MGOC Extra Essay: How Writers Can Use Twitter for Self-promotion by Sally Bosco

We all know that Twitter is potentially a good self-promotion tool for writers, but how can you do that without seeming obnoxious and self-obsessed? I’ve put together a few thoughts:

1. The purpose of Tweeting isn’t really to sell books, it’s to build relationships, have a dialogue with writers and readers, to pique potential readers’ curiosity about you, and to gain their interest. They’re gaining access into your secret world. Make that a place people want to visit.

2. If you’re new to Twitter, start by following your friends. They know people who know people, and this will widen your circle. Do the same for any writers your know or writers’ associations that interest you.

3. Make sure to have the URL of your web page displayed in the profile that appears when people access your account. This seems like a no-brainer, but some people forget to do it.

4. Increase your blog readership: If you used WordPress to create your blog or web page, there is a feature that will automatically publish to Facebook and Twitter a snippet and link to anything you publish on your blog. If not, you can write a quick summary of your blogpost with a link. Twitter is searchable, so if you write a review of a (for example) Stephanie Meyers book, people who are searching for Stephanie Meyers may have your blog come up in a search. Increased traffic to your blog is always a good thing. This helps you to build your brand.

5. With that in mind, you might offer a freebee on your blog like a short story or writing article and post a quick summary and link to your Twitter account.

6. Speaking of freebies, many successful authors post giveaways of their novels on Twitter. Kelly Armstrong has weekly book giveaway contests and calls them Freebie Fridays.

7. Find groups who hit your target market and friend them. Just Google "Twitter + your subject matter." You may want to do this gradually so it won’t appear that you’re spamming people.

8. Go to search.twitter.com and search for subjects that interest you.

9. Follow people and organizations who are relevant to your writing. If you are writing a novel about, oh, I don’t know, cross dressers, try to make contact with people who are interested in that subject matter. A simple Google or Twitter search will yield that info.

10. Don’t Tweet obsessively or people might delete you. (Unless you’re Kim Kardashian, then you can Tweet as much as you want.)

11. Comment on other people’s postings so your Tweets don’t seem like one-sided conversations.

12. If you’re interested in certain publishers, agents or writers, follow them. Here is a link to publishers’ Twitter accounts: http://www.highspotinc.com/blog/2008/12/a-directory-of-book-trade-people-on-twitter

13. Get to know the book bloggers. They are the new powerhouses of online promo. Google terms like “litblogs” or “book reviews” + your particular genre or author who writes novels similar to yours.

14. Use hash tags in your Tweets to make them searchable in Twitter. i.e. #werecats

15. To the right of your Twitter feed are two columns. One has a listing of trends and the other has a list of recommendations of whom to follow. Consider adding some of the resulting people/profiles. Again, use caution in following too many people at once, because it can look like spamming and Twitter can kick you out for that.

16. Consider retweeting others’ posts. When you place your cursor over the person’s post, a Retweet link activates. This lets you retweet that message to your own followers.

17. Offer some of your own pearls of wisdom/writers advice. Make up some quotable quotes. One of mine is, "It takes a lot of procrastination time to be able to write for one hour."

18. Make sure to reply to posts that mention you. To find them, check the @YourName on the right side of your Twitter screen.

19. Reply to other messages of interest that are posted by other Tweeters.

20. Pimp other authors’ books, too. Many of them will reciprocate.

Remember that this is all for the purpose of entertainment. Have fun Tweeting, and your readers will catch your enthusiasm.

Check out Sally's books, blog and other writing at http://sallybosco.com and follow her tweets at http://twitter.com/SallyBosco. Watch for her young adult paranormal romance, The Werecat Chronicles, to be published in May.

MGOC Extra Essay: The Art of the Rewrite by Scott A. Johnson

Once you've finished your first draft, passed it off to your first reader (if you don't have one of these, you really need one), gotten notes, cried, cursed and pouted, then let the cold realization that your words aren't perfect when freshly vomited from your brain set in, then it's time to do that thing that every writer I know hates: Rewrites. Keep in mind, this is a crucial part of the whole writing process. This is the point where the actual "craft" of being a writer comes in. So sit down in your chair, pour yourself a big mug of coffee, and dive in.

There are several things to look for when rewriting your novel. In my mind, they break down to two categories: Technical and Creative. On either side are things that could make or break your novel, and while one has hard and fast rules (that we break all the time, so they're more like guidelines than actual rules) at which you can point in making corrections, the other is a much more diabolical, and easily offended, aspect.

