Karen Cioffi Writing and Marketing

10 Helpful Writing Articles

2012-01-27T07:31:00.003-05:00

Learning the craft of writing takes time and work. One of the ways to help hone your craft is to read articles on 'how to write.'

Check out the10 helpful writing articles I have listed below:

Forget Resolutions – Go for Real
http://www.writersonthemove.com/2012/01/forget-resolutions-go-for-real.html

AP StyleGuard and the Death of Editing
http://www.dailywritingtips.com/ap-styleguard-and-the-death-of-editing/

Being a Writer: Learn the Craft of Writing
http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/2012/01/being-writer-learn-craft-of-writing.html

Best Advice for Writers from 2011
http://janefriedman.com/2011/12/21/my-best-advice-for-writers-from-2011/

Five Ways to Avoid Boring Writing
http://4rvreading-writingnewsletter.blogspot.com/2011/12/five-ways-to-avoid-boring-writing.html

10 Easy Ways to Improve Your Dialogue
http://writetodone.com/2011/12/12/10-easy-ways-to-improve-your-dialogue/

Writing Children’s Books – Genre Differences
http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/2011/12/writing-childrens-books-genre.html

10 Tips to Banish Typos
http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/10-tips-to-banish-typos.aspx

How I Went from Writing 2,000 Words a Day to 10,000 a Day
http://thisblogisaploy.blogspot.com/2011/06/how-i-went-from-writing-2000-words-day.html

Top 10 Best Online Backup Companies
http://www.thetop10bestonlinebackup.com/

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Until next time,

Karen Cioffi

Award Winning Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance Writer, Editor, Marketer

Karen’s Books Page:
http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/p/karens-books.html

Karen Cioffi Writing and Marketing
http://KarenCioffi.com (children’s author site)
http://WritersOnTheMove.com
DKV Writing 4 U

Submitting for Book Awards by Nancy Sanders

2012-01-25T05:22:00.012-05:00

Today's guest post is by MULTI-published, best selling, and award winning author Nancy Sanders.

*****

Submitting for Awards
by Nancy Sanders

I'm getting ready right now to prepare to submit my newest book for awards,
Frederick Douglass for Kids (Release date June, 2012. Website: www.FrederickDouglass.wordpress.com)

Two years ago I spent time submitting my other book in the same series for awards, America's Black Founders (Website: www.AmericasBlackFounders.wordpress.com)

I worked with my publicist at my publishing house and basically, here's the plan we came up with:

1. Prepare a budget for awards submissions. Be sure to include the cost of your book, postage and envelope to mail it in, and the price for submissions. If working with a publisher, find out if they have a budget for awards, too. Many do.

2. Make a list of places to submit your book to for awards. Note the cost for submission and the qualifications for the award. (Some only award picture books, some only award novels, etc.)

3. Be sure to include places that don't necessarily offer an award, but honor your book by including it on their list of recommended reads. For instance the state reading lists. Here's a link to my blog to learn more about submitting your book to state reading lists:

http://nancyisanders.wordpress.com/awards/

4. Make a calendar. The calendar notes the deadlines for each place you're submitting your book.

5. Start submitting. Especially submit to award sites that are free.

The philosophy of the publicists I've worked with has been:

Don't worry about whether your book wins the award or not. Submit if it's within your budget for one main reason: EXPOSURE. When you submit your book for an award, it lands in the hands of judges, many who are important folks in their circle of literary influence. My publicists have even submitted my books for the Caldecott and Newbery awards and even for the Pulitzer Prize solely for exposure alone!

Some of the awards are free to submit to. Others carry a more hefty price tag such as the Mom's Choice Award which costs $300. However, they have an early bird special coupon to save $100 so try to get that if you can determine whether or not you think the exposure fits in your budget.

One other thought...rather than aim for expensive awards such as the Mom's Choice Award if it's too far above your budget, consider contacting several mombloggers who have a couple hundred of followers each. Offer to give them a free copy of your book if they'll review it on their site. I have one independent publisher who likes this approach and it has earned them thousands of dollars of sales of my books and great exposure...for a much more reasonable cost!

-Nancy I. Sanders (http://www.nancyisanders.com) is the bestselling and award-winning author of over 80 books with publishers big and small including her how-to book for children’s writers, Yes! You Can Learn How to Write Children’s Books, Get Them Published, and Build a Successful Writing Career. She is available for teaching your group of writers an online class on how you can take the next step forward in your career as a writer. For more information about her online workshops, visit her site: Virtual Visit Zone at www.YesYouCanLearnVirtualVisit.wordpress.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Related Book Marketing Articles:

Book Marketing: Choose a Website Domain Name
Plan a Virtual Book Tour: The First Steps
Book Promotion: The Foundation
12 Book Publishing Things to Avoid

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi

Award Winning Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance Writer, Editor, Marketer

Karen’s Books Page:
http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/p/karens-books.html

http://KarenCioffi.com
http://WritersOnTheMove.com
DKV Writing 4 U

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EMarketing with PowerPoint Webinars - Free webinar

2012-01-23T17:01:00.002-05:00

eMarketing with PowerPoint Webinars - A Free Webinar

I'm presenting another webinar, this one for the members of the Working Writers Club: http://workingwritersclub.com

*****

Membership is only $99 per year and well worth it. You're afforded teleseminars, webinars, resources and more, all geared to get you writing for pay.

Unfortunately, this webinar is not available to non-members. Maybe we'll have it again in the future and make provisions for paying attendees.

Here's the information and a description of the Webinar on webinars:

Topic: How to Conduct a Webinar (eMarketing with PowerPoint Webinars)
Date: Wednesday, January 25, 2012, 7:00 p.m. CST / 8:00 p.m. EST
Presenter: Karen Cioffi
Cost: Free for Working Writer’s Club Members

You’re an author or writer, or maybe an entrepreneur or affiliate marketer, and you want to increase your mailing list, expert status, and sales of what you have to offer.
Sound about right?

Well then, do what the pros do, get into PowerPoint webinars.

Presenting PowerPoint webinars is an effective marketing tool. In fact, it’s one of the most effective strategies you can use to establish yourself as an expert, increase your mailing list, increase traffic to your sites, and sell your products and services.

Its effectiveness is noted by many of the marketing experts by their use of them. Big hitters, such as Daniel Hall, Brian Jud, David Frey, Kathleen Gage, and Jim Edwards all use webinars as a standard marketing tool.

And, you can have guest presenters or partner-up (joint ventures) with other marketers selling their products or services. You can even present webinars to sell affiliate products.

This webinar will have you ready and set to create your own webinars; check out the Table of Contents:

What is a Webinar?
6 Reasons Why You Should Offer Webinars
What is a PowerPoint Webinar?
What Webinar Service Should You Use?
Some Technical Elements of Webinars
Preparing for Your PowerPoint Presentation
Presenting a PowerPoint Webinar
Enhance Conversion Rate
Resources

There's also a 17 page workbook that goes along with it.

If you're interested in attending this webinar join the Working Writers Club today:
http://workingwritersclub

I've also created a more in depth e-book on this topic that is available through February 28, 2012, for $1.19 - you can check it out at: http://www.karencioffi.com/emarketing-with-powerpoint-webinars/

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Other Marketing Articles You May Find of Interest:

Information Marketing: 10 Article Links
How to Create an Ebook – 5 Simple Steps
What is SEO and SEO Marketing?
How to Drive Traffic to a Website Using Expert Informational Content

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Until next time,
Karen Cioffi
Award Winning Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance Writer, Editor, Marketer

Karen’s Books Page:
http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/p/karens-books.html

~~~~~~~~~

WEBINAR REMINDER: Create an Effective Press Release in 7 Easy Steps

2012-01-18T02:17:00.004-05:00

Just a friendly reminder that today is the webinar. Please note I had to change the time from 6PM to 7PM; I'm sorry for any inconvenience.

*****
*****

Here are the details:

Title: Create an Effective Press Release in 7 Easy Steps
Date: January 18, 2012 (Wednesday)
Time: 7:00 – 7:45 PM EST (U.S.) CHANGED From 6PM to 7PM
Presented by: Karen Cioffi
Format: Live Webinar
Handout: Yes
Cost: Free

Description:

Create an Effective Press Release in 7 Easy Steps

Part of any good marketing strategy is to include press releases and if you can write an article, you can write a press release.

A press release is simply an announcement. It can be announcing your new book, a promotion launch, a special sale, news, a new article, an accomplishment, events, workshops, and so on.

The purpose of a press release, also called a media release, is to alert as many people as possible to your special news/information. But, it’s important for your press release to be at least somewhat news worthy. In addition, it’s a good idea to provide the ‘what’s in it for me’ (WIIFM) aspect of the topic.

Press releases increase your visibility - they broaden your marketing reach.

There are seven simple steps to creating an effective press release:

1. Create an effective title (headline)
2. The point-on synopsis
3. Bullet points (optional)
4. Overview
5. Bio
6. Edit and Proof
7. Research and Submit

Join Karen Cioffi as she goes through each step.

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

There will also be a bonus PDF workshop handout with details to help you create your own press release. Since this webinar will be a PowerPoint Webinar we will not be able to record the live presentation. But, hopefully a transcript of the chat, including questions and answers will be available.

This will be our first PowerPoint webinar and we're excited to bring this new format to you - we hope you enjoy it!

The workshop is free, but all registrants will be added to the Writers on the Move and the presenter’s mailing list.

We'll be offering (at the discretion of the presenter) an After Workshop Package of this workshop for those who didn't register and would like to purchase it. It'll include the live webinar recording, the workshop handout, and possibly a podcast. Be sure to Get Yours when it's available!

Please be sure to stop here often to find out about upcoming workshops:
http://www.writersonthemove.com/p/writers-on-move-workshop.html

~~~~~
Karen Cioffi
Award Winning Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance Writer, Editor, Marketer

Karen’s Books Page:
http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/p/karens-books.html

Karen Cioffi Writing and Marketing
http://KarenCioffi.com
http://WritersOnTheMove.com
DKV Writing 4 U

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

Writing Nonfiction: Using Quotes

2012-01-16T06:22:00.001-05:00

Writing Nonfiction: Using Quotes
by Karen Cioffi

Writing fiction has a number of elements that a writer needs to incorporate to create an engaging and believable story, such as characterization, plot, structure, clarity, and so on. Writing nonfiction also has a set of elements that must be incorporated into the piece to create similar results, such as clarity, structure, and an engaging story. But, when writing nonfiction the writer also needs to provide authentic information.

Merrian-Webster.com defines ‘authentic’ as: “worthy of acceptance or belief as conforming to or based on fact.”

If you think about it, this makes complete sense. Anyone can write an article or a book and purport that it’s fact. But, what gives your content the authentic, credible element that it needs to be convincing, to be taken seriously?

The answer is simple: Using quotes.

While your nonfiction article may be accurate, you researched the information thoroughly and created your own content, there’s no real authenticity or credibility without relevant quotes from reliable sources to back your piece up. Along with adding creditability, using quotes increases your professionalism and expert status when writing nonfiction. Those who read your content will assume you know what you’re talking about because you provided evidence from reliable/expert sources.

The quotes can also be the cornerstone of your story, allowing you to build upon them.

Along with the above benefits of using quotes when writing nonfiction, Andrea Di Salvo, an author and freelance writer, offers a few more benefits in her article, Using Quotes to Give a Creative Twist to Your Writing.

First off, using quotes offers variety by changing the voice of the story. According to Di Salvo, “Every writer has a voice, a certain tone to his or her writing.” While this is a good thing, switching it up a bit creates engagement and helps keep the content fresh. It helps break up the monotony of a possibly long drawn out monotone piece, which in turn will help keep the reader reading.

Di Salvo also notes that, “a good rule of thumb is to place a relevant quote every few paragraphs.” Along with increasing the story’s credibility, it also adds white space to the piece.

Why is adding white space to your article, report, or book important?

It aids in easy reading.

This is a known writing technique that is used in various forms of writing, including copywriting. You don’t want the reader to become hypnotized and blank-out from too much continuous text. If your content goes on and on with very few breaks (white space) the reader will lose interest. Using quotes will force you to create new paragraphs, which will usually be short. This adds additional white space and gives the reader a breather; it also creates a less cluttered piece, which is also something the reader will appreciate.

When using quotes in your article or book, be sure to offer some information pertaining to the author of the quote. Take a look above at how I introduced Andrea Di Salvo and her information.

Sometimes, especially when writing health or scientific information, you may need to include quotes from research teams. Here is part of the information used in a health article I wrote regarding a particular quote used:

Researcher Talal M. Nsouli, MD and his colleagues at Watergate Allergy & Asthma Center in Washington, reported their findings at an American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology (ACAAI) meeting.

In addition, if your quote is four or more lines, it needs to be blocked off, and each line of the quote needs to be indented. eHow.com explains that you will need to “provide an introduction to the quote in your own words with a colon after your last word.” There is also the matter of using part of a quote or shortening a quote,; in this case you will need to use ellipses and possibly brackets.

Another factor to consider when including quotes in articles is that article directories, if you will be submitting to them, only allow a certain number of quote lines within your piece.

For in depth information on using quotes when writing nonfiction, you can check out the Chicago Manual of Style (CMS) and/or the APA Publication Manual.

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Other Writing Articles:

Keep Your Writing Goals Front and Center
Writing a Memoir: 5 Rules
Aim for Writing Success
7 Steps to Writing for Article Directories

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And to be sure you don’t miss any posts here, simply subscribe to this blog (RSS feed).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance Writer, Marketer

Karen’s Books Page:
http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/p/karens-books.html

Karen Cioffi Writing and Marketing
http://KarenCioffi.com
http://WritersOnTheMove.com
DKV Writing 4 U

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

Walking Through Walls Predators and Editors Winner

2012-01-13T06:39:00.012-05:00

I'm thrilled to announce that Walking Through Walls, published by 4RV Publishing, won first place in the Predators and Editors Readers Poll. And, I want to thank everyone who voted for it!

There were a number of other 4RV books that placed in the top ten, and 4RV placed 6th in the Publisher's category. Congratulations to all the Top 10 winners, from 4RV and other publishing houses.

What's funny is that this year there isn't a winning image or emblem for the winners to proudly display, so I'll just post the link to the children's books winning page:

http://critters.org/predpoll/final_tally_novelchildrens.ht

There's also a marketing tip in this: contests matter.

Get your book entered in as many contests as you can - just be sure they're reputable because many of them charge a fee. So, you don't want to carelessly enter these contests;, do your research first. If you win or place well, you can include it in your book promotion.

From a marketing standpoint, it's better to be able to use in your signature or bio, "award winning author," rather than simply "author."

Here are a few children's book contests you can enter:

Dan Poynter's Global eBook Awards
Children's Crown Award
Boston Globe Horn Books Award
SCBWI Golden Kite Awards
Children’s Literary Classics

Sorry I didn't include the links, but you can do an online search for them.

Thanks again to all who helped me win, and congratulations to all who won!

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Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Award winning author, ghostwriter, freelance writer, and marketer
http://walkingthroughwalls-kcioffi.blogspot.com/

How eBooks Have Changed the Marketing of Books

2012-01-11T04:06:00.013-05:00

Today's guest post is from freelance writer James Lander:

How eBooks Have Changed the Marketing of Books

by James Lander

Statistics have shown that forty percent of people in the United States read one book or less per year. That’s a staggering amount if you take into account the over 300 million people currently populating the country. If 40% aren’t reading, what are they doing? They’re downloading. They’re texting. They’re updating their status and tweeting. Yet while the business of book publishing slows to a crawl, entertainment through social media and mobile devices is booming. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that our desire to read has decreased. The fact that in 2009 e-book sales rose a shocking 145% proves that interest in reading isn’t the problem – it’s our interest in old technology that’s waned.

The origins of the E-book

In 1971, the University of Illinois allotted a man named Michael Hurst a great deal of time in front of a computer. Eventually his boredom got the better of him and he decided to transcribe the Declaration of Independence onto floppy disk. Out of boredom, the first e-book was born. Initially they had a very limited audience. Most e-books of the time were marketed to a very specific, audience that the majority of them were either technical manuals or textbooks for manufacturing techniques. It wasn’t until the 1990’s when the Internet was ‘born’ and transferring files became easier that e-books began to evolve into what they are today.

Selling the written word

Generally considered the most time consuming and difficult component of publishing, the techniques behind traditional book marketing are more than a little formulaic. Upon completion of a novel, publicity agents interview the author and search for an ‘angle’ to make the work appealing to consumers and the media. After deciding on an approach, magazines, radio, television and other broadcast mediums are contacted to elicit interest. If the author is lucky, they will be sent out for interviews or even on time-consuming book tours to promote their work nationwide. With e-books quickly taking over sales in publishing and our lives almost fully consumed by the Internet, book marketing has had to adapt and evolve in order to be successful.

Marketing online – a solitary venture

Years ago, if you were to complete your first novel you would probably feel immense relief handing it off to your publishers knowing that they would ‘take it from there’. Today, this couldn’t be further from the truth. The publishing industry is barely making enough money to survive. In fact, between 2002-2008, annual sales increased only by 1.6%, leading to massive layoffs of editors, agents and publicists. Requiring authors to market their own work reduces the publishing agencies expenses- something that is crucial for what is essentially a failing industry. As a result, many authors are deciding to self-publish their work as e-books through Amazon.com or other online publishers, making traditional marketing increasingly obsolete. Now the Internet and social media can create a ‘buzz’ and thereby achieve the sales they desire.

Taking advantage of the web

These days it takes more than a catchy title and arresting cover image to sell a book. The average consumer needs to be exposed to a sales message at least seven times before they make a decision to purchase. Whereas previously this was the realm of the publicist, today’s authors are almost completely responsible for this portion of their book’s development. An e-book author must employ all the technology available to them in order to assault their audience with their work and secure that all-important purchase. Using Facebook, Twitter and various forums is a common way for writers to reach their potential audience.

Some even choose to go a bit deeper into the online marketing world by creating ‘brand awareness’ through the production of short articles. The key to this strategy is ensuring that writers credit themselves as the ‘expert’ while promoting their e-book at the article’s conclusion. Making sure that these articles are posted in as many directories as possible allows multiple webmasters to include them on their sites, leading to free advertising and promotion.

In 2009, the publishing industry had a meager 3-5% profit, proving people were rapidly losing interest in purchasing traditional novels. However, by July 2010, e-book profits had surpassed all other book sales and showed absolutely no sign of slowing down. It is obvious that we are changing the way we read and in order to stay relevant publishers must change the way they reach consumers. If the estimation that eventually e-books will outsell and perhaps even outnumber hardcover edition is true, they simply have no other choice.

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James Lander is a regular contributor to the consumer savings site, Couponing (http://coupon.com/), which offers coupons and deals for top retailers.

