Author Salon Offending Writers Daily - the 24/7 Writers Conference Takes No Prisoners

GOD I HATE AUTHOR SALON!

With all due respect to other writer conferences, Writer's Edge has been obsessed with running a good story on a new and controversial website stepping like a giant onto the Internet known as Author Salon, especially ever since our staff writer, Chris Stewart, discovered it, and Author Salon itself sent us a press release.

According to Author Salon's Writers Who Benefit page, they're looking for writers with thick skins, writers who can take a tough love sloshing for the sake of developing a publishable manuscript. But is it all that tough or does it depend on the writer's attitude and receptivity? Author Salon says it does. Below, Connie Chenowith, one of the admins at Author Salon, talks to us about tough love, giving offense, getting published and other things.

WE: You gals and guys at Author Salon say you're out to offend writers. Are you succeeding?

AS: Most definitely. We've managed to offend about a half dozen so far and we're just getting started.  We believe that by the end of 2012 we will have angered hundreds.

WE: Do you have a goal in mind?  Any dream number you would like to achieve?

AS: Yes, ten thousand by 2020. It's a rallying cry around the office, so to speak.

WE: What is the point of trying to be a Tasmanian devil?  

AS: [Connie laughs] Actually, giving offense isn't intentional, it's just a matter of course with certain types of writers, the thin skinners. If you squirm angrily or feel attacked when a fellow writer or a professional tells you something about your writing or story you don't wish to hear, then you are certainly offended. If you react with rage and seek to smear or punish, then you have what we call Offended Writer Syndrome, or OWS for short. But our critique is based on specific rules and we keep it sane and polite. Critique from professionals can be firm, of course, but it's fair and well informed.  Not everyone can handle that.

WE: Has anyone had an attack of OWS since you're opened your doors?

AS: Oh, yes.  One went out with a vow to wreck havoc. Bring us down, so to speak. She assumed various pseudos and began rage posting, making us out to be a pack of moronic hateful lions roving the boards and looking for blood ... oh, and we also we sent her unprofessional mails loaded with typos and grammatical mistakes, you know, whatever she could think of, and so forth. Classic OWS, classic! [Connie laughs] How did Kipling put it?  If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools? ... Her first diatribe was posted directly on the site following a good critique she despised. One of the mods removed it and asked her to please refrain from posting inflammatory and inappropriate rants in a member's crit topic, then of course, deprived of that catharsis, she went on to greater ballistic achievements. And naturally, since we deleted her mouth from the forum, that turned into a theatrical howl on the evils of censorship. After all, the poor baby was only trying to give us good advice ... and then it went viral. Ahhhhh, it never ends.

WE: Wow, that's ... wow. It makes my head mushy. It's like watching a horror movie. I'd call it, THIN SKINNER, make it into a series. A psychotic thin skinner kidnaps editors and locks them in a basement, and they regain consciousness on a bed of sharp pencils.

AS: [Connie laughs] But we accept this kind of nonsense and move on because for every one case of OWS we have 50 writers working hard to hone their skills and projects. We have a very large percentage of talented writers with high concept projects, and the act of detailed and methodical critique makes them behave like picky editors, and that helps them grow also.

WE: So Author Salon is out to set writers up with publishers and agents?  How is that going so far? Well enough to justify the horrors of OWS?

AS: Yes, well enough! We're still  in beta test at this moment, but we already have three projects under development with a film production company in Los Angeles, a number of projects in various genres already requested by major agents and New York publishers, and we're planning a Literary Showcase Week soon. We'll display to a select group of editors and agents a number of high concept projects by good writers in all genres.

WE: But do really busy agents and editors have time to hunt around Author Salon for the gold?

AS: With the exception of young and hungry agents actively looking for clients, they don't for the most part, so we go to them.

WE: How so?

AS: We create the Literary Showcase pages and direct them to that, and we also keep them looped on projects via email. We do have several roaming the site.  As Author Salon grows and gains more rep, more will come.

WE: Alright then, Connie, thanks for this interview.  The Writer's Edge wishes you and Author Salon the best.  The site looks fantastic and some of the craft advice, like the six act novel structure, appears original.

AS:  Right, we're a think tank also. We're always mulling over the possibility of new tools to provide our writers. We love our writers.

WE: Thank you so much, Connie!

AS: Thank you. 

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The Author Salon video:



 

Taking a Moment to Thank Our Mentors

By Paula Margulies

I love watching cooking shows on television, and Bravo’s Top Chef has always been one of my favorites. Last night’s episode, titled Mentor at Work?, included a challenge where the contestants had to prepare a dish for the chefs who had mentored them in their careers. One contestant, Paul Qui, became visibly emotional when his mentor, Tyson Cole at Uchiko, walked into the room. Of course, that started the waterworks for all the chefs and, I’m sure, some viewers (Paul won the challenge, which seems enormously fitting).

It’s no surprise that these talented chefs, who earn a living in an extremely demanding and creative field, exhibited such strong emotions when their mentors appeared before them. Those of us who have experienced some level of success in our careers, no matter what type of profession we’ve chosen, are likely to have had some help along the way. I know I did, and last night’s Top Chef episode got me thinking about the people who have made a difference in my work life.

I’ve worn many hats in my career – marketing communications expert, nonprofit director, college instructor, author – and in every job I’ve had, there have been individuals who have played an instrumental part in teaching me the ropes and encouraging me to carry on when the going got tough.

One of my mentors is Paul Woodring, now retired president of Respironics, Inc. Back in the 1980’s, Paul, then a VP at Puritan–Bennett Corporation, hired me as the fledgling manager of the communications department. Paul taught me to forget about my age and gender (I was in my early 20’s at the time) and be confident in my skills and decision-making. A consummate professional, he stood by me every step of the way during my time at the company.

But Paul’s greatest gift to me was the way he “walked the talk.” Whenever I came into his office, no matter how mundane my issue or how busy he was at the time, he laid his pen down, folded his hands together, and gave me his full attention. He was the best listener, and one of the best bosses, I’ve ever known.

I’ve had other strong mentors along the way: Donald Guss, Ph.D., the mercurial Milton scholar who mentored me while I was a graduate teaching assistant at UC Santa Barbara; Bob Bartholomew, my manager at Culler Scientific, who gave me my first chance at being a supervisor right out of college (I’m blessed to still be in touch with Bob and his wife, Cheryl, who live in the Bay Area); Michael Plopper, M.D., medical director at Sharp Mesa Vista Hospital, who was one of my bosses during my eight-year tenure as the executive director of the APA in San Diego. I’ll never forget my initial meeting with Mike – we sat down in his office and his first words were, “Tell me what I can do for you.” I feel so lucky to have worked with him, and the other physician leaders of the SDPS, who supported me in a job where I was the sole regular employee dealing with national councils, advocacy groups, state legislators, medical leaders, and local media.

