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In this issue:
Commentary
Writing Tutorial
Favorite Web Site of The Week
Links
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In this week's issue, we get you started on our professional tutorial series. This series is in 5 parts and has been written by Michael LaRocca, an English teacher, writer and consultant who now lives in China plying his work.
My brief relationship with Michael typifies the Internet community. He and I have never met nor spoken on the phone. The time zone differences alone almost prohibit it. It’s the same situation with one of Knowledge Download’s software engineers who lives in Europe. We met online doing business and stuck up a
series of ICQ chats and found a lot of common interests. We've now launched another web site focused on software development tools. Pretty cool stuff.
Just in case you didn’t realize it or don’t know, Knowledge Download’s main product offering is a unique ebook website software building tool that is entirely hosted online. It’s point-and-click easy to build a ecommerce enabled ebook website.
Michael has a lot to say to you in his Writing Tutorial. You will receive 5 total installations in this series.
We have two other authors and writing coaches finalizing their tutorials that will be provided once Michael’s has concluded.
With that, here’s Michael.
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About Writing
Lesson One -- Introduction
In this free five-day email course, I’ll tell you everything I know about improving your writing, publishing it electronically and in print, and promoting it after the sale.
Two questions to ask yourself:
(1) What will it cost me?
(2) What does this Michael LaRocca guy know about it?
Answer #1 -- It won’t cost you a thing. The single most important bit of advice I can give you, and I say it often, is don’t pay for publication. I’ve done it, and it’s not a pleasant experience.
You don't even have to believe everything I say. Just weigh the evidence and go your own way.
My successes have come from investing time. Some of it was well spent, but most of it was wasted. It costs me nothing to share what I’ve learned. It costs you nothing to read it except some time.
Answer #2 -- "Michael LaRocca has been researching the publishing field for over ten years."
This quote, from an ezine (electronic newsletter) called Authors Wordsmith, was a kind way of saying I've received a lot of rejections. Also, the number should be 20, not 10.
But in my "breakout" year (2000), I finished writing four books and scheduled them all for publication in 2001. I spent almost a year as an editor and Author Development Specialist for one of my publishers.
After my first book was published, both my publishers closed. Two weeks and three publishers later, I'm back on track. All four books are being published again, and I'm writing another one while I wait.
See how much faster it was the second time around? That's because I learned a lot.
2002 EPPIE Award finalist, listed by Writers Digest as one of 2002’s The Best 101 Websites For Writers, Sime-Gen Readers Choice Awards for Favorite Author (Nonfiction & Writing) and Favorite Book (Nonfiction & Writing). 1982 Who’s Who In American Writing.
Excuse me for bragging, but it beats having you think I’m unqualified.
By the way, in these lessons you’ll get the essence of the website that won a mention from Writers Digest and the book that won the Sime-Gen awards.
Also, I've found more editing jobs. That's what I do when I'm not writing, doing legal transcription, or teaching English in China (my new home). But the thing is, if I'd become an editor before learning how to write, I'd have stunk.
Before I go into the course outline, I’ll tell you what’s missing from it. What to write about, where I get my ideas from, stuff like that. Maybe I don’t answer this question because I think you should do it your way, not mine. Or maybe because I don’t know how I do it. Or maybe both.
Once you’ve done your writing bit, this course will help you with all the other stuff involved in being a writer. Writing involves wearing at least four different hats. Writer, editor, publication seeker, post-sale self-promoter.
Here’s what I can tell you about my writing.
Sometimes a story idea just comes to me out of nowhere and refuses to leave me alone until I write it. So, I do.
And, whenever I read a book that really fires me up, I find myself thinking, "I wish I could write like that." So, I just keep trying. I'll never write the best, but I'll always write my best. And get better every time. That's the "secret" of the
writing "business," same as any other business. Always deliver the goods.
