Sunny Frazier's Posts - The Book Marketing Network2024-03-29T05:25:22ZSunny Frazierhttp://thebookmarketingnetwork.com/profile/SunnyFrazierhttp://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2977842185?profile=RESIZE_48X48&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1http://thebookmarketingnetwork.com/profiles/blog/feed?user=2l1t4qbid90c4&xn_auth=noWelcome to Your Worldtag:thebookmarketingnetwork.com,2013-03-29:523145:BlogPost:5334712013-03-29T01:00:00.000ZSunny Frazierhttp://thebookmarketingnetwork.com/profile/SunnyFrazier
<p align="left" lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">One of the curses of being a writer is when people say “I've had a fascinating life. You should write about me.”</span></p>
<p align="left" lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">I've had a fascinating life myself. I caused a small riot in a train station in Hanover, Germany, and another riot in a marketplace in…</span></p>
<p xml:lang="en-US" align="left" lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">One of the curses of being a writer is when people say “I've had a fascinating life. You should write about me.”</span></p>
<p xml:lang="en-US" align="left" lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">I've had a fascinating life myself. I caused a small riot in a train station in Hanover, Germany, and another riot in a marketplace in Haiti. International misunderstandings can happen when you're 23 and clueless. Seventeen years working in law enforcement gave me plenty of plots.</span></p>
<p xml:lang="en-US" align="left" lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">According to a New York Times survey, 81% of Americans feel they have a book in them and that they should write it. Those of us who worked in law enforcement have material to spare.</span></p>
<p xml:lang="en-US" align="left" lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">My friend talks about writing a novel. Her excuses: “I have no time, I'll get to it when my life settles down, I don't know how to get started.” Nothing is on paper. Every day is one more day lost. In a business that takes time to break into and requires energy and $$$ to promote and travel, age is a factor. Writers get younger while my friend waits for her moment of opportunity.</span></p>
<p xml:lang="en-US" align="left" lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">There will never be time to write. Real writers squeeze time between a spouse, children and a job that pays the bills. Real writers wake up an extra hour earlier, go to bed an hour later, give up TV, find excuses to stay home on weekends and carry notebooks everywhere they go in case an idea pops into their head. They give up things. I gave up housework. We all make sacrifices.</span></p>
<p xml:lang="en-US" align="left" lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">When author Jean Kerr wrote “Please Don't Eat the Daisies” in 1957, she locked herself and a typewriter in her station wagon and let her four young sons beat on the windows while she finished the book. Think what she could have accomplished in an SUV!</span></p>
<p xml:lang="en-US" align="left" lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Still want to write a book? Here's my advice:</span></p>
<ol>
<li><p xml:lang="en-US" align="left" lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">Put the first word on paper. Any first word. It won't stay there, and it won't be your last. Just as a journey starts with the first step, writing starts with the first word.</font></font></font></p>
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<li><p xml:lang="en-US" align="left" lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">Don't look back. Fill pages up with words. Don't ask yourself if they're the right words. Do that later. Just keep going forward.</font></font></font></p>
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<li><p xml:lang="en-US" align="left" lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">Nothing is written that can't be rewritten. This is why computers come with a delete key.</font></font></font></p>
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<li><p xml:lang="en-US" align="left" lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">Don't let family members read your work unless they have a novel under their belt. Find a critique group or people who have published. Those are the people worth listening to.</font></font></font></p>
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<li><p xml:lang="en-US" align="left" lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">Don't talk your plot out. You will verbally write your story and be instantly satisfied. Soon you won't feel like you have to write it at all.</font></font></font></p>
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<li><p xml:lang="en-US" align="left" lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">Don't announce to the world that you are working on a book. You might even want to keep your writing a secret. Friends will be afraid you'll fail. Enemies hope for failure.</font></font></font></p>
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<li><p xml:lang="en-US" align="left" lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">Never worry about disappointing people. Never disappoint yourself.</font></font></font></p>
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<li><p xml:lang="en-US" align="left" lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">Read up on writing, but don't spend all your time reading. Ditto for research. While fun and informative, it's not writing.</font></font></font></p>
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<li><p xml:lang="en-US" align="left" lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">Don't start another novel. Commit to one project all the way to The End.</font></font></font></p>
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<li><p xml:lang="en-US" align="left" lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">If you write 300 words a day (half the length of this column) by the end of a year you will have a 100,000 words, which is a hefty manuscript. That's all it takes. What are you waiting for?</font></font></font></p>
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</ol>You've Changed. Has Your Website?tag:thebookmarketingnetwork.com,2013-03-01:523145:BlogPost:5335972013-03-01T02:30:00.000ZSunny Frazierhttp://thebookmarketingnetwork.com/profile/SunnyFrazier
<p></p>
<p>Websites are now as important for establishing identity as a birth certificate or a driver's license. Yet, I've noticed that once an author puts one up, the site is often forgotten and neglected.</p>
<p>I research authors when they send me query letters in my capacity as acquisitions editor for Oak Tree Press. I like to know who I'm dealing with and, short of doing a background check, websites are all I have to give me an inkling of their accomplishments up to this stage in their…</p>
<p></p>
<p>Websites are now as important for establishing identity as a birth certificate or a driver's license. Yet, I've noticed that once an author puts one up, the site is often forgotten and neglected.</p>
<p>I research authors when they send me query letters in my capacity as acquisitions editor for Oak Tree Press. I like to know who I'm dealing with and, short of doing a background check, websites are all I have to give me an inkling of their accomplishments up to this stage in their careers.</p>
<p>When all of us tentatively dipped our toes in the Internet waters, websites had to be done by techy people who knew the bells and whistles. Their expertise came with a price tag. The evolution of do-it-yourself sites taught us all what a domain name was and put self-made websites within reach. They became the way we reached out to the world.</p>
<p>What prompted me to blog about this is the realization that my own website construction didn't in any way reflect who I am today. I had evolved but my website was stagnant.</p>
<p>Of course, the bio info hadn't changed. The past is what it is, I can't recreate it. The second page was updated to show the covers of both my Christy Bristol mysteries. But, where was any indication of my current status of scouting for authors and creating careers? There was nothing showing this progression.</p>
<p>What I saw were pages that no longer had any use. My links page didn't attract any attention; in fact, other authors were doing it better with a line-up on the perimeters of their sites. I was more interested in their links and using them for my benefit. I scrapped Links and substituted a page showing off covers of books I'd midwifed into print. I included a video of publisher Billie Johnson and I giving our mission statement for Oak Tree Press. I titled the page “Mission: Acquisitions.” Catchy, right?</p>
<p>“On the Road” wasn't relevant now because kidney failure curtails future public appearances. The nifty idea I had called “The Murder Circle” to promote authors had given away to another nifty idea: “Posse Posts.” The Posse is a marketing group I lead by sending them to websites that expand their knowledge of promotion. Why not make the links available to everyone?</p>
<p>I encourage everyone to examine what your website says about you to the world and try to keep it current with your growth. After all, the idea is to reflect not just who you are but where you're going in your career. </p>What Do You Bring to the Table?tag:thebookmarketingnetwork.com,2012-12-29:523145:BlogPost:5333872012-12-29T02:00:00.000ZSunny Frazierhttp://thebookmarketingnetwork.com/profile/SunnyFrazier
<p lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US">Independent presses have a lot to offer today's aspiring authors. The slush pile is smaller and the chance for an unknown, untried author to get a contract is greater. Unlike large publishing houses, there's still very personal interaction between editors and writers. Unlike self-pubbed books, the publishing house takes care of cover art, lay-out, printing and distribution. Authors are nurtured and a bond builds between the author and publisher.</p>
<p>What most…</p>
<p xml:lang="en-US" lang="en-US">Independent presses have a lot to offer today's aspiring authors. The slush pile is smaller and the chance for an unknown, untried author to get a contract is greater. Unlike large publishing houses, there's still very personal interaction between editors and writers. Unlike self-pubbed books, the publishing house takes care of cover art, lay-out, printing and distribution. Authors are nurtured and a bond builds between the author and publisher.</p>
<p>What most authors fail to realize is that they are expected to don the hat of promoter once the ink has dried on the paper. The job's not finished when THE END is typed on the last page of the novel. In fact, the hard work has just begun.</p>
<p>Anyone aspiring to a career in publishing cannot be blind to all the posts and forums talking about book marketing. It's the #1 topic discussed today. Yet, when the long-awaited novel is finally on the shelf, there it sits. Why? Because authors are unprepared or unwilling to dirty their hands in selling the book to the public. Isn't that someone else's responsibility?</p>
<p>Depending upon the contract, the average amount a publishing house gets is less than $2 profit per book sold. It takes the sale of approximately 200 books before a small outfit sees any profit on a title. That covers production cost, plus Amazon gets their cut and the author gets royalties. Industry stats say the average book will sell about 500 copies. Nobody is out to get rich, but in order to keep producing more books, money has to come from somewhere.</p>
<p>Independent houses exist only when authors and publishers work side by side to do book promotion. I would be more inclined to recommend to my publisher a well-written book backed by an enthusiastic marketer over a great novel written by a prima donna who has no interest or intention to sell.</p>Riding with the Possetag:thebookmarketingnetwork.com,2012-11-29:523145:BlogPost:5333832012-11-29T04:00:00.000ZSunny Frazierhttp://thebookmarketingnetwork.com/profile/SunnyFrazier
<p style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Second to writing fiction, my passion is marketing. I know some people dread this part of the process of being an author. I was one of those who had to be dragged into cyber marketing, fighting every inch of the way. I didn't have time for reading blogs on the Internet or interacting with those who did. I couldn't afford to buy all the books they tried to ram down my throat and wouldn't have time to read them if I wanted to. No, I wanted people to buy MY…</p>
<p style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Second to writing fiction, my passion is marketing. I know some people dread this part of the process of being an author. I was one of those who had to be dragged into cyber marketing, fighting every inch of the way. I didn't have time for reading blogs on the Internet or interacting with those who did. I couldn't afford to buy all the books they tried to ram down my throat and wouldn't have time to read them if I wanted to. No, I wanted people to buy MY books.</p>
<p align="left">I had an attitude adjustment in 2009. My New Year's resolution was to sit my butt down in front of the computer and make a concentrated effort to understand what the “Information Highway” was all about. More importantly, how could I use the new technology to my advantage?</p>
<p align="left">I quickly learned the Internet was overwhelming. However, I used my former skills as a narcotics secretary to quickly browse sites and separate chaff from grains of knowledge. I used the blog lists of others to scalp sites for my own purposes.</p>
<p align="left">When I became acquisitions editor for Oak Tree Press, I realized many of the authors I was interested in had no marketing skills. A small press has to make money and authors are required to pitch in and help with promotion. While I didn't want to play “teacher,” I also didn't want them to spend time navigating a maze that I'd already traversed.</p>
<p align="left">The idea was a no-brainer: have the newbies play Follow-the-Leader. When I marketed, they marketed. I “nudged” them to sites and encouraged them to make comments. Oh, and I followed up to see who took my advice. I e-mailed individual kudos to those who participated, nagged at those who didn't. Since marketing is my niche and because of my Sheriff's Department background, I named us “The Posse.”</p>
<p align="left">The system caught on in a way I never expected. The first time I went public with this subversive ploy was at Killer Nashville. Suddenly, “Posse” was a buzz word. People were fascinated. It soon became clear that something was driving traffic to sites that were languishing in cyberspace. We're 46 strong and we boost numbers at any site we visit. You are going to see the Posse in action when this blog goes live.</p>
<p align="left">We now have badges proudly announcing us as “Posse.” This will make it easier to spot the other riders when we go to conferences. I want to meet the folks who have become friends and are, in turn, teaching me a few new tricks. I'm able to offer my publisher not only the best of the manuscripts I receive, but trained marketeers.</p>
<p align="left">My questions is: why doesn't everyone have a Posse???</p>
<p align="left">Posse posts can be seen at my website: <a href="http://www.sunnyfrazier.com">http://www.sunnyfrazier.com</a> </p>HELP WANTEDtag:thebookmarketingnetwork.com,2012-10-29:523145:BlogPost:5333062012-10-29T01:00:00.000ZSunny Frazierhttp://thebookmarketingnetwork.com/profile/SunnyFrazier
<p lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p align="center" lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">WANTED</font></font></p>
<p align="center" lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">Acquisitions Editor</font></font></p>