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Related Articles:

2012 New Year eBooks Special
SEO and Marketing: Basic Tips and Definitions
Book Marketing: Choose a Website Domain Name

~~~~~~
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance Writer, Editor

Karen’s Books Page:
http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/p/karens-books.html

Karen Cioffi Writing and Marketing
http://karencioffi.com/
http://writersonthemove.com/
DKV Writing 4 U

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karencioffiventrice
Twitter: http://twitter.com/KarenCV
Facebook: http://www.blogger.com/%E2%80%9Dhttp://www.facebook.com/kcioffiventrice%E2%80%9D
GooglePlus: http://www.blogger.com/%E2%80%9Dhttps://plus.google.com/107054879622971281466/posts%E2%80%9D

Being a Writer: Learn the Craft of Writing

2012-01-09T03:53:00.003-05:00

In the June 2010 issue of The Writer, author Jane Yolen discussed the need to learn the craft of writing in an article titled, Dedicate Yourself to a Writing Apprenticeship. She explained that the process is slow and long, but is necessary to being a writer, to learn the craft of writing.

If you’re wondering what the craft of writing is, it’s proper writing technique, grammar, and style. These writing elements include structure, formatting, clarity, and in fiction writing, plot, character development, point of view, and dialogue. Even knowing the particulars in the genre you write is important.

So, what exactly is the meaning of the word ‘craft?’

Wikipedia’s definition is, “A craft is a branch of a profession that requires some particular kind of skilled work.”

Merriam-Webster refers to ‘craft’ as an occupation requiring “artistic skill.”

And, TheFreeDicitionary.com mentions membership in a guild.

Between all three definitions we know that a ‘craft’ is a branch of a professional group or guild. It is a career or occupation, not simply a hobby.

Interestingly, there are various avenues that can be taken to become an accomplished or professional writer, but each one has the need for learning, practice, time, and commitment. Some writers may go to school and get degrees, others may learn from a coach or mentor, others from trial and error, failures and successes. But, whichever path is taken, there is a lot of work that goes into becoming experienced and knowledgeable, in being a writer. As the saying goes, practice makes perfect.

But today, with the easy-to-do-it-yourself self-publishing explosion, writers may not be viewed as professionals. Certainly, most people have read a self-published book or e-book that lacks proper grammar, structure, and even clarity. These products are easy to spot, but yet they’re available for sale, and the authors consider themselves writers.

While it’s great that those who want to write have a vehicle to publish their own work, especially in this overwhelmed publishing market, those who don’t take the time to learn the craft of writing do themselves and others an injustice. They make the self-publishing book market murky and the label of ‘writer’ less professional.

This shouldn’t be the case.

Think of a professional musician. Imagine him playing an amazing piece, smooth, fluid, and beautiful – every note is perfect. Now imagine another musician; this one isn’t in tune, can’t read the music, misses notes, and sounds awful. Which musician do you want to be?

You should want to be the professional; the one who offers polished and experienced work; the one who earns a reputation for quality.

According to WritersHelper.com, it doesn’t matter what your experience level is, there is always room for improvement. Writers should strive to “study ways to improve their craft.” While this may take time and work, it is easy to find the needed help and resources.

To begin, do a search for online writing instruction; try the keyword “learn to write.” You can also check your local schools for adult education classes, or take some college writing courses. There is an abundance of writing information available, much of it free or very inexpensive; take advantage of it.

Being a writer means you need to learn the craft of writing and continue honing your skills.

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Related Articles:

Writing Children’s Books – Genre Differences

Keep Your Writing Goals Front and Center

Writing Books - Is There Money In It?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance Writer, Editor

Karen’s Books Page:
http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/p/karens-books.html

Karen Cioffi Writing and Marketing
http://KarenCioffi.com
http://WritersOnTheMove.com
DKV Writing 4 U

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

Create an Effective Press Release in 7 Easy Steps Free Webinar

2012-01-03T04:10:00.013-05:00

Writers on the Move is presenting its first Live Workshop for 2012. Based on requests, discussing how to create a press release seems to be a hot topic, so that's what the webinar will be on.

And, this workshop will be our first PowerPoint webinar, so we're excited about that and would love your feedback on how you find it.

*****

Okay, enough of that; here's the information on Create an Effective Press Release in 7 Easy Steps Free Webinar:

Title: Create an Effective Press Release in 7 Easy Steps
Date: January 18, 2012 (Wednesday)
Time: 6:00 – 6:45 PM EST (U.S.)
Presented by: Karen Cioffi
Format: Live PowerPoint Webinar
Handout: Yes
Cost: Free

Description:

Create an Effective Press Release in 7 Easy Steps
If you can write an article, you can write a press release.

A press release is simply an announcement. It can be announcing your new book, a promotion launch, a special sale, news, a new article, an accomplishment, events, workshops, and so on.

The purpose of a press release, also called a media release, is to alert as many people as possible to your special news/information. But, it’s important for your press release to be at least somewhat news worthy. In addition, it’s a good idea to provide the ‘what’s in it for me’ (WIIFM) aspect of the topic.

There are seven simple steps to creating an effective press release:
1. Create an effective title (headline)
2. The point-on synopsis
3. Bullet points (optional)
4. Overview
5. Bio
6. Edit and Proof
7. Research and Submit

Join Karen Cioffi as she goes through each step.

To register for “Create an Effective Press Release in 7 Easy Steps” email Karen at:
karencioffi [@] ymail [dot] com
Instructions to attend the LIVE WEBINAR will be provided upon registration.

There will also be a bonus PDF workshop handout (the workbook) with details to help you create your own press release. Since this webinar will be a PowerPoint Webinar we will not be able to record the live presentation. But, hopefully a transcript of the chat, including questions and answers will be available.

This will be our first PowerPoint webinar and we're excited to bring this new format to you - we hope you enjoy it!

The workshop is free, but all registrants will be added to the Writers on the Move and the presenter’s mailing list.

We'll be offering (at the discretion of the presenter) an After Workshop Package of this workshop for those who didn't register and would like to purchase it. It'll include the live webinar recording, the workshop handout, and possibly a podcast. Be sure to Get Yours when it's available!

Please be sure to stop by Writers on the Move often to find out about upcoming workshops:
http://www.writersonthemove.com/p/writers-on-move-workshop.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance Writer, Editor

Karen’s Books Page:
http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/p/karens-books.html

Karen Cioffi Writing and Marketing
http://KarenCioffi.com
http://WritersOnTheMove.com
DKV Writing 4 U

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karencioffiventrice
Twitter: http://twitter.com/KarenCV
Facebook: http://facebook.com/kcioffiventrice
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Nominated in Predators and Editors Readers Poll - Please Vote

2012-01-01T16:49:00.001-05:00

I'm thrilled, about this nomination for Walking Through Walls, but it means I need votes. So, I'd appreciate your help.

For those who aren't familiar with the book, it's a children's middle grade fantasy adventure and you can find out more about it at: http://walkingthroughwalls-kcioffi.blogspot.com

So, if you're so inclined, I'd appreciate your vote:

http://www.critters.org/predpoll/novelchildrens.shtml

Just scroll down till you see Walking Through Walls. Then, they'll send you a confirmation email - you'll need to click on the link for it to take.

Two other nominees from 4RV Publishing are:

Science Fiction - Time Pullers by Horton Deakins
http://www.critters.org/predpoll/novelsf.shtml

Print Book and e Publishing ( yes, both) - 4RV Publishing
http://www.critters.org/predpoll/ebookpublisher.shtml

If you're so inclined, please vote for them also.

And, Please share this post!

Thanks so much,

Karen

2012 Writing and Marketing eBook Extravaganza

2011-12-29T11:47:00.001-05:00

To start the New Year with a BANG, from January 1st through February 28, 2012, all my writing and marketing e-books purchased directly from my site/s (using the Paypal SHOPPING CART) will be $1.19 each. And, this will include new titles added within that time period.

Yup, that’s right, only $1.19 for each of these titles:

How to Write Books for Children: Writing, Publishing, and Marketing Children’s Books;
(nominated in the 2011 Global eBooks Awards – over 100 pages)
http://www.karencioffi.com/how-to-write-books-for-children/

Editing Books Like a Pro: Self-Editing for Books and Articles
http://www.karencioffi.com/editing-books-like-a-pro/
20 Pages of helpful editing tips

How to Create an eBook and Its Many Uses
http://www.karencioffi.com/create-and-sell-your-own-ebooks/
19 pages of step-by-step, in depth instruction and information

Writing, Publishing, and Marketing – You Can Do It!
http://www.karencioffi.com/writing-publishing-and-marketing/
38 pages of information that will help you on your writing and marketing path

How to Start a Freelance Writing Business
http://www.karencioffi.com/how-to-start-a-freelance-writing-business/
33 pages of guidance, including tips for subcontracting work

How to Attract Customers With Informational Marketing
http://www.karencioffi.com/how-to-attract-customers-with-informational-marketing/
29 pages of effective information marketing advice

Learn How to Create and Sell Information Products From Your Own Site
http://www.karencioffi.com/create-and-sell-information-products-from-your-own-site/
17 pages of easy to follow information on creating and selling your own products

New titles to be coming some time in 2012 include:
Webinar Marketing: Create and Present Your Own Webinars
Book Marketing: DIY Virtual Book Tours From Start to Finish
Book Marketing: Soup to Nuts
Marketing Information Products

If you’re reading this you’re probably an author or writer, and I’m sure I don’t have to tell you how important it is to stay on top of your writing and marketing game, the above e-books will help you do just that.

For only a $1.19 each, get all seven titles for under $10.

Click on the links above to review what each book has to offer – each landing page will have a shopping cart on January 1st, for your convenience. Be sure to use the Shopping Cart Paypal Buy Button, otherwise you’ll pay full price.

For a complete ONE page list (with brief descriptions of each ebook) go to:
http://www.karencioffi.com/karen-cioffis-books-and-ebooks/

And, as a pre-bonus, the shopping carts are already up and the special prices in effect, so you can get a head start!

If you want to get your copies right now, here's the shopping cart for your convenience:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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And to be sure you don’t miss any posts here, simply subscribe to this blog (RSS feed).

~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance Writer, Editor

Karen Cioffi Writing and Marketing
http://KarenCioffi.com
http://WritersOnTheMove.com
DKV Writing 4 U

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karencioffiventrice
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Become a Writer: College Writing Degrees for the 21st Century

2011-12-28T04:46:00.012-05:00

Today's Guest Wednesday post is by freelance writer Elaine Hirsch, and she discusses they types of college degrees individual can go for to become successful in the writing arena.

Become a Writer: College Writing Degrees for the 21st Century
By Elaine Hirsch

According to the University of California-Berkeley (http://extension.berkeley.edu/catalog/course62.html), some of the factors that help create strong writers includes validating an assessment of potential, identifying strengths and weaknesses, and developing a strong background in writing techniques. If you are considering a career as a writer, you’ll discover that these are all things that you need to focus on. Choosing either a traditional or online school (http://www.onlineschools.org/) university program that can help you is one thing that aids you when you are embarking on a writing career.

One major that you might want to look into is English. For most English majors, the focus is in examining and understanding the work of others, rather than writing your own work. Essentially, in an English program, you are studying through example. Different concentrations in English degree programs will allow you to learn through different forms of the language, so picking one which can bring relevance to writing for an online audience will be key. An English program gives you a sound background in the literature that shaped writing the way that it looks today, and if you have a love of the classics, this is one way to apply your interests to a marketable career in writing.

A major in rhetoric might also suit you if you are invested in writing as a career. Rhetoric is the study of persuasion and also of communication. In many cases, universities and colleges place their creative writing classes here. In a rhetoric major, you will be focused on how to make your ideas clear and understandable to the a wide range of audiences. When you are thinking about audience appeal and how to make sure that you are understood, a rhetoric major might be what you are looking at.

If you want a thorough understanding of the way that narratives work and what stories mean, take a look at media studies. Media Studies is a relatively new discipline, and unlike English or Rhetoric, it encompasses many forms of media, ranging from film to theater to the written word. Take some time to examine the media studies program at your institution to see where the focus might be and to consider what you can gain from studying there. Media Studies teaches students about narrative technique, no matter what the medium is.

For students who want to focus on non-fiction writing, there is Journalism as a major. The journalism major encourages students to write logically and clearly, and it also stresses the importance of good research and a thorough understanding of the subject matter. You may also choose to take classes on technical writing in order to gain a thorough awareness of non-fiction writing.

When you are thinking about learning more about writing, consider what kind of writing you want to do. Are you interested in fiction writing or non-fiction writing, and how do you want to gain the knowledge that you need? Choose a course of study in a college that suits your needs while exposing you to the right influences.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Other Writing Articles You May Find of Interest

Writing a Memoir: 5 Rules
Keep Your Writing Goals Front and Center
10 Great Writing Article Links
Writing Books - Is There Money In It?

To help you with your editing, check out:
Editing Like a Pro
http://www.karencioffi.com/editing-books-like-a-pro/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PLEASE SHARE THIS ARTICLE, and SIGN-UP FOR A Writer’s World FREE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER, A Writer’s World. You’ll get two site-related e-books if you do!

And to be sure you don’t miss any posts here, simply subscribe to this blog (RSS feed).

~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance Writer, Editor

Check out my Books Page above

Karen Cioffi Writing and Marketing
http://KarenCioffi.com
http://WritersOnTheMove.com
DKV Writing 4 U

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Writing a Fiction Story: Walking Through Walls Back Story

2011-12-26T05:08:00.003-05:00

It’s always interesting how writers find ideas when writing a fiction story. Some may simply come up with an idea, others may see something that triggers a story, and sometimes a story is handed to a writer.

I had never thought of rewriting a folktale until being given a rough outline of an ancient Chinese tale, Taoist Master of the Lao Mountain. This was the inception of middle-grade, fantasy adventure Walking Through Walls.

It was June of 2008, and I belonged to a writing critique group along with a Chinese nonfiction writer who had a basic outline of an ancient Chinese tale that he wanted to pass along to a fiction writer. Since writing a fiction story wasn't his cup of tea, he gave me the outline.

After reading the outline, I loved the lessons it could bring to children. Folktales come from all over the world and usually provide morale messages geared toward doing right, rather than wrong. These tales are a wonderful way to teach children through an engaging and entertaining story.

Since the tale, as with many ancient tales, involved an adult as the protagonist the first step needed was to rewrite it for today’s children’s market, meaning it needed a child protagonist. Wanting to stay as close to the original tale, I used some of its flavor, descriptions, and names. That’s how the main character’s name, Wang, was chosen. Along with keeping the story's flavor, I wanted it to be engaging for today’s child, so I came up with new characters, the dragon, enhanced storyline and plot, and so on.

Having an outline to guide me was a great help; it offered a general direction, like an arrow pointing North. So, as I began to rewrite the tale it was able to take on a life of its own, while still heading North. And, to ensure the story kept its flavor, I made sure to include bits of the original story to keep it as close to the tale’s outline as possible.

Working on the story, I knew it needed to take place in ancient China, so decided to use the 16th century as the backdrop for the story. To add an element of realism to the story, I researched ancient China, including foods, flowers, dwellings, and clothing. I also contacted the Chinese writer who gave me the outline for some additional cultural information.

I worked on the story for well over a year, revising it, having it critiqued numerous times, revising it some more, and even had it professionally edited by Lea Schizas before beginning to send it out for submissions. Fortunately for me, the timing coincided with the 2009 Muse Online Writers Conference and I signed up to have a pitch with 4RV Publishing. As nervous as I was, the pitch went well and the manuscript was accepted. For the next year, it was more revisions, tweaking, additional elements to the story, and editing to make the middle-grade, fantasy adventure, Walking Through Walls, better than before.

Then, the story was ready for a cover illustration. Aidana WillowRaven was assigned to my book and although the dragon in the story was described as “a shimmering golden dragon,” Aidana ‘felt’ the flavor of the story pointed to a more oriental type dragon. We went back and forth a bit about the dragon’s size and shape, but Aidana’s vision of what the dragon should look like was perfect.

Now, the description of the 'golden dragon' in the story needed to be corrected. So, I changed the text to read, “Suddenly a magnificent dragon with shimmering red and silver scales appeared.” Done. The description of the dragon and the cover matched; we were ready to move forward.

Next came the interior design formatting, which includes the text. After blocking the text it was determined another six pages was needed to make the spine wide enough. So, I had to come up with more content. As the story was complete, to fill the page count I came up with an Author’s Note page, four pages of Reading Comprehension, an Activities Page, and after more research eight pages of information on the Ming Dynasty time period and the Chinese dragon.

Finally, Walking Through Walls, a middle-grade fantasy adventure, became available for sale in August 2011.

Writing a fiction story from its inception to publication can take many paths; this is the path Walking Through Walls took.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Related Writing Articles

Simple as ABC: 6 Basic Tips for Writing Children’s Fiction (Part 1)
Finding Children’s Story Ideas
What is Your Story’s Theme?
Writing for Children: 10 Basic Steps

Related e-books you might find useful:

Editing Like a Pro
How to Write Books for Children: Writing, Publishing, and Marketing Children’s Books

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PLEASE SHARE THIS ARTICLE, and SIGN-UP FOR A Writer’s World FREE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER, A Writer’s World. You’ll get two site-related e-books if you do!

And to be sure you don’t miss any posts here, simply subscribe to this blog (RSS feed).

~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance Writer, Editor

Karen’s Books Page:
http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/p/karens-books.html

Karen Cioffi Writing and Marketing
http://KarenCioffi.com
http://WritersOnTheMove.com
DKV Writing 4 U

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karencioffiventrice
Twitter: http://twitter.com/KarenCV
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Seasons Greetings

2011-12-25T12:25:00.000-05:00

Wishing everyone a healthy and safe

holiday season and a healthy and prosperous

New Year.

****************

Information Marketing: 10 Article Links

2011-12-23T16:32:00.000-05:00

This past week I've spend a lot of time reading articles and listening to podcasts that offer great information, so I'm sharing some of them with you.

This is what information marketing is all about.

*****

10 Marketing Article Links:

Marketing Calendar

10 Reasons Your Book Should be an eBook

How to Add Your Website to the ViralNetworkers Directory

10 Ways to Add Facebook Functionality to Your Website

5 Simple Font Changes to Boost Readers, Comments, and Shares on Your Blog

7 Tips to Increase Your Blog Comments

Author Promo Tools: What’s a Sell Sheet?

What is SEO and SEO Marketing?

SEO and Marketing: Basic Tips and Definitions

Rules of SEO for Profit

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PLEASE SHARE THIS ARTICLE, and SIGN-UP FOR A Writer’s World FREE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER, A Writer’s World. You’ll get two site-related e-books if you do!

And to be sure you don’t miss any posts here, simply subscribe to this blog (RSS feed).

~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance Writer, Editor

Karen’s Books Page:
http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/p/karens-books.html

Karen Cioffi Writing and Marketing
http://KarenCioffi.com
http://WritersOnTheMove.com
DKV Writing 4 U

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karencioffiventrice
Twitter: http://twitter.com/KarenCV
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GooglePlus: https://plus.google.com/107054879622971281466/posts

Write Books for Children's Based on Your Personal Struggles

2011-12-21T03:22:00.006-05:00

Today's guest post is from the publisher of Children’s Book Insider, Laura Backes.

********

How to Write a Children’s Book Based on Your Personal Struggles
by Laura Backes

Suppose you’ve just gone through a divorce and lost custody of your kids. Or a loved one has recently died of cancer. Or you struggled in school as a child because you have dyslexia.

Many writers turn difficult periods in their lives into books for children, hoping to help young readers through similar painful experiences. Here are some tips to keep in mind when creating and selling books based on real-life events:

Remember that you’re writing a children’s book, not a personal essay intended to purge your soul from a painful memory. Children want to read about how they feel. Many writers create a child character and tell the story through that character’s eyes. Don’t write in first person if the “I” is you, the adult author. Instead of explaining how bad you feel that your kids no longer live with you, show how a five-year-old character feels about only getting to see Daddy every other weekend.

Books for younger children (up to age eight) centering around a personal crisis are generally most effective if the author uses a fictional vehicle for imparting the information. If you want to stick closer to nonfiction, make sure the book focuses on the child in the center of the event, and is told in a narrative format with a beginning, middle and end. Older children can handle more traditional self-help books, with each chapter concentrating on a specific aspect of the problem. However, interspersing the advice with personal anecdotes from other children who have gone through the same thing will make the information more appealing and relevant to the readers.

Targeting appropriate publishers with these manuscripts is important. Look in subject index of Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market under “Self Help” and “Special Needs” for publishers. Peruse the children’s nonfiction section of a large bookstore, and read reviews in Publisher’s Weekly, School Library Journal and Horn Book (trade magazines found online and in most libraries) to see which publishers do similar types of books. Check out websites for editorial guidelines (if you can’t find them, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the children’s editorial department asking for guidelines before you write and submit your manuscript). You can also look at books written for parents to help their children cope with an illness, loss or divorce, and query the publisher asking if they’d like to publish a children’s book on the same topic.

Though many mainstream publishers are interested in books that deal with special issues, some topics have too narrow an audience for a large house to market the book successfully. In this case, many authors have elected to self-publish. If you get several personal rejection letters from editors who praise the book but say the audience isn’t broad enough, you might consider publishing it yourself. But self-publishing should be approached cautiously; color illustrations are essential for picture books, making them very expensive to produce. And you must be prepared to devote at least a year of your life to selling and distributing your book. Most self-published books are sold primarily through direct mail. Can you purchase mailing lists of parents with children who could benefit from your book? Stories on adoption, specific childhood illnesses, or those that might fit in a pediatrician’s waiting room or hospital gift shop are examples of books with a very targeted audience.

Laura Backes is the Publisher of Children's Book Insider, the Newsletter for Children's Book Writers. Want to learn how to become a successful children's book author? Come hang with the Fightin' Bookworms at http://cbiclubhouse.com Whether is writing picture books, chapter books, young adult novels, finding children's book publishers -- or anything else -- you'll find all the answers at the CBI Clubhouse!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Laura_Backes
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2848787

