The Beacon Blog for Writers

ANOTHER LOIS PETERSON WORKSHOP

2012-01-25T16:07:00.003-08:00

Here is another Lois Peterson workshop you won't want to miss! I took it a couple of years ago - I don't write memoir or fiction but it was still time very well spent. I learned many valuable tips for writing creative nonfiction. Highly recommended for all genres and levels of writers.

WRITING MEMOIR
Your Story ~ Your Way

Saturday, February 11, 10 am to 4 pm
at the Newton Cultural Centre, 13530 - 72 Avenue, Surrey

Brainstorming, discussion, writing exercises.
Exploring memory, scenes, stories, anecdotes and theme. Marketing and submission skills.
For new and experienced writers.
$50.00
Bring a lunch
Register : 604-594-2700 / info@artscouncilofsurrey.ca

You can get to know Lois here:

Lois's Writing Fiction for Children and Young Adults: http://www.beaconlit.blogspot.com/2012/01/writing-for-children-and-young-adults.html

WRITING FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS

2012-01-23T15:39:00.001-08:00

Here are my keepers from Lois Peterson's excellent workshop, Fiction Writing for Children and Young Adults, held this past weekend. In no particular order:

There's no perfect kid's book - just do your best. Good timing, some luck, and a fresh idea all play their part, to say nothing of reaching a good acquisition editor who's looking.
Kids love rhyme; publishers, not so much.
Read hundreds of books in your category.
Young adult fiction tackle tough subjects these days and many YAs are also read by adults.
Kidlit is sold to adults and written for children.
If you write for girls and your protagonist is a girl, be sure to have a boy alongside her in your story.
Study boys as well as girls.
Boys love dystopia and horror and publishers are looking for male protagonists.
Stories/books do not emerge fully formed. They start with small germs (ideas).
Lois provided us with a way to capture all these germs on a chart. Connect each germ with an emotion.
Children's authors are scavengers - attuned to finding story germs.
If you don't have kids in your life as a parent or grandparent, read children's magazines in the library to learn what is captivating/worrying them today.
Once your story germ(s) are fleshed out, start writing and let your creativity flow without judgment.
If you can't sell your picture book idea, sell it as a story in kids' magazines.
Use several tools to enhance your storytelling. E.g. the Hero's Journey, three act structure, and Freytag's Triangle for escalating tension.

Image via Wikipedia

Have a system for analysing your first draft and then revise, revise, revise. Lois offered her unique reverse outline, a method that she's developed. (Will work for any fiction.)

In the course of three hours, we learned much more than this. Other writers will have identified keepers other than mine - it all depends on where they are in their journey to publication.

Lois's blog is at http://lpwords.blogspot.com/

QUESTION: If you were at the workshop, what did you find most valuable?

BUILD YOUR TRIBE WITH MARKET MULTIPICATION

2012-01-17T15:23:00.000-08:00

"The best way to successfully market something is to have true believers with big followings talk about [your book] on the Internet. Since we have many authors who are socially popular, a multiplier effect begins to take place," says Trey Ratcliff of www.stuckincustoms.com in his guest post on Gigaom, "Why e-books will be much bigger than you can imagine ." Ratcliff is talking about the market multiplier effect of Twitter, Facebook, and blogs. He is a successful publisher of digital photography books - not exactly an easy niche.

Points here include:

If mid-list authors (and I'm one) continue to promote and market our titles at book launches and local fairs, by readings and signings, by media releases and interviews, and online just to "friends," our reach is woefully local in scope.
E-titles are even harder to sell in person - there's nothing for potential readers to look at, handle, and read, and nothing for authors to sign.

We all enjoy meeting readers in person, but the effort often results in a handful of sales. Today, we must reach out globally online to sell thousands of books and help our fellow authors by spreading their book news electronically too.

Here are some tips to multiply the online markets for your titles:

Posting info about your book on your Facebook timeline reaches only your friends as most of us have our privacy settings tightly buttoned up. Granted it maybe more if you allow "Friends of friends" to share your posts, but you're not capitalizing on the hundreds of thousands of FB users who read avidly and have the same interests as you do.
A FB business page, in contrast to your personal timeline, is public. Think how many FB readers out of the 500 million you can now reach. So separate the personal from your book business, get a biz page, and begin enjoying the results of "long reach."
"Share" your colleagues' FB business posts - spread their news.
On Twitter I've developed relationships with many writers I've never met by responding to them and helping. If they retweet me, I get more and more followers, more and more reach. Twitter has increased my book sales more than any other social media site.
Twitter is a conversation, not a virtual soapbox for your products. Yes, you can tweet about your book once in a while, but not all the time. And, don't ask strangers on Twitter to review your books.
On Twitter you can help your fellow authors by retweeting their tweets as you probably have many followers who do not see them. So set the example of spreading the word here too.
Also separate your business from your personal tweeting - you can have twoTwitter accounts.
And then there are blogs. Not yours, but those with huge readerships. Aim to get mentions on these blogs. Make it easy by following the "big" blogs using Google Reader.
Big bloggers dislike being pitched with a title.
Join in the conversation by contributing useful comments. The blogger will start to recognize you and comment back.
After a while, offer to write relevant guest posts; then if appropriate offer to be interviewed on the blog.
Your own blog is different. It's the place to provide information and assistance for your writing community within your fiction genre or your nonfiction subject. Resist the temptation to sell here. Yes, you can list your titles on the sidebar, but don't shove them down the throats of your readers.

Expect to start seeing your tribe increase in about six months and don't stop the habit. For mid-list authors this is a long-term gig of developing relationships.

On the issue of your time: It's worth investing your time on this approach. As an author, I spend no more than half an hour at the beginning of my working day on social media sites for business purposes. This includes reading my fave blogs and interacting on my FB biz page, Twitter, and Google+. (I'm not counting the time I spend on my own Beacon Blog for Writers that you're reading now.)

QUESTIONS: What social media works well for you as an author?
How long did it take?

ALL ABOARD THE ELECTRONIC EXPRESS!

2012-01-06T11:29:00.000-08:00

A WORKSHOP FOR FICTION AND NONFICTION WRITERS

in the

Lower Mainland of Vancouver

Fraser Valley

The electronic express shows no sign of slowing after a year of astonishing growth in e-reader and e-book sales. Writers, reluctant last year, are climbing aboard in increasing numbers, but many are unsure about the route to their destination.

Discover the best option for your fiction and nonfiction books, how to prepare your manuscript for uploading to Smashwords and Kindle Direct Publishing, and some tips to avoid delays.
Learn how to price your e-book, develop and maintain an active online presence, and target your promotion to increase your sales.

If you have a polished manuscript and want to self-publish it electronically, this workshop is for you! Join mystery author, Debra Purdy Kong, and nonfiction author, Julie H. Ferguson, for all the tools and practical guidance you need to reach your destination.

Saturday, February 4, from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Shadbolt Centre for the Arts
6450 Deer Lake Ave., Burnaby, BC

$20 (seniors $15). Please register at 604.291.6864 (quote #255965)

SEE YOU THERE!

MY INTERVIEW ABOUT WRITING AND PUBLISHING

2011-12-14T16:33:00.001-08:00

SFU Radio, CJSF 90.1 FM, interviewed me today on "Smitten with the Written." I talked about how to get published, selling books, and my writing life. You can listen to the podcast here (if you can't see the image, click http://www.box.com/files#/files/0/f/171600234/1/f_1293936766):

THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS: Foreign language in English text

2011-12-11T09:00:00.000-08:00

Over the last three months I have written many articles about France for travel markets around the world that have contained a fair smattering of French words. Place names, people's names, titles of artwork, and snippets of conversation. Some of these words contain accents.

The puzzle: Should all French language be in italics? What should I do about the accents?

I looked up what I could and got conflicting advice. I checked my markets to see what they did - all differed wildly. A few even refuse to publish articles with small amounts of French used to create atmosphere.

So I consulted my editor extraordinaire, Joyce Gram. Turns out, it's a knotty problem. Here's her initial rundown of what to do about French in English text:

Don't italicize French place or people's names.
Consider deleting all accents, since the article is in English. But you should use accents for French words in italics used as French. For example, a sculpture called La Dame à l’offrande.
There is an entire chapter called “French in English Context” in Editing Canadian English, 2nd edition.
Regarding people’s names, the above book says, “Every effort should b
Cézanne (image via Wikipedia)
e made to determine, then follow, the preference of the person named . . .” Celine Dion omits the accent in English; Jean-Luc Pepin omitted the accent in both languages. It’s a little late to ask Cézanne (featured in several of your articles), but I’ll bet he would want the accent.
The only grey area is for words that have come into English. Dictionaries differ: for example, protege (Canadian Oxford) or protégé (Webster’s and Concise Oxford).
But, Joyce says, don’t change château, as that’s in both the Canadian Oxford and Merriam-Webster dictionaries.

But chateau is spelled without the circumflex in the travel books and articles I looked at today. So perhaps my travel editors don't check the dictionaries? I'm huffing a lot at this point in my quest.

So, what to do? I fell back on the old tried and true rules, consistency and publishers’ guidelines. However my travel editors, it seems, know less about this issue than Joyce and most don't have guidelines on this issue. But, definitely I will keep Cézanne’s accent.

With much appreciation to Joyce Gram who has allowed me to quote from and paraphrase her advice above. She can be reached at email@joycegram.com and www.gramediting.com.

Question: How do you manage foreign language in your English text?

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS ...

2011-12-07T11:38:00.001-08:00

Not one wish actually, but six that are all to do with my current beef with commercial publishers, also known as traditional, royalty-paying publishers. And one wish for Amazon.
It's time for some changes to keep up with market trends surrounding my published books and my reading habits.

I wish publishers would:

Lower bestselling authors' e-book prices.
Offer my e-versions at a lower price point.
Pay me a higher percentage royalty for my e-book sales. Remember, I get 70% for my self-published e-books sales and need an incentive to stay in or join your tribe as an author.
Speed up the publishing process so my books are available sooner.
Promote my books better online. I do my bit, please, do yours. Read Unmarketing by Scott Stratten.
Create a standardized format for ALL e-readers. Pleeeeeeeeeease ... you can do it!

I also wish Amazon would hurry up and make Kindle ebooks available for library lending in Canada and stop making other e-retailers their prey (here). Oops, that's two!

Question: What's your writer's wish for Christmas and New Year 2012?

COMPARING SMASHWORDS AND KINDLE DIRECT PUBLISHING

2011-12-03T11:24:00.001-08:00

Image via CrunchBase

Over the past six months, I have published three books using Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) and Smashwords (SW) -- one of mine and two for a client. It's been eyeopening this time round.
I had considerable experience self-pubbing ebooks before this and have learned much after the explosion in demand that aspiring independent authors need to know. The difference in the two methods is striking.

Preparation (formatting) of your ms:

Smashwords provides a 36 page guide that has to be followed to the letter or your ms file will not be converted by SW's software into the files for the different e-readers. The guide is challenging for authors who are are computer savvy and daunting for those who are not. Because SW converts to several e-formats, authors can't easily preview them to see mistakes, and the changes SW requests are often arrive a week later and are not easy to understand.

Kindle Direct Publishing requirements for the ms file are much simpler and easier to follow. Authors make far less mistakes initially and the mss go through KDP's conversion process quickly. Their preview mechanism is excellent - authors can see their mistakes immediately, correct them on their ms file, and re-upload in a matter of minutes. (Also read Support below)

Support:

SW's support team is slow to non-existent. After several emails went unacknowledged and unanswered through customer support on the website, I resorted to emailing Mark Coker, the owner. If a reply is forthcoming, often it is hard to understand or fails to answer the question. This sloppy service continued for six months. My last support request, emailed on Nov 28/11 took SW 11 days to answer.
KDP has prompt and focused support. Their answers are precise, easy to understand, and in an author's hands in less than 24 hours, unless a Sunday or stat holiday intervenes.

