Tara McClendon

Kickstarter Success

noreply@blogger.com (Tara McClendon) — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 18:40:00 +0000

I know that blogging hasn't been something I've committed to do in a while. And even though I miss it, I still won't be resuming posts with any type of schedule. Instead of boring you with the long list of reasons why that's the case, I'm going to introduce the topic for today: Kickstarter. Better yet, I'm going to let my friend and fellow writer tell you about using Kickstarter to raise the funds she wanted to self-publish her novel Vizcaya. Enjoy.

Why Kickstarter is a Great Tool for Indie Authors
by Lina Rivera

For several years as I tried to have my books published traditionally, I bounced around the idea of doing it on my own. Self-publishing has a large stigma attached to it, but with technology changing at such a rapid pace, it seemed as if there was nothing to lose in giving it a shot. The problem was funding my self-publishing project. There are many sites that allow you to self-publish for free. On top of that, you can create your own cover if you have the software and use your own images or artwork. You can even have a friend review your work to find typos. So in theory, yes, you can self-publish your book for free.

However, if you’re looking to give your book a fighting chance in the indie market, then you’re going to have to shell out some money for things like professional editing, a professional looking book cover, and ultimately, marketing expenses. When you go into self-publishing, your book becomes your business, so you have to be willing to invest in it.

Not sure of how to go about raising money to self-publish my young adult novel, a friend referred me to Kickstarter.com. I had never heard of it, but when I looked into it, I realized that I had found a site that was comparable to a modern day, technological version of the de' Medici family. The premise was simple: artists and visionaries put their ideas on the site, and backers who are interested in supporting creative projects select work that they like and contribute money to the cause.

The Kickstarter site explains that this is not a charity. Backers expect something in return, and it’s up to the creator to decide what that is. I put up my proposal for my young adult novel, Vizcaya, and set my monetary goal. I decided to go small based on how other books generally did on the site. I calculated the least I would need to be able to publish my book with basic editing and a professional cover, while also covering the costs of creating a Kindle version. I also wanted to make sure the percentage that Kickstarter takes was covered, as well as the fees for CreateSpace which is the site I had chosen to publish the book. I specified that anything extra would be used for Marketing.

Once it was all set up, that’s when the hard work really began. As a writer, I have a hard time marketing myself. If I felt at all comfortable with promotion, I’d be doing that for a living instead of writing and editing. The journey of self-publishing, however, requires a writer to travel far outside of their comfort zone, so I used as many online resources to get the word out about my project. I advertised it on my facebook, signed up for a Twitter account, joined conversations on LinkedIn, and started emailing everyone I knew, letting them know about what I was trying to accomplish.

What I learned is that it’s those closest to you that will be your biggest allies. They already support you, but they will also be instrumental in getting the word out about your project through their own online connections. You never know who someone you know might know. At first it was difficult to “bother” people you know and ask for money, but that’s when you have to remind yourself, and them, that this isn’t a charity. You’re merely telling them about an opportunity, and they will be getting something out of it. In my case, people who donated a certain amount were given their own personalized copy of the book. For enough money, you received a personal acknowledgment in the actual book.

There is only a limited amount of time that you have to raise your Kickstarter money, and as my time began to dwindle, I made some interesting observations:

A lot of people will say they will back you, but will never actually get around to it.
Some people who you don’t expect to back you at all will end up making the biggest and most significant donations out of nowhere.
Some people that you expect to make big donations will end up making smaller ones.
Most of the donations will come from people you already know.
Some people who you thought would instantly be on board with what you were trying to do will end up being your biggest critics and rain on your parade instead of helping.
A number of people will think you’re wasting your time and that it won’t work.
Someone who you didn’t know existed, and have no connection to, will back your project.

When it was all said and done, I met my goal. Once you have other people invested in your project, you realize that now you have to see it through. So it literally is the “kick start” of your project’s journey. While using this site may seem a bit risky and scary, you have to remember that it’s just another tool and resource for your self-publishing “business.” What most gave me the courage to use this resource and advertise my Kickstarter project to people was a strong belief in my own work. I knew that Vizcaya was ready to go on this journey. Kickstarter just helped the journey go a little smoother.

Here is the original link to Lina’s Kickstarter project: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/431035277/vizcaya-a-young-adult-novel

You can purchase Lina’s young adult novel, Vizcaya, now on amazon. com:
http://amzn.com/1469920360

Fleshing Out Characters: Duality

noreply@blogger.com (Tara McClendon) — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 16:15:00 +0000

Image via Wikipedia

Writers have many different ways to flesh out characters. Some pretend to interview characters about things they like and dislike. Others give their characters birth dates and look up Zodiac signs and common characteristics related to those signs.

