August 1, 2007 Volume 4: Issue 7

"Self Published Authors" Bi-Monthly Newsletter
Helping self-published authors promote and market their books and share information and resources.

August 1, 2007 Volume 4: Issue 7
Dan Shaurette
editor@selfpublishedauthors.com
http://www.selfpublishedauthors.com

By Subscription Only! You are receiving this newsletter because you requested a subscription. Unsubscribe instructions are at the end of this newsletter.

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IN THIS ISSUE
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1. Editor's Notebook
2. Newsletter Submission Guidelines
3. Feature Article by Judy Cullins
4. Resource Links
5. Guest Article by Susan Schaab
6. Free Products, Services, and Downloads
7. Publicity Article By Courtland Bovee
8. Commentary by Mike Scantlebury
9. Reciprocal Links
10. Subscribe/Unsubscribe Information

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1: EDITOR'S NOTEBOOK
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Welcome to the August 2007 newsletter for SelfPublishedAuthors.com. For those of you who are new to the website and newsletter, I hope you will enjoy this issue. Thank you for visiting the website and subscribing to the list. To the regulars out there, I'm very glad to see you back for another issue.

We have some great articles in this issue, and I'm putting out the call for more submissions. Please feel free to submit articles on topics involving all aspects of being or becoming self-published to editor@selfpublishedauthors.com or use the contact form on the website.

For new and returning readers, I would like to direct your attention to the recently redesigned community website at http://www.SelfPublishedAuthors.com/. There you can create a new account, or use your previous account if you had one, and participate in our forums, polls, and share resource links with our members. You can now also create a blog of your very own on our site. Feel free to promote yourself and your books there. If you run a service of interest to authors, you may also create an account and announce your resource. There's also a calendar of events where you can list your upcoming conferences, book fairs, author signings, and more. Please visit and let me know what you think.

If you have questions, comments, suggestions, or if you'd like to contribute, be interviewed, add an event or have a request, please reply to this email, or drop a line to me at: editor@selfpublishedauthors.com

Thanks for reading and enjoy the issue!

Dan Shaurette
editor@selfpublishedauthors.com
http://www.selfpublishedauthors.com/contact
http://www.DanShaurette.com

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2: NEWSLETTER SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
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The newsletter for SelfPublishedAuthors.com is here to provide a resource for all authors. Obviously, I want to help you succeed in your writing, self-publishing efforts, and self-promotion. I have received a few requests from fellow authors asking what they can do to promote their books in the newsletter.

I am always happy to help promote an author and their works in the newsletter. That's what we're here for. That being said, the best I can do is one of the following.

If you are interested in writing an article about your experiences as a self-published author, I would be more than happy to consider it for publication. If I publish the article, I will give you space for a signature box that you could use to promote yourself and your book.

If you would like to send me an ARC copy of your book, eBook format preferred, I would be happy to review it and interview you. The interview would most likely be what gets published in the newsletter, but reviews of recommended books may also be published. Please note, I have already been presented with some works to read, so please query me first before sending your books. I'd rather return a book than form a slush pile.

If you have a book signing coming up, we do try to list those when they are timely. Remember our newsletter is published in February, April, June, August, October, and December. If you host a class or workshop, or have a website that promotes a writer's resource, please let us know about it. All links about such events are provided free of charge. Your name, location, dates, and contact info. will be presented.

If instead you are just interested in placing an advertisement in the newsletter for your book or website, I'll ask for some patience. I am reevaluating various plans for advertising in both the newsletter and the website.

Currently there are places for you to list your books, websites, and even join our banner ad exchange. You can also feel free to post in our forums and tell us about yourself and your books. As soon as I figure out a new model for classified ads in the newsletter, I will let you all know. Thank you for your patience.

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3: FEATURE ARTICLE by Judy Cullins
The Top Ten Checklist to Edit Your Own Writing
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Whether you are writing a book, an article, or your web site sales copy, you need to know that your words speak well for you. Power writing is not easy for most writers, yet when you know that the benefits of smart editing =more clients and customers, you will want to use the 10-item check list below.

