"Absolutely Bursting with writing, publishing and marketing content for the online writer..."
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"Absolutely Bursting with writing, publishing and marketing content for the online writer..." |
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| Editor: Darren Andrews. | 7th February, 2003. |
CONTENTS
EDITORIALJanuary Contest Results I cannot believe it has been two weeks since I sent out the last WAPA. I've been busy with some hardware upgrades this week and spent about two full consecutive days with neither email or surfing capability. Then, connected once more, I was greeted with over 120 virus-infected emails. How kind some people are ;) - fortunately none got through my security system. I've changed the sections of the ezine a little again, and hope this not as frustrating as the surprise aisle changes supermarkets make every so often ;) Well, the Picture Paragraph results are in. We did have a most enjoyable time judging the entries and, afterward, were rather taken with the idea of becoming professional literary critics! You can see the results in the new section, Contest Corner. Not perhaps the most original name but I'm open to any suggestions. ;) So what's in this issue? Well, there's another contest for February and the winning prize will be 183 Question & Answer Checklist To Test Out Your Stories Before Selling Them which has been kindly donated by Georgina Stath of http://www.beyond-short-story-writing.com Also, not to be missed, our featured article will be of great interest to many of you so don't skip over it! Now, I need a little help. In the next issue the featured article will be the one just published in thr Articles section - it's by Jennie Bev and I recommend you read it if you are serious about making money as a writer. Here's the article: http://www.writers-and-publishers.com/writing/j_bev.html I'm also going to interview Jennie next issue and I'd like to collect some questions from you. So if you want to ask Jennie anything about her profitable niche then either email me direct OR (even easier) just type your question below and press send! Enjoy the rest of this issue, To Your Online Writing Success! Darren Andrews, Editor. N.B. If you signed up for the ISP service (that pays you) last issue, you may need to sign up again due to the activities of a hacker. It's now sorted! Here's the link again (sorry for the inconvenience): http://www.writers-and-publishers.com/ispvip FEATURED ARTICLE[This issue's featured article is from WAPA subscriber, Judy Cullins. I'm sure many of you have read her many excellent articles circulating around the Net. Judy is one of those writers who understands the way the Internet works - listen to what she has to say and note how she uses her byline too! Learn! ;)] Defy the Myths, Get Your Book
Written--Fast! Why don't you write a book? Most professional people complain it takes too long. They are too busy. One professional coach said she was not a natural writer. Another feared it wouldn't sell, or it would be too much effort. A professional speaker says she is so busy marketing herself, she doesn't know where to find the time to write. These are reasons, but they aren't real, they are myths. You can write a book--even a lot of books--fast! Fast depends on you, your intention, and attention that you will give your book. Fast depends on your creating a blueprint of simple step-by-step strategies to write a fast, focused book. ========== Getting Your Book Written--Myths and Options 1. Takes talent. Actually, the less writing know how you have, the better. In my innocent beginnings I thought I was a speaker, a trainer, a teacher, a coach. I didn't think of myself as a writer! Yet, because my audiences kept asking for information to take home, and from encouragement from other writers, I started writing short books, booklets, and special reports. I didn't write the end-all-be-all book of 200-400 pages. Instead, I wrote a series of short books, each taking about a month. No more messy (and unprofitable) handouts. I saw a need and filled it. Because I didn't know what I didn't know, I published them myself--just me and my trusty copy shop. I remembered a famous quote from Jim Belasco, management consultant. He said, "Do what you do best, and hire the rest." I asked several graphics professionals for help--got some quality cover designs. 2. Takes creativity. Dan Poynter told me many years ago that information can be repackaged for a particular target audience. It doesn't take creativity, it just takes some editing, rewriting, and adding a few new ideas and resources to please the consumer. Like myself you can package several books together for back-of-room sales. They can provide more than $3,000 a month if you have several titles. 3. Takes time. Some writers claim it takes 2-10 years to write a quality book, but not necessarily in 14 days. It will take longer if you change your focus, your format, and try to be perfect. That's why you need to do some market-driven planning before you write your book. It's far easier to write a book right then to have to go back and redo it to include benefits in all its parts. Like me, you can write a series of short books, each taking about a month. Just see a need and fill it. You don't have to write a 200-page book to be a credible author, and today's Online audience prefers short books, especially eBooks. 