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Friday Five: Guest Post from Kathy Temean

9/5/2014

Kathy Temean is dedicated to helping other writers succeed, whether it's by serving as a past Regional Advisor for the NJ SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) or by updating her blog, WritingandIllustrating.com, with useful information *every single day*. She offers information to help new children's writers and illustrators get started, posts for advanced writers/illustrators, and highlights published industry professionals. For this week's Friday Five, Kathy is sharing some helpful links from her blog.

At WritingandIllustrating.com, there are five types of information visitors will find:

Kathy Temean

Contests & Opportunities
Publishers and Agents
Marketing
Success Stories
How to Articles

Kathy Temean's Blog for Writers and Illustrators

Here are five "How to" articles from the first six months of 2014:

Thanks to Kathy for the information and links. Her blog is one you'll want to bookmark.

Friday Five: Helpful Writing Websites and Blog Posts

8/15/2014

By Yvonne Ventresca

This week I'd like to share some writing websites and blog posts you might find useful.

The #AugWriting Challenge

It’s not too late to commit to writing 500 words a day for the month of August! Read about writing habits and why this concept is a good idea in a blog post by Kristy Acevedo, who originated the challenge in July. I’m finding that making a public commitment and tweeting about my progress is helping to keep me on track. There's still half a month left if you'd like to join.

Beginnings

For August, YA Outside the Lines is featuring a great series of blog posts from various YA writers about “beginnings.”

The Time Between Acquisition and Publication

If you are pre-published or have a contract in the works, I hope you find my recent guest post at UncommonYA useful. It’s about some of the things I learned in the time between acquisition and publication.

Amazon Author Features

Kathy Temean recently ran a blog series about Amazon and sales strategies, including:
Amazon categories, the “Look Inside” feature, and the Author Page. (Thanks for the suggestions on how to improve mine, Kathy!)

Finding YA Book Bloggers

Are you looking for a lists of YA book bloggers? Try the new Writers’ Blog Finder which allows you to search top bloggers by category. Or visit the YA Book Blog site, which provides a huge directory.

If you've come across other useful links lately, please let me know. Happy Writing!

Friday Five: 5 Helpful Posts on Being a Debut Author, #NJSCBWI14, Hurricane Prep, and Writer's Block

7/11/2014

By Yvonne Ventresca

I came across several good blog posts this week. Here are my favorite five.

An Unauthorized Guide to Being a Debut Author
By Dahlia Adler

Dahlia wrote a detailed three-part series about being a debut author. Check out part one (pre-promotion), part two (ARCs, swag, and self-promotion) and part three (in-person events).

The Art of Not Getting Published
By Susan Brody

An experienced conference-goer, Susan shares some big picture lessons she learned from this year's NJ SCBWI conference. Here’s a sample: “Becoming a published author does not change one's character. . . . an anxious prepublished author who gets a book published will become an anxious published author; only the focus of his or her anxiety will change.”

The Dirty Little Secret of the NJ SCBWI
By Taylor Vangclear

This is a thorough account of a first-timer attending the annual NJ SCBWI conference. And I’m not mentioning her blog post because she refers to me as “the nice lady in the lunch line” and she liked the workshop I taught. (Well, maybe that influenced me just a little bit.)

Hurricane Season Has Begun: Are You Ready?
By Robert Preidt

It’s officially hurricane season, and as with any potential disaster, it’s a good idea to be prepared. This article breaks down some ways to get you and your family ready.

7 Ways to Beat Writer's Block
By Andrew Lewis Conn

I love his unique suggestions, such as: pretend you have a serious injury and the surgeon has physician’s block -- absurd right? Now get back to writing!

Share your favorite posts (or links to your own blog) in the comments below.

Friday Five: Top PR Tips by Rebecca Grose

6/27/2014

By Yvonne Ventresca

Today I'm thrilled to present a guest post from children's book publicist, Rebecca Grose. Rebecca runs her own company, SoCal Public Relations, and I loved working with her to promote my debut YA novel Pandemic over the past several months. She has graciously agreed to share her top tips about book publicity.