TECHNICAL
These are part of the craft, the reason why your copy of Strunk and White is dog-eared and falling apart, and why you drive your family nuts. This is spelling, grammar and punctuation, sentence structure, flow, and figuring out little things like if you kept the characters' names consistent throughout the novel. Did Gerry turn into Jerry at one point or another? Do you find yourself correcting your significant-other's grammar, and has he or she knocked the hell out of you for it? Do you find yourself correcting the "10 Items or Less" sign at the grocery store? (It should be "10 Items or FEWER," dammit!) Then you're in the right mindset. A few things to watch out for on the technical side:

* Spelling - Don't just run "Spellcheck" and walk away. That marvelous little program won't differentiate between "here" or "hear," "bare" or "bear," or even "there," "their" and "they're." All of them give vastly different meanings to sentences, but are spelled correctly.

* Grammar - In the case of narration or prose (particularly when you're not writing in first person or if you're writing something other than dialogue), there are common pitfalls in grammar that need to be addressed. While I'm not saying you should have every line grammatically perfect, you do want to come across as at least fluent in your native language.

* Adverbs - The bane of the existence to many writers is this one part of speech we cannot do without. Adverbs, in and of themselves, aren't bad things. The overuse of them, however, will kill your book. Take a look through your manuscript and question anything that ends in " -ly." If there's a better way to say it, or if it turns out to be redundant, cut it. Case in point: "He ran quickly down the street." "Quickly" here is unnecessary. Why? Do you run slowly? No, unless you're trying for comedic effect. But the word "ran" implies "quickly," so the second word is unneeded.

* Run-Ons and Fragments - Run-Ons are a real no-no in writing, as are fragments. But we can get away with using the latter. Like now. The former, however, is not a device I've ever seen effectively used.

* Passive Voice/Tense - Readers like to feel they are a part of the action. They like for the story to pull them in. The best way to accomplish such a lofty goal is to keep the story active, or at least in active voice. Avoid phrases like "had been (verb)ing" or, really, anything with the word "had" attached to a verb. "He had run." What's wrong with saying "He ran?" Also, phrases that begin with "was." "He was running." Again, nothing wrong with "He ran."

* Had - The word "had" should, nine times out of ten, be used to show possession. He had a ball. Using it to modify a verb ("He had gone to get a ball") indicates far past tense, and doesn't engage the reader as well as saying "He got the ball."

CREATIVE
This is a really sticky wicket, and one in which the Ego Monster rears his ugly head. At their core, most creative-types (myself included) are both insecure and vain, which means somewhere along the line (often at the same time) we believe our work to be both brilliant and garbage. This is why I recommend doing the technical read-through, then waiting a while before doing the creative one. That time spent away from the manuscript helps to give you a more objective eye when attempting to do something as soul-crushing as rewriting. Presented below are a few things for which to watch. There are, of course, others, but these are the ones that usually hit hardest, or that leap out and grab me by the nostrils.

* Plot Holes/Disappearing Characters - Where'd Bob go? What about that gun we found in the first quarter of the book? Didn't that character walk with a limp earlier? So why's he running like a track star now? Little things that you may have glossed over in the first draft can come back and nibble on your buttocks afterward. Particularly a problem for "Pantsers" like me.

* Repetition - Sure, repetition can help build the tension, but if every sentence starts with "she," you may need to rework that section.

* POV - Is it deep enough? Do you head-hop? Do you use phrases that drag the reader out of the Point of View? Here's an example: We're in deep, 3rd person POV, which means the narrator is basically in the head of one character, without it being in 1st person. With me so far? Good. The line, as written, reads "What a bastard, she thought." But the words "she thought" takes us out of the POV and sets us a little further away from the character. We're already in her head, so why do we need footnotes telling us "she thought?" This goes double for "she thought to herself." First, it drags out out of the POV. Second, who the hell else is she thinking to? Unless she's actively attempting telepathic communication, of course she's thinking to herself. There's no one else in her head, right?

* Characterization - Does every decision for every character work for that character? Can you point to how they would react differently in the same situation? Do your characters have their own voice, or do they all sound the same?

* Dialogue - This is similar to the one above (Character, for those not paying attention), but I felt it deserved its own entry. Does the language sound the way people talk? Do your characters speak in a manner that is consistent with their education level (not yours, theirs), social status, and background? Do you have a wino who never finished grammar school who speaks like a Harvard graduate? Read the dialogue out loud. If you trip over it, or if it sounds weird to you, chances are, it needs work.

These are just a few suggestions, but it gives you an idea of how difficult and intense the whole rewrite process can be. The lists above are, by no means, comprehensive. They're just suggestions. There are thousands of things you can look for when picking your novel apart. The ones above are just the top things I look for when rewriting mine. The bottom line here is to take your time and learn as much about your craft as possible. It's a tough, but rewarding, process. Leave your own tips in the comments section below!

Write on!

("The Art of Rewriting" originally appeared at American Horror Blog, January 27, 2011.)

