Author: Elizabeth Spann Craig

by Lois Winston, @anasleuth

Upstairs, the front door slammed with enough force to register a five on the Richter scale.

That’s the first line of Death By Killer Mop Doll, the second book in my Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries. I’m a firm believer in first line hooks. The first sentence of a novel should make the reader want to read the second sentence. The hook doesn’t have to be defined in the first sentence, but that first sentence should lead you into the next. And that one to the next. Until you have a paragraph that becomes a hook that grabs and won’t let go. That first paragraph should do for the first page what the first sentence did for the first paragraph, and the first page should do for the subsequent pages what the first paragraph did for the first page. Finally, those first pages should create a first scene that refuses to let the reader put the book down.

The opening of a book should be filled with interesting action and/or dialogue that intrigues and makes the reader want to continue reading. One of the worst mistakes I see beginner writers making is filling the openings of their books with paragraph after paragraph of back-story and/or description. The opening of a book should suck the reader into the world the author has created. Back-story can come later, trickling in to tease the reader to continue reading more, not as information dumps that pull the reader from the story. A good opening will include only the barest minimum of back-story that is essential for that moment.

As for description, it should be woven into the narrative and dialogue. Nothing bores more than long paragraphs describing everything from the length of the protagonist’s hair to the color of her toenail polish. It pulls the reader from the story. And pulling the reader from the story is a BAD thing. It adversely affects the pacing of the book, and good pacing is something that is important to a well-written novel.

Sometimes the plot and conflict might not be evident in the opening of a book, but there should be enough of a tease within that opening to give the reader an indication of events to come. With the first sentence of Death By Killer Mop Doll, the reader knows something is about to happen.

Dialogue and/or narrative action are usually the best ways for a writer to create this foreshadowing of things to come, but internalization done well will also work as a hook. One technique is to begin your story by throwing the reader right into the middle of a conversation or event.

One of my favorite first sentences of all time is from Kiss an Angel by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. That book’s first sentence is:

Daisy Devreaux had forgotten her bridegroom’s name.
How can anyone not keep reading after that sentence?

Do you have a favorite first sentence? Post a comment, and you could win one of 5 signed copies of Death By Killer Mop Doll I’m giving away as part of my blog tour this month. The full tour schedule can be found at my website, http://www.loiswinston.com, and the Killer Crafts & Crafty Killers blog, http://www.anastasiapollack.blogspot.com. In addition, I’m giving away 3 copies of Death By Killer Mop Doll on Goodreads, http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/15173-death-by-killer-mop-doll
Also, for anyone attending The American Library Association’s Mid-Winter conference January 20-24 in Dallas, Midnight Ink will be raffling off the hand-crafted mop doll shown in the photo during the opening reception Friday evening. Register for the drawing at the Midnight Ink booth #1459.

Lois Winston is the author of the critically acclaimed Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries published by Midnight Ink. Assault With a Deadly Glue Gun, the first book in the series, received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist. The new year brings with it the release of Death By Killer Mop Doll, the second book in the series. Read an excerpt at http://www.loiswinston.com/excerptap2.html. Visit Lois at her website: http://www.loiswinston.com and Anastasia at the Killer Crafts & Crafty Killers blog: http://www.anastasiapollack.blogspot.com. You can also follow Lois and Anastasia on Twitter @anasleuth.

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

I don’t watch much television, but I’ve always been interested in bios and documentaries on writers, musicians, and visual and performance artists.

So I was watching, with interest, a show called Metal Evolution on a music cable station (I know…but I was in high school when metal was big. :) ) Metallica had been a thrash band before coming out with the Black Album which had a more commercial, radio-friendly sound. It made a lot of their fans upset. But it brought them a lot of new fans…and some of those new fans became interested in metal because of it.

Ozzy Osbourne’s picture used to scare me to death as a kid in the 70s. The other kids in my elementary school would whisper about various gross things he’d done at concerts. He looked like the kind of monster I’d worry was in my closet at night. Then, in the late-80s, Ozzy had a chart-topping hit, Close My Eyes Forever, a ballad. Did it mean that I checked out more of Ozzy’s music after that? Sure it did. Were his fans upset that he’d sold out? Absolutely.

There are many examples of singers and songwriters who have wanted to explore new areas with their art (sometimes for commercial reasons, sometimes just to keep challenged.) Sometimes it works out and the artist has a crossover hit. Sometimes, it just doesn’t work at all.

