WRITER'S RAINBOW

[margin notes] Can you mess up your online author's platform? || The Creative Penn

2012-01-27T08:55:00.000-08:00

Joanna Penn highlights 7 Social Networking Mistakes To Avoid, and she's spot on, as usual... but you're improving upon your platform this year anyway, as a New Year's resolution, right? RIGHT?

[margin notes] Self-Publishing: A Three Step Primer

2012-01-24T08:49:00.000-08:00

Okay, so you've decided you're going to take a risk and self-publish your latest book. It was hard enough to make that decision, let alone to follow through. Need some targeted first-timer's guidance? Writers On The Move offers a A Three Step Primer to get you started with self-publishing.

[margin notes] Join a Writers' Platform-Building Campaign

2012-01-23T20:45:00.000-08:00

Do you have a new book out or forthcoming but don't have a lot of marketing support from your publisher? Are you self-publishing your book? Do you feel like you're alone and deep in the weeds when it comes to getting the word out about this manuscript you've worked so hard on?

Rachel Harrie offers writers one solution that draws on the talents and resources of an entire community of writers: the Writers' Platform-Building Campaign

[margin notes] Getting published can break your heart? You bet it can

2012-01-20T07:31:00.000-08:00

I love Anne R. Allen's reality checks!

I haven't gone as far as publishing a book of my own and being heartbroken about it, but I can see how it's possible (I've been heartbroken about covers of anthologies my work has appeared in, does that count?).

But one thing I've learned as an editor and writing coach, (then,I suppose, re-learned as a writer) over the last few months is how "in the weeds" most writers are about the world of publishing... how so many believe they have a lot more power than they do when it comes to working with a legacy publisher, OR the converse, how so many believe they have a lot more freedom than they do when it comes to working the electronic, self-published route.

Check it out: this is a great guest post from Ruth Harris: Blog: 6 Prescriptions to Cure the Heartbreak of Being Published

[rant] Be "all in" or don't bother

2012-01-19T08:11:00.000-08:00

This is not the portrait of a successful writer.

Listen, I'm not saying that it's right that writers have to spend equal amounts of time marketing their work as they do writing it. But if I hear one more writer tell me "I don't have the time for that," while complaining that no one will publish them because they don't have a platform, even though they proclaim a bazillion credits and decades of expertise behind them, I think I might just hang up on them.

Yes, hang up.

I got a call from someone the other day who was looking for an agent. (Which I'm not and never have been.)

Dear writer:

Mistake number one: Don't call an agent outright. Or anybody else, for that matter, unless you have more than a passing in-real-life acquaintance with them.

Mistake number two: Check my website first. If you had gone to my website you would have seen right away that I retired my business more than a year ago and stopped taking clients almost two years ago. And you would have also figured out I wasn't an agent.

This writer, after finding out I wasn't her magic bullet, proceeded to wail and complain that she had physical issues that kept her from writing for more than an hour or two at a time.

Dear writer:

Mistake number three: Even able-bodied people can't hope to squeeze in that much time between parenting and working and caring for aging parents, etc. EVERYBODY'S BUSY. I hate to seem so insensitive here, but my friend, the writer Jay Lake, has gone through, what, his fourth year of cancer treatment (chemo, etc.) while still being a single working dad and he's still just as productive as ever. If you really want something, you work around your obstacles.

Then this writer complained that she didn't feel like she needed a platform, she had several decades of expertise to back up everything and putting together a book proposal was a waste of time.

Dear writer:

Mistake number four: You should never assume you can just write well and that's all you have to do. Books, regardless whether they are commercial or academic or niche-driven, are still things that require manufacturing, and manufacturing isn't free. Book publishers and sellers and distributors also take a cut. For a book to pay off, you and your subject matter need some sort of pre-publication proving ground, which is what a book proposal is: a sales tool. If you can sell your idea to a publisher, then that means they believe they can sell your book to readers. If all you have is a manuscript, that's all they have to go on. There are thousands of writers willing to go the extra step. You really can't expect to compete with them unless you play the same game, can you?

Mistake number five: If you are that big an expert, then putting together a book proposal on a subject you know as closely as the back of your hand should be a cinch. Get to work!

This writer then went on to talk about all the Big Names she knew in publishing.

Dear writer:

Mistake number six: You are not going to know more about your industry that someone working the ropes 24-7. Name dropping doesn't make up for the hard work of putting together a platform or a proposal.

I tried in every possible and polite way to tell this writer I was not going to be able to help her and offered her the link to my referral page so that she might be able to find someone more appropriate to her needs. She knocked down every person whose name I brought up.

Dear writer:

Mistake number seven: If you're not a published writer, you don't have any business cutting down those editors out there who could help you attain that goal. Editors DO know many many things that writers don't.

Mistake number eight: Social skills are tantamount here; if you get the feeling the person on the other end of the line is trying to close the conversation, take a clue.

When I suggested that this writer might be better off choosing the self-publishing route, she said she couldn't because of her physical limitations and because she didn't have the time to learn how to do that.

Dear writer:

Mistake number nine: If you don't know how to do something, find out! Or hire someone, or meet with a group of like-minded writers and help each other out. If you can't do something because of some limitation, then surely you are used to asking for help at this point? If you aren't willing to ask for help, then you really can't expect to make any forward progress otherwise, can you?

Then the writer began to ask me questions about my background.

Dear writer:

Mistake number ten: Don't waste my time, I already told you I couldn't help you and offered you some other options. There I was, in my robe on the couch recuperating from a bad case of gastroenteritis that put me in the hospital. I had no business even being on the phone. And you didn't even ask if it was a good time for me to talk. Yet I listened, I was kind and you still took away time I will never get back.

That was MY mistake.

