Chase Small Business Grant

Chase Small Business Grant - I Applied

I’m sure you’ve been contacted by friends and acquaintances about this Chase, savvy marketing, small business grant.

Well, add me to the list. I know it’s short notice, since the process of garnering 250 votes to be eligible for the grant ends today, June 30th. But, as I always say, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

So, if you don’t mind, please click on the link:
https://www.missionsmallbusiness.com/#.T-4H7n3VDsg.email

Then click on "Login and Support." They make it easy to use your Facebook account to log in.

Then, please put: Karen Cioffi Writing Services in the SEARCH BOX and click search.

Next, simply scroll down just a bit and VOTE for my business.

Just a note: You can vote for as many businesses as you like and I voted for those who asked my help.

I know it’s a long shot, since it’s late, but . . . I’d really appreciate your help. The grant is for $250,000.

And, I’m sorry for all the non-informational emails and posts lately. It seems one thing has been coming after another.

I thought about using Linkedin and other social media mass emails, but I already did that once this week. That’s enough.

If you’d be so kind to SHARE this post, I’d sure appreciate it.

I'm really not crazy about companies making a grant process into a popularity contest, but it is a good marketing strategy on their part to get visitors to their site. Each applicant has to get 250 votes, that's a lot of people visiting Chase through Facebook.

If you’d like to know more about me before voting, please go to:
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com/about-karen-cioffi/

Thanks so much,
Karen

5 Online Marketing Tips

June was exceptionally hectic for me. I presented two webinars, one with around 550 registered attendees. So, the pressure was on! And, I had to prepare for the Savvy Authors marketing workshop I'm instructing, which began June 25th..

Doing all that and just doing regular online things, I learned, or rather was reminded of a few of things:

1. Don't overbook yourself - it's really not worth it. 

Overbooking yourself just puts too much pressure on, which isn't healthy or productive.

Well, I take that back, somewhat. Don't overbook yourself unless an opportunity 'comes a knockin' on your door that would be foolish to pass up. And, even then, see if you can reschedule it, if you're already swamped.

2. Never pass up an opportunity.

This kind of goes with the above and doesn't necessarily mean an opportunity that drops into your lap. I got an exceptional webinar opportunity because I responded to a query in a newsletter I subscribe to. I proposed a webinar for the company's series and it was accepted.

Take that step forward . . . raise your hand . . . it's how you'll get noticed and increase your mailing list.

3. Post to your blog a minimum of once a week, and make it informative and interesting.

I get a number of requests for connections in Linkedin and if I don't know the individual, I always check out the person's profile and website before accepting.

If I go to a blog that has a post from 2011, or even a couple of month's ago, my first inclination is to decline the request.

While a good number of posts per week is three, post at least once a week, even if it's a low word count, but informative post.

Let the visitor know you and your site are alive and well. And, that you have something to offer other than your product.

Some of those requests I mentioned have websites and/or their blogs set up as landing pages purely for sales. I don't know about others, but why would I want to connect to someone else's product? Of course this is different if it's someone you know and want to help out or 'pay-it-forward.'

4. Include your headshot or other personal picture.

If at all possible, include your image, as professional as possible, in all your social networks, it makes it personal and appealing. This is another element that will make me pause if a connection is requested - I like to know who I'm connecting with.

Numbers three and four are the same for Twitter and any social network I connect with.

5. If presenting a live presentation or webinar keep in mind that anything can happen - just go with the flow.

And, that's about it for now.

Ignite your writing and marketing efforts with The Writing World newsletter. You'll get writing and marketing tips and guidance, and you'll get updates on upcoming writing and marketing webinars. Plus, you'll get two gifts: Book Promotion: The Basics AND Article Content Properly Formatted and Optimized. SUBSCRIBE TODAY - TOP RIGHT SIDEBAR!

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Other Marketing Articles:

4 Simple Steps to Web Videos That Sell
Book Marketing: Choose a Website Domain Name
Plan a Virtual Book Tour: The First Steps

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Another important, just about essential now, is video marketing. Check out Speedy Web Videos. I got the ecourse and am working on creating my own videos now.

*****

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Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Multi-award Winning Author, Freelance/Ghostwriter, Editor, Marketer
Writer's Digest Website of the Week, June 25, 2012
"This site from Karen Cioffi should stand as a model for other freelance writers."
~ Brian A. Klems, Online Editor, Writers Digest


Find Karen’s eBooks on writing and marketing at:
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com
Check the sidebar for book titles

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

Using Video for Marketing

Using video for marketing has taken off. Small businesses and big businesses alike are incorporating this marketing tool into their promotional mix. Along with businesses, individuals are using the video tool to help with book selling and offer other products and services. So no matter what your playing field is, videos can make a difference.


In an article, “Using Video for Promotion,” Maggie Ball explained that in 2011 YouTube had more than 1 TRILLION views. She also explained, “More video is uploaded to YouTube in one month than the 3 major US networks created in 60 years. Video is a very powerful promotional medium and a fantastic way to connect with readers around the globe.”

And, to demonstrate the power of using video for marketing and how much the search engines love it, on April 16, 2012, I did a Google search for the keyword “using video for marketing.” The link to Magdalena’s post appeared on the first SERP, third link down!

That’s pretty impressive.

So, why might that article have been picked up and ranked so high at that time?

The answer: Maggie used TWO videos within the article.

Another article, this one published by Entrepreneur.com and titled, “How to Use Video to Market Your Business,” says that the average individual “watches an astounding 186 videos a month.” This is “according to comScore Inc., a global digital market measurement service.”  And, this ‘viewing’ covers everything from the news to personal videos.

