WRITERS’
Tricks of the Trade Happy Holidays! Helpful articles Industry news Book review Conference Listings And much, much more!
An eZine for Writers NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2014
Volume 4, Issue 6
Tips, Techniques and Tricks Chats with the Experts Industry News...and... more
Nov-Dec 2014
PAGE
NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2014
1-2
MORGAN’S CORNER
3-5
INFO DUMP BLUES FRED RAYWORTH WRITERS’ TRICKS OF THE TRADE RADIO SHOW ON BLOG TALK RADIO SHOW 1 “RIVET YOUR READER” WRITER’S CONFERENCES FAILING POINT OF VIEW HARRY DEWULF FREE RESOURCES TO IMPROVE YOUR WRITING FROM FREE DISCOUNT BOOKS PUBLISHING ENTITY SUPPORT STRUCTURE REPRINTED FROM THE SHATZKIN FILES FIRST CHAPTER PLUS
6 7 8-9 10 11 12 13-17 18 19-20 21 22-24 25
OVERWRITING – HAVE YOU SAID TOO MUCH? CINDY DAVIS GENRE FICTION VS LITERARY FICTION REVIEWS BY MARTHA – MARTHA CHEVES “GHOST HUNTING DIARY VOLUME IV” JUST FOR GIGGLES AND GRINS LIFE STORIES – CALL HER MISS ROSS…OR ELSE. HOW I DISSED DIANA ROSS ACE ANTONIO HALL WRITERS’ TRICKS OF THE TRADE – THE BOOK
We are now using
MailChimp for our mailing list
SUBSCRIBE TO THIS FREE EZINE NOW TO MAKE SURE YOU DON’T MISS A SINGLE ISSUE Just Put your name on the MAIL CHIMP mailing list Your information will not be shared or used in any way other than to notify you when new issues become available.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FORM
Writers’ Tricks of the Trade The Newsletter/Magazine For Aspiring And Published Writers
DO YOU HAVE A GREAT ARTICLE, BRAG, NEWS ITEM OR HELPFUL RESOURCE? CONTACT: wttmagazine@gmail.com [Article guidelines: Topics relevant to all aspects of writing and promoting our work as authors whether fiction, non-fiction or success stories—500 to 1,000 words submitted in Times New Roman 12pt type. Longer articles with broad appeal will be considered for serialization.] PLEASE DO NOT use hard returns when submitting your article In other words, PLEASE DON’T HIT ENTER after every line. Just use the ENTER key at the end of a paragraph. Hard returns all have to be removed for formatting.
ABOUT WRITERS’ TRICKS OF THE TRADE Publishing industry professionals—authors, publishers, editors and others in the business—have helped Writers’ Tricks of the Trade grow and thanks to them the readership keeps increasing. Monthly issues contain helpful articles, industry news, writers’ conference listings, book reviews and reader brags or announcements and much more. These are all open to submissions.
Life Stories, is always open for submission and it’s a good opportunity to share something funny, devastating or inspirational that happened in your life. To suggest a topic or submit an article for consideration, please send your submission to WTTmagazine@gmail.com. The eZine publishes on the 15th of every month. Deadlines are the 5th of the publication month. If an issue is full, approved articles will appear in a future issue.
FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE JUST HOLD DOWN CONTROL AND CLICK BUY NOW TO GO TO THE AMAZON PAGE FOR EACH FEATURED REFERENCE BOOK, NYT BEST SELLER AND BOOKS WRITTEN BY THE ARTICLE CONTRIBUTORS THROUGHOUT THIS EZINE, OR ORDER FROM YOUR FAVORITE ONLINE BOOKSELLER OR LOCAL BOOKSTORE.
HELPFUL FEATURES TO GET THE MOST OUT OF EACH ISSUE: UNLIKE A REGULAR PDF: Zoom or reduce by clicking anywhere in the document. To adjust it further, use the zoom indicator that appears. Click the NOTES icon to post sticky notes to yourself Turn pages by clicking the lower corner FROM THE OPTIONS DROPDOWN MENU: Download offline copy Choose your preferred view—single page or double page Hold left mouse to move the whole newsletter from side to side or up and down easily. Move to right for 2 page spread FROM THE CONTENTS DROPDOWN MENU: View thumbnails for each page like a PDF View your notes or highlights BE SURE TO EXPLORE THE OTHER ICONS
November-December 2014
Quotable Quotes – Generosity During this Holiday Season, one of the thoughts that comes to mind is giving to others and for that reason, the quotes in this issue have to do with generosity.
“A kind gesture can reach a wound that only compassion can heal.” — Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free
“If you want to call attention to your good deed then it isn’t a good deed, it’s a self-serving one. Why? Not only have you patted yourself on the back but you’re fishing for others to do the same.” — Donna Lynn Hope
“Being generous often consists of simply extending a hand. That’s hard to do if you are grasping tightly to your righteousness, your belief system, your superiority, your assumptions about others, your definition of normal.” — Patti Digh, Life is a Verb: 37 Days to Wake Up, Be Mindful, and Live Intentionally
“Be a gift to everyone who enters your life, and to everyone whose life you enter. Be careful not to enter another’s life if you cannot be a gift” — Neale Donald Walsch, Conversations With God: An Uncommon Dialogue, Vol.2 92)
Morgan’s Corner Morgan’s Corner
MORGAN ST. JAMES, EDITOR
THOUGHTS AS THE HOLIDAYS APPROACH
LISTEN TO AN AUDIO SAMPLE AT AMAZON/AUDIBLE
This has been quite a year. While the going wasn’t always easy, Cont’d next page… (which I won’t talk about because I’m a positive person) there are so many things to be thankful for and so many successes.
BUY NOW
The Writers’ Tricks of the Trade brand has continued to grow, with new subscribers every month. Sales of my book, Writers’ Tricks of the Trade: 39 Things You Need to Know About the ABCs of Writing Fiction, at events and online has garnered many comments about how helpful and/or inspiring it is. It is available In paperback and ebook on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and most online bookstores, or can be ordered from your favorite local bookstore.
BUY NOW
NOW FOR THE LATEST DEVELOPMENT. November 12 marked the broadcast of Rivet Your Reader, the debut radio show of Writers’ Tricks of the Trade with Morgan St. James on Blog Talk Radio. You can listen to it at http://bit.ly/WTTshow1.
ON THE PUBLISHING FRONT, the SILVER SISTERS ARE BACK IN A NEW ESCAPADE! BUY NOW
Oh, those zany twins and their feisty mother and uncle. The Silver family doesn’t go looking for trouble. They don’t have to—it finds them!