~~~~~~~~~~~
Related Articles:

Determination, Focus, and Perseverance
Writing for Children: 10 Basic Steps
Ingredients for a Picture Perfect Book

~~~~~~~~~~~
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~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance Writer, Editor

Karen’s Books Page:
http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/p/karens-books.html

Karen Cioffi Writing and Marketing
http://KarenCioffi.com
http://WritersOnTheMove.com
DKV Writing 4 U

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Writing Children's Books: Genre Differences

2011-12-19T03:01:00.003-05:00

There are a number of genres within the children’s book arena. The target audience ranges from babies right on through to young adults. This provides a unique situation for writers to pick and choose a genre that feels comfortable to write in, while still remaining within the children’s book market.

Each genre is geared toward a specific age group and has its own set of rules and tricks.

Children’s Books: An overview of the different genres and a description of each:

Bedtime stories: These stories are simple and soothing. They are written to help lull little ones off to sleep and are in the form of picture books. The age group can be from newborn to five or six years of age.

An example of a bedtime story is Day’s End Lullaby by Karen Cioffi. The classic Good Night Moon by Margaret Wise Brown is another example of a bedtime story.

Board Books: Board books are simple picture books geared toward babies and toddlers. They are designed to hold up to a toddlers prying and pulling fingers. Board books can be black and white or very colorful. These books usually teach simple concepts, such as numbers from one to ten, days of the week, colors, and simple words.

An example of a classic baby board book is The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. Good Night Moon by Margaret Wise Brown is also a board book, a very well known.

Picture books for the 2 - 5 year old group: These books are meant to be read aloud the child. Rather than simply concept themes, simple story lines can be written with short sentences and words. These books are for children in the ‘pre-reading’ stage and the word count can range from 100 - 500 words.

An example of a very young child’s picture book is The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown.

Picture books for the 4 - 8 year old: This genre makes up most of the picture book market. These books are also meant to be read aloud to children, but for the older child it can be read individually. The pictures will give a visual element for children learning to read, helping with the comprehension of the text. The wording and themes can be a bit more interesting, but still rather simple.

For the writer, in this genre you will need to use introduce ‘showing’ to create an engaging reading experience for the child. The average picture book is 32 pages and under 1000 words.

Two examples of picture books for this age group are Walter the Farting Dog by William Kotzwinkle and Owen by Kevin Henkes.

Chapter books for the 6 - 9 or 7 – 10 year old group: Children in this group are learning to read. The vocabulary and storyline is expanding, but clarity is still a must. These books may be labeled as ‘early readers’ or ‘easy readers’ by educational publishers and are designed to read by the child. The word count is usually between 5,000 and 12,000.

An example of a chapter book is Clarice Bean, that's me by Lauren Child; another is Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo.

In regard to Because of Winn-Dixie, the protagonist is ten years old. Since children tend to read-up (the protagonist will be 2 – 3 years older than the reader), the target audience is around 7 – 8 years old, placing it within this genre and possibly the younger end of middle grade.

Middle grade books: The middle grader is between 8 and twelve years old. The middle-grader will go for stories that he can associate with and characters he can form a bond with. The word count is usually a minimum of 20,000.

As the child is able to comprehend more and is maturing, so should the stories. Stories and conflict can be more involved and you can now introduce more than one protagonist or point of view. This age group can also be introduced to science fiction, fantasy, and mysteries.

An example of a middle grade book is Walking Through Walls by Karen Cioffi. The early Harry Potter books by J. K. Rowling are also middle-graders.

Young adult books: This genre encompasses the twelve to sixteen and up age group. YAs can be edgy; plots and characters can be complex and serious issues addressed.

An example of a young adult book is An Audience for Einstein by Mark Wakely. The Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer is also in the YA genre.

A useful way to get a better idea of what the different genres consist of is to visit your local library and talk to the children’s section librarian. She’ll be able to show you books in each genre and give you tidbits of information on which are the most popular, which are classic, and much more.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Related Articles:

Use Characteristics to Create a Believable Protagonist
Children’s Writing and Publishing: The Traditional Path PART 1
Finding Age Appropriate Words When Writing for Children
Finding Children’s Story Ideas
Simple as ABC: 6 Basic Tips for Writing Children’s Fiction (Part 1)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PLEASE SHARE THIS ARTICLE, and SIGN-UP FOR A Writer’s World FREE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER, A Writer’s World. You’ll get two site-related e-books if you do!

And to be sure you don’t miss any posts here, simply subscribe to this blog (RSS feed).

~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance Writer, Editor

Karen's Books Page:
http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/p/karens-books.html

Karen Cioffi Writing and Marketing
http://KarenCioffi.com
http://WritersOnTheMove.com
DKV Writing 4 U

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karencioffiventrice
Twitter: http://twitter.com/KarenCV
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GooglePlus: https://plus.google.com/107054879622971281466/posts

Widen Your Reach - Know Your Audience

2011-12-16T05:21:00.006-05:00

Today, I have the pleasure of featuring a guest post by writing/author Holly Jahangiri. So, let's get to it.

Widen Your Reach - Know Your Audience
By Holly Jahangiri

Every writer knows how important it is to “know your audience” when writing the book. Too often, authors forget who their audience really is, when it comes time to market the book.

Virtual book tours are a fun and affordable alternative when travel dollars are tight – but are you reaching the right audience with your virtual events? Do you write guest posts for non-writing blogs in your niche? Do you hold virtual book signings – or had you even imagined such a thing was possible?

A couple of years ago, I attended a virtual book signing event. It occurred at the fan-operated science fiction and fantasy literary and filk convention, FenCon VII, in Dallas. Spider Robinson was the guest of honor, but was unable to attend in person due to the recent death of his wife, Jeanne. Still, not wanting to disappoint his fans, he found creative – and futuristic – ways to participate in the conference. He participated in panels and even did a virtual book signing! The organizers set up a PC, a printer, and a Skype connection with Spider, and attendees could chat for a few minutes with the author and then get their picture printed with him from a screen capture. This was the perfect venue for something like that, blending a sci-fi, high-tech solution with a very human touch.

Do you seek out guest posting opportunities on blogs run by readers who are not writers? For example, Mommy-bloggers and Dad-bloggers are great hosts and reviewers of children’s books. If your children’s book helps to solve a problem, see if you can find a child psychologist who blogs, and offer a guest post – or ask them to review your book. There are also some amazing teen bloggers (http://www.youngestblogger.com/) out there. When my book A Puppy, Not a Guppy (http://4rvpublishingllc.com/Childrens_Books.html )was launched, I got teens to review it – and one even gave it the “Babysitter’s Stamp of Approval”! I’ll bet mystery writers could find opportunities within the Top 50 Forensic Science Blogs ( http://mastersinforensicscience.com/2010/top-50-forensic-science-blogs/ ) or these 50 Spine-Tingling Murder Mystery Blogs ( http://www.crimesceneinvestigationschools.org/murder-mystery/ ). My point is, don’t limit yourself only to other writers’ blogs. It’s easy, because they understand the need for promotion. Often, they know how a blog book tour works, so you don’t have to spend much time familiarizing them with the concept. But if you are not reaching out to the people who have a passionate interest in the subject of your book, you’re missing out on some great promotional opportunities.

About Holly Jahangiri

Holly Jahangiri (http://eepurl.com/hKnt-/) lives in Texas and claims to channel the spirits of Edgar Allan Poe, O. Henry and Erma Bombeck. She has known since fifth grade that she wanted to be a professional writer. Holly is a technical communicator whose imagination is allowed free rein in her short stories, children's books, and poetry. You can visit her personal blog, "It's All a Matter of Perspective," at http://jahangiri.us/new. She also writes for TheNextGoal.com, and hopes to win it in Weblogbetter's Surviving the Blog Contest.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Other Book Marketing Articles:

Book Promotion: The Foundation
Book Promotion: Creating an Informational Funnel
Create an Online Media Kit for Books

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PLEASE SHARE THIS ARTICLE, and SIGN-UP FOR A Writer’s World FREE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER, A Writer’s World. You’ll get two site-related e-books if you do!

And to be sure you don’t miss any posts here, simply subscribe to this blog (RSS feed).

~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance Writer, Editor

Karen’s Books Page:
http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/p/karens-books.html

Karen Cioffi Writing and Marketing
http://KarenCioffi.com
http://WritersOnTheMove.com
DKV Writing 4 U

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

Year End Thank You to Subscribers and Followers

2011-12-14T18:45:00.000-05:00

Can you believe that it's the end of the year? It's that time when I'd like to take a moment to thank you (those who stop by for a visit, those who follow this blog, and to the subscribers to A Writer's World) for your support. I do appreciate that you take time out of your busy schedules to stop by and visit with us and/or read the newsletter.

Along with a thank you, I'd like to wish everyone and their families a healthy, safe, and happy holiday season and a healthy and prosperous new year.

There are two ways I thought of to show my appreciation and they both have to do with writing and marketing. Well, what'd you think they'd be on? :)

First, we at Writers on the Move put together a Holiday Season 2011 eBook that offers some writing and marketing information. It's on the sidebar at http://writersonthemove.com, under Gifts. This one is for you and to all who visit.

The second gift will be in the next A Writer's World newsletter, they'll be an exclusive link to one of my new e-books, Editing Books Like a Pro. Please, DO NOT SHARE the link or the e-book. It is meant as a gift to A Writer's World subscribers and is for sale to everyone else.

I want to mention that I'll have the link working for about a week, after that I'm taking it down, so please get your copy while it's available. And, for those who haven't subscribed to A Writer's World free newsletter, SIGN UP NOW!

The newsletter will go out on Friday, December 16th.

I should have the newsletter out by this weekend and in your mail box by Monday. As usual I'm running behind. The story of my life. :)

I hope you are all a part of my writing world in 2012, both here and at Writers on the Move. And, I hope to make lots of more friends and followers.

In addition, Writers on the Move now offers webinars as a new informational tool to bring you more engaging workshops.

My goal for 2012 is to do my best to bring you fresh and useful information, tips, and advice to help you on your writing and marketing journey, from both here and at Writers on the Move.

So, again, have a healthy, safe, and happy Holiday Season and a healthy and prosperous New Year.

And, don't forget to sign up today for A Writer's World.

~~~~~
PLEASE SHARE THIS ARTICLE, and SIGN-UP FOR A Writer’s World FREE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER!

And to be sure you don’t miss any posts here, simply subscribe to this blog (RSS feed).

~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance Writer, Editor

Karen’s Books Page:
http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/p/karens-books.html

http://writersonthemove.com
http://KarenCioffi.com
http://DKVWriting4U.com

Want to Write a Book? Three Reasons Why You Won’t

2011-12-14T02:11:00.001-05:00

Today, I have a guest post from author, freelance writer, and writing coach Suzanne Lieurance.

3 Reasons Why Most People Who Say They Want to Write a Book Will Never Write One

By Suzanne Lieurance

Almost everyone has dreams of writing a book some day. Yet, for most people this will never become more than a dream. And thousands of others who do manage to START writing their book will give up midway through and never finish writing it. As a published author and a writing coach, I've discovered there are basically 3 reasons most writers give up on their dream of one day writing a book:

1. Wanna be authors think their book has to be one of the best books ever written.

This is a lot of pressure for any writer, much less a first time author. No one could measure up to this, so it's safer and easier to give up before ever starting. But the truth is, published authors simply try to write the very best book they can write. They don't worry about it being one of the best books ever written.

2. Wanna be authors figure they really don't have anything new and different to say that hasn't already been written about before in other books.

That old saying, "there is nothing new under the sun" is true. So published authors don't worry that someone else may have written a book about the same topic they wish to write about. Instead, they try to give their book a unique "spin" on the topic. That means they write about it in a somewhat unique way.

3. Wanna be authors think writing should be easy. If it isn't, that means they weren't meant to be a writer.

When they start writing, and the writing becomes difficult, they figure they must not be cut out to be an author.
Writing is a craft and it is often just plain hard work even for the best of writers. In fact, good writing is usually good rewriting, so most of the well-known authors work hard at their writing. They write, then rewrite and rewrite until they get the work just right. If they stopped when the writing got difficult, they'd never publish anything either. As you can probably tell by now, each of these 3 reasons for giving up on writing a book is merely an excuse for not following through on a dream.

If you dream of writing a book someday, don't expect to write one of the best books ever written. Don't worry that you have nothing new to say. Just try to say it in a new way. And, most importantly, don't expect the writing to be so easy that there's nothing to it. Just keep plugging along and eventually you'll have a finished manuscript you can be proud of.

For instruction, tips, and advice to help you start and finish writing your book, join the The Working Writer's Club (http://workingwritersclub.com).
Suzanne Lieurance is a fulltime freelance writer, the author of 22 (at last count) published books, and the Working Writer's Coach.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Suzanne_Lieurance

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Related Writing Articles:

Keep Your Writing Goals Front and Center
Successful Writing Strategy: Know Your Intent
Write a Novel That Sells

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PLEASE SHARE THIS ARTICLE, and SIGN-UP FOR A Writer’s World FREE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER, A Writer’s World. You’ll get two site-related e-books if you do!

And to be sure you don’t miss any posts here, simply subscribe to this blog (RSS feed).

~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance Writer, Editor

Karen Cioffi Writing and Marketing
http://KarenCioffi.com
http://WritersOnTheMove.com
DKV Writing 4 U

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karencioffiventrice
Twitter: http://twitter.com/KarenCV
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Freelance Writing Work: The Possibilities

2011-12-12T05:32:00.044-05:00

As most writers know, there isn’t much money in being an author; the money, if you can get a successful freelance writing business going, is in freelance writing work and ghostwriting.

There are so many different freelance writing and ghostwriting jobs you can do. But, to keep your target market focused and to strengthen your area of expertise, you should choose one or two specific types. Offering too many varying services weakens your platform and your authoritative status.

It should be mentioned that you can also learn the copywriting ropes and create a copywriting business or simply include its techniques to enhance your own writing. But for now we’ll stick to freelance writing work, including ghostwriting; although some of the opportunities may require a bit of basic copywriting skills.

Freelance Writing Work You Can Choose From:

•    Magazine freelancer - writing and submitting articles to paying magazines
•    Writing for book publishers who accept freelance writers (you’ll need to query for a position)
•    News reporter
•    Feature writer for newspapers or magazines

•    Getting work from job boards
•    Editing and/or proofreading other writers’ work
•    Critiquing other writers’ work

•    Writing speeches
•    Writing content for websites
•    Writing content for newsletters
•    Writing articles and blog posts
•    Writing white papers or reports
•    Writing books, e-books, or pamphlets
•    Resume writing

•    Writing product descriptions or guides
•    Writing presentations
•    Technical writing
•    Educational writing
•    Instructional writing
•    Research writing
•    Legal writing

The list goes on and on.

Aside from the special skills needed for copywriting, all written content has the need for a writer. And, chances are there is someone, somewhere looking for some type of freelance writing work. It’s a matter of finding the work and attracting clients.

The important thing is to have your freelance writing business visible. I had someone contact me to write a six to ten page report as part of a job application requirement. He was busy over the weekend and wouldn’t have time to do it himself. He found me through a Google search using ‘ghostwriter’ as a keyword. I don’t do rush jobs, so had to decline.

This is another aspect of freelance writing work that you may want to consider, there are some businesses that offer very quick turn around. People pay more money for a quick turn around.

Yet another point to make is that when someone contacts you for freelance writing work, and for whatever reason, you can’t do it, try to be helpful in some way; make a lasting impression. I gave the ‘job application guy’ some tips on what to look for in a qualified freelance writer and told him if he needed help down the road to give me a call.

So, you can see that if you’re out there, doing information marketing and building a quality business, it definitely helps in finding clients and garnering freelance writing work.

I'm putting together an e-book, How to Start a Freelance Writing Business, that will offer key points in starting and building a freelance business. So, be sure to click on my Book Page above for the details:

http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/p/karens-books.html

Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos: Photographer jscreationzs

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Related Writing Articles:

Article Directories and Ghostwriting
Freelance Writing: An Additional Path to Income
Editing a Book – 10 Tips Checklist for Children’s Writers Part 1

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PLEASE SHARE THIS ARTICLE, and SIGN-UP FOR A Writer’s World FREE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER, A Writer’s World. You’ll get two site-related e-books if you do!

And to be sure you don’t miss any posts here, simply subscribe to this blog (RSS feed).

~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance Writer, Editor

Karen Cioffi Writing and Marketing
http://KarenCioffi.com
http://WritersOnTheMove.com
DKV Writing 4 U

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karencioffiventrice
Twitter: http://twitter.com/KarenCV
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GooglePlus: https://plus.google.com/107054879622971281466/posts

4 Simple Steps to Web Videos That SELL by Ali Brown

2011-12-07T06:36:00.053-05:00

Today's guest post is by entrepreneur mentor Ali Brown and it gives you the pieces to the puzzle so you can create your own web video.

4 Simple Steps to Web Videos That SELL
by Ali Brown

Did you know that the #1 activity people are doing online these days is watching videos? Here’s why…

Web video is a great way to stimulate the senses of your audience. Each of us absorbs information differently. Some people learn better by hearing, others by seeing, and still others by reading. So if you aren’t yet thinking about ways to market with video, you’re ignoring a very compelling communication channel.

So why isn’t everyone creating a web video presence? A few reasons I hear from my clients are:

1) You don’t like being in front of a camera.

2) You don’t have the technical competency to shoot, edit and post video footage.

3) You can’t afford to buy the equipment and software you think you need.

Well, the great news is, making a web video does not require expensive gear, tech-geek prowess, or you to magically morph into the perfect TV persona.

I’ve broken down the process into 4 easy steps, so you can get a web video up in no time!

STEP 1: Examine Your Goods

If you own a digital camera, you’re already equipped with all you need to film a web video. Most digital cameras have a video feature, and you might want to check your cell phone as well—a lot of the new models shoot video. But for best results, pick up a solid, small video camera like the Flip Mino, which shoots and then plugs right into your computer for instant upload to your desktop. My team and I use the Kodak Zi8 because you can plug in an external mic for best sound quality.

STEP 2: Shoot to Minimize Errors

To keep your editing process simple, I highly suggest breaking up your shoots into small chunks versus doing one long take. That way you reduce your chance of errors and you won’t have to bother with cutting out parts that are boring, or have any blunders.

Here’s how to segment out your video: Let’s say you have an intro, then point #1, point #2, Point #3, the call to action, then contact information. Write up a loose script that you can follow as you shoot each take, or keep an outline nearby so you can reduce room for errors. In Step 3, you’ll see how beautifully these short takes will work with transition slides to pull together a really polished video.

Wear solid colors that pop, and powder your face if your skin gets shiny. And a big time-saving tip: Try to shoot more than one video at once. Often what takes the most time is all the setup, so you’ll save time in the end. (And ladies, why not only do your hair and makeup once?)

Step 3: Create Slides to Aid Your Message (or Replace You)

PowerPoint slides are a great way to elevate the quality of your videos, and it’s also perfect for those of you who are too shy to get in front of the camera. If this is you, all you need to do is put together a nice-looking PowerPoint presentation and narrate over as you click through your presentation.

Let’s say you do want to be the star. PowerPoint slides are a great way to cleanly transition between your points and reinforce your key messages (like your pitch, your website, etc.).