The title of this post says it all. "Be ALL IN or don't bother." It's the state of the union these days. Either you really want to be a published writer with a real career or you really don't. If you really want it, then you will find a way. If it all sounds like too much hassle, then find yourself another career and write for yourself as a hobby. It's not that I wish to dissuade people from their dreams, but publishing has undergone huge disruption over the last decade and there's really no end in sight regarding these changes. Those who are willing to learn, to make mistakes, to put in the time, to make it work: you'll do fine. But those who think they know it all, aren't willing to try new things, don't feel the need to follow the rules or have the work ethic really can't hope to get beyond a manuscript tucked inside a drawer, never to be seen.

Rant is concluded.

Blackout to protest SOPA and SPIPA

2012-01-17T22:11:00.001-08:00

http://www.stopthewall.us/?gclid=CIm_v9j32K0CFQp9hwodwFOFlA

[letters] The MFA in hard times: a good investment?

2012-01-17T08:13:00.000-08:00

Recently I received this email inquiry and thought I would share it with all of you because I think it speaks to a common concern among writers. The writer of the email has extended me permission to reprint it here.

Dear Ms. Sellman,

I apologize for the unsolicited email, but I just read your 2007 article on how to have an accomplished writer's life without an MFA.

I wanted to thank you for both writing and publishing this piece on the internet. I am currently in an MFA program and with a very heavy heart have decided to end my affiliation with the University. Perhaps I am the most challenged writer on the planet, but in this economy I just don't feel I am getting a return on my investment. I work full time in Federal law enforcement, travel globally, have a family and writing was my only escape -- my mini vacation.

Unfortunately, the MFA program turned me away from wanting to write. It took the pleasure out of reading and the fun out of writing. Pulling out of the MFA program was the same feeling a person gets when they realize they've just lost their wallet -- panic. Obtaining an MFA had always been on my bucket list, I was thrilled when I got accepted into the program. I couldn't wait to dive in and start learning -- it literally drained the creativity right out of me. At this point in time, my BA in Liberal Arts will have to suffice.

I've survived three police academies, Iraq, Afghanistan, several high profile federal investigations and have a passion for biometrics. I'm a bit disappointed that I've quit on this MFA -- but it just doesn't seem like a fit for me. I wanted to learn to tell a story that people would enjoy and get lost in. Reading your article made me realize I don't need an MFA to do all this. I just need to commit the time to develop this passion. I accept that mastering time management and the obligations of everyday life will always be a challenge for me. I will always be a work in progress.

I'm committed to reading some of your work with the "new" time I have carved out of my schedule.

Again, thanks for being a great inspiration and a much needed sage for those of us still swirling in words out here.

Your guidance and advice is more appreciated than I could ever convey.

Regards,

MaryJo Thomas

And here was my reply:

MaryJo, thanks for writing. I'm really glad my thoughts about the MFA have been helpful for you. It's interesting... I gave that presentation long before the economy tanked and now I think just as you do that it is not going to provide the return of your investment that you really need these days.

Also, the expansion of opportunities for writers outside the legacy publishing world has made it possible for writers to achieve their dreams without the aid of expensive creative writing degrees or high-profile agents (I expect they may be an extinct species, except for those who work with celebrities, within 5 years).

On top of it all is the bountiful world of learning via the Internet as well as a lot of great freelance/indy editors and book developers out there who can help you bring your work to life out in the world.

Where there's a will, there's a way, right? More than ever before, you can find all sorts of affordable ways to learn to become a better writer without shelling out thousands of dollars to do it.

Tamara

[margin notes] Time to clean up your writing space

2012-01-16T07:59:00.000-08:00

With the holiday decorations put away, it's now time for me (and, probably, for you) to clean out the ol' writing space. I don't know a writer out there who doesn't work in a firetrap of some kind or another. Aside from the fact that your writing space is a firetrap, it's also a dust trap, a dead spider wasteland, a bacteria factory (just your keyboard alone!) and a repository for all sorts of other things that shouldn't be there (like, all the board games you got out to play for the holidays, maybe?). Leo Babauta at Zen Habits offers some handy ways to tackle the clutter monster.

[margin notes] Suspense Novelist: Self-Editing, Elizabeth George Style

2012-01-13T09:07:00.000-08:00

There are never enough articles that talk about this. And I like it that the image they incorporate in this blog is a pair of scissors. Yep. Thanks to the blog, Suspense Novelist, for sharing Self-Editing, Elizabeth George Style.

2012 Guide to Pacific Northwest Writer's Conferences and Conventions (WA, OR, ID, MT, BC)

2012-01-12T08:01:00.000-08:00

Creative Commons image: "Conference Table."
This file is licensed under the Creative CommonsAttribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

Pacific Northwest writers have no excuse for not attending at least one conference or convention a year, as the region hosts a multitude of events for every kind of writer.

YEAR ROUND
(Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2012!) Fishtrap, Inc. || Enterprise, OR

JAN
RustyCon SciFi Convention || SeaTac, WA || Jan 20-22

FEB

South Coast Writers Conference || Gold Beach, OR || Feb 17-18
Potlatch || Seattle, WA || Feb 24-26

Rainforest Writers Village || Quinault, WA || Feb 29-Mar 4

MAR
Whidbey Island Writers Conference || Coupeville, WA || Mar 3-4

Rainforest Writers Village || Quinault, WA || Mar 7-11

Writing the Breakout Novel with Donald Maass || Hood River, OR|| Mar 26-Apr 1

APR
Norwescon SciFi Convention || SeaTac, WA || Apr 5-8

The Get Lit! Literary Festival || Spokane, WA || Apr 10-15

(Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2012!) Oregon Writers Colony Writers Conference || Newport, Or || Apr 25

SCBWI Western Washington Children's Book Conference || Redmond, WA || Apr 21-22
Field's End Writers' Conference || Suquamish, WA || Apr 28

