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Sunday Selfie: Mayberry, Stone Pony and Publishing

The last few weeks have been busy. No such thing as the summer doldrums. Last year at this time I was out of work and actively hunting. In addition, I was using the time to expand my editing, writing and I hoped, at the time, my dream of helping others publish. I was socially active, hanging out with friends but not actively looking for anything more than friendship.

We talk of planting seeds and harvesting the fruits of that process. What we cannot totally control is when our activities will bear fruit.

I found a full-time job in February. It is interesting and the salary is adequate if I am careful with my pennies.

And now the seeds that were planted on the editing and publishing are beginning to sprout. I privately edited, edited for a small press house and for various websites and ezines including CrypticRock.com(music and horror movies—check it out)

In the last three weeks, I have begun lining up editors, cover artists and others. Working with an experienced attorney, we are drawing up contracts for authors and service. The next hurdle is the initial construction of the website. While no small feat, the tools currently available make it easier than it might have been a few years ago.

As I have told, several people, this is an exciting and scary time. I am both a writer and business person. I have spent decades in banking and finance and take a practical and conservative approach to launching a business. I take the responsibility to authors, readers and distribution channels seriously. One of the risks of any new business is letting our enthusiasm get ahead of us. One of my key roles is vision keeper and focus channeler.

I am dating a great guy who gets major points for accepting and supporting my writer/publisher dreams and activities. We also enjoy music together and were at Southside Johnny at The Stone Pony yesterday. It is also nice to sit on the front porch with him for an evening cocktail or morning coffee. He swears I live in Mayberry. 

Fun times.

No road is perfectly smooth, but I am enjoying the high points and working to do it right.  Enjoy the moments always!

If the publishing thing intrigues you…follow me and Three Worlds Productions on Facebook and message me.

Sunday Selfie: Mountains, Chemistry and Publishing

No I do not take selfies! I generally don’t like pictures of myself that others take so why would I take one of myself. But I have begun sharing on Sundays a piece of my life and thoughts, so instead of Jumping Back In (if you’ve followed those posts) I am re-titling these musings as Selfie Sunday.

I just finished watching Neil Gaiman’s 2012 Commencement Address at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. If you have never watched it… do it right after you finish reading this blog (link at the end). If you’ve watched it before..watch it again.   His advice about when life gets complicated at the end it funny and priceless.

He says in the beginning that he never had a career, just a ride. People with careers have a plan know the rules and therefore what is possible and impossible. If you are along for the ride, improvising you are less likely to be held back because some rule says it’s impossible. You have your mountain and you're going to climb it and do things that take you one step closer to the mountaintop. 

That resonates with me, I have had jobs but never a career in the sense that my parents’ generation and others since then have viewed it. But it is a ride. I have been on Wall Street, banking, a teacher, owned a gourmet shop, and unemployed. I have been a deal maker, an administrative assistant, and now a CEO (shhh secret project underway). Not a career but a journey, each step along the way has brought me to where I am now.

A journey like this is not understood by everyone, but it’s not supposed to be. They have their own journey or career, however they choose to view it.

Journeys are exciting and scary. They often take on the attributes of chemical or nuclear reactions. In some chemical reactions, titration is required because after 99 drops of a reagent the 100^th drop, a mere drop, will trigger the ultimate reaction creating the end products. (For geeks like me, watch this video. You can fast forward to about the 2 minute mark). Chloride Titration

The difference between this chemical reaction and life is that the dramatic moment in the reaction is called an endpoint. In life I call that a beginning. In nuclear reactions there is critical mass, where once the right amount of a material is it goes from nothing to KABOOM and massive amounts of energy are created.

My dating journey is still early days. The last two week have been busy ones for Sean at work and more importantly with the final journey and passing of one of his sisters after a long battle. During these events, we have maintained contact even if it has been smiley faces and quick notes and hellos throughout the day and evening. Like titration, we are looking adding drop by drop to the process.

The momentum is building on the writing and publishing side, things are moving even faster than I could have imagined. One of my dreams from three years ago, is on the verge of exploding into reality. Watch for more news on this in the coming months. However if you are an editor, formatter, cover artist, copy editor or author get in touch and stay in touch.

Gaiman talks about the mountain. Publishing is that mountain for me. Not only to publish my own work, but that of others. If you know me, you know that I am a mentor and supporter at heart, particularly of the arts. I derive pleasure from the success of others especially if I think I played some small part in it.

And as he so wisely says enjoy the ride and make good art.

Oh and here's that link... Neil Gaiman Address 2012 

Jumping Back In: Confidence, Auras, Law of Attraction in Dating and More

So Sean and I continue to see each other, dinners, concerts, and quiet evenings on a porch or deck. It’s fun and neither of us seem to be in any rush to make it serious. What is interesting is how that fun and relaxation seems to impact the universe. People I know well keep telling me how great I look when nothing has physically changed about me, including that 20 pounds that HAS TO GO!

I’m no cover model but I’m attractive enough that I’ve gotten sufficient attention from men. But as I said in the first of this series, I hadn’t met anyone that I really wanted to spend time with that was available and not a hot mess. Since then, I’ve had several overtures from other men. One is a musician, who actually has a real paying job and is available…the hot mess question remains unanswered and he lives too far away. Another is a writer friend, who only half joking, invited me to move to Western Canada and marry him. I think he wants me for my passport. He is available and may be a hot mess and is definitely too far away. There are others but I want to keep this brief.

