls "transcendency." It isn't easy to define, and in his exceptional book, The Plot Thickens (St Martin's Press, 2002), Lukeman presents a number of points, such as multidimensional characters and circumstances, room for interpretation, timelessness, relatability, educational elements, self discovery, and lasting impression. I would say that transcendency equates to depth, to writing which does more than entertain its readers, and instead, changes something, however small, in the way they perceive themselves. How do you get transcendency in fiction? With a deep theme, deep and powerful characters, complex plots, and exceptional writing skills. Sound easy?

2. Read quality literature. This is a lot easier than transcendency, though not unrelated. Since achieving literary fiction is a subtle and difficult thing, you've got to develop your literary senses. The best way of doing that is to read books which fit this genre. If you want to create literary fiction, chances are, you probably are already reading it. These are books by the writers we call "great." Your list of names may differ from mine, but these are the writers who win prizes like the Booker, the Pulitzer, the Commonwealth Prize, and the National Book Award to name just a few. The more great literature you read, the better able you will become at recognising the elements which make a fiction literary.

3. Don't get defensive! Lubar's article is lots of fun, but literary fiction isn't meant to be snobbish, academic, plotless, or boring in any way; just well crafted. That may be daunting if you are a writer, but it won't help your work to shrug off quality by calling it dull or unachievable.

4. Re-write. This may be the single most important distinction between literary and other types of fiction. Work which is timeless takes time. There's no other way to achieve literary fiction than re-writing, dozens, and maybe many more, times. It isn't glamorous, nor is re-writing dependent on a muse or inspiration like the first draft is. It is just going over and over a work until every word is relevant and integral to the story. This process cannot occur solely in the fingers of the author. Every writer of literary fiction requires an ideal reader, a critique group, a mentor, or someone who can provide the kind of objective advice which will transform your inspiration into a stunning creation.

5. Don't stress about it! Of course there is no point in worrying so much that you get writer's block (and if you do, get hold of Jenna's terrific book on the topic :-). If you read great books, write fiction which is true to your own creative vision, and revise (with feedback from others) until the work is as perfect as you can make it, you will produce literary fiction. That's all there is to it. Writing a novel is about as hard as writing gets. Writing literary fiction can take years, often with little reward, at least until the book is completed (and in many instances, thankless even after publication, assuming you are published). But if you can't stop yourself; if the desire for producing something truly beautiful outweighs utilitarianism, then you are really and truly a literary writer and your work will have transcendency. I'll look forward to reading and reviewing it!

Magdalena Ball runs The Compulsive Reader http://www.compulsivereader.com. Her stories, poetry, reviews and articles have appeared in many printed anthologies and journals, and have won several awards. She is the author of The Art of Assessment, and Quark Soup. Her debut novel Sleep Before Evening (http://tinyurl.com/3crnk5) was published by BeWrite Books in July 2007.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Maggie_Ball
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/641895

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Additional 'Writing' Reading

How to Write Tight: Self-Editing Tips to Make Your Manuscript Ready for Publication
Being a Writer: Learn the Craft of Writing
Imagery and Your Story

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To keep up with writing and marketing information, along with Free webinars - signup for A Writer's World Newsletter on the right top sidebar!

Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Multi-award Winning Author, Freelance/Ghostwriter, Editor, Marketer

Find Karen’s eBooks on writing and marketing at:
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com

Karen Cioffi Writing Services - A Team of Professionals Writing 4 U
For Businesses and Individuals
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com/karen-cioffi-writing-services/

Breaking Through Writer's Block Webinar

Writers on the Move is offering another FREE webinar: Breaking Through Writer's Block.

Here are the details:

Title: Breaking Through Writer’s Block
Date: May 11, 2012 (Friday)
Time: 7 – 7:45 PM EST (U.S.)
Presenter: Mary Guglielmo
Offered by: Writers on the Move
Format: Live Webinar
Handout: Yes
Cost: Free

Workshop Description:

Most writers experience a time when they are stuck and can’t get their creative juices flowing.  This creative block can be a paralyzing and frightening landscape.  If a writer is unable to break through this block, it can derail their career.   If you have ever smacked into a creative wall and felt stuck in the writing process, this workshop is for you.

This session will help you identify the root causes of your creative blocks.  We will focus on the creative process and fool proof block-buster techniques designed to help release your creative muse.  Strategies for increasing productivity and organizing your creative life to avoid blocks will be explored.  

Join Mary Jo Guglielmo as she discusses breaking through writer’s blocks.  She is an intuitive life coach that has helped writers move their writing careers forward.  See Mary Jo’s post on Tips for Smashing through Writers Block on the Writers on the Move website.

To register for “Breaking through Writer’s Block” email karenrcfv AT yahoo

Details to attend the LIVE WEBINAR will be provided upon registration.

There will also be a bonus PDF workshop handout included that registered attendees will receive after the webinar.

For the full details visit Writers on the Move.

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To keep up with writing and marketing information, along with Free webinars - signup for A Writer's World Newsletter on the right top sidebar!

Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Multi-award Winning Author, Freelance/Ghostwriter, Editor, Marketer

Find Karen’s eBooks on writing and marketing at:
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com

Karen Cioffi Writing Services - A Team of Professionals Writing 4 U
For Businesses and Individuals
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com/karen-cioffi-writing-services/

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