I personally like to look at the duality of a person. This occurs when a person has a core principal but engages in an action that contradicts the core principal. It works a little like Yin and Yang. Duality in and of itself isn't a negative thing, but it can often lead to hypocrisy. Let's face it; most people have hypocritical moments every now and then — some of us more than others.

Here are a few examples of duality:

The vegetarian who has leather seats in the car or a leather couch.
The lung doctor who smokes a pack a day.
The elementary school teacher who hates kids.
The dietitian who has a fridge full of Coke.

As a writer, you can create any type of duality you want. You can pull from real life or look at a principal your character has and consider the ways that he or she might break the principal without realizing it.

You can add duality in just five steps:

Pick a quality. Let's use brave.
Convert that quality into a principal. In our example, the brave character will protect any person he sees being attacked.
Think of the opposite quality. We'll use fear.
Turn the opposite quality into an action. Our brave character is afraid of snakes.
Use it in your story. You could toss this character into a situation where he sees a little girl fall into a snake pit. How will your character reconcile his principal with his duality?

By adding duality to your character, you can create instant conflict. How does a person normally act when someone spots a hypocritical issue? Defensive? Angry? With humor? The way a person handles duality can actually say much about a character. Some will feel guilty over the duality and strive to remove one side of the coin, so to speak. Others will accept their flawed nature.

What methods do you use to flesh out characters? Have you tried adding duality? What do you think about it?

How Do You Make the Industry Work for You?

noreply@blogger.com (Tara McClendon) — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 03:01:00 +0000

At my last writing group, we had a chance to discuss the writing industry and the different ways that writers are making the industry work for them. I take advantage of the freelance route and focus predominantly on non-fiction writing. Another member is utilizing e-publishing. She has over 20 books published and is enjoying the process. A third member is nearing her release date with a traditional publisher and has her agent shopping another idea.

If you have listened to anyone in the business, you should know that the traditional publishing path often feels like you're trying to push a needle through a triple stack of leather. No matter how hard you push, you may not see the needle move.

Fortunately, writers don't all have to fit the same style or method. The industry has different paths, and they all have pros and cons. So, how are you making the industry work for you? Do you have any preference in the route you take, or do you just want to see your name in print somewhere?

Three Tips for Beginnings

noreply@blogger.com (Tara McClendon) — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 22:20:00 +0000

I recently heard that you only have 10 to 30 seconds to catch a person's attention. Agents, and others who read quickly, can read your first page in that amount of time, and they will make a decision whether to continue reading or move on to another novel based on those seconds. Talk about pressure!

If you were to see the drafts I have of my novel, you would see that beginnings do not come easy for me. One version started with a prologue. The information in the prologue worked, but after hearing repeated warnings about this, I found another way to incorporate the information into the story. Another version started in the wrong spot — it took too long to get to the action.

I've learned some things that have helped me, and I thought I would pass along a few tips that might help you with your story's opening.

Write out ten opening sentences. Don't think about it; just write. You may want to give yourself a time limit so you feel pressure. This can help turn off the inner editor. Once you have ten sentences in place, read them and evaluate which one strikes you as the strongest beginning. Try to analyze why you like that one the best.

Consider the tone of the story. Writers often hear they need to invoke some type of emotional response from the reader. This can lead to all kinds of problems with your beginning. If you're going to go to the trouble of setting up a dramatic scene, the drama better lead somewhere good. If you start with horror, readers are going to expect horror.

Make a list of the basic information you want the reader to know. The reader should be able to identify the main character and his or her location. Starting medias res doesn't mean confusing your reader. I can't tell you how often I read first person stories and can't identify the main character's sex or name until halfway through the first chapter. One story I read didn't mention the character's name until page 21. Ouch.

Using these tips can't guarantee you'll come up with the perfect opening, but they can help start you in the right direction. For more on beginnings, you can also check out the advice I gathered from agents Kristin Nelson and Kate Schafer Testerman and editor Kate Sullivan.

Does anyone else have a tip for starting a story?

YA Cover Art: Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey

noreply@blogger.com (Tara McClendon) — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 14:34:00 +0000

I have the opportunity to participate in a local MG/YA writers group, which has some truly talented individuals. One of the coolest things I have gotten to experience so far is getting to hold Mary Lindsey's cover art copy. It rocks. Seriously. You can check it out at her website.

Book covers are actually a huge part of the reason why people buy books. We all judge a book by its cover at some point in time. So, it's exciting to see a cover that would actually grab my interest. I want to read this book (right now!).

Not only is it exciting to get to see a small part of the process (yes, I'm living vicariously through my group), it's also exciting to think that one day this might be me. If you like the cover (which you should), check out Mary's blog or find her on Query Tracker.

What about you? How do you live vicariously?

The Cons of a Freelance Career

noreply@blogger.com (Tara McClendon) — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 20:23:00 +0000

Every job has pros and cons. If you missed the pros, be sure to check out that post. This one will focus on the cons.

