The creation of chapter headings, subheads and sub-subheads constitutes the first vital contribution to the writing up of your project. When you get this right, the strain is off and fulfilment begins to take over.
Get it wrong and you will struggle.
There is no easy way and no quick formula fixes; you must develop these essential 'bandings' until they meet with your ultimate satisfaction.
You will know instinctively when you've got them right, and when you do, your creativity will flow freely and the manuscript will take shape faster than you ever thought possible. It will take shape in your subconscious as you sleep, as you walk, as you travel to work, collect the kids from school or pick up the weekly shop.
Now you can start to think about writing your book.
Chapter headings
These are the major signposts to the delineation of the core elements in your teaching module. Make them vibrant and follow the rules on creating action to stimulate reader involvement.
Subheads
These are secondary directional tags that lead the reader into strands of vital information under each chapter heading. Keep up the action and interest in their formulation.
The 'hidden persuader' influence of sub-subheads
If you turn back for a moment to the contents list for this book you will observe that only the chapter headings and main subheads are featured. Now look at this list relating to Chapter 4 (extracted from the working notes) where the sub-subheads appear italicised in parenthesis for the purpose of illustration.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
Friday, June 30, 2006
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Niche Researching
An excellent method for conducting online niche research is to use the keyword suggestion tool provided by http://inventory.overture.com/d/searchinventory/suggestion/
At that page, enter a keyword relating to the potential niche feature you have in mind, and the tool will present you with the number of times that keyword was searched on via the network. It will also show the number of times related keywords were searched on.
This will give you an indication of what your possible niche bears for interest. If you find a decent amount of interest, say a few thousand or more combined monthly searches on keywords directly related to what you want to write about then you may be in a solid niche. Keep a file of the results of your keyword research.
Next, go to your favorite search engine and search on some of those same keywords. Keep a file of these results too. The information you uncover will be invaluable.
As you can readily appreciate, developing your concept requires some legwork and even after you have completed the research, you still have to write your book. But as with all good things, you get out of it only what you put in.
These online models for effective research can yield excellent results when done properly.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
At that page, enter a keyword relating to the potential niche feature you have in mind, and the tool will present you with the number of times that keyword was searched on via the network. It will also show the number of times related keywords were searched on.
This will give you an indication of what your possible niche bears for interest. If you find a decent amount of interest, say a few thousand or more combined monthly searches on keywords directly related to what you want to write about then you may be in a solid niche. Keep a file of the results of your keyword research.
Next, go to your favorite search engine and search on some of those same keywords. Keep a file of these results too. The information you uncover will be invaluable.
As you can readily appreciate, developing your concept requires some legwork and even after you have completed the research, you still have to write your book. But as with all good things, you get out of it only what you put in.
These online models for effective research can yield excellent results when done properly.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Why You Should Never Dispose of Your Research Material
Why should you never do that?
Quite simply because you never know when it might come in handy.
The questions to which you found answers for your first project will return again and again in different guises when you set about researching on new book concepts.
Never dispose of any research material; store it away for future reference.
You may have to do some updating but even so, the task won’t be nearly so difficult with a benchmark to start from.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
Quite simply because you never know when it might come in handy.
The questions to which you found answers for your first project will return again and again in different guises when you set about researching on new book concepts.
Never dispose of any research material; store it away for future reference.
You may have to do some updating but even so, the task won’t be nearly so difficult with a benchmark to start from.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
Monday, June 26, 2006
Contributing Articles to Magazines and Periodicals
Likewise you could be asked to contribute articles to general interest magazines and periodicals. If this should happen to you, grab the offer without delay. It's an excellent way of increasing awareness and adds to your reputation as an established author - and it pays well (up to $500 for 1000 words).
A few years back I was invited to contribute a five-page article to an in-flight magazine. The subject of the commission was 'setting up in business on your own' and it coincided with the release of the 2nd edition of my book Starting Your Own Business. Not only did the article attract direct sales; it also increased awareness of the title, which did no harm to world wide bookstore and online disposals.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
A few years back I was invited to contribute a five-page article to an in-flight magazine. The subject of the commission was 'setting up in business on your own' and it coincided with the release of the 2nd edition of my book Starting Your Own Business. Not only did the article attract direct sales; it also increased awareness of the title, which did no harm to world wide bookstore and online disposals.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
Sunday, June 25, 2006
Charting the Route Before You Research Your New Project
Let’s imagine you are intent on producing a resource manual notionally entitled How to Become an Expert on Light Bulbs (you wouldn’t, but let’s just hypothecate for illustration purposes). Make out a list of the pivotal aspects of the subject. It might pan out like this.
Light bulb sizes
Shapes
Power requirements
Manufacturers
Types of fitting
Novelty bulbs
Industrial bulbs
Lighting for sports stadia
Christmas lighting
Stage lighting
Street lighting
High intensity
Low intensity
…and so on
Now compare this listing with your list of what you know, what you don't know, and annotate each item on the list accordingly; tick for 'yes', cross for 'no'.
1. Connect to the Internet and open your browser - choose a search engine and type in ‘light bulbs’.
2. Start collecting links for everything you come across.
3. Divide the links into categories and sub-categories.
Finding out what you need to know online shouldn’t prove too difficult but you will cut down considerably on research time if you follow the directions outlined in the next section.
HOW TO CONDUCT INTENSIVE RESEARCH ONLINE
For best results the bulk of your research ought to be conducted online, but unless you know the shortcuts to effective cyberspace fact-finding, you could spend hours on end in fruitless searches. It's very easy to stray when you are using the search engines because loads of similar looking topics and dissertations abound on the Internet. But with your goals properly defined before you go out searching, you will be able to focus on exactly what it is you are setting out to uncover.
Comprehensive briefings are available in three authoritative reports you can read online or download for free.
How to Conduct Research on the Internet
http://www.tbchad.com/resrch.html
How to Conduct a Search Online
http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/dept/ivc/library/how1.htm
Internet Research - Finding Hard Data
http://www.bugsoft.com/research/index.html
Having absorbed the valuable information contained in these reports, I recommend you restrict your searching to http://www.google.com. Use the ‘advanced search’ facility and you’ll reduce your workload by several hours. For some of the items on the list where you thought you knew it all, you'll learn more; for those you marked with a cross, you will locate answers to further enhance your grasp on the topic.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
Light bulb sizes
Shapes
Power requirements
Manufacturers
Types of fitting
Novelty bulbs
Industrial bulbs
Lighting for sports stadia
Christmas lighting
Stage lighting
Street lighting
High intensity
Low intensity
…and so on
Now compare this listing with your list of what you know, what you don't know, and annotate each item on the list accordingly; tick for 'yes', cross for 'no'.
1. Connect to the Internet and open your browser - choose a search engine and type in ‘light bulbs’.
2. Start collecting links for everything you come across.
3. Divide the links into categories and sub-categories.
Finding out what you need to know online shouldn’t prove too difficult but you will cut down considerably on research time if you follow the directions outlined in the next section.