MAY
Icicle Creek Writers Retreat || Leavenworth, WA || May 4-8

Write on the River Writers Conference || Wenatchee, WA || May 19-20

CryptiCon Horror Writers Convention || SeaTac, WA || May 25-27

MisCon SciFi Convention || Missoula, MT || May 25-28

JUN
West Coast Haunters Convention || Portland, OR || Jun 1-3

ClarionWest SciFi Writers Summer Intensive || Seattle, WA || Jun 17-Jul 27

Chuckanut Writers Conference || Bellingham, WA || Jun 22-23

JUL

WesterCon || SeaTac, WA || July 5-8

(NEW! Two week-long conferences, back to back!) Centrum's Port Townsend Writers' Conference || Port Townsend, WA || Jul 8-15, July 15-22

Tin House Summer Writers Workshop || Portland, OR || Jul 8-15

PNWA Summer Writers Conference || SeaTac, WA || July 19-22
Denman Island Readers & Writers Festival || Denman Island, Vancouver, BC || Jul 19-22

AUG

Willamette Writers Conference || Portland, OR || Aug 3-5
SpoCon SciFi Writers Convention || Spokane, WA || Aug 12-14

(Celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2012!) Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts || Sechelt, Vancouver, BC || Aug 16-19
Sun Valley Writers' Conference || Sun Valley, ID || Aug 17-20

SEPT
Foolscap Convention || Redmond, WA || Sept 21-23

OCT
Environmental Writing Institute || Missoula, MT || Oct 3-7

Montana Festival of the Book || Missoula, MT || Oct 4-6

Write on the Sound || Edmonds, WA || Oct 6-7

Wordstock Literary Writers Festival || Portland, OR || Oct 11-14
Vancouver International Writers & Readers Festival || Vancouver, BC || Oct 16-21

Women Writing the West || Lynwood, WA || Oct 19-21
Surrey International Writers' Conference || Surrey, BC || Oct 19-21
Emerald City Writers Conference || Bellevue, WA || Oct 26-28
SteamCon SciFi Writers Convention || Bellevue, WA || Oct 26-28

NOV
The Nature of Words || Bend, OR || Nov 2-6
OryCon SciFi Writers Convention || Portland, OR || Nov 11-13

Creative Commons image: "Conference Table." This file is licensed under the Creative CommonsAttribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

[the writer's platform] Mailing List Development

2012-01-09T14:12:00.000-08:00

This is the January 2012 entry for The Writer's Platform series.

One of the first things writers should do, but don't always think to do (or want to do) is start developing a mailing list. Believe me, you want to start on this early... there's nothing worse than having a future publisher ask you for your network contacts and not being able to respond with a solid list (or stopping all work on a project that's on deadline to generate a half-a#$ mailing list).

Listen, I get it, it's not the most exciting and glamorous part of the writer's platform. But it's necessary and super worthwhile to start now, even if all you do is set up a cursory list. You have to start somewhere!

The Mailing List
Really, what I'm talking about are two lists. One is for digital contacts; it includes basic identifying info plus URLs and email addresses. The other is for traditional contacts: identifying info plus surface mail addresses and phone numbers. Why the second one? If you want to do trade in print books, you'll need this info to send out ARCs (advance review copies), for one thing. Also, postcards are still a decent and inexpensive way to get the word out, so don't discount direct mail as part of your bigger plan.

The good news is you can incorporate both the digital and the traditional contacts into a single file. How to do that? If you're familiar with setting up spreadsheets and/or databases, then you already have your favorite software in mind. Use that. Seriously. And if you already have something resembling a contact list in a web mail manager like Constant Contact, then you can export the data there to start a more comprehensive list in a database or spreadsheet file that resides on your home computer. Use whatever you've already got (Google Spreadsheets, Microsoft Access or Excel, FileMaker Pro). Don't waste your energy learning new tricks if you don't have to. Building a platform will be enough of a learning curve; save the rest of your brain space for your writing.

Luddites, it's not too late!
If you have NO IDEA what I am talking about when I say "spreadsheet" or "database," that means you DO have a learning curve. You can't really do this part of your platform without this kind of basic knowledge. I know, I know, I hear you cursing my name in the darkness, but the fact is that writers can no longer rely on "just writing well" to sell books. These strategies aren't really optional anymore for writers who want to publish even just one book. This is 21st Century publishing, after all.

My suggestion? Take a class at a local college or follow an online webinar that teaches the basics for these kinds of software options. You may just discover that these hard-working computer tools can help you in myriad ways besides the writer's platform, too! And today, these computer programs are super easy to learn (when compared to what they were 15 years ago), so don't be intimidated.

Or, you can be intimidated, you can decide you don't need this extra busywork, and I'll just say, well, good luck to you then. Your choice. But do you really want to be the odd man out in the increasingly competitive and disrupted world of publishing?

Setting up the list
Okay, so how do you set up your mailing list? It's important to set up your system before adding contacts so that you can be as thorough as you can when performing the data entry necessary to complete each contact. Basic identifying info should include:

Contact first and last name
Contact job title
Contact place of business, organization or other affiliation
Contact surface mail address (street, city, state, zip); international contacts should have separate "cells" for their postal codes so you can spot them at a glance when preparing mailing labels, etc.)
Contact email address
Contact phone numbers (work, cell, home as appropriate to your project)
Contact URLs (relevant to your project: their workplace website, their blog, their social network landing page, etc.)
Also useful: a cell indicating where and when you met this contact (if you do a lot of conferences or other networking) and/or any other info that will help you remember them later

Filling up the list
It won't take long to set up your mailing list with these basic categories. What takes longer is filling in the blanks. Thankfully, if you have that info more or less close at hand, then you just have to spend some time with data entry until you get everyone "plugged in."

Note: There will always be people you want to include, but you won't have all their information right there. That's okay. This first stage is just to plug them into the list, even if all you have is a name.

The next stage, then, is to research the missing information and plug it in. This is a good thing to do between writing sessions; you use a different part of your brain when researching than you do when writing new narrative (or revising). Think of this rather tedious job of mailing list development as a way to keep your brain muscles limber and that should help you get past the fact it's pretty boring work (because it is).