As a writer, I’ve been lucky to live in an area that is rich with talented authors and teachers. In 2003, having never tried my hand at writing fiction, I took a creative writing class at Mesa College with author and college instructor, Bonnie Zobell. Bonnie pulled me aside after class at the end of the semester and told me about the San Diego State Writers’ Conference, which was coming up that weekend. “I really think you should go,” she said. I did go, and won my first Editor’s Choice Award from then Atria editor, Brenda Copeland. Brenda encouraged me to write a book (the piece I had submitted was a short story); I took her advice and wrote my first novel, Coyote Heart, another Editor’s Choice Award winner, which was represented by literary agent, Bob Tabian, and published in 2009 by Kirk House.

Another mentor in my writing life is fellow author, John Van Roekel, who I met in Bonnie’s class. At the time, John had already completed his first novel and had much more experience than me at writing and searching for an agent and publisher. He gave me terrific writing advice, acted as cheerleader and coach while I was drafting my own first novel, and has always been an encouraging supporter of my writing career.

I am blessed to have worked with all of these wonderful individuals, along with a host of others who I don’t have time or space to recognize here. My heartfelt thanks go out to all of them; they should know that I wouldn’t be where I am today without their encouragement and guidance.

Are there people who have made a difference in your life? If so, take a moment to thank them (if you’re a chef, cook them a meal), and pay their generosity forward by mentoring those who can benefit from your support and expertise.
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Paula Margulies is a book publicity and promotions expert in San Diego, California. You can reach her at paula@paulamargulies.com, or visit her at www.paulamargulies.com, on Twitter at @PaulaMargulies, or on Facebook at Paula Margulies Communications.

WIN A KINDLE FIRE IN THE BIG KINDLE BOOGIE

WIN A KINDLE FIRE IN THE BIG KINDLE BOOGIE

10 Free Kindle Fires, 75 free ebooks, $300 in gift cards, a $500 library donation! Entries for 10 free Kindle Fires are already underway at http://bigkindleboogie.blogspot.com and gift cards are bing randomly awarded on Twitter for those who tweet about the Big Kindle Boogie.

On Feb. 1-2, bestselling thriller authors J.A. Konrath, Blake Crouch, Scott Nicholson, Lee Goldberg, and Scott Nicholson are making 75 Kindle books free on Amazon. They are also making a $500 donation to the local library of one Kindle Fire winner. They are also releasing the five-book Ultimate Thriller Box Set for free during the event. Contest is international, no purchase necessary. You can also join the Facebook party at http://www.facebook.com/BigKindleBoogie.

Three easy ways to enter:

• Use the entry counters at http://bigkindleboogie.blogspot.com
• You can also enter manually by tweeting to be eligible for Kindle Fires and Amazon gift cards: 10 free Kindle Fires. 75 free ebooks. http://bit.ly/xWOoKN #bigkindleboogie RT to enter for a Fire!
• You can email bigkindleboogie@yahoo.com ONCE PER DAY with "Boogie entry" as subject line

Everything free, everything fun. Good luck!

The 80/20 Rule: How to Promote Your Books Properly on Social Networking Sites

By Paula Margulies

Social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Goodreads, etc., have become an integral part of promoting books and building an author platform. However, authors must realize that there are right – and annoyingly wrong – ways to use these sites.

Used correctly, sites like Facebook and Twitter can help authors position themselves as valuable sources of information and entertainment. Use these sites incorrectly, and authors risk coming across as self-absorbed and inexperienced.

When posting on social networking sites, authors should remember the 80/20 rule. This rule dictates that you spend 80% of your time posting about things other than your book, and 20% selling. That’s right – 80% of what you post should not be a sales pitch. Why is this true? Remember that readers are human beings, who long to make connections with others. They join social networking sites not to receive non-stop reminders to buy, but to develop relationships and learn about topics that matter to them.

So, what should you post 80% of the time? Well, the most important reasons to network are to build relationships with your readers and position yourself as an expert. Therefore, 40% of your posts should be personal: readers want to know about you, your personal life, your thoughts about writing, etc.

The other 40% should be about your subject area, so provide information that your target audience will find interesting and useful. If you’re not an expert in your field or are uncertain about writing on a specific subject area, write about things you do know, such as how you became a writer, what you’ve learned about your subject area while writing, etc. Share whatever expertise you have that your followers might find useful themselves.

The other 20% of the time, you can remind readers that you have a book they might be interested in purchasing. But be judicious with these posts; remember, some of your followers and friends will have already seen posts about buying your book before. Do your best to make your sales posts relevant and interesting; i.e., only issue these kinds of posts when there is something new to announce, such as a price increase, a revised edition, or an interesting review of the book.

What happens when you ignore the 80/20 rule? Do so at your peril; authors who post nothing on their social networking sites but constant reminders to buy their books will usually be ignored, or worse, deleted by their followers.

For those who wish to make the most of social networking and sell books (rather than offend visitors), here is a list of important do’s and don’ts:

DO

…set up profile and fan pages on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Google+, etc.

…post often about what’s happening in your life, your thoughts about your writing and your book’s subject area, and about topics relevant to your audience.

…if you use Twitter, retweet relevant posts by your followers. And thank them when they retweet yours.

…if you share information on Facebook, be sure to acknowledge the original source.

…if friends sign up for your Facebook fan pages, be gracious and follow theirs. Likewise, if someone follows you on Twitter, be generous and follow him/her back.

…share news about interviews, awards, sales, plans for sequels, etc.

…be inquisitive. Ask friends and followers for information and advice, and end your posts with invitations for others to weigh in.

…be social. Respond to your friends and followers when they post, and they will respond to you.

DON’T

...constantly post announcements reminding people to buy your book. One announcement every few weeks is okay, but daily reminders will only serve to alienate your followers.

...constantly announce pricing changes and giveaways. Once in a while is okay, but do this too often and your audience will begin to tune you out.

…hog up the airwaves by posting too often. Be judicious and thoughtful about what you’re putting out there for others to read.

…post inane or useless information; especially avoid constant updates about mundane chores, errands, and household tasks.

…incite others with inflammatory political and/or religious statements. Unless your book is about one of these topics, you stand to alienate 50% of your audience with political and religious posts. Keep your posts professional and relevant, and leave the controversial topics for private conversation at home.