1. Unsteady Workload

When you work as a freelance writer or editor, you typically kiss a solid paycheck goodbye. A sick day doesn't come out of a benefit package. While the schedule is flexible, and you can take a day off here and there, you still have to complete work to earn income. Additionally, you may have difficulty finding enough work to make the income you want.

2. Kiss the Rights Goodbye

Depending on the type of freelance work you do, you may not have any rights to your articles. I work on spec for one client, which means the client owns the rights. Recently, the client sold one of my articles to a very well-respected publication. Great news! Sort of. The article was one that I had written for another campaign. I was only paid once to write the article, but the client was able to sell it twice.

3. No Bylines

This also depends on the type of work you do and the clients you find. About 66 percent of my work goes out with no byline. It is, in essence, ghostwritten. One client actually has a non-disclosure policy, so I can't mention some of the higher-end publications posting my work. The non-disclosure means that I can't include certain companies in my publishing credentials, even if it's for something like a query letter.

4. Challenging Work

This one doesn't really apply to me personally, because I find everything fascinating. But, many writers struggle to work on topics that do not interest them. If you hate kids but you need to knock out 20 guides on parenting, you may struggle to fulfill the contract. What if you get a topic that you feel goes against your own personal moral code? You have two choices: write the articles or try to find other work.

5. Self-Employment and Taxes

Did you know that some banks require three years of self-employment (proven by tax returns) to consider you for any type of loan? My husband just needs to pull out his last two paystubs. I need to cart around our entire IRS file. My taxes are also more complex to calculate each year. Since I don't have an employer paying my taxes from each paycheck, I have to ensure I have the funds to cover any income tax I might owe to the IRS.

Deductions are another area to consider. Sure, it's cool to be able to put a portion of the cost for my new laptop under business expenses. But, every deduction and every expense involved in running my business as a freelance writer subtracts from my net income each year. This is another area that might affect your standing with banks.

Think it Over

If anything on this list (or in the comments) gives you pause, you'll want to consider seriously whether freelance is really the direction you want to go. It is a job. It takes work. It is running your own business.

I love my work. I enjoy the pros, and they far outweigh the cons for me. But, this isn't something that is the best career choice for everyone.

What about you? What cons don't you like about freelance work? Do you have any questions about being a freelance writer?

Pros of Freelance Work

noreply@blogger.com (Tara McClendon) — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 22:14:00 +0000

I often have people email me about starting a career as a freelance writer. Some want advice on where to look for work, and others want to know whether they can actually make money as a freelancer. Like all jobs, freelancing has ups and downs. I thought I would start with some pros.

Flexible Scheduling

I am free to schedule what days and hours I work. If one of the princes has a school activity, I can plan to get work done early so I can attend the event. If my husband has a day off in the middle of the week, I can take that day off, too. Most of my clients have weekly or monthly deadlines. As long as I make the deadline, I can write and edit 20 articles one day or 10 articles each day.

A Mobile Office

With the system I have in place, I really can work from anywhere (provided I have Internet access). Our move from Colorado to Houston did not affect my client base. I have worked during trips to Las Vegas and while traveling to and from a friend's wedding. Sure, I can always take vacation time and not have to work, but sometimes I like being able to pick up and go without having to turn down a project.

Ever-Expanding Knowledge Base

I learn some crazy things as a freelancer. My non-fiction work has covered almost every topic possible. Things that I would never have learned on my own, I discovered by researching articles for clients. Right now, I have a campaign focused on open source software. I'm finding all sorts of fun programs! I've learned about vacation destinations, business topics, financial planning, religion, publishing, and more.

Industry Experience

I am by no means an expert in the publishing world. However, I have had the pleasure to work with some truly amazing editors and clients. Most are more than happy to help me correct errors, because it makes their job easier in the future. I've been able to step into a role as an editor because of their help, and I now get to help others working as freelance writers. Many of the clients I work with stay up-to-date on writing for the Internet and using specific style guides. This continues to help me advance my writing and editing skills.

These are the things I enjoy the most about being a freelance writer. What about you? What are the pros and cons of the work you do?

Characters Are Like…Water

noreply@blogger.com (Tara McClendon) — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 13:00:00 +0000

I often like to find ways to connect writing (and related topics) to random ideas. I've been thinking about how characters are like water.

Clear Water: Sam in The Lord of the Rings

These characters are the pure souls of the story. They don't have any hidden motives. Maybe they come along at just the right moment to help the MC find an answer to a question. Sometimes they help the MC accomplish a task when everything seemed lost.

Mucky Water: Snape in Harry Potter

I grew up on a lake with a layer of muck at the bottom. When the water was still, the lake looked clean. Until someone jumped in. As soon as movement stirred up the muck, the water clouded. The muck no longer mimicked dark dirt. Instead, it carried the threat of hidden dangers: pike with jagged teeth, leeches, fish hooks. Mucky water has potential to help or to hinder. It hides the motives.