HOW TO CONDUCT INTENSIVE RESEARCH ONLINE
For best results the bulk of your research ought to be conducted online, but unless you know the shortcuts to effective cyberspace fact-finding, you could spend hours on end in fruitless searches. It's very easy to stray when you are using the search engines because loads of similar looking topics and dissertations abound on the Internet. But with your goals properly defined before you go out searching, you will be able to focus on exactly what it is you are setting out to uncover.
Comprehensive briefings are available in three authoritative reports you can read online or download for free.
How to Conduct Research on the Internet
http://www.tbchad.com/resrch.html
How to Conduct a Search Online
http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/dept/ivc/library/how1.htm
Internet Research - Finding Hard Data
http://www.bugsoft.com/research/index.html
Having absorbed the valuable information contained in these reports, I recommend you restrict your searching to http://www.google.com. Use the ‘advanced search’ facility and you’ll reduce your workload by several hours. For some of the items on the list where you thought you knew it all, you'll learn more; for those you marked with a cross, you will locate answers to further enhance your grasp on the topic.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
Saturday, June 24, 2006
How to Adopt Proven Formatting Techniques in Your Creative Writing Endevors
Taking the trouble to familiarize yourself with the various formatting techniques employed by the how-to publishing industry will also help enhance your chances of producing a bestselling title.
How the title commands immediate attention.
How the cover design varies from one publisher to another.
How the contents list is laid out.
How illustrations are employed to support the text where appropriate.
How, where and where bullet points are included to highlight key aspects.
How appendices are compiled to assist the reader.
How the preface sparks off initial curiosity.
How the back cover 'blurb' sells the book.
This is vital work because should you choose to approach a publisher with sample material devoid of appropriate formatting, your proposal is unlikely to be treated seriously.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
How the title commands immediate attention.
How the cover design varies from one publisher to another.
How the contents list is laid out.
How illustrations are employed to support the text where appropriate.
How, where and where bullet points are included to highlight key aspects.
How appendices are compiled to assist the reader.
How the preface sparks off initial curiosity.
How the back cover 'blurb' sells the book.
This is vital work because should you choose to approach a publisher with sample material devoid of appropriate formatting, your proposal is unlikely to be treated seriously.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
Friday, June 23, 2006
Implanting Essential Disciplines for Success in Part Time Creative Writing
As with any worthwhile enterprise there are certain disciplines you have to set in motion before you'll get the best out of your part time writing activities. There are just a few, they are painless to implant, and you will need them to see you safely through the starting gate.
DECIDING THE WORKSPACE
It can be spartan, it can be luxurious; the choice is yours. Try though to locate in a spot that's light and airy; a view to look out on is okay but avoid noisy distractions. We all live in a mind world but you will be spending a lot more time there than most people you know, so ensure that your surroundings are quiet and comfortable. That way you will be at ease with yourself and your creative output will prosper.
Treat the workspace as your den, a place of private solitude that you look forward to visiting for peace, inspiration and inner fulfilment.
ALLOCATING TIME TO WRITE
Some people find it conducive to confine their writing to the early morning when the brain is refreshed, alert and eager to start work; others set an allotted time during the day which they stick to regardless of demands on their attention, while a fortunate few (who only ever seem to write when the muse is upon them) find that as soon as the pen is uncapped or the word processor switched on, their creativity is automatically unleashed.
Whichever path you follow, try to write a little every day and never allow a week to pass without some progress; otherwise you may start to lose interest, or worse still, lose confidence in your ability to complete the project.
Individual circumstances also have a bearing on allocating time to write. If you are out working 9-5 on weekdays, then early morning and/or late evening may be your only options. If you are a homemaker, retired, or currently unemployed, you may be more relaxed about choosing times to write. In general terms though, the best advice anyone can give is to go with the flow and never try to force creativity. Write when you feel like writing don't write when you don't feel like it.
EVALUATING BASIC SKILLS
You already possess the rudiments of the skills required to become an income-generating part time writer. All you have to do now is to attend to those areas that may be in need of some spit and polish to bring them up to snuff. You know your own strengths and you know your limitations, so evaluate and take requisite action to reduce the incidence of the latter.
Vocabulary and grammar are essential areas you might want to start with because they reflect on one's ability to commit measured thought to paper authoritatively.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
DECIDING THE WORKSPACE
It can be spartan, it can be luxurious; the choice is yours. Try though to locate in a spot that's light and airy; a view to look out on is okay but avoid noisy distractions. We all live in a mind world but you will be spending a lot more time there than most people you know, so ensure that your surroundings are quiet and comfortable. That way you will be at ease with yourself and your creative output will prosper.
Treat the workspace as your den, a place of private solitude that you look forward to visiting for peace, inspiration and inner fulfilment.
ALLOCATING TIME TO WRITE
Some people find it conducive to confine their writing to the early morning when the brain is refreshed, alert and eager to start work; others set an allotted time during the day which they stick to regardless of demands on their attention, while a fortunate few (who only ever seem to write when the muse is upon them) find that as soon as the pen is uncapped or the word processor switched on, their creativity is automatically unleashed.
Whichever path you follow, try to write a little every day and never allow a week to pass without some progress; otherwise you may start to lose interest, or worse still, lose confidence in your ability to complete the project.
Individual circumstances also have a bearing on allocating time to write. If you are out working 9-5 on weekdays, then early morning and/or late evening may be your only options. If you are a homemaker, retired, or currently unemployed, you may be more relaxed about choosing times to write. In general terms though, the best advice anyone can give is to go with the flow and never try to force creativity. Write when you feel like writing don't write when you don't feel like it.
EVALUATING BASIC SKILLS
You already possess the rudiments of the skills required to become an income-generating part time writer. All you have to do now is to attend to those areas that may be in need of some spit and polish to bring them up to snuff. You know your own strengths and you know your limitations, so evaluate and take requisite action to reduce the incidence of the latter.
Vocabulary and grammar are essential areas you might want to start with because they reflect on one's ability to commit measured thought to paper authoritatively.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Why Enjoying Your Own Company Produces Superior Work
It's a fact. If it does not faze you to be totally on your own for an hour or two every day you will discover that indulging in introspection and cultivating innate intuition comes easy. As a result, your output will rapidly increase and improve in quality.
This is not to imply that gregarious people don't make good writers. They do, providing there is no necessity for a backdrop of din and chatter while they work.
CONSIDERING YOUR WRITING AS A PART TIME BUSINESS
It is a sound practice to take your writing activities so seriously that you treat them as you would any other part time home business. In other words, work to strict disciplines and hold yourself accountable for all that you do.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
This is not to imply that gregarious people don't make good writers. They do, providing there is no necessity for a backdrop of din and chatter while they work.
CONSIDERING YOUR WRITING AS A PART TIME BUSINESS
It is a sound practice to take your writing activities so seriously that you treat them as you would any other part time home business. In other words, work to strict disciplines and hold yourself accountable for all that you do.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Where to Find 1000s of Publishers Online
To make your researching ultra simple, there is a secret vertical portal (or vortal) where you can access thousands of publishers and their respective web sites.
You click on a subject hyperlink, then on to a publisher hyperlink where you can read a resume of the categories in which they specialize. When you come across something that matches your topic, click on another link to go straight to the web site. Couldn't be simpler. If you are really keen, you can access tens of thousands of similar web sites spanning over 200 countries.