Scott A. Johnson is the author Vermin: Book 1 of the Stanley Cooper Chronicles.

posted by heidi

MGOC Extra Essay: Two Faces of Fiction by KJ Howe

Let's call this post a mission in research.

I've recently been working on a profile about David Morrell (NYT Bestseller and creator of Rambo). David has had an illustrious career spanning 40 years, an incredible feat given the innate challenges of the publishing industry. Unlike many authors today, David has never really created a series character. Instead, he writes stand-alone novels that encompass several different genres, from thrillers to horror to speculative fiction.

Most publishers insist that authors find a niche (specific genre, style of book) and stick with it so they are easier to market.

I can understand this preference as it makes business sense to be able to "brand" and market an author's niche. Sometimes publishers ask authors to change their name and brand if they are writing a new style of book. For example, Joe Konrath wrote the Jack Daniels mystery series under his name, [J. A. Konrath], then started writing in a different genre as Jack Killborn.

As a reader, do you want to reach for a book by X author and know that it will be a certain style and type of novel, or do you like to be surprised by the genre/storyline knowing that you will enjoy the book no matter what because of the author's voice and talent?

Another question that piques my interest is whether readers enjoy the variety of stand-alones more or less than the comfort of a series character novel? I would be so appreciative if you could share your thoughts on these two issues!

("Two Faces of Fiction" appeared in its original form at Romance Bandits, April 23, 2010.)

KJ Howe has won three Daphne du Maurier Awards for Excellence in Mystery and Suspense.

posted by heidi

MGOC Extra Essay: Entering Writing Contests - Why? by Kaye Dacus

There’s a lot of discussion going on these days about entering writing contests—what sometimes gets lost in all the freneticism (is that a word?) of preparing an entry for a contest is the reason why one enters the contest in the first place.

I’ve mentioned before that I entered my first unpublished-author contest in 2002 (What Matters Most, my first complete manuscript into the Noble Theme contest at the first-ever ACRW conference). I hadn’t planned to enter, but then, the night before the postmarked-by deadline, I felt God urging me to enter. So I did. I was afraid that if I entered, I would get sick to my stomach, that I would regret it as soon as I handed that flat-rate envelope over to the postal worker. But I didn’t. I actually felt good about sending it. I received an Honorable Mention certificate that year . . . probably because there were only a few entries, so they decided to give us all something. :-) Because when I look back at it now, it sure wasn’t worth mentioning. But the feedback I received from the two judges was invaluable and helped me so much on certain aspects of my writing—tightening my POV, showing not telling, fully developing my characters, and making sure each scene is important to the movement of the story.

I entered two manuscripts the next year (2003): The Best Laid Plans (follow-up novel to What Matters Most) and Love Remains. Neither finaled. The feedback was a little less "honorable mention" and a little more "you can do better than this—and here’s how." Those were a little harder to take, but, after a few weeks, I really gleaned a lot from them.

In 2004, I entered the manuscript I was sure was not only going to win the contemporary romance category, but would be chosen for the Janet Kobobel Grant award for the best overall manuscript: the first draft of Stand-In Groom, then titled Happy Endings Inc. It was the strongest story idea I’d ever had, and it got me into graduate school. And my crit partners liked it. Not only did it not final, I got some pretty harsh feedback on it in addition to middling scores. I wasn’t happy. But, after a few weeks, I was able to really see the points made by the judges (especially having served as a judge myself in the contest that year) and eat humble pie and realize my manuscript wasn’t all that.

Finally, in 2006, with three full revisions on the manuscript behind me, and thesis submission and master’s graduation ahead of me, I entered the new version of Stand-In Groom into the newly named Genesis contest. After I entered it, I ended up doing another revision of the manuscript, which included cutting almost three pages from the opening chapter—the opening chapter that was, at that moment, being judged for Genesis . . . and guess what? I came in SECOND PLACE in my category.

There was a post on the Seekerville Blog about first chapters and how some writers get caught in a hamster wheel of being a professional contest entrant instead of striving to be a published writer. They spend so much time working on their first ten, fifteen, or twenty-five pages to enter into contests, but never finish a manuscript—or if the manuscript is completed, they never spend any time revising the rest of it but just keep tweaking the first part based on contest judges’ feedback. And it really made me think about why I chose to enter HEI/SIG that second time. Here’s part of the comment I left there:

"So while I did enter it twice, in two vastly different incarnations, entering it into the contest wasn’t my main focus–it was the litmus test to see if it was ready to be submitted to editors and agents."

