” For your born writer, nothing is so healing as the realization that he has come upon the right word.”
— Catherine Drinker Bowen
Tag: written
Writers United
Need writer communities where you can talk and ask for help?
Here are a few. Share the ones you know about!
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Audience Builder 101
[found on writerunboxed.com; by Dan Blank]
“Far too many writers build an audience of the WRONG people. As a writer, you craft a work that is meaningful to you, and you wonder how you will connect it to the world. So you begin engaging with people online and off, telling them about your writing.
And guess what? Guess who is MOST interested in this journey you are on? Readers? Nope. Oftentimes, it is other writers.
So we do what feels validating and welcoming: we join amazing communities such as WriterUnboxed.com. We forge relationships, we grow our platforms with people who want you to succeed as a writer.
But therein lies the problem.
These good people – these other writers, yes they may buy your book. They may read it too. They MIGHT even review it on Amazon & Goodreads. And this is good.
But what I worry about is that when you focus only on engaging other writers, you are not learning how to engage readers. Without the shared interest in becoming a writer, without tapping into that sense of identity and goals, you are not developing that keen instinct of who would love your book and how to get them interested.
Now, obviously, there is ENORMOUS value in engaging with other writers, andespecially to do so on WriterUnboxed.com. (Can you tell I am trying to get back into the good graces of Kathleen & Therese?)
Just this week, a writer I am working with heard from two other successful authors who shared wonderful insight into what has worked for them in engaging with readers – what online platforms have worked for them, and the value of certain types of in-person events.
Let’s explore why it is super helpful to engage with other writers:
- Writers are the best kind of people. (okay, that one was easy)
- Help you improve the craft of writing.
- Glean wisdom from their experiences.
- Build a network of colleagues.
- Validate your own identity as a writer.
- Open doors to agents, publishers, media, and other good folks that can help you get published and in front of readers.
- Motivation & inspiration.
- Understand how the world of publishing is changing, and give you a roadmap to navigate it.
- Set proper expectations.
- Vent. (then vent some more)
The list goes on. I will leave “fashion tips” and “recipes” off of the list for the sake of space.
So what is bad about any of this? Nothing. The issue I see is that sometimes writers stop here. They feel a sense of community with writers, they experience all the benefits listed above, so they go no further.
They never develop the capability of understanding who their ideal readers are, how to engage them, or the habits to do so both online and off.
As you develop your platform as a writer, I see an extraordinary amount of value in working through the more difficult task of engaging your readers and those who have access to them, such as librarians, parents, teachers, booksellers, etc.
In other words: YES, engage with other writers. But don’t stop there.
Every single week, learn more about who your readers may be. Engage with them in tiny ways online. And off. Learn what it is about your writing that cuts to the heart of why your ideal audience readers. Discover what it is about one of your stories or books that jumped out at people.
How do you begin engaging with readers? Just a few ideas:
- Read. Read books similar to yours, if possible. Engage as a fan would. Leave reviews online, recommend books, consider who else is doing the same.
- Understand what other books are like yours, especially those published in the past 5 years. Where are they shelved in bookstores, how are they displayed, what comes up in “People who who bought this also bought…” in Amazon?
- What is the language that other readers used again and again in reviews on Amazon, Goodreads, LibraryThing, and other sites?
- Who are these readers – specifically? See their Goodreads profiles, understand what else they read.
- Talk to readers. On social channels, follow them, comment on their updates, and learn about them. Engage as a fan of similar work, not an author trying to promote your own books.
- Develop a group of beta readers.
- Everywhere you go, ask the person standing next to you: “what do you like to read?” Then ask why.
- Join book clubs, attend events at bookstores and libraries – do anything possible to chat with other readers about why they read. Study the expressions on their face, the cadence of their voice as they talk about reading.
- Talk more about other people’s books than your own.
- Create profiles of your ideal readers. Create lists of where you can find them online and off. Go there. Often.
- Craft messaging that gets readers interested in your writing. Test this again and again, both in person, and in digital channels. Revise constantly.
When I work with writers, the big questions they are often looking to answer are: who is my readership, where can I find them, and how can I engage with them in a meaningful way? Of course, the outcome they hope for is a larger audience for their work, and greater book sales.
Critical to this is beginning to understand your readers as early as you can in this process and developing habits of doing so.
I hope, dear writer, I have not offended in this post. I strongly believe in the purpose of this site, and completely understand that writers are readers too. But there is a distinction between those who obsess about writing & publishing, and those who “merely” read, read, read, and ideally, will one day read YOUR book.”
For more great tips from WriterUnboxed, click here.
[found on http://writerunboxed.com/2013/06/28/are-you-building-an-audience-of-writers-not-readers]
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Character Attributes [fill in the blank]
[found on fictionfactor.com; by Tina Morgan]
“A common trick employed by newer writers is to have a character stare into a mirror, so the reader can ‘see’ what the character is seeing. This approach often feels contrived and does not help the reader to ‘see’ your character at all.
You’ve made up your mind that the male lead of your story is average height, has brown eyes and caramel colored skin. He’s getting older, has thinning hair and a tiny bit of fat sticking out beyond his belt. He has wide shoulders and narrow hips. He’s a bit bowlegged like he’s been riding too many horses even though he’s never set foot outside the city limits. Now, how do you describe him in your story?