What you will be looking for are web pages devoted to authoring, hyperlinks that announce 'authors', 'getting published' or even 'about us'. Copy to file, or print out everything you come across and study the material carefully.
However, try as you may elsewhere, you will only find this unique online resource in the home study tutorial available for download at this website...
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
You click on a subject hyperlink, then on to a publisher hyperlink where you can read a resume of the categories in which they specialize. When you come across something that matches your topic, click on another link to go straight to the web site. Couldn't be simpler. If you are really keen, you can access tens of thousands of similar web sites spanning over 200 countries.
What you will be looking for are web pages devoted to authoring, hyperlinks that announce 'authors', 'getting published' or even 'about us'. Copy to file, or print out everything you come across and study the material carefully.
However, try as you may elsewhere, you will only find this unique online resource in the home study tutorial available for download at this website...
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
What You Will Gain Through Consistent Application to Your Creative Writing
People who make a practice of writing about what they know quickly discover that they know a lot more than they ever imagined about matters they thought they knew little or nothing.
Consistent application draws on all three levels of the mind and opens up the labyrinth of the subconscious, providing a steady stream of factual information and hitherto untapped ideas.
You will experience the magic of this phenomenon for yourself if you decide to take the plunge and embark on your first assignment as a niche non-fiction writer.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
Consistent application draws on all three levels of the mind and opens up the labyrinth of the subconscious, providing a steady stream of factual information and hitherto untapped ideas.
You will experience the magic of this phenomenon for yourself if you decide to take the plunge and embark on your first assignment as a niche non-fiction writer.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
Monday, June 19, 2006
What Attracts People to Works of Non-Fiction?
Autobiographies and biographies of celebrities are always in demand because they arouse the curiosity factor and particularly so when the material evokes an expectation of salacity.
The curiosity factor is equally evident in readers of how-to books, guides and manuals, but directed by a more responsible motive: the thirst for information on how to do something, do it better and excel at it. And so the chosen topic must be capable of fulfilling these wholesome expectations by ensuring that readers will become better informed on the subject matter for which you and they share a common interest.
Your personal expertise must be equal to the task you set yourself because otherwise, no matter how cleverly conceived or creatively scripted, your work will never be published. Commissioning editors can spot a fake a mile away. While they may not be expert on your subject, they will very quickly ascertain whether or not you are.
PASSIVE V ACTIVE PARTICIPATION
Levels of reader participation tend to vary between different genres and the differential with regard to commitment invariably favors non-fiction.
People read fiction to be entertained
(Passive participation: in one ear and out the other)
People read non-fiction to…
1. Become better informed
2. Learn new skills
3. Hone existing talents
(Active participation: invoking the faculties of reasoning and memory retention)
Much popular fiction is in style for just a while but superior niche non-fiction can be around forever, earning the estates of its originators drip feed residuals in perpetuity. For example How to Win Friends and Influence People by Norman Vincent Peale was first published in the mid-1930s, sold millions of copies worldwide, and is still re-issued from time to time. This famous book has been through several publishing houses but it has only one originator.
Whenever people pick up a how-to book they are demonstrating willingness to engage in active participation. They know they are in for some work and you should in there pitching with them, providing an interesting topic and knowledgeable text in an easy-to-read format that transforms a chore into a pleasure.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
The curiosity factor is equally evident in readers of how-to books, guides and manuals, but directed by a more responsible motive: the thirst for information on how to do something, do it better and excel at it. And so the chosen topic must be capable of fulfilling these wholesome expectations by ensuring that readers will become better informed on the subject matter for which you and they share a common interest.
Your personal expertise must be equal to the task you set yourself because otherwise, no matter how cleverly conceived or creatively scripted, your work will never be published. Commissioning editors can spot a fake a mile away. While they may not be expert on your subject, they will very quickly ascertain whether or not you are.
PASSIVE V ACTIVE PARTICIPATION
Levels of reader participation tend to vary between different genres and the differential with regard to commitment invariably favors non-fiction.
People read fiction to be entertained
(Passive participation: in one ear and out the other)
People read non-fiction to…
1. Become better informed
2. Learn new skills
3. Hone existing talents
(Active participation: invoking the faculties of reasoning and memory retention)
Much popular fiction is in style for just a while but superior niche non-fiction can be around forever, earning the estates of its originators drip feed residuals in perpetuity. For example How to Win Friends and Influence People by Norman Vincent Peale was first published in the mid-1930s, sold millions of copies worldwide, and is still re-issued from time to time. This famous book has been through several publishing houses but it has only one originator.
Whenever people pick up a how-to book they are demonstrating willingness to engage in active participation. They know they are in for some work and you should in there pitching with them, providing an interesting topic and knowledgeable text in an easy-to-read format that transforms a chore into a pleasure.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
Sunday, June 18, 2006
Dipping your toe into the waters of essential research
While you are in the process of conducting the required tests on your chosen topic, there in no better way of dipping your toe into the waters of essential research than to survey the produce of fellow writers in the how-to genre.
This will give you an initial feel for:
The various categories covered by published authors.
The miscellaneous topics occurring in each category.
Comparison of writing styles.
Which titles have progressed to a second edition.
How many and which have been successful in attaining multiple editions.
The impact of all of this on the prospects for your chosen topic.
How to undertake your survey
Start by sending off for a copy of the current catalogue of each of the mainstream publishers specialising in the how-to market (see Chapter 10 for a simple access route). Spend some time studying these promotional pieces so that you become acquainted with the genre from the viewpoint of:
1. The publishers
2. The authors
3. The booksellers
4. The book buyers
Zero in on those categories that are even remotely connected to your area of special interest and endeavour to gauge their impact on the market. How many titles have reached the second edition stage? Are any on their 3rd, 4th, 5th or even 6th edition? If you can spot a few results, the omens are looking good. And while to have your category represented would be advantageous, it might prove equally advantageous if it is not. It could just be that no author has yet come up with a proposal on an acceptable approach.
Should you be successful in so doing you may well persuade a publisher to introduce a new category to match your chosen topic.
Next item on the agenda
Purchase one or two titles (or borrow them from your local lending library) and read the books through from cover to cover, noting style, content, execution, and the appeal of front and back covers.
This exercise will serve you well before you start writing your own book.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
This will give you an initial feel for:
The various categories covered by published authors.
The miscellaneous topics occurring in each category.
Comparison of writing styles.
Which titles have progressed to a second edition.
How many and which have been successful in attaining multiple editions.
The impact of all of this on the prospects for your chosen topic.
How to undertake your survey
Start by sending off for a copy of the current catalogue of each of the mainstream publishers specialising in the how-to market (see Chapter 10 for a simple access route). Spend some time studying these promotional pieces so that you become acquainted with the genre from the viewpoint of:
1. The publishers
2. The authors
3. The booksellers
4. The book buyers
Zero in on those categories that are even remotely connected to your area of special interest and endeavour to gauge their impact on the market. How many titles have reached the second edition stage? Are any on their 3rd, 4th, 5th or even 6th edition? If you can spot a few results, the omens are looking good. And while to have your category represented would be advantageous, it might prove equally advantageous if it is not. It could just be that no author has yet come up with a proposal on an acceptable approach.
