"The Creative Process of Writing is a Liberating and Therapeutic Experience"
www.virtualwritingcoach.com
March, 2008
In This Issue:
1. Preview
2. Publisher's Note
3. Digital Writing
4. Helpful Hints
1. Preview
The Writer's Connection explores the creative process of writing and the interplay between thoughts, feelings, and actions.
We are an interactive community of authors and readers who share ideas to enhance our knowledge, skills, and experiences in
writing fiction in any genre, but our emphasis remains mystery and suspense thrillers.
Published monthly, the Newsletter offers writing tips for authors, coaching suggestions, editing, and marketing information.
Topics are presented from the perspective of Keith Barton and represent only his ideas on producing your first manuscript,
and are provided to the general public. Because we are an interactive community of writers, other viewpoints are welcomed and may be
printed in future monthly newsletters with permission from Keith Barton.
2. Publisher's Note
March, 2008
Dear Writer's Connection Subscriber,
This month's newsletter features: Digital Writing
3. Digital Writing
Have you heard that a Japanese writer has created a romantic youth genre on her cell phone while
waiting for trains and her classes? Yes, it's true, as discussed on
CBS Sunday News. Her first
cell phone book sold over 800,000 copies and teens can download her book on a computer and convert
to print if they so choose. But many choose to scan down on their cell phone screen.
In the 90s self-publishing was all the rage with would-be
authors sending electronic copies of their books through
cyberspace to print-on-demand publishing houses like
www.booksinprint.com
and
www.iuniverse.com.
Some more adventurous authors created their own publishing
companies and solicited manuscripts online to lend credibility
that reputable companies can print only those books selected
by their "editorial staff".
A perusal of this month's,
Writer's Digest, lists
the self-published book awards in five genres with an
interview with this year's winner, Laurell K. Hamilton,
creator of Anita Blake, Vampire Slayer. This year's contest
will award $3000 to the grand prize winner plus submitting
copies of your book to
The New York Times and
The Washington Post, plus guaranteed reviews
by several small presses.
Nine first-place winners in
various genres will receive book-jacket seals to promote
their books on the
Writer's Digest URL plus $1000.
All self-published books between 2003 and 2008 are eligible
and the deadline is May 1, 2008. This contest is underwritten
by
Book Marketing Works, LLC and promotes authors
online with exposure through
Barnes and Noble
and
Amazon.com.
In fact,
www.amazon.com/shorts,
now has a short story venue that provides exposure and
royalties for writers who don't wish to start with their
first novel. The catch, however, is
Amazon wants
exclusive rights for six months and royalties amount to
49 cents per story sold, with a limit on secondary market
sales. One author is now close to earning a dime a word
in his 7,700 word short-story based on his sales to date,
but he is the exception.
So what's a poor first-time writer to do? Should we go the traditional route of finding an agent
(a 2% chance) who after accepting our work still has a meager chance of pitching our book to a major
or small press? If one has two years to invest and a thick skin for laconic rejection letters, then
I would say go traditional. If, on the other hand, one wishes to see his/her name in print within 90
days and doesn't care about quality or making money, then one is welcome to go the digital route.
Let's face it. Writing is big business and the Internet is replete with quick publish schemes that
will print anything regardless of literary quality or market analysis. Turn to any self-help book or
writer's magazine and one will find workshops that will make you a better writer and more accomplished
promoter of your books--all one has to have is money to pay these marketers up front, which is not cheap.
A sample of folks and companies from ads in the recent issue of
Writer's Digest follows:
- Write children's books; don't let your dream die
- The illustrator did an awesome job for me
- Publish your own book (my favorite)
- Turning the publishing world upside down
- Study with today's top authors
- Publish with confidence
- Jump-start your writing career (only $14.95 for the disc)
My suggestion for first-time authors is to use a legal
pad and pen; write an outline of scenes for your story;
create a plot using the scenes in chronological order;
create note cards with unique features of your protagonist
and antagonist; use the word "said" at the end of 95%
of your dialogue and let the dialogue create the look
and feel of your character. And last but not least,
show,
don't tell.
Helpful Hints:
- Use the old fashion method of legal pad and pen and create an outline for a short story,
less than 7,000 words. Let your critique group or objective person comment on the "show, don't
tell" rule.
- Go to www.iuniverse.com
website and click on their newsletter to learn why some
authors eventually land book publishing deals and why
others don't.
- Writing should be hard work. Using a cell phone might be the preferred choice if you're extremely
talented and a multitasker but for the rest of us, your story will be choppy and without much original
plot or substance.
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Contact Information
Keith Barton, Ph.D.
Voice: 281-583-5005
Fax:281-583-5008
Web: >
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E-Mail:
keith_barton@att.net
(c) Copyright 2008 A. Keith Barton, Ph.D.
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The Writer's Connection SMMission:
The Writer's Connection
SMis dedicated to helping first-time authors create their first
manuscript for publication and to offer an exchange of ideas and opinions from our readers who might be
interested in becoming authors.
The Writer's Connection is a publication of The Virtual Writing Coach and Keith Barton, Ph.D. and a
registered trademark.
We would like The Writer's Connection
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About Keith Barton, Ph.D.
Dr. Barton received his Ph.D. in 1972 from the University of Texas at Austin and has been a practicing therapist
for over thirty years. He is currently enrolled in MentorCoach and is accepting new clients.
He has been an adjunct professor at the University of South Carolina,
consultant to Fortune 500 companies in executive development, founded
and managed Texas Community Living Ventures, Inc., in 1986 for providing
group home services to persons with mental retardation. Keith founded
and has been running a clinical practice in Northwest Houston since 1990.
He writes part-time with the goal of completing one novel a year. His desire to coach others derives from his passionate
interest in helping others become attuned to their creative powers of storytelling.
Dr. Barton has training in coaching, cognitive and family therapy and health psychology. He has published articles, made
presentations and conducted workshops about:
Anxiety and achievement
Stress management
Self-esteem
Communication skills
Marital/relationship enrichment
Wellness issues
The relationship between psychology and spirituality