Icy Water: Professor Moriarty in Sherlock Holmes

Icy water has the potential to kill someone faster than any other type of water. It is the villain lurking under the sheet of ice—waiting for the curious child or the ignorant adult to step where the layer is too thin. Sure, some people willingly dive into it. However, the majority of people view icy water with a wary eye.

Rushing Water: The MC

The main character has to move beyond any one type of water, just as a river may pass through different places. While the water changes for a moment, it will continue to move and evolve on its path. Outside conditions, such as cold weather, can try to influence the water, but the movement continues under the ice. Obstructions may try to stop the river's flow, but the MC finds a way around them.

What type of water do you think a character resembles?

Mommy Moment: New Year's

noreply@blogger.com (Tara McClendon) — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 13:00:00 +0000

A few years ago, my family started the New Year's Eve tradition of setting fireworks off at midnight. The Knight and I had gotten the idea from some friends, and we happened to have some fireworks left from the 4^th of July. We were the only ones in the neighborhood setting them off. The first few pops brought a couple of neighbors to their windows, and even though I expected someone to holler at us to stop, they all just watched the show.

Fast forward to this year. The princes have come to love New Year's Eve. I think they look forward to it more than Christmas Eve because they actually get to stay up. I like to make them a basic punch (a bottle of Sprite mixed with sherbet), and we have snack foods, like Chex Mix and popcorn. Then we head outside for fireworks.

The first firework was one of the shotgun ones. It actually launched a dirt clod and smacked me right in the forehead. (At least we brought in the New Year laughing.) We actually did our fireworks at 10 p.m. because the kiddos were getting sleepy.

At midnight, our neighbors lit up the sky! (I should point out that we've moved to Texas, which is one of the states that allows you to buy some awesome flamage!) We have two nearby parks and some families had hosted parties there. Plus, a good deal of the neighbors contributed to the show. It was firework chaos, and it was awesome. And, the boys were sleeping.

I tried to wake up the older prince with no luck. Next year, we'll have to encourage them a bit more to stay awake, especially since we have such a festive neighborhood. Overall, everyone had a great night. The princes had fun doing our little fireworks, and I sat on the corner of my son's bed watching the big fireworks while he cuddled nearby. Not a bad way to start the New Year.

How about you? What are your New Year traditions? Did you have a good New Year's?

A New Direction

noreply@blogger.com (Tara McClendon) — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 19:38:00 +0000

Happy New Year to you! The cool thing about this moment is that the entire year is unknown. If your life is anything like mine, every year has ups and downs. Some years the downs outweigh the ups. But for this moment, have hope.

One of the New Year traditions I have is making changes I've been putting off. This year, blogging tops the list. I started this blog with a limited vision. At the time, I worked for a particular company wanting to dip its toes into social networking, and I used my blog as a platform for that job. I had fun sharing tips and tricks I have learned as a freelance writer and editor.

However, life has a way of moving people beyond limited visions. If you started following my blog for writing advice, I'm thrilled. But, I am just one of many writers working to see my book in print. When it comes to the publishing world, you can find many experts offering current information. (I'll be posting lists on this soon!)

So, I'm moving the blog in a new direction. I still hope to offer entertaining posts on writing, but I'm expanding my vision. No topic is off limits. If I have a random thought, it may become a blog post. And it very well may have nothing to do with writing. It's a whole new journey, and I hope you'll join me on it.

I Said Yes

noreply@blogger.com (Tara McClendon) — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 17:54:00 +0000

(This isn't actually us.
I just liked the photo.)

The first year the Knight came home with me for Christmas, it was weird.

My mom, in her semi-joking matter, kept pointing out every jewelry store we passed and asking him if he needed to go shopping. Awkward.

No one could figure out how to introduce him. Boyfriend? Partner? Friend? Confusing.

It seemed the entire family expected him to propose, but he didn't really discuss any plans with them. Complicated.

He wanted to surprise me during a typical activity (going for a walk). I didn't want to go. Stubborn.

After much prodding, we bundled up. In the middle of a New Jersey street, with the wind so cold it cut through the ski jacket, the sweater, the long-sleeve t-shirt, and the thermal undershirt, I said, "Yes!"

As we get ready to celebrate our tenth Christmas together, I am very thankful for that question and answer.

Merry Christmas to you all. May the New Year be better than last and may you find small smiles from God each and every day.

What about you? Do you have any special memories associated with the holiday season?

And the Winner is...

noreply@blogger.com (Tara McClendon) — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 00:09:00 +0000

Everyone! (At least for my portion of the contest.) If you left a comment on Tamara's book tour post, then you have won a 25-page critique from me. Congratulations go to Donna, Catherine K., Rachelle, and Arlee. You can contact me at tara@taramcclendon.com to set up the crit.