…send out automatic responses to new followers urging them to “take a look” at your website, Amazon account, or segment of a book. Develop a relationship with your followers first, before you clobber them with a back-handed sales pitch.

…send automatic responses at all (they come across as perfunctory and meaningless).

….blow your own horn. Listing yourself as an amazing, bestselling, renowned, etc., author, especially if the book is your first, can be off-putting and make readers see you as pathetic and insecure.

…trash agents, editors, reviewers, or other writers (and if you’re a publishing professional, don’t bash or belittle potential or actual clients). Nothing alienates writers and readers more than someone who appears unkind or has a personal axe to grind.

Finally, as with all other areas in your life, do your best to do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Follow the 80/20 rule, be a gracious, supportive, and conscientious social networker, and readers will look forward to reading your posts and buying your books.
__________
Paula Margulies is a book publicity and promotions expert in San Diego, California. You can reach her at paula@paulamargulies.com, or visit her at www.paulamargulies.com, on Twitter at @PaulaMargulies, or on Facebook at Paula Margulies Communications.

The Top Four Methods for Increasing Brand Recognition and Sales in Book Marketing

By Paula Margulies

I recently asked some of my clients to let me know how their sales went this past year and what methods they thought worked best in their book publicity campaigns. A number of methods stood out, but here were their top four picks:

1. Targeted Speaking Engagements

The number one method for building brand recognition and sales, according to almost all of my clients, is targeted speaking engagements. Those who appeared before niche groups to give presentations, and then sold their books afterward, said that this method was by far the best way to reach audiences and sell books.

Here’s a comment from Ona Russell, author of the legal mysteries The Natural Selection and O'Brien's Desk (www.onarussell.com), about the power of targeted speaking engagements:

“Book signings rank pretty low on the effectiveness scale, while speaking engagements are, for me, the best way to increase exposure and sales. That gig you got me at the Writer's Guild far exceeded expectations – I sold a ton of books there. Same goes for the law lectures you arranged. When you get a chance to showcase your skills and tell your personal story, audiences are more receptive to hearing about (and purchasing!) your book(s).”

2. Media Interviews

Many of my clients also mentioned media interviews, including print, radio, and television, as being effective marketing tools for selling books. Here’s what Greg Fournier, author of Zug Island: A Detroit Riot Novel (www.fournology.com), had to say about his radio interviews:

“The WDET - PBS interview was the high point of my experiences and the timing worked out great for me. My webmaster added it to my novel's website, and it is getting hit regularly. I hooked up with a free online radio booking outfit and have two web-radio interviews lined up - one at the end of the month and one in March. The subject is "Racism in America and the Obama Era" or some variation of that. The PBS interview online helped me score these new bookings.”

3. Giveaways and Promo Items

Other clients found that using giveaways and promotional imprinted items helped increase sales. Carol Cronin, U.S. Olympic sailor and author of Oliver's Surprise, Cape Cod Surprise, and A Game of Sails (www.livewirepress.com), explains how this method worked for her:

“My most successful selling tool is business cards I made up with the book's cover and a brief synopsis plus blurbs. I hand them out everywhere, on airplanes (see my blog post called "Airplane Sales"), in restaurants, at parties. Those that are already reading ebooks are psyched to be given a recommendation; those who are not yet reading ebooks are intrigued (especially by the QR codes).”

4. Social Media/Blogging

Finally, almost all of my clients mentioned using social media, especially blogging, as a powerful way to engage with readers and build brand identity and sales. Greg Fournier said, “The surprise of all that has happened is that my blog seems to be a qualified success. I have had over 2,700 hits in seven months, starting at ground zero. I have written fifty-six posts, and I enjoy the result of writing them more than the agony of deciding what to write about.” Carol Cronin added: “Social media has been a good tool, especially blogging. People like getting to know the "behind the scenes" stuff, as long as it's not too technical. And passion and personality continue to be the best sales tools.”

What methods have you found to be the most successful for creating brand recognition and sales for your books?
__________
Paula Margulies is a book publicity and promotions expert in San Diego, California. You can reach her at paula@paulamargulies.com, or visit her at www.paulamargulies.com, on Twitter at @PaulaMargulies, or on Facebook at Paula Margulies Communications.

Watch Your Backside: A Publicist’s Advice on Back Covers

By Paula Margulies

I was dismayed recently to receive a number of books from prospective clients (including three from a small press) that had nothing on the back covers other than the Bookland EAN barcode and a brief paragraph about the book.

That’s it? A bar code and a paragraph?

Some of these back cover paragraphs were poorly written and riddled with typos. One included a glib attempt by the author to downplay his writing skills with self-effacing humor. One had no description of the book, but instead listed a 16-line quote by a reviewer. Another filled the entire space of the back cover in an illegible, shadowed font.

It’s hard to believe that in today’s crowded market, authors willingly choose to ignore the valuable marketing space on their books’ back covers. Because that’s what a back cover is – an opportunity to sell your book to a potential reader. But in order to sell, the back cover must be professional in design and compelling in its content.

Here’s what I like to see on a back cover (in addition to the Bookland barcode), preferably in this order:

1. An intriguing, well-written one or two-paragraph summary about the book.

If the book is fiction, think of the summary paragraph as your chance to hook your prospective reader. Focus on the meat of the story: WHO has to do WHAT to cause WHAT to happen/not happen? Then add details that will appeal to your target audience.

If you’re writing non-fiction, describe your book’s contents in a way that sets you apart from any other books on the topic. What makes your book different? What special expertise do you bring to the subject matter that will entice readers? And what will readers learn after reading your book?

When you write your back cover copy, think about what your reader is looking for. Describe the story – or in the case of non-fiction, the book’s content – in such a way that the person reading it feels compelled to open the book.

2. At least 3 one or two-sentence blurbs from reviewers your target readers recognize and respect.

The more well-known your reviewers, the more likely readers are going to want to take a look at what’s inside your book. Network with your friends and fellow authors to locate reviewers who will appeal to your target audience. Send the reviewers copies of your manuscript and ask them to write a blurb for you. When you receive the blurbs, parse them down to one or two sentences that do the best job of relaying what’s good about your book. Remember that endorsements are especially important to media folks, so it’s worth the time and effort to try to obtain blurbs from readers who are well-known.

What if you don’t know any big names who can endorse your book? Ask your writing group members, fellow authors, friends, and even family members if they’ll read your work and give you an endorsement. Choose people who are good representative readers, and/or those who will give you a well-written, pithy quote. A good review from a reader who represents your book’s target audience may be the deciding factor in motivating an interested reader to open and/or buy the book.