<p align="center" lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">Independent Press…</font></font></p>
<p align="center" lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"></p>
<p lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p lang="en-US" align="center" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">WANTED</font></font></p>
<p lang="en-US" align="center" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">Acquisitions Editor</font></font></p>
<p lang="en-US" align="center" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">Independent Press</font></font></p>
<p lang="en-US" align="center" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">Salary: Below Minimum Wage</font></font></p>
<p lang="en-US" align="center" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">Qualifications: Can you read?</font></font></p>
<p lang="en-US" align="center" xml:lang="en-US"></p>
<p lang="en-US" align="left" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">Even if I'd seen an ad like that beforehand, I think I would have still applied for the job.</font></font></p>
<p lang="en-US" align="left" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">There was no Help Wanted sign at Oak Tree Press. Instead, there was an overworked publisher, a stack of queries and limited staff.</font></font></p>
<p lang="en-US" align="left" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">I'm a person with a bad habit of looking at the status quo and asking myself, “How can this be done better?” I'm not sure if that speaks to my leadership skills or just the fact that I can't leave well enough alone.</font></font></p>
<p lang="en-US" align="left" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">In the Navy, I was told “Never volunteer.” I ignored that sage advice just like I ignored many of the edicts I was taught. Accessing the situation, I told Billie Johnson “How about letting me handle acquisitions?”</font></font></p>
<p lang="en-US" align="left" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">Boxes of slush poured in via UPS. To prevent my spare room from becoming a warehouse, I decided to go green. Only electronic queries would be acceptable.</font></font></p>
<p lang="en-US" align="left" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">I instituted a timely response to queries. I know authors are taught “The query letter is the most important letter you will write.” There are even workshops on the topic. I don't read the query (sorry aspiring writers!). Instead, I look for two things: genre and word count. If neither apply to our guidelines, I send a rejection letter. I don't believe in generic rejections, just like I don't believe in generic authors. I will tell writers where they missed the mark.</font></font></p>
<p lang="en-US" align="left" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">I then google the author. I'm looking for a “Q” rating, the number of times the writer's name appears on the Internet. I'm searching for a website or any attempt to build a platform. Is the author serious about a career? Have they been interacting with cyber/social/professional websites and blogs? Or, do they feel their job is simply to write?</font></font></p>
<p lang="en-US" align="left" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">Too many writers tell me they are going to market once their book is contracted. I believe marketing starts the minute you decide you want to write a novel. Name recognition is key. When regularly commenting, contributing and following blogs, peers and professionals notice. This is how to attain future reviews, interviews and blurbs. I would rather publish novel with a strong marketeer than a bestseller from an author who has no intention of promoting.</font></font></p>
<p lang="en-US" align="left" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">The days of the publicity machine are over. A small press expects an author to be savvy in marketing with skills in place. This is where Oak Tree may be different from other houses. As we grew from 12 titles a year to the current 36, contracted authors started functioning as a “family.” We don't market as individuals, but as a group. Loyalty to the house and to each other are key.</font></font></p>
<p lang="en-US" align="left" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">In researching for this piece, I discovered that most jobs as acquisition editor expect a masters degree in English; I have a BA in journalism. An acquisition editor at McGraw-Hill is expected to bring 20 books into publication; I've brought in 15 in my first year. On the low end of the pay scale, acqui-editors make $30,000; I get paid after bills, authors and cover artists are paid.</font></font></p>
<p lang="en-US" align="left" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">On the other hand, the perks are phenomenal. I was flown to Puerto Vallarta to speak to a writers' group; traveled to Victoria, BC, to scout for our first Canadian property; spoke at the largest junior college in the US; and my mystery novels are used to teach genre writing in community colleges in NJ and California. Plus, I head up The Posse, possibly the most “novel” force in marketing on the Internet.</font></font></p>
<p lang="en-US" align="left" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">All because I saw a need, lent a hand and had a heart. </font></font></p>
<p lang="en-US" align="left" xml:lang="en-US"></p>In Defense of Crazy Cat Ladiestag:thebookmarketingnetwork.com,2012-09-29:523145:BlogPost:5334702012-09-29T01:00:00.000ZSunny Frazierhttp://thebookmarketingnetwork.com/profile/SunnyFrazier
<p lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US">Right now I have the matron of the house standing guard by the computer making sure I write positive things about the tribe. Gemini, who entered my life on my birthday, allows me to tap at the computer keys for just so long, then reminds me to take a break by crawling into my lap for a few strokes of her own.</p>
<p>The other four are off doing their own thing: Kitler is asleep on a cardboard box, a favorite spot of all cats (along with the step stool, the…</p>
<p xml:lang="en-US" lang="en-US">Right now I have the matron of the house standing guard by the computer making sure I write positive things about the tribe. Gemini, who entered my life on my birthday, allows me to tap at the computer keys for just so long, then reminds me to take a break by crawling into my lap for a few strokes of her own.</p>
<p>The other four are off doing their own thing: Kitler is asleep on a cardboard box, a favorite spot of all cats (along with the step stool, the recycle bin and my favorite robe). The newest addition, who I call The Little Prince, has discovered the fake ficus and confuses it with real greenery. He doesn't know it, but he's going to the vets in two weeks to become a eunuch.</p>
<p>Cats are great companions for older, single women. We are quiet, move slowly (especially in the morning), have soft voices and time to cuddle. They are purfect for writers because they love it when we stay in one place for hours and they can doze nearby. When we move, they reluctantly relocate. When we explain our plot frustrations, they listen intently. When we need them, they knead us.</p>
<p>I live in a small, rural town where cats are still considered farm animals. People aren't inclined to spay or neuter so the neighborhood is over-run with strays. I have fixed as many as I can catch with the help of my sister (also a crazy cat lady). Strays are welcome to eat kibble and sleep on blankets I keep on the porch for cold nights. This does not endear me to the neighbors, who feel if ignored, the cats will go away. I don't believe starvation is an option.</p>
<p>Although there is no love for cats here, the local shelter puts cats on a train and sends them to San Francisco to a no-kill shelter. I've been told that pet stores no longer “sell” cats in the Bay Area, people are encouraged to give a home to shelter kitties. I hope that's true.</p>
<p>The running joke at mystery conference is “Never kill a cat.” Don't laugh. I wrote a nasty letter to Joe Konrath for doing exactly that in his first book. I had to put down THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO because a cat was tortured and dismembered. If that's a spoiler, I don't care.</p>
<p>Before I close, I want to explain Kitler's name. There is a website called “Kitler Cats,” one of the funniest sites ever. These are cats with a distinctive mustache.</p>OH THE PLACES YOU'LL GO!tag:thebookmarketingnetwork.com,2012-08-29:523145:BlogPost:5334692012-08-29T01:00:00.000ZSunny Frazierhttp://thebookmarketingnetwork.com/profile/SunnyFrazier
<blockquote lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><strong><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">Sound familiar? Dr. Seuss wrote the poem as an inspiration and promise to children.</font></font></font></strong></blockquote>
<blockquote><strong><font color="#000000"><span lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman, serif">Writers go to many places, often inside our heads but sometimes to book signings, conferences, libraries and Starbucks.…</font></font></span></font></strong></blockquote>
<blockquote lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><strong><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">Sound familiar? Dr. Seuss wrote the poem as an inspiration and promise to children.</font></font></font></strong></blockquote>
<blockquote><strong><font color="#000000"><span lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman, serif">Writers go to many places, often inside our heads but sometimes to book signings, conferences, libraries and Starbucks. Usually we pay our own way just for the opportunity to put our books in front of readers.</font></font></span></font></strong></blockquote>
<blockquote lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><strong><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">Imagine my shock and disbelief when I was contacted by the Puerto Vallarta Writers Conference and invited to be a speaker. They apologized that they wouldn't be able to pay for anything but airfare. Were they kidding? I had my passport out and dusted off in record time.</font></font></font></strong></blockquote>
<blockquote lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><strong><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">If someone had told me five years ago that I would be a featured speaker at any conference, I would have laughed myself silly. I had one published novel, a few short story trophies under my belt and I was paying my proverbial dues to the writing gods. When did my life take a leap forward?</font></font></font></strong></blockquote>
<blockquote lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><strong><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">There was no leap. There were tiny steps, cautious ones at first. As I got my footing, I began exploring. The Internet came into its own and I eagerly embraced cyber-socializing, blogging and marketing. I sprinted ahead when curiosity made me volunteer to do acquisitions for my publisher. Now I was experiencing a runner's high, enjoying the rarefied air of helping other writers get published.</font></font></font></strong></blockquote>
<blockquote lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><strong><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">On the plane to Puerto Vallarta I kept reminding myself that I'm a woman living in a rural town with small (but growing!) readership for my astrology-based mysteries who doesn't get out of her bathrobe most days and is one feline short of Crazy Cat Lady. Yet, someone recognized all the hard work I'd invested in my career and felt I had something to offer those taking their own tentative steps in the business.</font></font></font></strong></blockquote>
<blockquote lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><strong><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">After a wet winter in California, PV (as the ex-pats call it) was all sunshine, music, exotic smells and terrifying traffic. The cobblestone streets were made for burros, not SUVs. I was a guest at a charming hotel and awoke every morning to the deep cathedral bell in the town square. The Mango Library turned out to be a beautiful venue, the audience friendly and casual, a state of being in this part of the world. I spoke about publishing for two hours straight after a tamale lunch, fighting jet lag and the urge to take a siesta. I got to spend the rest of the time enjoying my fellow speakers and taking pitch sessions with writers.</font></font></font></strong></blockquote>
<blockquote lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><strong><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">Something in me had changed by the time my plane landed in the U.S. I felt, for the first time, like I was worth every penny people were willing to pay me. I have information to give to other writers, secrets and strategies that will help their careers. I've paid my dues and are reaping the rewards for hard work in a field I have always loved.</font></font></font></strong></blockquote>
<blockquote lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">Dr. Seuss said it best:</font></font></font></blockquote>
<blockquote lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">Out there things can happen<br/> and frequently do<br/> to people as brainy<br/> and footsy as you.</font></font></font></blockquote>
<blockquote lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">And when things start to happen,<br/> don't worry. Don't stew.<br/> Just go right along.<br/> You'll start happening too.</font></font></font></blockquote>
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<blockquote lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><br/></blockquote>IN A WORD. . . .tag:thebookmarketingnetwork.com,2012-07-30:523145:BlogPost:5334632012-07-30T01:00:00.000ZSunny Frazierhttp://thebookmarketingnetwork.com/profile/SunnyFrazier
<p>True story.</p>
<p>I was trying to help a friend who was writing her first novel, a Western. I looked over what she had written and it was excruciatingly boring. I said, “Westerns have some of the most colorful language of all the genres. Why aren't you using more interesting words in your writing?”</p>
<p>Her reply stunned me: “I don't know that many words.”</p>
<p>Why in the world does this person want to be a writer? Writers work with nothing but words! It's our medium, our clay, our…</p>
<p>True story.</p>
<p>I was trying to help a friend who was writing her first novel, a Western. I looked over what she had written and it was excruciatingly boring. I said, “Westerns have some of the most colorful language of all the genres. Why aren't you using more interesting words in your writing?”</p>
<p>Her reply stunned me: “I don't know that many words.”</p>
<p>Why in the world does this person want to be a writer? Writers work with nothing but words! It's our medium, our clay, our bricks to build a better story. We are paid to know words.</p>
<p>Next I wondered: why doesn't this person buy a thesaurus? Don't they come in the computer program? I don't use one, but from what I hear they contain lots of useful words for people who lack imagination or suffer memory loss. She can continue to write boring prose and then find substitutes for her limited vocabulary.</p>
<p>What happened to those “Word of a Day” calendars? Don't they make them anymore? How about taking a look at the dictionary once in awhile? Lots of words are found between those covers. Being a reader should have improved her vocabulary through osmosis. How can you absorb a plot but not notice the words? Wasn't she paying attention?</p>
<p>I'll admit, I have a love affair with words. I like how they look on a page. I like to fit them together so they not only say what I intended but in a way that delights my eyes and mental ear. I like to use words we all know but don't take off the shelf and dust off very often. I'm a little too fond of alliteration, but that's my weakness.</p>