Digital Rights Management:

SW does not apply any DRM to any e-books.
KDP gives authors the choice.
To understand the implications of DRM for your e-books, see http://beaconlit.blogspot.com/2011/05/digital-rights-management-summary.html

Publication time:

SW took months to get one of my books distributed and available on all e-reader platforms this fall. The longest wait occured with Chapters-Indigo's Kobo who had a backlog and wouldn't permit SW to deliver. Wait was September 2 to November 29, eleven weeks. On Dec 9, I'm still waiting for Kobo to upload it to their catalogue, which means Book Magic has missed most of the Christmas rush. The fastest distribution was to Sony and Nook at four weeks. A client's SW's e-book for Kindle took six weeks to load to KDP last year and he missed an critical sales opportunity. Authors can opt out of distribution to KDP and that's what I advise.
KDP is fast! After the author uploads their e-book and Amazon checks it, the e-book will be available for readers to purchase in the catalogue in two days or less.

Cost:
Neither SW nor KDP charge authors to self-publish electronically. They make their money on the sales of e-books. Authors' commissions from SW differ between e-reading platforms, but are mostly 60%. Kindle authors receive 70% of sales for most ebooks.

So, there you have it -- one author's recent experiences in electronic self-publishing. Hope it helps!

QUESTION: What experiences in e-self-publishing can you add for everyone?

NOVEL STARTERS

2011-11-23T19:12:00.001-08:00

One of the members of our writers' group has been researching the first sentence and paragraphs in novels as he tries to nail the opening to his first chapter.

On Monday he presented everyone with a novel and we each read the first sentence aloud to the group. We learned that usually the first sentence introduces the theme and the protagonist and the first paragraph fixes the setting at the very least.

Both have a strong promise/hook that urges the reader to read more.

QUESTIONS:

How does your opening stack up?
What further guidance can you provide for my blog readers?

PORT MOODY'S WRITERS' GROUPS WINTER REGISTRATION

2011-11-13T09:35:00.000-08:00

(c) Julie H. Ferguson

Registration opens on November 14 for the two writers' groups in Port Moody starting in January. One is on Monday evenings and the other is on Thursday mornings. Both welcome emerging and experienced writers in any genre and provide support and assistance with the craft of writing, as well as guidance with the business of getting published including promotion.

We've had lots of experience - over 35 years all told - and are known for having a high percentage of published authors among our members.

The best way to register is to call the Kyle Centre at 604.469.4561 and ask for the "Creative Writing" course on the day you prefer. CALL AFTER 12:01am on NOV 14 - the sooner the better as seats are limited. Your investment is $83.25 for 9 sessions and will be one of the best decisions you've ever made for your work-in-progress.

DATES: Mondays - Jan 9 - Mar 5 (7-9:30pm) Course# 41120
Thursdays - Jan 12 - Mar 8 (9:30am - noon) Course# 41121

We look forward to meeting you and helping your writing career.
Call Julie H. Ferguson for more details (but not Nov 13-21 incl. - I'm on vacation) 604.469.1319

PORT MOODY LIBRARY HAS E-READERS TO BORROW

2011-11-11T08:30:00.000-08:00

Port Moody Public Library has now ten e-readers that patrons can borrow for three weeks at a time like a book. If they're all out, you can put one on hold.

The Kobo Touch readers come with all the cables and instructions you need to start enjoying them. All have 85 titles loaded, which are mostly classics, and patrons can download many other e-books from Library to Go using their home computers attached to the Kobo. PoMo Library staff will be happy to help you get started.

Demand is likely to be high, if the experience of other libraries holds true for Port Moody. The e-books themselves are also popular and wait lists are common. But the situation can only improve as libraries are embracing the technology and meeting the rising demand with more e-readers and more copies of e-books.

WHICH DEMOGRAPHIC USES E-READERS THE MOST?

2011-11-10T20:08:00.001-08:00

About a year ago a study came out that said the largest group buying and using e-readers were the over 55 year-olds. Today, I went to a local library's e-reader launch to see for myself who would show up.

The 30-odd participants who came included:

one 11 year-old was with her mother and not interested
one was about 20
2-3 were over 40
the rest were between 70 and 85 with one over 90.

The seniors were technologically savvy and definitely the keenest attendees. They wanted to try the e-readers to see if they could increase the font size enough to be able to read biographies and mysteries and to learn how to borrow books from Library to Go, the BC Library Association's website for audio and e-books.

The 20-35s read on their smart phones and tablets, not much on e-readers.

Not a scientific sample, but it did bear out what the study said last year.

QUESTION: What implications does this have for you, an author?

ETYMOLOGY IS IMPORTANT

2011-11-02T18:58:00.000-07:00

Etymology is an area where we all fall down as writers. Even the best forget to check their novels, essays, short stories, and dialogue for etymological mishaps.

The Oxford Dictionary defines etymology: the historically verifiable sources of the formation of a word and the development of its meaning. So? I can hear you asking.

If you use a word in your story set in Victorian London and it didn't begin to enter the mainstream until the Great Depression, you have a problem. Etymological dictionaries will save your professional credibility. For example, in my mid-grade time travel novel, I had to search out the expressions used by sailors in 1890 to make sure they were used on sailing ships. I found three instances where the words I'd used did not start until 1910 and later. I also had my protagonist use an exclamation that went out of use in the late 1700s. Ooops!

I now use two sources for help:

Chambers Dictionary of Etymology - the print version
The Online Etymology Dictionary at www.etymonline.com

QUESTION: How do you tackle etymological issues in your manuscript?

NAILING YOUR THEME

2011-09-30T11:24:00.001-07:00

My writers' group talked about "Theme" last Monday. It's a slippery individual that hides itself well. Fifty percent of our members say they can identify the theme of their article or book before they write and the other half "let it emerge."

During our critiques, first I ask the listeners to tell the reader what they believe is the theme of the reading . Then we hear what the writer thinks their theme is. More often than not, the two don't match.

My observation: those who either don't know what their theme is or let it emerge, rarely produce focused writing, although one writer manages to achieve it. In articles, the theme is essential or the piece will ramble and feel scattered at best, or create confusion in the reader at worst. In books, lack of a theme can produce red herrings, characters that are aimless or non-congruent, scenes and dialogue that don't contribute, and narrative that is over-written and/or unnecessary.

Solution for fiction themes:
Read pages 111-112 of Donald Maass's latest book, The Break-out Novelist: Craft and strategies for Career Fiction Writers, Writers' Digest Books: Cincinnati, 2010. (ISBN 978-1-58297-990-8) Maass provides four lists of questions that enable you to nail down the theme and core values of the novel or short story that you're writing.

While there are many components that make up the craft of writing fiction, nailing down your theme is hard work that must be done early on. Once you know what it is, write your theme in one sentence and stick above your monitor. Make sure every action, scene, line of dialogue, and all the narrative contributes to it.

The bonus: Knowing your theme reduces your re-writes.

PS: Don Maass's other book, Writing the Breakout Novel, FW Publications, Inc., was written before the one above and is a good place to hone your fiction craft.

QUESTION: When and how do you identify the theme in your writing?

COPYRIGHT

2011-09-23T11:22:00.002-07:00

With permission, www.copyrightauthority.com

Time for me to start posting again! I decided to make my summer blog-free as I was away for over a month in France and Vancouver Island on assignment. I had nine travel articles to research and write, along with taking all the images to go with them. Now I'm back.

Last night I went to hear an intellectual property lawyer, Ann Carlsen, present "Copyright for Photographers," a subject of concern for me. The hour and a half (too short) was intense and full of content that was also applicable to me as a writer. (Note that the Canadian Tory government is planning to bring in a new copyright act this session and this presentation referred to the act about to be superseded.)

Here are the highlights I heard as a non-lawyer:

US and Canadian copyright law is very different.
Copyright is governed only by statute - there is no body of common law.
Writing falls into the "Literary" class of protected works; Photography, the "Artistic" class.
Copyright is automatically yours when you "fix" your work on your hard drive, your memory card, or by handwriting/typing on paper, and must be the "result of skill, labour, and judgement" of the creator. (If a friend takes a photo with your camera and it's on your card, a court will probably decide s/he owns the copyright to it because of their work involved to create the image. The new act will state that whoever takes the photo, holds copyright to it.)
Creators do not need to register copyright to own it. (Mailing yourself copies of your work is NOT considered as evidence of copyright ownership in court.)
Titles of books cannot be copyrighted; series titles can.
Duration: Literary = life of author + 50 years; Artistic = 50 years from time of creation but will change with new act.
Your will should specifically address your creative works and what you want done with them.

And, here's the bottom line:

Everything ONLINE is copyrighted (unless otherwise stated) and writers cannot download anything except for private use offline. E.g: You can't copy someone else's article/photo and post it to your blog, but you can post a link.
Everything you create and post online is considered PUBLISHED, and so if you use others' creations, you are infringing their copyright unless you have written permission and say so, along with the attribution.

There's so much more to this subject that the best advice I can provide is to be aware of copyright law, learn more about it in your own country, and set an example to other creators, especially online.

QUESTIONS:

Are you careful of using others' work online?
Do you ask permission to use others' work?
Do you always attribute others' work?
Do you check that your copyright has not been infringed? How do you do it?

Please comment if you have more pertinent info on copyright issues ...

PORT MOODY'S TWO FALL WRITERS' GROUPS

2011-07-21T19:56:00.000-07:00

Time to register for one of the two writers' groups in Port Moody this fall. One is on Monday evenings and the other is on Thursday mornings. Both welcome emerging and experienced writers in any genre and provide support, assistance with the craft of writing, as well as guidance with the business of getting published.
                                       Image via Wikipedia
We have had lots of experience - over 35 years all told - and are known for having a high percentage of published authors among our members.

The best way to register is to call the Kyle Centre at 604.469.4561and ask for the "Creative Writing" course on the day you prefer. CALL AFTER 12:01am on JULY 25 - the sooner the better as seats are limited. Your investment is about $100.00 for 11 sessions and will be one of the best decisions you've ever made for your work-in-progress.

DATES: Mondays   - Sep 19 - Dec 5 (7-9:30pm)
   Thursdays - Sep 22 - Dec 8 (9:30am - noon)

We look forward to meeting you and helping your writing career.

SELLING YOUR E-BOOKS ON GOODREADS

2011-07-02T17:11:00.000-07:00

Members of Goodreads, a large online community of voracious readers and authors, can now sell their e-books on the site. The catch is that Goodreads only allows you to upload books for sale in ePub format. However, if you have published your books using Smashwords, you can download your book's ePub file from SWords to your hard drive and then upload it to Goodreads.

First, you must obviously join Goodreads and complete your profile. Next, sign up as an author and input your titles. These will be listed on your dashboard and beside each book is "Add ebook." Click on it to start moving through the simple process of selecting how you wish to be paid, choosing the ePub file to upload, selecting a price or opting to make the title free, etc.

Your e-book will be available for purchase in two hours or less. EPub books can be read online and on any e-reader that is compatible with ePub titles - for example, Kobo, Nook and Sony e-readers.

As an author, it is good sense to position your books where those who love books hang out together ....

QUESTIONS: Have you done this already? How did it go? How are your sales?

Related articles

TRAVEL WRITERS - TWO POSTS ON MY TRAVELOG

2011-06-18T20:18:00.000-07:00

I learned bucket-loads of tips from the leading travel editors and writers at the Travel Blog Exchange convention in Vancouver, June 10-12. I sat at the feet of experts from Gadling, National Geographic, San Francisco Chronicle, BootsnAll, etc. Here are two posts for travel writers that I wrote afterwards:

Hope you find them as valuable as I did listening to the experts talk.

THIRD EDITION OF BOOK MAGIC PUBLISHED TODAY

2011-06-15T14:03:00.002-07:00

I'm very proud to announce the publication of the third edition of Book Magic: Turning Writers into Published Authors today in the US, UK and Germany.

Book Magic is indispensable for every writer who dreams of publication in print or electronically. Easy to read and practical, it provides all the information and tools you need to understand the changing publishing industry and increase your chances of commercial or self-publication.

In response to the surge in e-books, the third edition of this bestselling book details all you need to know in "Electronic Sorcery." The chapter shows you how to get published in this medium, whether you want to do it yourself or go with a commercial e-publisher.

The Kindle edition can be ordered here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0055T4AOS.
The print edition will follow in the fall of 2011.

DRM - AN UPDATE

2011-06-14T08:44:00.000-07:00

Image by Getty Images While I was uploading the third edition of Book Magic to Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing, I discovered that publishers now have a choice about Digital Rights Management for e-books. Amazon allows you to select "Apply DRM" or "Don't apply DRM" when you fill in the forms at the time of uploading.