3. A headshot and bio.

Readers like to know something about the authors of the books they might buy. By providing a small photo of yourself, and a brief, one-paragraph bio, you are using yourself as a selling point. Be sure your headshot is professional-looking and include the most important facts about yourself and your platform in the bio. Also, list your website and other social media sites where readers can find more information about you.

Your headshot should appear next to the biographical paragraph and should be small enough to fit the space next to the bio, but large enough that your features are recognizable.

In addition to the bar code and pricing information, you may want to include listing the book’s subject category (usually this appears in the upper left-hand corner of the back cover). Doing so helps staff members at bookstores and libraries know where to shelve your book.

Finally, think of your back cover as prime advertising space and use as much of it as you can, with proper attention to design and legibility. If you have won awards, be sure to list those on the back cover, as well. But most important, design your back cover so it inspires your readers to buy. Give them a glimpse of your voice and style with an intriguing, well-written synopsis. Let them know that your work is important and endorsed by others with a few positive blurbs. And introduce yourself and your platform by including an author photo and a brief bio.
__________
Paula Margulies is a book publicity and promotions expert in San Diego, California. You can reach her at paula@paulamargulies.com, or visit her at www.paulamargulies.com, on Twitter at @PaulaMargulies or on Facebook at Paula Margulies Communications.

The Introverted Author & the Art of Co-Promotion

By Paula Margulies

Some authors are natural show persons; they love working a crowd, and have no problem speaking in front of groups, walking up to strangers to offer a pitch, or singing their own praises on the Internet.

You know the type – these are the authors who give multiple presentations at writing conferences, blatantly self-promote at family gatherings and business meetings, post daily blog articles about any topic related to their writing, and forgo the 80-20 rule on multiple social media sites in favor of 100% “me” talk. They're the ones who have no problem, no matter what the venue, proudly exclaiming, “Hey, I’m an author and you must buy my book!”

We have to give these authors their due, not only because they often lead the way in demonstrating how to self-promote, but because many of them have become really successful as a result of their outgoing personalities. They manage to sell, in many cases, not because of their books deserve to be read, but through the sheer force and dynamism of their promotional efforts.

But many authors are not built that way. A good number of them tend to be shy and fairly humble about their achievements. Even if they have no problem being friendly and outgoing in their personal and business lives, when it comes to their books, they hold back. This is a common tendency of authors who are new to the game; oftentimes they’re unsure of themselves and/or their work, are not certain about how to promote, or just don’t enjoy being in the spotlight. In my publicity business, these are the clients who hire me to set up an aggressive speaking and media tour and then, once the scheduled dates get close, cancel their appearances one-by-one. I can’t fault them; they know they need to do publicity in order to sell their work, but when it comes time to take the stage, they just can’t do it. In truth, they prefer to work quietly on their books and, when finished, are hard-pressed to venture out to promote them.

Some would say that if these shy authors want to sell books, they need to get with the program and learn to be show persons. And speaking from a publicist's perspective, I have to agree that it's fairly difficult to obtain exposure for authors (many who don’t have much of a platform to begin with) who prefer not to do book signings or speaking engagements, who refuse to travel, who have no interest in setting up websites and blogs, and who are uncomfortable with promotional efforts that involve pubic exposure of any kind.

But I understand where these authors are coming from – they are first and foremost writers, not public speakers or social media experts. They prefer to complete a book and get on with the business of writing the next one. And they don’t want to change who they are in order to sell their work

So, what can these shy authors, especially those who are new to the game, do if they’re not natural show persons? If you’re the retiring and humble type, how do you get around your natural inclinations when it's time to sell your work?

My answer for shy writers is to consider co-promotion. If you're the type who really, truly hates being in the limelight, then promoting jointly, with the help of someone else, might be the solution. That someone else can be a friend or family member who is more outgoing, another author (or authors) with similar book(s), or hired professionals who can help handle day-to-day promotions.

Co-promotions can include joint or group book signings, promotional events, and tours. If you are shy about appearing on your own at a signing or speaking opportunity, teaming up with another author or a group of authors for an event might be a good way to go. Your coauthors will bring people to the event, and if you share a common topic or genre, you might feel more comfortable about selling your books to the event’s attendees. Another option is to ask friends to host events for you; a private gathering in someone’s home may feel less threatening if you’re the kind of author who is naturally shy.

Likewise, if you're uncomfortable speaking in front of groups alone, consider being part of panel presentations, where you can hang back or stand out as much as you like, and punt any question you don’t care to answer to the rest of the panel sharing the stage with you.

Don't like working the crowd at an event? Ask others who are more outgoing to come with you to work the room or help out with the speaking/demonstration portions of your talk.

If you’re uncomfortable appearing before live audiences, consider taping interviews or presentations and posting them on YouTube and on your web, blog, and social media sites. One of the nice features of video clips is that they can be edited to make you look better, to erase mistakes or speaking glitches, and to add in information that you might have overlooked.

If you're shy about your personal appearance, consider creating podcasts of your work, and share those on the Internet on your own website and at other places where readers can listen in. Don’t forget to mention your book, and describe where readers can go to hear more or purchase the book. Seek out radio interviews and ask if you can give them by phone, rather than appearing in-studio, or pursue online interviews, where you can send information via email.

Those who are okay with being seen and heard, but who prefer not to travel for public appearances might consider speaking to book clubs and other organizations via Skype. You can give presentations, take questions, and have pretty much the same interactions with readers that you would at an in-person event or signing without having to leave the comfort of your home office.

Teaming up with other authors or using videos and other electronic means of communication are not the only way to co-promote. You can gain incredible traction for yourself and your work on the Internet by participating in group blogsites or guest blogging on other people's sites. The same is true for social media sites; if you’re not comfortable with creating your own, consider teaming up with someone else to share a Facebook, Twitter, or Goodreads account,

If you’re uncomfortable making personal announcements about yourself on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites, a good option might be to use dashboards like HootSuite, where you can upload announcements and schedule them at a pace that feels right to you, interspersing them with other information so that they appear on your social media sites at strategic times. You can even hire professional social media experts to help create content for your sites and post that content for you.

Those who aren't good at speaking in public, but would like to become so, might consider working with a professional coach to learn good speaking and interview techniques. There are also organizations like Toastmasters, local business networks, and other professional groups and clubs that provide opportunities for free networking and feedback to help you hone your speaking skills.

Finally, if you're not comfortable doing your own publicity, you might consider hiring a publicist and working with her to create a promotional plan that fits your personality and budget. If you prefer not to tour or do any public speaking, be sure to indicate that up front. Discuss the options for other ways of gaining publicity. A good public relations professional should be able to help you identify unique ways to promote your work that fit your personal style.

