A Novel Way to Promote Your Writing (Part 2)

Judith Nembhard 
A passionate fiction writer.

          

           Consider also as a possible venue a community senior center. Here the director is tasked with providing varied and interesting activities to keep the clients engaged, and you have just what they need.  Admittedly, there is usually a routine that the center follows, but something different and valuable to the clients, as a workshop on an aspect of the language would certainly be, is an attractive offer, so they would welcome your presentation.

            College English departments also are a fertile resource for presenting a workshop on writing. Most colleges have a campus-wide activity period each semester. A lot of activities go on during this time, organized by clubs and other groups. At such a time, an English professor may invite a guest to his or her class. As an instructor, I invited a writer to my class, and it proved extremely satisfying for both the students and me. Later I, too, was invited to address a group of English majors during one of their activity periods. This is a time when you can give useful highlights on the writing life to young people who may be interested in becoming writers.

A Novel Way to Promote Your Writing (Part 1)

Judith Nembhard   

A Passionate Fiction Writer    



Here’s a piece of writing advice: promote your book, but promote it slant (with apologies to Emily Dickinson), and the way to achieve this slanted book promotion is by doing a workshop. In our quest for tips on how to promote our books, we writers often pore over the pages of Writer’s Digest and other magazines on writing, read books such as Guerrilla Marketing for Writers, and attend writing conferences. From all of these sources, we often get information that is of interest, some of it actually useful. One promotional avenue that you may not have read about, however, is a workshop. You attend workshops to learn new techniques and to brush up on old ones. Well, how about giving a workshop yourself?

A Healthier Mindset for Social Media (Part 2)

Edie Melson    @EdieMelson

Social Media Director for Southern Writers Suite T

My worth is not determined by my numbers.

For me, the blog posts that mean the most are rarely the ones that generate the highest numbers. The ones that mean the most are those that help someone, that connect the dots for an individual who’s hurting or help someone who’s frustrated finally see the light. It’s when I pen those words that I feel true satisfaction in my calling.

So how do I avoid the numbers race? I’ve come up with a few things to keep me on track.

• I quit talking about myself on social media—completely. Instead I work hard to help someone else succeed or reach a new level. This takes my focus off me.

• I volunteer. I offer to write an article or blog post for someone who doesn’t have the same size audience as me.

• I issue an invitation. I ask someone who doesn’t have as much experience and/or exposure to contribute to my blog. 

• I watch the clock. I limit my time on social media to a strict thirty minutes a day. With that, I don’t have time to obsess over my numbers.

• I reveal something new about myself. I know this seems like the opposite of the first bullet, but it's not. I'm talking about being vulnerable, not saying come look at me. I've discovered that I make those important heart-to-heart connections when I open up and I'm vulnerable. When I revert to slick slogans and polished posts, I'm just hiding.

Even when I follow my own advice, there are times when the people I’ve invested in move on. They may stop following me on social media and/or unsubscribe from my blog. How do I deal with the disappointment that inevitably follows?

• I remember it’s not about me. My first thought is always to wonder what I’ve done wrong. Truthfully, I can only think of a few instances when it’s really been something I did. On the few times when I’ve contacted someone to ask why they’ve moved on, I’ve learned that their focus has changed.
• I remind myself that we all have limited time. Perhaps the person leaving is reprioritizing, and for that I’m glad. We’re all trying to do too much. I applaud anyone taking steps to get control of life.

• Finally, I take time to pray for the person who left. I ask God to bless them and to let me know if there’s anything I need to readjust.

Social media is an important part of our toolbox as twenty-first century wordsmiths, but it’s not the focus of what we do. It’s so easy to get caught up in the race to the highest numbers and forget why we’re doing it. This media driven world we live in ebbs and flows. One second we’re on top, the next at the bottom of the pile. When we measure our worth through charts and graphs generated by numbers, we’re certain to fail. But when we look at the lives that are impacted by our words, success is guaranteed.

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A Healthier Mindset for Social Media @EdieMelson @southernwritersmag

Edie Melson is the author of numerous books, including the bestseller Connections: Social Media and Networking Techniques for Writers.

She’s the co-director of the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, Social Media Director of Southern Writers Magazine and board Member of the Advanced Writers and Speaker Association.

Visit Edie on www.EdieMelson.com and through social media.