BUY NOW
BUMBLING BUT DANGEROUS RUSSIANS, TEAPOTS WITH A SECRET, OLD MAGICIANS, A CRIME WAVE AND MURDER Bumbling Dumkovsky brothers, twin IN QUIET JUNEAU ALASKA. treacherous sleuths, aging magicians,
BUY NOW
WRITERS’ TRICKS OF THE TRADE
teapots, and MURDER, all packaged in a fast-paced escapade with lots of twists and turns. Kindle edition available on Kindle last week in November with the paperback coming soon afterwards. Rather than a “whodunit,” this one is a “howdunit.” Be sure to get your copy. Cont’d…
BUY NOW
NOV-DEC 2014
PAGE 1 Cont’d…
PRESS “CONTROL” THEN CLICK “BUY NOW” TO PURCHASE ANY BOOK
Silver Sisters Mysteries Denise van Venr
Morgan’s Corner (Cont’d) And, the new edition of Vanishing Act in Vegas, the third in the series is due out in early 2015. Other books are in the works, too, so there is never a dull moment. I’m booking talks and workshops again, too. On November 13 I was pleased to be invited to speak to the creative writing group at Legacy High School in North Las Vegas.
THERE HAVE BEEN A COUPLE OF LANDMARKS, TOO.
BUY NOW REVIEWS GREATLY APPRECIATED
July of this year marked my second year being cancer-free.
Dylan the Dog has been with us for a year now, and it is clear who rules the roost. He is our wonderful Golden Spaniel Retriever rescue dog.
Take time during this season to think about what is really important, and let go of trivial disputes that won’t mean much after a day or week or month. Be grateful for what you have, instead of coveting the success or possessions of others. Remember, in the time it takes to complain about something or say you can’t do something, you could make a difference.
Goldie
Be aware of those around you and how you might help them. Enjoy the season and the riches you possess. They are not always monetary.
Morgan
Godiva
Season’s Greetings from Dylan the Dog, Associate Editor
NOV-DEC 2014
PAGE 2
WRITERS’ TRICKS OF THE TRADE
PRESS “CONTROL” THEN CLICK “BUY NOW” TO PURCHASE ANY BOOK
INFO DUMP BLUES FRED RAYWORTH A recent discussion came up on one of my Facebook groups about info dumps. Some apparently like them while others don’t. Those that like them think they can be artistically done, while others don’t think they’re good under any circumstances. That inspired me to take another look at this, sometimes, controversial subject amongst the writing community. BEFORE THE “RULES” Way back when, during the formative years of books and essays, whoever took to pen and paper basically made up the rules as they went along. As writing became more popular, it became apparent that certain works drew more readers. These works appealed more to the audience because they were easier to digest. Eventually, someone, somewhere analyzed the prose and developed rules of writing to make reading easier. Is what I said just true? Hell if I know, but it sounds like a good guess. I’m too lazy to look up the true story, but you have to admit it holds some logic, doesn’t it? Before the rules, as we know them today, there were the classics of literature, many of which we were forced to read in school. Some were used to model the rules we use today. Others became classics simply because they were great stories, despite how they were written. A good many were authored badly, but editors, by then, already had established certain crude rules and fixed them to a point, to make them more palatable to the reader. Many of them were never altered because they were considered classics and to do so was blasphemy (including those that were translated from other languages). Today, many of these classics still pretty much suck to read as far as I’m concerned. Sorry if I’ve offended those who love the classics, but I personally can’t stand to read most of them. I pulled a few off the shelves and sampled. Wow! I was shocked at how bad they were compared to today’s standards. I won’t name names, but to be force-fed that stuff in school is almost a crime. Don’t get me wrong, the actual stories and what they stand for are timeless, but the way they are presented could use a good modernization in style. How to do that without changing the author’s voice would be a severe challenge. With fewer rules back then, a common device was the info dump. Authors wanted to convey info to the reader, and that’s exactly what they did. They dumped a heap of info on the reader all at once. Then they continued with the story. Cont’d…
WRITERS’ TRICKS OF THE TRADE
PAGE 3
FRED RAYWORTH A MAN OF MANY TALENTS
VISIT FRED’S OWN BLOG HTTP://FREDRAYWORTH.COM
NOV-DEC 2014
PRESS “CONTROL” THEN CLICK “BUY NOW” TO PURCHASE ANY BOOK CURRENT NYT
INFO DUMP BLUES (CONT’D)
BEST SELLERS
RULES ARE THERE FOR A REASON Are these supposed “rules” arbitrary? Let’s look at it from a reader’s perspective. Since I am a reader, let’s start with me first. I’m plugging along in a story that’s moving well. All of a sudden the action comes to a screeching halt. The author decides he (or she) wants to tell me a bunch of background info on this character’s motivation for never pumping his own gas. Okay… The reasoning drones on and on, paragraph after paragraph, until I skip to the end of the chapter. I don’t care. None of this has anything to do with the story. Now let’s take you… the literate reader. To you, every detail is important, no matter how trivial. You sop up minutiae because you love words, the more the better. The whole point of literate fiction is description, description, description. Most of us aren’t literate readers. We’re average readers that like to get to the point. The powers-that-be realized this a long time ago and created a “rule” that info dumps were not that great. WHAT’S THE ANSWER? o First off, how important is that info, really? o Second, how elaborate does the description need to be? o Third, how soon do you need to tell it? o Fourth, is it just something you think is neat and want to add? If that’s the case, you’d better figure a way to make it key to the story, or dump it! We all have certain interests, prejudices, favorites we love to add to color to our writing. That’s part of who we are. There’s nothing wrong with that. The problem is in adding those things in that don’t make sense, or adding too many of them. Those details bog down a story and bog down those info dumps. That’s one thing that makes them info dumps.
11/16/14
COMBINED PRINT & E-BOOK FICTION 1.
BLODD MAGIK,
,by Nora Roberts 2.
GRAY
MOUNTAIN, by John Grisham 3.
GONE GIRL, by
Gillian Flynn 4.
THE SLOW
REGARD OF SILENT THINGS, by Patrick Rothfuss 5.
HAVANA
STORM, by Clive Cussler and Dirk Cussler Complete List »
COMBINED PRINT & E-BOOK NONFICTION 1.
YES PLEASE, by
Amy Poehler 2.
KILLING
PATON, by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard 3.
UNBROKEN, by
Lauren HIllenbrand 4.
NOT THAT
KIND OF GIRL, by Lena Dunham 5.
THE BOYS IN
THE BOAT, by Daniel James Brown
NOV-DEC 2014
The best way to avoid an info dump is to parse it out. If you’ve decided all that info is essential, don’t slam the reader with it all at once! Parse it out as bits of narrative and dialogue. Spread it out through several chapters. One device often used in thrillers and action/adventure stories is to use a prologue. In the prologue, a sometime in the past scene sets up the motivation for the present-day protagonists. Within that prologue, you can use those characters to convey a lot without creating info dumps. What about character background? In this case, parse it out a bit at a time by having the character reveal it little-by-little. What about history of a building or area? Cont’d…
PAGE 4
WRITERS’ TRICKS OF THE TRADE
PRESS “CONTROL” THEN CLICK “BUY NOW” TO PURCHASE ANY BOOK
A CHRISTMAS MEMORY AND
INFO DUMP BLUES (CONT’D)
ONE CHRISTMAS TRUMAN CAPOTE
Keep it simple and short. One or two short paragraphs. Not a chapter! Just say enough to tantalize the reader. If they want to know more, they can look it up later. You don’t need to impress them with your historical knowledge. You’re writing a fictional story, not a history essay! I can’t tell you how many times my eyes have glazed over when a story has bogged down telling me history of a town, building or something I didn’t really care about. On the other hand, I cared more when the author kept it short and simple. In fact, I actually remembered it better. Another point is, since these stories are fiction, when an author throws in historical details, I don’t know what to believe anyway, so I take all that effort with a grain of salt. Many authors throw in a bibliography or explanation at the end of the book for what is real and fictional. You can do that or just let everyone guess. In my adventure/thrillers, I plan to have the real/not real section at the end of each book. On the other hand, I’m not going to beat the readers over the head with details within the story either. Just a few tidbits to help you on your way.