Videos are the easiest marketing tool to make go viral.

Written by Gail Goodman, the article also mentions that video creates a connection and involvement that text and images just can’t do. And, marketers are saying that it can enhance your conversion rates within emails almost 50 percent.

Check out some other 2012 video statistics being bantered about include:

•    80% of executives are watching more video than they were a year ago
•    Mobile viewers watch video about 3X longer than those using a desktop PC
•    It is expected that by 2013 over 90% of internet traffic will be driven by video
•    Video based promotion boosts businesses’ sales from 20% – 40%
•    Conversion is 85% more likely with product videos
•    Online video viewers will reach 169.3 million in 2012
•    53.5% of the population and 70.8% of internet users (up 7.1% from 2011) will watch online video in 2012

There’s no question that video is powerful and getting stronger with each passing day.

And, the benefit to posting content relevant video is that it will keep the visitor on your site longer. This is another important search engine optimization element – the ‘visit length.’

Using video in marketing simply makes sense and can be easy and affordable to do. Goodman created a very brief video using her iPhone for the article.

The potential of using video for marketing is amazing. And, how it can engage your audience and potential clients and customers is wide-ranged. You can have a quick video about your small business, the services you’re offering. Or maybe do a demonstration of a product you have for sale. You can offer a review of your book or testimonials from satisfied customers. You can even offer free video instruction as a means of boosting your subscriber list.

Do some brainstorming and come up with engaging ways you can start using video for marketing. Remember though, it’s important not to be overly promotional in your video. The search engines and viewers may frown upon it.

Another tip is to keep your video simple and brief, especially if you’re just beginning to use video for marketing.

You might do a test run and have friend or family critique it for you. I know in my webinars, I replay them and hear all the ‘ums or uhs’ that I didn’t realize I was saying during the presentation.

And, as with any marketing strategy, aim for interaction. You might ask for comments or ask a question that will prompt a comment response. In addition, you’ll want to include your ‘call to action.’

Now, the question is: Do you know how to create your own videos? If not, it’d be a good idea to learn.

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RECOMMENDED RESOURCE:

Learn how to create videos with Speedy Web Video

I found a great product, a video ecourse, that teaches you how to create your own quality videos, Speedy Web Video. You get step-by-step and detailed instructions in short (around 10 minutes) videos. There's also a seven day money-back guarantee. It's only $37. I signed up.

To learn more about this must have video ecourse Click Here!

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Want to see what POWER video has? Check these out:

Funny Earthwool Insulation Video

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Tommy Emmanuel with Sungha Jung ~ Day Tripper / Lady Madonna

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Be sure to sign-up for The Writing World newsletter. You'll get writing and marketing tips and guidance, and you'll get updates on upcoming writing and marketing webinars. Plus, you’ll get two gifts: Book Promotion: The Basics AND Article Content Properly Formatted and Optimized. SUBSCRIBE TODAY! Top right sidebar.

Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Multi-award Winning Author, Freelance/Ghostwriter, Online Marketer
Writer's Digest Website of the Week, June 25, 2012

Find Karen’s Author Online Presence Ebooks and Ecourses at:

http://karencioffi.com

Karen Cioffi Writing Services:
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com/karen-cioffi-writing-services/

Writers Digest Website of the Week

writing instruction writing books writing tutorials how to get published writing workshops writing contests

I have some exciting news to share!

And, I'm posting today, instead of tomorrow.

Brian A. Klems of Writer's Digest was browsing websites and came across this one . . . and he LIKED IT!

Because of this, this site is the Writer's Digest Website of the Week and is on the WD landing page for the entire week. It's on the left side near the bottom - you can't miss it.

I'd love if you checked it out:
http://writersdigest.com

While this is amazing enough, and quite an honor, it's what Brian said about my site that put the icing, cherry, and whip cream on top of the cake:

Writing Website of the Week

Karen Cioffi Writing and Marketing

"This site from Karen Cioffi should stand as a model for other freelance writers. (You can follow Karen on Twitter too.).

*Not affiliated with our 101 Best Writing Websites feature."

I want to thank Brian and Writer's Digest for acknowledging my site and bestowing such an honor on it.

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Ignite your writing and marketing efforts with The Writing World newsletter. You'll get writing and marketing tips and guidance, and you'll get updates on upcoming writing and marketing webinars. Plus, you’ll get two gifts: Book Promotion: The Basics AND Article Content Properly Formatted and Optimized. SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

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:
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com/karen-cioffi-writing-services/

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karencioffiventrice
Twitter: http://twitter.com/KarenCV
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kcioffiventrice
GooglePlus: https://plus.google.com/107054879622971281466/posts
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/KarenCioffi/

June 2012 Webinar Replays PLUS

Last week I presented two webinars, one with around 550 registered attendees. I think we had around 150 on the live webinar.

I do want to mention that webinars aren’t always as easy as they look. It seems for the first half of the June 20th webinar on Article Marketing, I couldn’t see the questions attendees were putting in the chat box.

The reason for this is when in a PowerPoint presentation, if you’re using your full screen in the Slide Presentation feature, you can’t see anything but the PP slides.

I did have my laptop up and was on it as an attendee to try to keep an eye on things, but the scrolling ‘thing’ on the chat got stuck and I couldn’t see any chat comments or questions.

I do apologize though for this. I’m sure it was frustrating to the attendees. Fortunately, it all worked out.