A Healthier Mindset for Social Media (Part 1)

Edie Melson    @EdieMelson

Social Media Director for Southern Writers Suite T

As writers, we all know the importance of building an online following. We spend time crafting valuable blog posts with SEO rich headlines. We follow others on social media, working to connect. All the while keeping a sharp eye on those numbers that define success or failure. It’s easy to get caught up in those numbers.

But the truth is, they’re people—NOT numbers!

We even begin to judge the worth of what we have to say by those numbers. Let me remind you why you’re doing what you’re doing. Why you sweat over a keyboard, struggling to find the right word. Why you risk rejection by submitting those carefully crafted words to editors, agents and contest judges.

Focus on the Message

By Susan Reichert, @swmeditor

      Editor-in-Chief Southern Writers

From Pinterest

Many of us focus on “we must be writing”. While that is true, we would do better to focus on the message we want to write. (The Story.)

We know our writing needs to be interesting, whether fiction or non-fiction. How do we accomplish this? By choosing the right words.

 Mark Twain said, “The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.”

He also said, “Use the right word, not its second cousin.”

Writing Like a View-Master

by Gary Fearon, Creative Director, Southern Writers Magazine

It's been a long time since I hung out in the toy department, but on a recent visit I was surprised to see that one of my childhood favorites was still around. Perhaps at some point you also owned a View-Master. I can still hear the voice of actor Henry Fonda hawking "the G.A.F. View-Master" on TV spots.

This plastic viewer, held up to the eyes like a pair of binoculars, let you experience genuine 3D images. Depending on which disc you inserted, you could see stereoscopic views of everything from the Grand Canyon to popular TV shows. Grimm's Fairy Tales and stories from the Disney archive were among the more popular titles.

As you manually advanced to each of the seven scenes on a disc, a tiny window displayed a few words describing what you were seeing.  Which meant that an entire story had to be told in seven scenes.

Does that tell you something?  What it suggests to me is that a good story can be broken down and told in as few as seven simple plot points.

Apparently the View-Master isn't alone in thinking this way.  Numerous writing resources spell out classic seven-point outlines.  There are variations, but here's a common breakdown:

1. The Beginning
A setup that establishes the character in his/her current circumstances.

2.  Plot Point 1
An inciting event, a catalyst that changes the status quo.

3.  Pinch Point 1
A personal challenge that requires the hero to take action.

4.  Mid-Point
At this point of no return, the hero is fully committed and proactively tries to fix things.

5.  Pinch Point 2
The hero fails. At this low point an additional crisis makes it appear that all is lost.

6.  Plot Point 2
The final confrontation with the antagonist.  Most of the time, the hero will prevail.

7. Ending
This satisfying epilogue reveals how things are in the new normal.

In an 80,000-word novel, that translates to roughly 11,400 words for each point.  But if you break your story down to its key elements, you could convey it in a one-minute summary suitable for an elevator pitch or a workable outline for whatever novel you're working on.

Granted, a picture is worth a thousand words — and the View-Master showed seven of them — but the brief text that accompanied each slide told the same story in the sparsest words possible.  When plotting your next story or pitching to an agent, think like a View-Master and you can stir your reader's imagination in vivid 3D.

All Action and No Talk

by Gary Fearon, Creative Director, Southern Writers Magazine

British audiences love American cinema.  Hollywood films have always been very successful across the pond.  Ironically, we don't seem to return the favor.  Comparatively few British films achieve major success here in the States.  One reason, experts have determined, is that American movies contain 1/3 less dialogue than British films.

Think of any British movie (or TV series, for that matter).  Conversation is basically nonstop.  Sometimes the only pause is for an establishing shot, and then they're right back at it again. Even an action flick like James Bond will have more dialogue than most, which makes sense since exposition is what espionage is all about.

They say the reason for this dates back to the 1930s, when movies were still young.  Once the silent film era ended and talkies were possible, British cinema went for intellectual, heady dramas, while America's post-war influx of non-English-speaking immigrants caused filmmakers to rely less on the spoken word and more on the action.  Musicals were extremely popular, and Gene Kelly's long dance numbers caught on with people of any language.

I'm reminded of a CD a friend recommended years ago and gave me for my birthday, an album by a foreign soprano who sang many of the selections in Italian.  Since the only Italian I know involves pasta dishes, the music and the performances had to work extra hard to get my attention, which they did.  I remember marveling at how effectively emotions were conveyed despite my lacking any understanding of the message.

The orchestration, of course, did much of the heavy lifting.  If, by the same token, you were to listen to a spoken radio broadcast in a foreign language you don't know, chances are there would be a total failure to communicate.

