Your assignment: Take a look at your current work in progress or the novel you are planning to write for Camp NaNoWriMo. Look up each character name in a baby name book.

*How do your character names fit the personality and role of your characters? Consider the meaning of the name, the historical significance, and how the name sounds when spoken aloud.

*How do they conflict with the characters’ personality and role?

*If necessary, rename your characters.

Bonus: Have you ever wanted to write under a pseudonym? I’m a wee bit jealous of children’s authors who have dreamed up wonderful nom de plumes: Lemony Snicket and Pseudonymous Bosch. Have some fun dreaming up a pen name of your own. Of course, if you are feeling less-than-creative, visit the pen name generator for help. The site gave me the lovely name: Our Lady Bonbons.

Your turn: Post your pseudonym in the comments below or let us in on your favorite character-naming resource!

So, do you know what you’re doing this summer? I do—finally! In the past few weeks, during walks with the dogs and talks with friends, some ideas have been surfacing. Last weekend, I decided that ideas like these need a write-a-thon to turn into books. So, I am planning on signing up for Camp NaNoWriMo, held this summer in June and August.

Interested in joining me? Today’s tip provides you with everything you need to get started. In addition, I am planning on blogging about my write-a-thon, so sign up to follow the blog for more tips and contests.

Happy writing,

Rochelle, the Write Now! Coach

Why You Need to Write-A-Thon by Rochelle Melander

Be careful what you wish for, because you might not be dreaming big enough. —heard in a Dar Williams talk on YouTube

When I saw the signs for the Idle Ironman at the Y, I thought, “That’s not for me.” Mind you, I had no idea just what an idle ironman entailed, but I was pretty sure it was out of my league (too many miles to run, swim, bike; too challenging for little ol’ me; and too much of a time commitment).

About a week into the challenge, a few colleagues at the Y encouraged me to try it. One said, “If I can do it, so can you.” Another said, “Don’t worry about biking 112 miles. You can break it into little pieces.” So I signed up—not only because I like a challenge, but also because I’d get my t-shirt whether I finished or not. (Yup, on some days it’s all about the clothes.)

I did finish. And I was right—the idle ironman was a huge challenge for me. I was a skinny kid who failed the president’s fitness challenge every single year. I’ve never thought of myself as an athlete. But by challenging myself to do something really hard, I gained confidence and grew stronger. The idle ironman helped me to see myself as an athlete.

What does all this have to do with writing? I wrote Write-A-Thon to help wannabe writers overcome their excuses and write. Doing a write-a-thon will help you write more, gain confidence, and claim the title, “writer.”

If you are a writer who wants to write regularly but don’t think you have the time, talent or tools, I’d like to challenge you to take on a write-a-thon this summer. Doing a write-a-thon will help you turn your writing hobby into a habit. And guess what? The creators of National Novel Writing Month have launched Camp NaNo—occurring this summer in both June and August—so you don’t have to write alone.

Here’s how to write-a-thon:

1. Choose a project. What writing project are you most passionate about finishing right now? While Camp NaNo is all about novel writing (National NOVEL Writing Month), I encourage you to rebel and write anything that strikes your fancy: a nonfiction book, a poem a day, a memoir, or even a graphic novel.

2. Decide on word count. To complete Camp NaNo, you need to write 50,000 words (or more) in either June or August. But I encourage you to rebel here as well. Decide how long you want your project to be. Once you schedule your writing sessions, you will know exactly how much you need to write each day to finish your write-a-thon.

3. Choose a cue. In the new book, The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg describes the habit loop: Cue, Routine, Reward. Wannabe writers tend to depend on inspiration to cue them to write. Unfortunately, inspiration comes most frequently WHILE we are writing and not before.  In order to succeed at the marathon, you will need to choose an external cue to trigger your daily writing practice. In a Write-A-Thon, I encourage writers to choose something pleasant that they already do every day as a cue to write. This could be drinking your morning cup of coffee, walking to the library or local coffee shop in the middle of the afternoon, or changing into your writing clothes at the end of the day.