Also, Tamara will be picking her winners soon, so be sure to check out her blog to see if you won the Kindle or a signed copy of Perilous.

Personal Value vs. Success

noreply@blogger.com (Tara McClendon) — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 17:03:00 +0000

Well, NANO is over. Although I didn't hit 50,000 words, I did come up with several new ideas and some things that have me excited about writing. There were several pep talks during the event, and one comment stood out to me:

There are no bad novels—there are novels

still in need of revision and good novels.

I've been thinking about this, and how writers deal with rejection. If you ask anyone in the industry, writing and publishing can be disappointing. Every query letter, every proposal, every book goes out into the world with hope. And then, others start weighing in with their opinions on the work.

An agent rejects the query.
A publisher turns down a proposal.
Consumers fail to buy the book.

At each turn, the news can be devastating. Why is that? Forgive me for being philosophical, but I believe the reason is that writers begin to view their individual value by the success of their work. I know I am guilty of this. There are times when I feel like my value and success are married.

If we as writers are to triumph, we need to look at writing as a job, our work as a product. Too often, we pour our hearts and souls into our stories. While this is a great thing to do, it is also the reason why all writers tend to take criticism and reviews personally.

If I could just figure out how to look at writing as more of a job and less of a passion, this might be easier. Anyone figured that out yet? What do you think?

Don't forget to enter the contest for a Kindle giveaway and other fun prizes. You can enter by leaving a comment on this post.

Kindle Giveaway, Book Giveaway, Critique Giveaway, and Blog Tour!

noreply@blogger.com (Tara McClendon) — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 15:25:00 +0000

Click to see the book's trailer.

Did you catch the s on the end of contest? That's right. We're celebrating Tamara Hart Heiner's book release for Perilous with contests (one of which includes a Kindle, so keep reading).

Book Blurb:Jaci Rivera has plans for her sophomore year: Go to regionals with the track team, make the honor roll, and eat too much pizza with her best friends, Callie and Sara. Her biggest concern is Amanda, the pushy girl who moved in a few months ago.
What Jaci doesn't plan for is catching a robber red-handed or being kidnapped. The desperate thief drags the friends 2,000 miles away from home, across the Canadian border. Can this group of friends survive a harrowing international escape? And if they can, will home even be safe?

My Take

After reading the story I wanted more. And that's always a good thing. Thankfully, Tamara will be writing a sequel to the story, so I get exactly what I wanted. The most striking thing about Perilous is that actions have consequences. Too often, YA books take a scary situation and turn it into an event without major consequences. Sure, the characters change, but the plot is one big adventure that could almost seem a vacation. Tamara doesn't shy away from making consequences as ghastly as the situations leading up to them.

Book InformationThe book is out! Hooray.

Buy the e-book or the paperback from Amazon.

Shop at Tamara's website.

And Now for the Contests

Tamara is running two contests during her book tour. (Keep in mind these are hosted by the author, so you'll want to follow her blog.) Here are the details from Tamara.

Book giveaway: The winner of this contest will be randomly chosen. Every person who comments on any post during the blog tour will be entered into a random drawing for a book. Which I can autograph, if they want. The contest begins on Nov. 16 and ends on Dec. 15.

Kindle giveaway: This contest is point-based and begins Oct. 15 and ends Dec. 15. Whoever has the most points wins the Kindle. There will only be one Kindle given away. Here are the points:

1 point: blog comment (can comment on all the blogs, multiple times, onthe tour)

1 point: follow my blog (http://tamarahartheiner.blogspot.com)1 point: retweet

2 points: blog about the blog tour

5 points: purchase the book (ebook or paperback, must email me the confirmation email) if they actually buy the book in the store they can mail me a copy of the receipt.

Add up your points, as well as proof (links, etc) and email it to me at the end of the blog tour (tamara at tamarahartheiner dot com).

People can earn an infinite number of points!

But wait. There's more!
Remember how I told you the other day about the power of a crowd? Well here's your chance to experience the fun.

I'm giving away 25-page critiques. That's right. I've edited for e-publishers and national organizations. As a writer, my work has appeared at USAToday.com, LIVESTRONG, Work.com, and scores of other print and online sources. Here's how it's going to work: The more comments this post gets, the more critiques there will be. (Winners must be followers of my blog to win this contest.)

1 - 5 comments = 1 critique
5 - 7 comments = 2 critiques
7 - 9 comments = 3 critiques
9 - 11 comments = 4 critiques
And so on.