If you'd like the replay links to:  

Article Content Properly Formatted and Optimized to Increase Your Traffic 

We discussed properly formatting and optimizing content specifically to increase traffic; why and how to use keywords, tags, anchor text, images, and video; 10 steps to article marketing, and the basic article marketing search engine terminology, including the new CDO.
 
Design Your Own eBook Cover Using Microsoft 2010

In this webinar we spent an hour actually creating two ebook covers from scratch, using screensharing.

Just email me at karencioffi - at - ymail - com. Please put the title in the Subject Box. You will be added to my mailing list, if you're not already a subscriber.

Both webinars provided great information that is immediately usable.


A note: The book cover at the top of this post was made with Microsoft Office 2010.

ALSO:

One of the attendees of the Article Marketing webinar asked about freelance writing pricing and I couldn’t think of the title of a book that’s recommended by a number of freelancers, it’s: What to Charge: Pricing Strategies for Freelancers and Consultants. Below is the Amazon link, if you’re interested.



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If you'd like a more in depth look at both webinar topics you can check out these ebooks:

Design Your Own eBook Cover in 10 Easy Steps
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com/books-on-marketing/design-your-own-ebook-cover-in-10-easy-steps/

Article Marketing: Increase Website Traffic Using Properly Formatted and
Search Engine Discovery Optimized Content
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com/books-on-marketing/article-marketing-with-formatted-and-optimized-content/ 

AND, finally, PLEASE check out the new website design for The Writing World newsletter:
http://thewritingworld.com
But, please, if you're already a subscriber, don't opt-in again.

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Book Publicity — How to Create an Online Media Kit

Book Publicity — How to Create an Online Media Kit

By Dana Lynn Smith

In your author and book publicity efforts, it's critical to make it easy for journalists, talk show producers and other influencers to quickly find everything they need to know about you and your book. One of the best ways to do that is to create a page for the media on your website and blog.

Online author and book publicity pages are called by several names, including media room, media kit, press room or press kit, or they are simply labeled as Media or Press on the site's navigation menu. On some sites, the media page is accessed through a link from the About page of the site. Whatever you call your book publicity page, just make sure it's clearly marked and easy to find from any page on your site.

Remember, your media page isn't just for the media – it's a great place to showcase your credentials and biographic information for a variety of author and book publicity purposes. For example, you can link to your media page when introducing yourself to bloggers, potential clients and potential partners.

Here are some of the most important elements to include on your book publicity page:

•   About the Author – You might create two bios, a short one of about three sentences (imagine a radio announcer introducing you) and another bio about half a page long.

•   About the Book – Summary of your book, written in a news style without marketing hype.

•   Praise/Endorsements/Reviews – Feature any celebrity quotes prominently.

•   Awards – Book awards and awards received by the author.

•   Author Photos – High resolution version for print and low resolution for online use. Include a caption beneath your photo listing your credentials or author tagline. See this article for tips about creating your author photo.

•   Book Covers – High resolution for print and low resolution for online use.

•   Contact Information – Make this easy to find, include email address, phone number, and address if applicable. See these tips (link didn't work) for protecting your email address online.

Other elements commonly found on author and book publicity pages include:

•   Complete Press Kit – One page or document containing all of your media information in one place.

•   In the Media – Provide links to previous media coverage that you've received. If you have appeared in any major print or broadcast media, include their logos prominently on your media page.

•   Audio and/or Video Clips – Short audio or video clips of you (preferably being interviewed) allow potential interviewers to hear or see you in action.

•   Interview Topics – A list of topics you can speak about.

•   Sample Q & A – Radio stations, in particular, will appreciate using questions you provide for an interview

•   Article Topics – A list of topics you can write about and/or suggested angles for feature stories about you. You might even provide pre-written stories or tips for the media to use.

•   Fact Sheet – One-page document with pertinent facts about your industry or book topic.

•   Press Releases – Links to online versions of press releases about you, your book or business.

•   Media References – Nice quotes from media who have interviewed you or worked with you.

•   Clients Include – If you're a consultant, you might want to post a list of important clients (with their permission) and a few testimonial quotes from clients.

Sandra Beckwith, a former award-winning publicist who now teaches authors how to generate media attention at www.buildbookbuzz.com, advises imagining what questions journalists would ask about you and your book and making sure they can find the answers to those questions in your media room. "You want to make sure you're providing the information they want in a format they're familiar with," she says. "That means you want to present that information in a factual way without hyperbole or exaggeration."

Many online book publicity pages contain downloadable documents in PDF format, but Sandra advises just putting the text of your media materials on a web page and letting people copy and paste from there. Even when it's convenient to copy or download your book publicity materials from your website, some people will still want you to email information to them or even send a printed media kit.

For inspiration, check out these book publicity pages for ideas to use in creating your own media page:
Tricia Goyer (fiction and nonfiction)
http://www.triciagoyer.com/presskit.html

Laura Stack (nonfiction)
http://www.theproductivitypro.com/media_room.htm

Al Lautenslager (nonfiction)
http://www.market-for-profits.com/set_mediaroom.html

Dana Lynn Smith (nonfiction)
http://bookmarketingmaven.typepad.com/book_marketing_maven/media-room.html

Melissa Williams (children's)
http://iggytheiguana.com/press.htm

Shaila Abdullah (fiction)
http://www.shailaabdullah.com/mediakit.html

Rabbi Ed Weinsberg (nonfiction)
http://conquerprostatecancernow.typepad.com/media/

Your online author publicity page is a great promotional tool. If you don't already have a media page on your site, get started now – you can always add to it over time. If you do have a media page, now is a good time to review and enhance it.