CHRISTMAS AT THE GINGERBREAD CAFÉ REBECCA RAISIN
Happy writing! LLAMA LLAMA HOLIDAY DRAMA ANNE DEWDNEY
TWO UNFORGETTABLE CHRISTMASES MORGAN ST. JAMES
WRITERS’ TRICKS OF THE TRADE
PAGE 5
NOV-DEC 2014
PRESS “CONTROL” THEN CLICK “BUY NOW” TO PURCHASE ANY BOOK
NEW RADIO SHOW ADDS TO THE WRITERS TRICKS OF THE TRADE BRAND
WRITERS TRICKS OF THE TRADE
BLOG BOOK EZINE RADIO SHOW
DON’T WORRY IF YOU MISSED THE FIRST BROADCAST YOU CAN FIND IT IN THE ARCHIVES Featuring Co-hosts Morgan St. James and Dennis N. Griffin with producer Eric Miller who will keep things running smoothly. Eric is the President of Writers of Southern Nevada, a non-profit group bringing the Las Vegas writing community together. Upcoming shows feature wonderful guests discussing many of the topics near and dear to both traditionally and self-published writers, publishers, editors, cover-artists and more. WRITERS TRICKS OF THE TRADE airs on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month at 6:00 pm PST/9:00 EST. All broadcasts will be archived for future viewing. Schedule will always be on http://writerstricksofthetrade.blogspot.com . NOVEMBER 12 RIVET YOUR READER http://bit.ly/WTTshow1 (archived) NOVEMBER 26 CREATING DYNAMIC DIALOGUE http://bit.ly/WTTshow2 Special guest author, musician, audiobook narrator MIKE DENNIS DECEMBER 10 WRITING WITH A PARTNER http://bit.ly/WTTshow3 Special guest Artist Phyllice Bradner –Silver Sisters Co-author DECEMBER 24 SPECIAL PRE-RECORDED CHRISTMAS SHOW “We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master.” —Ernest Hemingway
NOV-DEC 2014
PAGE 6
WRITERS’ TRICKS OF THE TRADE
PRESS “CONTROL” THEN CLICK “BUY NOW” TO PURCHASE ANY BOOK
WRITERS CONFERENCES LISTINGS ARE FOR INFORMATION ONLY. PLEASE CHECK THEM OUT YOURSELF
2014 Dec. 5-7 The Writing Life with Ellen Bass, Esalen Institute, Big Sur CA. For more information: http://www.esalen.org/workshop/weekend-december-5-7/writinglife
ADD THESE BOOKS TO YOUR LIBRARY
Dec 11-14 Workshop the Novel, Pitch the House – An Algonkian conference, New York, New York. For more information http://newyorkpitchconference.com
2015 Jan 10-11 Break into Fiction Power Plotting Workshop with Mary Buckham, Phoenix AZ. For more information http://marybuckham.com/power-plottingphoenix
BUY NOWV rd
Jan 8-11 33 Annual Key West Literary Seminar, How the Light Gets In: Literature of the Spirit, Key West FL. For more information: http://www.kwls.org Jan 16-19 Winter Poetry and Prose Getaway, Stockton Seaview Hotel, Atlantic City NJ area. For more information: http://www. http://wintergetaway.com Feb 5-9 Florida Romance Writers “Cruise with your Muse” on Royal Caribbean, departing from Ft. Lauderdale FL. For more information: http://www.frwriters.org/fun-in-the-sun-conference Feb 11-15 10th Annual San Miguel Writers' Conference and Literary Festival, Hotel Real de Minas, San Miguel de Allende, GTO, Mexico. For more information: http://www http://sanmiguelwritersconference.org
BUY NOW
Feb 12-15 San Francisco Writers Conference, Mark Hopkins Hotel, San Francisco CA. For more information: http://sfwriters.org/wpcontent/uploads/2014/11/SFWC-Flyer-11-10-14.pdf Feb 13-16 29th Annual Southern California Writers Conference, Crowne Plaza Hanalea, San Diego CA. For more information: http://www. http://writersconference.com/sd Feb 20-22 The Big Story, Los Angeles Valley College, Van Nuys CA. For more information: http://www.wcwriters.com/bigstory/index.html
WRITERS’ TRICKS OF THE TRADE
PAGE 7
BUY NOW
NOV-DEC 2014
PRESS “CONTROL” THEN CLICK “BUY NOW” TO PURCHASE ANY BOOK
FAILING POINT OF VIEW HARRY DEWULF
HARRY DEWULF
Harry Dewulf is a Literary and Content Editor who specializes in story development and writing technique. He works with a very diverse range of authors including Writers of the Future winner Kary English and bestselling First Activation by D & M Wearmouth, due to be republished next year by 47 North. Contact: harrydewulf@densew ords.com, website: www.densewords.com , blog: www.densewordsblog. com.