Use This 10 Checklist to Edit your Own Work

1. Start your book, article, or chapter introduction with a question or startling fact. You must hook your readers with something that reaches their emotions. Make it “you” centered. Include a few key words in your first sentence to attract the search engines.

2. Make your introduction only a few sentences. Your readers want a benefit early on so they will want to read more. Make the rest of your article support your thesis and first paragraph that includes the hook.

3. Make all of your sentences short. Since standard sentence length is 15-17 words, make most of your sentences under that number. Complex sentences and multiple phrases make the reading tougher and slower. Make it easy for your readers to get the point fast.

4. Avoid dull, slow passive sentences. Start them with a subject, then follow with a verb to avoid passive construction. "The coach marketed her business and books through submitting articles online" is an active sentence. "The coach's books were marketed online through submitting articles" is passive. Drop linking verbs such as "is," "was," "seemed," or "had." Replace them with power, active verbs. Instead of "she is beautiful," you could say,"Her beauty compels you to stare at her".

5. Aim for compelling, clear copy. Write for the 8-10th grade reader. Always think "What's in it for them?" Your reader wants to get to the heart of your book chapter, article, or Web copy fast. While a short story is fine, make all you write clear and easy to read. That's what makes readers finish a chapter and want to read more. That's what makes the web visitor stay with your site more than 10 seconds.

6. Use specific nouns and names. General references don't engage your readers' emotions. Let them see the size, color, shape. Rather than say, "Write your book fast to make lifelong income," say "Write and finish your book fast so you can take that long vacation to a Caribbean island such as Tobago." Money isn't a specific pull, but a vacation is.

7. Let go of adverbs. Words like very, suddenly, and sparingly that tell instead of show. People want to see and feel and don't pay much attention to adverbs. Use adverbs only at Christmas.

8. Don't use pompous words. Use the shortest, most well-known word. Instead of "utilize," try "use." The more syllables in a word, the harder to get the point across. Let go of unneeded adjectives. Instead of "Kathy is a super-intelligent person, you can say "Kathy, a genius, can sell a bikini to an Eskimo."

9. Appeal to the senses of sight, sound, and emotions. Telling is not an effective. Instead of "Buy this book today because it is so useful," say, "Would you like to double, even quadruple your business income in five months?"

10. Cut redundancies. Don't talk down to your reader with too much repetition. Be willing to part with your "precious" words. The first edit usually reduces your words by ¼ to 1/3.

If you are a professional who wants your writing to reflect that, be sure to follow the editing tips above. With active, thoughtful writing, you'll gain confidence that your writing will attract and sell.
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Copyright © 2007 Judy Cullins. Reprinted with permission.
Book and Internet Marketing Coach Judy Cullins helps businesses get all the clients and sell all the books they want. Author of 13 books including How to Write your Book Fast, The Fast and Cheap Way to Explode Targeted Web Traffic, Advanced Article Marketing - Nine Mistakes and How to Solve Them, and Advanced Article Three Book Program. Judy offers 256 articles and free eBook "Book Writing and Marketing Tips" with monthly ezine subscription at http://www.bookcoaching.com
Email her at judycullins@cox.net or Phone: 619/466-0622

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4: RESOURCE LINKS
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WRITERTOPIA.COM - Writers' Toolbox
Writertopia is in closed Beta right now, so you can try to get an invitation to join. However, in the meantime, they have made some tools available to the general public.
http://www.writertopia.com/

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5: GUEST ARTICLE by Susan Schaab
Five Things Not To Do When Trying To Write Your First Novel
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Some people suppress an insistent urge to attempt novel-length fiction all their lives. That's like giving yourself permission to hide from who you are. If your soul is that of a writer, to write is not a luxury, it's a necessity. Like many novice writers, you may be overwhelmed with the process of producing a novel. Here are five suggestions for your journey.