So why the sudden attention? I am a believer in the Law of Attraction and, if you’ve read Dark Dealings  (look to your right), in auras. I think that what YOU believe changes your aura and so changes what you attract. The vast majority of people cannot see auras, but they sense them at a very primitive level. It is why, I can meet so many people who will be just friends or not even that. When I met Sean, it was not love at first sight, but there was an instant comfort level that made many things feel easy and familiar for both of us. Perhaps our auras are compatible, perhaps we knew each other in a past life.  That is a discussion for a later post.

I had made a decision when I joined the online dating site, to open myself up (cautiously) to the possibility. Once I was open to that, others seemed to pick up on that and a received more compliments, flirtations, and it extends to my professional life.

I have been asked to be a member of a panel on women’s empowerment, invited to return to my role or more in an annual conference for 2015. My goal of launching my LLC as a full-fledged publishing company is gaining momentum daily. The day job continues to go well, but that is there to pay the bills until the rest of this can replace it. Is everyday glorious…HELL NO. It’s life and it has its bumps small and large.  I look forward to this October panel and am using it as a deadline to see how many of my other goals I can advance by then.

Oh and Sean is a smoker. I don’t smoke and know that is a personal decision. However, he smokes on my front porch and has been informed that if we are still seeing each other come winter, snow or no snow, it’s still the porch. He’s finding out, bit by bit, that I am who I am. I am more comfortable in my own skin than I have ever been. The proviso to that is I will not give up my goals and dreams to suit another.  It’s a package deal. And a pretty great package too, at least I think so. Nor would I ask another to change their dreams and goals for me. The trick is to find a partner who will grow alongside you.

Law of Attraction includes knowing the difference between confidence and arrogance. Confidence is knowing your value; Arrogance is thinking you are more valuable than others and that they should believe it, too. Confidence is knowing you aren't perfect, no one is but you like you for all that you are. You are on your journey and it's towards a more authentic you. I'm on my journey, too.

Dating or anywhere else in your life know your value and you will attract people of value who will recognize a kindred spirit.

More updates next week on Sean and other topics.

If you missed the previous entries, feel free to scroll through prior posts to catch up.

NaNoWriMo: One Man's Perspective with Guest Blogger Danny Coleman

Today we welcome Danny Coleman as our guest blogger. Danny is an accomplished journalist and radio personality. Last month, he was invited to his first NaNoWriMo write-in. As many NaNoWriMo participants review their accomplishments and ponder next steps, we hope this post will re-ignite your passion to edit and publish.

November is National Novel Writers Month, more commonly known as “NaNoWriMo.” When first heard, the anagram possibly sounds like language from a strange planet, or perhaps more like a line spoken by Robin Williams in the old “Mork and Mindy” television series; rest assured it is neither.

According to its own web site, “NaNoWriMo is a fun seat-of-your pants approach to creative writing.” Every year, beginning on November 1 and running thru November 30, people from all walks of life and professions are encouraged to take on the challenge of writing a 50,000 word novel over the course of those thirty days. Skilled, unskilled, amateur or professional writers are all welcome to “hunker down” and push themselves towards the finish line in this truly unique literary experience.

The Central New Jersey “WriMos” are one of five “NaNoWriMo” regions and are led by Bridgewater resident Bill Patterson and Richenda Gould of Plainsboro; two very enthusiastic writers in their own right and known as the Municipal Liaisons. From their vantage point at the Hopewell Branch of the Mercer County Library in Pennington, the duo sits amongst their fellow writers and would be novelists, urging them on through various activities like “write- ins” and “word wars.” “You wouldn’t think it because we’re in a library but this really is like a social event,” said Gould.

On this particular day, there were ten participants, a tad higher than the seven to eight that has so far been the daily average. Patterson, a married father of two boys, was the focus of the day’s event as he was the self-imposed “Monkey in the Box.” Putting in an eight hour shift with one fifteen minute break per hour, Patterson accepted the task of writing 10,000 words during that time frame. “I’m averaging about 1,400 per hour,” he said. “The only difference is that I’m writing and all of my words are being projected on a big screen so that everybody can read them, hence, I am the Monkey in the Box. I am under a microscope; it’s a challenge but fun.” “Yes it’s a true public forum,” chimed in Gould. “His written words projected on the big screen for all the people to see, we hope it’s inspiring.” I was afforded the opportunity to participate in an hourly guessing game; guess the total number of words that Patterson will write during the current hour and get to name a character in one of his novels. I came within a hundred words but was bested by another in attendance.

The clicking sound of furious fingers tapping away on laptops was quietly deafening as each would be author applied generous amounts of pressure to themselves to reach their word goal. Pennington resident Shelley Seymour, a married mother of two daughters, real estate referral agent, blogger and self-published author has written five previous novels and got her start because of “NaNoWriMo.” “I’m from Canada,” said Shelley. “I was educated through the graduate level in English Literature from Ottawa Canada where I took creative writing, this event, “NaNoWriMo” got me into this. I’ve now got my own publishing company and I’ve done it pretty much on my own. I figured a literary agent, even with a good one, major publishing companies only accept one out of every twelve hundred to two thousand books; I’ve published five on my own and I got started at an event like this.”