There are and handful of easy ways to spot a failing POV, but the simplest and most common are: Excessive signposting Redundant repetition Over-qualification Head-hopping Excessive signposting is when the writer repeatedly reminds the reader of whose POV is being narrated. Alice could see that Bob was surprised. Alice new Bob would be ambivalent about it. Even a very narrow POV, restricted only to what Alice knows or experiences, should be handled subtly; the reader should NEVER need to be told directly that the POV in question is Alice’s. The simplest way to handle this is to break this rule once, in the first paragraph of a scene (or chapter), so that the reader knows whose POV is being narrated for the rest of the scene. Redundant repetition arises when the writer has consciously chosen to tell his story from more than one POV. When two POV characters who have never met experience the same event, the writer feels that the event needs to be told from both points-of-view to ensure that the reader gets the full experience of both characters. This results in one scene where: Alice looked on in horror as her mother took to the stage in her ill-fitting floral dress and massive wig. And in the next scene (or worse still, next chapter): Bob looked on in amusement as the middle aged woman in the ill-fitting floral dress and surely a wig, took to the stage. Even though Alice and Bob are feeling different things, this is rarely enough to justify telling the reader a second time something that the reader already knows. The exception is when narrating from the POV of the second character adds details that the first one could not have known or seen, but even this must be done sparingly, because for the reader, it is still repetition. Over-qualification can happen in any kind of narration, but occurs most often in narrow POV. The writer is aware that the POV character cannot possibly know something for certain, and therefore qualifies an observation: Cont’d…
NOV-DEC 2014
PAGE 8
WRITERS’ TRICKS OF THE TRADE
PRESS “CONTROL” THEN CLICK “BUY NOW” TO PURCHASE ANY BOOK
FAILING POINT OF VIEW (CONT’D)
The distant fire seemed to be burning low. The writer can’t help feeling that she must say ‘seemed’ because a) she isn’t using an omniscient POV and b) Alice is too far away from the fire to be certain. The underlying problem with this reasoning is that all non-omniscient POV is an illusion. Sustaining the illusion is the priority, but this rigid strictness will break the narrative for the reader. In narration, doubt creates expectations, and seeming creates doubt. In the example, the reader will expect that as Alice approaches the fire, something will happen – it will flare up again, or it will turn out to have been partially obscured. Those writers who are aware of this problem will often create a new one trying to solve it: Alice could see that the fire was burning low. In trying to justify a statement of certainty, they create an excessive signpost. The best way to keep your narrow POV is to avoid drawing attention to it, by liberally applying what looks like omniscient narration: The distant fire was burning low. This is so unobtrusive that readers will not notice the omniscience. Head-hopping is a familiar issue for many writers. I think it’s much easier to avoid than the other three problems above. But be careful: sometimes the reader perceives a head-hop that is not there. This occurs when the writer is using a form of omniscient narration that reveals the inner thoughts of multiple characters. The current fashion is for non-omniscient narration; whether restricted closely to a single character, or more informal (what I think of as “overthe-shoulder” narration) where almost omniscient narration focuses on only one character’s thoughts and experiences. This has led readers to expect narrow POV, and means that writers who intend a traditional 3 rd person omniscient will have to use a few other techniques to ensure that the reader’s expectations are well prepared. This will have to be the subject of another article!
“When I want to read a novel, I write one.” ― Benjamin Disraeli
“Opportunity may knock only once but temptation leans on the door bell” ― Oprah Winfrey, Oprah Winfrey Speaks: Insights from the World's Most Influential Voice
Harry Dewulf is a Literary and Content Editor who specializes in story development and writing technique. He works with a very diverse range of authors including Writers of the Future winner Kary English and bestselling First Activation by D & M Wearmouth, due to be republished next year by 47 North. Contact: harrydewulf@densewords.com, website: www.densewords.com, blog: www.densewordsblog.com.
WRITERS’ TRICKS OF THE TRADE
PAGE 9
NOV-DEC 2014
PRESS “CONTROL” THEN CLICK “BUY NOW” TO PURCHASE ANY BOOK
FREE RESOURCES TO IMPROVE YOUR WRITING COURTESY OF WWW.FREEDISCOUNTEDBOOKS.COM
At the FreeDiscountedBooks
library, you can find expert information on KDP ebook promotion and production. They also offer the FREE eBook Success Blue-print series by email. Click on the links below related to the information you want. Creating a Holiday Book Marketing Plan How to Schedule KDP Free Days for an Amazon Kindle eBook How to Use Perma-Free eBooks for Selling Sites That Promote Your eBook for Free
The most skilled writers can use some help every now and then to keep their skills in top shape. Even if you feel like you're above all that, there's still reason to read what others have to say on our craft. Ever notice how easy it is to slip into patterns and allow variations of the same turn of phrase to sneak into your writing? At the very least, exposing yourself to new information can bring a new perspective to counteract that. The resources below can be very helpful if you're still learning. For more experienced writers, they can open up metaphorical windows and let in some fresh air.
Oxford Dictionaries Grammar Tips
Quick and Dirty Tips by Grammar Girl
Chicago Manual of Style Monthly Tips
Grammar Rules from GrammarBook.com
Get It Write (also offers a free newsletter)
Daily Writing Tips
Each of these resources has their own take on information delivery -- some scholarly; some irreverent. Take your pick.
Using Twitter for eBook Marketing
NOV-DEC 2014
PAGE 10
WRITERS’ TRICKS OF THE TRADE
PRESS “CONTROL” THEN CLICK “BUY NOW” TO PURCHASE ANY BOOK The Shatzkin Files is always a very interesting source of information. Here is an excerpt from the November 11 entry.
THE SHATZKIN FILES THE SUPPORT INFRASTRUCTURE FOR ENTITIES TO PUBLISH IS GROWING BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE MAY NOT YET BE PROVIDED What we should call “entity self-publishing”, as opposed to “author selfpublishing”. The success of indie authors has gotten a lot of ink lately, partly fueled by the Amazon-Hachette dispute which has brought into bold relief that authors can make a living self-publishing — mostly by exploiting the capabilities of Amazon — without a big organization of their own. But entity self-publishing is ultimately far more threatening to the publishing establishment trying to make a profit because it could, in time, bring a lot more content into the marketplace with a lot more marketing muscle behind it than individual authors will. And sometimes the motivations of those content providers won’t include the need for profit. (It also can be seen to offer opportunity to the establishment, to the extent that they find it productive to craft their own service-offering on-ramps to be flexible partners for entities.) Companies abound that offer the core services that support publishing. Big organizations like Ingram and Perseus are mainstream providers and deliver the full suite of capabilities, including putting printed books onto store shelves. (In fact, if you’re big enough, you can get a Big Five publisher to do this for you.) Digital distributors like Vook, INscribe, and ePubDirect can turn a file into ebooks and put them into distribution around the world. Lulu and Blurb will also deliver printed books for you. The subscription services like Scribd and Oyster (not to mention Amazon, Ingram, Overdrive, and the other ebook retailers) will give you distribution. And, both as part of those larger offerings and as stand-alone services like BiblioCrunch, it is increasingly easy for an author (or self-publishing entity) to find editors, cover designers, marketers and web site creators, and just about any other specific skill set that is required to publish a book successfully. In fact, publishers themselves have relied for years on freelancers for many of those functions.
SELF PUBLISHING? HAVING TROUBLE WITH FORMATTING THE KINDLE AND EPUB EDITIONS?
LET A PROFESSIONAL DO IT
I’VE USED TED RISK AT DELLASTER DESIGNS AND FIND HIM TO BE REASONABLE, QUICK AND BEST OF ALL IT LOOKS MUCH MORE PROFESSIONAL THAN LOADING A PDF OR
WORD DOC WITH THE KINDLE OR SMASHWORDS SOFTWARE. HTTP://DELLASTERDESIGN.COM/
Morgan St. James
But entities have challenges that individual authors don’t.
Click HERE to read the rest of this fascinating article. What are those challenges, and how does the self-published author make wise decisions?