Bob was rapidly approaching middle age. His brown eyes didn’t focus as well as they used to and he was wearing reading glasses as he scanned the paper. His wide shoulders jutted beyond what was considered the proper amount of “personal” space at the diner counter. His closely cropped brown hair was thinning a bit on the top.
No.
Age
Eye color
Frame
Hair color and type
Descriptions that read like grocery lists are boring. And what if your story is in first person? How would you start then?
My name is Bob, I’m a 49 year old accountant with thinning hair and reading glasses. I weigh 195 which is a bit much for my 5’8″ frame. Not that I’m fat mind you, just a little out of shape.
Again we have a list.
Age
Hair type
Glasses
Weight
Body condition.
So when does your character introduce him/herself? Do they walk into the bathroom and start listing their features in the mirror? This is a commonly overused ploy. (the same goes for still water in lakes, ponds and puddles. Also reflections in the bottom of cooking utensils.)
Working the description slowly into the story doesn’t disrupt the flow as much as the grocery list approach does. It allows for the reader to learn about your character as they go. The trick is to keep the reader interested in your characters and how they cope with the stories conflict. The reader doesn’t really need an in-depth description to get a feel for your character. They don’t need to know every wrinkle on the character’s face. It’s more fun to read about the wrinkles in their personality.”
For more excellent tips on writing from FictionFactor, click here.
[found on http://www.fictionfactor.com/articles/physicalcharactertraits.html]
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Get the Story Out
“And I do think that great fiction, even when it’s comedic, has an urgency or an inevitability to it, a sense that the writer absolutely had to write this particular story in this way.”
― Karen Russell
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Self-Exploratory Operation…AKA Writing
“Any writer worth his salt writes to please himself…It’s a self-exploratory operation that is endless. An exorcism of not necessarily his demon, but of his divine discontent.”
-Harper Lee
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Forget Me Not
“I want to do something splendid… Something heroic or wonderful that won’t be forgotten after I’m dead… I think I shall write books.”
― Louisa May Alcott
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New Writer? Old Writer? 10 Things You Should Know.
[found on missourireview.com; by Michael]
“10 Things Emerging Writers Need To Learn
…You’re Talented, But Talented is Overrated. For better or worse, there is a sense of competition among writers. This happens naturally in the writing workshop environment. But it also happens long after the MFA degree is over. Thanks to social media, we see what other writers are doing all the time. Someone, somewhere, is publishing something new and wonderful. The writers achieving success are hard working. Being the most talented writer doesn’t necessarily translate into publishing success, which really comes from methodical and consistent work rather than raw talent.
Ignore the Clock. I’ve yet to meet the writer who was, in hindsight, happy with her/his first publication. In the rush to get things published, in whatever venue, it’s easy to forget publishing isn’t the ultimate goal. Publishing your best work is the goal. Anyone can publish. No one is waiting for your next great masterpiece. You might as well take the time to make your work the best it possibly can be.
Put Down The Phone. One of the biggest challenges for writers, a group of people (broadly) who are more introverted than most, is being social. Making it to readings, talks, and other community events, is an important step but you also need to be socially engaged. Hey, you already left your home to be out in public anyway, right? Take a moment to speak to the writer, the organizer, the other attendees. Believe me, this is not easy to do: I know I really struggle to say hello and shake hands too. But these small bits of engagement and consideration are not soon forgotten. Save the texting for another time.
Don’t Wait To Be Told What (or When) To Write. There comes a point where no one is going to tell what you should read, what you should write, and moreover, no one is going to point this out for you. Making time to write is not easy, but until we all get crowned with Guggenheims, we all need to carve out a few hours each week to focus on our writing. Protect this time with your life.”
To read more from MissouriReview, click HERE.
[found on http://www.missourireview.com/tmr-blog/2013/08/10-things-emerging-writers-need-to-learn]
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Who Are You?
Want Your eBook to Sell? Read On.
[found on inboundpro.net; by hector cuevas]
“14 Invaluable Tips For Writing Ebooks That Sell
1. Lisa from Niche Website Success says:
“Take the time to survey your core audience to ensure your book meets their needs. We often assume we know what people want, but you never really know unless you ask.
Prior to writing my eBook, I used my email list to survey my subscribers. The feedback was invaluable and inspired much of the content in the book. Not to mention, it’s a great way to win over your readers. They ask. You deliver.”
2. Steve from Steve Aitchison says:
“Ask your audience what type of ebook they would like before writing one word of your ebook. I have made the mistake of writing an ebook, thinking, this is a great idea my readers will love this, only to find that they didn’t love it. The ONLY way to find out what type of ebook your readers will like is to ask them. You can do this in a blog post, an email to your subscribers, or use social media better yet ask them using all three.
Another thing is, make your ebook look fantastic. Presentation is everything and you want to give a professional looking ebook with a great cover. A lot of ebook creators write their book in a word document and turn it into a pdf without much thought for presentation. In this day and age of information overload, you need a great cover to catch the readers eye, a great title to capture their imagination, and a great presentation on the inside. It’s well worth spending a few hundred dollars to get a professional to design your ebook once you’ve written it.
One last thing, get someone to proof read your ebook. Again, I’ve made this mistake of not getting an ebook proof read only to find I get lots of emails pointing out errors in my book. If you don’t get it proof read it shows you’re not willing to invest that little extra to make it look and read great, and this will come across to the reader.””
To see more excellent advice from InBoundPro.net, click HERE.
Editing Addict, LLC 