The problem for recording artists is that they can’t (well, I guess they could, but it would be harder) record something completely different from their norm and have it be an anonymous effort. Their image is too closely woven into promo. They have to just put it out there and wait and see what their fan reaction turns out to be.

Not so for writers.

A writer who wants to try something completely different and expand a little? It’s easy. You just choose another name, create another online identity and promote under it. Maybe you want to write something more commercial. Maybe something more literary. Maybe you’ve gotten bored with what you’re writing and want more of a challenge. If you wanted, you could publish something fairly anonymously.

There are a few different ways for a published writer to approach a change of genre:

Pen name—This is least risky, I think.

For instance, right now I’ve got six cozy mysteries for sale and one upcoming release in June. They’re all the same subgenre of mystery. I’ve got the same type of style and voice, similar settings, and the same kind of humor in the books. What if I suddenly started writing science fiction under the same name? It would be tempting to write it under the name that’s better-known, that has a platform and some reader recognition. But then, unsuspecting readers who wanted more of the same could be disappointed…and might even think twice about buying new books from me again, if they feel they wasted their money or felt duped in some way. That’s because I’ve established a whole platform based around this particular type of book.

Write the new material under the same name: Some writers have decided to write their new genre under the same name, looking at it as an opportunity to bring some readers with them to a new genre. Or possibly to create a crossover book that will work for old readers as well as attract new ones.

Use a pen name, but associate the pen name with the author’s real name: Another option is to write the new material under a pen name, but attempt to link the pen name with the author’s real name. This wouldn’t dupe old readers into reading it, but they would still probably discover that you were writing something different—then they could choose to read it if they wanted to. You could have a Facebook page, for instance, that’s set up like this: “John Smith (Joe Roberts)”.”

The nice thing is that we have a choice. We don’t have to feel boxed into our genre. We can try new things—whether it’s under another name or not.

What would you do if you wanted to change genres as a writer? Hope your readers embraced your new genre? Write under a pen name and start off from scratch with your platform building?

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

For the last few weeks, I’ve been following a thread of posts with interest.

Roni Loren had a post on January 2, referencing a Dear Author post entitled “Is There Room on the Internet for Authorial Interaction?”

The Dear Author post referenced instances where writers had responded to reader criticisms in a post—and these weren’t the really defensive reactions that we’ve seen in the past, either. It was more of the author explaining her position on different characters, the book ending, etc. Although the post mentioned that sometimes this can really illuminate a discussion on a book, it also had the potential for trouble. Authors listed ways that kind of interaction could go wrong—especially that it could make the author look argumentative.

Another part of the post, was also critical of authors who thanked reviewers for reviews. This is where I really paid attention. Meljean Brook was quoted in the post as saying:

In general — unless the reviewer has notified the author directly about the presence of a review and invites a reply — I think that it’s best not to comment at all. We all know that many authors are online, seeking reviews of their work and looking in on discussions; there’s no need to tap the readers on the shoulder and say, “Hey, I’m here,” because it’s likely to have a chilling effect…and for good or bad, the best thing for an author is for readers to talk about her book. Why shut that down?

Roni Loren made me smile when she said:

Now, I’m southern. I say thank you for EVERYTHING. It’s like a reflex. To think that my thank you may make someone uncomfortable kind of took me aback. When I say thank you, it’s simply because I’m appreciative that the person took the time to read my book and to comment on it publicly (which is press–regardless of the content of the review.)

I’m Southern, too, and good manners have been ingrained in me long ago. When reviews of any kind–good or even lukewarm–came up in my Google Reader in the past, I thought about the potential ramifications…then I went ahead and politely made a comment on the blog, thanking the blogger for reading my book (and sometimes for the review…but mostly just for taking the time to read the mystery.) It didn’t seem polite not to acknowledge the review. We authors aren’t in ivory towers, after all. If the reviewer wasn’t wild about the book, I just ignored that fact and still thanked her for reading the mystery.

But then, Roni had a guest post from writer and forum reader Amber Skye which made some excellent points. Excellent enough for me to completely change the way I treat reviews. I recommend that you read the whole post, but here’s the gist:

Amber Skye’s points:

Reviews are for readers. When authors respond to reviews, it can be disconcerting for readers on a variety of levels. When an author comments on a review that might have negative elements to it, the author’s comment might unintentionally come across as passive-aggressive or hurt.