* ONE - Don't force your writing, but DO write often, even if you're just making notes. *

You will often hear practitioners advise you to “write every day.” Some sit down and consort with their muse at five o'clock every morning without fail, and some work from an outline. If these techniques work for you, that's great, but don't berate yourself if you tend to write sporadically and randomly.

In the book, The Writer's Desk, by Jill Krementz, Stephen King was quoted as saying that he doesn't take notes, doesn't outline and tends to just “flail away” at the thing.

You will find that when you reach a certain point in a story and the pieces are starting to assemble, you will have a natural desire to spend time at the keyboard. But some days, the words and ideas will hide behind cement walls. You should just let them hide. They will come out when they're ready; just present them with plenty of opportunities.

You've probably heard the suggestion to keep a notepad, electronic device, or some other method for capturing those juicy little snippets and fragments at impact, to be sorted and scrutinized later. They come from reading, watching, eavesdropping and experiencing life, and they come without warning.

My own experience has been that those little scraps of paper or digital bytes do lead to plot ideas, character profiles and dialogue passages. I had a large file box of such material when I sat down to work on the first draft of Wearing the Spider. The concept for the title came to me while hiking on a remote tropical island, and I jotted down my thoughts on a trail map.

* TWO - Don't stop reading and viewing others' writings. *

Writing instructors will tell you that you must read with almost the same intensity with which you write. You must learn to see, hear, observe and absorb your environment like a writer. The other day, my three-year-old asked me, “Can you wonder…?” Indeed. It occurred to me that the answer to this question may be the primary pre-requisite for any kind of creative writing.

You will experience the written word in a new way once you've tried writing. The novelist illuminates the level of consciousness that is sensed, felt and heard only by the heart. Novelists give voice to the unspoken and good ones do it with a rich serenade of words. To fully understand this concept, you must make reading other fiction a large component of your ongoing education. Synapses in our minds network in ways we can only speculate about. Components of others' stories, plots and characters ignite epiphanies and stir emotions in our own subconscious mind, where the best stories originate.

While viewing the work of another writer, however, keep in mind the parameters of general copyright law. The original expression of an idea is protected under U.S. and international copyright laws the moment it is captured in a fixed medium of expression. You cannot legally copy any amount of another's writing and call it your own. And, if you do use the words of another, you must attribute and, in most cases, seek permission from the copyright holder.

Even when a writer borrows small quantities, but also utilizes the same theme or format, or follows the pattern of expression, he or she can run afoul of copyright law. There are exceptions under various categories of “fair use,” but one should contact an attorney who specializes in copyright law for specific guidance.

While taking notes from someone else's work, you must capture enough information for attributions and permissions that may be necessary, depending upon the portions you use. If you are simply tracking your inspirations and free thoughts that come from the stimulation of another's writings, you should jot down that fact in your notes so that you won't wonder whether a particular passage was a summary or paraphrase months later when sorting through a miscellaneous stack.

* THREE - Don't cloister yourself. *

You must be in the presence of life to editorialize about it. The richness of life and the serendipity of social interaction are crucial to the evolution of your novel. The natural flow of conflict, resolution, affinity and antipathy make for interesting characters. Don't take yourself out of circulation while penning stories, as you may be missing an influence of great importance. And, it's not uncommon to find valuable storylines in the troughs of life. Conflict is good.

The development of a good story can be compared to the creation of a pearl in the “womb” of an oyster. An irritating grain of sand prompts the oyster to surround the intruding particle with mother of pearl. So, that irritant is the nucleus of enduring beauty, just as the challenges a character embraces in a tale can gracefully illustrate strength of conviction.

As a novelist, you will be courting conflict at every juncture of the writing process. Harvesting the obstacles in your own life is a suitable means by which to find it.

* FOUR - Don't be afraid of where the story takes you. *

I've heard many writers say that well-crafted characters, with whom you've let yourself become properly acquainted, will actually tell you their story. Many have written about the “voyeuristic” role of the writer.