A basic slide setup would look like:

1. Introduction Slide: include your topic, name, website.

2. Title Sequences: this gives your video a sense of structure, as you present the information (ex. Lesson #1, Question #1, Problem #1, etc.). Keep this to a minimum though, maybe 2 to 3 max.

3. Call-to-Action: tell your viewers what to DO next. (Should they go to a certain web page to learn more? Call your toll-free number? Click on a link elsewhere on the page the video will be posted on?)

Another idea for those of you who are shy is to instead (and sometimes even better) feature your star clients and highlight their successes.

Step 4: Edit Your Video and Post It Online

These days, there are many free, user-friendly options for editing your video. Two popular and simple ones are Microsoft Movie Maker and Apple iMovie. For more fancy editing and effects, take a look at Apple’s Final Cut. Take an hour or two to go through some of the built-in tutorials and you’ll be uploading a stellar sales video in no time!

Post your video online using YouTube or other easy upload sites like Vimeo.com, where you can then fetch the embed code and put the video on your own site easily. And also consider Facebook which has the even better viral effect.

All the Ways You Can Use Video Now

A few ideas are: for your home page as a welcome/intro to your site, explaining a specific service or product, driving traffic from Facebook and YouTube to your website, motivating people to sign up for your teleseminar or webinar, as a replacement for a long-form sales letter, or as a thank you message to your clients. And that’s just a start! Don’t wait… record your first video as soon as possible, and get it up there.
==========
© 2011 Ali International, LLC
Entrepreneur mentor Ali Brown teaches women around the world how to start and grow a profitable business that make a positive impact. Get her FREE CD “Top 10 Secrets for Entrepreneurial Women” at http;//www.AliBrown.com

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Other Marketing Articles:

How to Drive Traffic to a Website Using Expert Informational Content
Book Promotion: 20 Strategies that will Broaden Your Reach – Part 1
Websites That Work: 7 Key Factors (Part 1)

~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance Writer, Editor

Karen Books Page:
http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/p/karens-books.html

Karen Cioffi Writing and Marketing
http://KarenCioffi.com
http://WritersOnTheMove.com
DKV Writing 4 U

Alfindica: The Story of the Ethical Elephants

2011-12-06T12:36:00.000-05:00

Today's the launch day for Alfindica, a children's picture book!

Conch Press Publishing are experts in creating captivating books for children, and their new release Afindica: The Story of the Ethical Elephants is no exception! However, there is a special twist that comes with the launch of this book …

Afindica is a land full of adventure, wisdom and self-discovery where 8 Ethical Elephants live. Their mission is to save the land by teaching children about different personality types, skills and abilities, so that humans learn to value their uniqueness and how to work together in their own elephant herd.

After reading this beautifully illustrated book, children identify more with their own personality & talents, which increases their confidence. The Story of the Ethical Elephants is also packed with facts about animals, nature and the world, so children become curious about their environment and want to share these stories with their friends.

As a joint venture partner for this book, I (and others) offer a FREE gift for those who purchase the book - here's the link you'll need to buy the book and get the FREE bonus gifts partners are offering:
http://promolaunch.afindica.com/promotional-launch/

Here's the promo content that went out in my newsletter today:

As a subscriber to our network, we love to inform you of great products and services for parents ... well we have a great offer which is ONLY valid for TODAY 12/06/11!

If you are looking for the perfect holiday gift for your child that doesn't cost the earth, then please click on the following link to discover a gift that not only will keep children amused for hours, but will also help increase their confidence and social skills!

http://promolaunch.afindica.com/promotional-launch/

There is also a SPECIAL REWARD waiting just for YOU when you click on this link ... you will receive over £1000 worth of bonus gifts all relating to parenting, finance, health and personal development ... the holidays have come early!!!!

http://promolaunch.afindica.com/promotional-launch/

Elephants are helping children all over the world ...
Will your child be one of them?!?
Click on the link above to discover ...

YOU HAVE TO ACT TODAY TO GET THE BONUSES!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Related article:

An Effective Book Marketing Strategy: Joint Ventures

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance Writer, Editor

Karen Books Page:
http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/p/karens-books.html

Karen Cioffi Writing and Marketing
http://KarenCioffi.com
http://WritersOnTheMove.com
DKV Writing 4 U

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

Writing a Memoir: 5 Rules

2011-12-05T06:53:00.027-05:00

Writing a memoir is different things to different people. Some people are looking for closure, or a cathartic release from a traumatic event in their lives, others simply want to share their experiences with readers.

Whatever the reason behind writing a memoir, there are a few rules that should be adhered to.

5 Rules to Writing a Memoir:

1. Know what you want to convey to the reader. Know why you’re writing a memoir and let the reader in on what to expect. This will help give your story direction and focus – it will provide a basis for it to move forward.

2. Decide on what format you will write your memoir, but keep in mind that trying to stick to a purely chronological order can cause a problem with the flow of the story. One possible alternative is to divide the story into specific topics within the overall subject (your life), possibly childhood, education, marriage, family, or other topics important to the story.

The idea is to realize you have options. You might try brainstorming some alternative memoir formats. You can also do some research by reading memoirs by traditional publishers; go to your library and ask the librarian to offer some suggestions. Finding ones that are recently published will be helpful; you need to know what the current market is looking for.

Another aspect of structure that needs to be addressed is how you speak to the reader. In a Writer’s Digest article, “5 Ways to Start Your Memoir on the Right Foot” by Steve Zousmer, it says, “Is the conversation external or internal? That is, is writing your book the equivalent of sitting down in your living room and telling a small group of people the story of your life (external), or are you having an internal conversation with yourself while allowing readers to listen in?"

3. Whether you’re writing a mystery, a romance, or a memoir, you need to hook the reader. Again, read other memoirs for some examples and ideas.

As a former accountant who now writes, if writing my memoir, a possible beginning might be, “From the pencil to the pen.” This possibly has the potential to arouse enough curiosity to hook the reader.

Your experience and story is unique, try to come up with something that reflects that.

4. Don’t let your memoir be a platform to get even with those who you perceive have harmed you in the past. You may feel good about venting, but your readers won’t. This will turn off agents, publishers, and readers. Remember, your memoir should be to entertain, enlighten, help, instruct, uplift, motivate, inform, or encourage your readers; it shouldn’t be all about you and your vendetta.

5. As with any form of writing, the bare bottom basic is to have a proofread and edited manuscript. Even if you intend to have your manuscript professionally edited, you need to know the basics of writing. This aspect of writing entails effort – effort to learn the craft of writing, including revisions, proofing, and editing.

If you are having your manuscript professionally edited, the editor will expect to be given a relatively polished manuscript to work on. Unless of course, you’re having the memoir ghostwritten, in which case you and the ghostwriter will determine what shape, if any, your manuscript needs to be in.

But, assuming you’re doing it on your own, at the very least you need to be part of a critique group, a non-fiction writing group, or one specifically for memoirs. A critique group will help you hone your craft and will spot a number of problems within your manuscript that you will not be able to find on your own. And, be sure the critique group you choose has experienced and published authors, along with new writers.

So many new writers don’t think this aspect of writing a memoir applies to them. Or, they just don’t want to put the time and effort into learning the craft of writing. But, if you intend to submit your manuscript to traditional publishers, or if you are self-publishing, having a polished manuscript is a must. It’s a reflection of you and your writing ability, and will be a factor in how readers view your book.

Writing a Memoir Possibilities

If all the elements and rules of writing a memoir are applied, and your particular story offers unique insights, has a universal theme, has a one or two sentence WOW elevator pitch, is memorable or provocative, it may have the potential to soar.

Memoirs that have gone above and beyond include:

“Eat, Pray, Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert
“Julie and Julia” by Julie Powell
“Marley and Me” by John Grogan

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Other Writing Articles:

Writers and Authors: The Ongoing Process of Evolving
Editing a Book – 10 Tips Checklist for Children’s Writers Part 1
Writing Books - Is There Money In It?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance Writer, Editor

Karen Books Page:
http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/p/karens-books.html

http://KarenCioffi.com
http://WritersOnTheMove.com
DKV Writing 4 U

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

Annual Holiday Book Drive for Underprivileged Children!

2011-12-02T05:34:00.010-05:00

Today's post is short and sweet.

Award winning author Dallas Woodburn has created and has maintained a yearly holiday book drive for underprivileged children and YOU CAN HELP!

It’s the 10th annual holiday book drive to benefit underprivileged children! through Write On!

Last year Write On! For Literacy collected nearly 1,000 books (bringing our grand total to more than 12,000 books!) that were distributed to various schools and charities including the Boys & Girls Club, Casa Pacifica, and Project Understanding. Please do your part to help children have a better holiday season. Help beat illiteracy and give the gift that lasts forever: the gift of reading!

Make a difference and give the gift that keeps giving.

For all the details go to:
http://dallaswoodburn.blogspot.com/2011/11/10th-annual-holiday-book-drive-to.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi

Writing Workshop: Creating Great Characters

2011-12-01T01:43:00.028-05:00

Writers on the Move is offering another great workshop; this one is on Creating Great Characters.

Don't miss out - take advantage of this free writing workshop!

*****

Title: Creating Great Characters
Presented by: Maggie Ball
Date: December 07, 2011 (Wednesday)
Time: 5:00 - 5:45 PM EST (U.S.)
Format: Live Webinar
Handout: Yes
Cost: Free

Workshop Description:

Think of amazing characters, such as Sherlock Holmes, Scarlett O'Hara (Gone with the Wind), Tarzan, Scout Finch (To Kill a Mockingbird), Peter Pan, Charlotte (Charlotte's Web), T. S. Garp (The World According to Garp), Nick and Nora Charles (The Thin Man), Harry Potter, the list goes on and on.

Characters are at the heart of every great story and every fiction author needs to know how to create good ones. Think temperament, intelligence, appearance, physical characteristics, quirks, moods, mannerisms, and so on. Great characters need to be real, engaging, and motivating; they need to keep the reader reading. They need to touch something in the reader; they need to be remembered.

Join Maggie Ball as she discusses characterization.

To register for “Creating Great Characters” email Maggie Ball at: maggieball@compulsivereader.com

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

There will also be a bonus PDF workshop handout included and registered attendees will receive a recording of the live webinar.

For full details go to:
http://www.writersonthemove.com/p/writers-on-move-workshop.html

PLEASE SHARE THIS WRITING WORKSHOP INFORMATION!

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

Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance Writer, Editor

Karen Books Page:
http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/p/karens-books.html

Karen Cioffi Writing and Marketing
http://KarenCioffi.com
http://WritersOnTheMove.com
DKV Writing 4 U

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

Writing Strategy: Pen Names and Pseudonyms

2011-11-30T05:26:00.046-05:00

Today's guest post is by freelance writer Elaine Hirsch.

Using pseudonyms for the purpose of identity concealment while writing provocative and engaging literature is a time-honored practice. The Founding Fathers wrote the seminal Federalist Papers under the collective pseudonym Publius. There were even opposing views to the Federalist Papers written under different pseudonyms such as Cato and Brutus.

Pseudonyms have been a mainstay of literature, sometimes as collective pen names (Ellery Queen), or as aliases. Stephen King used the name Richard Bachman ostensibly to test whether his success as an author had anything to do with his own persona. While it may not do to write one's master's degree dissertation under a pen name, outspoken academics have long disguised their writings when necessary, and still do so today.

Online privacy and the possibility of anonymity are two transcending issues of internet communications. Pseudonyms abound in the blogosphere, and they are utilized for different reasons.

For example, Beatles drummer Ringo Starr, whose real name is Richard Starkey, adopted the name because of the abundance of rings he wore. Despite having little to do with his actual name, Ringo Starr stuck and Starkey has since been known as Ringo Starr for his contributions as a drummer for the Beatles.

Keeping one's employment is also a logical reason for using an online nom de plume. Notorious blogger Belle de Jour turned out to be Dr. Brooke Magnanti, a research scientist who blogged about her life as a London call girl while finishing her forensic science doctoral studies at the University of Sheffield.

Others may want to start out with pseudonyms until they find their voice, or until they feel comfortable their writings aren't going to get them fired immediately. Such is the advice of Dr. Allen Roberts, an American emergency room physician for whom blogging became an emotional outlet.

Keeping oneself out of jail is another sound reason for writing pseudonymously. Fake blogger JT LeRoy may have been a literary hoax perpetrated by author Laura Albert, but the character's online musings could have attracted the attention of law enforcement.

Pseudonymous writing does not translate well to all situations or topics. Whistleblower blogs may necessitate pseudonymous authorship, but academia generally shuns pseudonyms use since it doesn't conform to the responsibility and credit principles of attribution. In any case, writers, readers, and critics should keep in mind that whatever a pen name's ups and downs, there are certainly situations where pseudonymity is justified and even necessary.

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Elaine Hirsch is kind of a jack-of-all-interests, from education and history to medicine and videogames. This makes it difficult to choose just one life path, so she is currently working as a writer for various education-related sites and writing about all these things instead.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Other Writing Articles:

Keep Your Writing Goals Front and Center
Editing a Book – 10 Tips Checklist for Children’s Writers Part 1
Writing Elements: Is There a Right Mix?
Is Your Manuscript Ready for Submission?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PLEASE SHARE THIS ARTICLE, and SIGN-UP FOR MY FREE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER, A Writer’s World. You’ll get two site-related e-books if you do!

And to be sure you don’t miss any posts here, simply subscribe to my blog (RSS feed).

~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance Writer, Editor

Karen Books Page:
http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/p/karens-books.html

Karen Cioffi Writing and Marketing
http://KarenCioffi.com
http://WritersOnTheMove.com
DKV Writing 4 U

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

SEO Marketing Tips to Help Get Links to Your Site

2011-11-28T06:03:00.014-05:00

SEO Marketing Tips to Help Get Links to Your Site

The most effective way to get links to your site is through content and SEO marketing.

Here are the four of the most popular SEO marketing content strategies to use:

1. Write keyword rich and quality blog posts and alert your social networks that there’s fresh content on your site. If it’s valuable content, readers will be motivated to share it with their networks, moving it to viral status.

2. Do guest blogging on quality and ‘relevant to your platform’ sites.

3. Post quality and polished content to article directories that other website and blogsite owners will find of value and can post to their sites for free.

When writing for article directories or even guest blogging, make your ‘author bio’ as compelling a possible. You want to get people to click on your link. Your ‘bio’ is just as important as your article content. The reader needs to know that by clicking on your link, she will be benefited with more valuable information.

As an example, Joe Smith could use the following as his author bio:

Joe Smith is a published author, ghostwriter, and freelance writer. Learn more about writing and marketing at www. joesmith.com

It’s not likely that people will really care about what Joe Smith does – what they want is to know what will be in it for them if they click on his link. It’s all about the WITFM (what’s in it for me).

So, a more effective author bio might be:

To learn more about writing and marketing and to pick up two free e-books on writing and marketing, go to joesmith.com and sign up for his free newsletter, A Writer’s World.

Do you see and understand the difference? Make the reader want to click on the link.

4. Create and publish informational videos to sites like YouTube. Video marketing is gaining momentum in being a ‘heavy hitter’ for creating visibility and website traffic.

Another 'SEO marketing tips' strategy to use to get traffic to your site is ‘link bait.’

With this strategy you submit well written and valuable articles to sites like Digg.com and even article directories like Associated Content and Ezine Articles. If the article is very informative or entertaining, or the ‘good’ form of controversial, it will get picked up by the site and put on its home page. Now you’re talking lots of visibility and traffic resulting in lots of links.

Most, if not all, of the 'SEO marketing tips' strategies discussed have the potential to make your information marketing content go viral; this generates more visibility and traffic to your website, increasing your links.

There is obviously much more involved in SEO marketing, but this is part of the basics.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Related Articles:

How to Drive Traffic to a Website Using Expert Informational Content
Websites That Work: 7 Key Factors (Part 1)
SEO and Marketing: Basic Tips and Definitions
About Blog Post Titles

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

PLEASE SHARE THIS ARTICLE, and SIGN-UP FOR MY FREE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER, A Writer’s World. You’ll get two e-books if you do!

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~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance Writer, Editor

Karen Books Page:
http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/p/karens-books.html

Karen Cioffi Writing and Marketing
http://KarenCioffi.com
http://WritersOnTheMove.com
DKV Writing 4 U

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The Power of Kindness

2011-11-25T06:29:00.016-05:00

I know this is a departure from my regular postings, but I read a touching story yesterday, sent from Hope Clark, in the Funds for Writers newsletter. It told the story of a freshman nerd who got bullied and a kind stranger who took action.

The gist of the story: Walking home from school one Friday, a boy noticed another boy (the nerd) carrying a load of books. Watching, he saw a group of kids deliberately knock him down. He felt sorry for the boy and instead of just walking by, he stopped and helped. The boys ended up becoming best friends.

Years later, when graduation came around, the nerd had thrived during high school and was giving the graduation speech. He revealed that the Friday he met his best friend, he planned to kill himself that weekend. That's why he had all his books and belongings from school, to save his mom the grief of having to get them. His best friend, without ever knowing until then, had saved his life with a simple act of kindness and friendship.

This is not the only story about how a kind act actually saved someone's life; there are many such true stories.

The point is: One small act of kindness can turn someone's day around, can turn anger into calmness, can save a life.

And, that act of kindness can have a rippling affect. That high school nerd went on to become a doctor - who knows how many lives he saved or might save. But it doesn't have to be in the form of a doctor, it can be another act of kindness, a smile, a helping hand to someone else.

I recently listened in on a webinar about breaking through your own stumbling blocks, no matter how deep rooted they are. One of the points delved into the fact that each of us is from an original source, most of us consider that source God. Since we're all created by God, we are all basically one.

While this isn't a great revelation, this philosophy has been around a while, it does remind us that we should do unto others as we'd have them do to us . . . since we are all one.

Would you prefer a kind word or an angry word, a smile or a frown, being brought down or encouraged, a slap or a kiss. You get the idea.

Our actions cause reactions in those we interact with - you just never know what that one simple act of kindness or friendliness will cultivate.

The world has many heroes, such as firefighters, those in the military, the police, rescuers, and so on, who risk their lives to help others and save lives. A kind word, an act of kindness, a friendly gesture, while not heroic and on a much smaller scale, has the same capability.

Years ago I listened to a speech about how during the gold rush people worked hard to search through dirt and rock to find gold. It brought out that we should do the same toward people. Rather than quickly finding fault, take the time and effort to search for the good in others. Search for the gold.

~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Author, ghostwriter, freelance writer, editor

Testimonials and Forewords for Your Book

2011-11-23T06:22:00.003-05:00

Today's guest post is by Dan Poynter and it has valuable information on getting valuable testimonials and forewords for your book/s.

Gathering Testimonials & Forewords
by Dan Poynter

More than 300 titles are published each day. There is no way anyone can know and rank them. That is why the book industry relies so heavily on blurbs.

A blurb is a short sales pitch or review of a book usually printed on the jacket or in an advertisement. The word was coined by Gelett Burgess, a Boston-born humorist and author [1866-1951).

Testimonials, endorsements and quotations or “blurbs” sell books because word-of-mouth is one of the most powerful forces in marketing. Anything you say about your book is self-serving but words from another person are not. In fact, when readers see the quotation marks, it shifts
their attitude and they become more receptive.

Harvey Mackay placed 44 testimonials in the frontmatter of Swim with the Sharks; he had endorsements from everyone from Billy Graham to Robert Redford. Did these luminaries buy a book and write unsolicited testimonials? Of course not. Mackay asked for the words of praise.
http://www.mackay.com

Your mission is to get the highest-placed, most influential opinion molders in your field talking about your book. You have more control than you think over whom you quote, what they say and how you use their words. The easiest and most logical time to gather blurbs is following peer review of the manuscript. Testimonials are not difficult to get if you follow this two-step process.

Most testimonials are superficial, teach the reader nothing and lack credibility.
—Ron Richards, President, Venture Network.

Step #1. Send parts of your book out for peer review. Smart nonfiction authors take each chapter of their nearly complete manuscript and send it off to at least four experts on that chapter’s subject.