Now that's progress. More and more companies are providing the option

REGISTER NOW FOR SUMMER CRITIQUE GROUP

2011-05-29T10:10:00.002-07:00

Alway's wanted a good critique group and couldn't find one? Want to try a writers' group? Have a manuscript you don't know what to do with? The Port Moody Writers' group has been operating for over 30 years and can help you!
These writers' groups are a Port Moody Recreation Department offering and writers can sign up for one or both sessions that take place at Kyle Centre in Port Moody, behind the old city hall on St. John's Street.

Here's the line-up:
Image via Wikipedia July sessions run for 4 Thursdays from July 7 to 28 at 9:30am-noon.
Course: Creative Writing #38157
Facilitator: Julie H. Ferguson
$40.75
Six spaces as of June 6.

August sessions run for 4 Thursdays from August 4 to 25 at 9:30am-noon.
Course: Creative Writing #38158
Facilitator: Debra Purdy Kong
$40.75
Seven spaces as of June 6.

Register by calling 604.469.4556. Sign up asap as we've capped the two sessions at 13 spots each.
We look forward to welcoming you to our creative group!
Please share this info by clicking on the buttons below.

DIGITAL RIGHTS MANAGEMENT: a summary

2011-05-06T10:59:00.002-07:00

Few writers rushing to self-publish electronic versions of their titles give much thought to DRM - Digital Rights Management. Indeed few authors even know what it is or the implications.

However, you will have experienced some of what DRM does when you:

can't reload software onto another computer,
can't make a back-up copy of software,
can't purchase an e-book in your country,
bought an e-book and can't read it on another type of e-reading software or reader,
can't convert an e-book to another format,
can't print or copy an e-book,
can't borrow a specific e-title from your library,
can't lend or share an e-book (though some work is being done on this).

Actually DRM controls access and use of more than e-books. It controls access and use of software, music, and videos too. DRM is applied by the publisher of these items. Remember the brouhaha over sharing of music files, etc? DRM fixed that.

This is a highly controversial issue and I emphasize that I am not a lawyer. The laws in Canada and the USA differ on DRM and copyright. I'm simply a nonfiction author who has an e-reader, self-publishes some titles electronically, and follows the issue. This post is an initial summary (there's more to come) and is not to be taken as advice, just info to start writers pursuing the topic.

"DRM is any technology that inhibits uses of digital content that is not desired or intended by the content provider," writes Wikipedia. In the case of e-books, "content provider" means the publisher. If you use an e-publishing service, and most of us do, that service is the "content provider", not you, and they will or will not apply DRM to your books. You have no choice. Commercial publishers can apply many levels of DRM to your books, such as what countries the title will available in, what mobile devices can deliver the title, etc. I have yet to see a clause about that in my contracts! Again, no choice for the author.

Those companies that apply DRM do so stating that it prevents copyright infringement and piracy. Maybe it does; maybe it doesn't - there isn't much evidence yet. Some publishers of public domain titles apply DRM too, but this is more about protectionism. But DRM certainly prevents some uses of books that are legal, in other words, not in contravention of copyright laws.

So DRM is a knotty problem and one that has yet to play out fully. I'm certain it will evolve.

Now for some practical tips for authors considering self-e-publishing:

Do your homework and learn all you can about DRM - there's lots out there - and decide what is best for your type of book and the stage of your writing career.
Smashwords does not apply DRM to any titles they prepare for all mobile devices.
Kindle Direct Publishing applies DRM, their DRM.
If you're considering another e-pubbing service, find out the details of their DRM policy.
If you want your major opus freely available to the world and are not worried about piracy, choose a publishing service that does not apply DRM.

One last thought: The two camps, for and against DRM, are similar to those who cried long and loud over the music file sharing issue. It is the users of digital content who want no DRM, and the creators of it who do.

Please comment below if you know more about DRM that will guide us all in our decision-making...

BOUTIQUE CONFERENCE ON BOWEN ISLAND

2011-04-15T09:09:00.006-07:00

July 8 to 10, 2011

Artisan Square, Bowen Island

Join writers from all over the Lower Mainland for a series of intensive, interactive writing workshops, panel presentations, and other events. Bowen Island has been inspiring writers for almost a century. Maybe it's the beautiful natural surroundings or maybe it's the welcoming community that gets the creative juices flowing. Either way or both, Bowen Island is the place to be for aspiring and experienced writers on the weekend of July 8 to July 10.

Write on Bowen! opens at 7:30 pm on Friday, July 8 at the Gallery @ Artisan Square with a very special presentation by award-winning writers Timothy Taylor and Annabel Lyon.

On Saturday, July 9 and Sunday, July 10, you can choose from a wide range of exciting workshops and panel presentations. All our presenters are professional writers, editors, or publishers who want to help you improve your writing, increase your chances of getting published, and inspire you to keep writing!

On Sunday morning I am presenting Get Going with E-books, E-readers, and E-publishing! Are you capitalizing on the astounding growth in e-books? Learn how easy it is!

Space is limited so register early to save money and save your spot! Early Bird registration ends June 1. You save over $50 on a Full Festival Pass if you register before June 1.

If you wish to stay for the weekend, check out the wonderful selection of bed and breakfast accommodations available on the island. But book early-spaces sell out fast.

Image via Wikipedia

SFU THINKING ABOUT RUNNING WRITERS' WORKSHOPS AT SURREY CAMPUS

2011-04-06T12:54:00.001-07:00

Simon Fraser University are asking for your help if you live in the Fraser Valley, Langley, etc., and enjoy writing workshops. Here's the info and links to their survey:

We need your input!
Many who participate in our workshops here at Harbour Centre have to commute a very long distance in order to get here. To make our services more accessible to residents in Fraser Valley, like Langley, Surrey, and Delta, we are thinking about putting together a week-long writing workshop at our SFU campus in Surrey, and would like to know your thoughts on such an offering.
Here is a link to the survey we have created regarding this. We would greatly appreciate it if you took a few minutes to fill it out (it shouldn't take more than five minutest to complete) and let us know what you think.
If you know someone in the surrounding area that would be interested in this, please forward this email to them.
Here is the full web address for the survey, if the above link didn't work: https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?hl=en&pli=1&formkey=dEZISi0zTUo2Mno4cXFPb2R0S1VsV2c6MQ#gid=0

All the best,
Andrew Chesham

778-782-9257
The Writer's Studio
www.thewritersstudio.ca

I WAS WRONG -- CALIBRE WILL FORMAT BOOKS FOR E-PUBLISHING!

2011-04-01T14:02:00.001-07:00

I was wrong when I stated in my last post "Please note that Calibre cannot format your book manuscripts for e-publication." You can and I'm grateful for Ben Trafford, formerly of International Digital Publishing Forum, for explaining exactly how to do it. I invited Ben to write a guest post for The Beacon Blog and he did. Huge thanks!

You can use Calibre to prepare your ebook for publication to any service that can accept ePub files, such as Smashwords and Kindle Direct. This is how you do it:

Get Calibre (free) at http://calibre-ebook.com/download and install it -- in most cases, this is as simple as clicking on the file you just downloaded.
Now, assuming you've written your manuscript in Word or OpenOffice, open it up in one of those programs, and save it as RTF (Rich Text Format).
Start Calibre. In the upper right hand, you'll see an icon called "Add Books." Click on it. This will open a file selection window -- find the manuscript you just saved in RTF. Select it. It will now be loaded in Calibre's main window.
Select this file and click on the "Convert Books" icon above. This will bring you to a conversion screen.
The conversion window has many, many options. It's easy to get intimidated by them all. They're covered in detail by the various tutorials found here: http://calibre-ebook.com/help

To review the important bits:

Make sure the dropdown box in the upper right hand is set to EPUB.
Now, look at each of the option screens for conversion.
Metadata: The important ones to fill out are Title, Author, and Publisher. You can also choose a cover image. Your manuscript should not have a hardcoded cover image embedded in it -- meaning, you shouldn't have a word processor file that starts with a picture of your cover image. Calibre makes it for you.
Jump to Page Setup. The parts of interest are the Output Formats. You can convert multiple versions of the manuscript targeted for specific platforms, like the Kindle, Sony, Nook, etc.
Ensure that, if you target your manuscript for multiple formats, you save each conversion under a different name. You should save multiple versions of your manuscript from your word processor in this case, with declarative names such as "[Title]-Kindle.rtf" or "[Title]-Sony.rtf". This allows you to go through the conversion process several times, optimizing the same manuscript for various readers.
Click "Okay." In the bottom right hand of the window, you see bold text that reads "Jobs: 1" or it may go by too quickly for you to see. That means Calibre is processing the manuscript, and when it says "Jobs: 0" it means the book is converted.

To see what your freshly minted ePub looks like, open it up in your favourite ePub reader (Stanza, Sony, Nook, etc.), and see how you like it. To find the ePub file on your hard drive, right click on the title in Calibre and select "Open Containing Folder." My suggestion would be to review the book on the targeted device of choice.

If everything looks good, the next step is to upload it to your bookseller. All current booksellers accept ePub as a file format you can upload. And you're done!

Many thanks, Ben, this is magic info for those writers who self-publish electronically because now we no longer have to format our mss by hand. Ed.

Ben Trafford was a co-founder of the International Digital Publishing Forum, the standards group that created and maintains the ePub specification. He has been a leading technical contributor to ebook standards since 1998. His website is at http://www.prodigal.ca.

FREE CONVERSION OF EBOOKS TO DIFFERENT E- READERS

2011-03-30T15:16:00.002-07:00

At last, I've discovered a free program that converts ebooks from one e-reader's format into a format for another e-reader. It's called CALIBRE and the details are at http://www.calibre-ebook.com/.

Calibre works on PC, Mac, and Linux operating systems and it's excellent. If you are like me, I buy ebooks for Sony ereaders and Kobos, etc, and often download free ebooks from third party sites, but until now I could only read them on my laptop using Adobe Digital Editions as long as they were .pdf or ePub. I cannot afford to own several e-readers, so I have one, a Kindle. I have noticed too, with some frustration, that some ebooks are available in one online ebook store and not another. This is probably because the publisher has not formatted for all devices -- Calibre can sort out that problem for me as well.

As long as you download the ebook files onto your hard drive or can synch your e-reader and computer, you can add the files to Calibre's library from your hard drive. Then all you have to do is:

Plug your device into your computer using the USB cable.
Select an ebook file in Calibre's library.
Click on "Send to device."
Wait as the program whirs for a short while converting the format and sending the title automatically to your e-reader.

The ebook arrives on your device and can be read immediately. If this isn't electronic sorcery, I don't know what is! Now I can buy or download a lot of ebooks free in any format and enjoy them on my Kindle at home or travelling. Take that, Amazon!! Though still not all of them, I admit - see below.

HINTS AND MORE INFO:

I did find it worthwhile to watch the short demo video on Calibre's opening webpage before I downloaded the program and started to use it.
I don't own a Kobo or a Nook, so I haven't tested Calibre on those e-readers, but I'm pretty sure the conversions will work given the formats they use. However,
An e-book with DRM (digital rights management) cannot be converted to a different format or shared, which means you cannot convert many recent titles. This is a real pain!
Calibre enables you to share books without DRM and these are often older titles. This doesn't overly bother me, but it will annoy some avid readers.
Please note that Calibre cannot format your book manuscripts for e-publication.

Download Calibre at http://www.calibre-ebook.com/ and give it a try.

Questions: Have you used Calibre?
Or do you use another program that offers similar e-book conversion?
Have you converted e-books to Kobo or Nook? If so, please comment.

NO MORE BEACON FLASHES BUT A BETTER SYSTEM

2011-03-19T16:52:00.003-07:00

I have decided to stop posting my monthly Beacon Flashes. Since I began my Facebook Biz page, the Flashes have become redundant because I'm posting all my tidbits, advice, news, etc. there.

Please visit and "Like" my Beacon Literary Services page to get all the latest buzz and guidance everyday in your news feed at www.facebook.com/beaconliteraryservices. I hope you enjoy it!

