Archive for November, 2009
The Voice of An Author: An Interview with David O’Leary Wielgosz
“Something about being a teenager just tears the whole world away from you, and I guess the outcome of that is what makes you the man you are going to be. So, what will I be…?” — Gardener Fox, main character in author David O’Leary Wielgosz’s first novel, Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired.
A writer well beyond his years, Wielgosz debuts his novel with an honest insight and real-life approach to the intricacies of a teenage world. Through a story of struggle and a message of self-acceptance, Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired touches on the relevance and intensity of such a defining age. We are able to look behind the scenes, into the heart of the story — the heart of this 17-year-old author hoping to open up alternatives to a generation — to an age of constant uncertainty with life-changing consequences.
Wielgosz, a “kid” from Holyoke, Massachusetts, dreams of stories — “of creating new worlds for people to escape to.” In his first work of fiction, Wielgosz describes Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired as “honest with a lot of heart.” The story of Gardner Fox, a 16-year-old boy dealing with the hand life provided. A hand that leads him to question who it is he should be and the struggles of change within his surroundings — or perhaps the struggle to remain who he is…who we all are.
“I started off as a fat, love-sick fanboy with delusions of grandeur, but at the end, after God, Buddha, or Vishnu, or Odin, or Superman, or whoever the hell up there got through throwing rocks at me and brought me back down from that miserable tree I was in, I ended up being something I was even less proud of.” — Gardener Fox
According to Wielgosz, this is “a story about growing up and how on any given day you can feel like the king of the world or just another chump.” A story of significance that transcends from generation to generation as we all search for our place, our meaning, and our relevance.
Inspired by life right now and by friends, peers, acquaintances, and those simply observed, Wielgosz took the actions and emotions to their “logical extremes.” He hopes “to show that we are all better than this.” That the beautiful and ugly chaos is simply being a teenager, but that your choices will change you.
“Everything about this book is a product of me, and nothing in the world could ever make me more proud. It is not a work without flaws, but what is?” says Wielgosz, a quote almost symbolizing the story itself. “I don’t pull my punches and each character is a real teenager, [struggling through] morality, sexuality, friendship, life and death.” Through his book, Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired, Wielgosz proposes a challenge. A challenge to better yourself, to believe in who you are, and to realize that these years are critical in the shaping of who you will become.
- Melissa
Writers as Readers
Stop for a moment and think about your favorite book as a child. What made it your favorite? Did it transport you to other lands, make you want to be a princess or satisfy your desire for adventure? Whatever the reason, chances are the books of your childhood and young adult years left a mark on you as a writer.
Eventually children grow up and reading can be replaced by work and family demands. However, good writers can never have the excuse that they are to busy to read; they must read constantly to keep improving their own writing and learn how other authors write.
Here are some specific ways reading helps you become a better writer.
- Grow your vocabulary. While you’re reading it’s a great idea to keep a notebook handy and write down words you don’t know the meaning of. Later, take your notebook and a dictionary (or use a handy online version) and actually look up the meaning of those words. If you’re really ambitious about learning new words you can keep a spreadsheet of the alphabetized words and their meanings for reference when you’re writing and need a new word. Make your new words stick even more by attempting to use them in normal conversation.
- Learn sentence structure and smooth dialogue. I know it’s hard when you’re really into a book, but try to pay careful attention to how dialogue and sentences are structured. You’ll notice that strong authors use varying sentence lengths, different leads and natural dialogue to move the story along. Notice how dialogue is structured so that it sounds like two people having a real conversation, but doesn’t drag on and on with every “um” or sigh or flick of an eyebrow. Good authors know how to use those expressions to make the dialogue interesting, but they are well placed and not overdone. Practice writing like this in your own work.
