Meida Kit for Writers and Authors

Media Kit
Virtual Tour October 2008

Contact details

URL: http://writersandauthors.blogspot.com
Email: writersandauthors@yahoo.it

Basic Interview

Jo Linsdell is a freelance writer and author of ‘Italian for tourists’ and ‘A guide to weddings in Italy’ which are available to buy from www.lulu.com/jolinsdell along with her various ebooks.
Originally from the UK she moved to Rome, Italy in 2001 where she now lives with her husband and their baby son.
She is currently working on the ‘Italian Home Study’ series of ebooks and a pocket size edition of her book ‘Italian for tourists’.
As well as writing she is the creator and manager of the Writers and Authors website (http://writersandauthors.blogspot.com) and she is here today to tell us a bit more about it.

What is Writers and Authors?
A place for people in the writing industry to gather and share experiences, tips and advice. Not to mention promote their latest work and discuss various topics related to the writing industry. Included in this blog you will also find; links to sites for writers, competitions and contests, interviews, writer and book event listings and more...

Why ‘relaunch’?
My baby son was born in December 2007 after a difficult pregnancy, so I’ve been away for a while. Having to spend 8 months on bed rest meant I had a lot of time on my hands, which I used to work on my various writing related projects. The Writers and Authors site was a big success and my plan is to make it even better now I’m back online. To make sure everyone gets the chance to take part and see the great opportunities on the site I thought it was a good idea to have a big relaunch party to celebrate and spread the word.

What changes have been made to the site?
The new format is as follows:
Mondays: Opportunities for writers. This will include paying markets, competitions, online courses etc…
Tuesdays: Featured Authors. This will include author interviews and samples of their writing.
Wednesdays: Publishers, editors, etc... This section will include interviews with publishers, editors, etc… and explain how the industry works and give helpful advice on the more technical aspects of the writing industry e.g. what they look for, how to query, etc…
Thursdays: Book reviews. This will include reviews about any type of book. I’m particularly looking for reviews about self help for writers books (and related) but will also post reviews about fiction, poetry and basically anything else.
Fridays: Upcoming events. This section will include dates and details about conferences and other events for writers online. Also author chats online, virtual tours etc…

How can people get involved?
For those of you interested in being interviewed for the 'Featured Author' section please send me an email (writersandauthors@yahoo.it) giving some details about yourself and your writing. Please also include your website address.

Calling all publishers, editors, marketing experts, cover art designers, etc... I need YOU! To be interviewed please contact writersandauthors@yahoo.com

As you can see, I also want to include a section with book reviews. You are welcome to review any type of book (e.g. self help for writers or a fiction or poetry book). In fact I'll be all the happier to have a good mix. If your new to writing reviews and want some pointers check out http://library.queensu.ca/research/guide/book-reviews/how-write for some tips. Please send your review in the body of the email to writersandauthors@yahoo.it with 'Book Review' in the subject line.

How can people support Writers and Authors?
Nominations (e.g. Writers Digest 101 best sites- any others are good too J), blog postings, interviews, putting a link on their sites, spreading the word to others.

Tell us about the Virtual Tour?
To relaunch this site in it's new format I'm organising a virtual tour running from October 1st until 31st 2008. Anyone who is interested in hosting me for an interview or featuring the Writers and Authors website on theirs, please send me an email to the new address writersandauthors@yahoo.it with virtual tour in the subject line. A copy of the Virtual Tour calendar is on the site so you can keep track of the events.
So far the tour is a huge success and the Writers and Authors site has become truly international (check out the traffic map online to see who’s visiting).

Coming soon

I’m planning a ‘Christmas Wish List’ feature for December where I will be posting short samples (max 2000 words) from books along with their buying details. The idea is to give inspiration for presents for Christmas. I’m looking for a good mix of genres so there will be something for everyone’s tastes. As the site is open to the general public and therefore all age groups I will not be posting any adult, erotica etc…
Anyone interested in participating should contact writersandauthors@yahoo.it with ‘Christmas Wish List’ in the subject line.