<p>I don't like words that are just show-offs. I get bored with novels filled with an intricate onslaught of language. It makes my brain hurt. Reading should enlighten not hurt. When an author gets esoteric, it's like an old, fat man behind the wheel of a Corvette: we all know the car is making up for shortcomings, but the driver still thinks everyone is impressed. We're not.</p>
<p>When I can't find the word I want, I have no problem making one up that suits me. My favorite invention is “He tumbleweeded into town.” If you've ever seen a tumbleweed make its way down an empty street with a haphazard wind pushing it along, you know the image I'm going for.</p>
<p>I like the phrase I just wrote: “haphazard wind.” I nearly said “wind haphazardly pushing” but you would have expected that, right? With just a slight twist, the same words sound more interesting. I also like that I used the words “esoteric” and “osmosis.” I had fun writing them even though I had to look them up in the dictionary to make sure they were in context. Weren't they fun to read? Don't they look terrific on paper? Maybe it's because they start with vowels. Vowels make me happy.</p>
<p>I realize, as I'm writing my 3<sup>rd</sup> book, that I actually get a buzz when the words start flowing in interesting ways. My mind is a playground with letters coming together to create images and emotions. My hands move over the computer keyboard and words appear on the page like magic. It IS magic.</p>
<p>This magic has powers stronger than Harry Potter or whoever wields the bigger wand (I don't read the Potter books. Sorry). I can take a reader anywhere of my choosing as long as I can retain their interest. I can relay my deepest thoughts, my strongest beliefs, my prejudices (I don't care for rich people) to strangers holding my book in their hands. I can excite their senses and awaken their imaginations with the right metaphors and similes. I can pull them in on sly jokes embedded in my prose (I like the word embedded). I can elude readers by slipping real details of my life into stories and make it a challenge for them to separate fact from fiction.</p>
<p>I just got an e-mail from a struggling author who wrote, “I'm working on my word count.” My message to her? “It's not about the word count, it's about using words that count.”</p>
<p>I think I've said my piece. Did you get the word? </p>Building a Better Mousetraptag:thebookmarketingnetwork.com,2012-07-01:523145:BlogPost:5334582012-07-01T13:00:00.000ZSunny Frazierhttp://thebookmarketingnetwork.com/profile/SunnyFrazier
<p lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><span class="font-size-3" style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">It seems every time I click on a discussion online from authors, all I see is moaning and groaning that all this media socializing we're encouraged to do doesn't produce sales. Authors point out that we seem to be “preaching to the choir.” Where are the readers we need to target?</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3" style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">My question to the…</span></p>
<p xml:lang="en-US" lang="en-US"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-3">It seems every time I click on a discussion online from authors, all I see is moaning and groaning that all this media socializing we're encouraged to do doesn't produce sales. Authors point out that we seem to be “preaching to the choir.” Where are the readers we need to target?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-3">My question to the whiners is “What's your solution?” Doesn't anyone realize what a huge leap we've taken in the marketing department? When many of us started, there were limited opportunities to aim for a national readership unless you had a PR person to work with (at a high cost). Newspapers existed, but were not necessarily inclined to interview local authors. Self-published authors were looked down on. Should be go back to the good old days where we only had postcards, bookmarks, bookstores to do book signings? Geez Louise. Social media has somewhat leveled the playing field and even big-name authors have locked on this form of promoting.</span></p>
<p xml:lang="en-US" lang="en-US"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-3"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">Let me say right off the bat that I LOVE marketing. To me, the challenge is to lure readers to my books. I'm willing to try different bait. Okay, not on board with my fishing analogy? How about this? Don't just think outside the box, look at the way the box is constructed, take it apart and put it back together in a way people haven't seen it before. Make it your box.</font></font></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-3">In my opinion, promotion and acquiring a fan base is only limited by an individual author's lack of drive and/or imagination. We are, for the first time in author history, allowed full control of our career path. Nothing can hold us back except ourselves.</span></p>
<p xml:lang="en-US" lang="en-US"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-3"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">Here's one whine I read in an online group I subscribe to: “I blog constantly but nobody orders my books.” I countered with “How many times have you ordered a book from reading a blog? Probably never, or you'd have a house full of books and an empty wallet. So, why expect people to do what you don't do yourself?”</font></font></span></p>
<p xml:lang="en-US" lang="en-US"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-3"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">What DOES sell books? Aside from a well-written manuscript and creative storyline, personality (and mine is fairly obnoxious) sells books. Standing out from the crowd sells books. Getting attention sells books. An interesting way with words when you speak or blog sells books. Provoking conversation sells books. Whiners and wallflowers don't sell books.</font></font></span></p>
<p xml:lang="en-US" lang="en-US"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-3"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">Isn't this what the buzz word “Branding” is all about? Oh, don't give me the tired complaint that we shouldn't have to “sell out” to sell. Why shouldn't we be as interesting as the characters we write about? Or, at least seem so with our public image?</font></font></span></p>
<p xml:lang="en-US" lang="en-US"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-3"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">As writers, we spend a lot of time finding our writing “voice.” Why aren't we spending the same amount of time finding our marketing voice? Dig deep and figure out what makes you different. Bring that quality to the foreground. This isn't just with what you say, but how you say it. Lawrence Block once said voice was like “two people telling the same joke.” It's all in the delivery, folks. The same goes with marketing.</font></font></span></p>
<p xml:lang="en-US" lang="en-US"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-3"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">My voice is coming atcha loud and clear in everything I've written in this piece. If this is the first time you've read my writing, you might notice I don't mince words. I don't play it safe. I have no problem calling people out. Many of you are familiar with my blogs on Buried Under Books and my chafing personality. I suspect you chortle. I hope you learn. I give kudos to Lelia who stands back and supports what I choose to say. She's a keeper.</font></font></span></p>
<p xml:lang="en-US" lang="en-US"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-3"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">Final words of wisdom: When you find your brand, when your marketing voice comes through,</font></font></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;" xml:lang="en-US" lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-3">HONE IT AND OWN IT.</span></p>
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<p xml:lang="en-US" lang="en-US"></p>UNCONVENTIONAL CONVENTIONStag:thebookmarketingnetwork.com,2011-01-20:523145:BlogPost:4010262011-01-20T21:55:51.000ZSunny Frazierhttp://thebookmarketingnetwork.com/profile/SunnyFrazier
<p lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font face="Lucida Grande, Lucida Sans Unicode"><font size="2">Mystery conventions have to be some of the wackiest, most creative and high energy get-togethers around, Comic Con not withstanding (if you can stand a hundred Darth Vadersroaming around).</font></font></font></p>
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<p lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font face="Lucida Grande, Lucida Sans Unicode"><font size="2">Years ago,…</font></font></font></p>
<p lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font face="Lucida Grande, Lucida Sans Unicode"><font size="2">Mystery conventions have to be some of the wackiest, most creative and high energy get-togethers around, Comic Con not withstanding (if you can stand a hundred Darth Vadersroaming around).</font></font></font></p>
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<p lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font face="Lucida Grande, Lucida Sans Unicode"><font size="2">Years ago, when I was starting out in the mystery field, a small conference called Bare Bones took place in the hills above Escondido in a church camp near the town of Julian. We stayed in cabins, ate commune style, sat before a huge fire as we listened to speakers. Sue Grafton asked for my autograph on a short story I'd just published. The following year, J.A. (Judy) Jance and I had enough of camp life and hung out at a hotel instead. One year it snowed. I met Jan Burke, Carolyn Hart and many authors who later became big names. Unfortunately, one of the California fires torched the campgrounds.</font></font></font></p>
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<p lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font face="Lucida Grande, Lucida Sans Unicode"><font size="2">To go to something so intimate to the international Bouchercon is a shock to the system. My first Bcon was in 1997 in Monterey, CA. I got my first bookbag and free books to add to my stack at home and rode up in the elevator with Sara Paretsky. The president of our Sisters in Crime chapter had just died at a very young age and we showed up wearing our red t-shirts in her honor. We were given condolences at the SinC breakfast.</font></font></font></p>
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<p lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font face="Lucida Grande, Lucida Sans Unicode"><font size="2">At that point, I was hooked. Left Coast Crime was easier to attend and nearly as big as Bouchercon. For WestCoast authors, it's sort of like a class reunion. Here are some high points:</font></font></font></p>
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<p lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font face="Lucida Grande, Lucida Sans Unicode"><font size="2">1998, San Diego: Judy Jance was rushed to the hospital, possible heart attack. Her agent and I stayed up all night in the waiting room, waiting. False alarm. People rumored that she'd gotten stage fright because she was to sing in the talent show. To prove them wrong, Judy got up and sang acappella at the closing ceremony.</font></font></font></p>
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<p lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font face="Lucida Grande, Lucida Sans Unicode"><font size="2">2000, Tucson: A major league baseball team came into town and the hotel bumped Sue Grafton from her room. We were aghast, but she handled it like a lady. I doubt if she's ever returned to Tucson and surprised she hasn't murdered the hotel staff in her novels. “W” is for What the ???</font></font></font></p>
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<p lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font face="Lucida Grande, Lucida Sans Unicode"><font size="2">2002, Portland. My friends and I explored Powell's Bookstore, every floor. I saw my first human “statue” and had to touch it to believe it was a spray painted man. Steven Saylor was guest of honor.</font></font></font></p>
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<p lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font face="Lucida Grande, Lucida Sans Unicode"><font size="2">2003, Bcon Las Vegas: I was on my first panel. I was nervous up on stage next to Janet Hutchings, editor of Ellery Queen Magazine. Did I really inform her that the magazine was stale? No wonder none of my stories have ever appeared between its covers.</font></font></font></p>
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<p lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font face="Lucida Grande, Lucida Sans Unicode"><font size="2">The most recent Bcon in San Francisco was also the most generous with books, food and free alcohol. I don't know what they were thinking! As starving writers we hit the prime rib and ice cream bar with a vengeance. NEVER offer an open bar to mystery authors. I came home with 32 free books and great memories.</font></font></font></p>
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<p lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font face="Lucida Grande, Lucida Sans Unicode"><font size="2">I've been to 19 conventions over the years. I went to Killer Nashville just to meet Jeffrey Deaver. Iattended Malice Domestic and played debutante as a first-time author. Didn't win a teapot. Took the Mob Tour with the Public Safety Writersin Vegas. Murder in the Grove opened my eyes to how much fun Boise can be. Bikini bareback riding, anyone?</font></font></font></p>
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<p lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font face="Lucida Grande, Lucida Sans Unicode"><font size="2">My favorite conference has to be Kona, Hawaii. Besides being set in a gorgeous location, the conference was small and I did my most productive networking. I became best buds with a woman from Sacramento SinC and the Canadian mystery writers (I'll be going to Bloody Words, Victoria BC in June). I met Kelli Stanley, Sue Ann Jaffarian and Rebecca Cantrell just as they burst on the mystery scene and snapped up awards. People stayed through to the very last panel even with the ocean and sunshine trying to lure us away.</font></font></font></p>
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<p lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font face="Lucida Grande, Lucida Sans Unicode"><font size="2">I recommend conventions for anyone who is serious about having a career in the mystery community. Max out your credit cards, sell your first born, do whatever it takes to get there. Stay in the conference hotel, too much happens on the fly. Find regional conferences to get your bearings. Bring business cards, we exchange them like we're playing poker. Don't try to hit every panel, you'll exhaust yourself. Take photos. Watch the alcohol and know who you're talking to before you say something you'll regret. Dress casual and wear comfy shoes. Case the place so you won't get lost trying to find rooms.</font></font></font></p>
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<p lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font face="Lucida Grande, Lucida Sans Unicode"><font size="2">Most of all, have fun. It's a tax write-off, people! </font></font></font></p>
<p lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"> </p>STATE OF THE INDUSTRY REPORTtag:thebookmarketingnetwork.com,2010-11-07:523145:BlogPost:3910382010-11-07T22:50:27.000ZSunny Frazierhttp://thebookmarketingnetwork.com/profile/SunnyFrazier
Snippets from a NJ conference. See the whole article at<br />