There are a number of successful authors (many who have a long list of publications under their belts) who have become literary media darlings and are so comfortable being on the public stage that they spend the majority of their time there. Their success can be intimidating, especially to new authors, who haven't yet developed extensive platforms or significant numbers of readers, or who struggle with being public about their work.

But authors who aren't comfortable in the spotlight can still be successful at promoting; they just need to identify creative ways to get their message out. Ultimately, we all want authors to do more of what they’re good at, which is writing. No shame, then, for those authors who know their limits as show persons, and who find creative ways to promote their work so they can spend their time on what really matters: writing good books.
______________
Paula Margulies is a book publicity and promotions expert in San Diego, California. You can reach her at paula@paulamargulies.com, or visit her website at www.paulamargulies.com.

Authors: Be Prepared to Speak!

By Paula Margulies

Photo credit: Author Amy Snyder gives a presentation on her nonfiction book, Hell on Two Wheels, about the Race Across America.

Speaking engagements are great ways for authors to get the word out about their books. Nonfiction authors, especially, can develop a number of talks about their topic and hit the speaking circuit to develop a name for themselves while promoting their work.

Many fiction authors also find public speaking to be a successful way to promote their books. If your novel or short story collection has a topical subject matter, or if you have a special area of expertise or a solid platform in a subject area, you should be able to find opportunities for speaking engagements where you can promote your work and/or sell it afterward.

But arranging speaking appearances is not always easy. For those who are considering going on the speaking circuit, here are some tips to help make the experience easier:

1) Develop a number of presentations around your book’s topic and write brief, one-paragraph descriptions for each of them. The more options you can offer a venue or organization, the more likely that you will have something they’re looking for and be hired to speak.

2) Start early – some venues, including professional organizations, colleges and universities, reading clubs, and museums and libraries, book speaking events many months to a year ahead of time.

3) Keep a list of the talks you’ve given, including the cities where you’ve appeared, the dates for your appearances, and the title of the presentations you’ve given. Organizations will want to know where you’ve spoken before, and having a list to give them shows that you are experienced and a proven commodity.

4) Likewise, get testimonials from those who have hired you to speak. Some organizations will want to check your references to verify your experience and track record.

5) Be prepared when you speak. Do whatever research is required, make notes, and practice before your appearances. Also, be sure you know your audience, including how many people will be there and their demographics – age, sex, expertise, etc. – and plan your talk accordingly.

6) If needed, make arrangements for a/v equipment and always have a backup (your own laptop, printed handouts, etc.) ready in case the equipment is not working or is unavailable the day of your presentation.

7) Bring material to distribute or leave behind at your talk. Prepare handouts, bookmarks, business cards, etc., and find out the number of estimated attendees ahead of time so you have enough copies for everyone in your audience.

8) If you are speaking about your book, have standing posters of the book cover made and bring one with you to mount on a table or podium. Also, check with your host to see if s/he would like any material beforehand to create a display or do general promotion for your talk.

9) If your presentation is open to the general public, be sure to touch base with your host about what kind of media work s/he is doing for promotion. Do your own promotion, as well – create and distribute flyers, sent email invites to friends and relatives, announce events on social media sites, including Facebook and Twitter, and send press releases to content and calendar editors at news media offices and websites.

10) If you are going to do some media promotion for your speaking engagements, be sure to contact editors, reporters, and producers for print, radio, and television about two-three weeks prior to your event. Create a press release specifically for your event and, if possible, tie it to national or local news headlines that are relevant to your topic. Also, have a head shot of yourself, your book cover art (jpg files are best), and a presentation summary or description ready in case your media contact requests this info.

11) Be sure to take a camera or video recorder with you and have a friend or someone in the audience take photos of you while you speak. You can place these photographs and clips on your website, and the video clips will also come in handy for those venues that require seeing a clip before hiring you to speak.

A final note: many authors have asked me about the protocol for being paid for speaking engagements. In general, I’ve found that due to the state of our economy, most venues (aside from large corporations) do not pay honoraria for speakers. You should always ask, though, because many organizations might be willing to pay a nominal speaking fee, and even if it is a small one, it may help defray the costs of getting there. Most venues are willing to negotiate, and if they can’t offer honoraria, they are oftentimes willing to provide coverage for travel costs, money for gas, or a meal at the event.

If you are promoting a book, you’ll want to be sure to discuss the possibility of selling books after your presentation and make arrangements for how sales are handled. If the venue is a library or museum, you can ask about having your booked stocked on the shelves or in the museum bookstore. You’ll also want to be sure that you have books there at the event; if the venue won’t hthttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifthttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.giforder them, then make arrangements to have them shipped ahead of time or, if convenient, carry them with you.

Finally, be sure to collect business cards and contact information from everyone involved in setting up your speaking event and send thank yous after your appearance. Even if your event was not the most organized or well-attended, you still want to show gratitude for being given the opportunity. A thoughtful thank you is a sure way to show your host(s) that you are a professional and will help keep the door open the next time you want to give a presentation there.
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Paula Margulies is a book publicity and promotions expert in San Diego, California. You can reach her at paula@paulamargulies.com, or visit her website at www.paulamargulies.com.

New Author Talks About the Power of The Conduit

Newly published author Stacey Rourke talks about her just-published YA fantasy novel, The Conduit and how she hopes it will help young women achieve their dreams.

The Creation of a Hero

By Stacey Rourke

From the time I announced the impending release of The Conduit the most common question I’ve been asked is “when’s it coming out” (Answer: it’s out! Go buy it!) is “where did you get the idea for it?” To that I say it all started because of Mommy brain.

As any woman that has been blessed with title of Mommy can tell you, your whole outlook on life changes when you become a Mom. Case in point–when I was big, huge pregnant with my first child there was a reality show on that had a bunch of scantily clad young women vying for a chance to be the next Pussycat Doll.

At the time I remember turning green with envy at the mere sight of them because none of them looked like they had unhinged their jaw and swallowed a Thanksgiving turkey whole. And that was the look I was rockin’ right then.

Then my daughter was born. I watched another episode of that same show with her nestled in my arms, looked down at her sweet face and muttered, “If I ever catch you doing any of the things those girls are doing I will ground you for life. I don’t care how old you are.” Yes, it’s a double standard, but it goes with the territory of being a mother to a little girl.

After that I saw TV shows, movies and books completely different. Before, the tales of the damsel in distress getting saved by the knight in shining armor were romantic and even swoon worthy. As a Mom, I find that archaic notion-which is still very prevalent in our entertainment mediums–infuriating. I don’t want my girls to sit around waiting for some big strong man to rescue them! If they find themselves in a hard place I want them to know that they can dig down deep to the inner strength their faith and upbringing has bestowed on them and fight their way out of it.