- Reading IS research. How many other people can say they are working hard when they curl up with the newest Barbara Kingsolver or John Grisham book? You can. It is completely legitimate to say you’re researching while reading because you actually are. Don’t be picky about what you read; read everything. Read bestsellers and classics. Read children’s books and cookbooks and magazines. Read non-fiction and the instructional manual for your DVD player if you have nothing else to read (or if you want to know how to fix it so it hates Barney DVDs). Absorb good writing into every part of you by reading good writers so when it’s your turn to sit down and write all that reading comes oozing back out in your own voice.
Every writer hits a writer’s block now and then. It happens. Get over it by reading. The next time you hit a writer’s block, walk away from your writing and pick up something to read instead. Even if it’s Anne of Green Gables or Robinson Crusoe from your childhood, don’t feel bad about reading for a while. You never know what you might find that will inspire you in your own writing.
Happy reading (and writing once you put down that novel…).
Kate
A Breakdown of Your Cover
Do first impressions matter? The answer is yes, even if the opinion is later altered due to, let’s say, your book’s content. And so, for the sake of your three-second introduction to the reading public, your book will need to flaunt its gist through a creative and custom-inspired book cover.
A book is a book is a book, and when readers are browsing the cyber shelves, your cover needs to measure up to your interior content. Preview your book successfully by evaluating each element of the book cover and make it relevant to your story.
Title — Place yourself in the reader’s shoes when making your final decision for your book’s title. Does your selection make sense to the reader? Is it easy to remember? When choosing your title make sure it conveys your message and fits the design you have in mind. As a writer, try not to get too caught up in creating a clever title, sometimes straightforward is better.
Subtitle — If needed, elaborate further into your book’s subject with a subtitle. A good subtitle specifically explains your book through a descriptive line complimenting your title. Include any searchable key words that are not in your title, where appropriate, into your subtitle.
Cover Design — Apply a professional design service to your cover. Your title should be legible at a glance, avoiding small or faint text as well as busy backgrounds. Select a font or two for your text, staying away from decorative fonts to continue the professional appeal.
Choose a strong image that conveys your book and integrates with your title. A single image usually impacts more than multiple images. Remember that your image is second to your title, so beware of overpowering.
Continue your congruent design of colors and fonts through the spine and back cover. Make sure all text is easy to read.
Back or Panel Copy — Summarize your book with directness. Describe the premise of your story while highlighting the feeling intertwined.
Blurb — Endorsements by readers do help. They are references for your work and we all appreciate recommendations. Place your endorsement on your back cover, unless it is from a well-known personality in which you may then add it to the front cover.
Spine — Simple, easy to read, and viewable sideways. Usually will not include subtitle due to space and design.
Bio — Briefly and eloquently state who you are and your most recent accomplishments. Try to keep your author description around three sentences.
Invest in your cover design and layout. Your story is one of a kind and your cover should be as well. Make an impact on potential readers and create a marketing edge to your book. As a strong contributor to book sales, prepare your book to be judged by its cover.
-Melissa
Visit Wordclay to review options for enhancing your book’s appeal and cover design.
Getting an Idea: Blank Pages and Sail Boats
Publishing a book is a long and complicated process, and it seems everyone has advice along the way. There are articles and instructions on writing, editing, publishing, marketing – a complete confusion of advice and how-to’s to get you through. But before any of that, before the first word appears on the page, there is a very critical step that stymies many writers:
Getting an idea.
This very elementary necessity has put some of the best authors into a complete panic. The great American journalist and author Gene Fowler decided “Writing is easy: All you do is sit staring at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood form on your forehead”. But personally, I think there might be some other (maybe less painful) ways to get ideas.
- Write down an idea as soon as you get it. I have a good friend who composes music, and he is constantly being teased for the random scraps of napkins, envelopes or illegible bits of paper that fall out of his pockets whenever he reaches for his keys. When an idea strikes him, he just grabs whatever’s handy and jots it down. But he is a very successful composer and taught me a valuable lesson. A “mental note” just doesn’t sustain a good idea (or even a bad one!). Write it down in the moment and you at least have something to work with later.