<div><a href="http://news.shelf-awareness.com/ar/theshelf/2010-11-01/brave_new_world_publishers_agents_talk_about_the_biz.html">http://news.shelf-awareness.com/ar/theshelf/2010-11-01/brave_new_world_publishers_agents_talk_about_the_biz.html</a></div>
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<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0.2in">Publishers and agents on the panel Writing Matters event at Watchung Booksellers, Montclair, N.J., a week ago Friday--where…</p>
Snippets from a NJ conference. See the whole article at<br />
<div><a href="http://news.shelf-awareness.com/ar/theshelf/2010-11-01/brave_new_world_publishers_agents_talk_about_the_biz.html">http://news.shelf-awareness.com/ar/theshelf/2010-11-01/brave_new_world_publishers_agents_talk_about_the_biz.html</a></div>
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<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0.2in">Publishers and agents on the panel Writing Matters event at Watchung Booksellers, Montclair, N.J., a week ago Friday--where the subject was Brave New World: Publishing a Book in 2010... and Beyond--agreed that the book business is in "a great time of transition," as Reagan Arthur, publisher of Reagan Arthur Books at Little, Brown, put it. "We're all feeling the shift dramatically."</p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0.2in"><a name="body" id="body"></a>Aaron Talwar, publisher of Dark Coast Press, said: ""My generation wants everything now and fast, which will dictate the kinds of books that come out in the future. Readers of the future will be the people who text."</p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0.2in"><a name="body1" id="body1"></a>Janet Reid, an agent at FinePrint Literary Management, said, "There are avenues for writers to be published that are vast compared to before, when the only alternative to established houses were vanity presses. Now there are lots of ways to be published." These changes help some hard-to-place books.</p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0.2in"><a name="body2" id="body2"></a>Technology now allows for direct conversations between authors, readers and publishers. "It's rich but it can be exhausting sometimes."</p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0.2in"><a name="body3" id="body3"></a>The battered economy and technological change have led "publishers to pull out their hair," Delbourgo said. "They're more selective. They're buying less. They're less liable to take risks." (NOTE: Oak Tree Press believes in its authors. We feel it's a “calculated” risk.)</p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0.2in"><a name="body4" id="body4"></a>Book reviewing is going through a sea change. Reagan Arthur noted: "I feel very acutely this year the complete collapse of the review community." Slowly replacing that are online reviewers, who in five or 10 years will be as "vibrant" as those in the print world.<br/><br/>Janet Reid confessed that she never reads the <em>New York Times Book Review</em> and said "readers buy books based on what their friends say." She was supportive of online reviewing, noting that now "a hundred million people across the country are talking about books."<br/><br/>Amy Gash agreed with a statement that there are fewer author tours paid for by publishers. More of that money is going to other ways of promoting authors, such as video trailers, websites and video chats.</p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0.2in"><a name="body5" id="body5"></a>Janet Reid emphasized the importance of having a "compelling voice and compelling first line" in any submission. Since her areas of interest include mystery and crime, this can mean that "if you set someone on fire on page 1 and do it well," she'll want to read more.<br/><br/>Amy Gash said she looked for a voice, "and it has to be original."<br/><br/>For her part, Joelle Delbourgo said, "If I don't like the first sentence, I won't read the second." She advised writers to work hard on their manuscripts and query letters. (NOTE: This is NOT how I select manuscripts.)<br/><br/>Delbourgo also provided some perspective on the current state of the book world, quoting longtime editor Michael Korda, who observed that "every decade the industry believes it is the end of the book and the end of publishing. But people are still reading books."--<font color="#000080"><u><a href="mailto:john@shelf-awareness.com" target="_blank">John Mutter</a></u></font></p>
<p></p>CONFESSIONS OF AN ACQUISITIONS EDITORtag:thebookmarketingnetwork.com,2010-11-06:523145:BlogPost:3669442010-11-06T00:00:00.000ZSunny Frazierhttp://thebookmarketingnetwork.com/profile/SunnyFrazier
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">Small publishing houses work for me because I can't seem to resist the urge to put my two cents in on how the publishing house works. I'm sure Simon & Schuster or Random House could care less about what I think on the way they run things, but I've had two publishers now who value my opinions. Let me tell you, it's a heady feeling.</p>
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<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">When my current publisher was backed up by the onslaught…</p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">Small publishing houses work for me because I can't seem to resist the urge to put my two cents in on how the publishing house works. I'm sure Simon & Schuster or Random House could care less about what I think on the way they run things, but I've had two publishers now who value my opinions. Let me tell you, it's a heady feeling.</p>
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<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">When my current publisher was backed up by the onslaught of query letters, I volunteered to lend a hand. Not that I know anything about acquisitions (is there a training manual somewhere?) but I know what I like to read. I've also studied the market and have an idea of what sells.</p>
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<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">I loved all the letters I received. Some were funny, some were written by a quivering hand, all were hopeful. But, here's where I went off the beaten path of query letter/synopsis/outline.</p>
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<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">When I open e-mails, the first thing I look for is genre and word count. We are a strong genre house, our word count doesn't exceed 85,000. This is the only way to make books cost effective, for both the buyer and the publisher. While main stream publishers push the idea that BIGGER is BETTER is a BLOCKBUSTER is a BESTSELLER, we have more realistic expectations. Sometimes the best novels come in small (55,000 words) packages.</p>
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<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">I know all the writing books stress that the query letter is “The most important letter you'll ever write.” Really? How about the letter to the IRS explaining that strange tax deduction? To Santa for a new computer? To Match.com to complain about bad hook-ups?</p>
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<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">I don't even read the query letter. Blasphemy!</p>
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<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">The first thing I do is Google the writer's name. I'm expecting to see at least a website. I'm hoping for many more hits. How active is the potential author on the Internet? Does this person blog? Have they joined any professional/social sites other than Face Book? What has this person been doing to foster their career goals?</p>
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<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">Because it's not just about the writing anymore. I lecture on marketing at conferences. My mantra: marketing starts the minute you decide you're a writer. Waiting until the novel is finished puts you behind the pack. Name recognition is key. Why would anyone in the writing field want to withhold words, to refuse the reading public a sample of their “voice?”</p>
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<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">I doubt if the big houses bother to investigate. I wonder if they even look at their slush pile before sending rejection notices. Although the expectation is that a big house will supply an endless marketing budget for the book of an unknown author, that's not going to happen unless your name is Paris Hilton or Prince Charles. Marketing has become the responsibility of the author.</p>
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<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">Although my publisher originally believed I wasn't fair to authors, I convinced her that checking the writer's “street creds” goes a long way to selecting authors working hard at their career goals. In my opinion, they are the ones who deserve a shot at publication.</p>
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<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">But, that's just me. And I'm the acquisitions editor. <br/></p>THE AUDACITY OF AUTHORStag:thebookmarketingnetwork.com,2010-10-16:523145:BlogPost:3502552010-10-16T01:30:00.000ZSunny Frazierhttp://thebookmarketingnetwork.com/profile/SunnyFrazier
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">While attending a recent writers conference I overheard a woman say “That author's ego is really out of control.” The catty remark was aimed at an author who did seem pretty full of himself. But it got me to wondering: Is there room for humbleness when it comes to writing?</p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><br></br></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">The dictionary definition of “humble” is “Not proud or haughty, not arrogant or assertive; offered in the spirit of…</p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">While attending a recent writers conference I overheard a woman say “That author's ego is really out of control.” The catty remark was aimed at an author who did seem pretty full of himself. But it got me to wondering: Is there room for humbleness when it comes to writing?</p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><br/></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">The dictionary definition of “humble” is “Not proud or haughty, not arrogant or assertive; offered in the spirit of deference or submission; ranking low in a hierarchy or scale; insignificant; lacking all the signs of pride.” Does this sound like the traits a successful writer?</p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><br/></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">The simple act of putting pen to paper or fingertips to keyboard announces to the world, “I have something to say. My thoughts are unique. My words are important!” That mindset is what drives writers, convinces them every day to sit in a chair and hope for the flow of ideas that will translate to the right words on the page. This is what deprives them of family time, TV time, sleep, and their favorite past time, reading. This is what makes them snap at people, growl at interruptions, overeat and add fat to their butt.</p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><br/></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">So, from where does this arrogance spring? I can only speak for myself: I'm inspired by the scribes before me. Shakespeare, Chaucer, Homer (not Simpson—Doh!). Their words lasted centuries—will mine do the same? In the lightening pace of today's plugged-in world, is it possible for my words to last longer than the next tweet?</p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><br/></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">Writers have to be overly proud of what we're doing—and yes, I'm in the non-humble crowd. We are out there trying for truth and recognizing it our fellow authors. Ego and believe in ourselves is what shores up our confidence when family members look skeptical at our efforts. Friends encourage us with pats on the back as if we've just escaped from a mental institution. Authors are other people, not people they know.</p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><br/></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">We struggle alone and wait for the spark, that “Aha!” moment when our consciousness takes a giant leap onto the page. That's the moment when the pleasure of writing is transformed to the power of writing. There's no turning back.</p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><br/></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">The next hurdle is ignoring the censor in your head that says “Can I write what I really feel and get away with it?” Don't look for the green light from family and friends. They're already worried you're going to spill the dirty laundry. You can't wait for Granny and her church friends to die.</p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><br/></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">On my list of the most daring, soul-barring authors I've come across are Philip Roth, who never let me look at liver the same way again. James Joyce, whose run-on sentences go on for pages. Joan Didion slouching toward Bethlehem. Erica Jong diminished my Fear of Flying. I never understood a word of Henry Miller's Cancers but am incensed that he was censored. Anais Nin who opened up her sexuality for public viewing. And my favorite author, Chuck Palahniuk, always makes me want to write brave, to bare my soul, not bar it.</p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><br/></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">I tell beginning writers that they must always stand by their words because critics are out there ready to tear them apart. Break new ground, break down barriers. Take old ideas and turn them around like a prism until they see light from another angle. Find their voice and use words that excite. What I don't tell them is in the process they're going to cut their emotional wrists and bleed all over the page. It's messy and some aren't going to survive.</p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><br/></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">I used the word audacity in the title of this piece. Definition: Bold. Disregard for normal restraints. Intrepidly daring. Marked by originality and verve. Exaggerating one's own worth or importance. And yes, arrogant. Writers should be all that. We cannot afford to be humble.</p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><br/></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"></p>IF I COULD TURN BACK TIMEtag:thebookmarketingnetwork.com,2010-09-27:523145:BlogPost:3274792010-09-27T19:00:00.000ZSunny Frazierhttp://thebookmarketingnetwork.com/profile/SunnyFrazier
<p>Would I? I have thought of this question many times as I push forward. I think it’s good to stop and evaluate once in awhile. Am I on the right track? Could I have avoided the pitfalls? Can I learn from my mistakes? Here’s what I came up with:</p>
<ol>
<li><p lang="en-US" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">I wish I’d started earlier. I wrote every chance I could, in secret as a child. My mother thought it was a waste of time when I could be…</font></font></p>
</li>
</ol>
<p>Would I? I have thought of this question many times as I push forward. I think it’s good to stop and evaluate once in awhile. Am I on the right track? Could I have avoided the pitfalls? Can I learn from my mistakes? Here’s what I came up with:</p>
<ol>
<li><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">I wish I’d started earlier. I wrote every chance I could, in secret as a child. My mother thought it was a waste of time when I could be outdoors or doing chores.</font></font></p>