Legal Beagal Mo-mo Jumbo

I did get a free copy of Perilous. I am an endorser, not a reviewer. For more on that, see this post. Critique winners will have three months to redeem their critiques. My contest ends December 15. Winners may transfer their critiques, provided I am notified of the transfer. The three-month deadline begins the day this contest ends. All comments count, so if you want to ~~stalk me~~, enter more than once go ahead. For another chance to win, see my other blog The Book Endorser. All right. That's it. Now come on and post a comment and help us celebrate Tamara.

The Power of a Crowd

noreply@blogger.com (Tara McClendon) — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 00:24:00 +0000

This past weekend, the fam and I went to the local Renaissance festival. The event uses the same site every year, so you can walk among buildings, such as cottages, churches, towers, and mills, inspired by an earlier generation. The jousting arena overlooks a small pond lined by trees, and the amphitheater's grapevine roof offers shade to those waiting to watch the next act from groups like Fakespearean.

Several of the vendors hand out raffle tickets as a way to bring business back toward the end of the day. As luck would have it, we snagged free tickets for a company selling Dragon puppets. The kids fell in love with the puppets, so we headed back to the shop several minutes early. We were just in time for the pre-show. The workers (all dress in Ren gear, of course) were encouraging the crowd to cheer on participants in an egg roll, a game of chance where you might turn $10 into a $30 dragon (or even a $150 one).

The workers had the crowd whooping huzzah before the raffle even started. As the excitement built, so did the crowd. The vendor used that enthusiasm to gain more attention and to increase business through exposure. To keep up momentum, the shop offered to give away additional dragons as long as the crowd "wowed" the workers with chants for "dragons" and, of course, screaming as loud as possible.

If you're wondering where your social networking is going, consider rousing the crowd with a huzzah. You don't always have to give away something expensive. Here are a few ideas you can use:

~ Give away a book. (If you can link to the author's blog, even better.)

~ Offer a critique. (You might just find a new crit partner.)

~ Host a raffle for a gift card. (Even a $5 gift card to Starbucks can get some people's attention.)

Of course, don't forget to start with a pre-show. You want your blogging buddies to promote your contest starting a few days before the event. You can do this by using a point system that rewards bloggers for posting a link to your contest on forums or blogs.

And, if you get enough chanting, why not throw in a little extra?

(As an added bonus, one of the kiddos won a free dragon, and it was worth every scream!)

So, in the spirit of RenFest, I'm thrilled to be a part of a blog tour for the release of Perilous by Tamara Hart Heiner. Look for the post on November 24th, when you'll have a chance to win something not yet determined.

Progress Widgets

noreply@blogger.com (Tara McClendon) — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 02:29:00 +0000

After my shocking realization that I haven't been as productive as I have needed to be this year, I decided to ~~waste more time~~ find ways to boost my productivity. I found this pretty funny widget from Writertopia.

You can change the mood of the widget with ease, which means additional ~~time wasted~~ more motivation. My favorite moods so far are Mood 1 (Ready to Shoot the Computer), Mood 3 (Sleeping), and Mood 4 (Watching TV).

In the name of productivity, I'm also doing NaNo this year. It's my first year to actually give it a gander, and I'm excited to see how far into the novel I get. It's a new ideas--no fairies, which is really different for me. I've actually set my alarm for an hour earlier so I can make the time to write. I suppose that's why I'm favoring Mood 3.

What about you? Anyone else doing NaNo?

A Writer's Wake-Up Call

noreply@blogger.com (Tara McClendon) — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 01:23:00 +0000

For those of you who have not been a part of the Muse conference, I highly recommend it. The volunteers go out of their way to be encouraging while instructing. It's a great place to get a pitch with an honest-to-goodness agent, and registration is now open for next year's conference.

In addition to juggling the conference this week, I was able to make it to my first meeting with a local group of writers. It was fun and informative—we talked about pitches, which I stink at. We practiced coming up with pitches for the contest on Query Tracker. (If you have a pitch ready, check it out.) I'll have to tweak mine some more to see whether I can pull out the magical words that will make my book actually sound interesting.

While I basked in the glow of the writing community, I couldn't help but think about my productivity this past year. It's been dismal. If I were going to give myself a grade, it would be a D-. Yes, just shy of failing. Oh, I've had ideas. I've thought about revisions. But the actual conversion of thought to paper (or screen) has yet to happen.

Like many of you, I have a list of excuses for this: family, work, life. However, I don't like failing. Heck, I don't even like getting a B. So, it's time to change. It's time to grab the proverbial pen and put words to page. If I could just convert the commitment to action, I may be able to pull off a passing grade by the end of the year.

Does anyone have any good ideas for tracking productivity?

Time for Muse

noreply@blogger.com (Tara McClendon) — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 02:58:00 +0000

When I started blogging, I had no idea I would find such an amazing community of fellow writers online. I didn't know what to expect as a blogger, I just knew it was something writers "needed" to do. A few months into the venture, I started seeing posts about the Muse Conference. After doing research, I discovered I had missed the deadline to participate. Major bummer.