TOP 5 PR TIPS
By Rebecca Grose/SoCal Public Relations

Networking

You may not realize it, but you have your own network of contacts: friends, family, co-workers, which also extends to their family and friends and beyond, basically, anyone in your circle. Maybe your cousin is a teacher, or your husband’s coworker is married to a reporter…don’t be afraid to ask them to help you pass the word along about your new book. Many authors/illustrators are reluctant and feel like it’s an imposition to ask others to help spread the word about new books…but your friends and family want to help you, so let them! (Wouldn’t you do the same for them?)

Extra Tip: This may seem similar to setting up a database (below), but this tip is the act of reaching out and networking through your contacts, whereas, the subsequent tip is about storing the information in one place (a database or document).

Organizations/Community

Join industry organizations (i.e. SCBWI--Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators, www.scbwi.org), local writers/critique groups, or other publishing-related associations. Writing can be a lonely profession, and being part of such a group can help make you feel more connected with your industry. They can also provide critical resources for an author or illustrator by offering critiques of your work, networking possibilities, and answering questions or providing other assistance (such as information re how to find an agent or publisher, tips on self-publishing, etc.).

Extra Tip: Stay informed about your industry! There are a number of free e-newsletters you can sign up for, such as PW Daily, PW Children’s Bookshelf, Extra Helping (School Library Journal), Shelf Awareness, and more.

Database

As you start making appearances at bookstores, meeting librarians and teachers, receiving reviews and features, and gaining fans, you’ll want to keep track of all these new contacts.

It’s recommended that you start building your own database--local educators, bookstore personnel, media, authors, friends/family, anyone who can help spread the word about your book--and keep adding to it as you continually meet new people. There are several good database programs available, including MyMailList (www.avanquest.com/USA) and others, or you can use something as simple as Word or Excel--just get started asap.

Extra Tip: Once you have a database of contacts, keep them informed through emails, newsletters/blogs, postcards--whatever you prefer. You can alert them re your new books, appearances, reviews, cover reveals, or any other news you may have to share.

Promotional Materials

It’s very useful to create promotional materials (such as postcards, bookmarks, magnets) to include in press kits, and offer as handouts at school visits, bookstore signings, conferences, & more. Be sure to include your website on any promotional matter, to direct new readers/fans and increase traffic to your site. There are a number of sites offering affordable printing of promotional materials, including www.vistaprint.com, or you can search for others online.

Extra Tip: A postcard can be used in more ways than a bookmark or magnet, such as mailings to your database, sending a quantity to schools/bookstores for upcoming scheduled appearances, etc.

Educational Outreach

Making a connection with your local schools or libraries can make a big difference in sales of your books. Reach out to teachers/librarians about possible school visits, upcoming book fairs or panels--anything in which you can participate and increase your fan base. If you have friends or family that work in education, they can help you with introductions. However, if you don’t have any of these connections, you will need to make the contacts yourself. Establishing these relationships can lead to paid school visits, which provides a very lucrative income for many authors/illustrators.

Extra Tip: It’s a good idea to set up school visits at no charge at the beginning; in this way, you’ll gain the experience, and learn what works best. After the appearance, request that the teacher/librarian provide you with a quote you can use to promote future visits on your handouts, promo material, website, etc.

Thank you, Rebecca! For more information about her publicity services, contact:

Rebecca Grose
SoCal Public Relations
[email protected]
Celebrating 23+ Years in Literary P.R.
Specializing in Children’s & Young Adult Books

Friday Five: 5 Random Resources for Writers

6/6/2014

By Yvonne Ventresca

I’m currently in the midst of an online Pandemic blog tour (more information below). The first stop on the tour included five random facts about me, which was fun. So why not five random resources for writers this week? Here we go:

Writing Tips from the Insecure Writer’s Support Group

This site has lots and lots of links to writing tips. It also has a high quality blog that you'll want to bookmark.

TalkwalkerAlerts.com

To keep up with a certain topic in the news (or to monitor when you or your book is mentioned online), try Talkwalker. This program allows you to set up multiple free alerts and the results are then emailed to you automatically. (Google Alerts works in the same way, but I’ve noticed they often produce different results.)