Should you be successful in so doing you may well persuade a publisher to introduce a new category to match your chosen topic.
Next item on the agenda
Purchase one or two titles (or borrow them from your local lending library) and read the books through from cover to cover, noting style, content, execution, and the appeal of front and back covers.
This exercise will serve you well before you start writing your own book.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
Saturday, June 17, 2006
What to Do When You're Stuck for Your Next Writing Project
The renowned self-help author Vernon Howard only ever wrote on one subject: mind control. His first work Physco-Pictography was published at the outset of the 1965 and from that one book he contrived to produce another thirty.
How did he manage to do that?
The original work was so fulsome and all embracing that he was able to extrapolate twenty-nine powerful individual principles, which over the next twenty years he expanded into full-blown stand-alone volumes.
All of his books incidentally were bestsellers in their time except the original, which was rejected several times before being released on a small print run. This same original edition is now sold on private subscription for £100 per copy.
How's that for niche marketing?
Where Vernon Howard looked for his next project you ought also to look after publication or rejection of your first project. It won't contain as many stand-alone ideas but it might contain one, two, or maybe more.
In my own small way and from my bestseller Starting an Internet Business Home (published in 2001 by Kogan Page) I have successfully produced two more published works on the same subject together with three online instruction courses.
Unlike Vernon though, I've also had several other ideas from the book turned down flat.
Do as Vernon Howard did and see if you can identify more gems buried deep in the wisdom of your initial project.
Good luck…and may the wind be always at your back in all of your creative endeavors.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
How did he manage to do that?
The original work was so fulsome and all embracing that he was able to extrapolate twenty-nine powerful individual principles, which over the next twenty years he expanded into full-blown stand-alone volumes.
All of his books incidentally were bestsellers in their time except the original, which was rejected several times before being released on a small print run. This same original edition is now sold on private subscription for £100 per copy.
How's that for niche marketing?
Where Vernon Howard looked for his next project you ought also to look after publication or rejection of your first project. It won't contain as many stand-alone ideas but it might contain one, two, or maybe more.
In my own small way and from my bestseller Starting an Internet Business Home (published in 2001 by Kogan Page) I have successfully produced two more published works on the same subject together with three online instruction courses.
Unlike Vernon though, I've also had several other ideas from the book turned down flat.
Do as Vernon Howard did and see if you can identify more gems buried deep in the wisdom of your initial project.
Good luck…and may the wind be always at your back in all of your creative endeavors.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
Friday, June 16, 2006
How to Grade Online Publishing Options
There are good and bad guys operating in online publishing. Take care by exercising due diligence before you decide, lest you hand over your precious manuscript to a charlatan.
When reviewing options for online download
Deal only with operations where…
Business is conducted through a professionally created, multi-faceted web site.
There is a FAQ (frequently asked questions) section on the site
Testimonials are provided
Examples of current produce are available for inspection
You are not tied to a long term contract
The service is free of charge
When reviewing options for print-on-demand/online purchase
All of the above (save the last) but including…
Production times quoted are guaranteed
There are no hidden extras
You consider the package to be value for money
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
When reviewing options for online download
Deal only with operations where…
Business is conducted through a professionally created, multi-faceted web site.
There is a FAQ (frequently asked questions) section on the site
Testimonials are provided
Examples of current produce are available for inspection
You are not tied to a long term contract
The service is free of charge
When reviewing options for print-on-demand/online purchase
All of the above (save the last) but including…
Production times quoted are guaranteed
There are no hidden extras
You consider the package to be value for money
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Marketing Your Creative Writing Output as Electronic Books
Market your produce as an ebook - or even a series of ebooks if the topic can be broken down into meaningful stand-alone dissertations.
Creating your own ebooks is easier than you think
It couldn’t simpler. Just select a compiler, read the instructions, hit the first button – and you’re on your way to becoming an instant electronic publisher.
Choosing the software
I recommend that you examine the individual features of several compiler options before you decide to buy (prices range from $20) or even download on a free trial basis. You can accomplish this by visiting the undernoted web sites. Read the FAQ on each site and compare the differentials between alternative compiler software options.
http://www.e-editor.com/
http://www.ebookcompiler.com/
http://www.webcompiler.com/
http://www.ebookcreator.com/
http://www.bersoft.com/
http://www.e-editorial.com/
http://www.neosoftware.com/
Organisation is the key
Many would-be cyberspace publishers topple at the first hurdle because of disorganized file formatting. Follow the instructions provided with the compiler of your choice and you won’t fall into that category; your formatting will be pristine and your e-produce ultra professional in execution.
Test before you start
Before starting on the manufacturing process, you may if you wish test out the compiler and the best way to do this is to feed in a few pages and then compile them. Testing the system will give you an appreciation of how easily and quickly the pages go through.
Working with cover templates
Your ebook will need a front cover for promotional purposes and (unless you are an experienced graphic artist) it could prove problematic if you attempt to create one by yourself. Happily, there is no requirement because here is a source that will provide you with a selection of free quality templates for your front cover. http://www.ebookcovermakers.com
You will find all you need to know about creating electronic books at this website...
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
Creating your own ebooks is easier than you think
It couldn’t simpler. Just select a compiler, read the instructions, hit the first button – and you’re on your way to becoming an instant electronic publisher.
Choosing the software
I recommend that you examine the individual features of several compiler options before you decide to buy (prices range from $20) or even download on a free trial basis. You can accomplish this by visiting the undernoted web sites. Read the FAQ on each site and compare the differentials between alternative compiler software options.
http://www.e-editor.com/
http://www.ebookcompiler.com/
http://www.webcompiler.com/
http://www.ebookcreator.com/
http://www.bersoft.com/
http://www.e-editorial.com/
http://www.neosoftware.com/
Organisation is the key
Many would-be cyberspace publishers topple at the first hurdle because of disorganized file formatting. Follow the instructions provided with the compiler of your choice and you won’t fall into that category; your formatting will be pristine and your e-produce ultra professional in execution.
Test before you start
Before starting on the manufacturing process, you may if you wish test out the compiler and the best way to do this is to feed in a few pages and then compile them. Testing the system will give you an appreciation of how easily and quickly the pages go through.
Working with cover templates
Your ebook will need a front cover for promotional purposes and (unless you are an experienced graphic artist) it could prove problematic if you attempt to create one by yourself. Happily, there is no requirement because here is a source that will provide you with a selection of free quality templates for your front cover. http://www.ebookcovermakers.com
You will find all you need to know about creating electronic books at this website...
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
How to Establish Your Propensity for Becoming a Successful Creative Writer
Ask yourself these questions and spend a few minutes in quiet reflection before you provide the answers.
Do you like to read, be it fiction or non-fiction?
Do you enjoy writing letters, reports, or whatever?
Do you have a better than average vocabulary?
Do you strive at every opportunity to enhance your personal word power?
Do you persist with crosswords until you've solved all the clues?
Do you have an enquiring mind?
Do you have special interests?
Do you have expertise in any particular subject(s)?
Would you undertake research to confirm and expand on what you think you know?
Would you be prepared to share this knowledge with others?
Would you be willing to make time to write about it for pleasure and profit?
Are you comfortable about committing your private thoughts to paper?