A book is a product and consumers have a right to either praise, complain about, or even disagree on, the worth of the product.

The primary way that authors should interact with readers is through their books. Write more books and provide your readers with more stories if you really want to effectively communicate with readers.

Keeping this in mind, I came up with a new policy for my own interaction with reviewers online:

If I really, really feel the urge to be polite, I’ll email the blogger directly.

If the blogger shares the review on my Facebook wall (which sometimes happens), I’ll comment on that Facebook post (but not on the blog post).

If the blogger and I have set up a special interview/post/review type promo thing, I’ll of course thank the blogger in my interview or post for reading the book (regardless of the review and whether it was positive or negative). That’s a different type of set-up…pre-planned promo.

If the blogger invites me to comment on a review, then I probably will…with caution.

If I’m invited to take part in a book chat online or a book club talk, I’ll do it but be especially careful to be very neutral during the discussion.

There’s part of me that still really wants to say thanks for reviews…but after reading some very valid reasons not to pop in uninvited on review sites, I think I’m just going to keep my distance.

How about you? What are your thoughts on author intrusion in the reader community?

Below are the writing-related links I tweeted last week.

The Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine, designed by software engineer and writer Mike Fleming, makes all these links (now over 12,000) searchable.

Sign up for the free monthly WKB newsletter for the web’s best links and interviews:http://bit.ly/gx7hg1 .

Creativity and dreaming: http://bit.ly/uvm9iL @FreeTheGenieNow #writing

The rules of a creator’s life: http://bit.ly/u2lEjK @tannerc #writing

Moms, Writing, and Guilt: Do You Get In Your Own Way? http://bit.ly/swKGkI @AmySueNathan #writing

Tips for using similes and metaphors: http://bit.ly/uVYV9u @Artzicarol #writetip

Why Traditional Marketing Doesn’t Sell Books: http://bit.ly/rZXY2h @KristenLambTX #writing

Indie Authors Turn Focus To Quality: http://bit.ly/udbS3a @jenniecoughlin #writing

Writing Quickly: A Secret Strategy: http://bit.ly/tNX7L5 @Ava_Jae #writetip

How to Incorporate Backstory That Hooks The Reader: http://bit.ly/vCvZut @lkblackburne #writetip

Old contracts are being dusted off and language scrutinized: http://bit.ly/s6fXCm @PassiveVoiceBlg

Evoking a sense of wonder in readers: http://bit.ly/uMGGj4 @mlmjr1 for @HP4Writers #writing

Why the printed word matters more than ever: http://bit.ly/s3JwUy @creativitypost

7 Ways to Fake It at Book Club: http://bit.ly/sZk3Et @readingape

Knowing your sources as a writer: http://bit.ly/vw4oIe @greyhausagency #writing

Simplify Your New Year’s Resolution Process: Reflect, Select, Remove: http://bit.ly/vm84s7 @jkglei #writing

Oxford Comma Debates & Freelance Editorial Rates: http://bit.ly/sLNB12 @galleycat #writing

Writers: play both the long and the short game: http://bit.ly/tGUZSa @LAGilman #writing

2012 Digital Perspectives: The Bookseller and Librarian: http://bit.ly/vJF7KU @danielsm1 #writing

An author’s take on typical New Year Resolutions: http://bit.ly/rHoVR1 @SarahMAnderson1 #writing

3 Ways to Get Out of a Writing Slump: http://bit.ly/sRHitP @jannhill for @writeitsideways #writetip

Stop playing to the house. Just write what you want to write: http://bit.ly/v20N2B @sarahahoyt #writing

Your Clutter Is Killing Your Creativity (And What to Do About It): http://bit.ly/tZutOf @jeffgoins #writetip

What Bad Movies Teach us About Good #Writing: http://bit.ly/vXC2uP @Jenpens2

Post-Christmas Grind: Getting Back into Your Writing Routine: http://bit.ly/umLZYE @icypop #writing

Defining character archetypes: http://bit.ly/vg6okB @writersdigest #writetip

Turning Those Writing Resolutions into Reality: http://bit.ly/rU65k6 @diymfa #writetip

Have email address, will abuse: http://bit.ly/scoSf5 @behlerpublish #writing

E-Books and Life Without Guilt: http://bit.ly/ssQ8Va @PassiveVoiceBlg

Letter to a young emerging creative who thinks she wants to blog: http://bit.ly/vQlevQ @justinemusk #writing