Once you have a beginning mailing list, pat yourself on the back. This is not a project you start and complete in one day. It's an ongoing information "trap" that you will, with the luck of a publishing opportunity, use as a critical part of your publicity campaign. Trust me, you'll be glad you did the work ahead of time. My suggestion? Spend your time entering or updating contacts while watching your favorite TV show. Storage Wars and I have become good friends this way!

Who to include?
This might be the most pressing question for many of you. Whether you do a lot of networking or just have a small circle of contacts, it's important to include anyone who might have an interest in your book (either because they want to read it, they want to sell it, they want to promote it, they support your ideas, they are your best friend, etc.). That means everyone! How do you approach your "keeper" list without overwhelming yourself?

I break things down into smaller parts all the time, not only in mailing list development, but in writing, in household tasks, everything. Learn to compartmentalize and you can get your mind around just about any monolithic project.

I had four areas of focus when I first developed my list. These subcategories still exist as I maintain my lists. (Yes, that's plural: I have separate lists because I have some really disparate projects that demand I keep contacts separate; while these lists have some crossover, they don't include each other's lists in their entirety). These lists, as I've deconstructed below, are probably not exhaustive, but they do offer you jumping off points for thinking about who to include. If you can think of other subcategories to include, by all means, go for it. Also, you may have people who fit into more than one subcategory. Great! They might be some of your best advocates down the road. The point is to include them in the master mailing list somewhere; no need for repeat entries.

List subcategories
1. First, there is the Personal list, which is comprised of people you know (for real):

Personal friends
Family members
Neighbors
Writing peers
Classmates
Alumni
Writing group members
Coworkers, past
Coworkers, present
Your published writing friends
Your want-to-be published writing friends
Those friends with a personal interest in your subject matter

Intimidated by the idea of approaching people with your book or book idea? You need to learn to get over that and be your book's best advocate. Your confidence will generate confidence in others. But cold calling is a rough place to start if you're not the most extroverted person in the world. The easiest way to practice this is to approach people you know.

Think of approaching them like you would job interviews. Let's say you have 3 interviews. You really want job #3, but you interview with jobs #1 and #2 first, anyway, because you would still take those jobs if you didn't get job #3. Practicing during those first two interviews is a great opportunity to polish yourself for that third interview, right? Practicing on people you know offers the same opportunity to get the nerve and confidence you need to move forward in promoting your book or book idea.

Use your judgment, all the same. Your contact list shouldn't be arbitrary (just like your short-form submissions shouldn't be blanket submissions; nobody likes to be carpet-bombed!). Make sure you include only and all of those people you know who might have an interest in your book.

2. Second, there is the Industry list, which is comprised of people you probably don't know, but can find information for:

Agents
Editors
Publishers
Writers in your field who you don't know personally
Experts in your subject matter
Publishing bloggers
Writing magazine columnists
Mentors or teachers
Media members (newspaper editors, radio program contacts, contact managers for websites, YouTube and Flickr contacts)
Special interest organizations and affiliations
Independent booksellers
Librarians

This list will require some research. But in researching all of these people, you will also gain a bit more insight into the publishing industry, into your specific subject matter and into the inner workings of publicity. People on this list will change frequently, so keep your radar up as you do your research so you can keep their information up to date.

Another way to increase additions to this list category is to ask for the business cards of relevant people you meet during conferences, workshops and other events.

3. Third, there is the Network list, which is comprised of people you may or may not know but who you have opportunities to network with in real life or online:

Writing conference organizers
Writing organization contacts
University department heads
Book groups
Members of sister or separate writing groups from your own
Literary events
Author readings
Writing retreats
Like minded bloggers
Social network “friends” (Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn and the like)

Again, collect those business cards wherever and whenever you can "in real life" and pay attention to those people you interact with in social media on a regular basis. Those with whom you have an affinity could become great advocates for your work, even if you've never met them in person.

4. Finally, the last list is the Business Community list, which is also comprised of people you may or may not know but who you have opportunities to network with in real life or online:

Charitable organizations who could benefit from your book
Local businesses or organizations who could sell your books
Partnerships with local or regional experts/celebrities
Collaborations with "known quantities" (local or regional artists, co-writers, web developers, etc.)

This is not the same as stalking, by the way... but if you just happen to take a workshop and meet a semi-famous person, ask them if they'd like to stay in touch. They'll deliver the boundaries that work for them. Honor those boundaries. Keep regular contact with them. Don't overdo it, though. Have a purpose. For instance, offer to help them with their own projects wherever they intersect with your interests. Remember, your goal is to find advocates, and your best way to inspire people "in the know" to advocate for you is to be square with them, passionate about your project and earnest in your intentions. Being an authentic person will grab many more word-of-mouth referrals than being someone out to sell a book without a thought toward those who might best help them. At some point, your book will grown into something bigger beyond you, anyway. These advocates can be a critical part of that gestational process if you respect what they have to offer as well.

What's next?
Get busy! Once you have your list up and filled out, schedule a regular time to spend updating it. You will, I hope, be culling more contacts for your list. Start a hard copy file (I use a basket for collecting business cards and leads and toss them in there) until you are ready to make additions. A cellphone app can also come in handy here, digitizing new contacts as you go.

Maybe you will add new contacts to your list the first of every month according to a reminder you set in your preferred calendar. Or maybe you will sit down on Monday morning after a weekend of conferences, readings or classes and add new contacts then. Or maybe you do the additions on a daily basis. Whatever you do, just keep doing it.

Updating also means periodically checking the old contacts to make sure they're still "live." An easy way to check up is to click on the URL/s for each contact to ensure they are still "live." People change jobs, move to different websites, replace old email addresses with new ones (thanks to hackers). I'd say do this maybe twice a year, and keep a special eye out for those contacts you really desire to maintain, whether you know them personally or not (a celebrated editor, for instance, or a favorite teacher or expert in your subject matter).