When I started writing Wearing the Spider, I didn't really believe this. I tried to be in control of the direction of the plot, but I discovered that I was sacrificing some level of authenticity. The more time I spent thinking and writing about the characters I'd created, and the more I “watched” them in my mind, the more vocal they became, informing me when I'd committed a misstep in the telling of their story. When I decided to let myself truly follow the course of action that a character seemed to be dictating, the story became much more authentic and interesting.

For example, in Wearing the Spider, against the common wisdom, I let my lead character “decide” how to handle an incident of sexual harassment. Most people would advise a victim to report such an episode. But, having had such experiences myself, I know it is not so black and white.

How one reacts or doesn't react is quite complex. A victim, who is frequently a female, must grapple with a number of unknowns: Will she be believed?; Does she have proof?; Did she do anything that might be interpreted as encouragement?; Could she have misunderstood the actions of the harasser?; What will they think she is expecting to gain by reporting the situation? And, even if she successfully neutralizes her harasser, how will she be treated by other men after the incident is documented, investigated and publicly-known?

* FIVE - Don't send manuscripts out too early. *

Everyone needs an editor, even the most skilled and experienced of writers. There is simply no way to view your manuscripts objectively after you've spent hundreds of hours immersed in them. And, when you are just starting out, you must find your own. There are wonderful free-lance editors who will not only help you shape your vision, but teach you many things about your craft (and yourself). You can search any number of online writing resource sites, such as Preditors and Editors: http://anotherealm.com/prededitors/index.htm. You might also try contacting these New York based organizations: Words into Print at http://www.wordsintoprint.org and The Editors Circle at http://www.theeditorscircle.com.

Writing is not just putting words on paper. A good writer must develop artistic discernment - the ability to recognize whether or not a passage “has legs.” A good editor can help you develop this judgment, but it may take time. Be patient.

Good writing does not happen with the first draft and may not happen with the second or third. Anne Lamott wrote in Bird by Bird that “Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts.”

If you are destined to be a writer, you will feel the need to express yourself with words no matter what the outcome. Time will reveal whether or not your novel will find a home with a publisher, but no one can deny to you a feeling of triumph when you're staring at a final manuscript bearing your name.
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Susan Schaab, the author of Wearing the Spider, is an attorney who, for more than eight years, practiced technology and intellectual property law with various firms and as in-house counsel in New York, Texas and California. She can be contacted through her website: http://www.susanschaab.com/.

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6: FREE PRODUCTS, SERVICES, and DOWNLOADS
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OORT-CLOUD.ORG - Writers' community
Oort-Cloud is a community of readers, authors, editors, and critics. What Oort-Cloud will be beyond that depends on you and the rest of the active community.
http://www.oort-cloud.org/

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7: PUBLICITY ARTICLE by Courtland Bovee
Ten Ways to Write Great Blog Posts That Get Attention
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Millions of blogs fight for readership online (over 75 million by some counts), with thousands more being created every day. Making yours stand above the rest may seem like a daunting task, but here are ten suggestions for making your blog posts stand out from the crowd.

1. Write each post title so it grabs the reader's attention. It is the first thing someone reads, and it should get your reader's attention right away. Your title should both pique the reader's interest and be informative. Do not write "Business Writing Advice"; instead, say "The Best-Kept Secret to Reducing Your Business Writing Worries." Longer titles have the advantage of describing in detail what your post is about; 8-12 words are a good range.

2. Keep sentences short and clear. A little goes a long way. Readers are busy people and they will not spend hours detangling complex syntax or sifting through blocks of text. Also, use strong language. Start a new paragraph every few sentences, and limit each post to 250 words, if possible. If you cannot write it in under 250 words, split it into two entries.

3. Break up the text. Use numbered lists, bullet points, and subheadings to make your posts easy to scan. Lots of white space on the page is a good thing-it allows your reader to take mental breaks and let the knowledge soak in. In addition, with the inevitable clutter of banner ads and side text, this technique puts some distance between your writing and all those distractions.