- Don’t throw old ideas away. Some ideas are garbage, there’s no avoiding that. But some bad ideas are really great ones, just at the wrong time or approached from the wrong direction. Scott Adams, who writes the Dilbert cartoons, understood this principle well: “Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep”. If it doesn’t sound good now, or you’re busy with other things, hang onto it. Some other time when you hit a dry spell you will have a well to pull from, and things can look completely different after a little time.
- Make time to try. Gene Fowler’s approach may sound painful, but it does work for a lot of writers (maybe without the bleeding). I have used this technique myself, and although I hate to admit it, it did work. Set aside a certain amount of time with no distractions (for me, that included unplugging my internet cable), open up your word processor, and force yourself to stay there until the time is up. You may not believe it until you try it, but the human mind will come up with all kinds of interesting ideas simply to escape boredom and desperation.
- Surround yourself with interesting people and situations. The poet Raymond Carter believed “There are significant moments in everyone’s day that can make literature. That’s what you ought to write about”. Although this is very true, if all you did that day was wash the dishes and walk the dog you might find it difficult to find your inspiration. Go to places that fascinate or stimulate you – museums, coffee shops, forests, homeless shelters – the world is an incredibly interesting place, but we have to get out into it.
- For lack of a good idea, try a bad one. This piece of wisdom was an accidental discovery in my life, a little miracle like penicillin or sticky notes (well, maybe littler). I was given an assignment with a topic that was just horrible. It was the last possible thing I, or any of my readers, would have found interesting. I tried every way I could think of to get out of it, but nothing worked. I started working with that topic, and it led me to something else, which led me to a very interesting person, which led me to a fantastic idea that turned into a fascinating article. It could have gone differently, of course; I’ve had other bad ideas that no amount of reworking could make into decent ones. But if nothing else presents itself, at least you’re working, and you might just get lucky!
A great idea is the wind in the sails of a writer, that force that propels us through the fear of failure or embarrassment and the tedious hours of reworking, proofing and editing (and this sentence was the idea that started this whole blog). Although none of the techniques I’ve mentioned are miracle workers or magic spells, maybe at the very least they inspired you to close your browser and go back to your blank page. Even Nobel Prize winner Andre Gile admitted “I have never produced anything good except by a long succession of slight efforts”.
- Beth Ludema
Niche and You
Whether you’re an experienced or novice writer, your story will integrate within a particular genre. The challenge for any writer, however, is discovering your writing niche and executing the benefits of a niche successfully.
Each of us has a type of writing that is best suited for our individual style and compliments our ongoing internal search to outlet creativity. The discovery process of finding your niche can be an adventurous and rewarding experience. Begin by evaluating your own experiences and interests. Then, evaluate the following writer-centric opportunities:
- Writing Life: What do I want to write? Is there an emerging theme within my writing? Do I have to write?
- Fiction or Nonfiction: Would I rather tell stories or research facts? Can I let my imagination lead the way or do I need structure and organization? Would I rather create my own truth in the characters I develop or interview people for the truth?
- Audience: Which shelf do I imagine my book on in a bookstore? What targeted age group am I most comfortable with? Am I more motivated to inspire or teach?
Defining your niche may take time, trial and error. It begins with knowing you — the you that is different from every other writer. Although you may write within similar topics or the same genre as other writers, your writing technique and style – your writing voice – is unique and separates you from the rest. Your unique writing voice is yours and yours alone, but you can use it within a niche to truly captivate your audience.
Once you have defined your niche, study it. Read the work of others that are parallel to your storyline and examine your genre. You are not ranking yourself against other writers, but carving out your own uniqueness. The key is to understand the varying elements of different works and to differentiate your writing — establish a personality distinguishable by readers.
Understand your niche and apply it to every aspect of your writing profession. Market yourself under your specific niche and focus on creating a forte in your writing. Utilize your author blog to contribute content specific to your book’s topic, which also enables constant digging and research into your area of expertise.