WRITERS’ TRICKS OF THE TRADE
PAGE 11
NOV-DEC 2014
PRESS “CONTROL” THEN CLICK “BUY NOW” TO PURCHASE ANY BOOK
AUTHORS AND PUBLISHERS VISIT FIRST CHAPTER PLUS ADD IT TO YOUR MARKETING CAMPAIGN
NOV-DEC 2014
PAGE 12
WRITERS’ TRICKS OF THE TRADE
PRESS “CONTROL” THEN CLICK “BUY NOW” TO PURCHASE ANY BOOK
OVERWRITING CINDY DAVIS WWW.FICTION-DOCTOR.COM Has this scenario ever happened to you? You type, THE END, sit back and pour a glass of wine while gazing lovingly at the computer monitor. That feeling of completion is like none other. It’s like receiving a diploma, cashing a first paycheck, watching the birth of your firstborn. You pour more wine and stuff a manila envelope with the opening chapters for the first publisher on the list you’ve been compiling since you wrote the title on the blank page. Your hand shakes while you write, but it’s fairly neat and legible so you pat on a stamp and drop the envelope in the mail slot. You do it again, and again, sending out as many submissions as your trembling fingers can produce. It’s several weeks before the first rejection letter arrives. Well, not a letter exactly—more like a bomb going off under your chair. Dear Author, Thanks for thinking of INSERT COMPANY NAME, but we don’t feel we’re the agency for you… The next day, another arrives, and then another. What’s wrong with those fools, you think, this is awesome stuff. I poured my heart and soul into this. They can’t not like it.
CINDY DAVIS
BUY NOW
That’s when another envelope bearing your handwritten return address arrives. This has to be it—the key to your future! You rip open the envelope, dropping white scraps on the ground all the way from the driveway. You yank the sheet loose, noticing it’s handwritten. Yippee! I’ve made the big time; someone’s requesting the full manuscript. You flop into a chair and read the scribbled words: Dearest Author, Thank you for thinking of INSERT COMPANY NAME. Though your work has merit, we feel we you would benefit from the use of a professional editor. Ouch! You and the remaining wine retreat to the computer room to lick your wounds. Those morons. Who the heck do they think they are? I don’t need an editor.
BUY NOW
You open the manuscript and sit down to read your story. Maybe you can figure out what they mean. At the first paragraph you feel your eyes widening and a sense of despair gushing into your soul. The words blur on the screen. OMG, I was sure I said the client rang the bell before going in the house. Damn, Donna’s hair is blonde—when did it turn red? Oh man, the antagonist Cont’d…
WRITERS’ TRICKS OF THE TRADE
PAGE 13
NOV-DEC 2014
PRESS “CONTROL” THEN CLICK “BUY NOW” TO PURCHASE ANY BOOK OVERWRITING (CONT’D)
is using a Glock on page one—where did he get a .38 on page 12? No way did I type ‘look’ with three Os. Someone must be messing with the computer. Hours later, you exit the room rubbing burning eyes and wearing a cloak of humility and, yes, embarrassment. Where did the run-on sentences and the mega-batch of pronouns come from? And what about all those adjectives? You were so sure you’d gotten everything. “How did I grow so blind to my writing?”
BUY NOW
It’s because you’re emotionally attached to it. Your brainchild, your creation. They say love is blind. It is. So, how can you ferret out the problems, figure out what works and what doesn’t? You’ve heard it before: time and distance. Every writing instructor has said this. Time for the emotion generated by your wonderful characters and scintillating plot to fade. Distance so you can view the plot with unbiased eyes. As they said it, did you think how silly it sounded? Time and distance. Phooey. Why waste all that time? The world is missing my story. Editors can’t sleep at night for waiting on this manuscript. There’s an empty spot on the bookstore shelf and no other book can fill it but mine. The publishers need what I have. The public needs it. Get real. Time and distance is needed. And humility. And a knowledge of how to accomplish the deed.
BUY NOW
That’s the purpose of this article—and more, if Morgen wants—to help train you to look for the bloopers, to gauge the rhythm of sentences, ‘see’ repeated words and an overflow of adverbs. We’ll work on toning things down and tightening things up. This isn’t intended to replace beta readers, just make their jobs easier. So…put down the wine (or toss the empty bottle in the recycle bin) and let’s get started. Let’s talk about overwriting. We’ll call it, Get the Lead Out Overwriting takes many forms but always results in a longer, slower moving manuscript. Overwriting buries your plot and, believe it or not, tires your reader.
BUY NOW
Do you add every detail of the character’s background—where they were born, who they first loved—because “the reader needs to know”? This is Cont’d…
NOV-DEC 2014
PAGE 14
WRITERS’ TRICKS OF THE TRADE
PRESS “CONTROL” THEN CLICK “BUY NOW” TO PURCHASE ANY BOOK OVERWRITING (CONT’D)
called backstory, and it’s called backstory for a reason—because it belongs in the background. If something about a character’s past life forwards your plot, rather than insert paragraphs of explanation, try having the character meet up with someone from their past. A few lines of dialogue can go a long way. “Hi Joe, how’re you doing?” “Great, just graduated from Princeton. Ready to start my career as an architect.” Okay, the dialogue is a bit stilted, but hopefully the intention is clear. You could also show the character picking up a pad of tracing paper and a Measure Master Calculator.
BUY NOW
A bit more about backstory—do you begin your story in the right place? Is your story a romance between Kris and Larry? Do we wake up with Kris? Go through her day at work, and then show her hurrying home? She sits on the train. Suddenly a man shoots into the seat beside her. This man is Larry—and there are immediate sparks! Well, this is where your story starts. Not home in her shower. Not at the office. (Work is a form of backstory. The reader doesn’t need to know about her work in order to appreciate and be compelled by the attraction between her and Larry.)
BUY NOW
That’s one way to judge if your story begins in the right place. Does the reader have to know the information in order to feel compelled by your characters? It’s easy to develop Kris’s personality as she sits in the hard, torn seat of the train. What is she doing—reading a book or maybe briefs from work? Is she on the phone—to her best friend or her boss? A few small sentences will get the character and their personality across without pages of her work day. Clichés. Are you a cliché-a-holic? Her skin was as white as snow. His heart beat a mile a minute. She hated him with a passion. Use your imagination. Dig deep to find other things her skin was as white as rather than the “driven snow”: Grandma’s doilies, Easter lilies, Mom’s bread dough. In what other ways can his heart beat rather than “out of his chest”? How about, like a woodpecker on an electric transformer? With the reliability of a pendulum?
BUY NOW
Is it important for the reader to know that Joe Schmoe is 7’1” and not an inch more or less? Is it important to convey that the desert sand is 124.6º in the middle of the afternoon? Unless Joe’s height or the sand temperature is pivotal to the plot line, use images and contrasts to get the ideas across instead: “Joe .” Cont’d…
.
WRITERS’ TRICKS OF THE TRADE
PAGE 15
NOV-DEC 2014
PRESS “CONTROL” THEN CLICK “BUY NOW” TO PURCHASE ANY BOOK WRIHT
Schmoe is 7’1” and not an inch more or less? Is it important to convey that the desert sand is 124.6º in the middle of the afternoon? Unless Joe’s height or the sand temperature is pivotal to the plot line, use images and contrasts to get the ideas across instead: “Joe looked down at Michael Jordan.” “The sand ate through the soles of Shelly’s shoes.” At the same time, it’s not important to reiterate details throughout the story. Like the fact that Donna was blonde, or that Sam was elderly. Tell the reader once— or twice if it’s plot related—and trust them to remember.