Sarah Sensenig, 29, a married vocal music teacher and like Seymour, a Pennington resident, has only begun writing in the last three months. Sarah is penning a “Dystopian Sci-Fi Romance” because it’s her favorite genre. “My husband is a music teacher at Pennington School; I graduated from Princeton’s Westminster Choir College and my mom was a writer, she wrote a book when I was in third grade and she used to make me read all the time. I never minded because I love to read, I did then and still do now. I started writing for fun and I got hooked. I’ve attended a writing workshop here at the library and decided to come back for “NaNoWriMo.” This is a great thing, I’m glad that I’m doing it.”

Former journalist and Hopewell Township resident Susan Swords, a married mother of one daughter and currently employed by the State of New Jersey was attending her first “NaNo.” “I’ve been writing creatively for about four or five years now, my first job was that of a newspaper reporter, quite a difference in styles. In my journalism days I had to rely on facts and relaying things accurately; as a novelist I can just let it flow. The difference is that I can embellish my work now, I’m not held to the facts.” Swords is writing a “Sci-Fi novel about a girl’s journey, who during its course, keeps getting randomly transported in time without warning,” a “Kind of scary but good undertaking.” “I wrote 3,500 words today but to look at a blank screen, knowing you have a word quota, can be intimidating. I am enjoying every bit of this; I can get something done that I never thought that I’d be able to do and the program gives you tons of support.”

Librarian Ross Holley, 22, participated in “NaNo” in high school and enjoys seeing the writers come and go. “I’ve been a librarian for the last seven years and I’m currently in Grad School, so my time is limited but if it wasn’t, I’d be right with them. I love seeing it drive extra traffic to the library, love the write-ins; it’s always good to have something going on here.”

According to Patterson, he has big plans for the Central New Jersey Region “WriMos,” “I registered for my first “NaNo” in 2007. During the registration process an entire plot, seemingly all 50,000 words came to me, I thought, I can do this. From there I became more involved and eventually thought, why not? I became the Municipal Liaison for Central Jersey Region and when I teamed up with Shen it just got better. I want to have a “Write All Night” where we get going around 6 p.m. and finish at 6 a.m. I want a large venue where we can have a huge group of writers take part. I want this in addition to the smaller library sessions. That’s my job, I dream big and Shen makes it happen!”

To obtain more information about “NaNoWriMo” or the Central Jersey Region, please go to www.nanowrimo.org or www.facebook.com/cnjwrimos.

Danny Coleman is a veteran musician and writer from central New Jersey. He hosts a weekly radio program called “Rock On Radio,” which airs Sunday evenings at 10 p.m. EST, on it he features indie/original bands, solo and unsigned artists and entertainers in a laid-back atmosphere. There are live performances, interviews, phone calls and interactive chat rooms as well. He has been a guest on many radio and television programs. You can find Danny, his radio show and his writings at the links below and his weekly print column can be found in The Trentonian newspaper:

Rock On Radio Facebook Page                                              Concertblogger.com

The Rock Rag                                                                         The Shore Thing

Open call NaNoWriMo writers Critique Weekend

Are You Planting the Seeds of Success?

I was at a loss for an idea for today’s post. So what  did I do?  I asked.  Specifically, I posted on Facebook.  A friend suggested that I post about “editing tips for those who suck at it.” I was flattered. It meant that someone thought I knew something about the topic. I do a fair amount of editing for others and they have been pleased enough with my work to recommend me to others. But the mind will go where it will and this request started me thinking in terms of a bigger picture.

Don’t worry, the editing tips (developmental editing) will come later.

I have been in the business world for several decades now. I have spent time working for a Wall Street firm, a major national bank. I have taught high school sophomores Geometry and owned a gourmet shop.  Everything I what I have done has revolved around what most would call “selling.” And before you ask, let me see you keep the attention of five classes of 15 year-olds everyday while you try to convince them that theorems and postulates are good, important, useful and FUN.

One of the things I learned from all this and that I have applied to my passion for writing, publishing and promoting is to always be planting seeds.

I’ll bet you thought I’d say…always be selling. NO!

Don’t sell. Use your talents and gifts to fill a need.

Present the benefits of your product to those who have a need. Water with mutually beneficial contact. Let it mature and grow into a desire and both parties will win.

My passion for writing was ignited a few years ago and shows no sign of diminishing.  Am I a NYT bestseller. Not Yet. Will I be walking the red carpet at the premier of the movie version. Not yet.

But I plant seeds.  I share my enthusiasm because I AM excited about what I do.  Enthusiasm is contagious.  People want to know more about my book, Dark Dealings. They ask questions: why vampires, why druids, how did I get started, when is the next book coming out?  Then a wonderful thing happens--- they share their dreams of writing or that they written something. Or perhaps, they open up about their own particular passion: music, art, a sport, a charity you would be amazed and energized by the excitement that comes back to you. I have met some amazing people, some who have become readers, fans and/or clients.

In the current world of publishing, many are trying to out-shout the others and sell their book.  I am a builder. There are times for sprinting, in writing and promotion. But a sprint is just that—a short and quick.

Success in anything is a marathon. A long trip. Won step-by-step, mile-by-mile. One handshake, one word at a time.

   Me? I’m a marathoner. I spent years studying the craft of writing and I learn more everyday. I study and observe social media and marketing. I want to reach all my potential fans.  And regardless of what format someone buys my book in they want to connect with the author.