Updating is WAY easier than starting fresh, so you'll come to look forward to seeing your list grow. Believe me, once you're there, you'll begin to really feel like you have a writing life. You'll know more about the business of writing, industry networking, the Who's Who in your genre. This, like studying your markets, will serve you well over time.

But the only way you can get there is to start building a list. Good luck!

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

Note to Readers
I hope to offer readers an e-book they can download from Writer's Rainbow at the end of 2012 which will approach all of these topics in deeper detail for those writers who have started developing their platforms but are ready to move beyond basics. The extended e-book version of [the writer's platform] series will be sold for a nominal fee, but ALL WRITERS WHO COMMENT ON THE POSTS FOR [the writer's platform] SERIES WILL BE ENTERED INTO A DRAWING FOR A FREE COPY AT THE END OF 2012, when I plan to give away a baker's dozen.

You can start commenting right now by dropping me a note in the comment space below and letting me know what your biggest platform development challenges are. The more I know about your challenges, the more precisely I can tailor the series' posts and the final e-book.

Good luck writers, and I hope to hear from you soon!

[margin notes] Writers On The Move: When You Can't Attend A Writer's Conference

2012-01-06T09:06:00.000-08:00

Don't you hate it When You Can't Attend A Writer's Conference? I know I do. I have the basic writer's personality: on the one hand, I'm a writer because I'm a bit introverted, and yet I love to hang out with other writers and there are fewer better ways to do that than by going to fabulous conferences. But just because you miss a favorite conference (I missed Centrum last summer and will miss AWP~Chicago this year, boohoo) doesn't mean you can't find other ways to balance these two sides of your writing personality. Writers on the Move reminds us all that there are always alternatives.

Pacific Northwest Regional Writers' Calendar [Jan 3-31]

2012-01-02T08:45:00.000-08:00

"Chestnut-Back Chickadee"

Note: The following calendar highlights literary events in the greater Pacific Northwest (WA, OR) region. I choose these highlights based upon personal interests and the interests of my regular readers. I cannot hope to be all-inclusive for every appearance or reading or workshop in the region so I do apologize if I've left out your particular event. I also cannot be held responsible for cancelled or rescheduled events, as these occur far beyond my control.

*Jan 3
The Richard Hugo House (Capital Hill/Seattle, WA) presents "Apocalypse Not: 7 Poets for 2012" at 7p. Featured poets include Elizabeth Austen, Elizabeth Colen, Jen Curran, Sarah Mangold, Linda Russo, Ed Skoog and William Stobb. Event is free and open to the public.

*Jan 4
Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson (Sisterhood of Dune) will read from their book at Powell's Books at Cedar Hills Crossing (Beaverton, OR) at 7p. Event is free and open to the public.

*Jan 5
Greg Bear (Halo: Primordium) will read from his book at the University Bookstore (U-District/Seattle, WA) at 7p. Event is free and open to the public.

*Jan 6
The Pacific University MFA in Writing Program presents its annual reading series from Jan 6 through 13 at 730p at the Best Western Ocean View Resort (Seaside, OR). Readings are free and open to the public. Featured writers include Laura Hendrie, Sandra Alcosser, Craig Lesley, Frank Gaspar, David Long, Marvin Bell, Kwame Dawes, Elinor Langer, Katherine Dunn, Pam Houston and many others.

*Jan 7
Ann Rule (Don't Look Behind You) signs her new book at Seattle Mystery Bookshop (Seattle, WA) at noon. Event is free and open to the public.

*Jan 8
Sarah Jio (The Bungelow) will read from her book at Liberty Bay Books (Poulsbo, WA) at 3p. Event is free and open to the public.

*Jan 9
Alexis Smith (Glaciers) reads from her new book at Powell's City of Books on Burnside (Portland, OR) at 730p. Event is free and open to the public.

*Jan 10
Andrea Cremer (Bloodrose: A Nightshade Novel) readers from her new book at Third Place Books (Lake Forest Park/Seattle, WA) at 7p. Event is free and open to the public.

*Jan 11
Amy Chua (Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother) reads from her book at Powell's City of Books on Burnside (Portland, OR) at 7:30p. Event is free and open to the public.

*Jan 12
Spokane-area readers are invited to learn how to download Google eBooks from the website for Auntie's Bookstore (Spokane, WA) at 7p. Event is free and open to the public.

*Jan 13
Bruce Taylor (Magic of Wild Places) reads from his book at Balderdash Books (Seattle, WA) at 6p. Event is free and open to the public.

*Jan 14
The New York Times bestselling author Jayne Ann Krentz will present her popular fiction writing workshop, "Five Secrets to Getting Published," at the Lakewood Pierce County Library (Lakewood, WA) at 2p. Event is free and open to the public but requires registration.

*Jan 15
Adam Johnson (The Orphan Master's Son) reads his book at Powell's City of Books on Burnside (Portland, OR) at 7:30p. Event is free and open to the public.

*Jan 16
Polina Olsen (Stories from Jewish Portland) reads from her book at Annie Bloom's Books (Portland, OR) at 7p. Event is free and open to the public.

*Jan 17
Marcia Rudoff will discuss how to "Know Yourself to Know Your Characters" at this month's Field's End Writers' Roundtable at Bainbridge Public Library (Bainbridge Island, WA) at 7p. Event is free and open to the public.

*Jan 18
Leigh Stein (The Fallback Plan) reads from her work at Elliott Bay Books (Capital Hill/Seattle, WA) at 7p. Event is free and open to the public.

*Jan 19
Vanessa Veselka teaches her 5-week class, Mastering Plot, at 10a at the Attic Institute (Portland, OR). Tuition is $185. Registration

*Jan 20
SR "Rudy" Martin Jr. (Seaside Stories) reads from his book at Elliott Bay Books (Capitol Hill/Seattle, WA) at 7p. This event is free and open to the public.