BUY NOW
Do you explain in detail, the character’s process of getting dressed, cooking dinner, or driving to work? Everyone gets dressed in pretty much the same way. Sits down in the same way. Unpacks groceries the same way. No need to elaborate—it’s dull. Unless Mary fell in the shower and broke her ankle, say something like: “Mary was ready for work in ten minutes; the only thing slowing her down today was a missing button on her new blouse.” Unless Roger was in an accident on the highway, just say, “Roger arrived at the office in record time.” Or skip over the actions completely with a scene break. Another way to overwrite is to just write too long. Here are some examples, because “they”—the powers that be—say “show don’t tell”: “The book is a treatise on living with the Indians,” she told him.
BUY NOW
It’s obvious she’s talking ‘to him’, so just say, ‘The book is a treatise on living with the Indians,” she said. If they’re the only two in the room, just say, “The book is a treatise on living with the Indians.”
“Calvary 1 base, looks like company en route. Counting three trucks filled with tangos. Request fast mover cover ASAP.” Johnson radioed in using his flight designator for this mission, asking for fighter jets to provide air cover. 37 words In this example the dialogue tag repeats what the author has already said. So, just write: Johnson radioed in, “Calvary 1 base, looks like company en route. Three trucks filled with tangos. Request fast mover cover ASAP.” 21 words Your writing should have two main goals: move the plot forward and delineate/develop characters. Examples:
Rick accepted the paper plate Janet handed him and took a bite of the pizza. BUY NOW
Then, he sauntered over to the counter and grabbed a beer and took a long swig, his adam’s apple bobbing up and down. She watched, chewing her pizza like it was a piece of cardboard. 50 words Cont’d…
NOV-DEC 2014
PAGE 16
WRITERS’ TRICKS OF THE TRADE
PRESS “CONTROL” THEN CLICK “BUY NOW” TO PURCHASE ANY BOOK OVERWRITING (CONT’D)
This is okay but what if we tweak it a little, to shorten and bring the characters into better focus: Rick, adam’s apple bobbing, swigged his beer. He lowered the can and belched, then accepted the pizza from Janet and perched on the adjoining barstool. He seemed to be enjoying the cardboard-like stuff. It made her smile. 37 words (Hopefully belching and smiling lend a more vivid picture of the people.)
She would jump into that tub, with the warm, sudsy water, and she would just lay there, her eyes closed, allowing her body to absorb the radiant warmth and soothing balm of those lovely bath salts. 36 words This can be both shortened and developed a bit more: She couldn’t wait to lie back in those oil-scented bubbles and let the office-troubles melt away. 18 words
BUY NOW
Shell started in the living room dusting and vacuuming. From there he went to the kitchen wiping off counters, scrubbing the floor, cleaning off the table, and cleaning out the refrigerator. 31 words Could read: Hating every minute, Shell cleaned the entire downstairs, even the refrigerator. 11 words I hear you shouting, “Oh my gosh. That blanking editor wants me to cut words! I worked so hard to get the word count where it is.” Don’t worry about the word count. The story is what it is. Not all plot lines can be 70,000 words. Some stories end up at 50K. If, for some reason, you have to achieve a specific word count, simply add another scene. Don’t pad your writing with unnecessary things. You won’t fool the editor.
BUY NOW
BUY NOW
WRITERS’ TRICKS OF THE TRADE
PAGE 17
NOV-DEC 2014
PRESS “CONTROL” THEN CLICK “BUY NOW” TO PURCHASE ANY BOOK
GENRE FICTION VS. LITERARY FICTION WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GENRE FICTION AND LITERARY FICTION? It seems that the very best awards always go to Literary Fiction. Genre Fiction often climbs onto the Best Seller Lists. Do you think that’s because a majority of readers want to be entertained and escape from reality?
Genre Fiction includes diverse categories like Romance, Fantasy, Mystery/Thriller, Horror, Science Fiction, and the list goes on. And, under those, come the subcategories, so Genre Fiction books can be placed on pretty specific “shelves.” This is not the case when it comes to Literary Fiction. A simple explanation might be—anything that doesn’t fit into the myriad of categories in Genre Fiction must be Literary Fiction. Really? And, it gets even more dicey when there are crossovers.
THE BATTLE BETWEEN GENRE AND LITERARY AFICIONADOS Some readers consider themselves literati’s or high-brows, and they simply feel Genre Literature has no merit. If it doesn’t fit into the continually narrowing Literary Fiction profile, why bother? Interesting, but there are authors who say they began by writing what could be considered literary, then realized that there were many more marketing opportunities by simply relabeling their work Genre Fiction, and they didn’t feel they were selling out. That brings us to the Genre Fiction readers who might read only one or two subtypes of Genre Fiction, and believe anything else is trash or worthless. They automatically categorize the types they like as “serious works of literature,” saying it is unlike most Genre Fiction.
WHY DO PEOPLE GENERALLY CHOOSE ONE TYPE OVER THE OTHER? Personalities often drive these choices. Genre Fiction readers love to read for entertainment. Whether mystery, fantasy, or romance, they love a story that grabs them and doesn’t let go, because it allows them to escape from reality. Literary Fiction, on the other hand, is rarely, if ever, about escaping from reality. It aims to give the reader a way to better understand the world around them and focuses on real rather than amped up emotional responses. Forget the concept that Genre Fiction can’t be great writing just because the goal might be to provide an escape from reality. The same as the unlikely things that happen in many movies. Like most things in life, there are outstanding writers, good writers, average and those who should not be published in both categories. As for Literary Fiction, one could say it is supposed to come from the writer’s soul, so it is an emotional voyage related via a concerto of words to give the reader a more in-depth understanding of the universe and themselves. A rather lofty explanation, but there is the portion of Literary Fiction which is exactly that—lofty. NOV-DEC 2014
PAGE 18
WRITERS’ TRICKS OF THE TRADE
REVIEWS BY MARTHA
RESIDENT REVIEWER – MARTHA CHEVES
GHOST HUNTING DIARY VOLUME IV
RE-LA Menu
By: T.M. Simmons
ASIN: B0094YPA76 Publisher: T. M. Simmons Publication Date: September 1, 2012 Pages: 162 Kindle
MARTHA CHEVES AUTHOR/REVIEWER
St. James Jeepers Creepers - There are times during ghost hunts when I even scare myself silly...er...sillier. In May, 1998, an occurrence at the captivating historical St. James Hotel, in Cimarron, New Mexico - a place with an extremely haunted reputation - turned into one of those incidents. Twenty-six deaths occurred in the St. James so when I saw a man that stood about 6 feet, with black hair and dressed in an 1800's style suit jacket the evening we checked into the hotel, I wasn't surprised. I got the impression he was a gambler and I gaped when he winked at me. This told me he was an intelligent haunting, one in which the entity can interact with our living dimension. In other words, the recognition worked both ways. Turns out he was one of the nice ones. TJ is a different story. Barney the Believer - Barney is my husband who doesn't believe in ghosts. One day he came to my office, white as a ghost himself. He wanted to know if we had a little girl ghost in our house. We do so I ask how he knew. His comment to me was "Because I've been watching TV and she just got up from the chair on the other side of the fireplace." That was just the beginning of him becoming a believer.