Book Marketing Resources

•   Learn how to increase your following on Twitter by using contests in Conducting Effective Twitter Contests by Tony Eldridge.
•   Get my free report, 10 Steps to Online Networking Success, on my new Facebook Fan Page.
•   Learn how to build revenue streams with information products in this free video and MP3 audio from author and online marketing expert Kathleen Gage.
•   Get 89 powerful press release tips to generate valuable publicity in this free publicity tutorial from Joan Stewart, The Publicity Hound.
•   If you are an aspiring author who has not yet published your book or you're working on a new book, check out my new resource page for aspiring authors. You'll find links to several resources for aspiring authors, organizations for authors and publishers, plus a list of writing and book proposal coaches, ghostwriters, editors, publishing consultants, and book shepherds.
•   Bestselling author Seth Godin offers some terrific practical tips for authors in this book marketing article.
•  For more book marketing tips, follow @BookMarketer on Twitter.

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Dana Lynn Smith is a book marketing coach and author of the Savvy Book Marketer Guides. For more tips, visit her book marketing blog and get a copy of the Top Book Marketing Tips ebook when you sign up for her free book marketing newsletter.

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Additional Marketing Articles:

Small Business Marketing – Know What Consumers Buy
Using Video for Promotion with Maggie Ball
Creating Content: 10 Online Repurposing Formats
SEO and Marketing: Basic Tips and Definitions

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Recommended Reading
How to Promote Your Book Through a Virtual Book Tour
How to Attract Customers With Informational Marketing

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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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Fiction Writing for Young Children - Ten Basic Rules

Fiction writing for children is a large genre that is broken into several smaller, specific genres, such as picture books, chapter books, and middle grade. And, each specific genre has its own set of rules you must adhere to in order to keep your story out of the editor’s trash pile.

Fiction writing for young children is probably a more scrutinized genre in that there are a lot of things to watch for.

Here is a list of 10 rules to refer to when fiction writing for young children:

1.    This is probably the most important item: be sure that your story does not suggest dangerous or inappropriate behavior.

Example one: The protagonist (main character) sneaks out of the house while his parents are still sleeping.

Example two: The main character is alone in the street or a vacant lot.

This is a no-no!

2.    Make sure your story has age appropriate words, dialogue and action.

For more information on age appropriate words, check out: Finding Age Appropriate Words When Writing for Children

3.    The protagonist should have an age appropriate problem or dilemma to solve at the beginning of the story, in the first paragraph if possible. Let the action/conflict rise. Then have the protagonist, through thought process and problem solving skills, solve it on his/her own. If an adult is involved, keep the input and help at a bare minimum.

Kid’s love action and problem solving!

4.    The story should have a single point of view (POV). To write with a single point of view means that if your protagonist can’t see, hear, touch or feel it, it doesn’t exist.

Example: “Mary crossed her eyes behind Joe’s back.” If Joe is the protagonist this can’t happen because Joe wouldn’t be able to see it.

5.    Sentence structure: Keep sentences short and as with all writing, keep adjectives and adverbs to a minimum. And, watch your punctuation and grammar.

6.    Write your story by showing through action and dialogue rather than telling.

If you can’t seem to get the right words to show a scene, try using dialogue instead.

7.    You also need to keep your writing tight. This means don’t say something with 10 words if you can do it with 5. Get rid of unnecessary words.

8.    Watch the timeframe for the story. Try to keep it within several hours or one day.

9.    Along with the protagonist’s solution to the conflict, he should grow in some way as a result.

10.    Use a thesaurus and book of similes. Finding just the right word or simile can make the difference between a good story and a great story.

Using these techniques in your fiction writing for young children will help you create engaging and publishable stories.

Another important tool to use in your writing tool belt is joining a children’s writing critique group. No matter how long you’ve been writing, you can always use another set of eyes. If you’re a beginning writer and unpublished, you should join a group that has published and unpublished members. Having published and experienced writers in the group will help you hone your craft.


Are you really interested in writing for children? If you answered yes, check out:
Fiction Writing for Children – Learn How to Write for Kids, Learn How to Submit a Book, Learn About Book Marketing

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More'Writing' Reading:

Being a Writer: Learn the Craft of Writing
Writing a Fiction Story: Walking Through Walls Backstory

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To keep up with writing and marketing information, along with Free webinars - signup for A Writer's World ezine 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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Content Creation - Do This Once a Day and Get All the Traffic You Need

Content Creation - Do This Once a Day and Get All the Traffic You Need (My favorite strategy)

By Jeff Herring

Content marketing online has been called more powerful than print, audio and video by Entrepreneur Magazine.

So if you are online, you want to get your fair share of the profits from content marketing, yes?

The reason why more people do not take advantage of the power of content marketing and article marketing is even with endorsements like those from Entrepreneur Magazine, they still do not get the enormous power of regular content creation.

I've often said that "an article a day keeps recession away and sends traffic your way."

What? Write an article a day?

Yes! Or at least some kind of content each and every day.

When you do this, several good things happen:

1) When you create some kind of content on a regular basis and then market that content online, you can get all the traffic you need.

Did you catch that? Create a piece of content everyday (an article, a blog post, a video, even a tweet or Facebook update or LinkedIn update), get it online, you will be able to get all the traffic you need.

I've been doing this nearly every day for years and I could not stop the traffic coming into my web properties if I wanted to, and I certainly do not want to.