But what role models does the entertainment industry offer up? Sure, there was Buffy the Vampire Slayer. But even the Buffster has grown up, gotten married, and taken her place in TV syndication history. It was time for a strong new heroine. It was with that in mind, along with one incredibly vivid dream, that spawned the creation of The Gryphon series.

In book one of the series, The Conduit, we meet our main character, Celeste. She’s awkward, not the prettiest of girls, and goes through life often being overlooked. Yet it is because of the inner strength that she possesses that she is chosen to uphold an ancient Celtic pact made by her ancestor. What Celeste thinks is going to be a chillaxed summer before college turns into a chaotic frenzy of shapeshifting people, demons, feathered women, and a boy drama. Is a normal life possible for a girl that’s now anything but normal?

As The Gryphon series continues with the upcoming Embrace, we see Celeste growing into her role as the chosen one. Almost to a fault. But startling new abilities, coming face to face with one of her biggest fears, and humiliating herself in front of an insanely hot guy remind Celeste of who she is—kind of a dork who just happens to be able to bench press a car.

As tween and teen girls read my series it is my sincere hope that they can see something of themselves in Celeste. Be it her sarcasm, awkwardness, annoyance at her siblings, average looks, or heck even her love of art. Their ability to relate to her will help in achieving the goal I have for this series, which is to show them that just like Celeste they too can rise to the challenge in the face of adversity and become the hero of their own story. My Mommy brain spawned this series, to create books tweens and teens will love and other Mommies will approve of.

Stacey is currently writing the sequel to The Conduit. Visit Stacey's website to read more at http://www.staceyrourke.com

Look for The Conduit on the Amazon Kindle and from Smashwords.com in other ebook formats. Or buy a copy at the Outer Banks Publishing Group Bookstore on Facebook and get a discount just for clicking on the "Like" button.
The Conduit will soon be in the Nook, iBooks, Sony eReader and Kobo ebook stores.

Keep Pushing into the Ugly

I just finished reading two very mediocre books, both very atmospheric, but without much story because the story was buried somewhere in that atmosphere (and, in one case, lyricism, as one book was written by a poet and she was so in love with her writing she didn't realize there wasn't actually a story). I'm not going to tell you what either book is because one is a Pulitzer Prize winning 'classic' and I don't feel like debating its merits. The other was represented by an agent I'm going to send my current novel to so, a little self-preservation is called for!


While dragging myself to the final chapters of these books, I realized that what's missing is fear. In writing, a healthy dose of 'OhMyGodICan'tBelieveI'mWritingThisI'mGoingToHellOrAtLeastI'llTotallyFuckItUp' is necessary. I didn't feel either writer standing too close to the edge (note the title of this blog...).

It's your job to challenge yourself. Sit in the dark corners tied to a chair so you can't leave and meet what comes for you. Climb into the snake pit and pull the cover over your head. I guarantee you, not only will it scare the crap out of you, it will thrill you no end.

So what freaks you out to write about?

For me it used to be sex. I was raised Catholic and--well, enough said, don't you think? I thought it was a victory just to have sex without being married, let alone write about it in all its nasty glory. Then a professor gave us that assignment in class one day: write what scares you. So I did. I had just started writing a novel for my honors class and my professor's challenge took the work to a whole other level. I realized I couldn't just write a sex scene. It had to go deeper than that. (I think there's a joke there somewhere...)

The novel was about a girl using her sexual escapades to kill off her good girl image. The culminating scene took place in a strip club where the female main character had to enter a live peep show booth to strip and do whatever the man she was with told her to do.

I stalled as long as I could with research (not that kind!) and, with the deadline looming, got to work. Let me set the scene so you know how difficult this was for me. At the time I lived with my parents to save money and because I worked full time as well as went to school full time in the evenings and had a dog I needed fed and walked in my absence.

So picture sitting in your childhood bedroom with the dolls your mother insists must not be hidden in the closet, pictures of you as a kid (one in your communion dress and veil), children running around playing and screaming right outside your window, and your mother knocking on your door about once an hour to ask you some silly question because she doesn't get the whole writing thing and must absolutely know right this minute if that's your laundry in the dryer and what do you want for dinner?

And you're supposed to write what?

I needed to park in a dark alley off of The Block in East Baltimore with a bottle of gin, but I'm not that brave and I'm not a drinker. So it had to be done in my bedroom in my parents' house.

It took me 26 hours to write the 10 page scene. Sixteen hours on Saturday, another ten hours on Sunday. In a way, I actually think where I wrote it helped. The tension of location versus content, my Catholic past versus my writing future. I was conscious of that tension the entire time and kept pushing and pushing against it, making sure I felt very uncomfortable the whole time. That's key: discomfort. Add disgust, sweaty palms, and some nausea and you've got the magic formula.

Here's how you can make it happen for you:

Tell yourself it has to be complete by a certain time and you're not allowed to do anything but write until the piece is finished (meals and bathroom breaks excepted).

Tell yourself no one will read it, close your eyes and write. Sometimes it's easier if you can't see the words.

Pretend you are another writer, for whom this subject is no big deal. She/he wants to shock and surprise. Let her/him at it.

No deleting anything. Get all the way through first. Then leave it alone for at least three days, preferably a week. If you want to delete something at that time, delete only what doesn't serve/move the story or the characters, that's all. Don't delete something because you're worried what other people will think of you.

Do something nice for yourself once it's over. You might be high on the accomplishment, you might be exhausted, but find a way to appreciate your effort. A movie, a trashy book to read that doesn't tax your brain, a new pair of shoes, a phone call to a friend to relate your harrowing experience and be told you're awesome.

After that weekend, going back to write other sexually explicit scenes leading up to the peep show was a piece of cake. I enjoyed it. And now I can say 'been there, done that' about writing sex. Sure, there are different types of sex, different degrees, and I could try writing them all, but that was the edge for me, and it was enough.

You'll be uncomfortable, but also have a great time with it because once you get past doing it the first time and realize you didn't spontaneously combust, you can appreciate the line you crossed, you'll feel more confident in your abilities, and you can look forward to shaking up your readers.

So what's your edge? What scares you to write? Is it sex? Religious fervor/obsession/possession? The truth about your parents' marriage? The truth about your marriage? Death? Murder? Abuse? War? It doesn't have to be something big, humans are cruel and horrible in many small ways, but go for something big first. Go for broke. Get twisted.