Niche development coincides with your branding strategy. It is finding you as an author and knowing who exactly with whom you are sharing your story. The benefit is once you have settled comfortably in your niche your writing and your voice will rise above the clutter.
- Melissa
Set the Tone: How Sound Influences Your Writing
Each writer has their own method when it comes to sitting down and getting to work. But when it comes time to really get down to business, you need to focus – to get in the zone. Perhaps you have a comfy sweater that you put on, or you fold up in your favorite chair; but one factor that can have a huge impact on your writing is what you hear.
Listening to music while writing helps many writers relax and get into the zone. In fact, some might say that it is essential. But for many, the type of music is crucial. You may enjoy listening to rock while another writer listens to Christmas music. Or perhaps you need music, but you’d prefer to listen to songs and artists with which you are not familiar. You can find free live streaming music Web sites such as Lala.com are helpful in setting the tone for your writing.
Be aware of how music affects your writing. Listening to a cheerful show tune while describing the deep sorrow of your character’s loss of their beloved pet dog is probably not be the best match up.
You might try listening to music to get you into the mood of writing, but perhaps you prefer the sound of silence (actual silence … not the song by Simon and Garfunkel). To many writers, silence is the only way to write. The only thing that you hear is your fingers clacking away at the keyboard.
For writers who enjoy silence while writing, you may not always be able to achieve this hallowed noiseless state easily. Whether you have children, a noisy neighbor or an office filled with co-workers, there’s not always an option for natural silence. However, a white noise generator could be the key to cure your distractions. Check out SimplyNoise.com, a Web site where you can achieve auditory Zen by streaming white, pink or brown noise for free.
What do you prefer as your perfect auditory setup while you’re writing? Experiment with different setups until you find one that works for you.
Keep writing.
Angie Kelly Pheifer
How to Use E-Mail Marketing to Reach Your Readers
E-mail marketing is dually a challenging and effective option for extending you and your book’s presence to new and current readers. While e-mail usage is daily, getting your e-mail noticed in a full inbox with a catchy subject and powerful first line that pulls your readers in becomes a task lost in cyber space or dumped into a bin along with other hopefuls. Here is a piece of the puzzle: targeted e-mail lists for promoting your book.
Relationships begin with conversation. Initiate a conversation by e-mail and invite potential readers into your world. Get readers to sign up for your relevant and informative e-mails by including a link or subscription form on your Web site, home page or blog. Your registration field should ask for just enough necessary information from readers to create a marketing relationship relevant to your customer, but not enough information to betray their privacy — something that can turn readers away.
The registered subscriber wants to know their sign-up was successful — they have asked you to market to them. Engage immediately, as too much of a time lapse and your subscriber may forget ever signing up. You can design an e-mail that automatically acknowledges your reader, welcomes them and thanks them for viewing your site and subscribing to your e-mail marketing list. You are essentially building a pool of supporters who have previously shown interest in your work to which you may market.
Explore the many different options of what you can include in your e-mails. Be creative. Some ideas of how to use your e-mail marketing tool include:
- Announce that your book is available for purchase and inform readers of a book signing or promotional event.
- Involve readers in your current work’s progress by sending a “sneak peek” sample of your writing.
- Offer a promotion in which anyone who purchases a book receives a free bookmark or t-shirt.
Remember that your Web site or blog is an active place for readers, so you want to keep them engaged and coming back. Don’t go overboard with excessive e-mails which can actually annoy your readers. Keep your e-mails simple and relevant to your audience.
When performed correctly, a targeted e-mail campaign as part of your marketing mix establishes a list of potential loyal readers and buyers. With a reach exceeding geographic and time zone barriers, your e-mail campaign is quick, flexible, cost-effective and allows for customization for each reader or event.
Visit sites that offer free templates for both your registration and e-mails. Browse through www.emailtemplatepro.com or www.campaignmonitor.com and begin setting up your list of opt-in readers to which you can market your book.
- Melissa