Reviews of Writers and Authors

Review by Sandy Lender
The description at the top of the Writers and Authors blog states that it is "a place for people in the writing industry to gather and share experiences, tips and advice. Not to mention promote their latest work and discuss various topics related to the writing industry. Included in this blog you will also find; links to sites for writers, competitions and contests, interviews, writer and book event listings and more..." Jo Linsdell, the administrator of the site, appears to have taken a break during the spring and summer from the constant strain of posting that such a mission statement would require but has come back full force this fall with information and interviews that show diligence in her research. And it's not just the blog posts that visitors will find useful.

Linsdell has smartly organized a host of stationary items down the side of her blog that give visitors snippits of information with links to learn more. For instance, if you're looking for a definition for a word, type it into the "Online Reference" field, select what you want to know about it from the bubbles available, and click "search". Up pops an additional site where your answer lies. Or if you're looking for an idea to unstop your writers block, Linsdell offers the Instant Writing Prompt, which gives you a new idea each time you hit the "refresh" button. Other widgets include a Writing Contests box with scrolling contests—although I think visitors should be encouraged to seek out this feature early in the month to take advantage of the highest number of deadlines—that features links to get individual contest guidelines, a list of links to sites that are helpful to writers, and a list of sites hosting Linsdell on her current virtual tour.

Given the undertaking, Linsdell is bringing an organized, clean, pleasing blogsite to writers and authors that offers what it says it will. I'm impressed by the amount of work she's put into this labor and encourage fellow writers and authors to check it out.

Review by Ron Berry
You’ve written that first sentence. Now what? You know you want to be a writer but have no clue what to do with the stuff you’ve written. There is an online journal, otherwise known as a blog, to help; http://writersandauthors.blogspot.com/ .
Jo Linsdell is the owner of this most informative chunk of Internet real estate. This is a veritable how-to of writing. As you follow the posts, you can keep up with the latest information available via the daily posts. For example, today (Friday) is a post about the museitup conference. Although it is closed for this year, there is a lot of statistics and facts to make this a keeper.

On the left (This is after all, Italian), are the calendar and other important links. It is a way to keep track of upcoming events. Also on this side are links to purchase Jo’s books. Having a problem with finding ideas to write about? There is the tip of the day. Keep scrolling and there are many, many writer resource links. Need a reference book? Try one of the many online ones listed.

All in all, you will find most everything a writer needs, except the words and you the writer provide that. Jo has done a lot of research and put a lot of work into this. Let’s avail ourselves of this wonderful resource.

Review by Ronald Louis Peterson
If you write as a hobby or professionally, you should be aware of a new Web site called "Writers and Authors" which is located at http://writersandauthors.blogspot.com/

Perhaps you would like to share your writing experiences and learn from other writers. Maybe you would like to promote your work. Or, you would like to discuss topics such as publishing practices and tips. Then you should check this new resource out. You'll meet interesting people and learn about other online writing communities which are linked to this site.

"Writers and Authors" is the brainchild of writer Jo Linsdell who lives and writes in Rome, Italy.

Author Blurb

Jo Linsdell is a freelance writer living in Rome, Italy. She writes articles for websites, newspapers and magazines.
Born in Gillingham, Kent (UK) on 16th September 1980. Married name Joanne Denise Feliciani (she uses her maiden name as her pen name).
Having passed 10 GCSE’s, she went on to study Business Studies, History and Art A-Levels at Yateley 6th Form. Jo left England and moved to Rome, Italy in June 2001, where she now lives with her husband. She gave birth to their son, Matteo, in December 2007.
She has had various jobs including working in hostels, being a tour guide and teaching English as a foreign language. She now works fulltime as a freelance writer. She writes in both English and Italian.
You can order copies of her books "Italian for Tourists" and "A guide to weddings in Italy" along with her various e-books at http://www.lulu.com/jolinsdell

Books by Jo Linsdell

Italian for Tourists
A Guide to Weddings in Italy
La Befana
Il Dolce natale: Christmastime in Italy
The Patron Saint of Lovers
Some risks are worth taking

All are available from http://www.lulu.com/jolinsdell


Currently working on

The ‘Italian Home Study’ series of ebooks.
A pocket size edition of her book ‘Italian for tourists’.