Posts tagged ‘community’
Local and Regional Influence: Book Marketing by Celebrities and Public Figures
President Obama has been travelling lately. We’ve seen him pop up in Iraq, meet with leaders in Europe and the Middle East and generally wander the globe extensively. If you don’t know already, he’s looking to discuss our position with other world leaders and improve our relationship with the world at large.
You also may have heard that Obama spoke to Hugo Chavez, the very controversial leader of Venezuela. The mere idea of speaking with Chavez was seen as threatening to Obama’s political opponents here in the United States, especially since Chavez is considered an enemy by some and a criminal by others.
Chavez did, however, give Obama a copy of the book Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent by Eduardo Galeano. How interesting that Chavez was able to strategically use a book that has stood on its own in certain circles to bypass his own limited credibility in the public’s eye.
Immediately, after news hit the press, the book shot up at least a half a million notches to become number two on the Amazon charts for the day. More than 30 years old and a steady backlist title, who would have predicted Open Veins of Latin America would once again be headed for the top of the charts?
Can you get a foreign leader to recommend your book to the President of the United States? Maybe not, but perhaps you may be able to have people who are influential at your local level recommend or even just vouch for your book.
Personally, I know that every city that I’ve ever lived in has been chock full of local celebrities. The local politicians and business people who are on television and in the newspapers tend to have positive influence over the local public. If I were marketing a book locally, I would approach these local legends and ask them to endorse my project. Then, I could contact the local newspapers and television and radio stations and tell them all about that endorsement, achieving even more coverage.
Submit Your Writing Tip & Prompt: Share Your Secrets with Other Writers
For those of you new to our publishing blog (and for those who already know about our weekly tips and prompts), our blogging team is now asking for your input. What helps you get the creative juices flowing? What’s your ritual like before you pull up your chair to the keyboard or press your pen to the legal pad?
Each week, us Wordclay blogger generate a writing tip and prompt for our visitors and post them on the sidebar for everyone to use for inspiration. Now, here’s your chance to share your own trade secrets with our writing community, so don’t be shy and help your fellow writers through some blocks by dishing some ingenious writing techniques that work for you.
Simply post how you start a story or poem as a comment below. Write what stretches you do before sitting down at the desk, whatever works your creative mojo. Or perhaps you have a special revising technique that’s worked for you for years — anything and everything is fair game — and who knows? you may just end up helping the next great author who makes tidal waves on the literary scene, all thanks to your little ritual.
Writers Need to Read-Chefs Need to Eat: Be a Part of the Community
As, painfully to pore upon a book
To seek the light of truth…-Wm Shakespeare
As an example of the service provided by What Should I Read Next, I typed in the title of a book we have discussed here in the past:
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle: A Novel – David Wroblewski
Morality Play – Barry Unsworth
The Covenant – James A. Michener
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: A New Verse Translation – Simon Armitage
Memoirs of an Invisible Man – H.F. Saint
Particles and Luck – Louis B. Jones
The Good Thief – Hannah Tinti
The Blue Star: A Novel – Tony Earley
The Visitor – Sheri S. Tepper
The Memory Palace of Matteo Ricci – Jonathan D. Spence
Clara Callan: A Novel – Richard B. Wright
As you can see, several user generated recommendations have been populated here. This is an example of how the future of the literary community may very well develop. If you as a writer are able to get your book out there and get people to read it, perhaps those same readers will add your book to the lists that they recommend on blogs and websites. Perhaps you could even recommend your own book in association with books that you feel would appeal to a similar audience.
This time, the main takeaway is that it never hurts to follow and participate in the trends that other readers follow. As a writer, you hope to create an audience and communicate to individual readers. Every line that you write and every idea that you convey is part of the overarching drive to share your beliefs.
According to Compete.com, about 15,000 unique viewers went to www.whatshouldireadnext.com last month. And this is only one of hundreds of sites and communities out there that exist as resources for readers! 
Once more I’ll read the ode that I have writ.
Once more I’ll mark how love can vary wit.
-Wm. Shakespeare
Announcing: Ottawa International Writers Festival Coming Soon: October 18-27th
Wordbot here, informing all writers about the big shindig approaching. That’s right! Come October 18th, the Ottawa International Writers Festival starts…
Even if you’re not in the area, be sure to drop by their Web site, read about the events and perhaps even download the insightful, interesting podcasts of the events, which are sure to get your creative juices flowing.
Discover the possibilities at:
Ottawa’s Festival of Ideas (since 1997)
Read their Mission Statement below for more information…
We launched the first Ottawa International Writers Festival at the National Arts Centre on September 5, 1997. It featured sixteen writers from Ireland (the largest contingent ever to read beyond the Emerald Isle), sharing the stage with thirty-five Canadians writers from across the country. We called our inaugural Festival the “Writes of Passage” and we spoke of the gift of literature and the intimate relationship between the writer and audience that reminds us that “ultimately none of us lives in isolation, that we are all interconnected, all part of one large, often cramped, sometimes raucous, but never dull world-family.”