If you're working on something right now, look for the dark side and run straight for it. What you write may come out awkward, cliché, maybe too soft. The important thing is to keep pushing into the ugly. Don't let anything hold you back. You will get somewhere you never expected and, whether you use what you wrote or not, you'll be a better writer for it.

I dare you.

Christine Stewart is a writer/editor in Baltimore and program director for literary arts with her state arts council. For editing services email therealwriter@gmail.com, and join her Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ChrisStewartTheRealWriter.

Am I Crazy or What? Or how social media and YOU can bring a book to life

Guest blogger and author Mary L. Tabor shares her book marketing techniques

By Mary L. Tabor
So you wanna get published, right? So you think only a big house can get you anywhere worth getting, right? So, you think you need an agent first thing, right?

I thought all these things and have the credentials to prove that I’ve been on a literary journey: English major, Phi Beta Kappa, teacher, professor, MFA degree, literary journal editor, literary prize winner. But no big house and no agent.

Instead, I did what some may think is crazy. I went with a product development company that dabbled in publishing. But my book got out. And I went to work. I have an active public Facebook page that is linked to my Twitter account, a website always under revision as new stuff happens and I write a blog where I try to post at least once a week.

Today’s post that you are reading would have been this essay. But this site begged for it and it’s theirs. But later you may see this post on my blog. Go check out this: How to buy a dress and end up with a book party.

I don’t tweet about my memoir (Re)Making Love: a sex after sixty story much, though some. I don’t blog about my book much, but some: actually, I blogged the book while I lived it—that’s the first crazy-some-say thing I did before the product development company found me—and that accounts for the banner of a blog that deals not with erotica but with literary thought, interviews and essays on writing and books.

Now you’d think a book with this sordid, unconventional history wouldn’t be doing very well, right? And, indeed, I’m not getting rich. But is that what we artists are really about? Okay, a girl could hope but that’s never been the goal: The work will out.

But get this: The small print in the visual for the book from Amazon says, #7 top rated in the Kindle store for Non-Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Arts &literature, Authors.

The week before it was #5 behind The Diary of Anne Frank and Steven King’s On Writing.
And guess what: The book party at Upstairs on 7^th (aka: “How to buy a dress and get a book party”) resulted in the promise of another book party by one of the women who came.

Then I went to dinner with a banker-friend I know and told him what happened. He called his wife and is planning another book party in another dress shop and he’ll be providing the wine.

Is there a moral? Ain’t no good here at morals. But I will say this: If you put your heart and soul into your book and you’ve edited it like crazy with a cool eye, had others eyeball it and critique it, then find a reputable publisher and work—yes that means you—to sell one book at a time. Because like the memoir I wrote, it’s all personal.

PS: Another piece of good news: A new and much more experienced indie publisher has taken my memoir. Be sure to check out the second edition (more edits and a prologue) now from Outer Banks Publishing Group.








(Re)MAKING LOVE: a sex after sixty story, second edition, is available on Amazon, the Kindle, Barnes & Noble, the Nook, iBook, Sony ereader, the Outer Banks Publishing Group Bookstore and in other electronic formats from Smashwords.com.

Reaching Out to Booksellers: A Publicist's Advice

By Paula Margulies

I was heartened today to see that Success Magazine has listed Elliott Bay Book Company in Seattle as one of its American Comeback success stories (www.successmagazine.com), especially since a number of my clients have appeared there over the years. One of the reasons for the Elliott Bay Book Company's success is that the managers there, like many other booksellers who are struggling to stay alive in the current economic climate, have realized that hosting author appearances is a great way to get people into their stores (and to sell books).

Although in recent years many booksellers (and even some of the larger libraries) would not consider shelving books by self-published authors, the changes in the industry have forced them to reconsider. This is good news for authors and their publicists: it's now much easier to place both traditionally published and self-published authors in stores for signings, especially if they have written books that appeal to niche audiences or have compelling and/or newsworthy platforms.

Because of the enthusiasm booksellers are beginning to showing for author events, and because there's a good chance that more brick-and-mortar stores will go by the wayside in the future, authors should seriously consider doing a book tour now. Bookstore appearances provide authors with a vital opportunity to network and connect with readers. They also give booksellers a chance to meet authors directly and learn about their books first-hand, so they can promote those books to store customers when the signing is over.

There are some changes in the way bookstores handle author signings that are worth noting. Many independent booksellers are beginning to charge admission fees for author events. Generally, these fees are nominal (usually in the $10 range) and can be applied toward the purchase of a book. And others require that publishers and/or authors pay co-op fees (typically between $100-$200), to help offset the store’s promotion costs, including designing and sending eblasts, printing posters, drafting releases for local media, staffing, and clean up. While some consider these requests controversial, the decision to agree with admission and coop fees is entirely up to the publisher or author and is something to be aware of when booking events.

For those authors considering appearing at bookstores (and, again, I encourage all authors to do so before more brick and mortar stores close), here are a few tips on how to best reach out to booksellers:

Start with a good publisher
Avoid known vanity presses and be sure that your publisher is able to provide your book through the distribution channels that booksellers use to buy books (these include distributors/wholesalers like Baker & Taylor or Ingram).

Be professional in your approach
Show that you respect a bookseller’s time by being professional and courteous when you call. When phoning a bookseller, try not to waste time with small talk (avoid empty phrases such as, “Hi, how're you doing?”). Instead, tell whoever answers that you are an author interested in appearing at the store and ask to speak with the person who handles events. When that person is available, introduce yourself, state the name of your book and the ISBN number, and tell him or her what you’re looking for (a reading, a formal talk, a general book signing, a meet and greet, etc.). If there are specific dates when you’ll be available, have those in front of you so you can provide the information quickly. Be ready to describe your niche/audience and how many people you think you can bring to your event. If you’re offered a date, follow-up with a confirmation email message, so that the manager has all of the relevant info about your event in writing.

Be flexible
Many booksellers can’t afford to pay for shipping on books that they know might be returned. Be willing to bring books if a bookseller doesn’t want to order from the distributor or publisher. Negotiate for a percentage of sales (I’m seeing many booksellers be very generous with their terms, with some even allowing the author to keep all proceeds and decide themselves what percentage to offer the store).

Also, be flexible about dates and times for appearances. The bookseller will know the best times for traffic in the store, so go with his/her recommendation for your signing.

Target cities where you know people
The idea is to bring a crowd to the store, so unless you’re a celebrity or a known author with a following, try to book in places where you have friends or family who can help build an audience for your event.