2012's Best Picture Oscar winner,  The Artist, is a silent film relying largely on what the audience sees rather than hears (or, in this case, reads). Pixar's Wall-E (2008) is an even stronger example of delivering an entire story without the use of words.

There's a legendary scene in the classic On the Waterfront where Marlon Brando's brother threatens him in the back of a cab, pointing a gun at him.  The disappointment on Brando's face and the gentle way he moves the gun away conveys more pathos than any diatribe a writer could have put in his mouth at that moment.

By now you may be reminded of the old adage "Show, don't tell", and indeed, all of the above makes a decent argument for that philosophy.  I bring it up not necessarily to promote writing less dialogue, but to encourage greater appreciation for the power of imagery, whether on the screen or in a novel.

We are, after all, visual people.  The quote "Believe half of what you see and none of what you hear" is attributed to everyone from Mark Twain to Edgar Allen Poe to Benjamin Franklin.  I myself heard it through the grapevine from Marvin Gaye.   I don't know how true that statement is, but I'll believe it when I see it.

There Oughta Be a Flaw

by Gary Fearon, Creative Director, Southern Writers Magazine

In virtually every story we write, it's a given that we will give our hero challenges to face.  Those obstacles we put in his/her path are likely to be external in nature, delivered by either circumstances or an antagonist.  But we can increase the drama further by slipping in some internal struggles for our hero too.

Besides making our protagonist more lifelike, a character flaw has the power to add the fascinating element of irony.  A hero who becomes the guardian of his brother's kids will have a worse time of it if he had vowed never to have children.  An eyewitness in a murder trial will find it harder to testify if he was somewhere he wasn't supposed to be.

The "inner demon" doesn't have to be anything illegal, immoral, or fattening.  It can be a guilty conscience, a moral dilemma, the fight between the angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other.  Anything that creates personal turmoil is material for mayhem.

It can feel against the grain to make our hero imperfect, especially if we write in first person, because our own voice is inherently caught up in there on some conscious or unconscious level.  If it helps distance you from your character, seek out a trait you don't possess.  Need some ideas?  The Seven Deadly Sins could be a source of inspiration.  If you can remember all seven and don't have to look them up, more power to you.  I can usually only remember the ones I've gotten good at.

If you're totally uncomfortable giving your beloved hero a flaw, consider a vulnerability instead.  What's the difference?  One would consider chronic grouchiness a flaw, whereas a fear of heights is a vulnerability.  Simply put, a flaw is something we can change; a vulnerability is something we can't.  It's not Indiana Jones' fault that he's afraid of snakes.  (Although I suppose he could get therapy for that.)

Depending on what you're going for, a vulnerability can elicit sympathy more than a flaw.  By the same token, a flaw is something you can work into your character arc.

The most unflawed character in all of fiction would probably have to be Superman.  Here's a guy who possesses superhuman powers and uses them for the public good.  Yet he is vulnerable to kryptonite, much less the designs of a femme fatale who steals his invincible heart.  If Superman didn't possess qualities that could weaken him, he would be as plastic as the toys made in his image.

Whether our protagonist is a "hero" in the truest sense of the word, or an underdog who must rise from the ashes, we give our story layers by including an Achilles heel above and beyond the main conflict.  The reader may not have personal experience with a tsunami or a kidnapping, but everyone knows what it's like to be human.

The Phrase That Pays

by Gary Fearon, Creative Director, Southern Writers Magazine


"What'choo talkin' 'bout, Willis?"
"Baby, you're the greatest."
"Yabba Dabba Doo!"

Chances are, these famous lines effortlessly brought up images of Gary Coleman, Ralph Kramden and Fred Flintstone, even if it's been decades since you last heard them.  From the earliest days of entertainment, the catch phrase has been a staple of dialogue for popular characters. From Fonzie's raspy "Ayyyy!" to Lucy's toothy "Ewwww," we're reassured by their familiarity and disappointed if we don't hear them.

 Today the catch phrase remains as popular as ever.  "The tribe has spoken," "You are the weakest link," and "Is that your final answer?" entered our modern lexicon through reality and game shows. Meanwhile, both sitcoms and dramas continue to feature main or secondary characters known for  repeating pet expressions.

The characters we write can likewise benefit from this verbal quirk.  We ourselves have a habit of saying certain phrases, so why not give your protagonist the same liberty?   Some of literature's most beloved characters weren't slow to indulge in slogans. The potential of a good catch phrase to weave its way into our hearts is elementary, my dear Watson.