</li>
<li><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">I wish I’d understood the teachers who raved about my talent instead of being embarrassed to be singled out.</font></font></p>
</li>
<li><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">I wish I’d been the homecoming queen instead of the editor of the high school newspaper, guaranteed to kill one’s social status.</font></font></p>
</li>
<li><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">I wish I’d grabbed opportunities that presented themselves. If I’d married the scarred Vietnam vet, his father promised me a writing career on the AAA travel magazine. I could have had a terrific career and a bad marriage. I ran in the other direction. I joined the Navy.</font></font></p>
</li>
<li><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">I wish I hadn’t settled for being a dental tech in the military. Schools weren’t guaranteed for women back in 1972 and dental training was all I was offered. Later I found out that if I had passed on the offer, I would have been mopping floors until I could “strike” for a journalism position. While I didn’t take the gamble, I did volunteer at every base newspaper where I was stationed.</font></font></p>
</li>
<li><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">I wish my college profs wouldn’t have pushed me to interview for a local newspaper in my junior year. I was the token woman and apparently wasn’t suppose to score three front page stories in one edition. The men resented me and my love of journalism died.</font></font></p>
</li>
<li><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">I wish I had started my first novel earlier. Instead, I went on to work in the narcotics division of the sheriff’s department and realized I had everything to become a mystery writer—including great plots.</font></font></p>
</li>
<li><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">I wish I’d published before I was seasoned. All sorts of options were there: Publish America, Xlibris, the new e-book format. Instead, I watched and learned from other’s mistakes. I studied the trends in publishing, learned about the industry, weighed my chances with a large publishing house and finally made a decision. I picked a growing publishing house that NEEDED me as much as I needed it. I found I liked making decisions with the publisher and having my ideas heard.</font></font></p>
</li>
<li><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">I wish I’d known that I was a good public speaker. Instead, I practiced with a video camera and worked on my flaws (stop the hair flipping, no “uhhs”). Volunteering on panels and not worrying so much about being judged as being listened to took awhile to sink in.</font></font></p>
</li>
<li><p lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">I wish I’d censored my tongue and my prose. My opinions sometimes raises eyebrows and provokes responses. So do my novels. I get kicked off or moderated on list serves. People remember who I am. I’m controversial. Oh wait—that’s a good thing, right?</font></font></p>
</li>
</ol>
<p>So, would I do anything differently if I could rewind the clock? No, I don’t think so. Everything in my life, every crazy decision I made and strange road I followed made me the writer I am today. I guess I trusted my judgment and stayed true to my ideals. I couldn’t ask for more or done anything differently. And anyway, time doesn’t go backward, it only moves forward. So should we.</p>
<p lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><br/><br/></p>GIVE ME FREEBIES!tag:thebookmarketingnetwork.com,2010-09-12:523145:BlogPost:3707152010-09-12T21:53:04.000ZSunny Frazierhttp://thebookmarketingnetwork.com/profile/SunnyFrazier
<dl>
<dt><font color="#000000"><span lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font size="3">I was just on a marketing panel at Killer Nashville. One of the panelists pooh-poohed the whole idea of little marketing give-aways. Heck, I
love them and love coming up with something creative. Mine usually<br />
center around food: miniature boxes of raisins because my books are<br />
set in the Fresno area, Raisin Capitol of the World. I also ordered<br />
fortune cookies from Oriental Traders with my name and book title as<br />
the…</font></span></font></dt>
</dl>
<dl>
<dt><font color="#000000"><span lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font size="3">I was just on a marketing panel at Killer Nashville. One of the panelists
pooh-poohed the whole idea of little marketing give-aways. Heck, I<br />
love them and love coming up with something creative. Mine usually<br />
center around food: miniature boxes of raisins because my books are<br />
set in the Fresno area, Raisin Capitol of the World. I also ordered<br />
fortune cookies from Oriental Traders with my name and book title as<br />
the fortune because a fortune cookies is a clue in FOOLS RUSH IN.<br />
The next book, WHERE ANGELS FEAR, has a bottle of heart pills as a<br />
clue. I got prescription bottles, ordered labels with my book cover<br />
and my name, and filled the bottles with candy hearts or red<br />
hots.<br/><br/>My advice to the audience? "Plant something in
your novel that you can use as a promotional item in the<br />
future."<br/><br/>As for the skeptic on the panel, just
remember--we don't buy Cracker Jacks for the stale popcorn. We want the prize inside!</font></span></font></dt>
</dl>CRIMINALLY GOOD SKILLStag:thebookmarketingnetwork.com,2010-08-27:523145:BlogPost:3274782010-08-27T19:00:00.000ZSunny Frazierhttp://thebookmarketingnetwork.com/profile/SunnyFrazier
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">I realized the other day that I was taking many of the skills I used as a secretary for an undercover narc team and incorporating them into my writing career.</p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><br></br></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">I'm not taking about discipline or keeping a filing system where I can find things, never my strong suit in the office. I was the type of worker who looked at the big picture and saw opportunity to go beyond my job description. I was…</p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">I realized the other day that I was taking many of the skills I used as a secretary for an undercover narc team and incorporating them into my writing career.</p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><br/></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">I'm not taking about discipline or keeping a filing system where I can find things, never my strong suit in the office. I was the type of worker who looked at the big picture and saw opportunity to go beyond my job description. I was willing to do the extra work and stay past quitting time without pay so I could try my ideas out.</p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><br/></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">When I worked in warrants, it seemed silly to enter a warrant into the computer, file it away and maybe the criminal would get served if we got lucky. Instead, I separated the warrants by areas, contacted the Area Sergeant and FAXed the warrant to the sub-station. Bingo! Suddenly there were more arrests than ever before.</p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><br/></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">My co-workers and supervisor said that was not my job. They would prefer warrants sitting in drawers for years instead of a simple phone call. I got commendations and a promotion.</p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><br/></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">One of my duties in Narcs was to take allegations of drug trafficking. Instead of filling out a report sheet, I used all the computer programs available, profiled the suspect and basically handed the detectives a case ready to investigate. I cross referenced everything so I could bring up allegations by name, location and drug of choice. Word got out and I was used by the FBI, DEA, BNE and many other agencies.</p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><br/></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">I saw yet another possibility: what if I put an alert on rap sheets when there was an allegation of weapons? I got permission, put it in action and now deputies and police officers didn't go in blind. When I retired, the four girls who replaced me scraped the system as “too much work.” When two officers were shot and killed in a local incident, the information was there but never distributed.</p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><br/></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">Old habits don't die. When I decided to market on the Internet, I saw opportunity and potential to use my creativity and skills in the same way that I worked Narcs. I color-code websites I'm on to see what needs updating. I keep a running file of announcements so I know exactly what I will post to these sites on Sundays. I “nudge” a number of authors to blog and respond to blogs. I check to see if they follow through on my suggestions.</p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><br/></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">Why go the extra mile? Shouldn't I be keeping my strategies a guarded secret? Why waste time helping other authors when I could be working on my own novels and publicity? It's all about competition and dollars—right?</p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><br/></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">Wrong. Supporting authors and websites helps me grow. I can't pass up opportunities or pretend I don't see them. I can't keep marketing tricks to myself and watch others struggle. The extra work doesn't stop me.</p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><br/></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">I figure it's part of the job.</p>WHY I'M NOT WRITINGtag:thebookmarketingnetwork.com,2010-07-17:523145:BlogPost:3133542010-07-17T02:00:00.000ZSunny Frazierhttp://thebookmarketingnetwork.com/profile/SunnyFrazier
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"></p>
<p lang="en-US" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">I'm very adamant on the Internet and elsewhere that I don't believe in the notorious “writers block.” Most former journalists and newspaper people will agree with me. We couldn't couldn't look up at the editor in despair and whine, “I don't know, sir. The words just aren't coming to me right now.” That doesn't fly when there are column inches to fill and lay-out…</font></font></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">I'm very adamant on the Internet and elsewhere that I don't believe in the notorious “writers block.” Most former journalists and newspaper people will agree with me. We couldn't couldn't look up at the editor in despair and whine, “I don't know, sir. The words just aren't coming to me right now.” That doesn't fly when there are column inches to fill and lay-out people impatiently tapping their toes. Writers block = pink slip.</font></font></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><br/></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><font size="3">What I DO get are diversions. Here is my Top Ten list:</font></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><br/></p>
<ol>
<li><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">Housework is suddenly more compelling than writing the next chapter.</font></font></p>
</li>
</ol>
<ol start="2">
<li><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">The cat is sitting in front of my computer screen and I can't bear to disturb her.</font></font></p>
</li>
</ol>
<ol start="3">
<li><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">Hoping for a phone call—from anybody, even a telemarketer.</font></font></p>
</li>
</ol>
<ol start="4">
<li><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">I need to finish a book because (a) It's overdue at the library; (b) I must return it to a friend; or (c) it will turn into dust. Could happen.</font></font></p>
</li>
</ol>
<ol start="5">
<li><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">What's in the refrigerator that wasn't there ten minutes ago?</font></font></p>
</li>
</ol>
<ol start="6">
<li><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">Tea break!</font></font></p>
</li>
</ol>
<ol start="7">
<li><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">Must plan next year's vacation NOW.</font></font></p>
</li>
</ol>
<ol start="8">
<li><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">The desk needs organizing. I can't work on a messy desk (yeah, right).</font></font></p>
</li>
</ol>
<ol start="9">
<li><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">The sun's out. Vitamin D is important. So is sunscreen as I lounge by the pool.</font></font></p>
</li>
</ol>
<ol start="10">
<li><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">BLOGGING. Ha! Tell me that's not a productive use of my time. You're reading this so you're guilty too!</font></font></p>
</li>
</ol>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"></p>HAVE THEM EATING OUT OF YOUR HANDOUTStag:thebookmarketingnetwork.com,2010-06-17:523145:BlogPost:3133532010-06-17T02:00:00.000ZSunny Frazierhttp://thebookmarketingnetwork.com/profile/SunnyFrazier
<p><font size="4"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">One of the complaints I often hear from authors is that they can't seem to get their signings and book info into the pubic eye through the local newspapers. I don't have that problem and I have taught several organizations in my area a few ideas on how this is accomplished.</font></font></font></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p><font size="4"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">I once was a lowly paid newspaper reporter. I remember days of looking…</font></font></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">One of the complaints I often hear from authors is that they can't seem to get their signings and book info into the pubic eye through the local newspapers. I don't have that problem and I have taught several organizations in my area a few ideas on how this is accomplished.</font></font></font></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p><font size="4"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">I once was a lowly paid newspaper reporter. I remember days of looking for feature pieces to fill up the pages and make my editor happy. I also remember getting excruciating “press releases” from the public. Sometimes it was more work to rewrite them than to use them.</font></font></font></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p><font size="4"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">Now I work with newspapers in 4 counties in my area, as well as TV and radio. I'm instrumental in putting together the local authors program for the local library, so PR is a must. I learned a lot of techniques while doing PR for the local Sisters in Crime group. Here's my methods:</font></font></font></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p><font size="4"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">First, make a list of all media outlets in a 40 mile radius of the area where you will be speaking or signing. Call local libraries to find the local papers, use the Internet.</font></font></font></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p><font size="4"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">Call each outlet, ask for the name of the Features Editor. Hopefully, they will put you on the line with that person. If not, ask if Community News has a FAX number or email where they would like to receive announcements. If you send a FAX, have letterhead stationary. The library letterhead I use always gets a positive response.