4. Get rewards. We tend to do the things that provide rewards—whether they are tangible, like a participant t-shirt, or intangible, like the feeling of success. Make a list of daily rewards for the write-a-thon—and make it a habit to reward yourself for writing every day. These rewards might be something as simple as updating your word count on the Camp NaNo site or on a chart that you create, spending a few minutes on social media, or taking a short walk outside. Don’t forget to plan a bigger reward for finishing the marathon.

5. Get support. In the middle of the idle ironman, when finishing seemed insurmountable, I depended on the encouragement and support of my workout buddies at the gym. Often a simple, “How’s it going?” or “Keep at it!” was all I needed to stay motivated. Camp NaNo offers the opportunity for you to find write-a-thon buddies on their site in June and August. Or, invite a friend to share the write-a-thon journey with you and give each other daily support via email, phone, or in person contact.

Here’s my prediction: after you finish your write-a-thon, you will boldly claim, “I’m a writer.” And it will be true—because the write-a-thon will help you create the habit of writing every single day. Happy writing, writers!

Your turn: what helps you write-a-thon?

by Heather E. Schwartz

I feel like I shouldn’t say this. But I’m going to anyway. I find myself really inspired by new writing ideas when I’m supposed to be paying attention to something else. This is most likely to happen during a class or at a lecture or a meeting that takes a turn for the boring or lasts a bit beyond what my attention span can endure. My mind wanders and almost automatically heads in the direction of ideas for my writing. Over the years, this has happened on such a regular basis, I’ve actually considered attending a dull-sounding meeting I don’t belong at just to spark my personal creativity.

Since we’re talking writing prompts here, that’s what I’m proposing you do!

Now, in the interest of promoting responsible and polite behavior, I do have to set a few ground rules here. Don’t try this during:

an important and required class.

a lecture you’ll be tested on or questioned about in any way.

a meeting you’re covering as a reporter for your local newspaper.

And now, the fun part…

Do find an event you can attend that doesn’t require your strict attention. Pick one with a large audience, so your daydreaming won’t be apparent (and possibly rude). Bring a notebook and pen, and blend into the crowd. At first, just listen. Then, let your mind take off on tangents. As the speaker’s voice fades into the background, jot down your ideas. Write scenes and character sketches. Plot out plots. Transcribe conversations. When you lose inspiration, listen some more. See what you come up with when you stop trying to control your mind (by forcing yourself to pay attention) and just let go.

I’d love to know where your creative thoughts take you – and where you go for this exercise!

About the author: Heather E. Schwartz is the editorial director and publisher of Write in the Middle (www.writeinthemiddle.co), a webzine for middle school students about writing and publishing. Since 1994, she has held staff positions at newspapers and national magazines, and she has written hundreds of freelance articles for children’s publications including National Geographic Kids, Discovery Girls, Teen, Guideposts for Kids, Guideposts for Teens, and Girls’ Life. She is the author of more than 25 nonfiction books for children and teens published by Capstone Press, Lucent Books, Tangerine Press (a Scholastic imprint), Lerner Publishing Group, and Teacher Created Materials. In addition, she has developed curriculum and taught workshops for the local affiliate of Girls, Inc. in her community, job coached special education students in her local community, and tutored through Literacy Volunteers.

This month’s Write Now! Mastermind class will be held Wednesday, May 23 at 12:00 noon CDT. My guest this week is my husband, Harold Eppley, who recently published his first novel, Ash Wednesday. You’ll hear about all of the hurdles he had to overcome to find a home for his book. And, if you’re interested in winning a signed copy of his book, do one of the following for a chance to win:

*Comment on the blog.

*Follow the blog

*Tweet about this post!

Today’s article is about a powerful publishing secret: the small publisher.

Happy writing, Rochelle, the Write Now! Coach

The Small Publisher

by Rochelle Melander

When a writer dreams about publishing her book, she often imagines living the book publishing fairy tale: a big agent scoops her up, several editors—all from one of the big six publishing houses—bid on her book, she receives a six-figure advance, and the book is optioned for a feature film by an A-list star.

Admit it. You’ve had that dream, too. It’s hard not to hope for a big house to bless our work, when we see so many tales of success all around us. But I’m here to let you in on a little secret: you might have better success if you publish with a small house.