Tips for #writing with kids in the house: http://bit.ly/tMvoTV @Autumn2May

To Prologue Or Not To Prologue – That Is The Question: http://bit.ly/sZuxi4 @greyhausagency #writing

Improve your odds of sticking to your #writing resolutions: http://bit.ly/veKAZp @CAMorganti

Is Indie the New Black? http://bit.ly/tMKwuR @indiekindle #writing

How Renaissance People Think: http://bit.ly/w0C2b1 @sbkaufman #writing

2012 Publishing Predictions: http://bit.ly/rPbZZy @ThomasUmstattd #writing

Creative writers can be difficult to detect during job interviews: http://bit.ly/tzbCZh @MaryWWalters @PassiveVoiceBlg #writing

How much should an ebook cost? http://bit.ly/w16i7G @ThisIsSethsBlog #epub

Real life diagnosis of a book’s beginning: http://bit.ly/v5H1H6 @Janice_Hardy #writing

Creativity and Wasting Time: http://bit.ly/rRHJiB @on_creativity #writing

The great ebook price swindle: http://bit.ly/vRRjq3 @dangillmor for @GuardianBooks #epub

12 Essential Tips for Revitalising Your Blog in 2012: http://bit.ly/spAp8V @GregoryCiotti #promotip

Goals and failures: http://bit.ly/t3kh8U @deanwesleysmith #writing

Why You Shouldn’t Bother with Writing Resolutions this New Year: http://bit.ly/vqjAuL @jeffgoins #writing

40 Synonyms for “Lie”: http://bit.ly/vnFMzb @writing_tips #writing

1 good #writing resolution–to be disciplined with our grammar & punctuation: http://bit.ly/uGXZ80 @JeanReynolds

Writing: To Carry On: http://bit.ly/uaEE7A @TracyLStrauss for @BTMargins #writing

Tips for book bloggers for interviewing authors: http://bit.ly/ryVVYr @GoblinWriter

Why 1 writer won’t call herself an author: http://bit.ly/sOOamI @amberwest #writing

The Stages of Indie Publishing: http://bit.ly/vlrXTG @JoannaWeiss for @BTMargins

Using Game Worlds in #Writing: http://bit.ly/tvg0WH @thomasaknight

The Uncommon Truth About Marketing Your Books: http://bit.ly/sSwNs5 @skellie #writing

Use Plot Motivators to Move Your Fiction: http://bit.ly/uomZel @SteveMettee #writetip

5 Clever Tactics to Get More eBook Sales Per Reader: http://bit.ly/rymH7c @skellie #epub

What to do Before Your Book Debuts (Part 1): http://bit.ly/tfp6mm & 2: http://bit.ly/vD3bVi @randysusanmeyer #promotip

Spring Cleaning in January: http://bit.ly/ui98yt #writing

Time Management for the Organizationally Challenged: http://bit.ly/rw5fVP @Kathy_Crowley #writing

The Importance of Having Your Work Torn Apart By Strangers: http://bit.ly/shYofK @skellie #writing

7 Best Practices for Building an Online Presence: http://bit.ly/tJnkOE @ChuckSambuchino #writing

Getting Your Self-Published Book into the Library, Tips from a Librarian: http://bit.ly/sjd4vw @readingreality @GoblinWriter #writing

4 targets 1 writer is aiming for in 2012: http://bit.ly/sbKndL #writing

Predictions for Amazon and Apple for 2012: http://bit.ly/uCreQg @passivevoiceblg #writing

Christian Publishers Anticipate Global Growth in 2012: http://bit.ly/ubZsYn @EdNawotka #writing

Your Name is Your Brand: http://bit.ly/vZnWUW @JordynRedwood #writing

Thinking Like a Writer: http://bit.ly/spCK2z #writing

Gentle Resolutions for a Writer: http://bit.ly/s6zONA @starla_kaye #writing

How-to: Add Public Domain Books to Kindle: http://bit.ly/unvoT0 #writing

Consider teaching #writing: http://bit.ly/s890YY @wordsbywebb

Mastering theme in storytelling: http://bit.ly/s1Gj0h @storyfix @rebeccaberto #writetip

Authors Interacting With Readers Online – Some Things to Think About: http://bit.ly/uMjU1g @roniloren #writing

Why Setting Writing Goals for 2012 Isn’t Enough: http://bit.ly/uJQkzw @writeitsideways #writing