Step #2. Approach your peer reviewers for a testimonial. Now the target is softened up. You are not surprising them by asking for a blurb for a book they haven’t even seen. In fact, since you matched the chapter to their individual interest, they have already bought into the project and
become familiar with your work.

Now, draft the (suggested) testimonial yourself. In order to get what you need and in order to control the blurb, draft a suggested testimonial. Then include a cover letter like this: I know you are a busy person. Considering your position and the direction this book takes, I need a
testimonial something like this: . . .

Drafting a testimonial is a creative act; it takes time and careful thought. Editing is easier than creating. Your endorser does not even know how long the blurb should be. So, provide help. Some 80% will just sign off on your words, 10% will add some superlatives and 5% will get the idea and come up with something much better.

Forewords are approached in the same manner as endorsements. What you get back from the writer is just longer.

Gather testimonials by putting words in their mouths.
~~~~~
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

~~~~~~~~~~~~
Other Articles You Find Interesting:

Marketing Exposure by Nancy Sanders
Plan a Virtual Book Tour: The First Steps
Book Sales Getting Musty?

~~~~~~~~~~~~
PLEASE SHARE THIS ARTICLE, and SIGN-UP FOR MY FREE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER, A Writer’s World. You’ll get two e-books if you do!

And to be sure you don’t miss any posts here, simply subscribe to my blog (RSS feed).
~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance Writer, Editor

Karen Books Page:
http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/p/karens-books.html

What is SEO and SEO Marketing?

2011-11-21T04:48:00.027-05:00

If you’re like the majority of people, you may be wondering what SEO is. Well, it’s simply an acronym that stands for ‘search engine optimization.’

According to TechTerm.com, “Just about every Webmaster wants his or her site to appear in the top listings of all the major search engines.” SEO is the means to accomplish this.

SEO marketing is the strategies or techniques used to create visibility and website ranking within the search engines, such as Google and Bing.

Every online marketing strategy includes promotion, and SEO marketing is a promotional tool under the marketing umbrella. The marketing umbrella covers the creation or manufacturing of a product or service, research and development (R&D), distribution, and any other elements needed to get a product from creation to the consumer. Promotion creates visibility, which in turn leads website traffic and customers.

Utilizing online promotion means you will be using the internet and search engines. SEO marketing is the process of getting the search engines to find and rank your website and your content. You obviously want a high ranking so when a searcher (potential customer) types in a search term (keyword), your site may be one of those on that first search engine results page (SERP), or at least within the first few pages.

Another explanation of SEO marketing:

It is basically the steps you take to have Google, Bing, and other search engines find, index, and put your website on one of their first SERPs whenever people use ‘your keyword’ to search for something.

In essence, SEO marketing is kind of a popularity contest.

When you use effective keywords within your website (title and meta tags) and in informative posting content, Google and the other search engines will find, index, and rank you. This allows you to be picked up and shown on the search engines’ results pages for specific search terms. When a ‘searcher’ finds your link on the SERP and clicks on it, you get a link to your site. The more inbound links to your site – relevant to your keywords or not - the more Google and other search engines ‘like you’ and consider you an authority.

Going a bit further with this, getting links from other sites with the same keywords in their links that you have in yours, is much better. This is considered as a higher ‘ranking vote’ by Google and establishes your site as having more authority. The more ‘link votes’ you get, the more Google will perceive your site as valuable and give you a higher authoritative ranking.

To be found and ranked by Google and other search engines, you need to add effective and relevant keywords to your site and content. To do this, you can go to http://googlekeywordtool.com/

Click on the Google Keyword box and it will take you to the Google Adwords search tool.

Using relevant and effective keywords is essential in SEO marketing.

For an in depth look at attracting customers through SEO marketing, you can check out:
Attracting Customers With Informational Marketing

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Related Articles:

SEO and Marketing: Basic Tips and Definitions
5 Marketing Reminders for 2011: Basic and Simple
Book Promotion: Creating an Informational Funnel

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PLEASE SHARE THIS ARTICLE, and SIGN-UP FOR MY FREE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER, A Writer’s World. You’ll get two e-books if you do!

And to be sure you don’t miss any posts here, simply subscribe to my blog (RSS feed).

~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance Writer, Editor

Karen Books Page:
http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/p/karens-books.html

Karen Cioffi Writing and Marketing
http://KarenCioffi.com
http://WritersOnTheMove.com
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Writers on the Move: Book Gift Ideas for the Holiday Season

2011-11-16T09:15:00.000-05:00

Today's post is short and sweet and links to some great gift ideas for everyone.

Writers on the Move (WOTM) has a number of amazing author members and as a feature for our readers (offering great gift ideas) and a promotional strategy for our members (since we're a marketing group), as of this year we'll be having a Writer's on the Move: Books as Gifts for the Holiday Season post and hopefully next year we'll make a free downloadable e-book, rather than a post.

The post is up at the WOTM site, but since there are a number of links involved, I'll simply link to it:

http://www.writersonthemove.com/2011/11/writers-on-moves-authors-books-for.html

Please be sure to check it out!

Until next time,
Karen

Book Marketing Strategy: Blog Commenting and Sharing Posts

2011-11-14T06:15:00.001-05:00

As manager of a marketing group I'm always on the outlook for ways to generate and increase visibility, readership, and subscribers . . . and increase traffic. I find it interesting that people in general don't seem to get some of the very simple marketing strategies they can use to increase their own visibility and that of others at the same time.

One of the simplest marketing strategies to use is commenting on blogs, quality blogs in particular, and sharing those blog posts through all available clickable social networks.

Many writers/authors don't realize that when you comment on a blog, it's picked up by the search engines. And, by leaving a clickable link back to your site in your relevant comment, you may very well draw traffic.

Aside from the search engine visibility aspect of commenting on blog posts and sharing them, this strategy establishes connections.

By commenting, you form a connection with that blogger. Since, the majority of bloggers pay attention to who's commenting on their sites that blogger will actually see YOU, thereby forming a connection.

Tip here about the service you're using to leave that comment: Always make sure you add your name and website address when applicable. If you're using Blogger, be sure to complete your Blogger profile information, which should include your links.

While this may take a couple of minutes to initially set up, it's more than worth it, because each time you comment your name and link are visible and usually clickable.

Also, by sharing informative, interesting, or entertaining posts, your provide a service to those who follow, friend, or connect with you. This simple act creates a relationship between you and your followers or connections, establishing you as a source of information, and if it's informative content you're sharing, you'll enhance your expert status. And, building your expert status or authority is a key element to building traffic and subscribers.

According to an article in SearchEngineWatch.com, "Social Signals and SEO: Focus on Authority," it's all about "building your own audience and establishing your own authority."

Some of the most popular sources to share information are: Twitter, Facebook, GoolePlus, Linkedin, StumbleUpon, Digg, and Technorati. If you know of others, please share!

As an interesting side note: A StatCounter Global Stats report shows StumbleUpon as the top social media site in the U.S. from August to September 2011.

Okay, back on track. As the website or blogsite owner it's your responsibility to have SHARE buttons in place. If they're not in place, a visitor to your site can't share the post. Adding SHARE buttons is a simple task with content management tools, like Wordpress and Blogger.

In Blogger, just scroll down the Gadgets list in Design and find a SHARE gadget. In your WordPress' Dashboard go to Plugins, Add New, then do a search for SHARE plugins and find one that you like.

So, to increase your own visibility and help your fellow writers/authors/bloggers, SHARE those posts you read. Even if you don't have the minute it takes to type a relevant comment - CLICK ON THOSE SHARE BUTTONS!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Related Articles:

Book Promotion: The Foundation
Book Promotion: Creating an Informational Funnel
Book Promotion: 20 Strategies that will Broaden Your Reach – Part 1

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PLEASE SHARE THIS ARTICLE, and SIGN-UP FOR MY FREE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER, A Writer’s World. You’ll get two e-books if you do!

And to be sure you don’t miss any posts here, simply subscribe to my blog (RSS feed).

~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance Writer, Editor

Karen Books Page:
http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/p/karens-books.html

Karen Cioffi Writing and Marketing
http://KarenCioffi.com
http://WritersOnTheMove.com
Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karencioffiventrice
Twitter: http://twitter.com/KarenCV
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GooglePlus: https://plus.google.com/107054879622971281466/posts

10 Point Website Check Up

2011-11-11T06:34:00.001-05:00

Today I have a guest article from the Book Marketing Expert Newsletter that gives 10 excellent steps you need to take to be sure your site is doing what it's intended to do: be effective in funneling in visitors, keep the average surfer there long enough to see what you're offering, and supporting conversion. And now, off we go:

Your 10 Point Website Check Up
by Penny Sansevieri

So you have a website, congratulations! Now let's make sure it's doing what it is supposed to be doing for you. Read: selling your book or product. While websites will differ in color, layout, and target audience, there are a few things that need to remain consistent. Let's take a look at them.

1. Editing: Your website needs to be edited. There is no discussion on this topic at all. And don't self-edit. Hire someone to go through your site page by page and make sure you don't have any typos. Finding mistakes on your site is like finding typos on a resume. Doesn't bode too well, does it?

2. Website Statistics: do you know your site stats? Did you even know you can get them? Site statistics are part of every website design. If you don't have access to them make sure you get this. A good site stat service is Google Analytics, pretty comprehensive actually and easy to integrate into your site. You should know your traffic patterns and learn to read these reports (it's a lot easier than it sounds). This way you'll know what your site is doing and what it isn't.

3. Media Room: even if you have never had any TV or radio appearances, you should have a media room. The media room is a great place to list all of your accomplishments as it relates to the book. Also, a good place to put your bio, picture (both of you and the book cover), as well as media Q&A, and a host of other items (I'll cover the art and science of a good media room in an upcoming piece).

4. Website Copy: Your website isn't a magazine, people don't read, they scan. Make sure your site isn't so crammed with text that it's not scannable. Ideally your home page should have no more than 200 to 250 words. Also, make sure you have a clear call to action. You want your visitors to do something on your site, yes? Make sure they know what that is, clearly and precisely.

5. Store: Yes, you should have a place for people to buy on your site, even if it means sending them off to Amazon.com or somewhere else to make their purchase. One key factor though: don't make them hunt for it. Shorten the staircase. In other words, make it easy to find your stuff and then give them the quickest route to get there.

6. Design: I have two major rules in life: you should never cut your own hair or design your own website. Period. End of story. Why? Because much like editing our own books, we're just too darned close to our message to be able to do it justice. Also, most of us are writers, not designers. Hire someone, invest the money, you'll be glad you did. When you're designing, also remember that your homepage should only do one thing. Your website can sell a lot of things, including any consulting or speaking services you offer, but your home page should be focused in on one major item. Surfers spend an average of 1/50th of a second on a website, if they have to stop and try and figure out what your site is about they will leave. I call it surf shock or analysis paralysis. Don't make them guess what your site is about, or you will lose them.

7. Social content: make sure that you have something "social" on your site, whether it's a blog, forum or even your very own social networking page. The easiest and best of these is a blog, in my opinion.

8. Update often: search engines like sites that have a lot of fresh content, this will really help you with ranking in major search engines like Google. If you have a blog, you should plan to update it twice weekly at least.

9. Share and share alike: make sure that your content is easy to share. If you don't have sharing widgets on your site (Upload to Facebook, Tweet This!, Digg, Delicious, etc.) then get your designer to add it to the site asap. Most blogging software comes with this all ready to go.

10. Placement and remarketing: first off, make sure that you understand how people surf, meaning where their eye goes to when they land on a website. The first place is the upper left hand quadrant of a site, that's where your primary message should be. Then the eye goes to the center of your site. These two primary places are significant in conversion. You should have a clear message, and a clear call to action (whatever that action is). I also recommend funneling your visitors into a mailing list. You can do this via a sign-up on your home page and then an ethical bribe to encourage them to sign up. What's an ethical bribe? It's something you give them (of value) to get something - you might give them an ebook, a checklist or a special report. Just make sure it's something your readers want.

Bonus tip: Understanding Anchor Text

If you ask any Search Engine Marketing Expert they will tell you the importance of anchor text. So what is this exactly? It's the hyperlinked text that you click on to follow a link. Most people overlook this text, using words like "click here" or other nebulous terms. If used correctly, anchor text can really help with your site ranking. It's not that difficult to implement really, you just need to understand a few basic concepts.

First, anchor text should be descriptive. It should describe the link you're sending people to using keywords that reflect the page you're recommending.

Second, if you know the high-traffic keywords for your market you can use those as well to describe the link (but only if the keywords relate to the page you're sending visitors to).

Third, knowing where to use anchor text is almost as important as the text itself. All external links should be anchor text, but often web designers forget internal links (i.e. links leading to pages within your site) although they are equally as important. Your home page is also critical for anchor text links. If you have a blog (and you should) make sure that any article, website or blog you reference has anchor text in the hyperlink.

Creating these hyperlinks is easy, especially if you're using them in a blog. Most blog software has some very simple one-click anchor text creation widgets.

So take some time and go through your site, make sure that anything you have hyperlinked is anchor text. Stay away from nebulous terms like "click here" or "follow this link" because you won't get picked up by search engines that way. Make sure the text is focused and specific. How long can anchor text be? It doesn't have to be long, but if need be, it can be multiple words. Keep in mind that as long as the words are relevant to your topic, the anchor text verbiage is all that matters.

~~~~~
Reprinted from "The Book Marketing Expert newsletter," a free ezine offering book promotion and publicity tips and techniques. http://www.amarketingexpert.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Related Articles:

Book Marketing: Choose a Website Domain Name
How to Drive Traffic to a Website Using Expert Informational Content
Book Promotion: The Foundation
Book Promotion: Creating an Informational Funnel

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PLEASE SHARE THIS ARTICLE, and SIGN-UP FOR MY FREE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER, A Writer’s World. You’ll get two e-books if you do!

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Marketing Exposure by Nancy Sanders

2011-11-11T05:46:00.000-05:00

Today, I have the great pleasure of featuring an article by a multi-published author, Nancy Sanders. With over 80 books traditionally published, Nancy knows what she's talking about and she says exposure is a key element to generating sales.

Marketing Exposure

by Nancy Sanders

When your book gets published, a good way to generate exposure for it is to submit it to various state reading lists that it qualifies for.

Even if your book does not get selected for the list, it is still being read by teams of professionals in the world of literature. This in itself is good exposure.

And if it's selected for reading lists, the exposure is really great!

Cynthia Leitich Smith has compiled a great list of state reading lists on her Official Author Site at: http://www.cynthialeitichsmith.com/lit_resources/awards/stateawards.html Check it out!

It can be daunting to look at the huge list of state awards and reading lists, at first glance.

But if you break it into smaller chunks, it can be very workable.

After I submitted my manuscript to the publisher on my deadline for my book, America’s Black Founders, (www.AmericansBlackFounders.wordpress.com) I knew it would take nearly a year for the manuscript to go through the process of becoming a book.

So during that year, I planned small sessions when I would sit down and go over various links to lists for awards and state reading lists. My goal of course was to win an award or be selected for a reading list, but secondary to that was exposure for marketing to increase the sales numbers of my book.

So over the months, I compiled a list of links that worked. I read about each different state reading list. I made a file of the ones my book qualified for and that interested me to submit to.

I especially noted the deadline for each one. I arranged them in order according to their deadlines so I could see at a glance which ones I needed to work on first.

I tried to enjoy this process and also kept in mind potential future books I might do this with, so I felt it was worth my time to create this master list that I could use again in the future.

After I compiled my list of state reading lists and awards that my book, America’s Black Founders, could qualify for, I looked over that list.

For some state reading lists, all you have to do is e-mail them the name of a book you’d like to nominate.

So I did! And of course, I nominated mine!

For other lists, someone who was a teacher or librarian had to contact them and nominate my book. So I contacted my teacher and librarian friends and they were happy to send in the nomination.

For other lists, anyone could nominate the book, so I contacted a writer friend who also had a new book coming out and we swapped. I submitted her book for nomination and she submitted mine.

Networking is so important in this industry! This is just one example of what you can do to help market your book when you network with friends and fellow writers.

As I looked over the list I had compiled for state reading lists and awards, there were a number of them that required either a copy of my book or a fee, or both.

I contacted my publisher about these.

I sent my publisher the list I had compiled. Then they met and they discussed the budget they wanted to commit to my book for this type of thing.

Then they got back to me and offered to submit my book for the reading lists and awards that they felt were important to them.

By now, I had my own list left. I went over this list and created my own budget for this according to the worth I gave to each place. Then I submitted my book for these.

Whew! All in all, by the time my book came out and over its first year, it was submitted to a number of state reading lists and awards.

I was hopeful it might win something. But even if it didn’t, I know it’s gotten some great exposure. And I know that will help sales.

And the good news is, it actually did win an award! America’s Black Founders was selected as the Award Winner in the “Best Books 2010″ Awards in the Children’s Non-Fiction category, sponsored by USA Book News! It also won Honorable Mention for Children’s Books in the New England Book Festival.