My husband Harold Eppley, author of the novel Ash Wednesday and our May Write Now! Mastermind Guest, found publishing success with a small, traditional publisher. Most of the books we wrote together were published by small niche houses. And there are benefits to working with a small press. They publish fewer books, so they have more time to commit to editing your work. The marketing and sales departments are often small enough to give you individual attention. Finally, because many small presses have specialties or niches, they may have developed a network for marketing and selling your work.

So where do you find these small houses? Here are five places to find the perfect small publisher for your book.

1. Your bookshelf. Writers who read (and that should be all of you!) can take a look at their bookshelves. Examine the books on your shelf that are most like yours. Who published them? If you’re a poor writer who does not buy many books, visit your local independent bookstore or library and read the shelves. Talk to your local bookseller. They can often tell you about the small presses that publish in your niche and that put out a high quality book.

2. Duotrope.com. According to its website, Duotrope is “an award-winning, free resource for writers of fiction, poetry and nonfiction.” I love this site because it has a large database and a helpful submission tracker.

3. Newpages.com. This site offers a comprehensive list of independent publishers and university presses. It also offers lists of contests, submission requests, conferences, and other opportunities for writers.

4. Professional organizations. My husband finally found his publisher in a listing on the Small Publishers, Artists, and Writers Network (SPAWN.org). I’ve found many helpful listings in resources published by The American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA.org). Many of my colleagues and friends have found publishers by attending writing conferences supported by a professional writing organization like Romance Writers of America or The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Check online for an organization that fits your niche.

5. The usual suspects. No list would be complete without a reference to the biggies! Writer’s Market Guide offers a helpful online market guide for a reasonable fee. They also publish a hard copy, but the online subscription saves paper and provides up-to-date information in a searchable database. The annual publication, The Christian Writer’s Market Guide, is a great resource for writers who want to tackle the spiritual market. In addition, most writing magazines like The Writer, Poets and Writers Magazine, and Writer’s Digest, offer a column on opportunities for submission. Don’t forget to check their online sites as well; they often have regular resources for writers looking for publishers.

Your turn. Where do you look for opportunities to get published? Leave your comment below!

Now that you know where to look, you lost your last excuse for not submitting your manuscript this year! Go forth and conquer.

The words and phrases we use can change how we experience life. When I see my front yard as a field of wishing flowers instead of a mess of weeds, I feel more content with my life. So today, I am going to keep track of my little judgments in my journal. Later today or early tomorrow, I will play with words and bless those judgments with positive or humorous labels. Weeds become wishing flowers. Stacked dirty dishes become the leaning tower of china.

Your turn: Make a list of four or five situations or things in your life that you are critical or judgmental about. Then rename them. Try to find a name that is positive, funny or even ironic. Sit with those names for a few days and monitor your mood: do the new terms shift your mood in any way?

And, if you’re willing, please share your old and new names here.

Today’s article is about how to create an online home.

Happy writing, Rochelle, the Write Now! Coach

Create a Vibrant Home on the Web

by Rochelle Melander

When I speak about social media for writers, they often ask: “Do I need a website?”

My answer is often complicated: Yes and no.

Yes, you need to be online. As a writer, you will need to find some sort of an online home. Whether you want to write books, articles, or business white papers—you need to have a small piece of online real estate. Why? Because your potential clients and readers will look for you online. In today’s market, much of our networking takes place in virtual settings—on social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Pinterest. When we need help with a project, we search for that help on sites like these or through a search engine. The service providers with an online presence rise to the top.

No, you do not need a website. Your online presence can be a LinkedIn profile, a Facebook page, a Twitter profile, or a blog. Each of these online platforms can support your career and capture the attention of potential clients. But know this: your online presence needs to be more than a fancy online business card. Your online home needs to be as interactive and vibrant as you are.

The must have list. No matter what venue you choose as your online home or what color you put up as the background, consider adding these essential features:

*Good content. Your home online needs to provide regular, rotating content. Don’t just put up a pretty picture of you and your book and call it done. Plan to change some content on your homepage frequently—even if it is just a new quote or a silly riddle!

*About. Your site needs to tell visitors who you are, what you write, and what sort of work you are looking for. Tell visitors enough about you so that they know you are legitimate and respected by clients, readers, and others in your field.

*Contact information. Let visitors know how to contact you. Here’s my biggest pet peeve: so many websites, blogs, and social media profiles provide absolutely no contact information. Don’t be the writer who misses the big job because no one can find you!