The Three T’s – Tools, Techniques & Time: http://bit.ly/uS2zaj #writing

The Most Important Character Archetype: http://bit.ly/uYim4P @write_practice #writetip

6 Small Changes To Help You Reach Your Writing Goals: http://bit.ly/svFKCc @KrissyBrady #writing

7 Ways Meditation Increases Creativity: http://bit.ly/w0sznw @JaneFriedman #writetip

Reevaluating Your #Writing Process: http://bit.ly/w17fyO @janice_hardy

Taxes and Record Keeping for Writers: http://bit.ly/syQm42 @StarlaCriser

New Year’s Resolutions for Writers: http://bit.ly/spaXcU @cjredwine #writing

A tool to help you hit a 750 word goal each day: http://750words.com/ #writetip

Conquering Our Inner Demons: http://bit.ly/ummNqE #writing

A review of some voice recognition software for writers: http://bit.ly/swy0iD @spunkonastick #writing

Crime fiction: when lingering questions about a case spur investigations: http://bit.ly/rU0nQY @mkinberg #writing

Pitch Prep: How to Write a Pitch: http://bit.ly/wZyt1Y @jamigold #writetip

Apple to launch new Self-Publishing Program later this month: http://bit.ly/w8XUlc @PassiveVoiceBlg #epub

How to Make a Boring Character Interesting: http://bit.ly/zF8R8O #writetip

Reboot your writing brain after a break: http://bit.ly/zUldM0 @dirtywhitecandy #writing

Unexpected Things Make Good Scene Endings: http://bit.ly/xmcrvx @sierragodfrey #writing

Switching senses: http://bit.ly/x6ueKU @TheresaStevens #writetip

Where To Begin Your Story: http://bit.ly/yk5kAF @ollinmorales #writing

The 25 Tip Guide to Boosting Blog Traffic: http://bit.ly/AskNDw @writertank #promotip

Goal setting–making it specific: http://bit.ly/wpjl18 @bob_mayer #writing

Emotional Development of Characters: http://bit.ly/zzZKnt @becca_leone #writing

How to Format Captions: http://bit.ly/yoZdGy @writing_tips #writing

Writing realistically about pregnancy: http://bit.ly/wllHwe @JulietteWade #writing

A writer’s greatest tool: http://bit.ly/AFdIDR #writing

Sparking Ideas for a Short Story: http://bit.ly/wwQe6B @ASiCat #writing

What Will Writers Need in 2012 to Survive & Succeed? http://bit.ly/ADg9kj @jodyhedlund #writing

Internal Dialogue: http://bit.ly/wiimyr @lisagailgreen #writetip

How Do You Know If Your Agent Is Any Good? http://bit.ly/A7RErJ @JaneFriedman #writing

4 tips for being more productive as a writer: http://bit.ly/xubvpb @Shawntelle for @Janice_Hardy #writing

40 Questions to Test Your Manuscript: http://bit.ly/ynA9Fl @4kidlit #writetip

Writing lessons learned from “The Help”: http://bit.ly/yy4jGQ @JulieMusil #writetip

Evernote – The Application That Becomes an Obsession: http://bit.ly/z32AU6 @PassiveVoiceBlg #writing

Does Your Writing Lack the Conviction It Deserves? http://bit.ly/wWV8LZ #JeffGoins #writing

What Would Your Characters’ Resolutions Be? http://bit.ly/zFvhIi @AmySueNathan #writing

Writing Category Romance Doesn’t Mean Skimping on Depth: http://bit.ly/zYSINO @greyhausagency #writing

5 Reasons YOU Need to Link to Other Blogs: http://bit.ly/y4Rt98 @writertank #promotip

The Indie Author’s Guide to Sandy Beaches: http://bit.ly/A5dKFG @TweetTheBook #epub

10 unusual things about writers: http://bit.ly/yAE1GQ @jhansenwrites #writing

J.K. Rowling’s Writing Process in Her Own Words: http://bit.ly/xG9oVZ @shelleysouza for @HP4Writers #writing

A voice recognition tool for writers: http://bit.ly/z3UZRs #writetip

How to Build a Blog Editorial Calendar Even If You Don’t Know Where to Start: http://bit.ly/A3R0BA @pushingsocial #promotip

Editor/Agent Etiquette: http://bit.ly/w2xOYK @bookendsjessica #writing

Your author blog or website: http://bit.ly/zn9q1W @theresa_stevens #writing

Why you should battle the proofreading ogre and how to manage the war: http://bit.ly/w5fhiZ