The Sparring Mind Blog

This is more of a psychology blog than something geared specifically to writers, but I love so many of the well-researched posts that I had to include it. For example, check out this article about fixed vs. growth mindset and this one about the benefits of writing.

100 Time, Energy, and Attention Hacks to be More Productive

It may be too much to read through these hacks all at once, but I guarantee you will find at least a few useful ideas or reminders about how you can improve your productivity.

10 Things I Wish I Would Have Done Differently

I had bookmarked this post from YA author Natalie Whipple some time ago, and I still find it interesting to read about (and identify with) her regrets on the road to publication. Querying too soon (for an earlier novel) is one of mine. Do you have any writing-related regrets?

Pandemic Online Book Tour Info:

Click on the banner to learn more about the stops on the blog tour and to access the Pandemic giveaway (including a $75 Visa gift card, a signed copy of Pandemic, and some fun swag.)

PANDEMIC Blog Tour and Giveaway

Teen Tuesday: Contest and Conference

6/4/2014

By Yvonne Ventresca

Humor contest

Entries for The Royal Nonesuch National Humor Writing Contest are due June 30th. There is a youth category for writers under age 18. Submissions should be 10,000 words or less. For the complete rules and contest information, visit the Mark Twain House website.

Conference for teen writers

There is one week left to register for the Chapter One Young Writers Conference which takes place June 14th and June 15th in Arlington Heights, IL. This is a conference for writers ages 12-22. For more information, visit the Chapter One Conference website.

Teen Tuesday: Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy

5/28/2014

By Yvonne Ventresca

This week's (belated!) Teen Tuesday focuses on resources for teen writers interested in science fiction and fantasy.

To learn more about worldbuilding, check out this article, Seven Deadly Sins of Worldbuilding, and this HUGE list of questions you can consider while creating a fantasy world.

Analog isn't a market for teen writers specifically, but it's a paying market with submission information available online.

If you live in the Washington, DC area, Politics & Prose Bookstore is hosting a fantasy writing workshop for teens August 11th - 15th. For more information, check their website listing.

Science fiction author Jeffrey A. Carver offers advice on his website. (I'm a big believer in his tip about planning your next market and sending out a submission the same day you receive a rejection.)

The Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America website has an extensive Information Center for writers.

If you know of other resources for science fiction and fantasy writers, particularly those for teens, please let me know.

Teen Tuesday: Writing Roundup

5/13/2014

By Yvonne Ventresca

This week, Teen Tuesday features tips, science, advice, books, resources -- a writing roundup with something, I hope, for everyone.

Practical tips:

The Scholastic website offers some interesting information for teen writers, including how to build a writing porfolio, how to submit your work for publication, and student writing contests/publishing opportunities.

Some science behind creativity:

Photo courtesy of morgueFile

This is an interesting article about the best time to get creative ideas.

Advice:

Photo courtesy of morgueFile

Author Chuck Wendig offers some advice to young writers. (Warning: includes explicit language.)

Books to read:

Looking for a good book? The Maplewood Library website offers a variety of sites for teen readers to find their next great read.

Resources for writers of all ages:

Children's writer Rachelle Burk has compiled a huge list of helpful resources from her award-winning website.

Do you have a favorite writing-related site? Share the information below.

Friday Five: 5 Things You Should Do Before Submitting Your Manuscript

3/28/2014

For this week's Friday Five, Heather Ayris Burnell, founder of the Sub It Club, has written an encouraging guest post on what to do before submitting your manuscript.

Being a writer is tough! And some would say that submitting your work for consideration is the hardest part of all. It takes guts. But you can do it! First though, you’ve got to make sure you’re ready. Here are 5 Things You Should Do Before Submitting Your Manuscript:.

#1 Work Hard

First of all you need to write, not just anything, but something great. Yes, this takes time. Of course, it depends on the piece but a book can take months or even years to write. And it’s not over once you’ve written it.

#2 Collaborate

Get critiques, more than just one. Read feedback carefully. Do your very best not to take offense to criticism. Going through rounds of critiques as you revise can really help you refine a manuscript into a well thought out, publishable piece. Remember that to make your work its best you need to use all the time and energy you need before submitting. Get your query letter and synopsis critiqued too!