That's when I first discovered the power of blogging. I posted about my disappointment, and one of the friends following my blog emailed the conference host, the amazing Lea. Then I got an email saying I could still take part in the event. WOW! I put up another post about this very generous offer (with permission, of course), and another blogging buddy was able to join. Not only that, she got a pitch with a publisher attending the conference and signed a book deal. Sweet!

A year later, it's conference time again. So, I'll see what juicy tidbits I can find to share with you.

What about you? Are you musing? Have you experienced the power of blogging?

Dialogue on Trial

noreply@blogger.com (Tara McClendon) — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 01:40:00 +0000

The other day I got a note from someone who had decided to quit writing fiction. In his somewhat humorous rant, he puts formatting dialogue on trial.

He uses one of my articles from Suite 101 as evidence, along with several other articles discussing the use of "said" versus creative dialogue tags.

To counter the evidence provided, the non-fiction fan put Twilight into the position of defense. And, of course, the author took the role of judge and jury. The crux of the matter seemed to hinge on rules versus reality.

If you take everything you have learned about the craft of writing, pull a book off the shelf, and look for the "rules," you're bound to see places where the published author doesn't follow them. You may even find yourself pointing at the page with a shaking finger and screaming, "That's the third creative dialogue tag on the page!"

Maybe it's something completely unrelated to dialogue. Perhaps the person has used cardboard-cutouts for characters or filled the page with "was." Whatever the case, you will be hard-pressed to find a book that doesn't break a rule somewhere in the text.

Here's the thing: Writing isn't about following the rules. It's about telling the best story you can possibly tell. That doesn't mean you can toss out the rules, but it does mean you can't tear yourself (or your story) apart trying to follow a predetermined set of rules—which we all know change from day to day and editor to editor.

Even if you decide you don't want to pursue publishing, don't let your frustration take away something you love to do. Write fiction for the sake of writing fiction!

Book Reviewing Vs. Book Endorsing

noreply@blogger.com (Tara McClendon) — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 18:44:00 +0000

Like many of you, I love to read. Give me a cup of hot cocoa and a book, and I'll disappear for hours. If the book is good enough, I might even stay curled up in my chair long past the time when my legs have gone numb and my stomach has given its last attempt to gain attention by rumbling loud enough to compete with a trumpet.

Even though my internal-editor is always ticking off points of annoyance, I can find something to like in almost any book I read. In fact, one of my favorite books is one that I absolutely hate. The plot is horrific, and one of the characters may have the most disgusting mind I've ever stepped into. But I am in awe of a writer capable of making me feel such a strong degree of hate.

As a writer, I understand the work an author puts into a novel. Even if I don't want to read a book again or grant it a space on my all-too-little bookshelf, I still feel compelled to share the positive attributes of the story. That's why I'm not a book reviewer. I'm a book endorser. I write about books to help promote works--not to review them. There's a difference, and I never quite knew how to put it into words until I interviewed Mayra Calvani for Suite 101.

What about you? Are you a book reviewer or a book endorser?

Thoughts on WriteOnCon

noreply@blogger.com (Tara McClendon) — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 16:59:00 +0000

The past few days have been filled with live chats, posted articles, Twitter, and critiques. I'm talking about the epic kickoff to what I hope becomes an annual event: WriteOnCon. The group organizers have said it will be back in 2011, and I'm planning to make time to attend it again. The writers who put this conference together did a stellar job—even going so far as to answer personal emails when I couldn't access the site. Thanks, Jen.

If you don't know these ladies, you should go and follow their blogs now. Really. Stop reading my blog and go. It's worth it. You'll find them at the following places:

Elana Johnson

Lisa and Laura

Casey McCormick

Jamie Harrington

Shannon Messenger

WriteOnCon pulled together an amazingly generous faculty, and the agents and writers involved spoiled us. They extended chat times, followed up on Twitter, and gave honest feedback that really will help writers get to the next level. So what was the one thing I took away from the event? I suck at query letters. This wasn't the news I wanted to gain from the conference but at least I know an area of weakness (and I can improve weaknesses). I also have a game plan in place to improve my query writing ability. And I realized that I don't want to just get published. I want to do publish the best possible book that I can.

Did you attend WriteOnCon? What was your favorite part? What did you take away?

Letting the Paint Dry

noreply@blogger.com (Tara McClendon) — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 03:51:00 +0000

The last few days I’ve taken a break from creative writing to work on a project. I’ve been busy making a home for my books. The nomadic lifestyle my husband I have led for the past few years has meant several boxes of books taking up space with the contents not readily available. I’ve managed to survive by buying new books to add to the collection.