RECALLING A TOP AGENT'S ADVICE

2011-03-16T16:00:00.004-07:00

Two and a half years back, I attended a master class given by Donald Maass, a top New York agent. The global recession was beginning to bite and the writers in the audience were expressing some anxiety over how it would affect publishers' acquisition practices. I'll never forget Don's words of wisdom.

Paraphrasing his intro, he said, "Competition for writers will remain as high as it has been for the last few years. However, in the past months, publishers have become far more selective. Certainly it's easier for established authors whose books sell well to get their third or fourth novel accepted, but first time authors have to be more than GOOD! Today, fiction that is acquired in New York is of a very, very high quality. Readers and publishers are demanding huge characters, intricate plots, and perfect pacing and tension. Editors are demanding highly polished manuscripts at the first submission."

I sat down with Don at the end of January and he told me that his 2008 opinion remains unchanged. However, he added that publishers are acquiring more high quality novels than they were.

Read his new book, The Breakout Novelist, available at www.writersdigestshop.com/product/the-breakout-novelist/ and soon at Amazon.

WOMEN AND WORDS CONFERENCE, Coquitlam, April 2011

2011-03-14T15:05:00.000-07:00

The Women and Words Conference, Writing and Publishing in Our e-World, is in Coquitlam on April 29-30 this year. It's spnsored by the e-Women Network.

I have never been to this and I only know two of the presenters, so can't recommend it, but the program looks high energy and interesting. Not cheap though. Go take a look here: www.womenandwordsconference.com

AN INTERVIEW WITH WHOHUB

2011-03-12T17:13:00.001-08:00

I have an interview on Whohub
Ask my opinion about something:

NEW GRANT FOR WRITERS FROM ACCESS COPYRIGHT

2011-03-12T15:26:00.001-08:00

Applications for Access Copyright Foundation (ACF) Professional Development Grants (up to $4,000) are now being accepted.
The application deadline is May 1.
Professional Development Grants are available to Canadian creators, arts professionals and publishers to attend programs, conferences or events that will enable them to develop or refine their craft or expertise.
The application form and program information are available on the ACF website at www.acfoundation.ca or on the Saskatchewan Arts Board’s website at www.artsboard.sk.ca/grants/grant-programs/2131-access-copyright-foundation-grants.
ACF is partnering with the Saskatchewan Arts Board to administer the grant process. Each year, ACF will award grants to Canada’s writers, visual artists and publishers to support professional development opportunities, research projects and events. All three activities are vital to ensuring that Canadians will continue to create new cultural works that will be enjoyed by their fellow citizens, and those around the world.

MY LATEST BOOK NAMED TO RESOURCE LINKS "BEST BOOKS OF 2010"

2011-02-25T12:04:00.001-08:00

Image by Julie H. Ferguson (Photos by Pharos) via FlickrJames Douglas was named to the Best Books of 2010 today by Resource Links Magazine in the category, Nonfiction Grades 7-12.

This magazine reviews and rates children's books for teachers and their slogan is "Connecting Classrooms, Libraries and Canadian Learning Resources."

I'm immensely proud of this accolade for my latest book. Thank you, Dundurn and Resource Links!!

EVERYTHING WRITERS WANT TO KNOW ABOUT E-PUBLISHING!

2011-02-19T11:22:00.006-08:00

Debra Purdy Kong and I will be givinga free workshop on e-books, e-readers, and e-publishing, which might be ofparticular interest to writers who are considering publishing their work inelectronic formats. Anyone who just wants to learn about e-readers and howthey work will also benefit.

E-books, E-readers, E-publishing: Are YouReady? (Free workshop)

Image via Wikipedia

Over the past year, e-books, e-readers, and e-publishinghave seen an explosion of demand. Commercial publishers are scrambling toconvert print titles to electronic, and emerging and established authors aren’tquite sure how to publish in this new format. Discover more about this excitingopportunity with a fiction and nonfiction author who have done it all—DebraPurdy Kong and Julie H. Ferguson. They will demystify the technology and getyou started.

Monday March 21 at7:30-10:00pm

Shadbolt Centre for the Arts (in Studio 103)

6450 Deer Lake Ave., Burnaby BC

To reserve your seat, you must register for the workshop bycalling 604-291-6864 after March 1. Quote barcode #245132

www.debrapurdykong.com
www.beaconlit.com/Aboutauthor.html

PORT MOODY WRITERS' GROUPS SPRING SESSIONS

2011-02-04T11:04:00.014-08:00

The Port Moody Writers' Groups meet on Mondays and Thursdays at Kyle Centre in Port Moody for critique and support. Emerging and experienced writers of all genres are welcome. Choose one of the groups and join us.

Mondays: April 4 - June 6, 7:00-9:30pm, 8 sessions, $81.50. (Facilitator - Julie H. Ferguson)
Thursdays: April 7 - June 9, 9:30am-noon, 10 sessions, about $100.00. (Facilitator - Eileen Kernaghan)

Registration for the spring sessions of the daytime and evening Port Moody Writers' Groups start on Monday, Feb 7, at 12:01am. Don't delay as both were full for the winter session. Call 604.469.4561 and ask for the "Creative Writing" course.

BEACON LITERARY SERVICES NOW HAS PAGE ON FACEBOOK

2010-12-30T09:07:00.006-08:00

Image via CrunchBaseBEACON FLASH # 49 - January 2011

Thanks to Author Tech Tips for tweeting and The Wise Guy blog, I opened a Facebook Fan Page for Beacon Literary Services. In less than a week, I more than tripled the traffic visiting my blog and website combined.

To get the skinny on this and how to do it, visit www.openforum.com/idea-hub/topics/the-world/article/ask-the-wiseguy-facebook-fan-page-or-website-guy-kawasaki I got 25 "friends' to "like" the fan page within about an hour and was then able to secure the username (URL) I wanted for my BLS Fan Page. I asked for and got: www.facebook.com/beaconliteraryservices.Set up is free whereas most websites cost something to create and you have to pay for domain hosting, at least.

I like the instant results, the immediate comments and discussions, and the fact that I can reach writers of all stripes who use FB. There are 400 million FB users, enough to make it the third largest country in the world. Tens of thousands out in the FB world are writers and everytime they interact with my Fan Page, they spread the word to their social contacts who are likely to be writers too. No wonder, my hits are so high!!

Think what a Fan Page would do for each of your books!! Free viral marketing! And you get the analytics on each post. But there's even more - authors can sell their books on their fan page too under the tab "Shop Now." Take a look at mine at www.facebook.com/beaconliteraryservices to see what you can do and, once there, click on "Browse categories" and see the three I set up. Magic!

QUESTION: What are you waiting for?

Please note: there will be no February Beacon Flash - I'm in South Africa on a trip of a lifetime. The next Beacon e-newsletter will be out on March 1.

BUSINESS PAGES ON FACEBOOK CAN PROMOTE YOUR BOOKS

2010-12-21T11:53:00.007-08:00

On the advice of an expert, I created a business page (aka fan page) on Facebook for Beacon Literary Services. In the first six days it collected twice the hits than this blog gets in a month. An impressive showing.

I have noticed in the past few months that the comments on my blog-posts are collecting on my personal Facebook page when the new entry of my blog is posted on my profile, and not where I want them on my blog. Reason: it's so easy to click on "Comment" underneath a FB entry and type.

Like a blog, the FB business page is free and once you get 25 "friends" to click "Like" on the page, you can get a distinct look (I haven't done this yet) and name for your business page. Here's the one I chose and luckily no one else had used it: www.facebook.com/BeaconLiteraryServices

So I hear writers asking: Why is this important to me?
If FB has nearly 500 million users, the third largest "country" in the world, a business page for each of your books is more likely to be found, read, and interacted with here than a website or blog. But the biggest advantage FB offers authors is the viral marketing that happens as friends of friends of like mind connect.

Here's the help link to FB's business (fan) pages: www.facebook.com/help/?page=175

QUESTIONS:

Which has had more hits: your blog, website, or your personal FB page?
How are you going to promote your writing/books in the future?

REMEMBER THESE?

2010-12-14T09:10:00.001-08:00

Remember these? I didn't have one like this but I did own a sturdy portable for about 15 years. Remember fiddling with the ribbons - messy! I hated correcting carbon copies and stencils. I chucked mine out in 1984 when I got my first computer. Now it would be an antique and I almost, but not quite, wish I'd kept it.

Questions: What is it?
What did you do with yours, presuming you're over forty?

EDUCATION, CREATIVITY, AND THE FUTURE

2010-12-05T10:43:00.001-08:00

If you wonder about the well of your creativity or you worry about children's creativity being stifled, this is a meaningful and funny TED vid of Sir Ken Robinson speaking on the subject.

Enjoy!

LATEST BEACON NEWSLETTER PUBLISHED

2010-12-03T14:34:00.002-08:00

The Winter 2010-11 issue of The Beacon, a newsletter for writers, is published and can be downloaded by clicking on the "Newsletter" tab above.

TOC includes "Branding for Writers" and "Losing Interest in Your WIP" by Julie H. Ferguson and "Syntax Defined--and Understood" by Joyce Gram, professional editor.

If you enjoyed the newsletter, you may subscribe here -- it comes out quarterly.

QUESTION: What works for you?

JAMES DOUGLAS: FATHER OF BC NOW AVAILABLE IN ELECTRONIC VERSIONS

2010-12-03T14:24:00.005-08:00

I'm happy to announce that Dundurn has published my teen biography, James Douglas: Father of BC, in electronic format. The book can now be purchased and read on Amazon's Kindle, and very soon on Sony e-reader, Chapters' Kobo, Barnes and Noble's Nook, iPads and iPhones, and all other compatible mobile devices.

Order the Kindle version here for $9.59.

More about the book at www.jamesdouglasofbc.blogspot.com

WINTER SESSION OF PORT MOODY'S WRITERS' GROUP HAS SPOTS OPEN

2010-11-08T17:00:00.002-08:00

If you are a writer, you need a good critique group. The evening session of Port Moody Writers' Workshop runs on Mondays from 7pm to 9:30pm at the Kyle Centre, behind the old City Hall on St. John's Street. The winter term starts on Jan 10 and runs to Mar 14 and, due to extended vacations, we have a couple of spots open.
We start with half an hour of questions, discussion, and guidance on how to get published; the rest of the time we spend respectfully critiquing each other's work-in-progress. For more details, email me at info@beaconlit.com and we can then arrange to discuss it on the phone.
We'd love to welcome a couple more emerging or experienced writers of fiction or nonfiction to reach our maximum of 12.
Call 604.469.4561 to register after November 14 and ask for the Creative Writing course on Mondays.

WRITERS NEED PROFESSIONAL EMAIL ADDRESSES ... PLEASE!!

2010-10-29T11:35:00.014-07:00

BEACON FLASH #48 - November 2010

A word about email addresses for writers.

Last month I moved my shared hosting (email accounts and website) to another provider. In the process I had to import my email contacts and distribution lists onto the new web server so I could send bulk emails like my e-newsletter. In the process I lost a few and had to go hunting for them.

The experience taught me that many writers on my e-lists do not use their names in their email addies and are thus at risk of not being found when magazine and acquisition editors search their address books.

So, keep your weird/funny/unique email addies for your personal life and open a new account for your writing correspondence. It's okay to use a free service like gmail or hotmail if you must, though I wouldn't - see why in Related Articles below. But as most writers pay for connection to the Internet, you have the use of several emails on one account. You must ensure that your last name, at least, appears in the address. Ideally use both your firstlastname@ because it makes searches accurate and quick.

Image via Wikipedia

I can hear many of you saying, "Oh, but, my name's not available." Yes that happens with common names all the time. You have lots of options:

Add an initial or two - juliehferguson@ or juliehtmferguson@
Hyphenate the name, even better - julie-ferguson@ or julie-h-ferguson@
Use periods - julie.ferguson@
Add a meaningless (to others) number after both names.I would use a number that I'd never forget! - julieferguson1404@...
Use underscores as a last resort - they are easily confused with hyphens, especially when hand-written - julie_ferguson@....

There is always a way to achieve a searchable email addy, so please consider opening a separate email account solely for your writing correspondence. It's too important to take a chance.

QUESTIONS: Have you set-up separate email addresses for personal and professional use? If not, why?