Help drive traffic to your event
Offer to provide promotional material (standing posters, bookmarks, giveaways, etc.) to those booksellers who are willing to set up a display in their stores. Also, be sure to offer to contact local media, including print, radio, and television, a few weeks prior to your event.

Be courteous and memorable
Show up on time and do your best to provide a well-thought out and rehearsed presentation. Be courteous to those who take the time to attend your event; even if only one or two show up, give them your best presentation –- you never know what connections those individuals might have that can help spread the word about you and your book. And always bring extra copies of your book in case you have a higher turnout than expected.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

Use the event as a marketing tool
Advertise your event on all your social media sites, including Facebook, Twitter,Goodreads,etc., and be sure to write about it afterwards. Take photos and post them on your web and blogsite.

Express gratitude
Be sure to take the time to thank the bookstore managers and staff for hosting your event. Collect business cards and/or take note of the names of all the staff members who help out at your signing, and be sure to mention them in your thank you note.
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Paula Margulies is a book publicity and promotions expert in San Diego, California. You can reach her at paula@paulamargulies.com, or visit her website at www.paulamargulies.com.

Writing the Ideal Heroine

By Christine Stewart

Pardon me while a get a bit gooey about writing for a moment. I've just returned from a trip to England where I went on a (sort of) Jane Austen pilgrimage. If you call visiting her writing desk at the British Library, her portrait at the National Portrait Gallery, her grave at Winchester Cathedral, the house where she died around the corner from the Cathedral, and her home at Chawton Cottage (that's it there) a pilgrimage. Okay, okay. Guilty.

I did also visit the Churchill War Rooms does that balance it out?

I'm still happy that I went and I encourage you to go on a pilgrimage to visit sites related to a writer you admire, or sites from a novel you love. It can be rather inspiring. I had a terrific novel idea while traveling and, though not related to Austen or the Regency period, I give her credit for the thought.

While I visited her house, I took a workshop called Writing the Ideal Heroine, which was taught by Rebecca Smith, a novelist, a former writer-in-residence at the Jane Austen House Museum (Chawton Cottage), and the great, great, great, great, great niece of Jane Austen. Pretty good credentials in my opinion.

There's another tip - if you can find a writing workshop wherever you're going, take it! How cool was it to sit in her garden doing writing exercises?

It's harder to write a sympathetic female lead character than a male one, I think. Sorry if that sounds like a double standard, but in my experience as a reader and writer, it's true. Most have certain expectations of female characters related to emotions, actions, desires. Whether you meet these expectations or subvert them and how you do so, will affect whether or not your readers (especially women, who often identify with the female character) like them or hate their guts and throw your book in the fire or out the window. Wait, that could be just me....

If you don't care if they like them, no need to read further! I'm a writer that believes in both likable and unlikable characters. I've written characters who were hard to like and I enjoy those characters too. But your reader must at least respect them and care about their conflict(s) and obstacles, enough to read through the entire book. If you make your character too unlikable and difficult, readers will toss your book aside.

We're talking about the likable ones here, so the best formula, I believe, is this: for every subversion, meet an expectation. For balance.

No one is perfect. We make exceptions for people we care for and they for us. Who am I kidding? We make exceptions for everyone, including coworkers for which we should receive an Oscar for our performance of a person who doesn't want to kill them. Again, maybe just me.

If your reader is introduced to a character they like, they are more willing to follow her, even when she does something stupid, mean, or inexplicable (the explanation will hopefully come by the end of the book). So start off with reasons to like them, then feel free to jerk that rug out from under the reader at your earliest convenience.

In the workshop, we talked about our favorite heroines (in books and films) and made a list of qualities they possessed. Here is the list - but remember that you only need to pick a handful of these! Whatever will make your heroine appealing.

-interesting backstory

-vulnerable

-a survivor

-solitary (even if in marriage, with kids, etc.)

-stands by convictions

-loyal

-mature (can be learned in the story)

-talented (in large or small way)/physically adept at something

-can hold her own in the world (can be learned in the story)

-makes mistakes but learns

-willing to fight/struggle/sacrifice

-feisty/witty

-gets involved/speaks up

-overturns stereotypes

-flawed

-doesn't need to be the center of attention

-determined

-can be headstrong

-must have capacity for change

-moves out of comfort zone

-has quirks (struggles with some - perhaps they make things worse?, proud of others - set her apart)

-examines emotions and actions (at some point), self-aware

-outsider

-inquisitive/curious

-unassuming

Here are some exercises we did that yielded pretty fabulous results from everyone. I'm a tough critic and I found something admirable in everything I heard, and there were many different styles and genres among the dozen of us there. I've tweaked the exercises a little because one or two I found rather bland.

I'll tell you why you should write them after you give them a try.

1) Introduce the character as we would first come upon/see her. If this is too broad and difficult, write about some aspect of your heroine's routine. How she starts or ends her day. How she arranges flowers, writes a letter, organizes her desk, (gosh these sound so soft and girly - okay, how she cleans and arranges her knives, in case she's a serial killer. Better?).

2) Write a scene where you draw out one of the above characteristics in your heroine via an argument with another character. One where she has to defend herself - for example, defend a belief, an action, a possession, a goal, a desire.

3) Write about your heroine's room or an object that is important to her. She can be straightening the room, packing or unpacking a suitcase before or after a trip, figuring out where to hide this object in her room from someone (make sure we know why), or better still - have another character be snooping in her room. The object and room should highlight one or two of the characteristics in the list.

4) One of the big ones in the list is 'must have the capacity for change.' Without it there's no story. Write a scene where a character has changed and learned something - the crisis/climactic moment or the moment of realization. A scene of self-examination.

I wrote quite a few fine scenes that really surprised me from these exercises. I learned a couple of things about my character that I hadn't known before.

I highly recommend doing separate writing exercises on your character, especially if you write in a linear fashion as I do. I write each scene one after the other. Writing scenes out of order is too chaotic for me. But it also means that, in the first draft, my main character can become rather suffocated. I don't see, and therefore dig into, her cracks as much as I could because we are both looking straight ahead. And the cracks are where it's at.

By looking at her from different angles via exercises, I look at her obliquely, and make inspiring discoveries that can make her fuller and richer in the book itself. It's called 'averted gaze' and it's how one looks at the stars in order to get a sense of their shape and see how brilliantly they shine.

If you're a Jane Austen fan and want to read more about my trip, I'm sorting through my pictures now (I took 1400 total. Too many?) and will be posting soon. Check out my blog at http://www.embarkingonacourseofstudy.com/.

Christine Stewart is program director for literary arts with the Maryland State Arts Council. She writes, teaches, and edits in Baltimore. Check out her Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/ChrisStewartTheRealWriter.