Ever thought about submitting to an e-publisher?  For me, the idea swirls in my mind at regular intervals. Then the terror sets in because I have a lot of questions regarding the e-publishing world.  Lucky for us, Carina Press author Julie Wachowski is here to help.

 Welcome, Julie!

On Being an eBook author

My daughter went to music camp this summer. We went to pick her up last week and she gave us a quick tour. One of her favorite spots was the Instrument Museum.

Without a word, the docent wandered over to a black shoebox sporting two silver poles.

His hands hovered in the air in front of the poles—one low, one high. One moving left to right. One rising and falling like a conductor in front of the orchestra. His hands never touched the poles.

Sounds began to flow. Magic. His hands stirred music from the air.

The people in the museum crowded around.

“What is that?” “How’s he doing that?” “Where’s the music coming from?”

The docent smiled. The answer: it’s always there.

Music is in the air, vibrating between us. Music is part of what it means to be human. We sing and whistle. We pick up coconuts, or sticks, or the saw blade we just finished using to build our house, and we make music.

Stories are like that, too. They hover in the air around us. All the time.

Stories appear when we huddle around the dinner table or call each other on the phone. When we scratch on the stone wall or write on parchment. And when we type our words into the energy of binary electrons and beam them into “the Cloud,” that web of connection hovering in air like the music of a theremin.

Publishing an ebook is different, but the same.

I have a degree in education. My training stressed the idea that each teaching tool has a place, something it does well, or not as well. And there is no single perfect tool.

If you don’t have an overhead projector, try chalk on the board. No chalk? Scratch in the dirt with a stick. You gain and lose things with each different tool. Chalk is easier for a crowd to see than a stick in the dirt, but that can be an advantage too. If it’s 1830 and you’re a slave who isn’t allowed to learn how to read, or a girl in Afganistan right now, letters drawn in the dirt with a stick are just right.

Same idea applies to the tools for storytelling. There are advantages and disadvantages to every tool.

Thousands of years ago, Plato railed against the use of parchment scrolls. He said they would ruin our ability to remember long story poems. He was probably right. But one person can memorize maybe one, or two, of the loooong poems Plato liked. With the stories written down on parchment, a person might read a new one every night. The individual’s memory becomes a shared memory stored on paper.

Jump ahead in time.

In the last century, the world bemoaned the introduction of mass produced paperbacks. Paperbacks were dangerous, a tragedy of economy. People said they’d ruin publishing, writing, and even the reading experience.

Did paperbacks change the way we consume books? Yes. Absolutely. The idea of a “keeper” book didn’t exist before books were so inexpensively common we could give them away. We have so many stories available now, we can never read them all.

That hasn’t always been true. At the time our nation was founded, it was possible to read every single book in print. Imagine that! Not anymore. Now we have whole systems designed to help us sort the huge selection available. Bestseller lists and prizes and newspaper sections devoted solely to reviewing books, helping people choose what to read.

Did the paperback boom ruin storytelling? Nope. Still going strong, thanks.

Electronic publishing has created another jump in the quantity of available shared memory—an even bigger paperback library. Sticks, to chalk, to pencils, to overhead projectors, ebooks are just another tool for sharing stories with advantages and disadvantages.

Will storytelling change because of ebooks?

Of course! Electronic memory increases capacity, the same way parchment and paperbacks did. Voices that weren’t given access before (“can’t sell that” “no market for that”) have wider opportunities. And, I think, the medium itself will foster creative changes. Just as pulp fiction, genre fiction, and graphic novels exploded because of the ease of printing paperbacks.

Ebooks ten years from now may have embedded video, or photos, or commentary by readers. They may be written in groups, like ghost stories told around the campfire. Who knows? It’s a very exciting thought though!

E-books are the future of the industry.

Recently, I had the opportunity to hear Sara Paretsky, author of the wonderful V.I. Warshawski mysteries, speak about the changing publishing industry. When her career began about twenty-five years ago, there were over forty mainstream publishers she might send a book to—now there are seven. I’ve heard some industry experts predicting there will be four major publishers when the current market contraction finally stabilizes.

How we read—whether it’s our newspapers or our fiction—is being altered by technology. 100 years ago, the post office stopped delivering twice a day because of the telephone. Now we check email and text ten times a day. (Well, some of us do.) The world turns. Things change.