WHY PUBLISHERS ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT ELECTRONIC PUBLISHING

2010-10-16T17:16:00.012-07:00

BOOKCAMP VANCOUVER - Part 2

Until two weeks ago, I never understood the whinging emanating from commercial publishers about how expensive electronic publication was. Now I thoroughly understand. BookCamp Vancouver offered a session called "The E-Book Doctor," led by a Canadian editor who works for Random House UK formatting e-books.
Image via Wikipedia
Currently, most manuscripts are received and edited in MS Word for the print versions of the title and it is from this final Word file that the e-versions are made. First the Word .doc is stripped of its formatting including page breaks, and converted to HTML. This file is put into InDesign and then converted to .pdf and the ePub formats. Each has to be done separately as ePub cannot be converted to .pdf and vice versa.

This is the stage when myriad problems arise, both major and minor. ePub transposes letters and words; it joins words and deletes parts of words; images and their captions change size and shape, or are dropped randomly all over the ms. Tables are a nightmare and, according to the E-Doctor, well nigh impossible to reproduce with the present software, except on the iPad.

Each of the different e-versions (and there can be nine!) of one title has to be checked minutely for errors against the print-ready file of the print book. ePub alone takes three times as long to proof and fix as a print version. Additionally hyperlinks have to be inserted and bookmarks for the TOCs, lists of illustrations (if any), and indexes.Then the e-pub version is checked on a computer screen, several kinds of e-reader, and mobile devices.

Adult fiction is obviously the easiest to convert for e-readers as they contain only text, followed by biographies. Cookbooks and textbooks are the most difficult. Publishers are adamant that they cannot make an e-book look good on all e-readers yet. For example, think iPads to Smartphones' small screens. Kindles to Sonys, etc. Yikes!

Given the time required to convert print titles to e-books and the lack of resources to do the conversion in publishing houses, it will be a while before this issue is resolved. And, I can see why publishers dug their heels in over Amazon.com demanding the right to set the prices at $9.99/e-copy. The "cheap" e-book is is a costly addition to commercial publishers' product lines.

IMPLICATIONS FOR AUTHORS:

We will be preparing our manuscripts in a new way that aids publishers in formatting titles for print and e-readers.
We can no longer retain electronic rights in our trade publishing contracts.
We should be reviewing the royalty percentage offered for sales of our electronic titles - it's going to change.
Electronically self-publishing our titles for which we have the e-rights may be the wisest route.
Freelance formatting and proofing for e-books is a growing field!

QUESTION: What do you see as a benefit or disadvantage for you in this e-publishing world?

BOOKCAMP VANCOUVER - Part One

2010-10-05T15:12:00.000-07:00

BookCamp Vancouver calls itself an "unconference" and is held annually in the early fall at Simon Fraser University's downtown campus. The presentations and lunch are free - a sure-fire way to attract local writers and publishers, and last week's event was full. Sponsorship from BookNet Canada and other organizations makes this possible.

The "unconference" bit means this event is much more participatory for attendees than regular conferences. The presenters encourage not only questions throughout the sessions, but also ++ discussion and use of technology. Smartphones were abundant and employed all the time, especially by the younger crowd! Although one can simply listen to the goings-on, putting one's two cents in via Twitter or out loud makes for a livelier time. With 3 sessions running concurrently, we had to choose what to attend, which I found difficult. Of the eight presentations I wanted to take in, I managed only four.

This year's 12 offerings focussed on technology to do with publishing, from catalogues to social media to e-books. I felt it was more geared to publishers this year, but the insights I got into the industry's take on all things electronic and the future were eye-opening. This is the first in a series of posts over the next month about items I learned from BookCamp Vancouver 2010.

First up was a session called Feeding the Social Media Beast Without Getting Bitten, which was delivered from the perspective of organizations who are finding social networking as time-consuming and addictive as individuals do. I have extrapolated the following keepers for writers:

Book readers today want to engage in conversations with authors/publishers/media in real time, not just be consumers of content.
Twitter is by far the best way to engage and foster discussions about titles, as well as increase sales of your books. Make sure you have one account for your writing life and another for your personal life - they don't mix.
Use Facebook, your blog, and website to push out content and to publicize book events, etc; then drive traffic to those pages using Twitter conversations.
Best times to tweet are 9:30am to noon and again from 4:00-6:00pm (your local time); best days to tweet are Tuesdays, Fridays, and the weekend; best months to tweet are March, June, and October thro' November.
Restrict yourself to about 30 minutes a day on social media sites - it is enough.

QUESTION: How do you use social media to enhance your writing career? What works best for you?

MUGSHOTS AND BIOS FOR WRITERS

2010-09-29T16:11:00.007-07:00

BEACON FLASH #47 - October 2010

I poked around websites of many writers this summer - not the household names, but mid-tier authors and freelancers like me - getting a feel for bios and mugshots. What I found was disappointing for the most part and sold the writers short. My observations included:

- bios that were buried or missing altogether (!)

- bios that were poorly written, self-depreciating, or not about the author's writing life and books/articles

- no photograph at all

- images of the writer that were family snapshots, too dark, or worse still, out of date

Writers of all stripes have to promote themselves and their work more than ever before. Today, we do it online and in person, the former before the latter. This online presence demands visuals as well as text, whether it is a static bio on a website or it is in the social media. So here are my distilled thoughts on bios and mugshots for writers.

BIOS:

Your website needs a bio page with a downloadable .pdf bio available as a link. All the pages in your website must have a link to the bio web page so it is always accessible wherever the visitor lands.

Bios are written about you, not for you. Bios are for editors and your readers. Their overarching purpose is to answer one question, "Why is this person a credible writer and knowledgeable about this subject?" A writer's bio is no place for your high school, yacht club memberships, or the number of grandkids you have. We are in the business of writing.

Websites use a long bio between 350 and 500 words. It is narrative and written in the first or third person. Do not use CV or resume style. Here are three bios showing different styles, all of which are suitable, and reassure the reader about the writer's expertise. They also provide clues about the person:

- www.gramediting.com/about.htm (Joyce Gram, editor)

- www3.telus.net/345/LPbio.htm (Lois Peterson, children's author)

- www.beaconlit.com/Aboutauthor/htm (Me)

If you have no clue how to tackle the composition of your long bio, write a comment and, if there are enough, I'll blog more about how to do it.

MUGSHOTS:

Please get rid of the standard head-shot - they're boring for this visual, connected world. Also get rid of the family snapshots, those of your pets, and all underexposed images on your site as these do not inspire confidence in editors or readers. Poor photos shout "Amateur!"

Yes, editors and readers want to know what you look like but, more than that, they want to get a feel for your personality from the image. Even more, they want to see you in action, as well as in the setting that reflects your brand of writing. For example: if you're a travel writer, let your readers see you on a camel or hiking in the Andes. If you write for children, have kids in your photo or perhaps put yourself in a classroom. Make sure your images provide two things for your editors and readers - a sense of who you are and what you do, and your professionalism as a writer.

If you have more than one brand of writing, you'll need an different image for each. I have lots of publicity photos - for my books, for kids, for submarines, for travel [right], and as an instructor and speaker, etc. If you change your appearance in any way (hairstyle, hair colour, start wearing glasses, etc), get new pix taken.

To writers who hate having their picture taken, get over it! AND, please, please, get a professional to take these photos - they're more important than you think.

QUESTIONS: Is your web bio accessible on your site? Is your photo suitable and interesting? If not, what are you going to do about it.

PRESENTATION FOR FIRST TIME AUTHORS

2010-09-19T15:22:00.005-07:00

Mark October 17 on your calendar: Save time, money and stress at the beginning of your journey to publication.

Two published authors, fiction and nonfiction, present Get Published on Your First Try, a FREE workshop for first time authors seeking traditional and/or self-publication. Learn the best publishing option for your book and some tips about how to do it.

Where? Renaissance Books, 43-6th Street, New Westminster, B.C. V3M 2Z1

When? Sunday, Oct 17 at 2-4pm.

Who? Leaders: Fiction - Debra Purdy Kong; Nonfiction - Julie H. Ferguson
Registration? YES - seating is limited so you MUST register at 604.525.4566

COUPLE OF SPOTS IN MONDAY NIGHT WRITERS' GROUP

2010-09-13T20:09:00.000-07:00

If you are a writer, you need a good critique group. Join the new Monday evening Port Moody Writers' Workshop on Monday evenings, 7-9:30pm. Starts on September 20 and runs to Dec 6. Register through the City of Port Moody by phoning 604.469.4561 in business hours (course# 35615). We'd love to have a couple more novelists, nonfiction writers, or freelancers to reach our maximum.

A WORKSHOP FOR WRITERS WHO TRAVEL

2010-08-27T13:53:00.015-07:00

If you travel and love to write, this free workshop is for you. Pitching Your Travel Articles in the 21st Century will set you on the path to getting your travel articles accepted by print and online magazines.

Learn what magazines are seeking in this fast-paced, visual world
Discover what it means to be a "content provider" for print and online periodicals
Start writing 21st century query letters
Enhance your travel storytelling
Stretch your creativity.

Join me and start adding value to your articles that travel editors and readers can't resist.

Vancouver Public Library (main branch)
Wednesday, October 20, 2010,
6:30-8:30p.m.

Seating limited to 20, so you must register
for a seat at 604.331.3603 after Oct 1.

OFFICIAL - PORT MOODY WRITERS' WORKSHOP EXPANDS

2010-08-13T20:49:00.000-07:00

The Port Moody Writers’ Workshop is expanding to two groups to meet demand. Starting in mid-September, emerging and experienced writers can choose between weekday or evening sessions. The evening sessions mean that those of you who are employed, attending college or university, or simply can’t come on a weekday can join us at long last.

Both groups will continue to offer excellent critique of works-in-progress, discussions about the writing life and publishing, and ongoing support at the Kyle Centre Lounge where we always meet. Your investment for either of the 12 fall sessions is $112.00 incl. HST.

Choose between:
Mondays at 7:00-9:30p.m. (Sep 20 to Dec 6) Course# 35615 (Julie H. Ferguson facilitating) ; or,
Thursdays at 9:30a.m. to noon. (Sep 23 to Dec 9) Course# 34983 (as always, Eileen Kernaghan is in charge!)

The easiest way to register for these sessions is to call Kyle Centre at 604.469.4561. Don’t delay there are about 6 spaces left between the two.

If you’ve registered already for the Thursday morning group and prefer the Monday evening, just call the above number and they will switch you. ONCE! (No bopping between the two allowed!)

Looking forward to seeing you soon - bring something to read to the first session if you wish.
Image: (c) Julie H. Ferguson 2010

SUMMER READING FOR WRITERS

2010-07-29T15:38:00.005-07:00

BEACON FLASH #46 - August 2010

Summer reading is an annual treat that writers enjoy as much as any reader. What does it mean for you? A secret indulgence to have time to read novels that romp along? Time to catch-up on all the books friends have lent you? Or simply something to do when there's no TV in the tent?

Summer reading for me is much as it is at any time of year. As a writer I am reading widely and more than I ever did before. I gave up TV about two years back so I could find two hours more each day for books. Sure, I watch the news as I cook dinner and the golf majors, but that's all.

This newly captured time has allowed me to read more YA fiction and nonfiction, as well as adult Canadian and BC history, both genres in which I write. I can have a go at the latest bestsellers and the many titles that appeal to me from book reviews and recommendations. I read magazines from cover to cover too -- Nat. Geog., Outdoor Photography Canada, and Tidings are among my subscriptions, and I get a national daily newspaper online.

But, I also make time for books outside my favourite genres, authors I don't like but are acclaimed, and books on the craft of writing. Most writers don't read enough the latter. I read these books repeatedly, especially those on grammar and editing. I read them in small chunks, think about what I've read, and attempt to remember the nuggets. I do this while waiting around - in a dentist's office or riding the train. Some, like Strunk and White, I've read half a dozen times, and need to read yet again.