*Additional resources. Whether you are the author of a book or freelance grant writer, potential readers and clients will often stay connected to you if you provide good complimentary resources. These might include a sample chapter of your book, a podcast interview with you, an audio of a class you taught, examples of articles you have written, and links to resources from others.

*Connect! In addition to providing your own contact information, a good online presence provides a method of staying connected to those who visit your page. This might be a blog people subscribe to or an ezine you send out.

Whew! That’s quite a list, and that’s just the beginning.

Your assignment: If you have an online presence, evaluate it for each of the above categories. What can you do to make it better? If you don’t have an online presence, take the list and start creating one today!

Art Can Be Therapeutic: Writing and Motherhood

by Kate Hopper

In the prologue to her memoir-in-progress, my student Cindy Nerhbass writes how the memories of her daughter’s near death are still palpable. Her daughter, born with Down syndrome and a hole in her heart, almost died in surgery when she was six months old. Fifteen years after the fact, Nerhbass writes, “no hours of therapy, no years passing, no counting of blessings, and no strength of will” can “render [these memories] benign.” She goes on:

My most useful tools, save God’s grace, are pen and paper, the keyboard and screen. Wise teachers have guided, Write about this; write about that. And so, little by little, I must chip away at memory’s fortress with chisels of words and empty spaces. This is the only true way out for a writer, isn’t it? I will write and wait for that transformational healing to begin, for the fog to dissipate and memories to relinquish their hold. Yet, all I can really say is this: My daughter nearly died (and this is the truth), and it changed me forever. Truth again.

At readings and in interviews over the years, I’ve heard writers—specifically writers of creative nonfiction—claim that the process of writing their stories wasn’t therapeutic. I have seen them shake their heads, clearly offended at the suggestion. And I’m always curious about this; my guess is that they think if their writing is tied in any way to “therapy,” it will somehow undercut the work they’ve put into crafting it.

But I believe that you can experience a transformation—a therapeutic transformation—in the writing process and still end up with art.

In his essay “The Fact Behind the Facts,” Philip Gerard says that a memoir is “not simply a scrapbook of memories to brood over or cherish, but a reckoning. That’s the reason to write a memoir: to find out what really happened in your life; to drive toward the fact behind all the other facts, and come to some understanding, however limited, of what it means—and accept that truth.”

If you are truly doing this work of “reckoning,” of diving in and fearlessly searching for the story in the material of your life, it’s impossible for you not to make discoveries and gain perspective on the life you’ve lived. Isn’t that process, at least on some level, therapeutic? Experiencing that does not detract from what an author has carefully crafted.

In every class I’ve taught I’ve had students grappling with the hard stuff—from postpartum depression and feelings of guilt and inadequacy to coming to terms with having a child with special needs to losing a child to illness or an accident. I have witnessed the crafting of beautiful writing from these losses, and I have heard how the process of writing helped these mothers come to terms with their heartbreak.

But writing can do more than help us, as writers, process and come to terms with the hard parts of motherhood and life; it can also change other mothers’ lives. As my students mentioned in the previous chapter, when we read the struggles that other mothers have had, we know we’re not alone in our own struggles, even if our challenges and heartbreaks are different. In the introduction to her anthology Love You to Pieces: Creative Writers on Raising a Child with Special Needs, Suzanne Kamata writes:

I’m the kind of person who looks to literature to make sense of life, so when I learned that my daughter was deaf and had cerebral palsy, I sobbed for a while and then logged onto Amazon.com. I was looking for deep and sustaining stories to guide me on the long path ahead, and while I found many cheery volumes offering hope and inspiration, that wasn’t exactly what I wanted. I needed to know that others had felt the same kind of pain, fear, and anger that I was feeling, and I wanted a better idea of how my daughter’s disability would affect my marriage, my son, my work, and other aspects of our lives. The best novels, short stories, and memoirs can pull us into the lives of their characters and provide a deeper understanding of others, [and] poetry can distill and illuminate moments that longer essays gloss over.

She ends the introduction with this: “…literature eases loneliness and helps us understand and empathize with those unlike ourselves.”