3 Words You Should Eliminate from Your Writing: http://bit.ly/wFlzkj @MenwithPens #writing

Why You Should Sell Ebooks at Your Own Site: http://bit.ly/z98I9H @PYOEbooks #epub

Indies battle Amazon — by becoming publishers: http://bit.ly/AcjDMu @Salon #publishing

10 Ways to Harness Fear and Fuel Your Writing: http://bit.ly/w5UjIF @sagecohen for @writersdigest #writetip

Editor-writer disagreements during revisions: http://bit.ly/y8b61Y @behlerpublish #writing

Plotting–the peak and the fall: http://bit.ly/xji7Pn @sarahahoyt #writing

The Road to Digital Publication – Part I: Conversion tips & extra pages: http://bit.ly/zY7yRA #epub

What Makes a Great First Page? http://bit.ly/x8pUBh @JamiGold #writetip

Top industry news: B&N, publishers striking back, libraries, piracy, agents, more: http://bit.ly/yZzcd5 @Porter_Anderson for @JaneFriedman

A behind-the-scenes look at what goes into setting up a #writing conference: http://bit.ly/xaypCf @bookemnc @bookemdonna

1 writer’s thoughts on follows and follow backs on Twitter: http://bit.ly/xqfuOu @authorterryo

How 1 writer’s playlist informed the outward journey & inward arc of his character: http://bit.ly/yz8fsw @MatthewDicks for @byRozMorris

#Writing on the Ether’s @Porter_Anderson features @m_delamerced @brianoleary @dbasch @glecharles @jaelmchenry http://bit.ly/yZzcd5 #epub

Tips for getting the most from your #writing: http://bit.ly/wBxrwP @DIYMFA

Make Your Own Book Trailer: http://bit.ly/wdJnQT #promotip

3 Signs Of A Publishing Scam: http://bit.ly/zsNroF @AuthorMedia #writing

What your character doesn’t know can hurt him/her (in dialogue and internalization): http://bit.ly/wGBxwl @JulietteWade #writetip

The Writer’s Diet–How to Balance With #Writing, Food and Exercise: http://bit.ly/AdaDGB

Drawing the Line Between Skill and Trickery in #Writing: http://bit.ly/AcADRJ @jenniecoughlin

Definition of a poetry chapbook: http://bit.ly/znkNMw @BrianKlems #writing

What To Do When You Don’t Have A Clue Where To Go Next: http://bit.ly/wgzajE @OllinMorales #writing

Email List Building the Lazy Way: http://bit.ly/zqEQWS @chrisbrogan #promotip

3 tips for staying abreast of your #writing goals this year: http://bit.ly/yR8HOb @christi_craig

An agent says: It’s Your First Book – Don’t Expect Miracles: http://bit.ly/zYPEJe @greyhausagency #writing

3 Things Die Hard Can Teach us About Seamless Plotting: http://bit.ly/zjzOUk @Janice_Hardy #writing

7 Advantages Barnes & Noble Has in the Bookseller Wars: http://bit.ly/yoDz4Q @JDGsaid #writing

Critiquers: the builders and the wreckers: http://bit.ly/zIQqb8 @SarahAHoyt #writing

Navigating the Authorial Landmine of Reader Forums: http://bit.ly/woTKip @a_skye for @roniloren #writing

The digital future still is a mystery if you don’t publish “immersive reading”: http://bit.ly/x1VIFo @MikeShatzkin #writing

The Road to Success Part 1–What Kind of Author are You? http://bit.ly/x0lM8t @KristenLambTX #writing

5 ways Twitter can make you a better writer: http://bit.ly/x5Zbyd @catseyewriter #writing

Engage Readers Through Character Reaction: http://bit.ly/ycsIiI @noveleditor #writetip

Why It’s Easier to Love Straightforward Fiction: http://bit.ly/y1uXCZ @LadyGlamis #writing

What Not To Do At A Conference: http://bit.ly/yj26Bp @HeatherMcCorkle #writing

No excuses: http://bit.ly/wm9p1s @tannerc #writing

Addicted to Piracy? http://bit.ly/wrJrE8 @danielsm1 @thefuturebook #epub

The Most Neglected #Writing Tip: http://bit.ly/yoNOej @jeffgoins

Edit in an Instant? Ain’t Gonna Happen: http://bit.ly/iTZfJA @NovelEditor

Thoughts On Choosing Point Of View: http://bit.ly/xcOTOS @BryanThomasS #writing

by p.m. terrell, @BookEmNC

I’ve wondered lately why I’ve had no time to blog. Then the reason occurred to me: I’m organizing a Writer’s Conference and Book Fair.