</font></font></font></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p><font size="4"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">When you send a FAX, never let it fall into the hands of whoever goes by the FAX machine. It can wind up in the general file or the trash. ALWAYS put the name of someone on staff so they will receive the paperwork. It may get lost on their desk, but at least it will make it there. Make the effort to change the name on each FAX you send. No generic “Features Editor” in the routing.</font></font></font></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p><font size="4"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">Even a small paper will feel good that you even think they HAVE a designated person as a feature editor. Small papers struggle and deserve respect. NEVER make demands or be pushy or overbearing. But, remember, they need to fill their paper and you can make their job easier by knowing how to write an effective Community News release. Here's a sample</font></font><br/></font></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><font size="4">TO: (insert editor's name)</font></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><font size="4">COMMUNITY NEWS</font></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><font size="4">Local author Sunny Frazier will speak on January 15 at the Kings County Library, 401 N. Douty, Hanford. The event begins at 6:30 pm until 8 pm.</font></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><font size="4">Frazier is the author of the astrological mystery, Where Angels Fear. This is a free event. Refreshments will be provided by Friends of the Library. Books will be available for purchase and a book signing with the author will follow.</font></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><font size="4"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">Offer (but don't insist) that you are available for an interview if they have room for a longer piece. Or, create your own piece (write in 3rd person and try not to be too self-serving). ASK if they have room and would care to run it. Don't push a press packet on them or make them feel like they are there to do PR for you.</font></font></font></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><font size="4"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">Ask about deadlines. I have papers that want info 3 weeks in advance, some only a week. Cozy up to the librarians. Make flyers and FAX or mail them to the library. Ask if they would like you to make an appearance.</font></font></font></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><font size="4"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">Always act as if the media people are doing you a huge favor--because they are. Give the feature editor a copy of your book as a thank-you. I also make sure the local library has a copy. Libraries are forced to cut back on book buying.</font></font></font></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><font size="4"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">My info always makes it into the newspapers, TV and radio. The news people know my name and my credentials. I keep my contacts current by checking every six months to see if there have been staff changes. I write a nice thank-you note and praise for any article written about me (even if they spell my name wrong). By doing my end of things, and doing it well, they are more than willing to give me publicity for my next project.</font></font></font></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><font size="4"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">Remember: the Information Highway is a two-way street.</font></font><br/></font></p>CRUISE PICKING UP SPEED. . .tag:thebookmarketingnetwork.com,2010-05-26:523145:BlogPost:3169242010-05-26T18:12:46.000ZSunny Frazierhttp://thebookmarketingnetwork.com/profile/SunnyFrazier
<p lang="en-US" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">The deadline for the conference rate for the Mystery Cruise is coming up fast! We're hoping now that tax season is over people who are interested, curious or just want a memorable sea experience will put down the $250 deposit for a berth, the other half not due until August--totally refundable if plans don't pan out. Beverly is the contact at Beverly@cruisingsmart.com <br></br><br></br>We sail from Los…</font></font></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">The deadline for the conference rate for the Mystery Cruise is coming up fast! We're hoping now that tax season is over people who are interested, curious or just want a memorable sea experience will put down the $250 deposit for a berth, the other half not due until August--totally refundable if plans don't pan out. Beverly is the contact at Beverly@cruisingsmart.com <br/><br/>We sail from Los Angeles on Nov. 14-21. Ports-of-call are Puerto Vallarta, Mazetlan and Cabo San Lucas. Seven days of fun in the sun. The cost is less than most conferences--think about what a hotel and all you can eat costs at a regular conference. Add 3,000 potential book buyers, music and shows every night, and sunny MEXICO! <br/><br/>Billie Johnson, Marilyn Meredith and Dennis Griffin have signed up, plus several people from PSWA. We also have Hollywood agent Ken Sherman available for pitch sessions.<br/><br/>Although pitched as a "Mystery Cruise," this is a conference for all writers. We used "Mystery" because those of us planning the cruise are authors who write mystery and true crime. There will be panels on editing, marketing & promotion, setting, developing characters, dialog and pitch sessions. <br/><br/>If you have friends or relatives who aren't readers (heaven forbid!) they can still enjoy a cruise at this incredible price. The conference is free to all on board.<br/><br/>Do you really want to sit at home this November? Brrr!</font></font></p>SLIGHTING THE HAND THAT FEEDStag:thebookmarketingnetwork.com,2010-05-17:523145:BlogPost:3133522010-05-17T02:10:58.000ZSunny Frazierhttp://thebookmarketingnetwork.com/profile/SunnyFrazier
<p lang="en-US" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">I got wind of one of the most appalling comments written by an author I know. To paraphrase, she informed us all that “You can't teach an old dog new tricks,” and “All that Internet stuff is too new for me.” She went on to say her computer is for writing her manuscripts and research, that “Anything more is beyond me.”…</font></font></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">I got wind of one of the most appalling comments written by an author I know. To paraphrase, she informed us all that “You can't teach an old dog new tricks,” and “All that Internet stuff is too new for me.” She went on to say her computer is for writing her manuscripts and research, that “Anything more is beyond me.”</font></font></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><br/></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">Before anyone here plays the devil's advocate and tries to see her point, let me just add that when this author was invited to sell at our local bookfest, she sent someone in her place. She doesn't like to meet the public. All she feels she is required to do is write the book. A self-published book at that.</font></font></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><br/></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">What this author is too green, too ignorant to understand is that self-pubbed and small-press authors never stood much of a chance in the book world prior to Internet marketing. Sure, you could pay thousands of dollars to have someone market your book—I know a self-pub author who did exactly that and got low sales anyway.</font></font></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><br/></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">Then along comes the entire world to our PC's. It doesn't matter who you are or where you're located, you can create a fan base, a profile, a following. I sit in my PJ's most of the day and answer interview questions, blog on websites, pass on info to other writers and interconnect on the Internet.</font></font></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><br/></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">You want to be my friend on Face Book, Crime Space, Shelfari? I want to sell you my books. You want to say wonderful things in reviews? I will subscribe and promote your blogsite. Quid pro quo. You scratch my back, I'll promote yours. This is collaboration, collective bargaining, networking at its best.</font></font></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><br/></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">The new buzz word is “platform.” The author I mentioned hasn't got a platform, she's got a basement. She's already convinced herself that she hasn't the ability to market via the Internet. What she's really copping to is the fact that she's too lazy and can't be bothered to learn promotion. What this tells me is that she doesn't want a career. She is holding on to the illusion that “real authors” isolate themselves in a garret and wait for the world to discover their genius. Hemingway and Hammett are dead. So is that type of thinking, if it ever was valid to begin with.</font></font></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><br/></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">Don't pass up ANY opportunity handed to you. Only old dogs bite the hand that feeds.</font></font></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><br/></p>READING BETWEEN THE LINEStag:thebookmarketingnetwork.com,2010-03-27:523145:BlogPost:2198942010-03-27T04:00:00.000ZSunny Frazierhttp://thebookmarketingnetwork.com/profile/SunnyFrazier
I heard a quote the other day stating that fiction is more “real” than non-fiction because, in writing fiction, it's easier to tell the truth.<br />
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Think about it. If you're writing non-fiction, you have to stick to the facts. There's no way a writer can go inside the mind of the subject and detail how decisions are made. Only actions and consequences are recorded. One can surmise, conjecture, and deliberate, but will never really know the truth.<br />
<br />
Fiction writers, like myself, are allowed to…
I heard a quote the other day stating that fiction is more “real” than non-fiction because, in writing fiction, it's easier to tell the truth.<br />
<br />
Think about it. If you're writing non-fiction, you have to stick to the facts. There's no way a writer can go inside the mind of the subject and detail how decisions are made. Only actions and consequences are recorded. One can surmise, conjecture, and deliberate, but will never really know the truth.<br />
<br />
Fiction writers, like myself, are allowed to creatively explore human nature. We drum up conflicts for our characters to figure out and overcome. We try to see how far we can push the people we create, and how far we can push the reader. We search our souls in order to make others search theirs. And, we do all of this in the context of a story that will engage and entertain readers.<br />
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When I write, I usually focus on something that's been bothering me. I once observed an extremely overweight man in a crowd and noticed other people averting their eyes. It occurred to me that obesity might be the best way to be underestimated. So, I created a unique detective, a sumo wrestler who makes a career change. In “Sayonara, Mr. Chips,” my character is ridiculed, ignored, and treated as if he is stupid. He turns all of these negative reactions to work in his favor. Of course, he solves the case. Not only is he observant, he understands the Japanese culture better than the police. And, I never once let him lose his dignity.<br />
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Another thing that bothered me was the way a friend in law enforcement was being treated as she aged. Instead of using the knowledge she'd built up over the years, responsibilities were taken away from her. She was being emotionally downsized. When I wrote the story “Baby Blue,” based on a Hanford murder case, I let her solve it. Then, while being praised in the story for what she considered just doing her job, she puts in retirement papers. I let my friend do in the story what she can't do in real life: leave the force on a high note.<br />
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The hardest writing of all is sketching out portraits of the people we love. The traits we want to explore in their personalities are the ones people would rather hide. Perfect people make boring characters. It's not only safer to fictionalize my friends, but they never seem to recognize themselves in my stories.<br />
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Romance writers try to make couples live happily ever after. Mystery writers tackle injustice and right the wrongs. Fantasy writers bring magic back to our jaded realities. Horror writers remind us things could be worse. Historical fiction gives us the past, sci-fi presents the future.<br />
<br />
Is it what really happened? No. Non-fiction deals with life as it exists. Fiction writers probe the depths of mankind, to find out what makes us tick. We project our own hopes onto the pages we write and trust that our words will connect with a reader.<br />
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One person's fiction is another's truth.I HEAR VOICEStag:thebookmarketingnetwork.com,2010-02-21:523145:BlogPost:2198952010-02-21T05:00:00.000ZSunny Frazierhttp://thebookmarketingnetwork.com/profile/SunnyFrazier
I wrote a column in my local newspaper about a former English teacher who passed away. The article generated emails from other former students with their own stories to share. But one reader, a woman in my graduating class (1969), wrote to tell me that she not only enjoyed the article, but liked my writing enough to buy my mystery novel, FOOLS RUSH IN.<br />
<br />
Compliment accepted (as well as the check).<br />
<br />
What this reader responded to is something all writers are told to strive for in their writing.…
I wrote a column in my local newspaper about a former English teacher who passed away. The article generated emails from other former students with their own stories to share. But one reader, a woman in my graduating class (1969), wrote to tell me that she not only enjoyed the article, but liked my writing enough to buy my mystery novel, FOOLS RUSH IN.<br />
<br />
Compliment accepted (as well as the check).<br />
<br />
What this reader responded to is something all writers are told to strive for in their writing. Elusive, indefinable, yet oddly recognizable, the term for this is “Voice.”<br />
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Anyone can be taught grammar, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, all the building blocks needed to create a manuscript. What is harder to capture is the way a writer puts all of those elements together and produces prose as unique as a thumb print.<br />
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The best explanation I have heard of Voice comes from mystery writer Lawrence Block. He said Voice is like listening to two people tell the same joke. The punchline is the same, but the process of getting there, the style of the narrator, even the body language marks the difference between narrators. And, just for the record, I can't tell a joke to save my life. I get to the punchline and fall flat.<br />
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Think of an author you love to read. John Steinbeck, for example. Whether he's describing Dust Bowl migrants in “Grapes of Wrath,” or a sardine cannery in Monterey, I'm always aware of Steinbeck. He brings to life the Joads, Doc, and the madame of the Bear Flag bordello. Characters are formed with care and detail. We not only hear their voices but that of their creator.<br />