Here are some titles on craft I think are worth keeping close:

Bell, Susan. The Artful Edit: On the Practice of Editing Yourself.
Cutts, Martin. Oxford Guide to Plain English.
Goldberg, Natalie. Writing Down the Bones; Old Friend from Far Away: The Practice of Writing Memoir. (These have much to offer all writers.)
Lamott, Anne. Bird by Bird: Your Instructions on Writing and Life
Lyon, Elizabeth. Manuscript Makeover: Revision Techniques No Fiction Writer Can Afford to Ignore; A Writer's Guide to Fiction; A Writer's Guide to Nonfiction.
Maass, Donald. Writing the Breakout Novel.
Prose, Francine. Reading like a Writer: A Guide for People who Love Books and for Those who Want to Write Them.
Strunk and White, The Elements of Style.
Vogler, Christopher. The Writers Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers
Williams, Joseph. Style: Toward Clarity and Grace.
Zinsser, William. On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction (applicable to fiction too.)

Thanks to Joyce Gram, editor and writer, for her list at www.gramediting.com. It helped remind me of some wonderful books for writers.

QUESTION: Do you need to widen your reading as a writer? If so, what step must you take to achieve it?

PORT MOODY WRITERS' GROUP STARTS A SECOND GROUP FOR FALL

2010-07-24T17:33:00.003-07:00

The first summer sessions of the Port Moody Writers' Group were oversubscribed and now the newcomers (about 8, plus those on the summer wait list) want to sign-up for the regular Thursday morning sessions that start in September. As only 16 spaces are available for the fall group, a second group will be set-up. The day and time for the second group has not been determined yet, but we're hoping it can be an evening group. That way, writers who are employed can join us.

Problem is there is no second group in Port Moody's computer!! So, if you want to join this long-running and acclaimed critique group, this is what you must do to ensure the second group is a go:

Attempt to sign-up for the first group, and if it's full, you MUST ask to be put on the wait list.
If you register online and find the first group is full, you have to phone and ask to be put on the wait list. The phone number to call at Kyle Centre is 604.469.4561.

Registration starts online on Monday, July 26, just after midnight, and at the phone number above at 9:00 am.

So if you have longed to join this great writers' critique group, now is your chance!! We can't wait to welcome you....

E-READERS ARE CHANGING THE PUBLISHING GAME

2010-07-23T12:05:00.005-07:00

This morning I awoke to two linked items of news.
First Amazon.com announced that they are now selling more e-books than hardcover print titles.

Second, was a full page feature in the Vancouver Sun and LA Times on how e-readers are changing the publishing game. And it is the latter that all authors and aspiring authors must read because reading is moving from a solitary activity to a social one. As well, e-books on e-readers like iPad can be full of colour illustrations, videos, audio, and links that amplify the story, subjects, and settings. The possibilities for authors are limitless; the opportunities for readers, thrilling. And both can interact in a second. Publishers like Simon & Schuster says it will be transformational. I think it's eye-opening, especially if you write for the younger crowd under 21.

To read about how the world is changing in publishing, visit http://www.latimes.com/news/la-fiw-0718-reading-20100718,0,106596.story

QUESTION: What are you doing to make your books e-reader friendly?

AN IMPLICATION OF THE E-BOOK EXPLOSION

2010-07-13T16:55:00.005-07:00

The turmoil in publishing caused first by the economic downturn and then the explosion in e-book sales has created uncertainty within commercial publishers. Even those who have embraced the digital book are yet to make it pay and yet to make up lost revenue from declining print sales. Risk aversion has become commonplace at many publishing houses in the face of this climate. For the moment, they are betting the dollars they do have on well-established fiction authors, leaving aspiring authors in the cold.

To read more about this, visit the Vancouver Sun: http://www.vancouversun.com/news/books+cause+publishers+cleave+tried+true+authors+series/3260206/story.html

E-BOOK PRICING

2010-07-01T11:04:00.002-07:00

I've long considered that print book pricing is weird, although I've also understood the costs that print publishers incur and must recoup. Pricing of e-books is weirder and undergoing all kinds of change and justification. However, IMHO, the pricing of print and electronic versions bears no relationship to the value of the contents of the book itself. Now I expect to pay more for quality - think Ferrari versus VW Beetle when choosing a car. These items would never be priced the same, so why should all e-books be the same or similar low price. Hmm.

For more on this perplexing issue and the exponential rise in e-book sales, see Debbie Ohi's post: http://www.inkygirl.com/ipadgirl/2010/7/1/e-book-pricing-consumer-perception-vs-publisher-costs.html

Images via Wikipedia

PRACTISING THE WRITING ART

2010-06-29T07:50:00.001-07:00

BEACON FLASH #45 (July 2010)
If you're facing a long day of writing, what do you do to get the words flowing? If you have not written for a while, how do you jump-start the process again? On a daily basis, how do you practise your writing skills?

After 40 years of writing, I now know what works for me. I also know it doesn't work for everyone. At the outset of my career I had no clue that I should be doing something to get going! As there are probably as many ways to release the muse as there are writers, I can't give you a list. All I can do is tell you what I do and then ask you all to give your techniques for cracking open the creative channel and improving your writing in the comment box.

I start my writing days with a five minute exercise. It goes like this:

Open my word-processing program and type any noun or verb as the first word. I often choose the word from the morning newspaper or newscast. If nothing interests me, I'll open my big dictionary to a random page, close my eyes, and put a finger down anywhere. That's the word I use to start my story. Nothing goes in front of it, nothing!
Turn off the monitor.
Set my kitchen timer for five minutes.
Write as fast as I can until the timer rings.
Turn on the monitor and read my story.
Delete story.

This method is brain-based. The single word triggers associations and, used at the story's start, banishes a boring beginning. The speed inhibits the left, editing brain and engages the writer's right brain, from which most creative ideas flow. The blank monitor prevents the writer judging their work (left-brain activity) as they produce it and reduces stifling perfectionism.

Sometimes, I'll use a photo and create a story from it. But I still choose a single word to start. and still only write for five minutes. If I don't finish the story, it doesn't matter. You can also do this exercise without a computer, writing by hand. But it doesn't work so well for me because I can see the words. For someone who has an over-active left-brain, I start editing, which stifles the creative story dump.

However, whichever way I do it, this exercise always jiggles my grey cells into alignment for the day's writing.

WHAT DO YOU DO TO JUMP START YOUR WRITING EVERY DAY AND TO PRACTISE THE ART?

Image via Wikipedia

SUMMER WITH PORT MOODY WRITERS' GROUP

2010-06-24T15:02:00.004-07:00

The first summer sessions of the Port Moody Writers' Group filled up fast. There is a wait list in case you missed the opportunity to register, however that means someone would have to cancel for you to join us. But you never know!

The regular fall sessions begin in September and run to mid-December. Registration begins on July 26, 2010 on the City of Port Moody website under "Creative Writing" in the Adult Program section. Phone 604.469.4561 for the easiest way to register. Every Thursday, 10a.m. to noon.

PORT MOODY'S RENOWNED WRITER'S GROUP RUNS JULY AND AUGUST FOR THE FIRST TIME!

2010-06-02T19:37:00.006-07:00

For over 30 years, the Port Moody writers’ group has provided support and critique for emerging and experienced writers. Over time, the group has earned a stellar reputation and often has a wait list.

Up until now, the group has not met over the summer months. But demand has grown and 2010 marks the first summer sessions, one in July and the other in August at $40.75 per session.

This group is a Port Moody Recreation Department offering and is called Creative Writing, a misnomer considering what it is. Many participants have been members for over 20 years and write in all genres. They include an editor, published authors (fiction and nonfiction), poets, and freelancers. New writers are welcome, but register soon as the summer sessions are capped at 12 spots - July already has 8 signed up and August, 6. July course # 34075; August’s # 34076. But it's easier to reg by phone at 604.469.4556.

Now is the time to give us a test drive!

September 2008 - five members had books pubbed!

SiWC OPENS REGISTRATION EARLY THIS YEAR

2010-05-26T19:46:00.003-07:00

(My apologies for the gap in posts - I've been on vacation.)

Mark June 2, 2010, in your writing calendar - especially if you live in Metro Vancouver. The Surrey International Writers' Conference is opening their registration at noon this year on Wednesday. With one of the best values for money in North America and a reputation for friendly editors, agents, and authors, writers shouldn't miss the opportunity to attend SiWC once in their lives. You can attend only one of the three days if it suits you better.

The venue size means that the conference is capped and, if you try to register near the time, you may be disappointed. The conference runs on the third weekend in October every year, from Friday to Sunday, with master classes on the Thursday. This year October 22-24.

To browse the line-up of workshops and speakers and to register online, visit www.siwc.ca.

THE TED COMMANDMENTS FOR SPEAKERS - no, it's not a typo

2010-05-02T19:36:00.005-07:00

...One of the reasons the www.ted.com speeches are so good from Tim Longhurst:

http://www.timlonghurst.com/blog/2008/05/16/the-ted-commandments-rules-every-speaker-needs-to-know/

TED’s organisers send upcoming speakers a stone tablet, engraved with the ‘TED Commandments”.

So I went in search of the TED Commandments. Thankfully Sue Pelletier points out that Rives was good enough to post a photo of the TED Commandments on his blog, shopliftwindchimes (scroll to 20 Feb). But you don’t need to settle for a photo, because I’ve typed them below:

Thou Shalt Not Simply Trot Out thy Usual Shtick
Thou Shalt Dream a Great Dream, or Show Forth a Wondrous New Thing, Or Share Something Thou Hast Never Shared Before
Thou Shalt Reveal thy Curiosity and Thy Passion
Thou Shalt Tell a Story
Thou Shalt Freely Comment on the Utterances of Other Speakers for the Skae of Blessed Connection and Exquisite Controversy
Thou Shalt Not Flaunt thine Ego. Be Thou Vulnerable. Speak of thy Failure as well as thy Success.
Thou Shalt Not Sell from the Stage: Neither thy Company, thy Goods, thy Writings, nor thy Desparate need for Funding; Lest Thou be Cast Aside into Outer Darkness.
Thou Shalt Remember all the while: Laughter is Good.
Thou Shalt Not Read thy Speech.
Thou Shalt Not Steal the Time of Them that Follow Thee

Sweet!

REFERENCE BOOKS I USE MOST AS A WRITER

2010-04-28T09:10:00.004-07:00

BEACON FLASH #44 (May 2010)

I thought it would be fun for writers to know which reference books I have close at hand in my office -- the ones I use most and can't live without while I write, and those I use less often but find essential once in a while.

I have a book shelf right above my computer screen. The books are so close, I don't even have to get up to pull one out. I've culled these books over the years because I use online resources when I can (a thesaurus and etymological dictionary, for example). But the volumes that made the shelf can only be accessed in print unless you are prepared to pay hefty subscriptions for the online versions.

I cannot write without two books. They are well-thumbed and a bit dogeared now, despite being fairly new editions :

The Chicago Manual of Style: The CMS tells me when to use an en dash or an em dash, the correct form of bulleted list to use, abbreviations that are both correct and acceptable, formatting conventions, how to cite, and when to use italics. I could go on! The CMS prevents me goofing in a ms that I submit to a book or magazine editor and making myself look unprofessional. Editors use this style manual all the time and I love it!

The Oxford Canadian Dictionary: The OCD saves me making spelling mistakes certainly, but I tend to use it to ensure I hyphenate correctly. Many words in Canadian English don't have hyphens where the American English has them, and vice versa. I cannot remember which are which. If I'm writing for the US market, I use www.meriam-webster.com.

The other books on my reachable shelf include:

The Elements of Style by Strunk and White
Canadian Copyright Law by Lesley Ellen Harris
A big medical dictionary
A good French dictionary
A current atlas - I use this surprisingly often
Formatting and Submitting Your Manuscript by Jack and Glenda Neff, and Don Prues
On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction by William K. Zinsser ( invaluable for novelists too)
Manuscript Makeover by Elizabeth Lyon
The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations
The Cambridge Biographical Encyclopedia
The Cambridge Encyclopedia
The Cambridge Guide to Literature in English
Photoshop CS4 for Dummies

What reference books are essential for you as a writer?

THE IMPACT OF E-BOOKS: pricing, leaders, and more

2010-04-23T12:47:00.006-07:00

Another essential video for aspiring and published authors to watch. This is from Book Net Canada Tech Forum 2010, that took place March 25, 2010, in Toronto. Michael Tamblyn, head of the Kobo lo-cost e-reader spin off from Chapters-Indigo, discusses the metrics of epublishing over the last 12 months.