Now that we have space and the idealistic expectation we won’t be moving in the next six months, I’ve been busy prepping a few bookcases we’ve used for various purposes over the years—none of which included holding books. They started in bad shape, showing the stains of use. To freshen them up, I decided to paint them. After digging around in the garage, I found a rather sad paintbrush. It looked like someone had stuck it in an electric outlet and then let a cat use it for a toy. Still, I thought it would get the job done. The first coat went on, but the bookshelves didn’t have a polished look. I could see the brush strokes. In places the paint was too thin, showing the wood underneath. To complicate matters, I used a sponge brush on parts and the other tangled strands of synthetic hairs on others. It wasn’t pretty.

So, I went to the store and bought a proper roller and pan. I trimmed the edges like you should do for a higher quality look, and I rolled the paint over the surface, using techniques I’ve learned over the years to get a smoother look. As the paint was drying, I kept feeling like the trim was too noticeable. It was thin in spots. Did it need another coat? I finally called my sweet one in and asked for his opinion, which was: Let the paint dry. Let the paint dry? But I didn’t want to pack up the paint and have to pull it out all over again just to touch up the trim. Despite my hesitation, I took his advice. And this morning I found bookshelves with an even appearance. There are no unsightly trim lines. The surface is smooth. It looks polished.

So what’s the point with this? Writing can often follow a similar process. Your first draft is rarely going to get you a request from an agent. The second draft might look a little better, but it may be that you need to let the paint dry. When you come back to look at your story with fresh eyes, you may see some areas where you need to touch up the trim. But if you keep layering on paint without letting it dry, you’ll just wind up with uneven paint.

What about you? Have you ever left a manuscript to sit and then come back to it? Did you find it beneficial? How long do you think it takes before you can look at a manuscript with fresh eyes?

Want Free Publicity?

noreply@blogger.com (Tara McClendon) — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 17:36:00 +0000

The other day, fellow blogger Mayra Calvani contacted me about doing an interview. She has a new book out, and she's building her online presence for it. She wanted to know if I would like to interview her for Suite 101. I hadn't thought of offering interviews until I read her email. It took me about a second to realize this could be a great way for authors to expand their online presence to yet another website. So if anyone is interested, feel free to contact me about author interveiws at tara@taramcclendon.com. I'll post the link for writer interviews as I add them to the Suite 101 collection.

Happy Writing!

Responding to Comments

noreply@blogger.com (Tara McClendon) — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 16:00:00 +0000

As a blogger, one of the things I love about blogging is the sense of community a person can find. Having followers and getting comments is affirming. It's nice to know someone likes what you've written enough to follow your blog or to add a comment. I often feel your comments enrich my posts. Lately, I've noticed an increase in the number of e-mails I get and a decrease in the number of comments I get. I understand bloggers with large followings may not have the time to respond to each comment. (There are blogs I follow from which I have never gotten a follower or a comment. I like the blog, I read the blog, end of story.) For some, there may be a time when you reach a magical number and feel like you've arrived at your blogging goal. For me, I'm not there. While I enjoy the e-mails, I miss the comments. So I'd like to make a case for why it's worth the time to add a comment.

When I visit the blogs of people who leave comments, I get a better understanding of them.
Leaving a comment on a person's blog after receiving one from him or her fosters the feeling of community.
I know my comments are encouraging to the commenter.
And commenting on other people's blogs helps me build my own. Case in point, several of the people following my blog found me through comments I left on other blogs.

So, if you are trying to figure out the best way to respond when someone comments, please consider visiting the person's blog and leaving a comment in return.

Avoid being Stereotypical

noreply@blogger.com (Tara McClendon) — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 21:07:00 +0000

Writers often hear they need to avoid stereotypical characters, but the term usually doesn't involve racism. Instead, it relates to stock characters, like the absent-minded professor or the ditzy blonde. But many of the reasons a writer with a white mind comes across as racist is because of the use of stereotypes.

For example, Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote a novel that hit on a taboo topic. By showing the depiction of slaves prior to the Civil War, she introduced many wealthy socialites to the situation. President Lincoln even credited her as starting the war. But, many consider her to be one of the most racist writers in history. The number one reason for this accusation is her stereotypical use of the Mammy in Uncle Tom's Cabin. Aunt Chloe cared less about her own children than the white charges in her care. Stowe's description casts Aunt Chloe as having an asexual appearance with a roundness that hid any soft feminine features.

When you start to rely on "traditional" details to portray a specific race, you're entering into stereotypical territory. In the past this has included the following things:

Using names to depict race,
Relying on stock characters like the Mammy,
Incorporating surface-level or descriptive details to portray race,
And giving multi-cultural characters specific jobs as a way to portray race.

While these things may add authenticity to your character, you must balance these with true human emotions and valued characteristics. Are your multi-cultural characters skin deep? Or have you put as much time and consideration into crafting them as characters that can step off the page as you have with characters of your own race?