Another great way to build exposure for your book is to create its very own website! And right now, on my blog, I’m sharing step-by-step instructions on how to create a website for your book (or on a writing-related theme if your first book is not yet out). You can follow along at www.nancyisanders.wordpress.com/2011/10/24/internet-marketing-website-for-your-book/. This information is based on the strategies and tips several of my publicists from different publishing houses have shared with me over the years.

~~~
Nancy I. Sanders (http://nancyisanders.com) is the bestselling and award-winning author of over 80 books including the ground-breaking book for children’s writers, Yes! You Can Learn How to Write Children’s Books, Get Them Published and Build a Successful Writing Career. To learn more about this book and how it can impact your writing career, visit the website at www.YesYouCanLearn.wordpress.com. Nancy is also available for Virtual Author Visits for your writer’s group or small group of writing friends. Contact her at jeffandnancys@gmail.com for more information.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Related Book Marketing Articles:

Book Promotion: The Foundation
Book Promotion: Creating an Informational Funnel
Inbound Marketing – What do Your Readers Want?
Book Promotion: 20 Strategies that will Broaden Your Reach – Part 1

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PLEASE SHARE THIS ARTICLE, and SIGN-UP FOR MY FREE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER, A Writer’s World. You’ll get two e-books if you do!

And to be sure you don’t miss any posts here, simply subscribe to my blog (RSS feed).

Anessia's Quest: On Its Book Tour

2011-11-09T08:18:00.001-05:00

Title: Anessia's Quest
Author: Karen Slimick Arnpriester
Genre:Christian, Drama, Suspense,Adult
Publisher: Selfpublished
Publication Date: January 18, 2011

Synopsis:

Anessia’s Quest follows the life of a woman born into dysfunction and neglect. The story takes you on her journey. A journey that begins with abandonment, abuse, and physical injury. Pagne (Pain) believes she is all alone, thrown away, but soon discovers that she is protected and guided by her guardian angel. A powerful relationship develops between this lost child and her loving protector that manifests as a unique method of communication.

Pagne encounters other broken people that become her family, friends and community. Her grace and compassion alter their destructive paths. She moves through her life unaware of the impact she creates, her purpose on Earth.

Her life is filled with tears, laughter, joy and heartbreak. She faces challenges that include ultimate betrayal, loss and shame. Challenges that are only bearable due to her trust and faith in heaven’s love and value for her. Love that is reinforced by her angel. She discovers the events that led to her mother’s indifference and neglect, and must decide how much grace she
can extend to a woman she has hated for most of her life. The ultimate test of forgiveness.

When she faces her death, Pagne discovers the true value and power of forgiveness and love. She is shown how her life created ripples that spread into waves of glorious influence. She was not an accident, she was placed on Earth with divine intent.

Author Bio:

Karen Slimick Arnpriester is a creative, passionate and adventuresome woman. She raised her two children, adores her seven grandchildren and is now a foster mom of two young ladies. She has been a self-taught graphic designer for twenty five years and started her own business twenty years ago. Her faith in God is strong and she believes that we are Christ’s hands, feet, arms and wallet. This translates into her involvement in youth ministries, local women’s shelter, street ministry, the elderly, as well as many other outreaches over the years. Her home has been available to single moms and their children, allowing them to get a fresh start.

ANESSIA’S QUEST is her first novel. The desire to write began two years ago as a hobby. She had an idea for a beginning and the end. The rest of the story flowed and took Karen on a journey. She cried and laughed as she followed the twists and turns of the characters. Once friends read the book, she was strongly encouraged to share her story with others.

RAIDER’S VENDETTA is Karen’s second novel. It will be released in October 2011. It is a psychological thriller between the main characters,Charley and Raider. Charley’s faith and ability to survive is challenged by
the rage of a shattered man.

Her third book, which addresses bullying, is in the works and should be released in 2012. The tentative title is HEY! LEADBOTTOM!

This author wants to take her reader to a place where they can evaluate their beliefs and who God is in their life. When asked why she limits herself to Christian fiction, she simply explains that it is where her heart is. If she commits her precious time to writing, it needs to be of value and have God’s ultimate purpose in mind. Bringing his children home to him. Karen welcomes God’s influence in her writing and prays that she is fulfilling His destiny for her life.

The Next Stop:
November 11-Review@Terri Forehand, Blog
http://terri-forehand.blogspot.com

Purchase Links:
Amazon

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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A Ghostwriter: 5 Features That Can Help Build Your Business Part2

2011-11-07T05:21:00.015-05:00

Today, I'm back with Part 2, features two through five, of "A Ghostwriter: 5 Features That Can Help Build Your Business."

2. A Ghostwriter Provides Informational Content

Information rules in today’s ever changing world. Providing informative and/or instructive content to your staff, customers, and potential customer is now essential, especially with business transparency being a desirable feature that employees and customers look for.

While businesses and marketers can generate their own content, a ghostwriter frees up company time for more productive and revenue generating work.

‘Informational gifts’ is another content product that businesses need to be aware of. Of the thousands of websites within your industry available for customers to find and subscribe to, why should they choose yours? That’s where an ‘ethical bribe’ comes in to play. Providing an informative report or e-book with valuable information that your potential customer will appreciate tends to motivate that individual, company, or visitor to click on your opt-in box, thereby increasing your mailing list. And, every business knows the importance of having a mailing list – it’s crucial with the increasing e-commerce trends.

It’s this offering of valuable and quality information that helps build a relationship with your site’s visitors and keeps them coming back. This ongoing relationship will eventually lead to an increased mailing list and sales.

3. A Ghostwriter for Your Business’ Landing Pages and Products

The first impression an online searcher – potential customer searching for your product or business type - will have of a business, is its landing page. Obviously, a business needs to have an attractive, quick loading, SEO friendly, and informative page. Now, while a ghostwriter will most likely not be a web designer, she can create the needed content for the site, content that will engage the visitor and motivate him to subscribe to the mailing list and make contact with the business.

The mailing list is what generates long-lasting relationships and sales. Through the mailing list you can offer information, along with product and/or business promotion. Marketing experts advise though, to offer a 75 to 25 percent ratio of information to promotion.

Again, information is what people want today; they want to know how to find a solution to their problem or need, and they want to be informed. If you provide that, you will have sales.

Along with creating effective landing page content, a ghostwriter can produce product descriptions and guides. Through the information you provide and additional research, she can create informative and customer appreciated content, thereby fostering customer loyalty.

4. A Ghostwriter – Copywriting and Keywords

In addition to writing articles, newsletters, e-books, reports, and other content, a ghostwriter should know copywriting. While this skill isn’t essential for some aspects of the job, it is important in the event a client requires projects such as landing pages, email marketing, product guides, articles, or other.

And, being aware of SEO and keywords will help the ghostwriter create traffic effective content, leading potential subscribers and customers to the business’ website.

Knowing copywriting and SEO is a surefire way for a ghostwriter to increase her value to business clients.

5. A Ghostwriter Must be a Good Writer

Lastly, the number one quality a ghostwriter needs to have is being a good writer. It’s also a good idea for the ghostwriter to specialize in a couple of different areas – this also increases her value to specific clients.

If you are thinking of hiring a ghostwriter, you might ask for samples and/or testimonials. Note here: testimonials from ghostwriting clients may be difficult, if not impossible to come by . . . for obvious reasons. If the ghostwriter can’t provide testimonials, it’s important to understand why and ask for writing samples instead.

You can check out Part 1 here:

~~~~~~~~~~~~
Related Freelancing Articles

Freelance Writing Driver’s Seat
The Ghostwriter’s Uses – Part 1

~~~~~~~~~~~~
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~~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance Writer, Editor

Karen Books Page:

http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/p/karens-books.html

Karen Cioffi Writing and Marketing
http://KarenCioffi.com
http://WritersOnTheMove.com
Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karencioffiventrice
Twitter: http://twitter.com/KarenCV
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Write for Money System

2011-11-05T20:07:00.000-04:00

I've written articles about this, and have purchased a number of 'write for money' strategy systems over the years. And, my advice to all is to look into one product you think is realistic, you think you can do it, and you will actually follow through with.

Attending a number of marketing teleclasses and webinars, it's said over and over again, you can buy the most effective program or course available, but if you don't actually follow through with it, you've wasted your money.

This is the number one reason why people don't succeed with proven strategies, programs, courses, or other. You have to 'walk the walk' in order to achieve success.

I was recently sent information from my writing coach on a proven 'write for money' strategy that the creator, Jimmy Brown, has used since 2000 to make a living online. And, if applied, this strategy does makes money.

I just bought The Copy System and it delves into, and teaches, Jimmy's successful 'write for money' strategy to earn an income online. He’s been doing this since 2000, and has had consistent duplicatable results.

He decided to share this effective 'write for money' and marketing strategy for a short period of time and the product will be removed from his line of products on November 9th. Since the time deadline is just about here, he’s reduced the price by half and you can get it HERE for only $47.

According to Jimmy: “Over the years I've never Twittered and I've never Butterflied. (Although I've watched a few butterflies twitter in the back yard. :-) I've not done the bum marketing thing, nor have I done the stompernet thing. You won't find me doing huge product launches or sneaking in the backdoor at the search engines wearing a black hat.”

Jimmy’s write for money strategy: creating informational products and marketing materials (article marketing) and have other people sell them for him.

It’s not complicated and it’s worked consistently for over 10 years with just three simple steps:

1. Create your own informational product
2. Build your own list
3. You use affiliates

This course comes with a number of bonuses, so be sure to check it out HERE.

And, be sure to download the FREE report (no subscription) The Internet Marketer's R.O.U.T.I.N.E. at the top of the page – it’s another great tool that works hand-in-hand with The Copy System.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Free Writing Workshop: Create and Sell an Informational Product

2011-11-04T16:01:00.000-04:00

I'm presenting another free workshop for Writers on the Move. We skipped an October workshop because of the Muse Online Writers Conference, but we're back now.

Here are the writing workshop details:

Title: Create and Sell an Informational Product
Presented by: Karen Cioffi
Date: November 18, 2011
Time: 7PM, EST (U.S. Time)
Workshop Format: Live Online Chat
Handout: Yes
Fee: Free

Description:

Surely, you’ve all hear by now about informational products. If not, it’s all about creating a product that provides needed or wanted information to others . . . information others will be willing to pay for.

And, it’s not difficult at all.

So, what might be an example of an informational product?

Simple, anything that, again, will provide people with information / knowledge they need or want. Information that will solve a person’s problem or will help them get where they want to be. It might be a report, an e-book, a workshop, you get the idea.

To help you get in the informational product game, Writers on the Move is hosting a writing workshop presented by Karen Cioffi that will give you the steps you need to get where you want to be: creating and selling informational products.

To register for “Create and Sell an Informational Product” email Karen Cioffi at: karencioffi [at] ymail.

The workshop is free, but all registrants will be added to the Writers on the Move and the presenter’s mailing list.

Details to the LIVE CHAT will be provided upon registration.

We'll be offering (at the discretion of the presenter) an After Workshop Package of this workshop for those who didn't register and would like to purchase it. It'll include the live chat transcript, the workshop handout, and possibly a podcast. Be sure to Get Yours when it's available!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
eBooks that will help you create and sell informational products:

How to Create an eBook and Its Many Uses
How to Attract Customers With Informational Marketing
Writing, Publishing, and Marketing

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

PLEASE SHARE THIS ARTICLE, and SIGN-UP FOR MY FREE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER, A Writer’s World. You’ll get two e-books if you do!

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~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance Writer, Editor

Karen Books Page:

How to Become a Freelance Writer: Interview with Suzanne Lieurance, the Working Writer's Coach

2011-11-02T04:06:00.000-04:00

Today I have the pleasure of featuring an interview by Donna McDine with Suzanne Lieurance, the Working Writer's Coach.

Ready to start a freelance writing business but you don't know how?

Have you been looking online for someone or something that will help you?

Then find out more about the Working Writer's Club in this interview with the club's founder and president, Suzanne Lieurance, the Working Writer's Coach.

The Working Writer's Club might be just what you're searching for!

Q: Suzanne, as the founder and director of the Working Writer's Club what is the first thing you would like people to know when visiting www.workingwritersclub.com?

A: I'd like visitors to know that our club is all about helping freelance writers learn to write better, make more money, and live the writer's life they've always dreamed of living.

Q: Having created your own successful freelance writing career you know what it takes to build momentum. What is one of the most critical steps a writer needs to take consistently to develop their own freelance writing career?

A: The most critical step is to develop your goals - you have to KNOW what you want before you can figure out HOW to get there. Yet, this is the one thing that so many new writers don't take the time to do - or at least they don't take enough time to do it well. They may think that "write a novel this year" is a goal. But actually, I think of a goal as something even BIGGER than that. Writing a novel is an action step toward a goal rather than a goal itself. To get to the goal, consider WHY do you want to write a novel? What do you want this novel to do for you or your career? Your answer to that question is closer to your goal (or at least one of your major goals).

Q: What advice would you give to a newbie in freelance writing? And the intermediate freelance writer that has seen some success, but seems to be in a holding pattern at the moment?

A: Whether you're a newbie or an intermediate freelance writer - or even a very experienced, successful writer - continue to learn from other successful writers.

Join our club or another organization for writers. Then take an active part in whatever group you join. Next, develop a focus for your writing and create no more than 3 major writing/career goals for yourself that you hope to attain within the next 12 months.

Also, constantly evaluate what you're doing to see if it's getting you closer to your goals. If it isn't, then change what you're doing.

Q: By becoming a member of the Working Writer's Club what can a freelancer expect?

A: Well, for one thing, you can expect us to help you create a focus for your writing career or your writing business. And, we can help you create no more than 3 major goals - so you'll get really, really clear about WHAT you want, WHERE you're wanting to go, and then we'll help you stay focused so you take the steps to attain your goals and build your writing career and/or your writing business.

Q: With the wealth of freelance writing information available on the Internet what makes the Working Writer's Club unique?

A: I think the one thing that makes the Working Writer's Club unique is that we're not out to get you into our club so we can sell you a bunch of other high priced programs or products. We just want people who love to write and want to build a business or a career around writing to join our club and make use of all the resources, information, training, networking and support they'll receive for just $9.99 per month. I think another unique thing about the Working Writer's Club is that we all genuinely have fun helping each other be more successful.

Visit the Working Writer’s Club www.workingwritersclub.com today and explore all they have to offer.
Thank you for your time. We look forward to your visit.

-------------
Best wishes,
Donna M. McDine
Award-winning Children's Author
Working Writer’s Club Publicist and Editor-in-Chief, Guardian Angel Kids

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Walking Through Walls is Taking Another Tour Around the Block

2011-11-01T10:52:00.000-04:00

Well, I'm at it again with another tour for Walking Through Walls, but this time I'm not doing it on my own, I'm going with World of Ink Tours.

And, the tour begins TODAY!

You might be wondering why I'm having another virtual tour for Walking Through Walls, and the answer is two-fold:

1. I have tremendous belief in my middle-grade fantasy adventure story, Walking Through Walls, and want to give another opportunity to attract new readers, and I'm also promoting my first book, Day's End Lullaby.

Day's End Lullaby is a soothing, lyrical, and rhyming children's bedtime picture book with the sheet music to the lullaby included in the back of the book. To learn more about Day's End Lullaby and read some great reviews, and even a singing video review, go to:
http://daysendlullaby.blogspot.com

To learn more about Walking Through Walls and read some great reviews, and check out a couple of interior illustrations, go to: http://walkingthroughwalls-kcioffi.blogspot.com

2. These books are great holiday gifts and wanted to share them with readers.

Now on to the schedule for the World of Ink Karen Cioffi Book Tour:

November 1st
Families Matter Blog - Interview
http://familiesmatter2us.blogspot.com

November 2nd
World of Ink Network – Spotlight/Guest Post
http://worldofinknetwork.blogspot.com

November 3rd
American Chronicle – Interview/Spotlight
http://www.americanchronicle.com/

November 4th
The Writing Mama – Interview
http://thewritingmama.blogspot.com

November 6th
Utah Children's Writer Blog – Guest Post: Tips for Writing eBooks
http://utahchildrenswriters.blogspot.com/

November 7th
The Maggie Project – Guest Post: Writing in Rhyme
www.themaggieproject.blogspot.com

November 8th
Writing to the Hearts of Children- Spotlight
http://terri-forehand.blogspot.com

November 9th
MomnBaby Network – Spotlight
http://momnbaby.com/blogs

November 10th
Roth’s Inspiring Books & Products – Interview
http://rothsinspiringbooksandproducts.wordpress.com

November 11th
Families Matter Blog - Book Review: Walking Through Walls http://familiesmatter2us.blogspot.com

November 13th
MomnBaby Network – Book Review: Day’s End Lullaby
http://momnbaby.com/blogs

November 15th
The Crypto-Capers Review – Day’s End Lullaby
http://thecryptocapersseries.blogspot.com

November 16th
BlogCritics: Mom Prefers - Author Spotlight
http://blogcritics.org/culture/feature/mom-prefers/

November 17th
Roth’s Inspiring Books & Products – Book Review: Walking Through Walls
http://rothsinspiringbooksandproducts.wordpress.com

November 18th
Families Matter Blog - Book Review: Day’s End Lullaby
http://familiesmatter2us.blogspot.com

November 21st
BiblioReads.com – Book Review & Giveaway
http://BiblioReads.blogspot.com

BlogCritics-Book Review: Walking Through Walls
http://blogcritics.org/books/

BTR’s World of Ink Network: Stories for Children show.
Live Radio Interview at 2pm EST
at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/worldofinknetwork
or call in to listen or ask questions (714) 242-5259.
You can also listen on demand after the show airs!

November 22nd
Stories for Children Magazine FG Interview
http://storiesforchildrenmagazine.org/pastfeaturedguests.aspx

November 23rd
The Writing Mama – Guest Post: Back story of Walking Through Walls
http://thewritingmama.blogspot.com

November 27th
Roth’s Inspiring Books & Products – Book Review: Day’s End Lullaby http://rothsinspiringbooksandproducts.wordpress.com

November 28th
Strands of Thought – Interview
http://kaistrand.blogspot.com/

You can check out my sites and links:

Karen Cioffi Writing and Marketing
http://KarenCioffi.com
http://WritersOnTheMove.com
Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karencioffiventrice
Twitter: http://twitter.com/KarenCV
Facebook: http://facebook.com/kcioffiventrice
GooglePlus: https://plus.google.com/107054879622971281466/posts

A Ghostwriter: 5 Features That Can Help Build Your Business Part1

2011-10-31T05:25:00.006-04:00

Since this is a pretty long article, I'm dividing it into two parts. Here's Part 1 of:

A Ghostwriter: 5 Features That Can Help Build Your Business Part 1

A ghostwriter provides services for different types of people, marketers, and businesses, and on a number of topics. She works silently, behind the scenes and creates whitepapers, newsletters, e-books, informational products, articles, posts, stories, and other forms of content for a business or marketer seeking to:

•   Create and/or build your company’s platform visibility
•   Generate and increase website traffic
•   Provide instruction/information for employees or clients/customers
•   Offer an informational gift as an ‘ethical bribe’ to subscribe to your company’s mailing list
•   Create landing pages for your company or products
•   Create product descriptions and guides

The list goes on and on. But, let’s breakdown some of the uses of a ghostwriter, and her benefit to businesses.

A Ghostwriter is a Must-Have Tool

According to tracking by the U.S. Department of Commerce, e-commerce grew 17.6 percent in the first quarter of 2011. Within those first three months, Americans spent $43 billion online. And, the projection for 2012 is that e-commerce will increase another 11.3 percent.

Based on trends and statistics, this growing e-commerce market will continue to grow.

1. Building Your Brand and Visibility with a Ghostwriter

So, it’s easy to see that with e-commerce rapidly growing a ghostwriter is a must-have business tool for marketers or business owners who need to provide regularly updated content on their site/s and in their newsletters or informational emails. This marketing strategy is known as inbound marketing. It helps build your platform, creates and increases traffic to your site, and will help increase your mailing list.

Creating content for businesses is actually a busy area for ghostwriters. Marketers are very aware of the importance of having effective and fresh content on the sites they are managing. Businesses hire a writer to write a set number of post/articles per week or month for a certain amount of money per article. Some businesses may want one to two articles per day; others may want one a week.

If you are hiring a ghostwriter for this capacity, be sure she knows about keywords and SEO. The point of hiring someone to create valuable content for your site/s is to have that content picked up in the search engines, which in turn will help searchers (potential customers/clients) find your site/s.

And, if the work involves rewriting articles, the ghostwriter must know the source article’s duplicate content score. Search engines frown upon duplicate content, so it’s the writer’s job to make the article different enough so it is perceived as new.

Maintaining and increasing visibility is essential to authors, writers, and businesses. Keeping up with blog posts and guest article writing is an important marketing tool for all, well at least for those who are trying to sell their products or services.

Come back next Monday, November 7th, for Part 2.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Related Freelancing Articles:

Freelance Writing: An Additional Path to Income
Article Directories and Ghostwriting
Tips for Content Subcontracting in Your New Freelance Business

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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And to be sure you don’t miss any posts here, simply subscribe to my blog (RSS feed).

~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance Writer, Editor

Karen Books Page:
http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/p/karens-books.html

Karen Cioffi Writing and Marketing
http://KarenCioffi.com
http://WritersOnTheMove.com
Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karencioffiventrice
Twitter: http://twitter.com/KarenCV
Facebook: http://facebook.com/kcioffiventrice
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A Review of Seed by A. R. Braun

2011-10-28T06:06:00.037-04:00

Title: Seed
Author: Ania Ahlborn
Publisher: Amazon Digital Services
ASIN: B00537SDWM
Reviewed by: A. R. Braun

Like some published authors, I used to think all self-published books suck. Also, like some authors, I didn't do my homework to find out if I knew what I was talking about. More diligent research has proved me wrong, as I was strapped for cash this month and had the choice of a couple of .99 books or nothing. I took the cheap books.

One of them really surprised me.

Enter Seed by Ania Ahlborn, one of the best horror novels I've ever read in my life, which made me really glad I'm about to self-publish, because now I know I'll be in good company at least some of the time. Ania possesses a descriptive prowess few authors share, and she makes you fall hard in love with her characters, which is a skill a lot of writers think they have, when they don't. Don't forget her ability to give you the straight-up creeps, for I've read few books that gave me the willies like this one.

Without giving too much away, Jack Winter is a blue-collar worker who married Aimee, a lady that's out of his league, but she doesn't mind. She just wanted to put her strict Catholic upbringing behind her. They have a couple of adorable daughters: ten-year-old Abigail and six-year-old Charlotte. The latter, nicknamed "Charlie," is the most delightful character in the book. So, of course, she's the one stricken. It seems she's got too much in common with her old man, who has a beastly past he'd put behind him . . . until now.

If you pass this one up because it's self-published, you're only hurting yourself. She's gone to the top of Amazon's horror charts, above Stephen King, and a New York agent has come calling.

Do the math and solve the equation.