First, the market collapsed d/t the economic downturn, then a mind-bending re-imagining of e-publishing roared through the industry. It will influence all writers, and it's not about the iPad. Here's how it played out and where we've ended up ... so far:

ELIZABETH GILBERT ON NURTURING CREATIVITY

2010-04-17T16:03:00.004-07:00

The author of Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert speaks about creativity and writing in this TED video clip. Despite the title, the vid is more about what creativity is, might be, and has been. Wonderful stuff! You have to tune in in more ways than one....

If the video didn't play, click here http://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html

OFFER IMAGES TO MAGAZINE EDITORS

2010-04-12T11:18:00.004-07:00

Michael DeFreitas, a professional travel photographer/writer, reminded writers that images pay more than words.
Here’s some of what he told us:

Every writer with a point-and-shoot digital camera can take pix that are good enough for print
Editors prefer not to use stock photos to illustrate your article—they want your pix
Shoot mostly verticals
Find “nuggets”—unusual facts or people—that can focus or ground your story
Know the story before you start shooting and shoot that story
Shoot with a specific magazine in mind. If it is for seniors, be sure you have older people in your pix
Shoot outside in the best light, which is before 10am and after 4pm. If you have to shoot at a sunny midday, set your white balance to “cloudy”
Always set your camera to its highest output. E.g. 10 megapixels.
Send the editor a selection of images to choose from, numbered in the sequence that they appear in your story
Then start pitching your articles and images all over the world.

It's a skill worth developing if you're a freelance writer!

DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW AND WHY TWITTER HELPS WRITERS?

2010-04-06T11:16:00.004-07:00

Almost every day I get a phone call or an email asking me why Twitter is so important for writers. Simply put, it builds a community of interest around you, your work, and your subject. If you already have books, Twitter helps increase sales.

But, if you don't engage on Twitter and just lurk, it won't work for you.

This post is one of the best explanations for writers on how to capitalize on Twitter: http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2010/04/06/social-networking-for-authors-twitter-tips/. Thanks to Joanna Penn...

CONFERENCE OF INTEREST TO ALL WRITERS, NOT JUST ROMANCE NOVELISTS

2010-03-23T11:30:00.003-07:00

Write On, Vancouver

Conference of the Romance Writers of America, Greater Vancouver Chapter

On the weekend of May 28 and 29, 2010, the Greater Vancouver chapter of the Romance Writers of America© will host its annual conference at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in Richmond, BC.
This year, GVC is thrilled to offer a series of workshops and panels geared to help writers of every level, whether beginning or multi-published.
The keynote speaker is author Laura Resnick, who will offer the workshop "Story Development" and participate in a question-and-answer period with editors Martin Biro, Johanna Raisanen, and Leanne Salter, as well as the other guest speakers.

My guess is that this line-up will provide value to all writers, not just those working in the romance genre.

Other conference opportunities:
•    Mingle and network with fellow writers and guest speakers
•    Pitch your manuscript to an editor
•    Perfect your pitch with Eileen Cook
•    Build your brand with Terri Smolar
•    Character workshop with Nancy Warren
•    Q&A with an industry panel

Click here for the complete schedule.
For speakers' bios click here.

Conference space is limited, so register early to avoid disappointment and save $30.00 before March 31/10.

QUESTION: What are you doing for your professional development as a writer this year?

BRANDING FOR AUTHORS AND FREELANCERS

2010-03-18T19:41:00.015-07:00

Branding is all about gaining name recognition and a solid market position that highlights you and your product.

Branding applies to writers every bit as much as a box of detergent, and in today's competitive market, more than ever. It is an essential component in developing your publishing platform and for increasing sales of your work before and after publication, in book form or in magazines. But, most importantly, branding means getting known as an author or freelancer worth reading.

The branding process for writers includes:

identifying your brand(s)
differentiating your books/articles from others in the same fiction genre or nonfiction subject
positioning yourself and your work

Here are some ways to start:

IDENTIFYING YOUR BRAND: Figure out the overarching theme of your books and articles, and the expertise and value you bring to them. This effort will eventually reveal your brand as you develop as a writer,and is more than your books' category and sub-category or an article's topic. It is not sufficient to say "I write mysteries" or "I'm a travel writer." They are not specific enough. (Mystery brands are often the sleuth themselves - think of DI Lynley in Elizabeth George's novels; in the travel world, a brand may be a region or a mode of travel.)
   I found asking others, who knew my books and articles, provided insight into my commercially published work. Two comments got me drilling down further: "You are fascinated by what motivates leaders" and "You write history as if it's personal."
   If you write in more than one genre or subject, go through the process for each one.
   I ended up with drafts for two brands:
     - I write Canadian history that tends to focus on the motivation of extraordinary leaders.
     - I am a guiding light for Canadian writers.
The latter, incidentally, drivesthis blog and my website, and provided my company name and logo.

DIFFERENTIATION: We often write in a highly competitive category, and our sub-category may also overflow with similar books to ours. It's a fact of life for an author. The brand we settle on must show how we differ from the rest. We have to find an angle that makes us stand apart and above the crowd.
   Answer the questions:
      - What makes my book(s) or articlesdifferent or better than others on similar subjects? Make a list.
      - How can I make them more different, useful, and special than the others? Compile another list.
Think about them for a while, keep adding to the lists. Then select the two most important differences.
   Looking at my two brands, the differences I bring to each are:
- More and more, I am using the technique called creative nonfiction (CNF) to write my nonfiction books and articles. Also I write about people who have been overlooked by other writers.
- I specialize in the business of getting published, not the craft of writing that has an overabundance of books.
POSITIONING YOUR BRAND: Where do you want your books/articles to be seen, to be available, and what do you want them to be associated with? Your brand and differentiation will guide you in all your subsequent positioning and promotional decisions: the where, when, what, how of branding.
- First action - register your own name as a domain. Now! Mine is www.julieferguson.ca. If someone has the domain you want already, add a hyphen between your first and last name, or an initial. Do what it takes to get as close as you can to your name that appears or will appear on your book covers and in your articles' bylines. Even if you have no books pubbed, get your domain and start developing a website immediately after you've finished #1 and 2.
  GoDaddy.com is one of many companies that registers and hosts domains for reasonable prices, and you get email addresses with the same name. (e.g. julie@julieferguson.ca) No serious writer should use a hotmail, a gmail address, or a silly handle like downspout@....
  At the same time, register domains for your book titles, so no-one else can beat you to it. Even if you don't end up using them, you may be able to sell them.
- Now, create your website! Check out other authors sites first and decide what you like and dislike. Make your site shout out what you discovered from #1 and 2.
  If you have more than one brand, one website should be all you need. Above all make it interesting to strangers, as well as your potential readers. Make it worthwhile to come back to time and again.
  Use keywords to position your website for search engines so potential readers can find them easily -- include words from your brand sentence, as well as the obvious choices like fiction or mystery. E.g. biography, "subject's name", Canadian history, notable Canadians, writing, publishing.
- Start a blog for each brand if they are disparate. I have two, one for my writing blog here (www.beaconlit.blogspot.com) and my author blog for a YA biography at www.jamesdouglaofbc.blogspot.com. Make them different from each other, but congruent with each brand.
- Emphasize your brand(s) on your blog(s): Write to it! Keep current and blog what you learn for readers. Make it interactive with links, videos, and podcasts. Avoid muddying the waters by blogging on other subjects, such as your visit to Palm Beach or your dog -- visitors won't come back.
- Get links from high-visit sites and blogs to yours and vice versa -- they bring yours more traffic.
- If you are an established writer, find blogs with a similar brand and offer to guest-blog for them. I guest blog monthly on a BC history blog, for example. It's a win-win for both blogs as it drives traffic to each. Also, offer to do blog interviews for bloggers who blog on your subject.
- Feature your brand(s) on your social networking sites. If you have a Facebook page for family and friends, consider getting another for your writing life - there's a big community out there. Definitely add a page that connects with your potential readers, e.g. Canadian history buffs and/or start FB groups using your titles.
  Twitter allows everyone more than one account too. As I tweet mainly about writing and publishing, I just have one for my Beacon brand.
- Your brand will identify events and conferences where you should be seen and heard. Engage with your writing community by going to book readings and to award ceremonies. Join writers' associations and those specializing in your genre. Join organizations that serve those interested in your subject and get involved with them.
- Offer yourself for interviews in the media when current events relate to your brand by sending out media releases.

The results: When an editor wants an article on post-retirement travel, they think of you; when a publisher wants a book on BC history in the 1850s, they think of you; when a reader wants a Vancouver mystery, they think of you; when a media outlet wants an expert commentator, they think of you.

Get out there with your brand!

QUESTION: What steps do you need to take to brand your writing?

DEVELOPING AN AUTHOR'S ONLINE PRESENCE

2010-03-11T16:45:00.011-08:00

Today, publishers and agents are telling aspiring authors that they must develop reader recognition before manuscript submission as part of their platform. On the face of it, this sounds a bit of a catch 22 -- how will my name get recognized without a book?

There are ways and writers should be scrambling to take advantage of them. Sure, they take planning, time, and work, but can be undertaken in parallel with writing your manuscript.

Pump out articles on your subject or short stories in your genre and get them published in the periodicals your readers read, in print and online.
Novelists - start entering and placing in contests.
Secure a domain name for a website if you haven't already got one. It should be www.yourname.com or .ca. Mine is www.julieferguson.ca. This is part of an author's "branding."
Buy the domain names of your title(s) and point them to your website.
Learn how to set up a website that speaks to the new reality and doesn't just sit there doing nothing - more in next post.
Start a blog. Blogger (www.blogger.com) is one site that makes it easy and free; Wordpress (www.wordpress.org) is another. Learn how to make it work; make your blog interesting to visit for those who don't know you. Make it interactive as well as visual. Use your expertise to attract and help readers. Update it often. Once you have a book published, start a new blog using the title.
Connect your blogs to www.digg.com and other aggregators like www.stumbleupon.com. If you've never heard of them, go take a look.
Get your name out to your book's future readership using social media - Twitter and Facebook, are only two examples. (I also use LinkedIn and ThoughtLeaders.) Be active on the sites you select - they only work if you work them. Here are some ways of doing it: I tweet tips for aspiring authors and ads for my books; many writer colleagues and I are "friends" on Facebook and exchange news and sometimes questions; I run several groups on FB that connect with likely readers of two of my books, i.e. history buffs and writers.
Discover how to manage all these interconnected sites with ease using content management tools like www.twitterfeed.com and www.drupal.org. There is no need to spend much more than 20 minutes/day reaching your readers once you're set-up.
Offer an e-newsletter of value to those who will read your book, especially if you write nonfiction. Demonstrate your knowledge of your subject and keep smack up-to-date. Keep current by reading blogs of leaders in your field - make it easy by using Google Reader to collect them all in one place. Make sure there is a way to sign-up for the newsletter on both your blog and website.
Get out there and offer yourself for interviews on other's blogs in the same field, radio, and TV.
Offer to be a guest blogger, either once or regularly. I blog for www.knowbc.blogspot.com, the blog of the Encyclopedia of BC because history is one of my brands.
Consider recording podcasts on your subject and posting them on your website and blog(s), as well as iTunes.
If you have self-pubbed or out-of-print titles, convert them to e-books and sell them on your website.
Don't forget the value of book trailers (videos) to help your marketing on YouTube. (Click for two of mine here.)
Begin giving away some of your articles, stories, or chapters on your website and blog. Yes, free, if only for a limited period. Run a contest for a book, then offer something for sale. Watch what happens. Then repeat the recipe.

The Writers' Union of Canada gave some examples of local mid-list authors and how they had increased their visibility using some or all of the above tools. All needed some help with the online work they did to increase reader recognition. Was it worth it - you bet! One even got an offer from a publisher before she had pitched her ms on the strength of her name recognition and online platform, so it can be done. She is now an award-winning novelist.

Questions: Are you prepared to develop your online presence? What steps are you going to take? Do let us know.

PUBLISHERS AND AGENTS IN THE NEW REALITY

2010-03-10T16:25:00.009-08:00

As promised, I am going to start to flesh out the summary of the Writers' Union of Canada's (TWUC) symposium that I posted on March 6, 2010 (see below) with info about publishers and agents. Both have been hit by the economic downturn over the last 18 months and are now having to also confront the necessity of producing digital titles. This is an overview of the current climate according to TWUC.