#3 Be Logical

Of course you don’t have to use all of the feedback that’s given to you. Use that which works to help you make your story better. But if you see patterns it’s usually good to pay attention to them. Not feeling a manuscript because you’ve been working on it too much? Give yourself a break. It’s easy to want to rush to get a piece we love out into the world, but publishing will still be around when your manuscript is ready.

#4 Be Resourceful

Learn about your craft and your market. There are so many resources at our fingertips there’s really no excuse for lack of knowledge when it comes to what a great manuscript needs or how to submit your work to the right market correctly. You can learn from books, numerous free online sources, paid classes, and genre specific groups such as the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.

#5 Be Hopeful

I’d be surprised if any writer ever truly knew that their manuscript was 100% ready to go. It’s difficult when you’re so close. But if you’ve worked hard and gotten feedback, revised and polished, and know your craft and your market, you will figure out when it’s time to let something go…out on submission or perhaps *gasp* into a drawer. You’ll figure out where you should send your best work to give it the best chance of acceptance. You will know for darn sure that it takes hard work and persistence not only to reach that goal of getting a piece of your work out on submission, but to reach that supreme goal of publication.

Here’s to you, writers!

Heather Ayris Burnell moderates Sub It Club, a support group for writers and illustrators submitting their work, where she writes about submitting manuscripts and more. She also curates the Monster List of Picture Book Agents on her blog. Her picture book, Bedtime Monster, is published by Raven Tree Press. She’s represented by Sean McCarthy Literary Agency.

Thank you, Heather! If anyone would like to add other submission tips, please leave them in the comments below.

Friday Five will return in May. Visit April 1st for my first A to Z post on inspiration. A is for....

Teen Tuesday: Adventure Write Contest

3/25/2014

by Yvonne Ventresca

Totem Head's Story Contest from Adventure Write

Writing Contest

The Totem Head's Story Contest has different categories based on age (13-15, 16-18, for example). It offers a $50 cash prize for the rights to a short story beginning with the phrase "So there I was" that will be used on their website. Entrants must be US residents under 19 and must complete Totem Head's Tutorial. Entries are due December 31st (so you have lots of time!). For more information and complete instructions, visit the Adventure Write website.

This will be the last Teen Tuesday post for several weeks, since I will be participating in the A to Z Blogging Challenge (theme: Inspiration) during the month of April. My resources for teen writers will be back in May. In the meantime, you can easily access all my old posts through this blog or through my Pinterest board. Happy Writing!

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Forward>>

Friday Five: Guest Post from Kathy Temean

At WritingandIllustrating.com, there are five types of information visitors will find:

Here are five "How to" articles from the first six months of 2014:

Friday Five: Helpful Writing Websites and Blog Posts

Friday Five: 5 Helpful Posts on Being a Debut Author, #NJSCBWI14, Hurricane Prep, and Writer's Block

Friday Five: Top PR Tips by Rebecca Grose

TOP 5 PR TIPS
By Rebecca Grose/SoCal Public Relations

Friday Five: 5 Random Resources for Writers

Teen Tuesday: Contest and Conference

Humor contest

Conference for teen writers

Teen Tuesday: Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy

Teen Tuesday: Writing Roundup

Practical tips:

Some science behind creativity:

Advice:

Books to read:

Resources for writers of all ages:

Friday Five: 5 Things You Should Do Before Submitting Your Manuscript

#1 Work Hard

#2 Collaborate

#3 Be Logical

#4 Be Resourceful

#5 Be Hopeful

Teen Tuesday: Adventure Write Contest

Totem Head's Story Contest from Adventure Write

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At WritingandIllustrating.com, there are five types of information visitors will find:

Here are five "How to" articles from the first six months of 2014:

TOP 5 PR TIPSBy Rebecca Grose/SoCal Public Relations

Humor contest

Conference for teen writers

Practical tips:

Some science behind creativity:

Advice:

Books to read:

Resources for writers of all ages:

#1 Work Hard

#2 Collaborate

#3 Be Logical

#4 Be Resourceful

#5 Be Hopeful

Totem Head's Story Contest from Adventure Write

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TOP 5 PR TIPS
By Rebecca Grose/SoCal Public Relations