~~~
A. R. BRAUN has eleven publications. His short stories have appeared in the D.O.A. anthology; Downstate Story ‘zine; the Vermin anthology; the Heavy Metal Horror anthology; and Bonded by Blood 2: a Romance in Red. A. R. has been published three times in SNM Horror Magazine. Contact him at http://arbraun.com

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

Other Reviews:

Review of the Great Little Last Minute Editing Tips for Writers
Networking Like a Pro Review
Review of Stolen by Vivian Zabel
The Mother-in-Law’s Manual: Proven Strategies for Creating Healthy Relationships with Married Children

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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A Review of Trouble on Earth Day

2011-10-26T06:13:00.002-04:00

Title: Trouble on Earth Day
Author: Kathy Stemke
Illustrator: Kurt Wilchen
Published by Wild Plains Press
ISBN: 978-1-936021-36-9
Reviewed by: Karen Cioffi

As a supporter of conservation and the environment, I love children’s books that approach this topic in an engaging and entertaining format. Trouble on Earth Day by Kathy Stemke does just that.

The story begins with the main character, Shelby the squirrel, winning the Earth Day poster contest; the young reader is quickly brought into the focus of the story, our environment. Shelby’s poster has “Rethink, Reuse, and Recycle” boldly and colorfully written on it.

As the story progresses, Shelby and her parents discuss the different ways individuals and families can conserve, such as using old clothing for a quilt.

It also delves into the effects of deforestation. When Shelby hears the cries of a “little bird,” she searches until she finds it, then asks the bird what’s wrong. The bird explains, “The workman cut down my tree and my nest. I found a new tree, but I can only find twigs to make a new home.”

Using ingenuity and what she learned from her parents, Shelby helps the bird build a new nest using recyclable items from her home. Trouble on Earth Day will quickly heave children asking about the environment and looking around their homes for items that can be recycled.

Adding to the invitingness of this delightful story are amazing full page illustrations by Kurt Wilchen. Each page has vivid and bold illustrations that will surely grab and hold a young reader’s attention. Along with all this, Stemke includes pages and pages of activities, and additional information about conservation and the environment, all to help children better understand the story’s theme. It even includes a song titled “The Fuzzy Squirrel” that children can sing to with the music from “I’m a Little Teapot.”

Some of the activities and information include in Educator’s Edition:

•   Reading comprehension activities
•   Original topic related lyrics that children can sing to the melody of classic favorites
•   Discussion topics, such as Why Trees are Important and What Things Can be Reused
•   Games, including the Going Green Game
•   Recycling activities, such as making napkin rings using recycled toilet paper rolls, recycling old CDs to make ornaments, and how to recycle old crayons
•   Dolch Sight Word activity page

My favorite information page in Trouble on Earth Day briefly explains what went on before the first Earth Day in April 1970, what the focus of Earth day is, and why it’s so important.

Learning how each of us can take steps to protect our environment is important for children and adults alike. It will take all our efforts to help improve the environment for a healthier tomorrow. Trouble on Earth Day is a great start for children.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Other Children's Book Reviews:

Horatio Humble Beats the Big “D”
Who on Earth is Rachel Carson?
Walking Through Walls
The Lucky Baseball

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PLEASE SHARE THIS ARTICLE, and SIGN-UP FOR MY FREE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER, A Writer’s World. You’ll get two e-books if you do!

And to be sure you don’t miss any posts here, simply subscribe to my blog (RSS feed).

~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance Writer

Karen Books Page:
http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/p/karens-books.html

Karen Cioffi Writing and Marketing
http://KarenCioffi.com
http://WritersOnTheMove.com
Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karencioffiventrice
Twitter: http://twitter.com/KarenCV
Facebook: http://facebook.com/kcioffiventrice
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Keep Your Writing Goals Front and Center

2011-10-24T05:41:00.009-04:00

As a writer, you have to move forward to keep up with the onslaught of books and authors in the book publishing arena. And, you especially need to be sure you're keeping in alignment with your writing goals. This means every now and then you need to stop to evaluate what your core goals are and if you’re actually heading in that direction.

Every marketer will tell you that the beginning of each year you need to create a list of core or major goals. It's important to make your goals realistic and obtainable, and not to burden yourself with too many goals.

Three is a good number of writing goals, not too few, not too many. Then under each goal you can list a few tasks that you will do on a daily or weekly basis to help you reach your objectives.

In addition to creating and typing your goals down in a document, they need to be printed and kept visible. It's important to put them somewhere you'll be sure to notice on a daily basis. You might put your list on your computer, inside your laptop case, on top of your daily planner, on the inside of a kitchen cabinet you open everyday.

You get the idea, your writing goals need to be visible each and every day. Not just visible though, they need to be read each and every day.

Why is it important to keep your writing goals front and center?

Here's another question to help answer that question: Did you ever hear the expression, ‘Out of sight, out of mind?’

That's the answer.

On January 1st of 'any year,' you may tell yourself, and maybe even write it down, that you will:

1. Write a minimum of five pages of your new book each week
2. Effectively market your published books
3. Submit articles to three paying magazines on a monthly basis

Okay, that's great, but suppose it's now July and you haven't even written 10 pages of your new book, and you haven't gone past the very basics of promoting your published books.

What happened to your writing goals?

Easy. You didn’t keep your goals list front and center, so you got sidetracked.

While you may have had the best of intentions on January 1st, without keeping those writing goals visible, it’s difficult to stay on course.

Maybe you decided to add the writing of unrelated e-books to your workload. Maybe you decided to do book reviews and started a critique group of your own. Maybe you devoted too much time to social networking and your online groups.

These additions may not necessarily be a bad thing, but before you continue on, ask yourself three questions:

1. Are these additions to your workload moving you in the direction of your major writing goals?
2. Are they actually keeping you from attaining your goals?
3. Are they providing some kind of income?

If your answers to these questions are NO, YES, NO, then you need to step back, redirect your steps, and get back on track. If you keep your writing goals front and center, you’ll be amazed at how you automatically work toward achieving them.

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Related Articles:

Aim for Writing Success
Determination, Focus, and Perseverance
Writing with Focus

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PLEASE SHARE THIS ARTICLE, and SIGN-UP FOR MY FREE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER, A Writer’s World. You’ll get two e-books if you do!

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~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance Writer

Karen's Books Page:
http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/p/karens-books.html

Karen Cioffi Writing and Marketing
http://KarenCioffi.com
http://WritersOnTheMove.com
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Writers and Authors: The Ongoing Process of Evolving

2011-10-21T22:04:00.000-04:00

As every writer knows, creating and increasing visibility is an essential part of the business. Whether you're writing and promoting books or you're a freelance writer, you need to be out there . . . it's never ending.

As we progress on our writing path, we gain insight into what we're doing right and what we're doing wrong. At least hopefully we learn. Sometimes, if we're lucky enough to have the guidance of a writing coach or mentor, we're actually told what might be amiss, or what steps we can take to work more effectively and profitability.

But, no matter how you come to the realization of certain steps you need to take, the most important thing is to actually take those steps.

This is something I've been working on lately. As with a lot of writers, I spin my wheels trying to be everywhere and do everything, but it's not an effective use of time or an effective way of accomplishing what you want to, and it's just plain tiring.

Fortunately, I've been reminded of what I need to do by my writing coach Suzanne Lieurance. I've worked with Suzanne in a couple of different clubs since 2008, and she knows her stuff.

A key to writing success is to have your major writing goals in place and to be focused. What tends to happen though is we forget what out actual goals are - we get sidetracked, or we keep adding more and more goals to our list. This doesn't work.

My three major goals for 2011 are:

1. Working on children's books for publication
2. Marketing my existing books
3. Growing my ghostwriting business

While I've been working somewhat on goals one and three, and working regularly on number three, I'm not being productive enough. The reason: I've added this, that, and the other thing to my list of goals, or just to my workload.

So, although it's the Fall, I'm going to be doing some Spring cleaning. Some of the tasks will be tough, but are absolutely necessary to streamline my workload toward productive and goal attaining strategies.

What tasks will I need to undertake to direct focus back on my major goals?

1. I'll be changing my KarenCioffi.com site to my children's author site. This will entail getting a more 'children's author like' website theme and focusing the site solely on me as a children's author.

2. Establishing this site as my sole writing and marketing information and services site. Since it's pretty well established as this, it won't take too much work - although, I do have a lot of article marketing links directed to KarenCioffi.com. To remedy this, I'll have to have a redirect page there letting folks know this is my primary freelancing site.

3. Eliminate non-productive and non-money-making jobs, and other extraneous goals that are diluting my major goals.

4. Absolutely make time to write children's books - my current WIP is a sequel to Walking Through Walls.

5. Look into school author visits; get the book marketing items I need; write a couple of focused articles on my book topics and post them to the individual book sites to generate more visibility for the books.

5. Possibly reduce the posts here to two times a week, rather than three times a week. But, that's still up in the air.

6. Reduce the extra projects I take on, such as book reviews and critiques. And, put my e-books on the back burner for the time being.

7. This is the most important - print out my 2011 Goals and keep them visible.

These are some of the steps I'll be taking to put my three major goals in the forefront, work toward them and write with focus.

The reason I'm taking the time to share this with you is because there are many of you writers out there who are struggling with the same problems, hopefully my steps will help you take a look at what may be preventing you from reaching your major goals. Or, what you may be doing to cause unnecessary work for yourself.

Another reason I'm sharing this is because it's almost the end of the year and soon we'll be creating our 2012 Writing Goals. It'd be great if this helps us to keep focused.

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Until next time,
Karen Cioffi

Finding Children's Story Ideas: The Ongoing Quest

2011-10-19T05:36:00.028-04:00

All children's writers have looked for story ideas, just like writers of other genres. Today I have a guest post by Deb Hockenberry that sheds some light on how to find story ideas for children's books.

The Ongoing Quest

by Deb Hockenberry

There’s an ongoing quest happening all around us and all the time. What is that quest you ask? It’s writers looking for children’s story ideas. Actually, this isn’t that hard since there are a treasure trove of ideas everywhere you look!

See the maple tree in your backyard with it’s leaves changing colors? It just doesn’t mean that you have to go outside to blow the leaves and acorns away. Oh, no. It could mean a children’s story idea about a family raking a big pile of leaves together and jumping in them. Maybe it could turn into a children’s story about Halloween and trick – or - treating. Maybe you can have the main character in your book try to make his/her own costume which turns out all wrong! Or maybe your character thinks he’s too big to go trick – or – treating. You can get so many kinds of children’s story ideas at this time of year!

Halloween leads into Thanksgiving. Maybe you could write a children’s story about the time everybody in the family showed up for Thanksgiving dinner. There wasn’t enough room at the table. Remember? Or how about the time the dog jumped up at Mom’s perfectly set Thankgiving table, got his collar caught on the tablecloth and pulled over all her good china! This is a good story idea for children too. You know what Thanksgiving leads into, right? The biggest day in kid – dom…Christmas!

Christmas holds so many children’s story ideas in itself. There’s the Christmas parades in your own hometown with the entrance of Santa Claus. There’s the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping not to mention decorating for the holiday. Then you have the baking and decorating of Christmas cookies or the making of hot chocolate. What about the different ways you tried to drop a hint in order to get that Christmas present you really, really wanted! You can’t forget watching the night sky for sounds of jingle bells and the sight of Rudolph’s nose.

So, where do you get story ideas for children who don’t celebrate Christmas? Write about Kwanzaa and explain what all the symbols mean. You’ll surprise your young readers when you tell them that Kwanzaa has it’s own answer to Santa Claus! You can get also get story ideas for children about Hanakuh. Remember the time Jake and Betty played the driedel game with Mom and Dad? That game seemed to go on forever. This would be a good story idea for children. Actually, any holiday is good fodder for children’s story ideas!

Story ideas for children are everywhere! All you have to do is look around you. You can even get children’s story ideas at rummage or garage sales and even flea markets. Watch the kids as they help their mothers sell things. I went to a flea market where I bought a couple of children’s books from a mother and her son. The little boy, who was no more than ten – years – old, took my money and gave me the books. While doing this, he puffed out his chest and got the proudest look on his face as he raised it to me.

Yes, ideas for children’s stories are everywhere. Especially, at this time of the year! Actually, they’re everywhere at anytime of the year. All you have to do is look around!

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Related Writing Articles:

Writing Books for Children: Submissions to Contract to Book Promotion to Writing CareerPart1
Writing Books for Children: Submissions to Contract to Book Promotion to Writing CareerPart2
Imagery and Your Story
Character Sheets: Adding Dimension to Your Characters

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PLEASE SHARE THIS ARTICLE, and SIGN-UP FOR MY FREE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER, A Writer’s World. You’ll get two e-books if you do!

And, to be sure you don’t miss any posts here, simply subscribe to my blog (RSS feed).

~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance Writer

Karen Books Page:
http://www.karencioffi.com/karen-cioffis-books-and-e-books/

http://KarenCioffi.com
http://DKVWriting4U.com
Karen Cioffi Writing and Marketing
Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karencioffiventrice
Twitter: http://twitter.com/KarenCV
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Thank You to Muse Online Writers Conference

2011-10-17T05:29:00.015-04:00

This is a week late, but I have to write about the workshop Maggie Ball and I presented at the Muse Online Writers Conference and the conference itself.

Maggie and I are members of Writers on the Move (http://writersonthemove.com), a group of authors who use cross promotion to help create and increase visibility and readership. Our marketing focus is on providing informative articles on writing and marketing, along with offering free monthly workshops. Since Maggie and I present workshops for Writers on the Move, we decide to team up and provide a week long workshop for the Muse Conf.

The workshop, Creating and Building Your Author/Writer Online Presence:
From Website Creation to Beyond Book Sales, was information packed. The topics we included were:

The Bare-Bottom Basics (Creating a Website and Content)
Article Marketing
A Bit About SEO and Keywords
Podcasting
Creating eBooks for Freebies and for Sale
Creating ‘Buy Now’ Buttons for Your Site/s
Attracting Customers Through Informational Marketing

Combining our areas of expertise, Maggie and I were able to provide a wide-range of platform and visibility building tips.

And, now it’s over for this year and I want to thank Lea Schizas, Carolyn Howard-Johnson, all the moderators, transcribers, techs, and everyone else involved in putting on another ‘out of the ballpark’ conference.

I can’t imagine the work involved in putting something like this together and I don’t know how Lea manages it all.

I also want to thank those who took the time out of their busy schedules to attend the Creating and Building Your Author Online Presence. The attendees made it an interesting, fun, and worthwhile experience for Maggie and me.

So, thank you, thank you, thank you to ALL!

For those of you who didn’t attend this year, there’s always next year. And, believe me you shouldn’t miss the Muse Online Writers Conference. It’s jammed packed with writing and marketing instruction for writers at all levels and in all genres. And, it offers live chats and pitches with publishers!

If all this isn't persuasive enough, it's FREE!

To register for next year’s conference go to:
http://themuseonlinewritersconference.com

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Articles You May Find of Interest

Book Promotion: The Foundation
Marketing and Promotion: Are They the Same?
Book Marketing: Choose a Website Domain Name
An Effective Book Marketing Strategy: Joint Ventures

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PLEASE SHARE THIS ARTICLE, and SIGN-UP FOR MY FREE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER, A Writer’s World. You’ll get two e-books if you do!

And, to be sure you don’t miss any posts here, simply subscribe to my blog (RSS feed).

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

Ghostwriting and Editing for Businesses and Marketers

Do you need an e-book or white paper to offer for instruction, platform visibility, or a gift? Do you need blog, article, white paper, or other form of content visibility for your business? We’re professional and experienced with keywords and SEO. So, please stop by and check us out. Go to: http://DKVWriting4U.com

~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance Writer

Karen Books Page:
http://www.karencioffi.com/karen-cioffis-books-and-e-books/

http://KarenCioffi.com
http://DKVWriting4U.com
Karen Cioffi Writing and Marketing
Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karencioffiventrice
Twitter: http://twitter.com/KarenCV
Facebook: http://facebook.com/kcioffiventrice
GooglePlus: https://plus.google.com/107054879622971281466/posts

River Marked Reveiwed by Margaret Fieland

2011-10-14T06:37:00.000-04:00

Today I have a guest book review by author Margaret Fieland.

Title: River Marked
Author: Patricia Briggs
Publisher: Ace Books; 1st edition (March 1, 2011)
ISBN: 10: 9780441019731
Reviewed by: Margaret Fieland

For years I told myself I didn't like vampire books. Then I started reading Laurell K. Hamilton and got hooked on the idea of vampires, werewolves, and the like with legal rights. Then I read a couple of other authors. Soon, instead of automatically avoiding the urban fantasy novels at my local library, I was picking them up and reading them. So when I came across Patricia Briggs' "Silver Borne" I checked it out and read it. And I fell in love with Mercy Thompson.

But I needed to know more, specifically, all of the back story that I would find out by reading the series from the beginning, so late one night I downloaded the free Kindle app to my laptop and bought the first book in the series in ebook format from Amazon, mostly because I couldn't bear to wait to read it. By morning I'd finished it, but fortunately the library and the bookstore were now open. I quickly blasted through the rest of the series, and was thrilled to learn that the newest book in the series, "River Marked," was only days from release. I managed to wait until the weekend to buy it in hard copy at my local Borders, alas, soon to be no more.

Mercy, in case you don't know, lives in a world where vampires, fairies, werewolves, and other supernatural creatures are real. Fairies have been "out" for a goodly number of year. Werewolves go public in book four, I think, and vampires are still in the closet. Mercy is a Native American shape changer called a Walker, and she shifts into a coyote. In book six, "River Marked," she and her mate, alpha werewolf Adam, are on their honeymoon, camping on the banks of the Columbia River. They are camping in a super-duper souped up camper on loan from the fae, and it comes with strings attached. Something is killing the tourists, something evil, and Mercy and the other walkers she meets have to get rid of it.

This is the first book in the series to really go into any detail about walkers, about Mercy's father or, indeed, any of her relatives. This one does. I loved this book, but I loved it partly because it filled in the background that was missing about Mercy's heritage .. and, hey, I was interested enough in all the details to go back and read the series from the beginning. Yes, it's possible to pick up this book and read it as a stand-alone novel. It's probably more self-contained than a lot of the others, since many of the continuing characters in the series have only minor roles in this one. And that's the good news and the bad news. I did miss seeing more about the characters I've learned to care about in the previous books, most especially Samuel, who figured very prominently in "Silver Borne." Still, this one is just a un-put-downable as the other books in the series, just as readable, and Mercy is just as contrary as ever.

So should you buy this book? If you're a fan already, I'm preaching to the choir. Run out and buy it. If not, run out and buy the whole series. You won't be sorry.

About the reviewer:

Born and raised in Manhattan, Margaret Fieland has lived in the Boston area since just after the blizzard of 1976, thus missing the opportunity to abandon her car in a snowbank and walk home. In spite of earning her living as a computer software engineer, she turned to one of her sons to put up the first version of her website, a clear illustration of the computer generation gap. An accomplished flute and piccolo player, she can also write backwards and wiggle her ears. Thanks to her father's relentless hounding, she can still recite the rules for pronoun agreement in both English and French. Her articles, poem, and stories have appeared in anthologies and journals such as Melusine, Front Range Review, and All Rights Reserved. Her book, "The Angry Little Boy," will be published by 4RV publishing in early 2013. You may visit her website, http://www.margaretfieland.com/

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Other Reviews You May Enjoy:

Walking Through Walls Reviewed by Margo Dill
Horatio Humble Beats the Big D
The Lucky Baseball
What is Electricity and Magnetism?

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PLEASE SHARE THIS ARTICLE, and SIGN-UP FOR MY FREE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER, A Writer’s World. You’ll get two e-books if you do!

And to be sure you don’t miss any posts here, simply subscribe to my blog (RSS feed).