Reading a wide variety of voices and experiences—those of mothers and nonmothers alike—not only makes me a better mother; it makes me a better person. When I can walk in another person’s shoes, my view of the world and its many joys and challenges expands. It makes me more compassionate and less judgmental, gives me an opportunity to connect with other people, regardless of where we came from and what we believe in. Always my hope in teaching and writing is that as mothers and people we can connect with and feel compassion for one another. I think we can, even when we don’t agree.

How has writing the “hard stuff” allowed you to move past it, accept it, or grieve it in a new way?

Kate Hopper is author of Use Your Words: A Writing Guide for Mothers. She will be leading a free mini workshop and discussion at Boswell Book Company on Saturday May 12 from 1-3 p.m. to learn more about her classes and workshops please visit www.katehopper.com.

Our Lady of Sighs

Last Saturday, I was out for a walk when I saw a man struggling with an empty poop bag. Somehow, the bag had ripped, and the man was trying to figure out how to make use of it. I happened to have two poop bags in my pocket, left over from a morning walk with my dogs. I offered them to him. He looked at me in surprise and said, “Wow. Thank you. How great to meet the Guardian Angel of Poop Baggies.” I laughed, happy to have helped.

Since then I’ve wondered if giving myself a few titles might change the way I look at my life. On Sunday, I announced to my kids: “The Goddess of Laundry is ready to receive your offerings. Please deliver all dirty clothes to the basement.” They just stared at me, like I might be losing my mind. On Monday afternoon, as I struggled to create a poem to read to my daughter’s class, I put on my crown (PRO TIP: it’s good to have royal costumes around for emergencies) and called myself, The Princess of Word Play. The poem writing went much better after that. Today, I have a full day of editing ahead. I’m thinking it will go better if I can refer to myself as, The Mistress of Letters and Punctuation, as in: The Mistress of Letters and Punctuation requests that you use the serial comma.

Your turn. Create some titles to use throughout the day. Feel free to pass out titles to your spouse, partner, favorite bookseller, children, pets, friends, and barista! (You get bonus points if you use your title with a stranger!) If you are in the sharing mood, let us know what titles you created. If you need help, Wikipedia has an awesome page on titles.

+follow my blog

+follow me on Twitter

+tweet this post

+link to this post on Facebook or LinkedIn

+Finally, leave a comment on the post telling me what you did.

Good luck! I hope you win!

Oh, and congratulations to the winner of the latest Write Now! Coach contest. T. Shauni Rich (@TShauniRich) won a copy of Writer For Hire by Kelly James Enger. Congrats!

But What Do I Do With Social Media? Five Ways Social Media Can Boost Your Writing Career by Rochelle Melander

This is the first in a series of articles on using social media for writers. The series will help you decide how you want to use social media, discover the best social media platforms for you, develop a social media strategy, and create a system for evaluating your social media strategy. Today’s article talks about five uses for social media platforms.

 “But what do I do once I’m there?” That’s what my clients and students say when I teach social media. Most writers know that they need to use social media to be successful. Still, they are not really sure how social media will help them write better, connect with other writers, and build connections with people who might buy their books.

Social media offers writers access to people, information, ideas, and tools that were previously unavailable to most of us. In the olden days, so to speak, writers who wanted to meet their favorite authors or interview a CEO had to chase them down at conferences or pursue them through traditional channels (e.g., an agent, administrative assistant, or publisher). Thanks to social media, we all stand together on the same platform. But before you start jumping up and down and screaming how great you are on Twitter, think about how you want to use social media. Here are some of the many ways authors and other people use social media successfully. Check the ones that apply to you.

1.         Connect. Social media provides the opportunity for you to connect with colleagues, current clients or customers, potential clients, editors, agents, experts in your field, and so forth. Think about using social media to:

*Connect with others around shared interests.

*Ask questions about or find insights into writing topics.

*Search for resource people for your article, book project, or organization.

*Connect with colleagues, future colleagues, customers, or employers—or the people who will connect you to them.

2.         Monitor your name and brand online. Social media allows you to listen to the conversation online about you and your brand. You get to hear what people are saying about you, your blog, your article, or your book without holding a glass up to the wall!

3.         Research. Social media provides a valuable opportunity to discover the latest information and talk to the most important experts on the topics you write about. Use social media to:

*Understand your market, clients, readers, and customers.