Are you self-disciplined?
Are you relaxed about working on your own?
If you can genuinely answer 'yes' to all of these questions, you already have the nucleus of a powerful propensity for creating niche non-fiction in the shape of self-help and how-to guides. The chapters that follow will provide you with the attributes for professional execution.
If on the other hand you answered 'yes' to most and 'no' to a few, then work on those negative areas.
If you answered 'no' to Question 8, then think again and dig deeply this time. Most people have expert knowledge on something or other. It could be a job, a hobby, or any of a thousand disparate topics. And should you consider that what you know would be of little value to anyone else, you would be wrong. Many people share a passion for your particular area of interest and are anxious to become even better informed.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
Do you like to read, be it fiction or non-fiction?
Do you enjoy writing letters, reports, or whatever?
Do you have a better than average vocabulary?
Do you strive at every opportunity to enhance your personal word power?
Do you persist with crosswords until you've solved all the clues?
Do you have an enquiring mind?
Do you have special interests?
Do you have expertise in any particular subject(s)?
Would you undertake research to confirm and expand on what you think you know?
Would you be prepared to share this knowledge with others?
Would you be willing to make time to write about it for pleasure and profit?
Are you comfortable about committing your private thoughts to paper?
Are you self-disciplined?
Are you relaxed about working on your own?
If you can genuinely answer 'yes' to all of these questions, you already have the nucleus of a powerful propensity for creating niche non-fiction in the shape of self-help and how-to guides. The chapters that follow will provide you with the attributes for professional execution.
If on the other hand you answered 'yes' to most and 'no' to a few, then work on those negative areas.
If you answered 'no' to Question 8, then think again and dig deeply this time. Most people have expert knowledge on something or other. It could be a job, a hobby, or any of a thousand disparate topics. And should you consider that what you know would be of little value to anyone else, you would be wrong. Many people share a passion for your particular area of interest and are anxious to become even better informed.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Attracting Additional Streams of Incremental Income from Your Writing Output
Apart from the direct income accrued from book sales and library loans, you will now be in a position to attract additional streams of indirect incremental income - and into the bargain, increase your visibility as a published author. Examples include:
Public speaking
Writing articles
Book reviewing
PUTTING YOURSELF AROUND AS A PLATFORM SPEAKER
New published works often pull in offers to engage in public speaking assignments linked to the topic. The majority of these will command a fee together with the opportunity to set up a stall and sell copies of your book to attendees. But even if no fee is involved you can still put yourself around and sell a few copies. Exhibitions and conferences are good sources for this type of opportunity.
CONTRIBUTING ARTICLES TO MAGAZINES AND PERIODICALS
Likewise you could be asked to contribute articles to general interest magazines and periodicals. If this should happen to you, grab the offer without delay. It's an excellent way of increasing awareness and adds to your reputation as an established author - and it pays well (up to $500 for 1000 words).
A few years back I was invited to contribute a five-page article to an in-flight magazine. The subject of the commission was 'setting up in business on your own' and it coincided with the release of the 2nd edition of my book Starting Your Own Business. Not only did the article attract direct sales; it also increased awareness of the title, which did no harm to world wide bookstore and online disposals.
ATTRACTING ASSIGNMENTS AS A BOOK REVIEWER
The majority of book reviewers nowadays are authors in their own right and in time you might well be asked to become one yourself (as I was). You will receive a token fee, a credit, and a reference to your own title. All of this is grist to the mill.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
Public speaking
Writing articles
Book reviewing
PUTTING YOURSELF AROUND AS A PLATFORM SPEAKER
New published works often pull in offers to engage in public speaking assignments linked to the topic. The majority of these will command a fee together with the opportunity to set up a stall and sell copies of your book to attendees. But even if no fee is involved you can still put yourself around and sell a few copies. Exhibitions and conferences are good sources for this type of opportunity.
CONTRIBUTING ARTICLES TO MAGAZINES AND PERIODICALS
Likewise you could be asked to contribute articles to general interest magazines and periodicals. If this should happen to you, grab the offer without delay. It's an excellent way of increasing awareness and adds to your reputation as an established author - and it pays well (up to $500 for 1000 words).
A few years back I was invited to contribute a five-page article to an in-flight magazine. The subject of the commission was 'setting up in business on your own' and it coincided with the release of the 2nd edition of my book Starting Your Own Business. Not only did the article attract direct sales; it also increased awareness of the title, which did no harm to world wide bookstore and online disposals.
ATTRACTING ASSIGNMENTS AS A BOOK REVIEWER
The majority of book reviewers nowadays are authors in their own right and in time you might well be asked to become one yourself (as I was). You will receive a token fee, a credit, and a reference to your own title. All of this is grist to the mill.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
Monday, June 12, 2006
Why Not to be Dismayed if Your Book Topic is Already Indexed
What if your topic is already listed and not just once but twice or even three times?
What if some of these titles have already knocked up multiple editions?
Rejoice...
There is documented evidence of consumer demand for your topic. Self-help publishers are always on the lookout for acceptable alternatives to top selling products.
It's a case of market forces and the in-house competition factor coming into play; like several leading brands of detergent powder emanating from the same manufacturing source.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
What if some of these titles have already knocked up multiple editions?
Rejoice...
There is documented evidence of consumer demand for your topic. Self-help publishers are always on the lookout for acceptable alternatives to top selling products.
It's a case of market forces and the in-house competition factor coming into play; like several leading brands of detergent powder emanating from the same manufacturing source.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
Sunday, June 11, 2006
What Attracts People to Works of Non-Fiction?
Autobiographies and biographies of celebrities are always in demand because they arouse the curiosity factor and particularly so when the material evokes an expectation of salacity.
The curiosity factor is equally evident in readers of how-to books, guides and manuals, but directed by a more responsible motive: the thirst for information on how to do something, do it better and excel at it. And so the chosen topic must be capable of fulfilling these wholesome expectations by ensuring that readers will become better informed on the subject matter for which you and they share a common interest.
Your personal expertise must be equal to the task you set yourself because otherwise, no matter how cleverly conceived or creatively scripted, your work will never be published. Commissioning editors can spot a fake a mile away. While they may not be expert on your subject, they will very quickly ascertain whether or not you are.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
The curiosity factor is equally evident in readers of how-to books, guides and manuals, but directed by a more responsible motive: the thirst for information on how to do something, do it better and excel at it. And so the chosen topic must be capable of fulfilling these wholesome expectations by ensuring that readers will become better informed on the subject matter for which you and they share a common interest.
Your personal expertise must be equal to the task you set yourself because otherwise, no matter how cleverly conceived or creatively scripted, your work will never be published. Commissioning editors can spot a fake a mile away. While they may not be expert on your subject, they will very quickly ascertain whether or not you are.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
Saturday, June 10, 2006
Write At Least 1000 Words Every Day For A Week
Now why would anyone want to do that: write 1000 words every day for a week?
Well you wouldn't if you are an established writer; you are already pumping out much more than that on an average day.
But you might want to give it a try if you are just starting out or if you have been writing for a while and are still struggling to break through.
Not just any old 1000 words though because that would be pointless; 1000 words tagged to the premise that presupposes you have identified a topic, you have researched the topic; you know your topic inside out - be it in the realms of fiction or non-fiction.