PUBLISHERS:

Publishers are only publishing books that will sell well.
Big-box bookstores and online booksellers are driving the market.
They base their acquisition decisions entirely on the bottom line. Is this book likely to sell? Only 20% of Canadian titles earn out their advance.
Acquisition decisions are made by marketing departments, not on merit, at the moment.
The amount offered for advances has dropped in the last two years.
Houses have increased their lists and hired no new staff. The staff that they have is severely over-burdened and not communicating with their own authors very well, let alone aspiring authors who are sending query letters.
The explosion in electronic book formats and the growth in e-book readers has most publishers scrambling to keep up. Converting print books into digital formats takes staff time - two weeks/title apparently. See above.
Self-publishing is becoming more respectable.
Chapbooks are making a come-back.
So are writer-run publishing collectives (no wonder!).

AGENTS:

Agents are having a difficult time selling books to major publishers, especially by mid-list authors.
Advances for even bestselling authors have been halved.
More and more reputable agencies are charging a fee to represent an author - unheard of a couple of years ago. ($500-1000)
All authors must have a well-conceived and proven platform showing where their readers congregate and how they communicate with them pre-publication. Platforms have a direct relationship with potential sales.
Authors' platforms must include a significant online presence that provides them with a brand and reaches potential readers.

Authors can succeed with polished, well-crafted manuscripts, a good platform, and a targeted promotion campaign. However, it all takes time and effort.

ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM OF THE WRITERS' UNION OF CANADA

2010-03-06T14:28:00.015-08:00

www.writersunion.ca

Yesterday's TWUC annual symposium was, as always, excellent and played to a full house of emerging and established writers and authors. Secure Footing in a Changing Literary Landscape brought both scary and exciting news for those who seek publication.

Betsy Warland, Ross Laird, and Debra Windsor (TWUC's Exec. Director) delivered the ten presentations with humour, knowledge and skill. The information came at us thick and fast, almost all of which was smack up to date and some of which was provocative. The handouts arrived on a thumb-drive, one for every registrant, so caused minimal destruction of trees. This idea was a huge hit.

Over the next couple of weeks, I shall be blogging the details of what I learned but here are some highlights:

Even published authors are finding it challenging to get their latest mss published
Mid-list authors are the hardest hit by the downturn
All mss must be polished to a high gloss before submission or will be rejected
Publishers are only publishing books that are guaranteed to sell well
Advances have dropped 50%
Publishers are so short-staffed their communications with prospective authors have nose-dived
Aspiring and published authors need a substantial platform, which must include a strong web presence
Column inches for reviews have reduced by 40%
Now is the time to get your rights back for out-of-print books and self-publish them electronically to sell on your website
Be afraid of obscurity and fear NOT the piracy of your work - get it out there!
Creative nonfiction is the hot ticket

Ross Laird focused on building an author's online platform (presence) for nearly half the day. First, he did a straw poll of the attendees regarding websites, blogs, and use of social media, which showed that far too few writers employ them to advantage. Then he demonstrated how the Web 2.0 can increase a writer's chances of getting pubbed, grow book sales, and how easy it is to get on board.

I have a lot to process before I post again and a few items to put into practice, but watch for more in the coming days and weeks.

Question: As a serious writer, do you have a website in your own name? e.g. www.julieferguson.ca. A blog?

PRINT MAGAZINES VERSUS E-VERSIONS

2010-03-01T13:27:00.002-08:00

Having blogged on the fuss about e-books and our publishing contracts, here is a view of what will happen in the world of print and electronic magazines with the advent of the iPad.

If you are a freelancer, this post is worth reading and then thinking about:

http://www.fastcompany.com/1566042/print-is-dead-long-live-print-digital-magazines-have-publishers-in-a-spin.

QUESTION: If more readers prefer the interactivity of reading articles online or on e-readers, how will it change the way writers pitch ideas to magazines?

EXPLOSION IN E-BOOKS WILL AFFECT OUR PUB CONTRACTS

2010-02-25T13:27:00.002-08:00

The writing and publishing blogs are speculating on how the explosion of e-books will change trade contracts and what cut authors will get. It's eye-opening and we need to keep up, even if our commercial print publishers are not there yet. This comment provides some perspective, “Nearly one quarter of Ebook consumers are exclusively buying Ebooks(unless no Ebook option exists).” —Kelly Gallagher, R.R. Bowker.

I believe it is just the tip of the iceberg.

Here are two blogs that will aid your learning:

Publisher's (Thomas Nelson) viewpoint - http://michaelhyatt.com/2010/02/the-o%E2%80%99reilly-tools-of-change-for-publishing-conference.html (worth checking out the links in this long post too).
Agent's viewpoint: http://pubrants.blogspot.com/2010/02/redefining-net-receipts-where-ebooks.html

As a writer, what steps do you plan to take to get up to speed with the changes?

A MORE OPTIMISTIC TAKE ON THE PUBLISHING INDUSTRY

2010-02-16T14:41:00.007-08:00

I thought readers needed a more optimistic take on the world of book publishing after a steady diet of predicted catastrophes and fights between online bookstores and publishers. Jason Pinter, who wrote "Is This the Most Exciting Time Ever for Book Lovers?" for the Huffington Post (Feb 16/10), is an author like us and injects some encouragement as we watch the upheaval going on in the industry today.

Have a good read at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jason-pinter/is-this-the-most-exciting_b_463200.html

Question: What do you think of Pinter's article?

OVER THE TOP AWARD FOR THE BEACON BLOG!

2010-02-10T15:35:00.001-08:00

Casey Wolf, the blogger of the Den Page of C. June Wolf, chose The Beacon Blog for the Over The Top award today. It's not a big, renowned award, simply fun.

The rules of the award are to answer the questions with one word answers, then to pass it on to your favourite bloggers.

Your Hair? - hedgehog-style
Your Favourite food? - shellfish
Your Hobby? - photography
Your Fear? - heights
Your pets? - donkeys?
Something you aren't? - wealthy
Where did you grow up? - London-UK
Your life? - busy
Your mood? - energetic
Your favorite colour? - turquoise

And I'm giving the Over the Top award to these little known bloggers who rank among my favourites:
Irene Butler - http://www.globaltrekkers.ca/

Doug Matthews - http://specialeventguru.blogspot.com/

Lois Peterson - http://lpwords.blogspot.com/

Debra Purdy Kong - http://writetype.blogspot.com/
Eileen Reppenhagen - http://taxdetective.blogspot.com/

Now it's your turn to give some kudos....

BOOK PUBLISHING'S SLIDE SINCE 2005

2010-02-05T14:14:00.001-08:00

If you don't faint easily, open this link about the latest book publishing stats in the USA:
http://www.bkpextranet.com/AuthorMaterials/10AwfulTruths.htm. It was prepared by Steven Piersanti, President,Berrett-Koehler Publishers, updated June 15, 2009.

But buried in the dismal stats are some clues on coping with the the new reality as an author. Mentioned briefly are the importance of an extensive promotional plan in nonfiction proposals and one for the social media. At the end Peirsanti gives seven strategies that can help us respond.

There's more too. You need to read this, but sit down first!! Read it knowing that your book ONLY competes with other books in its category and sub-category, not all titles.

TROUBLING NEWS FOR FREELANCERS CONTINUES...

2010-01-31T09:19:00.002-08:00

BEACON FLASH #42 - February 2010

December 2009 brought the news that the National Geographic Adventure magazine is folding after the Jan/Feb 2010 issue. January 2010 brought the news that many markets are slashing the fees paid for articles so severely that many freelance writers cannot earn a living any longer. Along with that depressing news, evidence exists that articles are getting shorter and less well researched. (See LA Times here.)

Freelancers are smart if they develop other ways to earn revenue that keep them writing and feeding their creativity.
Some suggestions:

don't give up your day job right now if you're lucky enough to have one
pass along your knowledge through sessions at your community college's continuing ed programs
today, even with point and shoot cameras, anyone can take photos good enough for print. Start selling your digital images to print and online markets
sell your images to businesses and institutions
write copy for company websites - small businesses are always looking for assistance.
tutor students in English and writing
offer to write promotional copy for small businesses
provide editing/formatting services if you are good at this aspect of writing

Do what you have to do to keep food on the table, but don't forget to keep writing, even if it is just for practice.

Help yourself stay motivated by:

Continuing your professional development - make a list of what you want to know more about, prioritize it, and work your way through it.
Keeping current in your area(s) of interest.
Remaining engaged with your writing community.
Keeping a writing journal of ideas (in a notebook or on a voice recorder) that will provide fodder for articles when the climate warms up for freelancers.
Learning how to edit your digital images with Picasa, a free program from Google - it's easy!
READ!!!

APPLE UNVEILS THE iPAD...

2010-01-27T13:34:00.003-08:00

iPad (c) www.engadget.com (Joshua Topolsky)

Apple unveiled its new iPad this morning. It looks like a magazine-sized iPhone, but is a cross between a computer, a 3G phone, and an e-reader. WiFi only version - US$499; WiFi + 3G - US$829.

An excerpt from wired.com of Apple's launch today of interest to authors who publish e-books:

iBooks is the app for reading books. (It looks a lot like Classics for the iPhone.) Within the app you can download e-books from the iTunes e-book store.

Five of the largest publishers are on board: Harper Collins, Simon and Schuster, Macmillan, Penguin, Hachette
“We’re very excited about this.”

Now he’s demoing the iBook app. It’s a bookshelf. It flips around to reveal the iTunes Store (kind of like a room behind a secret wall.) Tapping a book on the shelf launches a nice, pretty-looking page. Swiping left or right turns pages. You can change the font size if you’d like. Bigger or smaller. Change the font. “We use the EPUB format. It is the most popular open book format in the world.”

SOME STATISTICS FOR WRITERS

2010-01-24T10:49:00.003-08:00

Pingdom has posted statistics for the Internet world in 2009 at http://royal.pingdom.com/2010/01/22/internet-2009-in-numbers/. To me the figures that start at "Internet users" (scroll down a bit) are the most telling for writers.

The sections on images and videos show how we have to become content providers more than just wordsmiths, and the social media statistics demonstrate how important these sites are for promotion of our work.

Take a look!

APPLE'S ANSWER TO KINDLE AND SONY READER?

2010-01-17T15:04:00.007-08:00

This weekend, the buzz was all about Apple's long-awaited answer to e-readers (Amazon's Kindle and the Sony Reader). The Globe and Mail newspaper devoted a two-page spread in the Report on Business on Saturday, January 16/10. Following its usual position, Apple has not even acknowledged that they have an e-reader under development, letting the anticipation boil over.

Hyped as the Kindle Killer, the iSlate (a predicted name) is said to be bigger, better, and much more like a computer with very different technology driving its performance. It's more a cross between a netbook, a reader, and an iPhone. Estimates claim it will retail for about US$1000.00. If all the speculation is correct, the iSlate is an apple (!) to the oranges that are Kindle and Sony Readers. You cannot, maybe should not, compare them....

You can see an artist's impression of the device and read the speculation and hype about the iSlate here: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/behind-apples-iron-curtain/article1432726/.

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The Port Moody Writers' Groups meet on Mondays and Thursdays at Kyle Centre in Port Moody for critique and support. Emerging and experienced writers of all genres are welcome. Choose one of the groups and join us.

Mondays: April 4 - June 6, 7:00-9:30pm, 8 sessions, $81.50. (Facilitator - Julie H. Ferguson)Thursdays: April 7 - June 9, 9:30am-noon, 10 sessions, about $100.00. (Facilitator - Eileen Kernaghan)

Registration for the spring sessions of the daytime and evening Port Moody Writers' Groups start on Monday, Feb 7, at 12:01am. Don't delay as both were full for the winter session. Call 604.469.4561 and ask for the "Creative Writing" course.

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Mondays: April 4 - June 6, 7:00-9:30pm, 8 sessions, $81.50. (Facilitator - Julie H. Ferguson)
Thursdays: April 7 - June 9, 9:30am-noon, 10 sessions, about $100.00. (Facilitator - Eileen Kernaghan)