Frances Altman's Blog (7)

This is the tenth book and it is bringing new experiences because it flows into the adult category. There are no pictures to lure in young readers. It's the story of Mary Edwards Walker who gave me inspiration and courage to go forward. Recognize your self worth she told women in the 1800s and that is what women are being advised about today. Seek a career and learn to listen so you can respond intelligently. You can find the book at most book stores or ask your library about adding a copy to… Continue

Memoirs have become very popular.  It used to be that a memoir was about a person's entire life. No so anymore. We have strayed from the dictionary definition.  Today it can be for a short period of time, a few months or a few years.  Joan Lundun has published a book covering the nine or so months that she was recovering from cancer,  A Baltimore writer Barbara Morrison has written about a period in her life when she was on welfare.  Sometimes the book is not really an autobiography but a…

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Recently I heard a well known youth author talk about having an agent. He discouraged it.  He feels that agents today do very little for you and that a publishing company does very little.  Therefore, he encourages going directly to a publisher if you can be so successful, or publish as an indie.  As a hybrid author, I think he may be right.  However, I find that writing for fun keeps your brain operating, and creative thoughts moving along.  Great to be living.   

I have attended many conferences where speakers have repeated this advice.  Write what you know.

I believe there is some truth in that statement.  It's also what you feel most comfortable doing. Another good idea is to hang your story line, especially for children, on a historical peg.  That gives you a good platform to begin writing. One of the stories I wrote years ago for Children's Friend magazine was from a historical tidbit about how George Washington's soldiers…

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One way to create excitement in your writing is to listen to the current news and add some of those activities to your story.  If you have a writer's block, it will help get you back on track. 

A nice gift that you might think about giving a relative is writing a short memoir of something you have done. Sometimes an older person like myself thinks they would like to pass on an adventure you once had or information about a relative from the past.  It doesn't have to be a book.  Many people leave a family member just a little notebook or a journal telling about an occasion.  If it is to be a gift, tie a ribbon around it. Someone in your family will enjoy it.   

 Writing is where it all begins. But the hardest part ;is promoting what you have written. I recently attended a presentation by an Indie publisher. He like so many quoted a rather medium price to do everything for you except really promote or sell your book.  He did tell me that about 77,000 people were trying to promote their books so I wondered why I am continuing to write. Getting your book out there and having many people read it is now something like playing the lottery.  In fact, your…

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