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If you took Steinbeck's name off the covers, would a reader still be able to recognize that the stories were penned by the same man? Probably. If Clive Cussler or Tom Clancy wrote “Cannery Row,” would the story have a different Voice? Oh, sure. There'd be a submarine on a covert mission or a sunken Spanish galleon that has to be lifted from the Pacific floor. The story would be full of action and bravado instead of contemplation. And the book would no doubt make the best seller list.<br />
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The Voice of a writer is an important part of the craft of writing. Some people are born with a gift, some acquire Voice. My father, a Southerner, had a rich way with words and inflection. He picked this up from listening to old men spin tales around a pot belly stove. I took what he gave me, genetically and verbally, added a college education and came up with my own style.<br />
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The process doesn't happen over night. Voice means knowing who you are, as a person and as a writer. Expression flavored with opinion. Hard work, trial and error. Self-discovery. A conviction of viewpoint and the fearlessness to go public.<br />
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If you've read this far, you've heard my Voice. I started with the aftermath of my previous column. The second paragraph is an incomplete sentence with a touch of humor. Move on to Serious. I tossed in a genre reference, followed by a literary icon. I had fun with the idea of literary art rewritten by two bestselling authors. I gave you a piece of my family history. Finally, I revealed the intent of this column, meant for aspiring writers. The message is this: Write brave. Learn well. Be patient. Pay attention. Have attitude. Listen to those around you and to your heart.<br />
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I wrote this column in two hours and 619 words. Each word was weighed and considered. This is my Voice.HOPE AND A HANDFUL OF CHANGEtag:thebookmarketingnetwork.com,2010-01-14:523145:BlogPost:2198932010-01-14T05:00:00.000ZSunny Frazierhttp://thebookmarketingnetwork.com/profile/SunnyFrazier
Last year mustered in a new president, a sad economy, and plenty of unemployed people.<br />
<br />
As a writer, I'm self-employed and living creatively close to the poverty line. The idealistic days of soulful writers in Parisian garrets, swigging cheap wine and pounding out the Great American Novel are gone with Hemingway and Fitzgerald.<br />
<br />
Modern writers once worried people would stop reading altogether. The success of Harry Potter defied that theory. The public willingly paid money for books again,…
Last year mustered in a new president, a sad economy, and plenty of unemployed people.<br />
<br />
As a writer, I'm self-employed and living creatively close to the poverty line. The idealistic days of soulful writers in Parisian garrets, swigging cheap wine and pounding out the Great American Novel are gone with Hemingway and Fitzgerald.<br />
<br />
Modern writers once worried people would stop reading altogether. The success of Harry Potter defied that theory. The public willingly paid money for books again, making J.K. Rowling a very rich woman. However, with a changing economy, books are now a luxury and not in the budget. You can't eat a book, fill your gas tank with pages or pay your mortgage with paperbacks—believe me, I've tried. I'm this close to standing on a street corner with a cardboard sign saying, “Will write for change.”<br />
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Where does that leave emerging authors? Do we lay down our pens (computers) and call it a day? What started with oral histories, clay tablets, papyrus, and the Gutenberg press has evolved to e-books, audio tapes and hand-held electronic readers. While individual writers may not be important unless they're on Oprah or the best seller list, as a group we are still the recorders of society. Words on paper don't die.<br />
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Maybe, in the downward spiral of the economy, people will turn to books for cheap entertainment and hours of escape. Most of us have books collecting dust on bookshelves and stored in closets. Time to share the wealth. Stop hoarding and swap out novels with friends. Your favorite read might become someone else's treasured book.<br />
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Libraries are also being hit by the economic downturn. Library books sustained me as a child in a Navy family. I'm a author today because I had access to books my family couldn't afford. The library is once again back in my life. I can request bestsellers (I'm #156 on the list for Michael Connelly's The Brass Verdict). I can read magazines when I can't afford subscriptions. I walk past shelves as if I own the books, grateful that someone else has the task of keeping them orderly.<br />
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In this economy, you can't find a better bargain.CONFESSIONS OF A CONTEST JUNKIEtag:thebookmarketingnetwork.com,2009-12-07:523145:BlogPost:2198922009-12-07T05:00:00.000ZSunny Frazierhttp://thebookmarketingnetwork.com/profile/SunnyFrazier
I was asked to give my “Write to Win” workshop at the '07 Murder in the Grove conference. I do this workshop dressed in Army camouflage and teach guerrilla techniques for winning writing contests.<br />
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I love writing contests. When I hear of one or come across a contest on the Internet, my heart starts racing and ideas flood my mind. My competitive spirit kicks into high gear. I may never run a marathon or win a ballroom dance competition, but give me a theme and a deadline and I'm up for the…
I was asked to give my “Write to Win” workshop at the '07 Murder in the Grove conference. I do this workshop dressed in Army camouflage and teach guerrilla techniques for winning writing contests.<br />
<br />
I love writing contests. When I hear of one or come across a contest on the Internet, my heart starts racing and ideas flood my mind. My competitive spirit kicks into high gear. I may never run a marathon or win a ballroom dance competition, but give me a theme and a deadline and I'm up for the challenge.<br />
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Short stories are a terrific way to start a career in writing. Just ask Stephen King. It hones writing skills and forces writers out of their comfort zone. I wrote a story about a sumo wrestler for a contest called “The X-tra, X-tra, X-tra Large Detective.” I've written about a soldier from the Iraqi war, as well as a rock-'n-roll musician for an anthology based on the seven deadly sins. I even tackled the Hispanic fable of La Llorona. None of those stories are a part of my culture or experience.<br />
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Many writers back away from the whole idea of writing contests because there's usually a fee involved. I have no problem with shelling out $15 for the entry fee. I compare it to betting on a horse race—and I'm the horse. I'm in to win, place or at least show. I put out the very best story I can write. If some other writer beats me out of the prize, I have to give them credit because I know I've given them a run for their money.<br />
<br />
Another reason writers are hesitant to go into competition is because they suspect a scam. They feels publishers are out to take their money and then coerce winning authors to buy a book for every relative. However, the cost of producing a book includes editing, printing, storage and distribution. It exceeds the amount taken in by entry fees. Short story collections are usually produced as a labor of love and rarely make a profit. The option to purchase is the author's decision.<br />
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There is also the fear that a contest is rigged, that winners are people the judges know. Most contests are done by blind entry. Stories are assigned a number before being handed off to the judges. Judges are never given the name of the author and must judge the story on its own merits.<br />
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The final fear, and the silliest, is that the author's precious words will be ripped off. Get real. Who wants to be sued over a short story? And no, stories don't have to be copyrighted. In fact, authors retain their rights if the story wins and doesn't get into print, or first American rights are returned after a reasonable time frame.<br />
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An aspect fledgling writers don't consider until too late in the game are writing credits. When I finished my first novel, I presented the publisher with five pages listing my published stories. With the cost of book production, no publisher can afford to invest in a new author who lacks proven experience in the field.<br />
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Personally, I consider entering and winning writing contests as a litmus test of my skills. How else to decipher whether the writing is as good as friends and relatives assure me? Trophies from strangers lets me know where I stand in the world of scribes.<br />
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If in doubt, there's a website called Preditors and Editors that rates contests, as well as agents, publishers and a wide variety of concerns for writers. Try Ralan.com for open contests and anthology call-outs. Write brave and go for the prize!YOUNG AT ARTtag:thebookmarketingnetwork.com,2009-12-01:523145:BlogPost:2198912009-12-01T05:00:00.000ZSunny Frazierhttp://thebookmarketingnetwork.com/profile/SunnyFrazier
You've heard the phrase “If I only knew then what I know now.” This doesn't apply in the writing world. Everything I thought I knew about writing has changed in the last 20 years. Oh, not the basic rules of grammar and punctuation, that's still in place even if sometimes ignored. But how I write, and more importantly, how I publish has come out of the dark ages.<br />
<br />
I knew I wanted to be a writer from age 13. I had good teachers, learned what I needed to know to put sentences together and got…
You've heard the phrase “If I only knew then what I know now.” This doesn't apply in the writing world. Everything I thought I knew about writing has changed in the last 20 years. Oh, not the basic rules of grammar and punctuation, that's still in place even if sometimes ignored. But how I write, and more importantly, how I publish has come out of the dark ages.<br />
<br />
I knew I wanted to be a writer from age 13. I had good teachers, learned what I needed to know to put sentences together and got encouragement for my forays into journalism. And then I was left at the edge of a cliff, looking at the publishing industry across a wide gap with no clue how to get there.<br />
<br />
I tried going it alone. I wrote my first book on an electric typewriter, helped with a wonderful invention called Wite-Out. I still have those yellowed pages. It didn't matter how much I wanted to be an author, all of the opportunities seemed to be in New York. I shelved my dreams for 30 years.<br />
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The Internet has changed all that. Or, has it? I just gave a speech to two separate groups on alternative publishing. The average age in the group was about 60. Where were all the young, aspiring writers? The audience I lectured to had a hard time understanding Publish On Demand technology, small press dynamics or the concept of Kindle. They are now retired and free to write, have lots of experiences under their belt, but time is running out and technology is racing forward.<br />
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So, if I were 16 again but in the year 2009, here's what I would do to jump start my career.<br />
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I'd find a group of like-minded peers and create a writers' group.<br />
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I'd make an effort to meet published writers. I didn't meet an author until I was 40.<br />
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If my parents could afford to buy me a computer, I wouldn't waste time goofing around on the Internet. I'd be googling markets and finding venues to publish my stories. I'd enter writing contests and hone my skills. I'd participate in social sites designed for writers. These groups talk about more than stories, they talk about finding an agent, unethical publishers, promotional cost and the nuts and bolts of the industry.<br />
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I'd ask for a subscription to Writers' Digest for Christmas. I'd find other writing magazines and scour the articles for information. I'd go to the library for “How To” books on plotting, characters and craft.<br />
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I'd figure out what “genre” means and decide the direction I want to aim my writing. Literary is pushed in schools, but genre fiction is what the public reads.<br />
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Publishing could be a young person's game, but too many writers wait until they are plagued with arthritis, hampered by failing eyesight and have senior moments that temporarily steals words and coherent ideas.<br />
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There's a phenomenon out right now called “Twilight.” If I were 16 again, I would go to Stephenie Meyers' site and pay attention to what she says of her publishing experience. http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/twilight.html This author did a lot of things wrong and still got it right. Plus, she's young enough to enjoy her immense success.A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO COZUMELtag:thebookmarketingnetwork.com,2009-11-23:523145:BlogPost:2528932009-11-23T18:24:15.000ZSunny Frazierhttp://thebookmarketingnetwork.com/profile/SunnyFrazier
I just returned from a speaking/promotion event in the Mexican Caribbean. It was a cruise saluting Veterans, very patriotic (I am a Vietnam Era vet). I was on a panel of authors talking to the vets about writing their memoirs. We got together later with the travel agent who pulled together the trip and pitched the idea of a mystery cruise. I came up with the title: Murder On the High Seas: A Cruise To Die For.<br />
I heard today that the travel agent can pull it together by next fall. 7 days…
I just returned from a speaking/promotion event in the Mexican Caribbean. It was a cruise saluting Veterans, very patriotic (I am a Vietnam Era vet). I was on a panel of authors talking to the vets about writing their memoirs. We got together later with the travel agent who pulled together the trip and pitched the idea of a mystery cruise. I came up with the title: Murder On the High Seas: A Cruise To Die For. <br />
I heard today that the travel agent can pull it together by next fall. 7 days sailing the Mexican Riviera, leaving from Los Angeles, Carnival Splendour seems the probable choice, rates are approx. $350 inside cabin, $550 balcony.<br />
<br />
You can see what we're talking about at <br />
<a href="http://www.carnival.com/cms/fun/ships/carnival_splendor/default.aspx?shipCode=SL">http://www.carnival.com/cms/fun/ships/carnival_splendor/default.aspx?shipCode=SL</a><br />
<a href="http://www.carnival.com/cms/fun/destination/Mexico/itinerariesMR.aspx?subRegionCode=MR&sort=3">http://www.carnival.com/cms/fun/destination/Mexico/itinerariesMR.aspx?subRegionCode=MR&sort=3</a> <br />
<br />
I'm suppose to get together with my cohorts in crime and come up with panels and programs so we know how many meeting rooms to reserve. Any ideas?<br />
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Is this too soon for anyone to plan? There wouldn't be any extra fees for the conference but we're going to try to negotiate with the ship to sell books. And there wouldn't be any silly rule about who's an author. In fact, I'd love to see small press publishers show up and show their wares!<br />