4. Keep current. No one wants to read old news. Your job is to stay up-to-date so your readers do not have to themselves. Read newspapers. Scour the web for references. For example, if you write a blog about business communication, subscribe to Google News Alerts using keywords related to the field, such as blogs, podcasting, instant messaging, business letters, memos, and business reports, so you will always be well informed. Posting items from last month or last year will lose your reader's interest faster than you can say "Enron."

5. Be bold. Timidity is an easy path to anonymity. Do not be afraid to create and state your opinions. Of course, there are some situations in which objectivity rules-but you have to give people a reason to read this blog by you and not by the person next door.

6. Be accurate. If you make a statement, be prepared to back it up. Know what your sources are and quote them accurately. Misinformation spreads like wildfire online; do not be the spark that sets it off or the wind that fans it.

7. Contribute to the conversation. Links are great-but then what? Do not just post links to the same tired sites, offer your reader something new. Contribute to the conversation. Your goal is to be the site to which everyone else is linking-so you had better have something worth writing about.

8. Stay focused. Once you have defined the theme of your blog, stick to it. A blog about piggy banks has no business posting about the latest innovation in alternative energy. Such a deviance will only confuse your reader and chip away at your virtual authority.

9. Use key words liberally. Keywords are, well, key. Harness your blog's search engine potential by dousing your title and post with effective keywords that will help interested parties find your page in the vast, muddled blogosphere. This is one of the most important elements of getting your blog read-go at it with gusto.

10. Be consistent. Keep a schedule and stick to it. Post frequently-at least several times per week if you want to increase your potential of attracting new readers. Let your blog languish for weeks without updates and your audience will move on to fresher ground.

Maintaining an informative blog that people want to read takes hard work and good writing skills. Find what makes your writing unique-and flaunt it for all it is worth.
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Courtland L. Bovee, one of America's leading instructors in clear and effective communication, co-authors several leading college-level texts with John V. Thill, a prominent communications consultant and current Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Global Communication Strategies. Their website, Business Communication Headline News, the #1 business communication site on the web, is at http://www.businesscommunicationheadlinenews.com/.

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8: COMMENTARY ARTICLE by Mike Scantlebury
Internet Authors Aren't Dummies
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There are plenty of people out there who've written a book. Maybe you're one of them. Maybe you've thought of trying to get it published, (not on the internet, but with a real, live, bricks-and-mortar publisher). OK. First step? You need advice. You trot along to your local bookshop and start looking along the shelves until you find titles like 'Getting Published for Dummies' and 'Seeing Your Book in Print for Complete Fools'. Trouble is, there is no way on earth that anybody can write a formula for getting your book published by Traditional Publishers that works every time, and you will be sorely disappointed.

You see, getting published generally falls into three stages. First is Writing the Book. Ah, right now, you've hit problems. Sure, the advice 'for dummies' will be all about Plot, and Tone, and Point of View, but the fact is that this will vary according to what you want to write. If it's a hard-boiled detective mystery, you might choose to have tough, no-nonsense characters from the streets, talking in the local argot, swearing and blaspheming their way through life. If you want to create a Mills and Boon romance, on the other hand, you need to drop the bad language, the 'attitude', and find some sympathetic people with everyday problems to write about. So, when the advice is 'Make sure your dialogue is sparkling, witty and pithy', who are we talking about here? Does that advice apply to the type of story you're trying to create? When the advice is 'Keep your descriptions short and to the point', does that work every time, in every situation? No, the 'advice' is way, way too general, well-meaning, and, ultimately, vague and inappropriate.

Writers who find their way through this maze will then have to move on to Stage Two. This involves Preparing your Manuscript for Publication. Ah, now we are on much safer ground. This is the one time in the whole process when you can be absolutely accurate about what to do. The fact is that every publisher will want to see a manuscript neatly typed, with no spelling mistakes, on one side of A4 only, and with separated pages. That's right. No ifs, no buts. Don't think you can send in your handwritten material – it won't get looked at, and don't think you can print on both sides of the page to save paper. They won't accept it. These are 'Rules' that we can all agree on. For once.