I am working with some wonderful upcoming authors to share what I have learned, am learning and my experiences. I format books for others to help add the final shine of a professional look. All along the way, I am having a blast and …..

Planting seeds.

Dark Dealings and the Word Shark

Today I stop by Karen Elliott's Blog The Word Shark to talk about my journey to writer and how I had to learn to listen to my heart, get out of my own way and take chances.  Stop by and say Hi!


Stop back tomorrow when the amazing Barbara Rogan will share some great information on writing a great scene and how that translates to the novel.

Dark Dealings: Where AM I?

The  tour continues:

Today S.M. Nonnemacher and I talk about Dark Dealings, the writing process and stubborn streaks.

Stop by today at http://smnonnemacher.com/2012/05/31/interview-with-karen-victoria-smith/

Need to catch up on previous interviews and reviews, see all the links and contest details below. NOT TOO LATE TO JUMP IN for a $50 Visa gift card.

http://kvictoriasmith.blogspot.com/2012/05/dark-dealings-release-and-gift-card.html 

Guest Post: Why you can't title your book "Coca-Cola" An Intro to Trademarks

Please welcome my guest, John A. Bermingham, Attormey at Law. John and I met through a local business networking group. In addition to being a specialist in entertainment and contractual law, he is a avid reader and writer with designs on being the next Grisham.  
Recent discussions in PubWrite and in the social media circles over the cease and desist filed against an indie author by a black-light acrobatics group (of recent notoriety on a reality show) prompted me to ask John to share some thoughts on trademarks. 
He will be making periodic appearances here to discuss matter of interest and importance in the evolving publishing world.


So take it away, Counselor!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Time to be creative, time to inspire, and time to be original!  You get your glass of wine, find your stimulating view, sit by the window pane, light the candles, and look to begin another adventure with your favorite literary characters.  However, as you begin to sit down and write your novel, this little guy with a briefcase and glasses jumps up into your window and yells, “make sure to protect yourself, legally.”  You question, why do lawyers need to be involved in everything?  Was Shakespeare wrong when he penned “first thing we do is kill all the lawyers” as a compliment?

As an artist you may question the need to protect yourself legally. What does that mean?”  Most writers might be aware that they must copyright an original piece of work to prevent infringement and flat out stealing, but how can an author be sued for trademark infringement?”  What does a trademark protect against?

The Supreme Court ruled in 1995 in the case of Qualitex Co. v. Jacobson Products Co, U.S. Supreme Court (1995), that "trademark law prevents others from copying a source-identifying mark, it 'reduces the customer's costs of shopping and making purchasing decisions,' for it quickly and easily assures a potential customer that this item -- the item with this mark -- is made by the same producer as other similarly marked items that he or she liked (or disliked) in the past.  At the same time, the law helps assure a producer that it (and not an imitating competitor) will reap the financial, reputation-related rewards associated with a desirable product." 

Ok so what does that really mean?  Legally it means that you cannot title your book, for example, “Coca-Cola” or even “Coke” as the Coca-Cola® Company has that trademarked.  Notice the ® or a ™ after the name - these are both considered trademarks and both legally protect the one who has the original trademark.  The ® means the trademark is registered while the ™ means it is in the process of being registered.  Even the shape of a Coca-Cola® glass bottle is trademarked because once you see the bottle you know the product inside the bottle is Coca-Cola®.   

Copyrights and trademarks can often be confused.  A copyright is granted as soon as the piece of work is created, while a trademark might take time for recognition before it is actually trademarked.  Furthermore, as copyrights eventually end after 70 years plus the life of the author, a trademark can be renewed indefinitely. 

In the literary world, if a purchaser looks at your book title and might identify it with a trademarked product, believing both could be produced by the same company or individual, there can be an infringement. 

Just think of finally having the title of your book, the one you thought about night after night, and subsequently getting your cover art for the book – then receiving a cease and desist order from the one who holds the trademark for the same or even a similar mark!  Legal awareness must be considered as soon as you create something.  According to the Trademark Dilution Act of 1995, the owner of a trademark can stop another from using its trademark if there is a resemblance, similarity, or the title of your book might harm the trademark owner of its full value of the trademark. “Unlike copyrights that deal with the marketplace of expressive ideas, trademarks deal with the marketplace of goods and services” (Jassin, 2012).

Nevertheless, keep the legal issues in mind when creating your work.  Laws are involved in everything we do and wherever we go.  You have the right to have your work protected and after all your hard work and getting your creative juices down on paper, it would be a shame to see someone else get the credit you so rightly deserve.

Keep writing!

John A. Bermingham, Esq.

John A. Bermingham is an Attorney at Law who specializes in entertainment law, contractual transactions, and intellectual property.  He can be reached at (732) 500-2081 or johnabermingham@aol.com. 

Additionally, Facebook friend me at www.facebook.com/people/John-Bermingham/172801692

Here is a great website to give you information on trademarks and copyrights: http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/basics/trade_defin.jsp.

Reference

Jassin, L.J.(2012). CopyLaw.com. Retrieved from 

http://www.copylaw.com/new_articles/trademrk.html

First Days, First Pages REBOOT

The first line, first paragraph, first five pages of your novel are among the most important.  Your cover and blurb are the first things that will get a potential reader to those first sets of words. 

Today was the first day on my new day job.  It presents me with a more normal routine than I have had for the last five months. It also presents enough challenge and opportunity to keep me engaged.  I played nice with others and found the bathroom and the copier.