The Book ‘Em conference scheduled for February 25, 2012 is the tenth one and the first to be held in Lumberton, North Carolina. It’s shaping up to be our largest, most successful one to date. And that isn’t by accident. It’s the result of hundreds of hours by dozens of volunteers.

Laying the Groundwork: I began lining up community support several years ago for Book ‘Em North Carolina, an event to raise funds for literacy programs in Robeson County. We gathered support from the City of Lumberton (always important to get local leaders involved), the Lumberton Area Visitors Bureau (instrumental for publicity efforts), area businesses (sponsorships), civic groups (volunteers), schools (school-age attendance and volunteers with boundless energy), non-profits (to whom the literacy funds will go), among others. When we were offered Robeson Community College for the location, we were ready to get started.

Lining Up the Authors: We began contacting authors in March 2011. Two librarians, Katie Huneycutt and Lisa Matthews, helped me email authors and post blogs to raise awareness of the Book ‘Em event. Thanks to Katie, we lined up two New York Times best-selling authors as headliners: Carla Neggers and Michael Palmer (necessary to attract large crowds). I developed our website, posting every author’s picture, bio and links as they registered. Over time, I added dozens of informational pages.

Sponsorships: We solicited businesses for sponsorships, instrumental for promoting and marketing the event. We lined up pillars of the community, including University of North Carolina, Southeastern Regional Medical Center, BB&T and a host of businesses who donated $250 to $2,000 apiece. We secured grants from the Lumberton Area Visitor’s Center to cover promotional efforts and Kiwanis Club of Lumberton, who provided money to buy children’s books to give away.

Publicity: We began periodic press releases in the spring, which were picked up by mainstream and Internet media. We obtained media sponsors, including Lumberton Magazine and Robeson Living Magazine, and have been working steadily with newspapers, television and radio stations. We secured billboards around the state, which will roll out after the holidays. Our big promotional campaign begins January 2. Brochures are in all the NC Welcome Centers on I-95 and with local businesses; flyers will be distributed with all Lumberton utility bills; and our full Talks Schedule will be published in the January edition of Lumberton Magazine.

Logistics: The conference and book fair features more than 75 authors selling and signing their books, which means we must have tables and adequate space not only for the authors but for traffic flow. We’ve divided two buildings into fiction, non-fiction, young adult and a special Children’s Corner, meticulously measuring hallways and classrooms. We will have five sets of talks going on simultaneously: five publishers have joined us for the Writer’s Conference, and there will be panel discussions and solo talks for every genre – plus readings for small children. Each talk requires a moderator; each hallway and conference room requires a Team Captain and host of volunteers. There will be an Author’s Lounge and the college cafeteria will be open for attendees, requiring a Food Committee. We’ll have greeters, music in the cafeteria, events in the Children’s Corner, raffle tickets, and centralized cash registers, each requiring a team of volunteers.

Contests: We kicked off short story contests throughout the Robeson County Public School System and Robeson Community College. Entries will be judged by faculty and finalists will be decided by published authors. Winners will be announced at Book ‘Em.

Afterward: When the event is over, our work is not: we’ll clean up the space used, reconcile all the funds received, pay authors and publishers their portion of the book sales, award the non-profits funding for literacy efforts, and donate remaining books to literacy groups.

Then we start the whole process over.

Book ‘Em North Carolina will be held on the last Saturday of each February in Lumberton, NC. The event is FREE and open to the public; doors open at 9:30 am on February 25, 2012. A portion of every book sale will be donated to the Dolly Parton Imagination Library of Robeson County, Communities In Schools, and Friends of the Robeson County Public Library for literacy campaigns for all ages. The Book ‘Em Foundation was founded by author p.m.terrell, who wrote this blog, and Police Officer Mark Kearney, to raise awareness of the link between high crime rates and high illiteracy rates.

Thanks, p.m.! I’m going to be at the Book ‘Em, North Carolina conference, too—along with L. Diane Wolfe and Alex Cavanaugh. If you’re in the area, hope you’ll drop by. :) ~~Elizabeth