When you stick at it and knock out 1000 words every day for seven days you will discover in Week 2 that 2000 words a day is feasible, then 3000, 4000, 5000, 6000; whatever.
And as the weeks roll by not only will your output improve but so too will the quality of your writing.
But here is the real cruncher...
In tandem with your ever-increasing output will be a commensurate decrease in information overload, freeing your subconscious to work on new ideas, new concepts, new projects - and soon the fruits of its creativity will come flying at you in all directions.
So here in essence is what you get when you make up your mind to write 1000 words every day for a week:
1. Your output will automatically increase in the weeks to follow;
2. The quality of your writing will improve dramatically;
3. Information overload will decrease and make way for a fusion of new creativity.
This is the formula I used at the outset of my own writing career and currently I churn out around 10,000 words every day of which only 1000 might be directly related to a specific book project; the majority of my productivity being dispersed between articles, press releases, web copy and the like.
But it’s all grist to the mill; the mill, the catalyst, the engine room that creates the harvest; your overall creative output.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
Well you wouldn't if you are an established writer; you are already pumping out much more than that on an average day.
But you might want to give it a try if you are just starting out or if you have been writing for a while and are still struggling to break through.
Not just any old 1000 words though because that would be pointless; 1000 words tagged to the premise that presupposes you have identified a topic, you have researched the topic; you know your topic inside out - be it in the realms of fiction or non-fiction.
When you stick at it and knock out 1000 words every day for seven days you will discover in Week 2 that 2000 words a day is feasible, then 3000, 4000, 5000, 6000; whatever.
And as the weeks roll by not only will your output improve but so too will the quality of your writing.
But here is the real cruncher...
In tandem with your ever-increasing output will be a commensurate decrease in information overload, freeing your subconscious to work on new ideas, new concepts, new projects - and soon the fruits of its creativity will come flying at you in all directions.
So here in essence is what you get when you make up your mind to write 1000 words every day for a week:
1. Your output will automatically increase in the weeks to follow;
2. The quality of your writing will improve dramatically;
3. Information overload will decrease and make way for a fusion of new creativity.
This is the formula I used at the outset of my own writing career and currently I churn out around 10,000 words every day of which only 1000 might be directly related to a specific book project; the majority of my productivity being dispersed between articles, press releases, web copy and the like.
But it’s all grist to the mill; the mill, the catalyst, the engine room that creates the harvest; your overall creative output.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
Friday, June 09, 2006
Confirming Validity and Expanding on Your Information
This is where you start your research...
Most of what you need you will find online at home or in the free-to-use 'active learning' centres provided by your local library where you can double up by accessing appropriate hard copy references manuals.
TESTING THE POTENTIAL FOR LONGEVITY IN YOUR CHOSEN TOPIC
Testing out the potential for life beyond a single edition is something you can do for yourself quite easily by carrying out this simple test which is only to found in my exclusive home study course...
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
Most of what you need you will find online at home or in the free-to-use 'active learning' centres provided by your local library where you can double up by accessing appropriate hard copy references manuals.
TESTING THE POTENTIAL FOR LONGEVITY IN YOUR CHOSEN TOPIC
Testing out the potential for life beyond a single edition is something you can do for yourself quite easily by carrying out this simple test which is only to found in my exclusive home study course...
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Establish the Depth of Your Knowledge Before You Attempt to Write a Book
Never take for granted that you already know enough about your special subject to fill a book. No one is that clever. Spend some time testing out the depth of your knowledge by making lists of what you know and what you don't know. Take particular note of those areas that require substantiation or where you are lacking corroborative detail.
CONFIRMING ITS VALIDITY
AND EXPANDING ON THE INFORMATION
This is where you start your research and it is so important that the whole of the next chapter is devoted to the subject. Most of what you need you will find online at home or in the free-to-use 'active learning' centres provided by your local library where you can double up by accessing appropriate hard copy references manuals.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
CONFIRMING ITS VALIDITY
AND EXPANDING ON THE INFORMATION
This is where you start your research and it is so important that the whole of the next chapter is devoted to the subject. Most of what you need you will find online at home or in the free-to-use 'active learning' centres provided by your local library where you can double up by accessing appropriate hard copy references manuals.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
How to Earn Money in Retirement and Beat the Pension Crisis
The call to earn money in retirement is fast becoming a necessity and this is so because when you retire from the workplace you continue forevermore to face the prospect of escalating living expenses: food, shelter; clothing, power supply, insurances, communications, income tax, etc, with less left over than you had at your disposal before for enjoying the minor luxuries of life.
For the majority of seniors the prospect is doubly daunting as a direct result of vastly reduced incomings due to the world wide pension crisis and so the need to earn money in retirement becomes imperative.
What do you do when there is too much month left at the end of your pension - do you bite the bullet and settle for cutbacks in the quality of life?
Not inevitably so because with tried and tested guidance you can stretch your abilities to make some extra cash in retirement and for some this is not so much an option as a necessity.
How do you visualize life in retirement?
You have reached or are approaching your 60th/65th year and are eligible for retirement. Or maybe you’re only 50 and opted out early.
o Do you punch the air with a tightly clenched fist now that you have finally escaped from the workplace?
o Or do you ask yourself, ‘What do I do now?’
For many retirees, lounging around the house or lying in the sun in a deck chair is not a prerequisite for third age enjoyment and fulfilment.
While the world is undoubtedly aging and the number of elderly people is increasing, the current crop of senior citizens is in better health and lead longer, more active lives than their parents did.
o They want action, not eternal relaxation;
o Excitement, not enforced leisure;
o Accomplishment, not resignation.
Conventional retirement is just too dreary, and many remain emotionally unprepared to throw the working life concept entirely to the wind. Some could also make good use of opportunities to increase basic income.
So, in lieu of conventional retirement, a significant number of third age people are turning to entrepreneurship as an alternative.
With valuable commercial skills acquired through years of practical experience, many of these retirees give serious consideration to launching their own businesses. They believe they still have what it takes and are highly motivated to succeed on their own.
Is it hard to earn money in retirement?
o Is it so restrictive that only a small number can succeed?
o Is it so demanding that only able-bodied retirees can make a go of it?
o Is it so difficult that only the super-intelligent stand a chance?
No – anyone can do it. If, for example, you are disabled or handicapped to some degree and would find it impossible to engage in a physical money-making activity you can still participate in ‘online’ enterprise - for which alternative route you will find many options.
So who is Jim Green and why should you read what he has to say about how to earn money in retirement?
Jim Green is 75 years young and as active in business as he was 50 years ago. He is also a bestselling author with 24 titles to his credit including "Your Retirement Masterplan" and "Earn Money in Retirement"
http://earn-money-in-retirement.com
For the majority of seniors the prospect is doubly daunting as a direct result of vastly reduced incomings due to the world wide pension crisis and so the need to earn money in retirement becomes imperative.
What do you do when there is too much month left at the end of your pension - do you bite the bullet and settle for cutbacks in the quality of life?
Not inevitably so because with tried and tested guidance you can stretch your abilities to make some extra cash in retirement and for some this is not so much an option as a necessity.