But my passion remains my writing. It defines me, fulfills me, and energizes me in ways I could never have imagined.

Now I must return to a routine.

I had vowed to write at least 500 words a day under the wonderful Cara Michaels #wip500 plan.  I am way behind.  I took time off to focus on stabilizing and improving my personal financial situation. Taking a moral position has a cost, but it cannot be a lifetime cost. So I spent my time writing cover letters to accompany resumes instead of a novel.

How does the line in the song go… every new beginning is somebody’s end???

It is time I ended my hiatus from writing and publishing and get my butt in gear.  The day job requires learning new processes and procedures but it is in my field---financial services and helping find the optimal solution for clients. This is almost second nature to me at this point. I have a twenty minute or so drive between work and home this is just about the right amount of time for me to switch gears. I also have an hour for lunch which can be used in part to advance my ultimate goal—

income to support a lifestyle as a full time writer.

So in the words of Jack Nicholson in The Shining---- It's good to be back!  

I am regrouping on Dark Dealings. Read Chapter 1 here.  

It WILL be published. This is my real business and I will not lose sight of that. I will do for myself what I do for my clients. Weigh the cost/benefit of options and the risks and choose what I believe it the best solution. I will set deadlines and goals and stick to them. I will complete first draft number three, Vines, and begin the edits on Ogham Court (massive, as the story evolved during draft one). I will outline better the next direct installment of Micaela’s story, working title Dark Moon. I will put together a team of beta readers, cover artists, editors and others for my own work plus others through my company, Three Worlds Productions.

Okay, so I’ve said this before, but I have not quit or lost sight of the goal. Life happens. What is important is that every time it does, you reboot.

So as of right now I am moving forward with publishing Dark Dealings through my company, Three Worlds Productions. I am a proponent of indie publishing for many reasons. The main one being (as if those who know didn’t already know) I am a control freak. There is nothing worse for me than yielding control to someone in an uncertain environment who cannot or will not share information and a plan.  I am a strange mix of writer and business person.  A “just trust me” approach works with me about as well as stories about the tooth fairy.

And I close with a song from the first American Idol and a fave of mine, Kelley Clarkson:

Stronger YouTube video.

You Think Santa Has a List!

 I was kind of stuck for a blog topic, so I said to myself: “Self, put that at the top of your list!”  (With apologies to Emeril Lagasse).

Santa thinks he has a list! Has he ever talked to a writer who is also a mother (not that kind) and has a part time job that during the holidays is full-time plus. Oh, and also getting ready to organize as a company (Limited Liability Corporation, for the technical, LLC) and FINALLY publish Dark Dealings .

Hi! I’m K. Victoria and I’m a list maker. Will all list makers wave and say hello.

I, of course, have a grocery list. Each week I start a list and leave it in the same area on the kitchen counter. The idea is that as family members use the last of something or see that we are perilously low (1 roll of toilet paper) they would add it to the list. Yeah I know, I’m a secret optimist. My theory is why should I have to spend time figuring out things we need from the supermarket when someone else already knows that. Classic reinventing the wheel.

Then, there is the holiday to do lists. We are having about 30 or so people at the house Christmas Day. So there is the guest list. The menu and the separate, but corresponding, who is bringing what list and the separate grocery list just for the gathering of the clan, as I call it.

On to the gift list! There are the children, the spouse, the father, the family grab bag recipient, the son’s music school people, the folks who let him park in their office lot without charge (local lot wanted $750 for the 180 school days. I’m sure I’m forgetting someone.

Then, there is the publishing list, not to be confused with the writing and editing services list. I am on track with the LLC formation. Most of the real paperwork will wait until after January 1. Why create unnecessary IRS paperwork for 2011? I have Dark Dealings out to a copyeditor for a final scrub and am working with a cover artist. I will announce a final decision about self-publishing versus small press next month.

The writing list looks like most writers. There are the daily goals to finish first draft of Ogham Court by the first week of January, since I got distracted by my other favorite WIP, Vines. Then the word count goals for Vines (to be published under a different pen name) to targeting a complete first draft by end of January.  Of course there is all the research that goes with each WIP. Vines is one my favorite projects after my Druids, as it involves wine and whiskey making.

Other writing and editing services list are recent projects that include a initial review for developmental editing for a new client and a new client for a sideline of resume writing for former corporate colleagues.

Of course there is the general to-do list: laundry, housework, finding  a better paying day job until the writing pays, business networking events and speaking and the rare get-together with friends. Yes, Jen and Karen, I know I need to find a day!

I’m exhausted just writing this blog.

WAIT! I left sleep off of this list. Let me see, where can I fit that in?

Okay, your turn….fess up as a list maker or feel free to chastise me for being just a little too Type A.

Randy Ingermanson's Take on John Locke's Success

I am a loyal reader of Randy's Advanced Fiction Writing E-Zine.  I have not read John Locke's book on selling but after reading Randy's first article (of many more to come) I think I will.  I am reprinting his first article on Target Audience.  Link up to his e-zone it's full of good stuff.  To begin with I will give you Randy's reprint permission blurb:
8) Reprint Rights

Permission is granted to use any of the articles in this e-zine written by Randy Ingermanson in your own e-zine or web site, as long as you include the following 2-paragraph blurb with it:

Award-winning novelist Randy Ingermanson, "the Snowflake Guy," publishes the Advanced Fiction Writing E-zine, with more than 26,000 readers, every month. If you want to learn the craft and marketing of fiction, AND make your writing more valuable to editors, AND
have FUN doing it, visit
http://www.AdvancedFictionWriting.com.