*Jan 21
Karen Fisher-Alaniz (Breaking the Code: A Father's Secret, a Daughter's Journey, and the Question That Changed Everything) reads and signs her book at 1p at A Book For All Seasons (Leavenworth, WA). This event is free and open to the public.

*Jan 22
Cara Diaconoff teaches her 6-week class, "Carving? Casting? Sculpting the Novel: A Later-Draft Workshop," at 10a at the Richard Hugo House (Capital Hill/Seattle, WA). Tuition is $207 (members). Registration

*Jan 23
Ryan Boudinot (Blueprints of the Afterlife) reads from his work at Powell's on Hawthorne (Portland, OR) at 730p. Event is free and open to the public.

*Jan 25
Pico Iyer (The Man Within My Head) reads from his work at Town Hall Seattle (Seattle, WA) at 730p in a special event sponsored by Seattle Arts & Lectures. Tickets start at $15 with student discounts. Tickets

*Jan 26
Thrity Umrigar (The World We Found) reads from her new book at Eagle Harbor Books (Bainbridge Island, WA) at 730p. Event is free and open to the public.

*Jan 27
Elizabeth Austen (Every Dress a Decision) reads from her book of poems for the RASP Reading Series at the Old Redmond Schoolhouse Community Center (Redmond, WA) at 7p. Event is free and open to the public.

*Jan 28
The Richard Hugo House (Capital Hill/Seattle, WA) hosts Matthew Hooper, who will review a typical literary contract and discuss issues directly affecting writers in a free presentation intended to help local authors better understand their legal rights. Event takes place at noon.

*Jan 30
Kathryn Kay (The Gilder) will read from her book at Bloomsbury Books (Ashland, OR) at 7p. Event is free and open to the public.

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T08:14:00.000-08:00

Be safe!

Have fun!

Get ready for a great

2012!

[margin notes] Self published writers, what's the hurry??

2011-12-28T08:37:00.000-08:00

Sage advice worth reviewing every time a writer begins to lean in the direction of self-publishing. Not only relevant during the late fall, by the way. Inside, you'll find tips on publicity, timing and the like at Let the Ink Dry from PR by the Book

[margin notes] Should writers master SEO? || Rachelle Gardner

2011-12-26T08:54:00.000-08:00

My knee-jerk response is yes, writers do Need to Think About SEO, but this guest post from Erin MacPherson at Rachelle Gardner offers food for thought.

From my desk to yours...

2011-12-23T11:08:00.000-08:00

Wishing the readers of

Writer's Rainbow

a wonderful holiday

and a productive,

successful new year!

[margin notes] Long Sentences Like a Good Wine Endure Through Time

2011-12-22T09:15:00.000-08:00

I have been a fan of long sentences my whole life and I do tire of advice in workshops, among critics and from writers themselves that point to the contrary. A beautifully written long sentence is a rare spark of literary beauty in a world which wants story and beauty together in the same place. At least that's the world I live in, or want to live in...

Check out Writers On The Move: Long Sentences Like a Good Wine Endure Through Time.

[margin notes] E-books + special interests = success

2011-12-16T08:35:00.000-08:00

From the article: "...publishers DO NOT KNOW all markets and fan bases available, nor how many people participate in these specialised niche markets." Words to live by in the article, The E-book Revolution: Niche Markets from The REAL Reason For Rejections. Intriguing ideas and advice for writers looking to make the leap from traditional/legacy publishing to the more fluid electronic options now available to them.

[writer's resources] Support Pacific Northwest writing organizations

2011-12-15T08:36:00.000-08:00

"Lais Corinthiaca" (1526)
by Hans Holbein the Younger

Arts organizations across the country have taken a beating over the last few years with the tanking of the economy and the resulting fall in charitable donations. However, this doesn't change the fact that writers need education, networking, meeting spaces and support systems to further them in their careers. Writers by and large don't make a lot of money, but neither do their support systems. This year, why not give a donation (however small) to your favorite literary organization? Every little bit keeps the lights on. Below are some of the northwest's busiest, most effective writing organizations. If all you do is find their address and send them a check in the mail (or hit the PayPal donate button), that's just peachy. I'm sure there isn't a writing association out there who doesn't need the boost.

Centrum of Port Townsend, WA is a wide-ranging arts center which continues to lead the country in innovative, trend-worthy literary conference programming for writers of all kinds. This year, they are expanding their annual Port Townsend Writers Conference from one week to two weeks! I can't say enough good things about this organization; they have done wonders for my own writing life. Send your donations to Centrum here.
Field's End: A Writer's Community of Bainbridge Island, WA has grown from a local writing organization to one which attracts writers from all over the region. Donations help Field's End to expand its services, offer tuition assistance and contribute to the Bainbridge Public Library maintenance and operations funds for the library building. You can help them out here.
The Northwest Institute of Literary Arts houses the Whidbey Island Writers Association, the Whidbey Island Writers Conference, the only stand-alone accredited Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and Soundings Review. This organization is run by some of the hardest-working folks I know, all of them devoted to the craft of writing. The region almost lost this wonderful conference but it has been restored thanks to many donations. You can help by contacting the conference here or send a check to help support Soundings Review.
The Pacific Northwest Writers Association is the region's most widely influential organization devoted to helping writers. If you aren't a member, I highly recommend you join here; if you're feeling especially generous you can rev up your membership with an additional donation. If you're already a member, the PNWA's Writer's Cottage is always looking for books for its library; every Friday, they host a book exchange between 11a-4p for members to bring in and take away reading materials. Sharing resources like books is one of the easiest ways a writer can help other writers. The PNWA also supports these important philanthropic causes.
Richard Hugo House has been on the cutting edge of Puget Sound's literary programming and networking/event management for writers for 15 years. They provide unique spaces for readings, events, classes and more. Your donation sent here will help them keep up their exhaustive offerings. There are other ways to give as well which include employer-matched pre-tax gifts and their twice annual writing carnival, Write-O-Rama, a full day of more than 30 one-hour workshops offered by the House's writing teachers.
Spokane Authors & Self-Publishers might be a great cause for those of you who have a deep interest in work coming from the Inland Empire. This year (today, in fact), they are hosting The Idaho Writers League's "Books for Christmas" event from 10a-330p at the CDA Public Library. Writers will read excerpts from a book, including children's books, poetry readers, or artists who wish to share their work. Ideally, attending writers will sell some books! The Friends of Library will take 10% of their proceeds as a donation for the use of the community room.
Writers in the Schools [WITS] Portland and Writers in the Schools [WITS] Seattle help to place professional local writers in public elementary, middle, and high school classrooms to spark interest and develop skills in reading and writing. This is a nationwide literary literacy campaign that has shown to be beneficial not only to student writers but to emerging authors as well. Send Portland WITS donations here; send Seattle WITS donations here.