<br />
Sunny Frazier<br />
<a href="http://www.sunnyfrazier.com">http://www.sunnyfrazier.com</a>TELL ME A STORYtag:thebookmarketingnetwork.com,2009-10-24:523145:BlogPost:2198902009-10-24T04:00:00.000ZSunny Frazierhttp://thebookmarketingnetwork.com/profile/SunnyFrazier
Remember when the day ended with a bedtime story?<br />
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I remember my mother reading a picture book I already knew by heart. When he was home from sea duty, my father would spin stories of his childhood in the South. Sometimes he'd recite scenes from “Gone With the Wind,” changing his voice to fit each character. Okay, that may have been a little over the top. Does an eight-year-old really need to go to sleep with Scarlett's “As God is my witness” speech ringing in her dreams?<br />
<br />
As I grew older,…
Remember when the day ended with a bedtime story?<br />
<br />
I remember my mother reading a picture book I already knew by heart. When he was home from sea duty, my father would spin stories of his childhood in the South. Sometimes he'd recite scenes from “Gone With the Wind,” changing his voice to fit each character. Okay, that may have been a little over the top. Does an eight-year-old really need to go to sleep with Scarlett's “As God is my witness” speech ringing in her dreams?<br />
<br />
As I grew older, there was the flashlight under the covers to read Nancy Drew after lights out. My eyesight was already bad, so warnings that I'd ruin my eyesight did no good. Most of the good TV programs for kids ended by nine. Reading a few chapters was a perfect way to wrap up the day.<br />
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What happened to the pleasure of reading in bed until eyelids droop and words start to blur?<br />
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I hear a lot of adults say they don't have time to read. Life is too full of commitments, everything happens at warp speed, TV and the Internet eat up free time. How can simple words on a page compete for our attention?<br />
<br />
I have the solution: short stories.<br />
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Often overlooked or underestimated, the short story is considered one of the hardest forms of fiction writing to conquer. Novelists who have no problem writing a 400-page book cringe at the idea of writing a 2,000 word story. The writer has to reign in all those lovely descriptions, start the story at the action, keep the character count down, and conclude the story in a way that satisfies readers. It's a lot to ask for in ten typed pages.<br />
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Edgar Allen Poe is said to be the Father of the American Short Story. Now, there's a writer who could give readers nightmares! I wouldn't advise anyone to read The Tell-Tale Heart or The Raven before falling asleep.<br />
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Mark Twain once wrote to a friend, “If I'd had more time, I would have written a shorter letter.” Twain spoke for all of us who write short fiction. The hardest stories to write are termed “flash fiction.” These are stories around 500 words in length, shorter than this column. With such a tight word count, every word has to count. There can't be a spare adjective, no qualifiers like “So,” “But,” and “Therefore” are allowed. I write mystery stories that include a detective, clues, a dead body or two, and a solution. Readers say the stories always seems much longer.<br />
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Writing short pieces requires discipline. There's no room to ramble and every sentence has to be trimmed to the bone. I like to take sentences I've written and see how many words I can remove and still make sense. Mysteries work well with short, staccato sentences. I've even been known to write one word paragraphs.<br />
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Anthologies and short story collections are the answer for people who say they have no time to read. A story can be read in one sitting and are perfect to have on hand while waiting in a doctor's office. The reader gets a sense of instant gratification without the commitment a novel demands. It's also a great way to sample the words of a wide variety of authors. I have stories in four anthologies, and many readers have liked my short pieces enough to buy my novel.<br />
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Instead of watching the 11 o'clock news, take a book to bed. Rediscover the joy of reading. And remember—you're never too old for a bedtime story.PSWA CONFERENCEtag:thebookmarketingnetwork.com,2009-10-22:523145:BlogPost:2447192009-10-22T19:48:41.000ZSunny Frazierhttp://thebookmarketingnetwork.com/profile/SunnyFrazier
The Public Safety Writers Conference 2010 will be held from June 17 through June 20 in Las Vegas at the Orleans Hotel and Convention Center in Las Vegas.<br />
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Our headliner this year is the wonderful crime fiction and horror writer, Simon Wood. is going to talk about Creating Suspense. Michael A. Black will give us a lesson in putting together a plot in an hour. Forensic expert, Steve Scarborough, is returning, and I'm going to speak on “How Much Sex Is Too Much?” in the mystery genre. Next year's…
The Public Safety Writers Conference 2010 will be held from June 17 through June 20 in Las Vegas at the Orleans Hotel and Convention Center in Las Vegas.<br />
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Our headliner this year is the wonderful crime fiction and horror writer, Simon Wood. is going to talk about Creating Suspense. Michael A. Black will give us a lesson in putting together a plot in an hour. Forensic expert, Steve Scarborough, is returning, and I'm going to speak on “How Much Sex Is Too Much?” in the mystery genre. Next year's conference will be attended by three publishers and a Hollywood connection.<br />
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For more information, go to <a href="http://www.police-writers.com">http://www.police-writers.com</a><br />
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Founded in 1997 as the Police Writers Club, the Public Safety Writers Association is open to both new and experienced, published and not yet published writers. Members include police officers, civilian police personnel, firefighters, fire support personnel, emergency personnel, security personnel, lawyers and others in the public safety field. Also represented are those who write about public safety, including mystery writers, magazine writers, journalists and those who are simply interested in the genre. The association also welcomes publishers, editors, agents and others who help writers realize their writing goals. This is the group for anyone who has questions concerning real procedure in their writing. Networking opportunities abound.AM I A WRITER?tag:thebookmarketingnetwork.com,2009-08-17:523145:BlogPost:2198892009-08-17T04:00:00.000ZSunny Frazierhttp://thebookmarketingnetwork.com/profile/SunnyFrazier
Last week at my writing group, one of the aspiring authors had a bit of a breakdown. She suffered from what all writers eventually go through. Her faith in her abilities was shaken, the struggle to get her story on paper seemed overwhelming, and the awful question loomed: Am I really a writer?<br />
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This rite of passage is crucial. Writing a book initially seems like fun. The potential novelist thinks, “Oh, I have stories to tell, I have a great imagination, I got an 'A' in English class in high…
Last week at my writing group, one of the aspiring authors had a bit of a breakdown. She suffered from what all writers eventually go through. Her faith in her abilities was shaken, the struggle to get her story on paper seemed overwhelming, and the awful question loomed: Am I really a writer?<br />
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This rite of passage is crucial. Writing a book initially seems like fun. The potential novelist thinks, “Oh, I have stories to tell, I have a great imagination, I got an 'A' in English class in high school/college. My mother and friends say my emails are quippy, they delight in my ability to tell a good story. I'm a natural.”<br />
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The reality is the plain white sheet of paper waiting for words. The cursor on the computer becomes a throbbing curse. Minutes tick by as phrases refuse to come. The story percolating in the brain falls short in print.<br />
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“I know what I want to say, but I can't get the ideas to come out as I imagined,” one in our group complained. “I wanted to kill my husband for interrupting my flow of words,” the most mild-mannered member fumed. “I feel like I'm ignoring my children, but I'm determined to get this book written,” the young mother confessed.<br />
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Like addicts at an AA meeting, we admit we write to the detriment of other parts of our lives. Spouses get neglected and have to take on extra duties so we can get pages written and attend critique sessions. We needed our writing “fix” so badly, we went from meeting twice a month to every Friday night. Our social lives now revolve around professional organizations like Romance Writers of America and Sisters in Crime in Fresno. We show up at library events to network with published authors. We crave writing conferences and conventions, the cost be damned.<br />
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But, wanting to be a writer and being a writer are two distinctively different animals. The wannabe sees the fun, the fulfillment, the praise, the bucks. They have passion and a story to tell and probably some talent.<br />
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Real writers expect to get saddle sores from sitting in front of the computer. Their eyes go bad from staring at the screen. Coffee, a shot of brandy and dark chocolate will only keep them functioning for so long. The only exercise they get is in their fingers—if they don't get carpal tunnel first. They crave distractions, any reason to leave the ball and chain of the chair. They don't want to talk to anyone who can't empathize with their suffering.<br />
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And that, folks, it the crux of the problem. Does the world care if there is one more writer or one more book on the shelf? Not really. Is writing worth sacrificing the real people in our lives in favor of the fictional people we create? Are the rewards worth the effort? Am I really up to the task?<br />
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Writing is a choice. Nobody is standing behind us with a gun to our heads telling us to publish or perish. Writing is hard. More than just imagination and plot, good writing includes craft, strong word choices, constant editing, the illusive element called “voice,” and a thick skin. Writing is a gamble. Even the best novels often don't see publication. Writing is about going the distance, not running a sprint. Writing is not graded, except by sales. Writing demands sacrifices, and each aspiring novelist has to ask, “What am I willing to give up to reach my goal?”<br />
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I gave up housework, TV and a marriage while writing my first novel. I cleared the way to write full time by forfeiting what others consider necessities: relationships, a social life and a steady income. I live in a bathrobe surrounded by cats unable to complain to the neighbors when I kick them outside so I can write. A balanced diet is TV dinners, smoothies and chocolate. My yard work goes neglected and housework is negligible. I live like a spinster and don't have time for bad habits, except biting my nails when I'm working on deadline. Do I feel this life is what I want? Absolutely. I'm living my dream.<br />
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But, that's my story. My writing group gave the aspiring author empathy and a tissue to wipe away tears and years of frustration. Her life is full of overwhelming obstacles, yet I know she'll show up next Friday night ready for more criticism. Last week she had a breakdown--next week, perhaps a breakthrough.PRICELESS PUBLICITYtag:thebookmarketingnetwork.com,2009-08-10:523145:BlogPost:2198882009-08-10T04:00:00.000ZSunny Frazierhttp://thebookmarketingnetwork.com/profile/SunnyFrazier
Wouldn't it be nice if the writers in this group each had their own publicity agent? Publicity can cost money—but it doesn't have to.<br />
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I'm signed up on BookTour.com. This nifty website is the brainchild of three San Francisco authors who use technology to connect authors with audiences.<br />
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In 2006, they launched the idea to the world. Authors create a page with their bio, books, and tour dates. Venues looking for speakers list their site on BookTour.<br />
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What happens next is simple: based on your…
Wouldn't it be nice if the writers in this group each had their own publicity agent? Publicity can cost money—but it doesn't have to.<br />
<br />
I'm signed up on BookTour.com. This nifty website is the brainchild of three San Francisco authors who use technology to connect authors with audiences.<br />
<br />
In 2006, they launched the idea to the world. Authors create a page with their bio, books, and tour dates. Venues looking for speakers list their site on BookTour.<br />
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What happens next is simple: based on your zip code, you are automatically notified when an author is speaking in your area. My recent speaking engagement at the Kings County Library was on the site. When I notified friends and authors of this unique promotional opportunity, the response was enough to garner me the title of Author of the Day.<br />
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It doesn't end there. An author can enter zip codes and find groups open to speakers. I entered the zip codes for cities where I have friends willing to put me up for the night and found an abundance of groups to contact.<br />
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Looking for speakers for a group is always difficult. Why not try BookTour and let the speakers find out about your venue?<br />
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I've developed my own PR project. I call it “The Murder Circle.” I've made many friends in the mystery world and I like to find out what they're up to. Combining curiosity with my journalistic background (and a love of gossip), I write a weekly column and send it out to mystery lovers and mystery authors. It's more fun than blogging about myself. I never run out of material.<br />
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The column has been a huge hit with readers. Reviewing the Evidence and Linked-In has acknowledged it as a professional site. If you're interested in checking out the Circle, go to http://www.sunnyfrazier.com/MurderCircle/ Or, just google my name. It's on my website. Contact me with your publishing news and let me play publicist.<br />
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Another way I'm getting free publicity is through a column I write for the local newspaper. I was asked to write a monthly column titled “Write On!” for the entertainment page. I went to two Christmas parties and it seems everyone in my small town has been reading the column. One woman clips it and sends it to friends 300 miles away.<br />
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You should never have to pay for publicity, not when there are free venues to reach readers, book buyers and the media.