Bazinga.

One thing to be careful of is to avoid having more than one character use the chosen phrase.  If your hero has a penchant for saying "Holy moly!" it dilutes its power and confuses the reader if the next door neighbor claims it too.

Like anything, catch phrases can be overdone to the point of irritation.  But tastefully timed appearances are a welcome insider's wink to our readers as well as a reinforcement of a character's unique personality.  Who knows?  Maybe your hero will utter the next catch phrase that will catch on.

The Next Big Thing

by Gary Fearon, Creative Director, Southern Writers Magazine

This past Saturday, as I approached the TV room to eat lunch (yes, I usually eat in front of the TV; I'm all about multitasking), I heard a woman singing "O Come All Ye Faithful" on the set. There must be a Christmas concert on, I thought.  When I arrived, it turned out to be Carol Brady singing in her church, circa 1969.

It was the Brady Bunch's first Christmas as a blended family. All the kids were there, smiling proudly from the pews as their mother sang Oh come, let us adore him, Christ our Lord.  Little Cindy gave her new stepdad a grateful smile when he put his arm around her. Alice might have even been present, comically tearing up as she often did during any tender moment.

While I watched, I could only think how unlikely it would be for such a scene to appear on a modern-day sitcom. Even on TV Land, where this vintage show was airing, the newer comedies feature anything but a wholesome family unit.  If alien lifeforms tuned into today's TV they would assume that everyone on Earth is permanently divorced and cranky.

Entertainment gets less innocent and more cynical as each year passes.  We see it in books, films, music, art, everywhere we look. In a world where Hannah Montanas become Miley Cyruses, it's a fair question to ask, "Huh?"

Part of the answer is, we are wired to always be looking for the next big thing.  And, by its nature, the next big thing can't be like the old thing.  There has to be something extra, and the trend has always been to make it more extreme.

Take young adult fiction. It wasn't that long ago when Harry Potter stirred up a cauldron of controversy. A short time later, the tide turned toward vampires.  Riding the bloody waves of Twilight, there was even a book and a movie called Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter.  I expect any day now to see Benjamin Franklin, Zombie Slayer.

The Hardy Boys have given way to The Hunger Games.  Nancy Drew is now Divergent.  Brilliant and imaginative, these new series replace G-rated mysteries about missing maps with dark, dystopian content.  Critics fear they encourage rebellion while fans praise them for the theme of overcoming suppression.  Either way, they're flying off the shelves.

On TV and in movies, portrayals of sex, drugs, rock & roll and violence are off the charts, alongside language that used to be considered not ready for prime time.  Edgy sells.  Controversy means publicity.

Without even debating the rightness or wrongness of any of the above, one does have to wonder where it will end.  How much further can we go before all sense and sensibility, values and virtues live only in nostalgia?

I applaud the many Southern writers we are privileged to work with who strive for something better. These are the ones who realize it's possible to grab a reader's attention without offending half their audience.  They weave a masterful tale and leave the reader feeling like they've traveled a high road and not spent the weekend in Babylon.

Wherever you are in your own journey as a writer or a reader, I invite you to buck what some call progress and follow the road less traveled. If more authors and audiences demanded it, maybe the next big thing could be a return to something that's easy to feel is gone forever.

Together we could make Alice cry more happy tears.

Writing a Few Thank You Notes

by Gary Fearon, Creative Director

Recently a friend and I were reminiscing about people who've made a difference in our lives over the years. As you might expect, the impromptu list included the occasional teacher, mentor, and other key figures who crossed our paths long enough to leave a lasting impression.  This led to my childhood recollection of a DJ whom my cousins and I used to call frequently to request songs on the station's Dedication Line (this was back in the days when radio stations actually took requests).

One day "Van", as he was known, invited me and my cousins to take a tour of the studio, and we jumped at the opportunity.  We were going to meet a real live radio personality at an actual radio station; how cool!  And indeed, we enjoyed a memorable half hour or so with our favorite disc jockey, getting a behind-the-scenes look at broadcasting and the music industry.  Somewhere I still have the photograph of Van I took with my Polaroid Swinger camera.  I didn't know it that day, but I would soon embark on a long and satisfying career of my own in broadcasting, and, looking back, I have to credit Van for pointing me in the right direction.