I read voraciously, a habit I recommend to any author who doesn't already have it. You'll subconsciously pick up on what does and doesn't work. Characterization, dialogue, pacing, plot, story, setting, description, etc. But more importantly, someone who doesn't enjoy reading will never write something that someone
else will enjoy reading.
I don't write "for the market." I know I can't, so I just write for me and then try to find readers who like what I like. I'm not trying to whip up the next bestseller and get rich. Not that I'd complain. Nope, I have to write what's in my heart, then go
find a market later. It makes marketing a challenge at times, but I wouldn't have it any other way.
Writing is not about making money. It’s about reaching out to readers and moving them in some way.
In each lesson of this course, I keep in mind that some of my readers are quite new to writing while others are crusty old halfway burned out vets like me. Thus a bit of streamlining, and a few links for additional information to those who need it.
So, here’s the course outline:
Lesson One -- This rambling tirade
Lesson Two -- Improving Your Writing
A good example of the streamlining mentioned above. Some of us need more help than others, of course. Minor points of grammar, spelling, punctuation. Vocab, maybe, as in thesauruses and dictionaries. Characters that read flat. Descriptions where 1000 words don’t paint a picture. Plot holes big enough to drive a truck through. I try to cover it all in a single lesson, but that doesn’t mean you can digest it all in a day. Spend as little or as much time as you need, but please spend some. This is the most important aspect of getting your manuscript ready for that publisher.
Lesson Three -- Publication
A thorough analysis of all the options available, to help you select which one is best for you. All free. Followed by advice on selecting your prospects, preparing your presentation, and submitting. Traditional publishing, electronic publishing,
print-on-demand. Do you need an agent?
Lesson Four -- Promoting Your Published Writing
Regardless of how you publish, the best promotion is what it’s always been. Radio, newspapers, book signings, book reviews. The Internet has added a new dimension to this, and it’s definitely a case of spending no money but much time. Websites, newsletters, on-line counterparts to the areas mentioned above.
Again, I try to cover it all.
Lesson Five -- Final Thoughts
Like this email here, some additional tips that just don’t fit into the previous three days.
Thanks for taking this course, and I wish you much success!
Michael LaRocca
P.S. If you haven’t read ON WRITING by Stephen King, go get it. I recommend a local library or bookstore, but if you want to use Amazon, I’m an affiliate.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect-home/thewritingpage
Michael LaRocca's website was chosen by WRITER'S
DIGEST as one of The 101 Best Websites For Writers. He's published
4 novels in 2002, works as an editor
for 3 epublishers, and reviews books for INSCRIPTIONS MAGAZINE. He also teaches English in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.
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You can probably tell Michael knows his stuff. He is not your traditional writer, but who is a "traditional" writer or author anyway?
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FAVORITE WEB SITE OF THE WEEK
This is the first time posting this segment of our Author Tips. Please let me know if you like it and want more, or if you want me to toss it!
As is often the case, I come across websites constantly because I invest a considerable amount of time online. I subscribe to over 2 dozen email and ezines, many of which I don’t read, but glance at for unique web offerings.
Have you ever wondered how public speakers get there? Have you ever wondered where the media (print, radio and TV) find those "so-called" experts? If you don’t know, there is a secret little world of websites out there who have media writers as their subscribers. These websites feature "experts" and help promote them to the media. Some of these sites are inexpensive and some
are very pricey.
One thing in common: almost each and every "expert" has written a book or an ebook and has a website.
Here is one of the good sites from what my expert friends tell me:
Authors & Experts - http://www.authorsandexperts.com/
Take a look. They charge $59 for a 6 month "membership" and $99 for a year. Looks pretty reasonable to me.
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Links
The main web site at knowledge-download
Our e-book writing articles
Learn about producing your ebook
Learn about publishing your ebook
Order your ebook website software and service
If you have any feedback for us, please send to
. Send me feedback and I’ll publish it along with your URL in the next edition. (Can you say - free publicity?)
See you next week!
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