2) When you create content regularly, you do not have to ever face writer's block. In fact, doing this every day has led me to believe there is no such thing as writer's block. Think about it: have you ever had eating block? Speaking block? Of course not. And these are things we do every day.

3) A nice side benefit of creating content on a daily basis and then marketing it by getting it online is a powerful online presence, or "online visibility." When prospects see you all over the internet in your niche, you are seen as the obvious "go to" expert.

Convinced about the power of creating content and getting it out there?

Good! Then let me help you out even more. I've got 2 Instant Content Creation Templates with your name on them waiting for you over on my blog at http://JeffHerring.com

You'll see the sign up box right there at the top of the blog, right there in the header. You can't miss it! Well, you could, but you would have to try real hard...

Grab your set and get started creating your content!

From Jeff Herring - The Article Marketing Guy
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeff_Herring
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5722319

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You might also be interest in Turn Words Into Traffic by Jim Edwards. 
Jim knows his stuff and endorses article marketing as well.

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More 'Marketing' Reading:

4 Simple Steps to Web Videos That Sell
Small Business Marketing – Meet Your Customers’ Wants
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!
Karen Cioffi

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/

Tradebook Tips for Teachers from Children’s Author Nancy I. Sanders

Today I have the pleasure of featuring Nancy Sanders and her newest book Frederick Douglass for Kids: His Life and Times with 21 Activities.

Nancy is an amazing author of over 75 published books - see what I mean about being amazing.

Okay, let's get into it.

Featured Book:
Frederick Douglass for Kids: His Life and Times with 21 Activities
By Nancy I. Sanders
Author’s site: www.nancyisanders.com
Book’s site: www.FrederickDouglass.wordpress.com
Purchase the book on Amazon at: http://tinyurl.com/7opjcn4

Book Synopsis
Few Americans have had as much impact on this nation as Frederick Douglass. Born on a plantation, he later escaped slavery and helped others to freedom via the Underground Railroad. In time he became a bestselling author, an outspoken newspaper editor, a brilliant orator, a tireless abolitionist, and a brave civil rights leader. He was famous on both sides of the Atlantic in the years leading up to the Civil War, and when war broke out, Abraham Lincoln invited him to the White House for counsel and advice.
   
Frederick Douglass for Kids follows the footsteps of this American hero, from his birth into slavery to his becoming a friend and confidant of presidents and the leading African American of his day. And to better appreciate Frederick Douglass and his times, readers will form a debating club, cook a meal similar to the one Douglass shared with John Brown, make a civil war haversack, participate in a microlending program, and more. This valuable resource also includes a time line of significant events, a list of historic sites to visit or explore online, and web resources for further study.

INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR

Tradebook Tips for Teachers from Children’s Author Nancy I. Sanders

Is this book suitable for classroom use?
Frederick Douglass for Kids is a great classroom resource in elementary, middle school, and high school classes on U.S. History! It’s the perfect tool for studying about the life and times of Frederick Douglass, abolitionists, the Civil War, and early civil rights leaders. It includes short biographies of key black leaders during the years before the Civil War. Its timeline of the influence of black troops during the Civil War features information never before found altogether in a children’s book. It takes facts typically only studied at the university level on this topic and presents them in a student-friendly format. It presents the life of this true American hero, Frederick Douglass, in an inspirational way to motivate students to take a stand for what they believe it and make a difference in their world just as Douglass did.

Are there any teaching resources available for use with this book?
I also write teaching resource books for Scholastic Teaching Resources, so I designed a teacher’s study guide to use with this book. These worksheets include chapter-by-chapter evaluation questions, a Civil War letter to write, a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast the life of Frederick Douglass with Martin Luther King Jr., and more! You’ll find these free worksheets to download and print on the book’s website at:
www.frederickdouglass.wordpress.com/teachers-and-librarians/

I also designed a set of printable bookmarks to distribute to your students. These are available on that site as well and make great fun stuff for teachers, educators, and librarians to pass out to students during Black History Month or when studying the Civil War era or the Civil Rights Movement.

Do you have any online resources?
The official website for this book is www.FrederickDouglass.wordpress.com

This site is a great online resource for teachers to use with students. There are links to free online books such as autobiographies and biographies of leading African Americans during the Civil War era. There are links to historic sites and online collections about Frederick Douglass. You’ll also find links to supplemental activities students can participate in to gain a better understanding of the life and times of Frederick Douglass.

What are you doing to celebrate the release of your book, Frederick Douglass for Kids?
I’m hosting a two-week virtual Book Launch Party! There are prizes to win, fun facts to learn, and lots of inside peeks and helpful tips about how a book is born. Stop by my site today to join in the party. You can join the fun on my blog today at:
http://nancyisanders.wordpress.com/2012/06/13/book-launch-party-frederick-douglass-for-kids-9/

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Thank you so much, Karen, for being a stop on my Book Launch Party!
It’s a joy to visit your site!

You can join in my party tomorrow at the site of Faye Levow:
www.launchpadpublishing.com/apps/blog/

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Author’s Bio
Nancy I. Sanders is the bestselling and award-winning author of over 80 books including the picture book D is for Drinking Gourd: An African American Alphabet, illustrated by E.B. Lewis. She teaches other writers how to launch their career to the next level based on material found in her groundbreaking book for writers, Yes! You Can Learn How to Write Children’s Books, Get Them Published, and Build a Successful Writing Career. Nancy and her husband, Jeff, live in southern California. They have two adult sons, Dan and Ben.

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Nancy, it's an absolute pleasure featuring you today. Thank you for letting me be a part of your tour!