Download your free Special Report on Tiger Marketing and get a free 5-Day Course in How To Publish a Novel.



And now for the meaty stuff:

4) Marketing: The Secret of John Locke's Success


John Locke is a self-published novelist who has sold over a million copies of his e-books so far this year.

That's rather amazing. He's had as many as 8 of his novels on the Kindle Top 100 list at one time, all priced at $.99.

There are people who think Locke got lucky. I've been told that Locke sells well because he produces short novels, writes decently well, prices his books low,  releases new ones frequently, promotes them hard, and has the same name as a popular character on the TV series LOST.

All that may be true, but it doesn't explain why Locke's books were selling only a few dozen copies per month until last October, and then suddenly began selling hundreds (and now thousands) of copies per day, starting in November.

How does Locke explain his change in luck? He says that he changed his marketing strategy at the end of October. He says that he began doing things differently in early November, and he saw good results right away.

You can read all about it in Locke's latest $4.99 e-book, HOW I SOLD 1 MILLION EBOOKS IN 5 MONTHS. Here's a short link to the description page on Amazon:
http://amzn.to/ndd258

I recently read this book and it's radically changed my thinking in a couple of key areas.  I consider it the best marketing book I've read in the last year, and it's the best fiction-marketing book that I've EVER read. (To be fair, there aren't many books on how to
market fiction.)

Locke's book is a very quick read.  It's thin, and it's even thinner if you consider that the first half is obvious stuff that "everybody knows," along with a discussion of all the things Locke tried that didn't work.

If you already know all the things that "everybody knows" and you don't care about the things that don't work, you might decide to skip Parts 1 and 2.

On the other hand, since some of the things that "everybody knows" don't actually work very well, I suggest you read Parts 1 and 2 anyway.

It's not until Part 3, halfway into the book, that Locke unveils his marketing plan.

If you don't look closely, you might imagine that it's all the same stuff you've heard before. Most of the elements of Locke's plan are things we've all heard about: web sites, blogging, Twitter, e-mail, etc.

Locke only does a very few things differently than most people. That should be reassuring. He's using the same tools as most  authors. He just uses them differently.

I've read through Locke's book twice now, taking it apart to figure out what the pieces are. There are four major tasks you must complete and there are two ongoing projects that you will keep doing indefinitely.

Locke doesn't list these in so many words anywhere in his book, nor does he give you any estimates of how much calendar time most of them normally require, so I'll do that here. The first four tasks have a definite end-point. The last two are open-ended:

* Define your General Target Audience (days of work)
* Create your book (months of work)
* Create your platform (weeks of work)
* Launch your book (one day of work)
* Grow your platform (ongoing effort for years)
* Market your book (ongoing effort for months)

Over the next few months, I'll talk about these in more detail in this column.

For today, I'll focus on the first step, defining your General Target Audience. All the other steps depend on this one. If you haven't done this, or if you haven't done it well, all your other efforts are going to be out of focus.

And what is a General Target Audience? It's the group of people who love the kind of books you write, or who would love your books if they knew about them.

Not just LIKE your books. LOVE your books. The people who, once they find out what you write, will buy anything you write.

Don't confuse your General Target Audience with the set of all people who have ever bought one of your books.

Some people in your General Target Audience may never have heard of you, much less bought one of your books.
Your goal in marketing is to help them discover you.

And some people who've bought one of your books may not much like your writing. Your goal in marketing is to prevent similar people from buying your books because they probably won't enjoy them.

Your General Target Audience is crucial to get right.The reason is that the other five steps in producing and marketing books depends on them:

* When you create your book, you should do everything in your power to produce a a book that is perfectly targeted for your General Target Audience. You should be desperately trying to make this core niche group as happy as possible.

 When you create your platform (including a web site, blog, Facebook page, etc., you should do everything in your power to make it as appealing as possible to your General Target Audience. You really don't care about anyone except them. These are your people.

* When you launch your book, you should do everything in your power to reach those people in your General Target Audience. If you accidentally reach other people too who somewhat like your book, that's fine, but your General Target Audience will be the ones who love your book and spread the word.

* As you grow your platform over the years, you'll continue to focus on building an online presence that makes your General Target Audience happy. You'll focus on adding them to your e-mail database, and they'll be delighted to be there, because there's nothing they want more than to hear when your next book comes out.

* As you market each book over a period of months, you'll focus on crafting a message designed to appeal to people in your General Target Audience. These are your evangelists. You reach them; they'll reach everybody else.


You may be surprised to hear that John Locke prefers a small, sharply defined target audience. This is why he doesn't want to work with a major publisher, who would try to force him to have wider appeal and would thereby destroy the amazing loyalty of his actual readers.

This may sound like you're asking for a disaster --consciously trying to appeal to fewer readers.  But it makes great marketing sense to focus on making one small niche exceptionally happy. Because that's how word-of-mouth gets going. Small fires burn hot.

Next month we'll look at some of the methods Locke uses to reach his target audience, using such ideas as the "Friendship Circle," the "Viral Circle," the "Loyalty Transfer Blog, and the "Guaranteed Buyer" e-mail list.