It seems to me that one flaw, one drawback for people who are addicted to entering contests is that they’re using the contest judges’ feedback as their critique group—and as their validation as a writer. If they don’t get good feedback, if they don’t get good scores, if they don’t final, if they don’t win, if they don’t do as well in this contest as the last one, or whatever, they lose confidence in themselves as writers. Contests aren’t for personal affirmation or for summary judgment on whether or not you’re “good enough” to pursue publication. Contests are market research. Contests are great for getting anonymous feedback on your manuscript. But entering contests should not be our writing goal. Our goal in entering a contest should be to make sure that we’ve got the strongest story possible before submitting it to editors and/or agents. They’re the litmus test, not the be-all-and-end-all of becoming a writer. Two years ago, I made promise to myself that I would become ineligible to enter unpublished-author contests in 2007. And as of December 7, 2007, I am officially ineligible to enter the Genesis or any other unpublished-author contest! Make that your goal this year—to use whatever contest you choose to enter this year your springboard to becoming ineligible to enter it next year.

Finally, on another note, people will tell you that the feedback you get on your contest entries isn’t personal. I disagree. Even though as a judge, I don’t know whose manuscript I’m judging, it’s still personal for me. I know that there’s a person on the other end of that entry who’s going to read the comments I’m making, see all of the highlighting and marking I’ve done, and take it very personally (which we’ll get into more in another post). Anything having to do with someone’s writing is very personal! And even as anonymous judges, we have to keep that in mind—while still making sure that we’re giving the strongest and best feedback we can possibly give. So in the coming days, I’ll try to shed a little light on contests from my perspective as a finalist and as a judge. And my crit partners will be dropping in with words of wisdom from their experiences as contest finalists and judges as well.

Why do you enter contests? What do you hope to gain/learn? How much money do you spend in a year entering writing contests versus postage on sending out submissions to editors/agents? How much time do you spend preparing contest entries versus queries/submissions to editors/agents? Do you enter more contests than you send out queries? How has feedback from contests helped/hindered you?

("Entering Writing Contests - Why?" originally appeared in its entirety at Kaye Dacus: Humor, Hope, and Happily Ever Afters, Feb. 26, 2008.)

Kaye Dacus is also the author of The Matchmaker series.

posted by heidi.

MGOC Extra Essay: Yoga and Writing by Heidi Ruby Miller

A writer's life can be active: speaking at conferences, attending book signings, giving interviews. But, most of my time is spent typing at my laptop or sketching out ideas in a notebook. Long hours of this sedentary type of work causes muscle strain and headaches. It doesn't help that I also inherited migraine headaches from my mother.

When I become focused on what's going onto the page, I no longer pay attention to my posture. Without realizing it, I'm soon hunching over the keyboard, sometimes remaining in the same position for an hour or two, and even clenching my jaw. To soothe my cramped hands and alleviate the crook in my neck, I do yoga.

The practice of yoga began thousands of years ago in India. The same poses are still taught today around the globe. Gyms, fitness centers, and spas offer instructor-led classes for groups while many personal trainers now include some yoga in regimes for private clients. Novices can also teach themselves through a variety of media such as cable fitness programs, DVDs, and books.

For a decade I have maneuvered my body through poses and stretches in order to work out the muscle kinks caused by daily life. When I started writing full time six years ago, sticking to a daily yoga routine provided me with benefits beyond keeping limber and honing my balance.

Practicing yoga for one half hour a day forces me to leave the computer behind both physically and mentally. This break is part of my everyday schedule, as important to me as meeting a deadline because it has become a step in my writing process.

One of yoga's basic tenets is breath. We breathe constantly, yet seldom do we take the time to concentrate on our breath, to be in the present moment. For writers, breath can be both the literal action of inhaling and exhaling, but also the metaphorical stirring of creativity.

Sustained yoga breathing allows me to focus on what's happening at that moment without worrying about what still needs to be done or what transpired earlier. I stretch my limbs, lower my heart rate, and clear my mind. Breathing through poses with names like upward facing dog, butterfly, and warrior one, reminds me about the whimsy in life and never to underestimate the value and strength of even the smallest part of our world or my creative musings.

Since I've been doing yoga for many years I've learned to customize my practice every day. Depending on which muscles need the most attention and just how sore they are, I concentrate on specific poses and determine how long a session should last. I always end with savasana, a resting pose where I lay flat on my back and allow all of my muscles to relax and "sink into the ground," starting at the tips of my toes.

After a yoga session, I feel confident and rested. Because I am refreshed mentally and renewed physically, my creativity rises, and I look forward to sitting down to write again. I can look at my goals realistically and work on completing them one at a time, even if that involves hours at the keyboard or hours signing books at the local bookstore.

("Yoga and Writing" originally appeared at The Magic River, Nov. 2009.)

Heidi Ruby Miller is also the author of "The Surrender" in The Best of Every Day Fiction.

posted by heidi