How do you visualize life in retirement?
You have reached or are approaching your 60th/65th year and are eligible for retirement. Or maybe you’re only 50 and opted out early.
o Do you punch the air with a tightly clenched fist now that you have finally escaped from the workplace?
o Or do you ask yourself, ‘What do I do now?’
For many retirees, lounging around the house or lying in the sun in a deck chair is not a prerequisite for third age enjoyment and fulfilment.
While the world is undoubtedly aging and the number of elderly people is increasing, the current crop of senior citizens is in better health and lead longer, more active lives than their parents did.
o They want action, not eternal relaxation;
o Excitement, not enforced leisure;
o Accomplishment, not resignation.
Conventional retirement is just too dreary, and many remain emotionally unprepared to throw the working life concept entirely to the wind. Some could also make good use of opportunities to increase basic income.
So, in lieu of conventional retirement, a significant number of third age people are turning to entrepreneurship as an alternative.
With valuable commercial skills acquired through years of practical experience, many of these retirees give serious consideration to launching their own businesses. They believe they still have what it takes and are highly motivated to succeed on their own.
Is it hard to earn money in retirement?
o Is it so restrictive that only a small number can succeed?
o Is it so demanding that only able-bodied retirees can make a go of it?
o Is it so difficult that only the super-intelligent stand a chance?
No – anyone can do it. If, for example, you are disabled or handicapped to some degree and would find it impossible to engage in a physical money-making activity you can still participate in ‘online’ enterprise - for which alternative route you will find many options.
So who is Jim Green and why should you read what he has to say about how to earn money in retirement?
Jim Green is 75 years young and as active in business as he was 50 years ago. He is also a bestselling author with 24 titles to his credit including "Your Retirement Masterplan" and "Earn Money in Retirement"
http://earn-money-in-retirement.com
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
Developing Your Own Slant on a Prescribed Topic
The ability to develop your own particular slant on a given topic also contributes to bestselling potential. Everyone has their own way of looking at things, describing how they work and what makes them tick.
When Napoleon Hill and Clement Stone got together to produce the famous self-help book Think and Grow Rich, they took the timeless and much worked concept of mind over matter and subjected it to the twist of two disparate viewpoints blending together to yield a rich harvest. Interestingly, although both names appear on the cover, there was only one author, Napoleon Hill, the architect of the slant that transformed their work into a bestselling book spanning eight decades in worldwide bookstores.
If you can find an unusual angle, a different approach or a hitherto unworked technique for your topic, you are on the way to developing the unique proclivity that will set your work apart from similar tomes.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
When Napoleon Hill and Clement Stone got together to produce the famous self-help book Think and Grow Rich, they took the timeless and much worked concept of mind over matter and subjected it to the twist of two disparate viewpoints blending together to yield a rich harvest. Interestingly, although both names appear on the cover, there was only one author, Napoleon Hill, the architect of the slant that transformed their work into a bestselling book spanning eight decades in worldwide bookstores.
If you can find an unusual angle, a different approach or a hitherto unworked technique for your topic, you are on the way to developing the unique proclivity that will set your work apart from similar tomes.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
Monday, June 05, 2006
Selling Your Writing Through Online Outlets
The internet has emerged as a significant (albeit virtual) channel of distribution for the sale of books.
All the major players are represented.
In tandem with dominant retailers such as Amazon, BOL, Barnes & Noble, every mainstream publisher has its own multi-function website.
All this is good news for writers because not only does the internet provide a powerful marketing tool for the publishing industry as a whole, it also presents authors with a unique opportunity to participate in the sale of their own produce.
In the previous post we discussed how you could use the internet to assist promotion of your book after publication - but there are options available to you to become involved even while you are still actively seeking to procure a contract with a traditional publishing house.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
All the major players are represented.
In tandem with dominant retailers such as Amazon, BOL, Barnes & Noble, every mainstream publisher has its own multi-function website.
All this is good news for writers because not only does the internet provide a powerful marketing tool for the publishing industry as a whole, it also presents authors with a unique opportunity to participate in the sale of their own produce.
In the previous post we discussed how you could use the internet to assist promotion of your book after publication - but there are options available to you to become involved even while you are still actively seeking to procure a contract with a traditional publishing house.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
Sunday, June 04, 2006
Setting up your own dedicated website to promote your writing output
Until the incidence and rapid growth of the Internet, authors found it virtually impossible to create let alone maintain contact with their readers. Now they are able to do this easily and automatically. In my own writing activities (and in common with an ever-increasing number of authors) I operate several multi-page information web sites where I provide my readers with a variety of channels for news and contact:
Home Page - with the focus on my latest work
Bibliography - listing all published titles
Services - information on my availability for lecturing, book reviewing, etc.
Guest Page - where readers can log in and record comments
Contact - providing my personal email address
Ezine - where they can subscribe to my free newsletter
But you can do more than communicate with your readers with a dedicated web site; you can assist the publisher with the marketing of your book - and you can do this in various ways. Your contribution to the overall plan in the highly competitive industry of book publishing will be small but nonetheless valuable.
WHY YOU SHOULD DO THIS FOLLOWING PUBLICATION
The sooner you set up a site, the sooner you will start a dialogue flowing with readers and potential readers; the sooner you will start contributing to the promotional thrust; and all the sooner you will start selling the odd copy or two yourself.
How do you do that? Easy - follow this simple 4-point plan.
1. Buy direct from the publisher's distributor at trade discounts of up 35%.
2. Gear up to accept payments by credit card from anywhere in the world. You can do this for free at http://www.clickbank.com
3. Place an order button on your home page.
4. Sell at the cover price and pocket the difference.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
Home Page - with the focus on my latest work
Bibliography - listing all published titles
Services - information on my availability for lecturing, book reviewing, etc.
Guest Page - where readers can log in and record comments
Contact - providing my personal email address
Ezine - where they can subscribe to my free newsletter
But you can do more than communicate with your readers with a dedicated web site; you can assist the publisher with the marketing of your book - and you can do this in various ways. Your contribution to the overall plan in the highly competitive industry of book publishing will be small but nonetheless valuable.
WHY YOU SHOULD DO THIS FOLLOWING PUBLICATION
The sooner you set up a site, the sooner you will start a dialogue flowing with readers and potential readers; the sooner you will start contributing to the promotional thrust; and all the sooner you will start selling the odd copy or two yourself.
How do you do that? Easy - follow this simple 4-point plan.
1. Buy direct from the publisher's distributor at trade discounts of up 35%.
2. Gear up to accept payments by credit card from anywhere in the world. You can do this for free at http://www.clickbank.com
3. Place an order button on your home page.
4. Sell at the cover price and pocket the difference.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
Saturday, June 03, 2006
How to Prepare a Book Proposal for Acceptance
Now you know what to include, how will you format your proposal?
You have choices...
You could include everything in a single communication.
You could sectionalize it (covering letter + separate lists for the elements).
You could present it in the form of a bound report.
However you do it, do it professionally. This is your one shot at making a lasting impression and you can't do it face-to-face (not even experienced practitioners get that opportunity). Put as much concentration into the preparation of your proposal as you afford every other aspect of the project. It's that important.