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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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8 Steps Needed Before Submitting Your Manuscript

Writing is a personal experience. Each writer faces his or her own obstacles and processes. But, one common aspect of writing is it always starts with an idea. You may take that idea and turn it into an outline. You then take your outline and sprinkle it with letters and words and watch it grow. Words turn into sentences, sentences into paragraphs, and paragraphs into chapters. The journey can take months and even years. But, the love of writing, the love of your story, and the hope of publication keep you dedicated.

Then, the day finally arrives. Your manuscript is complete. The envelopes are ready. All you have to do is submit, submit, and submit again. But, hold on a minute. Have you gone over all the necessary steps to ensure your manuscript is actually ready to be submitted to a publisher or agent?

The writing journey can take months and even years. But, the love of writing, the love of your story, and the hope of publication keep you dedicated.

Time passes, and finally your manuscript is complete. The envelopes are ready. All you have to do is submit, submit, and submit again. But, hold on a minute. Have you gone over all the necessary steps to ensure your manuscript is actually ready to be submitted to a publisher or agent?

There are eight steps that every writer, especially those new to the business of writing, should follow before submitting a manuscript.

1.    Rewrite, rewrite, rewrite. Then self-edit your story until it’s the best you can do.
2.    Make sure you belong to a critique group in your genre. Submit your ms for critique.
3.    Revise your story again taking into account the critiques you received. Here you want to use common sense in regard to which critiques you listen to. If all your critique group members tell you a particular section of your children’s story is age inappropriate, listen. If one member tells you he/she doesn’t like the protagonist’s name, use your own discretion.
4.    Resubmit the manuscript to the critique group again. See if you’ve revised or removed all the problem areas.
5.    Proofread and self-edit the manuscript until you think it’s perfect.
6.    Print the manuscript and check it again. You’ll be surprised at the different types of errors that will be found in this format. You should use a colored pen or pencil for these corrections so they’ll be easy to spot later on.
7.    Now, it’s time for the final corrections. Give it another go over.
8.    Have your manuscript professionally edited.

If you’re questioning why you need to have your manuscript professionally edited after going to the trouble of having it critiqued and worked on it meticulously and endlessly, the answer is simple: An author and a critique group are not a match for the expert eyes of a professional editor.

Did you and your critique group catch all the punctuation errors? How about knowing when or if it is permissible to use quotation marks outside of dialogue? Do you know about the Find function on your word program to check for over used words, such as was and very. What about ellipsis dots, or the over use of adjectives and adverbs? This is just the tip of the iceberg. Isn’t it understandable why it’s important to take that extra step, and yes, expense, to have your manuscript edited.

If you’re undecided, ask the professional writers you know if they recommend it. You can also ask if they could recommend a qualified and affordable editor.

The powers that be, editors, agents, reviewers, and publishers, all know the difference between a professionally edited manuscript and one that is not. Every house needs a solid foundation, right? Getting your manuscript professionally edited is the same thing - it will provide a solid foundation.

The number of authors seeking publishers and/or agents is staggering. Yet, the number of publishers and agents is limited. Give your manuscript every advantage possible. One of those advantages is having it professionally edited. It can be the deciding factor in whether your manuscript makes it to the editor’s ‘to read’ pile or the trash pile.

If finances simply won’t allow for Step Eigh, then self-edit meticulously. You can checkout Editng Books Like a Pro for great tips and information on self-editing. It offers help that’s definitely affordable.

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Related Reading

Being a Writer: Learn the Craft of Writing
Writing Children’s Books – Genre Differences
Writing a Memoir: 5 Rules
Keep Your Writing Goals Front and Center

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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 and eCourses 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/

Use Formatted and Optimized Article Content to Increase Your Visibility Free Webinar

June is an exceptionally busy month for me.

One of my Free events this month is Use Article Content to Increase Your Visibility and is being offered by AnyMeeting.com, a webinar service provider.

Please join me on Wednesday, June 20th, at 11 am Pacific / 2 pm Eastern, for the next free webinar in AnyMeeting's “Small Business Toolkit” webinar series.

You'll learn how to properly craft your written content for effective search engine ranking and optimization.  This webinar is ideal for anyone using article marketing and blog posting as part of their marketing strategy. 

As a BONUS, I'll be giving a copy of my new e-book, “Article Content Properly Formatted and Optimized,” to all registrants.

There are only 200 spots are available – so sign up today for free.  Make sure you log in to the webinar early – attendance is on a first-come, first-served basis. A recording of the webinar will also be made available.

Click Here to register now.

Need more persuading? Here's what we'll be going over:

• Article Content Properly Formatted and Search Engine Optimized
• Blog Posting, Keywords, Anchor Text, Tags, and Promotion
• 10 Steps to Writing for Article Directories
• CDO, SEO, and Marketing – Basic Tips and Definitions

This PowerPoint webinar will be information packed and it has NEW information.

You won't want to miss out on this free webinar.

Click Here to register now.

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And, don't forget about Writers on the Move's June 22nd webinar on Creating Your Own eBook Covers in 10 Easy Steps Using Microsoft Office 2101

Check out the details at:
http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/2012/06/design-your-own-ebook-cover-in-10-easy.html

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And, I'm conducting a 3 week workshop for Savvy Authors, beginning on June 25th.