The Festival opened with an Aboriginal elder conducting a sweet grass ceremony, followed by the haunting sounds of Celtic music and dancing. From opening night to our closing celebration with Pulitzer Prize winner Frank McCourt reading from Angela’s Ashes, those nine days had transported us to a different world. Those were heady days, when we were crazy enough to program six writers each evening without an intermission! Heady days, when we transformed a former NAC bookstore turned storage room into our “Irishtown Pub” — selling more beer during the course of the Festival than the entire NAC summer program! The Fourth Stage was born!
For more than a decade now, (more…)
Goodreads: Managing & Sharing Your Online Bookshelf
Just published a book? Looking for an online community where you can mention your new publication?
The good people at Goodreads.com may have your answer. Register as a member for free, engage other readers and writers about books, and get some buzz started about your new publications.
Visit them their homepage and take the tour. Read all about their groups by genre, how their community works, and even peruse a brief letter from the founder that says:
One afternoon while I was scanning a friend’s bookshelf for my next great read, it struck me. When I want to know what books to read, I’d rather turn to a friend than any random person, bestseller list or algorithm. So I thought I’d build a website — a website where I could see my friends’ bookshelves and learn about what they thought of all their books.
Goodreads
Goodreads is a community of friends who enjoy reading and sharing their opinions about books. To improve the process of reading and learning throughout the world, Goodreads allows for the creation of personalized bookshelves, where you can organize what you’ve read, what you want to read and spread the word about good books. Review a title and get comments from other members. For new authors, goodreads is prime real estate to explore for marketing and sheer entertainment.
The Point: Getting involved with online communities that specialize in books is not only a rewarding, enriching experience, but also an opportunity to mention your recent release.
This is Justin, blogcasting from Wordclay, signing off.
Poetry Contest: WritingRoom Calls Poets to Submit in September
Greetings, Earthlings,
As the writing community that allows writers to connect with other writers and readers, WritingRoom is now calling for poetry submissions for their September Poetry Contest.
One Grand Prize Winner will receive:
(1) $50.00 cash
(2) A featured spot in the Anthology of the September ’08 contest entries
(3) A printed and bound copy of the published Anthology
(4) Entry into the yearly contest, and a chance to win $1000.00
One Runner Up will receive:
(1) A printed and bound copy of the published Anthology
All participants will receive:
(1) A certificate of achievement and publication in an Anthology
The deadline for poetry submissions is Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2008.
All styles of poems are eligible, with a maximum of three individual poems, each poem must be 50 lines or fewer. Be sure to list your name and screen-name on each page of your submission.
To enter, simply create your profile at WritingRoom, and e-mail your selected poem(s) to contest@WritingRoom.com, with the subject line “September Poetry Contest.” Include your full name, phone number, WritingRoom screen-name, title of poem(s) and e-mail address within your e-mail.
Visit WritingRoom’s Contest Page for more information.
Wordbot upload complete. Transmission ended.
The Price Is Right: Wordclay Compared to Their Major Self-Publishing Competitors
Greetings, Earthlings,
As a writer looking to self-publish your book, you probably want to know how Wordclay compares to the other major self-publishing companies. Good question. To find the answer to this question, typically you would have to scour the Internet for hours, trying to compare prices and services (if you can find them at all).
But we’ve done the legwork for you. After hours of meticulous research and number crunching, The Wordclay Blog Team welcomes you to our comprehensive guide to the major self-publishing companies currently printing successful titles.
Unfortunately, many potential authors find themselves drowning in cryptic self-publishing Web sites, struggling against vague currents of information and reaching for just a single, solid price estimation that you might not receive until after you sign a contract.
Wordclay, on the other hand, believes our company information should be as straightforward and available as possible. Publishing your book can play a major part in your future as a writer, and it’s only natural you want to be certain you’re choosing the right company.
In this guide, we’ve gathered the pricing, printing and promotional details of the major self-publishing companies today – think of this blog as your own personal fountain of publishing knowledge!
Wordclay
Wordclay provides free book self-publishing services for writers who want to take advantage of the DIY authorship approach. The printing cost for copies of your book is built into the selling price of your book, so the amount of royalties you earn is based on the price you select within the wizard.
For example, should you select a price of $16.00 for your standard 6”x9” paperback of 250 pages (costing $9.47 for printing materials per copy) each book sold would earn you $6.53 in royalties. Check out our pricing calculator located on the Wordclay Hompage to test other page counts and prices.
Wordclay is a DIY self-publisher who is focused on providing a simple and independent Internet publishing experience for authors. The Wordclay DIY self-publishing wizard formats manuscripts with astute precision. Almost instantly, a galley is rendered for approval. Full-color cover creation is included in this free DIY self-publishing tool.