BUY NOW
These are just 2 of the stories in the author's diary, and this is the 4th diary this author has published that I've had the pleasure of reading. I've heard about ghosts and spirits my whole life. I 'dreamed' one morning that my grandmother was standing at the foot of my bed telling me everything would be alright. Apparently I was asleep with my eyes open because I could see her and the room I was in, in full color. I once bought a house where I would get a glimmer of someone out of the corner of my eye and freeze when I sat in a certain area in my living room. Turns out the previous owner, a woman who loved to cook, had passed in that special spot in the living room. If we admit it, we've all probably had some kind of unexplained 'happenings' at some point in our lives and through reading T. M. Simmons' books, I truly believe that I've experienced a few ghosts of my own.
T. M. SIMMONS
Cont’d…
WRITERS’ TRICKS OF THE TRADE
PAGE 19
NOV-DEC 2014
PRESS “CONTROL” THEN CLICK “BUY NOW” TO PURCHASE ANY BOOK
T. M. Simmons was dragged down the ghost hunting trail many years ago, due to her avid curiosity and her Aunt Belle, who had been dealing with the paranormal for more years than that. She publishes her paranormal investigations in Ghost Hunting Diaries.
Oh yeah. If you have a ghost/spirit in your home, this book will tell you what would be the best way to handle your type of ghost/spirit. Yes there is more than one type and each is handled differently. At this time, I have no ghosts/spirits in my home. I have a friend who died in his home and the woman living there now has told me he comes back now and then to check on the items he left in the attic. She has never removed anything from there so he seems ok, but she does hear him now and then rummaging around and many times he will forget to turn out the light. This, like the others before it are extremely interesting. I'm enjoying learning about the experiences the author and her Aunt Belle have gone through and can't wait to learn even more when I read Ghost Hunting Diary Volume V.
BOOKS BY MARTHA
Martha is our resident reviewer. Visit her websites for more reviews and recipes. http://marthaskitchenkorner.blogspot.com (A Book and a Dish) http://stirlaughrepeat.blogspot.com (Main Site) http://marthaatkitchenkorner.blogspot.com (Martha's Kitchen Korner) http://marthasrecipecabinet.blogspot.com (Martha's Recipe Cabinet) http://stirlaughrepeatcookbook.blogspot.com (Cookbook Site) Simple Fried Green Tomatoes (a T. M. Simmons Special)
BUY NOW
In the south, we love our fried green tomatoes. There are several ways to enjoy this delicious dish. In fact, my husband and I each cook them differently. I like them prepared both ways, but here is mine: 1 egg ½ cup milk Beat together by hand, then beat in: ½ cup all-purpose flour ½ cup cornmeal This should make a batter that looks similar to pancake batter.
BUY NOW
Select 3 firm green tomatoes, wash and core them, then slice into 1/3" slices. Put salt and pepper on them, to taste. Heat ½ inch of canola oil to about 350 degrees in either an iron or electric skillet. Dip tomatoes into batter and fry until golden brown on each side. Serve while hot. Yum! You can also cheat and get the Whistle Stop Fried Green Tomato Batter Mix to use for your coating. It's also delicious!
My husband eats his fried green tomatoes on bread, but I love mine with just a fork.
NOV-DEC 2014
PAGE 20
WRITERS’ TRICKS OF THE TRADE
PRESS “CONTROL” THEN CLICK “BUY NOW” TO PURCHASE ANY BOOK
JUST FOR GIGGLES AND GRINS
ress “Control” then click “Buy Now” to purchase any book
WRITERS’ TRICKS OF THE TRADE
PAGE 21
NOV-DEC 2014
PRESS “CONTROL” THEN CLICK “BUY NOW” TO PURCHASE ANY BOOK
Life Stories
CALL HER MISS ROSS…OR ELSE HOW I DISSED DIANA ROSS ACE ANTONIO HALL
ACE ANTONIO HALL
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, and I was in the Bahamas with my soon to be ex-wife who I promised divorce on our honeymoon in Paris, France at the Eiffel Tower. This is definitely not a Charles Dickens story but it does end in the winter of despair. I am ashamed to say that it was my second futile attempt at marriage (I’ve been married a thousand times) and my wife’s family was from the Bahamas. We visited there, and needless to say, I had an incredible time, despite our marital flaws. Her mother had a nice home, a hundreds yards or so from the shore. The sun-kissed island planted soft rays on my skin from early morn until twilight and the birds of the island awakened me every day to the most beautiful songs in the world.
BUY NOW
One day, on our two-week visit, my mother-in-law, my wife and I traveled across the bridge to Paradise Island to see her cousins. We passed right by the phenomenal Atlantis Resort to get to the beachfront home. If you think that place is jaw dropping from the pictures, it’s nothing compared to being a few feet away from it—stunningly beautiful. We drove up to the home and I asked, “So who is your cousin again?” My mother-in-law proudly stated, “This is Sir Nicholas and Lady Nuttall’s home, Ace. They’re your cousins too, now.” I didn’t know it at the time but Sir Nicholas Keith Lillington Nuttall was a 3rd Baronet and Eugenie (Jeannie) McWeeny a.k.a Lady Nuttall was the alter ego, designer and owner for the Jeannie McQueeny line that made high-end fashion for women in the ages of forty-to-sixty. Yeah, wow.