Workshop Title: Creating and Building Your Author/Writer Online Presence:

From Website Creation to Beyond Book Sales

For details go to: http://www.savvyauthors.com/vb/showevent.php?eventid=1380 

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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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Get Manuscript Help from Experts

Get Manuscript Help from Experts

by Dan Poynter

Savvy nonfiction author-publishers take each chapter of their nearly complete manuscript and send it off to at least four experts on that particular chapter’s subject. This step in book writing is called "peer review".

Some experts might get two or three chapters but most will get only one. Do not overwhelm them. If you send the whole manuscript, most experts will put it on their desk with the best of intentions and never get back to it.

An expert is a man who has made all the mistakes which can be made in a very narrow field.
—Niels Bohr (1885-1962), Danish physicist and Nobel Laureate.

Ken Blanchard, co-author of The One-Minute Manager Library, says “I don’t write my books, my friends write them for me.” He explains that he jots down some ideas and sends them off to friends for comment. They send back lots of good ideas that he puts into his manuscript. Ken is
being very generous, of course, and what he is describing is “peer review.”
http://www.BlanchardTraining.com

What you get back from your peer reviewers is extremely valuable: They may add two more items to your list; they sometimes delete whole paragraphs where the practice has changed; they occasionally cross out that comment you thought was cute but was potentially embarrassingly
stupid, and they sometimes even correct punctuation, grammar and style.

Also send copies of the complete manuscript off to friends, family, literate objective readers, potential buyers and even a Devil’s Advocate or two. The more feedback you get the better.

When your book comes out, you will receive far less adverse-reader reaction because the book will be bulletproof. After all, it has been reviewed and accepted by the best.

And, there is another valuable reason for peer review: You have more than two-dozen opinion molders telling everyone about your book—and how they helped you with it.

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Dan Poynter does not want you to die with a book still inside you. You have the ingredients and he has your recipe. Dan has written more than 100 books since 1969 including Writing Nonfiction and The Self-
Publishing Manual. For more help on book writing, see http://ParaPub.com.
© 2003

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Along with seeking the advice of experts, you'll need to self-edit your work before hand. For useful tips and advice on self-editing, check out: Editing Books Like a Pro. For only $3.99, it's a great deal.

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More 'Writing' Reading:

Writing a Memoir: 5 Rules
Writing Nonfiction: Using Quotes
Being a Writer: Learn the Craft of Writing

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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!

Karen Cioffi


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/

Design Your Own eBook Cover in 10 Easy Steps

Writers on the Move has its next webinar set up: 

Design Your Own eBook Cover in 10 Easy Steps Using Microsoft Office 2010

Date: June 22, 2012
Time: 7 PM - 7: 45 EST (U.S.) - May run a bit longer
Presenter:Karen Cioffi
Cost: Free
Format: Live Webinar
Handout: YES (after workshop)

We will be recording the workshop. Any handouts and the recording link to the workshop will be provided after the event. Attendees will be added to A Writer's World ezine, which offer updates on Writers on the Move upcoming webinars, along with writing and marketing information.

DESCRIPTION:

What author today hasn’t thought of self-publishing a book through Kindle? If a poll were taken, the results would probably be close to 100 percent. Most will have either considered or are considering this new wave of publishing freedom.

In fact, ebook authors and marketers, such as Jim Edwards, consider traditional publishing as a weak link in your writing armor, especially in regard to information ebooks.

Whether you want to publish with Kindle or you prefer selling your ebooks from your own website, you’ll need a cover. But, not just any cover, you’ll need a unique and appealing cover. A cover that may very well be the determining factor as to whether a potential customer clicks on the BUY button.

You might be thinking that you’re not tech savvy and don’t have any special programs for the job. Well, if you have Microsoft Word 2010, you don’t need anything else. Most of this is possible with MS 2007, and possibly MS 2003. You’ll have to test it out.

And, aside from creating great book covers, you can create amazing business logo designs with the same process.

Join Karen for step-by-step instructions as she actually creates an ebook cover on this screen-sharing webinar.

To register for the webinar go to:
http://www.anymeeting.com/PIID=EE57DD82834C


Just complete the registration email your receive from Writers on the Move and you'll be set to go.

You won't want to miss this. Have a question? Email Karen at:
karenrcfv - at *yahoo* dot *com*

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There's also an in depth ebook, for details go to:
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com/books-on-marketing/design-your-own-ebook-cover-in-10-easy-steps/

You can get the ebook and then join in on the webinar to see it put into action!

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Recommended Reading:

10 Point Website Check Up
Plan a Virtual Book Tour: The First Steps
Book Promotion: 20 Strategies that will Broaden Your Reach – Part 1

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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/

Custom Logo for A Writer's World

A Writer's World Ezine finally got a custom logo.

It took a while and the help of this site's readers, but I finally came up with a custom logo for A Writer's World, one that I really like and hope others will also.

A custom logo, according to Fani Nicheva, is "known to be the visual synthesis of company’s image and philosophy.' Bottom line, it's an important element in your marketing strategy. It's kind of like a first impression - it should be memorable.

I think I've mentioned numerous times that my writing coach, Suzanne Lieurance, continually advises me to get focused. One way to create a focused marketing image, that's essential for branding you and your platform, is to create a custom logo - or have one created for you.

After getting results from a poll I took (check the link below to see the designs and comments from A Writer's World Logo Poll) I realized I needed to go in a different direction with the logo. I also got some helpful advice from Sue Berg and Faye Levow - members of The Working Writer's Club.

Based on the information I received and a bit of research, below are some tips for designing a custom logo.