If you’d like to check out my books, go to Karen’s Books Page:
http://www.karencioffi.com/karen-cioffis-books-and-e-books/

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

Ghostwriting and Editing for Businesses and Marketers

Do you need an e-book or white paper to offer for instruction, platform visibility, or a gift? Do you need blog, article, white paper, or other form of content visibility for your business? We’re professional and experienced with keywords and SEO. So, please stop by and check us out. Go to: http://DKVWriting4U.com

~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance Writer

http://KarenCioffi.com
http://DKVWriting4U.com
Karen Cioffi Writing and Marketing
Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karencioffiventrice
Twitter: http://twitter.com/KarenCV
Facebook: http://facebook.com/kcioffiventrice

Writing, Publishing, and Marketing Cover Survey

2011-10-11T21:24:00.000-04:00

I'm tweaking the covers for four of my e-books and just can't make up my mind. The first is Writing, Publishing, and Marketing - You Can Do It.

I'd love your comments and choice!

Just a note: I chose the text color and book border based on the image, which I love.

Please let me know which you like best: 1, 2, 3, or 4 (from top down).

Thanks for your help!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PLEASE SHARE THIS ARTICLE, and SIGN-UP FOR MY FREE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER, A Writer’s World. You’ll get two e-books if you do!

And to be sure you don’t miss any posts here, simply subscribe to my blog (RSS feed).

If you’d like to check out my books, go to Karen’s Books Page:
http://www.karencioffi.com/karen-cioffis-books-and-e-books/

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

Ghostwriting and Editing for Businesses and Marketers

Do you need an e-book or white paper to offer for instruction, platform visibility, or a gift? Do you need blog, article, white paper, or other form of content visibility for your business? We’re professional and experienced with keywords and SEO. So, please stop by and check us out. Go to: http://DKVWriting4U.com

~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance Writer

http://KarenCioffi.com
http://DKVWriting4U.com
Karen Cioffi Writing and Marketing
Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karencioffiventrice
Twitter: http://twitter.com/KarenCV
Facebook: http://facebook.com/kcioffiventrice
GooglePlus: https://plus.google.com/107054879622971281466/posts

Book Marketing: Choose a Website Domain Name

2011-10-10T05:20:00.020-04:00

Book Marketing: Choose a Website Domain Name

The first rung on your book marketing ladder is to create a quality product, in the case of an author, that would be a book. You need to create an engaging story, be part of a critique group, make sure the manuscript gets edited, and have a knock-out cover.

Creating the book might be considered Research and Development under the Marketing umbrella, and the foundation of a marketing strategy.

The second step or rung on the book marketing ladder is the actual book promotion: creating a platform and brand for you and your book. This is accomplished through visibility. A platform is a means to let readers know what your area of expertise is.

You may be shaking your head and thinking you don’t have an area of expertise, well the very first step to establish yourself as an expert is to create a website or blog.

Book Marketing - The Website Domain Name

Choose a website domain name carefully and think ahead. Marketing experts always advise using ‘your name’ for your domain name. While you can have multiple sites, your name should be your main or central site.

On the other hand, if you write in a specific genre, you should include that in your website domain name. If you’re a children’s writer, maybe: Children’s Books by Your Name, or Picture Books by Your Name. The more specific you make your website domain name the more likely those searching online for that genre will find you.

Why is it so important to have your name in your central site’s title?

The answer is for those searching by your name to find you. Maybe Reader A doesn’t know the name of your book, but does remember your author name.

Why if you write in a specific genre is it important to include that in your site’s title?

Simply put: If you sell shoes and your website domain name is John Smith, how will those searching online for shoes ever find you?

Book Marketing - Using Keywords in Your Website Domain Name

The idea is to make multiple avenues of search that lead to your site. In other words, you need multiple keywords that are relevant to your site - keywords that will allow the search engines to index your site and allow readers doing online searches to find your site. Again, the more specific the better.

And, be sure to use appropriate keywords in the subtitle of your site. For example, if your book is a children’s fantasy adventure, be sure to include those keywords in your subtitle. The keywords will let the search engines know what your site is about.

As mentioned, you can create multiple sites. You might have ‘YourName.com’ as your central website domain name and then create other sites for your individual books, or possibly for a particular niche or genre you write in.

For example, I have a blogsite specifically for my each of my books: Walking Through Walls (http://walkingthroughwalls-kcioffi.blogspot.com), and another specifically for Day’s End Lullaby (http://daysendlullaby). These sites offer information related to the books only.

When creating a site specifically for your book/s, you should include these pages:

•   Home – for updates and possibly articles related to the book topic, time period, etc.
•   Description and/or Synopsis
•   Excerpts - be sure to ask your publisher how much is acceptable
•   Illustrations - be sure to ask your publisher which ones can be used
•   Reviews - obviously, it’s your site so only post the favorable reviews
•   Author Interviews – post interviews and links to podcasts and blog talk radio shows you’ve done
•   Purchasing Information – this is one of the most important pages; be sure to have clickable links that work

With the number of ‘free’ websites and blogsites available, you can have a site that’s unique for each of your books and/or niches that you write in.

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Related Articles:

Keep Your Website Focused
Book Promotion: The Foundation
Book Promotion: Creating an Informational Funnel

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PLEASE SHARE THIS ARTICLE, and SIGN-UP FOR MY FREE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER, A Writer’s World. You’ll get two e-books if you do!

And to be sure you don’t miss any posts here, simply subscribe to my blog (RSS feed).

If you’d like to check out my books, go to Karen’s Books Page:
http://www.karencioffi.com/karen-cioffis-books-and-e-books/

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

Ghostwriting and Editing for Businesses and Marketers

Do you need an e-book or white paper to offer for instruction, platform visibility, or a gift? Do you need blog, article, white paper, or other form of content visibility for your business? We’re professional and experienced with keywords and SEO. So, please stop by and check us out. Go to: http://DKVWriting4U.com

~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance Writer

http://KarenCioffi.com
http://DKVWriting4U.com
Karen Cioffi Writing and Marketing
Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karencioffiventrice
Twitter: http://twitter.com/KarenCV
Facebook: http://facebook.com/kcioffiventrice

Editing a Book - 10 Tips Checklist for Children’s Writers Part2

2011-10-07T06:20:00.001-04:00

Editing a Book: 10 Tips Checklist for Children’s Writers Part 2

We're back with tips 5 through 10 of Editing a Book: 10 Tips Checklist for Children’s Writers. If you haven't read Part 1, click on the link:

Editing a Book: 10 Tips Checklist for Children’s Writers Part1

Now, off to Part 2

5. Editing a Book - Use spell-check

Make sure you write with spell-check on or use your word processor’s spell-check when you’re finished with your manuscript. I like writing with it on.

Just be careful here because while spell-check will catch misspelled words it won’t catch words that are spelled correct, but are the incorrect word in regard to meaning.

Example: He was to tired.
Correct: He was too tired.

These words are called homonyms and spell-check will not catch them.

A homonym is a word that sounds like another word, but is spelled different and has a different meaning. Examples of homonyms are: hare/here/hair; bare/bear/; stationary/stationery; peek/peak; principle/principal; capital/capitol; compliments/complements; cite/site/sight.

6. Editing a Book - Use your Find function on your word processor

This is a great tool to check for “ly” words, “ing” words, weak verbs, and over used words such as “was.”

7. Editing a Book - Watch for redundancy

Check the story for repeated phrasing and even paragraph beginnings. You don’t want several paragraphs in a row beginning with “the” or other repetitive wording. When editing your manuscript use the Find function in your word program and look for overused words.

Another aspect of redundancy is using unnecessary words.

Example: Sit down on the chair.
The word ‘down’ is redundant; ‘sit’ implies down.

Example: She whispered quietly.
The word ‘whispered’ is redundant.

8. Editing a Book - Check for tight writing

In today’s market, tight writing is important—readers have a shorter attention span. So, get rid of unnecessary words and text.

Example: Joe had a really hard time lifting the very heavy and big trunk.
Alternative: Joe struggled to lift the huge trunk.

Also, watch for words such as “began” and “started.”

Example: He began to lift the trunk.
Alternative: He lifted the trunk.

9. Editing a Book - Check for punctuation and grammar

There are a number of great books and even online articles that will help you learn proper punctuation and grammar. Two books that I use are: The Frugal Editor by Carolyn Howard Johnson and The Great Grammar Book by Marsha Sramek.

You can also do a Google search.

10. Editing a Book - Children’s writers: Take illustrations into account

When writing a picture book you need to allow for illustrations. Picture books are a marriage between content and illustrations—a 50/50 deal. So, watch for text that an illustration can handle. With picture books your content doesn’t have to describe every little detail—the illustrations will embellish the story.

Well, this completes the 10 tips, but please know that self-editing is a tricky business and this is not an all inclusive list. Even knowing all the obstacles to watch out for, self-editing is still tricky. It's almost impossible for us writers to catch all our own errors; we're much too close to our work. We know every nook and cranny of the story and that makes it difficult to read it in a fresh manner. Even if we think we're reading every word, our mind is way ahead of us, that's why it's advisable to look into hiring an editor.

To check out the first 4 tips, click on on the link:

Editing a Book – 10 Tips Checklist for Children’s Writers Part 1
http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/2011/10/editing-book-10-tips-checklist-for.html

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Other Writing Articles:

Ingredients for a Perfect Picture Book
Writing, Submissions, and Working With an Editor
Children’s Writing and Publishing: The Traditional Path PART 1
Children’s Writing and Publishing: The Traditional Path PART 2

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PLEASE SHARE THIS ARTICLE, and SIGN-UP FOR MY FREE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER, A Writer’s World. You’ll get two e-books if you do!

And to be sure you don’t miss any posts here, simply subscribe to my blog (RSS feed).

If you’d like to check out my books, go to Karen’s Books Page:
http://www.karencioffi.com/karen-cioffis-books-and-e-books/

~~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance Writer

http://KarenCioffi.com
http://DKVWriting4U.com
Karen Cioffi Writing and Marketing
Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karencioffiventrice
Twitter: http://twitter.com/KarenCV
Facebook: http://facebook.com/kcioffiventrice

The Frugal Book Promoter, Second Edition

2011-10-04T19:56:00.000-04:00

Today, Wednesday, October 5th, is Carolyn Howard-Johnson's launch for The Frugal Book Promoter, Second Edition. Being a huge fan of Carolyn's books, I'm thrilled to include my blog in it's promotion.

So, without further ado, here it is:

CAROLYN HOWARD-JOHNSON

Here's the book you writers have been looking for!

___________________________________________

The second edition of The Frugal Book Promoter is an updated version of the multi award-winning first edition. It has been expanded to include simple ways to promote books using newer technology--always considering promotion and marketing techniques that are easy on the pocketbook and frugal of time. It also includes a multitude of ways for authors and publishers to promote the so-called hard-to-promote genres. The award-winning author of poetry and fiction draws on a lifetime of experience in journalism, public relations, retailing, marketing, and the marketing of her own books to give authors the basics they need for do-it-yourself promotion and fun, effective approaches that haven't been stirred and warmed over, techniques that will help rocket their books to bestselling lists. You'll also l earn to write media releases, query letters and a knock 'em dead media kit--all tools that help an author find a publisher and sell their book once it's in print.

When you buy the book today, you'll receive more than a dozen great bonuses for writers

Click here to Buy the Book!

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And, here's an article from the book, just to whet your appetite:

New Math Adds Up To FREE Publicity

By Carolyn Howard-Johnson

(An excerpt from the updated and expanded second edition of The Frugal Book Promoter: How to get nearly free publicity on your own or partnering with your publisher)

The new math for free publicity is: E-book + E-gift = Promotion. Oops. Error. Make the answer FREE promotion!

There are three magical concepts to this e-book formula

1. Accidental
2. Free
3. E-book.

My best promotion ever, a free e-book called COOKING BY THE BOOK, accidentally fell into my lap and it uses all three of that formula. I’ll share more about these three promotional potions a bit later.

COOKING BY THE BOOK began when more than two dozen authors from several countries contributed to a book that would be given away free to anyone—as a gift of appreciation to the support teams it takes to write and market a book and to the legions of readers who cook but were probably never exposed to our books. Each invited author had written at least one kitchen scene in his book. Each segment of the cookbook begins with an excerpt from that scene, the recipe comes next and that is followed by a short blurb about the author.

This cookbook e-tool is a cross-pollinator. Each contributing author was to publicize it any way he or she chose. Participants promised to promote it and not to charge for it. That way each contributor benefited from the efforts, the lists, and the contacts of the other authors. We had some superior promoters among us:

§ Most of us set up a page on our websites.

§ Contributor Peggy Hazelwood promoted it in her newsletter for book lovers.

§ Mary Emma Allen featured it in the columns she writers for New Hampshire dailies, The Citizen and The Union Leader.

§ David Leonhardt, (http://thehappyguy.com/ ) author of CLIMB YOUR STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN, incorporated the cookbook into a Happiness Game Show he uses in his presentations.

§ We gave away coupons for this book at our signings. Because it cost nothing, it could be given to everyone, not just those who purchase a book.

§ I used the e-copies as thank yous to people who visit my site.

§ Some included information on these freebies on the back of business cards and bookmarks.

§ I queried site editors whenever I ran across another place that seems as if our CB Book would interest their audience.

Reviewer JayCe Crawford (http://www.authorsden.com/jaycecrawford) said, “For a foodie-cum-fiction-freak like me, this cookbook is a dream come true.” That review has popped up in places we didn’t know existed.

Our most startling success came from sources we had no connection to. It was featured in Joan Stewart’s The Publicity Hound, in Writer’s Weekly, on MyShelf.com, in the iUniverse newsletter and more. I had the highest rate of interest I’d ever had when I queried radio stations for interviews and that was in competition with a pitch for my novel THIS IS THE PLACE just before the 2002 games in Salt Lake City and an intolerance angle on the same novel right after 9/11.

Wait, we're not through yet. Mother's Day is coming. It is always an occasion for us repeat our publicity blitzes every year, because--if you haven’t noticed--mothers tend to do lots of cooking. This book was so successful I collaborated with Sarah Mankowski on a similar one called SEASONED GREETINGS for holiday promotional blitzes.

Back to those three magic words:

1.                        Accidental: I don’t take credit for knowing a good thing when I saw it. What I learned from this experience is to never dismiss something that is placed on your desk without careful consideration--even if it seems vaguely hokey. I nearly did just that. It seemed like a lot of work to give away free. Now I do that kind of thing all the time.

2.                        Free: This charmed word convinced editors to offer our cookbook as a freebie to their readers. Usually the contributing author who pitched it was privileged with their own promotional site’s URL being used as a link but when some editors chose to place the entire cookbook download on their own sites, we all benefited just the same.

3.                        E-book: An e-book is easy for readers to obtain. The author need not budget for postage or processing expenses. In the invitations, queries, and releases I sent out, I emphasized a no strings attached attack: I assured everyone that they would not be expected to register to the site, sign up for a newsletter nor purchase a thing. The E-book concept is also important because—though it may not be new to you and me—the media is still infatuated with it.

Here is a fourth magic word. Cookbook. It has universal appeal. You might find something else that works better for you. I’ve been thinking of doing something similar utilizing the subject of genealogy because my novel is based on the stories of my own ancestors--four generations of them. It is not necessary that the freebie be knitted to your primary title; you may benefit by a theme that reaches out, draws in those who might not otherwise be exposed to your work. Your idea may appeal to a narrower audience but niche markets work, too. Everyone loves something that is FREE.

COOKING BY THE BOOK and my other e-books are like hospitality gifts. Only better. That's because they promote not only my work, but that of others.

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When you buy the book today, you'll receive more than a dozen great bonuses for writers

Click here to Buy the Book!

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Carolyn Howard-Johnson is the author of the award-winning This is the Place, Harkening (www.budurl.com/TrueShortStories ), and Tracings (www.budurl.com/CarolynsTracings). She is also the author of the How To Do It Frugally series including The Frugal Book Promoter which won the winner of USA Book News' Best Professional Book and the Irwin Award (www.budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo) and the The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success (www.bududrl.com/TheFrugalEditor).

The Frugal Book Promoter launches Wedneday, Oct. 5, with bonuses for purchasing. Check them out at http://bit.ly/qHi6DZ. Her site includes writers resources galore! www.howtodoitfrugally.com.

Carolyn Howard-Johnson

Instructor for the renowned UCLA Extension Writers' Program

Author of the multi award-winning series of HowToDoItFrugally books:

The Frugal Book Promoter
The Frugal Editor
The Great First Impression Book Proposal
Great Little Last-Minute Edits
E-mail: HoJoNews@aol.com
Web site: http://www.howtodoitfrugally.com

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Carolyn, Best Wishes for an out-of-the-ballpark book launch!

Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance Writer

http://KarenCioffi.com
http://DKVWriting4U.com
Karen Cioffi Writing and Marketing
Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karencioffiventrice
Twitter: http://twitter.com/KarenCV
Facebook: http://facebook.com/kcioffiventrice

Editing a Book - 10 Tips Checklist for Children’s Writers Part1

2011-10-03T04:52:00.018-04:00

Editing a Book - 10 Tips Checklist for Children’s Writers Part 1

You’ve been working on your story for a while now and you think it’s just about done. It’s been critiqued numerous times and you revised it numerous times. Now, it’s time for ‘editing a book;’ this entails proofreading and self-editing. You don’t want to short-change yourself on the last stretch, so get ready to put the final layers of polish on your manuscript.

While this ‘editing a book’ article is geared toward children’s writers, it has information for just about all writers.

Here are 10 tips to you can use to help fine-tune your children’s manuscript:

1. Editing a Book: Check for Clarity

Check each sentence for clarity. It’s important to remember that you may know what you intend to convey, but your readers may not. It’d be a good idea to have someone else read the manuscript for you. This is where a good critique group comes in handy.

2. Editing a Book: Check for “Telling” and Lackluster Sentences

Check each sentence for telling. While you will need some effective telling, you want to have more showing.

Example: Joe hit his head and was dazed.
Alternative: Joe banged his head against the tree. He wobbled a moment and fell to the ground.

Show, don’t tell. Use your imagination and picture your character going through motions—maybe he’s turning his lip up, or he’s cocking his head. Try to visualize it; this will help in showing rather than telling.

A good way to add more showing is to add more sensory details. Use the five senses (sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste) to create a living character; this will help breathe life into your story.

Example: Joe felt cold.
Alternative: A chill ran through Joe’s body.

Example: Joe was frightened.
Alternative: Joe’s breath stopped. Goosebumps made the hair on his arms stand at attention.

3. Editing a Book: Point of View - Watch for Head Hopping

Checking for head hopping is especially important for children’s writers since their stories should be told from the protagonist’s point of view or perspective.

If the story is being told from your main character’s point of view (POV) make sure it stays there.

If my POV character Joe is sad and wearing a frown, it wouldn’t be advisable to say: Noticing his sad face Fran immediately knew Joe was distraught. This is bringing Fran’s POV into the picture.

You might say: Joe knew Fran would immediately notice his despair; they were friends for so long.

Or, you can just use dialogue: “Joe, what’s wrong?”

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To read tips 5 through 10, go to:

Part 2 of Editing a Book - 10 Tips Checklist for Children’s Writers
http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/2011/10/editing-book-10-tips-checklist-for_07.html

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Related Writing Articles:

Is Your Manuscript Ready for Submissions?
Rewriting a Folktale
Successful Writing Strategy: Know Your Intent

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PLEASE SHARE THIS ARTICLE, and SIGN-UP FOR MY FREE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER, A Writer’s World. You’ll get two e-books if you do!

And to be sure you don’t miss any posts here, simply subscribe to my blog (RSS feed).

If you’d like to check out my books, go to Karen’s Books Page:
http://www.karencioffi.com/karen-cioffis-books-and-e-books/

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

Ghostwriting and Editing for Businesses and Marketers

Do you need an e-book or white paper to offer for instruction, platform visibility, or a gift? Do you need blog, article, white paper, or other form of content visibility for your business? We’re professional and experienced with keywords and SEO. So, please stop by and check us out. Go to: http://DKVWriting4U.com

~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance Writer

http://KarenCioffi.com
http://DKVWriting4U.com
Karen Cioffi Writing and Marketing
Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karencioffiventrice
Twitter: http://twitter.com/KarenCV
Facebook: http://facebook.com/kcioffiventrice