4. Takes writing ability. If you can talk you can write. Readers want books written by a wise and savvy friend who will guide them gracefully to success. They want passion and natural writing more than perfect syntax. After you write your book, you can get it edited by a professional, or if you want to save time and money, edit it as you go by using proper headings that state your audience's problem he wants solved, and following that with a concise answer. 5. Needs an agent or a publisher. You know what a book could mean to your career, or your life. If you didn't write a book, you'd miss a lot of fun, you'd miss being a star or on radio/TV talk show with your popular or trade nonfiction book, or you'd miss sharing your unique and important message with others. All well and good, but how will you get people to look at your book? Maybe an agent or publisher? The sad truth is they will only accept on 1-2% of submitted manuscripts and it takes up to two years to publish the traditional way. They bet on big name authors they know can sell books. Some authors think that the publishers will market and promote the book. Maybe for a few months, but the author must pay from book sales to take those painful book tours. Publishers let you go after a few months and you are on your own to promote. Instead, start a promotion file of contacts and organizations just as you write that first chapter. 6. The book may not sell well. Know that if you have a book that shares new, unique and useful information, it has enough significance to sell well. A book is far more salable when you know your particular audience--their habits, fears, complaints, desires and dreams. Write an audience profile before you write your book, so your book has an angle, and will stand out from the crowd. Think of the benefits of writing a book to you! Your book expresses who you are. Your clients, associates, and companies who need speakers or coaches need your book. A book ensures a constant stream of clients who consider you a leader in your field. People Online are looking for your topic every day. Whether you market your book offline or Online, people want your solutions, inspirational words, and stories. What follows? A lifelong, constant stream of income. Ray Bradbury said, "I wrote the first draft of 'Fahrenheit 451' in just nine and a half days." He also advises us to write short articles or stories. They can become a longer book. A page a day will yield at least two books a year. If Ray Bradbury can write a book fast, so can you. (C) Judy Cullins, 2003
Judy Cullins: 20-year author, publisher, book coach
Helps entrepreneurs manifest their book and web dreams
eBk: 'Ten Non-techie Ways to Market Your Book Online'
http://www.bookcoaching.com/products.shtml
Send an email to mailto:Subscribe@bookcoaching.com
*free* The Book Coach Says... includes 2 free eReports Editor's Comments and Resources There are some great tips in that article - read it again! Every single one of you should know about the Steve Manning writing course by now, 'Write A Book in 14 Days or Less...Guaranteed!'. I think this is a great tools for getting that book written fast! Here's the link again: http://www.writers-and-publishers.com/writeabook.html Steve's getting very busy now, he has over 2000 affiliates reselling the course so the longer you leave it the less personal attention the course will be able to offer. WORDCRAFTInspiration, Tips and Exercises to Help You Write Well(+) Writers' Wisdom "Writing is the only thing that, when I do it, I don’t feel I should be doing something else." ~ Gloria Steinem. Source: http://www.wisdomquotes.com (+) Writing Tip - Compound Nouns These are words that are joined (usually by a hyphen). You need to be careful when using the plural form of compound nouns: - armful / armfuls (you don't suddenly sprout more arms to cope with the extra load) - mother-in-law / mothers-in-law (you get another mother, not another law) - manservant / menservants (this one likes to be absolutely sure and takes the -s as well as the 'men') - man-eater / man-eaters (presumably the sharks - or females - can only cope with one man at a time). Contributor: Jennifer Stewart. Subscribe to her free weekly Writing Tips: or start your six-part Writing Course now. (+) Writing Exercise Write down six settings, six character types and six moods. Here are some examples:
Setting: classroom, (think of another five) When you have them, roll a die for each group and then write a small piece (just a paragraph or two) incorporating the resultant setting, character type and mood. (+) Wordhoard doughty - strong and brave. (from an Old English word meaning 'to be worth') Please send all Wordcraft contributions here. (do not send attachments or large html emails - they will not be downloaded!) YOUR ARTICLES!Jennie S. Bev is a technical writer and has written an article explaining how you can earn $5000 per month by writing intelligence (aka industry) reports - I'm sure that'll pique your interest!