[my writing life] New publications in Penumbra, CAB and forthcoming in Alimentum, Faultlines

2011-12-14T09:05:00.000-08:00

Occasionally I like to announce new writing I've recently published (or which is forthcoming very soon). This month I have four different credits to celebrate:

PENUMBRA:

Speculative Writing

from the Pacific

Northwest

(Tuesday Night Publishing:

November 2011)

My post-apocalyptic feminist short story, "One for the Team," appears in Penumbra: Speculative Writing from the Pacific Northwest, the third anthology of regional speculative stories collected by Tuesday Night Publishing. Other writers featured in the book include Lana Ayers, Dan Monk, Elsa Watson and editor Cat Rambo. Penumbra is currently sold at Eagle Harbor Books on Bainbridge Island, WA (206.842.5332). You can also visit their website, http://www.eagleharborbooks.com/. If you cannot locate a sales page for the book, send Eagle Harbor an email and they will be happy to sell you a copy!

Price: $17.95 US ~ ISBN-13: 9780977691944 ~ Pages: 260 ~ Binding: Trade Paperback, perfect bound

CAB:
Conversations
Across Borders
(November 2011 ed.)

My food and travel poem, "Postcard from the North Shore," appears in Conversations Across Borders, a new online journal which raises money to support literature and literacy around the world. By purchasing my poem, or ANY of these pieces for two dollars each, you enjoy new, vital literature while supporting the next generation of readers.

I love how this works: Reader contributions enable the publishers to give grants in the service of literacy and literary writing. These grants multiply threefold.

1, The school/program benefits.

2, The money used for these transactions supports the local economy. So, jobs benefit. And, finally,

3, the end result of these transactions is that education is supported to the benefit of both students and our global society.

Contributors are asked to donate a percentage of their sales to that month's benefactor; I opted to hand over 100% of my sales. I do hope you'll click on the link and buy my poem for JUST $2 to help a Haitian primary school with their literacy programs!

Please go to CAB now and download some great poems, essays and stories from wonderful poets and writers like Ilya Kaminsky, Nahid Rachlin, Jenifer Browne Lawrence, Midge Raymond, Bill Ransom, Chris Dombrowski, Jorge Fernández Granados and more!

Release date: November 2011 ~ Price: $2 per poem/story/essay, with proceeds to benefit Ecole Noblesse, a primary school in Haiti. Learn more about the school here.

ALIMENTUM:
The Literature of Food(Winter 2012 ed.)

My surrealist flash fiction, "The Trouble with Sweets, in General," appears in Alimentum: The Literature of Food, a regular biannual collection of food-related writings, which has been published since 2006.

http://www.alimentumjournal.com/

Release date: Winter 2012 (forthcoming) ~ Price: $10 US

FAULT LINES:
A New Journal of West Coast Poetry

My percussive poem, "Friday Night Jam at the Cantina," appears in the Spring edition of Fault Lines, an online journal of West Coast poetry found on the web at http://faultlinespoetry.com/.

Release date: Spring2012 (forthcoming) ~ Price: free to readers online

[margin notes] What happens when the agent doesn't succeed? || Anne R. Allen's Blog

2011-12-12T10:00:00.000-08:00

Have you encountered writers who broke through and actually got an agent... but not much else? Here's a cautionary tale to consider When Landing an Agent Lands You Nowhere: Rick Daley’s Story

[dear readers] Nominate Your Favorite Writing Blog: 6th Annual Top 10 Blogs for Writers Contest

2011-12-09T09:01:00.000-08:00

Listen, I have no illusions that Writer's Rainbow could win this distinction, but it sure would be nice to get a nomination or two.

If you're a reader, however sporadic, or a subscriber, I'd like to ask you this: Has Writer's Rainbow been a useful resource for you over the last week/month/year?

If so, why not go and give the Rainbow the thumbs up at Write to Done for their 6th annual Top 10 Blogs for Writers Contest?

From Write to Done (brackets are mine):

"It’s time to open up nominations for the 6th annual Top 10 Blogs for Writers Contest—the blogosphere’s biggest contest for writing blogs.

How to Nominate Your Favorite Writing Blog:

→ Nominate your favorite blog in the comment section.
[LINK: http://writetodone.com/2011/11/22/nominate-your-favorite-writing-blog-6th-annual-top-10-blogs-for-writers-contest/]

→ You have only one vote (only your first will be counted).

[Writer's Rainbow at www.writersrainbow.com]

→ Please include the web address of the blog.

[Writer's Rainbow at www.writersrainbow.com]

→ Explain why you think the blog is worthy of winning this year’s award.
[This one's up to you!]

To make the cut, a blog must be nominated more than once.

[Tell your friends to go in and cast a vote, too! I'd really like to make the cut, peeps!]

Nominations must be received by 10 December, 2011."