Now we move on to Stage 3, Submitting your Manuscript to Publishers. Which publishers? This is where the advice gets kind of vague. 'Choose a suitable publisher' seems fairly easy to understand. Don't send your novel about drug-fuelled crime warlords to Mills and Boon, but don't send them the one about gay cowboys either! After that, it's hard to tell. You can look in your local bookshop (again) and see what each publisher has out now, but don't forget that these 'new' books were over a year in the making. What that publisher is looking at today may be completely different to what they published then. So, it's rather hit and miss, then? Yes, it is, and the 'Dummies' book will be full of true, but rather unhelpful anecdotes, about how various authors got published, often against the odds and unexpectedly. At the end of the day, you can 'try and try again'. Maybe it will work.

No, most authors are not 'Dummies' and don't need to be lectured at. But reading a book about getting published by Traditional Publishers is a bit like reading a book on 'Roulette for Dummies' or, you know, that really good one on 'Winning the Lottery Without even Having to Buy a Ticket'. If you want something more certain, take your manuscript and log on to a print-on-demand site like Lulu.com where you can upload your material, print off a few copies and make a start on 'being a published author', not least because yes, you do then have a book in print. After that, it will be less nerve-racking taking the traditional route and posting off your precious creation to publishers, because at least you will have had the feeling of what it's like to hold a book in your hand with your name on the cover and your story on the pages. Traditional Publishers can't guarantee that will happen – ever – and no advice for would-be authors, however well-meaning, can ensure success either. Only the internet can, and that applies to everybody, 'dummy' or normal person.
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Mike Scantlebury is an Internet Author, with 10 novels, numerous stories and songs to his credit. Look for his videos on YouTube too. The books are on the web, at his own sites and others. You can get a flavour at his download site, check out some chapters and choose to take away however many you want. Log on to http://www.mikescantlebury.biz

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9: RECIPROCAL LINKS
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LISTINGS:

ADD YOUR BOOK LISTING TO OUR COMMUNITY:
This is a marketing feature you don't want to miss:
http://www.selfpublishedauthors.com/books

WRITE, SELF-PUBLISH, AND PROMOTE YOUR PRINT OR EBOOK
Judy Cullins shares up-to-the-minute information on book writing, publishing and marketing the easiest and cheapest ways--the Internet. Tips, Recommendations, and great resources to help grow your book.
To receive this monthly no charge "The Book Coach Says..." or "Business Tip of the Month" ezine by Judy Cullins, 20-year book and internet marketing coach, go to http://www.bookcoaching.com/opt-in.shtml or put "subscribe" into an email to judy@bookcoaching.com. Dan Poynter says, "It's totally worth your time."
http://www.bookcoaching.com

SOULENGRAVINGS.COM - Horror Fiction and Poetry Ezine
A Tangled Script of Intangible Soul Engravings
This Ezine is constantly evolving and is seeking submissions of horror or dark fantasy fiction and poetry (preferably 3,000 words or less). Multiple poetry submissions are accepted. They pay $20 USD for fiction and $10 USD for poetry via PayPal.
Send your submission to masterengraver@soulengravings.com with the subject of "submission". Visit the website for more details.
http://www.soulengravings.com

SHAURETTENET: The Home Page of Dan Shaurette
- His Novel, LILITH'S LOVE - http://www.Liliths-Love.com
- The Lurkers' Domain (creative writing forum) - http://lurk.us
- Is This Thing On? Podcast - http://is-this-thing-on.net
All of this and more at: http://www.Shaurette.net

YOUR ADVERTISEMENT COULD BE HERE!
Contact Dan Shaurette for more information at editor@selfpublishedauthors.com

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10: Subscriber Management / Contact Information
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Archived issues of this newsletter can be found at
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