Services like book distribution and marketing support are also available for purchase. Visit the Wordclay Self-Publishing Services Store for more details.
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LuLu.com
Like Wordclay, LuLu Publishing is a free Web-based self-publisher that allows you to upload your manuscript or albums for free and then generate a book (which you can purchase at your own convenience). While LuLu and Wordclay price their books fairly, allocating royalties that can range up to 80 percent of the retail price of your book, the major difference between the two are the range of professional services available.
LuLu has only recently (more…)
A Pound of Flesh: Joining Communities & Investing in The Writer’s Market
…a sentence! Come prepare!
The Merchant of Venice
We all can’t do what David Wroblewski did when he set out to write The Story of Edgar Sawtelle: a novel and go back to graduate school to study under Richard Russo when we decide to get creative. Most of us have many pressing day-to-day demands which paint our writing and creative ventures into a corner.
Maybe we get a half-hour before bed or a few minutes during a break at work to focus on our writing and the eventual distribution of our words. That’s why I wanted to speak with you about the writing community and The Writer’s Market. An annual directory of all things publishing, The Writer’s Market does exactly what it sets out to do – it tells you where and how to sell what you write.
Familiarizing yourself with the community of writers and opportunities available for those who have sought this form of expression can only ultimately be to your advantage. The Writer’s Market lists off contact information for most major contests and publications that accept submissions. Using the resources available, you can start to network with others in the industry. Making contacts who share your passion can save you time and money in the long run.
Along the same lines, there are hundreds, if not thousands of growing communities of writers online. Community members share new projects with one another and receive priceless feedback regarding everything from story structure to character development. Members can just as easily host a release party or participate in a book signing as well.
As artists, writers sometimes feel inclined to re-invent the wheel, learning everything the hard-way in a grass-roots marketing campaign. Getting in contact with the community that can help you appropriately focus your resources will not only help you develop as a writer, but as your own publicist as well.
The words expressly are “a pound of flesh.”
|The Merchant of Venice
Modern DIY Explosion: Online Communities Where the DIY and MIY Mentality Thrives
DIY what? MIY who?
Companies and organizations have been reputed for casually throwing around these acronyms like snowballs in winter, never knowing exactly for what DIY or MIY actually stand.
So let’s set the record straight now, get to the bottom of these terms and detail some Internet corners where the DIY and MIY are legitimately supported as well as encouraged.
DEFINING TERMS:
DIY (or “Do-it-yourself”): A term coined from the ‘50s that commonly refers to the process of making or building something for oneself without the aid of paid professions. The goal of DIY pursuits is as much about making a useful product as it is about self-empowerment.
MIY (or “Make-it-yourself”): Like DIY, MIY endeavors are primarily about creating a good that is functional and decorative, with a personal touch. MIY is a relatively recent term, focusing on crafting, clothing and household projects. The goal of most MIY pursuits is to encourage individuality in products and life, instead of cookie-cutter corporate standards.
Zine: Short for magazine, zines are smaller magazine that are usually hand written (or typed) as well as hand bound. Circulation is generally lower for zines, and distribution occurs either through distros or alternative publishing companies like Microcosm Publishing whose primary goal is to encourage self-empowerment and creativity.
Graphic Novel: A type of comic book that usually contains a higher page count, higher-quality illustrations and a more in depth storyline. Graphic novels are typically perfect bound and geared toward a more mature audience.
Craft: Either a skill (as in crafting a short story or repairing a car) or a term used to describe the decorative arts (as in Arts and Crafts). Some common handmade crafts associate with the DIY/MIY mentality include: pottery, ceramics, metal work, weaving, knitting, sewing, jewelry making, wood working, glass blowing.
DIY subculture: A group within the majority that feels a distinct lack of satisfaction and aesthetic in the industrial process of making goods for distribution. This subculture is often associated with music, revolution and activism.
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COMMON CONFUSIONS:
To DIY, To Sleep Perchance to Dream
One common confusion about the term DIY is the extent of yourself in the projects. Obviously, calling a plumber to fix a sink you never installed is not DIY. While knitting your own scarf with your own pattern is a great example of the DIY work ethic.
But what about the middle? What about companies like Wordclay who are using a publishing wizard to design books as well as professionals to bind, print and sell books? (more…)
Blerp: Start a Coversation about Books & Comics
Registration is free, and your profile takes about five minutes to complete. Then, you can start your own conversation on interesting topics or add to the blerps (or comment threads) of others. Make friends who share similar opinions, and start a conversation about whatever you want, any day you want, easy-peazy.
Really, the flexibility and interactivity of Blerp.com offers almost endless possibilities, so explore their Web site, register for free, post a few comments whenever you want and start discussing some topics about which you’re passionate. You never know who’s listening and who feels the same way.
This is Justin, blogcasting from Wordclay, signing off.
April 9, 2009 at 11:34 am jdimos Leave a comment