As my friend and I were remembering these key figures in our lives, it dawned on me that these people will never know how important they were to someone else's life unless we tell them.  Sadly, most of my mentors have passed away, but I vowed that day to track Van down, to let him know that his kindness so many years ago to a trio of star-struck kids made a huge difference in at least one of their lives.

Through the magic of the internet, I discovered that he has since become a lawyer in New England.  Last week I sent him an email to tell him what I've just told you, and to say thanks.  That same day he sent back a very nice letter, including this line: "! remember your visit to the studios, and thinking that all three of you were a little bit weird, but very nice."   (Van apparently has us confused with three other people.)  In any event, it made for a fulfilling, full-circle exchange that I was glad I chose to initiate.

Nowadays I'm just as grateful for the many authors and other publishing friends who share their experience and insights with us and our readers.  They graciously invite us in for a behind-the-scenes look at their world, and countless writers benefit from their wisdom.

I'm also grateful for my fellow SW staffers, whose enthusiasm and talent make every day a fun and creative adventure. From the writers to the proofreaders, our den mother, Susan Reichert, somehow keeps us all in line and occasionally provides coffee.

Finally, thank YOU for reading the magazine, following the blog, listening to the radio show, participating in our author venues, and especially for the positive feedback you continue to give us.  We're committed to giving you what you like, and because you tell us what that is, we're better equipped to give you something we hope you'll be grateful for too.

Maybe you'll get a chance this week to tell someone how important they've been to you and your writing.  Wherever you'll be on Thursday, have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

Father's Day Blues

by Doyne Phillips, Managing Editor

One of my Father’s Day gifts was an autobiography of one of the greatest living blues guitarists, Buddy Guy. When I Left Home: My Story by Buddy Guy with David Ritz is an excellent account of the Bluesman’s life. From his boyhood home in Louisiana to his current history in Chicago, Guy’s memories are shared and the appreciation for his journey is evident. David Ritz, who has written autobiographies for Etta James and Ray Charles, and a biography of Marvin Gaye’s life, has again done a great job here.

I also recently received Twilight of the Drifter, a Southern Gothic crime story, from the author himself, Shelly Frome. Shelly has weaved together the Blues, politics and crime in a Southern setting. Shelly has accurately portrayed life in the south and especially on Beale Street in Memphis, TN.  The Home of the Blues should be proud.

I saw an interview with Ron Wood of the Rolling Stones some years ago where he was asked where they got their music. The interview was conducted in St. Louis. Wood’s answer was, “From across the river.” The interviewer said he understood they were from Great Britain. Woods said, “No, from across the Mississippi River from the Delta.” Like so many Americans the interviewer was unaware that many of the songs brought to America by the British Music Invasion of the 60’s were simply returned to their homeland. Whether you are assisting a Blues legend with an autobiography or involving a character in your story with the life of the Blues it is a great topic to write about. It is rich in culture, legend and folklore. It is one of many gifts a Southern Writer has close at hand.    

      

Browse the Bookstore

by Doyne Phillips, Managing Editor

 

No, Southern Writers Magazine has yet to be placed in Barnes and Noble. Our magazines, in print and digital issues, are available on our website. This was a visionary photo taken by our Editor-in-Chief Susan Reichert of me with our SWM copy on a shelf in the local Barnes and Noble. Every writer has hopes and dreams of writing that book, having it published and seeing it in a bookstore. Southern Writers Magazine provides such an opportunity for our subscribers and featured authors with our very own Bookstore. Here is how it works.

From the SouthernWritersMagazine.com home page you can click on the Southern Writers Bookstore button and it takes you to the Bookstore website home page. There you will a selection of books by authors appearing in the current issue. Just click on any of the covers you are interested in for more information. Additionally, you can click on By Issue or By Author on the bar at the top and will find every author ever featured in our magazine in one convenient location. There you will find such works as the New York Times bestseller by Andy Andrews, How Do You Kill 11 Million People?: Why the Truth Matters More Than You Think.

 

Subscribers who participate in Southern Writers Mic Nite also appear in our bookstore. Browse our shelves by author or by issue, and you'll discover the finest in Southern writing. The Bookstore allows you to order from the convenience of your computer and have it delivered to your home or workplace. To provide you with the highest quality, quickest delivery and lowest prices available, we are proud to be affiliated with Amazon.com. You can order your selections with confidence from the number one online retailer in the world.
 

If you are an author with a book on our shelves or a subscriber looking for that special book, Southern Writers Magazine has a bookstore for you. Come in and browse!