All of these are powerful tools, and if you can't wait to hear about them, go ahead and grab Locke's book and read it. Once again, a link to his Amazon page is here: http://amzn.to/ndd258

If you get his book, read his description of his target audience. It runs on for about a page and a half. Some parts of it are rather dull demographic stuff, which your publisher has probably already asked you to define.

In my view, the demographic stuff -- age, gender, and socioeconomic status of Locke's reader (or your readers) are the least important part.

The real gold comes from knowing what emotive buttons your target audience wants pushed. Locke knows that his readers want a quick read but not a deep read. They aren't a bit worried that Locke's signature character,Donovan Creed, is an amoral bed-hopping assassin,because it's all just good clean sex and violence.

Locke's men readers would like to be Donovan Creed. His women readers would like to date Creed -- but not to marry him, because he's a lousy marriage risk. They like that he has potential.

Locke has plenty more info on his target audience, but you get the point. Locke knows exactly who he's writing for, and everything he does is aimed at pleasing those people. Nobody else. Just them.

Most people are not in John Locke's target audience. I'm not. You might or might be. You might find his books outrageous or offensive. Or you may find them hilarious and relaxing.

This is, I believe, a major part of Locke's secret. He writes so consciously and so specifically for one small class of people. He doesn't care about any other readers.

What that means is that there are plenty of people who don't fit in Locke's target audience -- but they might in yours or mine.

But they'll never know, and you'll never know, unless you first figure out exactly who YOU write for.


So let's get practical. You will probably never have much success in publishing unless you clearly define your General Target Audience. Let's take a first cut at it right now. It won't be perfect, but it's a start. You can polish it later.

Think about the following kinds of questions for a few minutes. This is not an exhaustive list. It's intended to get your mental juices flowing so you can ask the right questions about your particular General Target Audience:

* Who are you writing for? (No, no, no, the answer is not "everybody.")

* What are your readers looking for? Do they want to laugh? Cry? Think? Avoid thinking? Have a romance? An adventure? Both? Neither?

* Do your readers suffer from low self-esteem? Sneer at the "little" people? Don't care what anybody else thinks?

* What kinds of hero will make your reader cheer? A tough guy? Tough girl? A patriot? One with a soft side?

* What are the powerful forces in your reader's life? Religion? Politics? Science? Gaming? Exercise?


Give yourself 5 minutes to think about the above questions. Then give yourself 15 minutes to finish this sentence:  "My ideal reader..."

Don't stop and think. Just type. Shoot for 500 words in 15 minutes. Drill out the words. You can edit them later. Just blast out thoughts.

Now save the results in a document named "My General Target Audience." You'll come back to this again and again over the years, and you'll refine it as you get more information from actual readers. But for now, you've got a target to shoot at.

Next month, we'll look at some of the other steps in the process of writing books for your General Target Audience and helping your General Target Audience discover you.

(Full disclosure on those pesky Amazon links: When I recommend a book, I generally include in it my Amazon affiliate code. If that offends you, then go to Amazon and search for "John Locke" and you'll find his book and I'll earn no referral fee if you buy it. Won't
bother me a bit.)

Lots to talk about, nothing I can say.

I have not been updating this blog or my #ROW80 goals lately.  Why you ask? I know you have been sitting on the edge of your seats wondering "Where is she? What is she up to?"

I recently spent a fantastic weekend with some of the PubWrite people at ReaderCon in Burlington Massachusetts.  The Con, itself, is for serious scifi fans and features such workshops as the Speculative Fiction of Rudyard Kipling.  Educational but not ComicCon. Did spend a lot of time in the Hotel's Irish Pub with the following group of amazing talented, supportive and helpful writers:

Steve Umstead
Al Boudreau and his special lady Jen Jennings
Anne-Mhairi Simpson

Karen DeLabar
Glenn Skinner
Jennifer Gracen
R.B.Wood
Leah Petersen

Please visit all of them and the PubWriteGroup page on Facebook.  There is some great news coming on that front soon.

And yes, somewhere between the Guinness and the nachos, we talked about writing, editing and the state of the publishing business.  We also talked about what a real honest to goodness PubWriteCon might look like.  Karaoke is a must, especially Al's rendition of Purple Rain.


In the midst of all this I had some amazing news about Dark Dealings.  Details are not official so I don't want to jinx it. Besides this is such a great tease.  :-)

I will say that the news may result in a refocus of my goals.  I'm thinking that I may have to table Ogham Court for the moment in order to work on Micaela's continuing story in a followup to Dark Dealings.  I have some ideas and some preliminary words on paper but she requires attention now.

April Fool's and the Amadán

            One of the theories on the origins of April Fool’s Day is related to the old calendar.  In the Middle Ages, even though the calendar was changed to mark the New Year as January 1, many still celebrated the more ancient practice of marking the New Year at approximately the Vernal Equinox.  In France and other locations it was a week-long celebration ending on April 1.  It is thought that these celebrants were referred to as April Fool’s by the more modern and self righteous new calendar adherents.