Read Jennie's article and the ten latest accepted
submissions at: If you want to submit an article, a word of warning: I reject most and give no explanation. Of course, most of them are non-writing-related marketing articles which I clearly state as being inappropriate on the submission page. For the rules and the form to submit your article, go here: http://www.writers-and-publishers.com/submit.html If - and I highly recommend it - you want to earn revenue from the writing course advertised at the bottom of your article page then sign up (free) to do so here: ---------TIP
CONTEST CORNER(+) Results of January Picture Paragraph Competition!Congratulations to Angela L. Allen of WickedWordcraft.com who submitted a very fine piece indeed. All entries were well written it must be said, but Angela's, we felt, shone a little brighter; she'll be getting the $75 cash prize! You can see her winning entry at: http://www.writers-and-publishers.com/ppc Here are the other entries (all are open to comments/ critique - the email address of each entrant appears immediately beneath their entry): --Entry by Angela L. Allen of WickedWordcraft.com She squinted. From the road it was hard to tell. As she stared, it began to settle in. Laying eyes on the The Wallin, after so many years away -- it made her heartbeat audible. She’d not seen it since 1977, the year it seemed the Scottish sky would sprinkle snow forever. Bundled against the frigid air, she had stolen a glance through the car’s rear window as her parents made their escape to a new life. Closing her eyes now, 25 years later, she could still see snow sparkling on the ridge of the eaves, how the turrets were coated with fairy dust, how her own breath framed the scene in a mystical fog. She opened her eyes, smiling. "As beautiful in the summer as it had been enchanting in the winter," she thought. She’d come to reclaim it. She would once again call The Wallin "home." (c) Angela L. Allen, 2003. Email critiques to ala@wickedwordcraft.com --Entry by Carola Huttmann It stands broodingly, its turrets outlined against the dark sky. What mysteries lie behind those ominous unyielding grey walls? It was once someone's home for sure, built a century or more ago by some wealthy baron, intent on making his mark on the land surrounding it and on a community terrified of the power and reputation of their landlord. Their livelihoods depended on the goodwill of the man who lived in this house. Today it stands bleak, eerie and empty, its vacant windows staring unseeing into the landscape. Its occupants are long gone, but who knows about the ghosts that may reside there now. (c) Carola Huttmann, 2003. Email critiques to allwordsdesign@bosinternet.com --Entry by Candy D. Lucas of http://www.riteromance.freeservers.com Lush green grass welcomes one to the old castle, standing amidst the towering trees. Ghosts of centuries past look from windows high in the eloquent stone towers. Clouds skirt the sky, giving sense of impending rain. Mountains reach in the distance, attempting to touch the heavens above, to allow the moisture to replenish the land. The stone walls speak to the souls inclined to come to the door. Come. Come inside. Feel my strength, my pride, my testament to years gone by. I stand, still. (c) Candy D. Lucas, 2003. Email critiques to cdlucas@tvn.net --Entry by Margaret B. Davidson For a century Renfrew House stood strong, its rounded turrets bastions against fierce battle. Then, harder to bear, it stood empty and little protected from the vagaries of the Scottish winter. But now scars are no longer visible on its noble façade, such mutilations having been plastered over in preparation for change. Once a haven for lairds and their ladies, it will soon serve travelers from Europe, from America and beyond. The house waits, gracious and proud, a hint of anticipation in the gleam of its ancient mullioned windows. A new era is about to begin. (c) Margaret B. Davidson, 2003. Email critiques to MargaretDa@aol.com (+) February Critique Contest Okay, this is real simple. You see those four entries above? Well, I want you to write a critique for at least one of them. The best critique will be rewarded with a totally exclusive prize (see Editorial and below).
MARKET WATCHTools, Resources, Services, Products and Opportunities to Help You in Writing, Publishing, Promoting, and in Generating Revenue and Traffic... (+) The Whole Truth (about Internet Marketing) NB: This is for online entrepreneurs only! I've just finished reading an ebook called "The Whole Truth". It is one of the most honest and evidence- saturated ebooks I have ever read. What's it about? It's written by Stephen A. Pierce and sold 772 copies in just 7 days, being ordered by 1 in every 34 visitors to the site. Why? Because it is chock full of powerful information that aims at getting your site attracting targeted traffic and listed in the top ten (for your niche) in the top search engines. This is being promoted by some of the top names in Internet marketing - and it's got rave reviews! Read all about it here:
(+) Get Yourself a Second ISP and Have Them Pay You! Some of you will know Allen Says, one of the top marketers online and owner of the much-respected Marketing Warriors site. Well, he's just launched a new system called The Simple System. It is simple, and quick and can generate a lot of income...but that's not all. The service is one both you and your site visitors/ subscribers will need. It's an ISP (which includes an email account of course). So why would you want that? Well... (a) If you were to lose your ISP you would need a way of connecting to the Internet (not to mention the email) (b) Why pay for an ISP when this one can pay you? Check out the free report here: http://www.writers-and-publishers.com/ispvip (+) Want $1500 per month? Sure You Do! Did you know that some WAPA subscribers are making hundreds of dollars per month with this affiliate program? One subscriber is now making $1500 per month! Sign up as an affiliate (a reseller) by filling out this this simple form:
http://www.writers-and-publishers.com/writeabooksignup.html
You'll then receive an email telling you what to do!
(+) Would You Like To Be In the Top 50 Writing Sites?
If you want to be in the "Top 50" then click here now.
Or how about being listed on the "Best Writing Sites and Top
Writer-Related Sites"? Get listed by clicking here.
(+) E-book about writing needs articles
(+) Free Exposure For Creative and Non Fiction Writers We are looking for writers to contribute their interview to help readers decide how they will publish their work. You will get lots of exposure for free in exchange for your advice. If this interests you, send a blank email to interviewbook@beyond-short-story-writing.com for more details. (+) Writing Workshop - $88 Discount for WAPA subscribers! Author Linda Oatman High announces her Writing by the Seaside workshop, to be held this summer in Venice Beach. A discounted registration fee of $88.00 is offered to subscribers of the WAPA Ezine. See http://www.lindaoatmanhigh.com for details. (+) Do You Own A Writing-Related Site That Makes $1000 or More Per Month? If so, a new site launching in a few weeks wants to hear from you now! It won't cost you a penny, and will bring you some great exposure! For more information email me and write that you are responding to this announcement.
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