Some authors make use of all three techniques, but for what it's worth (and especially for first time out of the trap) I favor the bound report accompanied by a brief but succinct covering note.
WHEN TO SUBMIT YOUR PROPOSAL
The guidelines tell you how but not when. What they do tell you though is that you don't have to wait until you've finished writing the book. Publishers know that you won't submit a proposal until you have done your homework: crafted the outline, composed the list of contents, and produced a few chapters.
This is the time to submit the proposal - and if you are really up for it - enclose 2 or 3 sample chapters.
They won't turn you down for showing initiative.
WHY YOU SHOULD NEVER SUBMIT THE ENTIRE MANUSCRIPT
The core reason for the proposal is to enable the publisher to judge the validity of the project, so resist at all costs the temptation to submit the entire manuscript. It is unlikely to be read and much more likely to be binned unless you have included return postage.
WHY MULTIPLE SUBMISSIONS ARE A NO-NO
Sending your proposal to a string of publishers simultaneously or sequentially is a pointless exercise and will do you no favors. Better by far to await a reaction to the first submission. Should it prove inconclusive, take note of the comments because additional guidelines may be provided enabling you to re-submit; should it prove unsuccessful, move on to the next candidate on your list.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
You have choices...
You could include everything in a single communication.
You could sectionalize it (covering letter + separate lists for the elements).
You could present it in the form of a bound report.
However you do it, do it professionally. This is your one shot at making a lasting impression and you can't do it face-to-face (not even experienced practitioners get that opportunity). Put as much concentration into the preparation of your proposal as you afford every other aspect of the project. It's that important.
Some authors make use of all three techniques, but for what it's worth (and especially for first time out of the trap) I favor the bound report accompanied by a brief but succinct covering note.
WHEN TO SUBMIT YOUR PROPOSAL
The guidelines tell you how but not when. What they do tell you though is that you don't have to wait until you've finished writing the book. Publishers know that you won't submit a proposal until you have done your homework: crafted the outline, composed the list of contents, and produced a few chapters.
This is the time to submit the proposal - and if you are really up for it - enclose 2 or 3 sample chapters.
They won't turn you down for showing initiative.
WHY YOU SHOULD NEVER SUBMIT THE ENTIRE MANUSCRIPT
The core reason for the proposal is to enable the publisher to judge the validity of the project, so resist at all costs the temptation to submit the entire manuscript. It is unlikely to be read and much more likely to be binned unless you have included return postage.
WHY MULTIPLE SUBMISSIONS ARE A NO-NO
Sending your proposal to a string of publishers simultaneously or sequentially is a pointless exercise and will do you no favors. Better by far to await a reaction to the first submission. Should it prove inconclusive, take note of the comments because additional guidelines may be provided enabling you to re-submit; should it prove unsuccessful, move on to the next candidate on your list.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
Friday, June 02, 2006
Attracting Additional Streams of Incremental Income
Apart from the direct income accrued from book sales and library loans, you will now be in a position to attract additional streams of indirect incremental income - and into the bargain, increase your visibility as a published author. Examples include:
Public speaking
Writing articles
Book reviewing
PUTTING YOURSELF AROUND AS A PLATFORM SPEAKER
New published works often pull in offers to engage in public speaking assignments linked to the topic. The majority of these will command a fee together with the opportunity to set up a stall and sell copies of your book to attendees. But even if no fee is involved you can still put yourself around and sell a few copies. Exhibitions and conferences are good sources for this type of opportunity.
CONTRIBUTING ARTICLES TO MAGAZINES AND PERIODICALS
Likewise you could be asked to contribute articles to general interest magazines and periodicals. If this should happen to you, grab the offer without delay. It's an excellent way of increasing awareness and adds to your reputation as an established author - and it pays well (up to $500 for 1000 words).
A few years back I was invited to contribute a five-page article to an in-flight magazine. The subject of the commission was 'setting up in business on your own' and it coincided with the release of the 2nd edition of my book Starting Your Own Business. Not only did the article attract direct sales; it also increased awareness of the title, which did no harm to world wide bookstore and online disposals.
ATTRACTING ASSIGNMENTS AS A BOOK REVIEWER
The majority of book reviewers nowadays are authors in their own right and in time you might well be asked to become one yourself (as I was). You will receive a token fee, a credit, and a reference to your own title. All of this is grist to the mill.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
Public speaking
Writing articles
Book reviewing
PUTTING YOURSELF AROUND AS A PLATFORM SPEAKER
New published works often pull in offers to engage in public speaking assignments linked to the topic. The majority of these will command a fee together with the opportunity to set up a stall and sell copies of your book to attendees. But even if no fee is involved you can still put yourself around and sell a few copies. Exhibitions and conferences are good sources for this type of opportunity.
CONTRIBUTING ARTICLES TO MAGAZINES AND PERIODICALS
Likewise you could be asked to contribute articles to general interest magazines and periodicals. If this should happen to you, grab the offer without delay. It's an excellent way of increasing awareness and adds to your reputation as an established author - and it pays well (up to $500 for 1000 words).
A few years back I was invited to contribute a five-page article to an in-flight magazine. The subject of the commission was 'setting up in business on your own' and it coincided with the release of the 2nd edition of my book Starting Your Own Business. Not only did the article attract direct sales; it also increased awareness of the title, which did no harm to world wide bookstore and online disposals.
ATTRACTING ASSIGNMENTS AS A BOOK REVIEWER
The majority of book reviewers nowadays are authors in their own right and in time you might well be asked to become one yourself (as I was). You will receive a token fee, a credit, and a reference to your own title. All of this is grist to the mill.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
Thursday, June 01, 2006
How Many Words? How Many Chapters?
It's never that easy to estimate the eventual length of your first work but (as a rough guide) if you are planning on turning out 10/12 chapters your word count should be somewhere between 20,000 to 25,000; for 12/15 chapters allow for 25,000 to 35,000 words.
Do not set firm targets at the outset though because as your list of contents develops so too will the potential number of chapters in the final draft. Some material will merge with other data, some will expand, and some will disappear altogether.
HOW DRAFY COPY HELPS TO SHAPE THE FINAL PRODUCT
Even with a fully structured outline to work from, committing the first paragraph to your word processor can often prove problematic. When you’ve accomplished the opening salvo and it is to your liking, press on with the composition but stop now and again to review what you have written.
Doing it this way, your output operates much in the same way as a fountain; ideas spill out presenting you with new angles and twists in direction. This will continue to happen every time you return to work on your draft copy – and all to the betterment of the final product.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
Do not set firm targets at the outset though because as your list of contents develops so too will the potential number of chapters in the final draft. Some material will merge with other data, some will expand, and some will disappear altogether.
HOW DRAFY COPY HELPS TO SHAPE THE FINAL PRODUCT
Even with a fully structured outline to work from, committing the first paragraph to your word processor can often prove problematic. When you’ve accomplished the opening salvo and it is to your liking, press on with the composition but stop now and again to review what you have written.
Doing it this way, your output operates much in the same way as a fountain; ideas spill out presenting you with new angles and twists in direction. This will continue to happen every time you return to work on your draft copy – and all to the betterment of the final product.
http://1st-creative-writing-course.com
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