[Nominate Writer's Rainbow today!!!]

THANKS GANG!!!!!

[the writer's platform] Welcome to a baker's dozen platform development tips! PLUS, you could win a free e-book!

2011-12-08T11:29:00.001-08:00

Building a writing platform can be a large and complicated task. My approach is to break this multilevel undertaking into smaller, more manageable tasks (12 in all) and complete each as well as I can. Often that means that some elements of my platform are very well developed, while others need a lot of work.

Once I go through these 12 basic tasks, I repeat the process in order to update, maintain or improve what I've established. The writer's platform is, unfortunately, something possessing what I call an "endless learning curve," which essentially means that it's a project that will probably never be finished... in the sense that I will always have to go back to it and tweak it.

But even the most rudimentary approach to the writer's platform will succeed at closing the distance between my books and their potential readers. To fail to build a writer's platform is pretty much a guarantee that my book/s, voice and ideas will have zero chance of making it out in the noisy media universe we all live in.

What is a writer's platform?
A writer's platform is, very simply, the various ways in which your books or writings find their potential audience. You worked your tail off to write these things... what good are they languishing in your drawer? The underlying intent of most every creative act is to share in order to illuminate. Even if you are writing something extremely personal, like a poetry collection to help you grieve or a family memoir you only plan to share with a few, it's important to know what options a writer's platform affords you. More likely, though, you are writing a novel, a series of short stories or essays, even a play or a script that you really, truly want the world to read. This is where the writer's platform, developed even (and ideally) before the publication of your book, will help you tremendously.

A solid platform can be built within a month, but that can be a bit ambitious for most writers who, like me, are juggling writing with family and work obligations. One of the ways I hope to help busy authors develop their platforms in through my new monthly series: [the writer's platform].

In my post today, I'm labeling it a "baker's dozen" because my plan is to carry this feature forward through the entirety of 2012, but I want to start with an extra introductory December 2011 post to get you excited about starting and developing your own platform over the next year. What better way to envision your writing life over the next year?

Over the next 12 months (at a frequency of about every 4 weeks) I will address each of the following staples of the writer's platform.

JAN 2012: Mailing List Development
FEB 2012: The Blogosphere
MAR 2012: Be "Found"
APR 2012: Branding
MAY 2012: Social Networking
JUN 2012: Live Appearances
JUL 2012: Advocacy
AUG 2012: Email Marketing
SEPT 2012: "Second Shift Networking"
OCT 2012: DIY Media Presence
NOV 2012: Marketing Materials Development
DEC 2012: "Magnetism"

I will offer basic advice on each of these topics so you can get your writer's platform off the ground in a way that's thoughtful, intentional and calculating.

I also hope to offer readers an e-book they can download from Writer's Rainbow at the end of 2012 which will approach all of these topics in deeper detail for those writers who have started developing their platforms but are ready to move beyond basics. The extended e-book version of [the writer's platform] series will be sold for a nominal fee, but ALL WRITERS WHO COMMENT ON THE POSTS FOR [the writer's platform] SERIES WILL BE ENTERED INTO A DRAWING FOR A FREE COPY AT THE END OF 2012, when I plan to give away a baker's dozen.

You can start commenting right now by dropping me a note in the comment space and letting me know what your biggest platform development challenges are. The more I know about your challenges, the more precisely I can tailor the series' posts and the final e-book.

Good luck writers, and I hope to hear from you soon!

[tools of the trade] Smartpen: the perfect writer's gift

2011-12-07T08:49:00.000-08:00

You may want to give this to a writer in your life this season, or you may want to write to Santa. Either way, I cannot endorse the LiveScribe Smartpen enough. Here's a snippet of recent correspondence I had with a reader that says it all:

----------------------------
Tamara: Loved your article on obtaining a successful writer's life without an MFA. ... You recommend checking out books out from the library. But how do you keep notes, and special paragraphs that you want to mark up? Thanks, Dwayne

Hi Dwayne: Thanks for writing. I do a couple of things. Photocopies [at the library] are good because they become personalized handouts you can hole-punch and file into binders for future reference. Sometimes I photocopy certain pages, then cut out those pieces, rearrange on a blank sheet, and make "new" handouts to combine related information. Then I hole-punch and file them.

Another option is more expensive but it works great: a smartpen. (Hey, a great holiday gift idea!!!) I use a LiveScribe Smartpen, which is a digital pen which I use to write notes at meetings, classes, etc. The pen has a little camera in it which records my strokes on the special paper that they use for it (you can "make" your own paper as well). Once I'm done taking notes, I place my pen into its digital dock and it downloads my notes into digital text which I can edit from there. If you write fairly neatly, you'll be amazed at how well your notes will translate without any transcription effort on your own.

The other beautiful thing about this pen is that it has an audio recording device on it as well. You can literally touch the tip of your pen to any section of your notes to play back the audio from that session (great for note taking during lectures or capturing exact quotes for interviews or articles). Then you can write it down verbatim. You never miss anything and it's great to just replay to listen again. It's totally worth the expense (I got mine a couple of years ago for less than $200, which included a notebook, software for transcription, the pen, a replacement nip, a cap, a sleeve and a UB port/cord.

Hope these tips help! Happy Holidays and keep writing! Tamara----------------------------

Recently a semi-Luddite cohort of mine teased me about my Smartpen because he assumed it had become yet another failed high-tech gadget in my arsenal. When I pulled it out of my bag and said, "Oh, you mean this?", I guess he had his comeuppance. I've had mine for a couple of years now and I wouldn't go anywhere without it.

Listen, if you're a writer, or a loved one you know is a writer (or for anyone who is a journalist, a concept developer, a student, a mathematician, for that matter), and you're looking for a great tool that will save you lots of time spent in transcription and will help you capture exact quotes and complete lecture notes, than this is the tool to give or to get.

Oh, and you can play music on it and it can perform calculator functions, too. Just saying.