A Custom Logo - 7 Basic Tips:

1. There's a difference between a book cover and a logo
2. A logo is a tool that gives immediate recognition as to who your are and what you're about
3. Logos don't need words
4. The logo color is an important element
5. The design should reflect your platform and be clearly identified
6. The design should be on the 'simple' side
7. The design should be shrinkable and enlargeable for all marketing purposes

As I'm not a graphic designer, if the logo I created runs into shrinking or any kind of recopying trouble, I'll definitely hire a pro to put it in the correct format. But, for now, I'm just happy I decided on a logo.

Unfortunately, I'm still working on the Karen Cioffi Writing Services - A Team of Professionals for Businesses and Individuals custom logo.

For new visitors to the site, if you haven't signed up yet, please go to the top right sidebar and subscribe to A Writer's World Ezine. If you'd like to know what you get before jumping in, go to:

http://thewritingworld.com

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Related Articles:

A Writer's World Logo Poll
Logos for Writers (great information on logos)
12 Ways to Create a Mailing List that will Sell Books

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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/

Dust Off Your Poetry and Get It In a Book

Forget Esoteric: How to Get Your Poetry Out of the Closet and Into a Book

By Maggie Ball

Poetry is an esoteric art isn't it? There's no point in getting caught up in base things like publishing or pandering to an audience - it's only the work that matters, right? Wrong. Writing superbly crafted works of art full of rhythm and insight is a magnificent thing to do for oneself, but if these works aren't shared with others, they will disappear into the vacuum of certain death without trace. Of course there is always the chance that, like Emily Dickenson, your masterpieces will be discovered post-mortem. The chance is higher however, that this work won't have reached its potential, since it won't have gone through the stringency of refining, grouping, and structuring that publication involves, not to mention the opportunity of working with a professional editor. The poet has a responsibility not only to his or her art, but to the world, to publish, and to have publication as an end goal for the work.

That's easy to say, but how do you get your poetry published as a collection? Speaking from personal experience, getting a chapbook or full length poetry book published isn't easy, but it isn't actually that hard either. Small collections like chapbooks are cheap, and relatively easy to sell, and there are many quite a few publishers that specialise in poetry. There are a few tricks though.

Group your work into a common theme. One of the key ways to get a collection published is to work within an overall unifying theme. This doesn't necessarily mean you have to write to a theme at first. But you might find yourself attracted to a specific area which will ultimately form your framework. For me, I found myself increasingly drawn to Cosmology, and a number of my poems were pivoting around that. I did some work with a writing coach who convinced me to produce a full collection, and together we set a goal of two poems a week. I began to read journals like New Scientist and whenever something caught my eye, I would use that as the basis for a poem. That's the way Quark Soup took shape and it was surprisingly quick.

Find a publisher who is looking for work on a theme and write to it. If you don't seem to be naturally gravitating towards a theme, look for one. What hobbies do you have? When I saw a publisher calling for sports poetry, I wrote a few poems about swimming, and then sent them a query with those poems, asking if they would be interested in a book of interviews with professional sportspeople, with an original poem for each included sport. It's a concept that with a low time investment initially that could work for any publisher, on any topic. Just find a call for submissions on a specific concept and build a query or series of poems around that. Another publisher friendly theme is to write about where you live, and submit the work to a local publisher. There are tons of poems about Paris and New York, but what about Morebath or Poughkeepsie? You're sure to find something historically interesting, and the local council and library might buy up your first print.

Periods in history are also good. Karen Knight's Under the One Granite Roof is a terrific collection of poems built on Whitman's Civil War Years. Pick a period in your own history and write a series of poems around that topic. The possibilities are limitless, and it's much easier to let your creative flow rip when you've got a theme to work to. Finding a publisher is also easier, as the market for your work will be ready made.

Get Out There. Or get your work out there. Go to poetry slams; read your work, talk about your work, network. One of the nice things about publishing poetry is that pre-published poems are more likely to be accepted in a collection than poems that haven't been published, so you can submit each poem immediately when you finish writing it, even as you are pulling poems together into a collection. You get double benefit for your work, and increase your odds of getting a collection published every time you publish a poem. Publishers are much more likely to take on your book if they recognise your name, so make sure your name is familiar by making it familiar!

Create a Market Database. Research the different poetry publishers and create a database of those that are likely to be right for your work. Build your manuscript and once it's ready, follow the guidelines and submit your queries. Does this sound basic? It is! Local Writer's Market yearbooks are excellent sources of publishers and guidelines as is the Internet - just do a Google search on poetry publishers (and watch out for the sharks-never pay to have your work read or published and be especially careful about anthologies). Think small. Most legitimate poetry publishers are small and don't offer advances, but on the upside, small houses tend to provide more individual editorial attention. Having your poetry edited is well worth the trouble of seeking publication- it will make you a better writer. There also isn't the time pressure that you get with a large house. You can expect to continue selling your book for years, rather than months, and since most small publishers use POD (print on demand) technology,
you don't have to fear being "pulped".

That's all there is to it. Don't let a fear of failure stop you. The only way to publish a collection of poetry is to set a goal and work towards it, at whatever pace your schedule allows. Poetry is particularly suited to this method, as it doesn't take that long to write a single poem and the satisfaction of completion comes regularly as you're building the collection. Good luck!

Magdalena Ball runs The Compulsive Reader and is the author of Repulsion Thrust, Sleep Before Evening and many other books. Visit her at http://www.magdalenaball.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Maggie_Ball
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6590282

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Related Reading

6 Tips to Make the Most out of Writing Workshops Part 1
Writing in Rhyme
Writing Goals, Detours, and Opportunity Cost

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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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