           

            One of my personal theories is that it was a resurrection of the Feast of Fools, celebrated on December 28 until the sixteenth century.  Many are familiar with the Feast of Fools from the scene in the Hunchback of Notre Dame.  It was a festival that turned the hierarchy upside especially the clergy.  It was by all accounts celebrated with ridiculous ceremonies and mock consecrations and general buffoonery.  It in turn was a replacement for the Roman Saturnalia.  The growth of April Fool’s seems to have begun after the Catholic and Protestant Churches succeeded in eliminating the antics of the Feast of Fools.  As you may begin to see, the word fool had different implications in those days than it does now. Think court jester or The Fool of the Tarot.  Neither form of the fool is foolish, but is viewed as a vagabond or a trickster. Sound familiar???

            Near to my heart is “the fool” in Ireland.  If you are familiar with Gaelic you are not surprised that there are two words for fool.  The Irish word for a female fool is an óinseach.  Interestingly enough there is no popular folklore around this.

            The Amadán is the male fool.  In Irish myth there are two forms.  The Amadán na bruidhne, is considered malevolent, the fool of the fairy mounds and palaces.  This fool is thought to be responsible for the fairy stroke and more active in June.  He causes sudden and mysterious death.  The Amadán Mór is viewed as benevolent. He is part of Irish folklore, including the Eachtra an Amadáin Mhóir, which is considered part of the Fenian Cycle.   Visit this link for a translation of the story. http://www.answers.com/topic/eachtra-an-amad-in-mh-ir  It is often compared to Perceval of the Arthurian cycle.  . In the Eachtra. the Amadan, the son of a murdered king, flees to the forest with his mother.  There he grows large and hairy during the night.  At one point he loses his shins and after a quest and some trials.  When he meets achampion who challenges him for his wife, our hero declares he will defend her with only his fists.  The champion calls him a Big Fool. He wins the battle and has his legs restored by the magic of the Druid. 

            So when someone asks me how I can merge Druids, vampires and shapeshifters in my novel, Dark Dealings I think of stories like this and quote Una Rourke, my main character’s grandmother and Druid priestess, “We who have touched the Otherworld know differently.”  All things are possible.

            There are other practices around the Amadán.  Feel free to share them here.  Has anyone heard of blessing the entries with salt, ash and holy water to keep the Amadán out?

Meditation, a Journey and a Gun Range

I started the Chopra 21-Day Meditation Challenge today.  I’ve tried to follow along several times before, but never finished the cycle.  So here I am putting it out there.  This time I will complete the cycle.  The parts I did previously were a great benefit personally and creatively.  Like many writers, I do not get to write full-time.  My days are chock full of (no not nuts, although…) family, work, household stuff, more family, more work.  Particularly after the holidays, I have had a terrible time refocusing. I have a manuscript to polish, queries to write, and several new ideas floating around in my head.  Let’s not forget platform/brand building, educating myself on the changing publishing and bookselling landscape and a new business idea.  Oh and I did promise to return to the idea of the Hero’s Journey in my last blog.   Over-achiever--- me?

To sort it all out and find the occasional quiet space where the muse might sneak in a thought or two, I return to meditation.   I’ll keep you posted as to how my journey goes.

Speaking of which, have you read or heard anything about the Hero’s Journey?  How has the idea impacted your writing?

Maybe I should take up yoga next.  Nah-I’m more the gun range type, seems like a better way to blow off steam after a tough week at work.

Note to self….FOCUS.

Selling Books in the Amazon (Age).

As readers and writers we live in a period more exciting than a 13^th sign, a Mayan end-time, or a Zombie apocalypse—the expansion of publishing channels.  I have been for my entire writing life in sales.  I was an Investment Banker on Wall Street, the owner of a gourmet shop, a commercial banker and a teacher (try convincing high school students that learning Geometry is a good investment of their time and then tell me that’s not a tough sell.)  So, in addition to the craft of writing, I am a student of the business of publishing and, more importantly, selling books.  Writing a book that does not sell is, in my mind, akin to keeping a journal.

In college, I was a Biology major with a particular interest in evolution and physical anthropology.  Like mathematics, these areas of science are more about patterns and progressions.  Perhaps because my brain is wired a certain way, I like to watch, study and sometimes comment on patterns and change in other areas of interest.  The book industry is in the midst of something bordering on catastrophic evolution, as compared to the slower Darwinian type. Borders has hired re-structuring lawyers, small publishing houses and e-publishing platforms are expanding rapidly.  Amazon is a (or is it the) major player in book sales with over a gazillion titles.  Gazillion is a technical mathematic term meaning more than I can wrap my head around. Amazon also has its own e-publishing platform. Will we see the return of the small bookstore and what will it look like?

At the end of the day, the issue is how many books will I sell (someday) or how many will you?  And how will we do that?  One of us may write the great American Novel or just a really good read, but we need to stand out from the crowd.  It is not just the agent’s slush pile that matters anymore; it is Amazon’s slush pile. 

We are responsible for our own brand.  How do we create it and promote it to reader market?  The goal is to reach people who may never have heard of us and convince them to read our book.   What will the marketing channels of the future look like? Will there be any point in signing books in Barnes and Noble or Borders if foot traffic declines?  This may sound exaggerated now, but if current trends continue the book selling industry will be a very different animal before too long.

So as we sit in the Storytellers’ Grove like our ancestors who sat around the fire, please share your wisdom, ideas and thoughts.

For further interesting thoughts on the subject click on one of my favorite blogs Pimp My Novel to your right and read the Jan 13 blog called “A Lesson Brand Management”.

For new members of the blogosphere, click the tiny pencil to share your thoughts.