*Keep up with new information and developments in your field.

*Find resources, experts, and information.

*Connect with people to interview for your project.

*Connect with people in your market to do market research.

4.         Build personal loyalty. When agents and editors talk about platform, they are talking about building personal loyalty to you as an author. Social media gives you the opportunity to connect with lots of people and:

*Increase the number of people who know and trust you and will listen to what you have to say.

*Increase the number of people in your networking circle who will recommend you to potential clients or employers.

5.         Provide information, inspiration, and encouragement. The writers who see social media as simply a way to talk about themselves or their book have missed the boat. In order to succeed in the new world of social media, you need to be someone who provides information, inspiration, and encouragement to those you connect with online. Remember:

*Social media gives you the opportunity to inspire and encourage more people than you can reach through your books.

*Social media gives you the opportunity to be a resource for your colleagues, clients or customers and anyone else who is interested in you or your field.

*Helping others by providing information, inspiration and encouragement will increase your value online.

What else? What have I missed? How else do you use social media to boost your writing success? Leave your ideas in the comment section below!

WANT TO USE THIS TIP IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You may, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Write Now! Coach Rochelle Melander is an author, a certified professional coach, and a popular speaker. Write-A-Thon: Write Your Book in 26 Days (And Live to Tell About It) is the 10th book authored by Melander, who teaches professionals how to write fast, get published, establish credibility, and navigate the new world of social media. Get your free subscription to her Write Now! Tips Ezine at http://www.writenowcoach.com and sign up to be a member of her Write Now! Mastermind class for professionals at http://www.writenowmastermind.com

The Write-to-Publish Conference

By Tammie Edington Shaw

WTP Staff

Write-to-Publish is a Christian writer’s conference that has been training writers for almost 40 years. The 2012 conference will be Wednesday, May 30 – Saturday, June 2, at the Billy Graham Center in Wheaton, Illinois.

There are offerings to interest fiction and nonfiction writers, whether you are a beginner or seasoned in your writing journey.

FIRST-TIME ORIENTATION Write-to-Publish always welcomes unpublished writers or those attending their first conference. A first-timers orientation is held early on the first day to provide encouragement and helpful information for a good conference experience.

FACULTY There are over thirty faculty members including editors, agents and freelance writers. This is more than most Christian conferences around the country.

CONTINUING CLASSES This year there will be six continuing classes held each morning of the conference. These are How to Get Published, Foundations of Fiction through Film, Writing Nonfiction Books, Manuscript Makeovers, Using the Internet to Share Your Message, and also a Freelance Career Track for those published book authors and article writers with numerous credits.

OVER 40 WORKSHOPS There are over 40 workshops held during the four days. Some of the workshops offered include Writing Children’s Picture Books, Why Editors and Agents Quit Reading Your Book, What You Need to Know About e-Books, and Working From Home Without Going Crazy.

PANELS A unique and popular feature of the conference is the daily panel of editors who share what they are interested in publishing. These panels include Magazine Editors, Specialty Markets/Self-publishing Editors, and Book Editors and on the last day a panel of freelance writers shares their Secrets of Success. Many new markets are discovered by attendees during these panels, which are held during general sessions.

APPOINTMENTS WITH EDITORS Fifteen minute appointments with editors from book and periodical publishers and agents, within the Christian Market, are also available to all attendees.

CRITIQUE GROUPS Informal critique groups meet Wednesday through Friday after the main evening session. These are led by faculty and include subjects such as fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and daily devotionals.

New to the late evening schedule this year is a session I will be facilitating for bloggers and future bloggers. We will talk about blogging in general, helpful links and resources and a time for sharing of ideas and challenges encountered. For further information and to register go to the conference website, www.writetopublish.com

Tammie Edington Shaw is a writer, Christian, wife of an engineer, sister and an aunt. She has published numerous articles, daily devotionals, a short story and is the co-compiler of the book, Writing So Heaven Will Be Different (WinePress). A former newspaper editor, pubishing house production coordinator and an artists’ rep, Shaw also spends part of my day as a technical associate for a public library. She is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers and is on the staff of the Write-to-Publish Conference. Visit her blog www.tamedingtonshaw.blogspot.com