BUY NOW NOV-DEC 2014
Their butler answered the door, and seconds after letting us in, Lord Nicholas and Lady Nuttall met us, we exchanged introductions. It’s funny but I pride myself on being an educated barbarian—one who knew proper eating etiquette, but darn if I sat at the breakfast table trying to figure out which fork and spoon to use for what. My wife discreetly helped me out and I helped myself to a delicious breakfast. It was also the first time that I’d been in a place that had "help". Cont’d… PAGE 22
WRITERS’ TRICKS OF THE TRADE
PRESS “CONTROL” THEN CLICK “BUY NOW” TO PURCHASE ANY BOOK Call Her Miss Ross…or else (Cont’d)
While eating, as expected, Lady Nuttall and Sir Nicholas asked several questions to gauge my intelligence, morals, and ambitions—in other words, “Why the hell are you with my cousin and what can you do for her?” My wife mentioned that I had just come back from a trip to Los Angeles, producing a music track for a hip-hop group and immediately, Lady Nuttall told us stories of she and her neighbor in the Swiss, Diana Ross. The Supremes Diana Ross? Who Michael Jackson loves? The lady I braved the rain to see singing in Central Park, July 21st, 1983, right before the BLACKOUT? The woman who can always make me shed a tear when she sings Reach Out And Touch Somebody’s Hand? Are you kidding me? She offered to give me Ms. Ross’ number and had the help bring her a tablet and she wrote it down for me. God, I love nepotism. Hey, don’t judge. Would you have pushed the note away? Heck naw! When we got back to the Hamptons, I called that number right freaking away. The first time I got Diana’s guard dog—her personal assistant. I explained in full detail who I was and the nature of the call. She told me to call back, that Ms. Ross was not available. I called again. The second time, again, the assistant had me explain in full detail who I was and the nature of the call. By the third time I called, I thought I was in that Adam Sandler film, the one he did with Drew Barrymore—50 First Dates, because, I mean, lady, come on, I told you twice already. What the hell? By the fourth time I called, I already had a chip on my shoulder the size of elephant dong. Note now, the first three times, I addressed Ms. Ross as Ms. Ross, hearing sometime ago how she hates to be called Diana. Well, yeah, you guessed it, this time, I was short and my tone was filled with sarcasm and impatience and instead of saying Ms. Ross, I said, “Diana.” The woman replied, “This is Ms. Ross.” Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamn! Can I have a retake—a remix or push the red button for an EASIER version of this experience? Well, we spoke and I immediately changed my tone, and now my voice was timid and apologetic. Ms. Ross gave me the address to where to send my material. I had discovered, maybe discovered is not the right word, but while I was producing a few tracks for the Columbia Artists and renowned techo-hit group, INNER CITY, I was with one of my dear female friends, Dereca Blackmon in Detroit, and heard one of the most incredible singers who’s not famous, Renee Rice. I immediately got the Harry Fox rights to a Babyface song called Don’t You Deserve Someone sung by Jermaine Jackson (click here to hear it) and rerecorded and produced
ABOUT THE BOOK “MILES DAVIS WALKED OFF THE STAGE” Ace Antonio Hall eloquently interprets the artistry of his father, painter and jazz songwriter, Chris Acemandese Hall. Some of the best collection of paintings are showcased in this must have collection from Father & SonPaintings & Words. In 1956, Ace's father, Chris Acemandese Hall helped found The African Jazz-Art Society & Studios (AJASS); an artist-activist group which inspired the phrase Black is Beautiful, which they believed inspired James Brown to write "I’m Black and I'm Proud". Ace’s creativity was inspired by his father, who was also a painter and songwriter. He wrote the lyrics to the Miles Davis jazz classic "So What". He also wrote the lyrics for "Bitches Brew", "Chameleon" and "Trane's Blues"; jazz classics sung by vocalese creator Eddie Jefferson. Chris Hall wrote and illustrated for children's books such as "Let's Celebrate Kwanzaa", "Melanin and Me" and created the top-selling black doll Huggy Bean for Golden Ribbon Playthings.
Cont’d… WRITERS’ TRICKS OF THE TRADE
PAGE 23
NOV-DEC 2014
PRESS “CONTROL” THEN CLICK “BUY NOW” TO PURCHASE ANY BOOK Do you have a
Life
Call Her Miss Ross…or else (Cont’d
Story
you would like to see published in Writers’ Tricks of the Trade?
produced it for Renee Rice-Claybon. I sent her that song and sent the lovely, beautiful incomparable Ms. Ross some other songs as well…too many adjectives, right. Uh-huh, I know, brown nosing.
See the submission guidelines at the front of the eZine.
Several weeks later, I didn’t have a problem with the guard-dog assistant when I called but when I spoke to Ms. Ross, she said, verbatim, “I listened to the songs, Ace, and although you are very talented, I’m going to pass on it. Thank you.” Click.
We are looking for stories with humor, or nostalgia, or drama Just about everyone has something they have experienced and would like to share with readers.
And that was the last time I spoke to Ms. Ross. A few months after that, I was visiting my mother and she had Oprah on. I happened to catch Oprah say, “And this is not only a fabulous designer but she has one of the most beautiful oceanfront properties in Paradise Island, Lady Nuttall and her husband Sir Nicholas.” I said, “Mom! Mom, I was there!” My mother looked at me dubiously. “Oh, yeah,” she said. “Hmm-hmm.” “I…was…” “Be quiet now, I’m looking at my show.” Well, I’ll be a son of a biscuit eater, I’ll never be impatient on the phone again. I don’t care if it’s a debt collector, Sarah Palin or that jerk from Celebrity Fit Club, Dustin Diamond, I’m going to keep my cool. Believe that.
Check the
Life Story Feature in past issues by visiting the Writers Tricks of the Trade blog archives.
Ace Antonio Hall is the author of The Confessions of Sylva Slasher. It is the first novel in a zombie horror series starring Sylva Slasher, the most famous teenage necromancer in the world. For more details, visit www.aceantoniohall.com or follow him on Twitter@aceantoniohall. GET YOUR COPY OF Sk8board Xombies by Ace Antonio Hall on December 23, 2014!
NOV-DEC 2014
PAGE 24
WRITERS’ TRICKS OF THE TRADE
The Writers’ Tricks of the Trade book was inspired by Morgan St. James’ more than 500 published articles about the craft and business of writing It is not a dry, techie type of a book, but rather a ready reference on many things the fiction writer must deal with on a day-to-day basis. Told in a light prose, with experiences, backfires and successes thrown in, every chapter has actionable information. For more in-depth information on a particular topic, the bibliography in the back is a list of books the author used and continues to refer to as needed. AMAZON BARNES & NOBLE “Writers’ Tricks of the Trade is a treasure trove of practical advice. Morgan St James covers all aspects of fiction writing from original concept through to publication, networking and publicity. Her voice is experienced, encouraging and sincere. I would recommend this book to anyone engaged in the difficult, often mysterious business of writing.” ~Gayle Sutherland, Convenor, Partners in Crime, Sydney, Australia As an author myself, I have found her book useful for filling in gaps in my knowledge. ~Maralys Wills. Author, "Damn the Rejections, Full Speed ahead." “Morgan St. James has written a terrific book that every writer should own. This is a modern, street-smart, working handbook from an author after my own heart. Get smart. Get inspired. Get this book.” ~Tony N. Todaro, Author, President and Co-founder of the Greater Los Angeles Writers Society.
AVAILABLE IN KINDLE, EBOOK OR PAPERBACK
ALSO AT AMAZON.UK AND AMAZON.CA AND MOST ONLINE BOOKSELLERS, OR ORDER AT YOUR FAVORITE LOCAL BOOKSTORE
PAPERBACK ISBN #978-0983779001 970-0-9837790-0-1
WRITERS’ TRICKS OF THE TRADE
PAGE 25
NOV-DEC 2014
VISIT
Don’t miss a single issue We are now using MailChimp for our email management – Please be assured, your information will not be used for any other purpose.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FORM Or paste this link in your browser http://eepurl.com/PXDjf
NOV-DEC 2014
PAGE 26
WRITERS’ TRICKS OF THE TRADE
WRITERS’ TRICKS OF THE TRADE
PAGE 27
NOV-DEC 2014