At the end of July, Amazon reported selling nearly 2-to-1 ebooks to hardback books.  Millions of reader devices have been sold already, not including the iPad. You can carry entire libraries in your purse. (Plato would be appalled! We don’t have to remember anything anymore—we just need 3G access and wiki.)

The announcement of Carina Press, an all-electronic publisher for all types of fiction, immediately interested me. As an off-shoot of Harlequin, the biggest guerilla out there in the genre marketplace, they have some real advantages. Compared to the other major publishers, Harlequin is ahead of the curve on marketing/retailing e-books. They already have a significant online presence. They’ve created social media connections via Facebook & Twitter and online communities that connect to readers all over the world. These people are social media beasts.

I’d had the chance to meet Malle Vallik, the woman in charge of Carina, at a writing conference. She struck me as really smart, with a great sense for story. Knowing she would be in charge made the decision to submit my manuscript easy.

Practicalities: Editing, royalties & social media

This is my first book to go through the editing process so, I can’t compare my experience to a print production process directly. Compared to my author-friends’, my final deadline was closer to my actual release date. I also had a bit more back-and-forth of drafts with my editor (Melissa Johnson, Her Awesomeness) and the copy editor. Proficiency in Word’s “track changes” feature was key. Get to know your editing software!

Royalties for ebooks can vary hugely, depending on the publisher. Smaller houses seem to offer  larger percentages—I’ve heard as high as 50%. Larger publishers will offer smaller percentages—but those will still be more than the traditional print royalty of less than ten percent. Carina’s contract offers 15% on most sales and more for the books purchased directly through their website. The thing I appreciate most is that the books are always available. You don’t need to have a re-print in order to make money—your book is always out there waiting for a reader.  

Publishing virtual books does require you interact in the virtual world. You aren’t going to sign books in a store—you visit author blogs instead. And send your book to websites for online reviews. And post messages on Facebook and Twitter. But those venues for marketing will change. Maybe next year! The electronic world requires you continue to learn, adapt, upgrade to the latest version.

On the positive side, as an ebook author you have lots of access to marketing your story—but that means work. Blog posts to write. Emails to answer.  There is give-and- take to participating in online communities—you need to share things that are valuable, not just comment on the weather and if your cat is sleeping. Balancing the sales & marketing part with the actual writing portion can be tough. I still haven’t gotten the balance quite right—maybe on my next book!

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RU Crew, what experiences have you had with e-publishing?  We’d love to hear from you.

Thank you to Julie for being here today.  RU Crew, be sure to join us on Monday when our own Carrie Spencer offers the first installment of WordPress for Non-Techies.  If you want to start your own blog, this is a must-see lecture.

Julie’s Bio: J. Wachowski is a writer. This means she’s had lots of other jobs: teacher, children’s librarian, television producer, newspaper reporter and actress.

She lives in the Midwest, where the winters build character, with her family who are all characters.

But you can find her now and then, lurking around http://www.jwachowski.com/

Good morning and welcome to Anatomy of the Male Mind where we never shy away from hot topics. Today, our visiting professor, radio show host Bruce Sallan, will delve into the state of gender affairs.

 Welcome, Bruce!

There’s no question that technology changes faster than most of us yuppies and boomers can handle.  I don’t know what the current number of years for technology “generations” is, but I do know that if you have children five or more years apart in age, they will each use technology differently.  I’ve observed my own two boys, just three years apart, using social media/smart phones each in his own distinct way. My younger son relies almost exclusively on texting, while my older son actually occasionally talks on his cell-phone.

Things may not move quite this fast with our gender “state of affairs” but I assert that we are now experiencing changes in our gender roles much faster than at any other time in human history.  While I’m part of the sixties generation where we believed we re-invented everything, from sex to politics, established that anyone over 30 didn’t know anything, changed college life forever, was the first generation to have the pill, and the first to topple a presidency and end a war by withdrawal, we still have our own adjustments to these gender changes.

Title IX did not exist.  Anita Hill hadn’t happened and the term “sexual harassment” sounded to us flower children like a come-on line.  Women senators, governors, and CEOs were far from commonplace, and the notion of a male secretary or a female firefighter was unheard of.  Divorce was still stigmatized, shame existed as a consequence of poor behavior, reality TV meant Walter Cronkite, seeing a movie was only possible in a theatre, and phones had wires and rotary dials. 

Today, naturally, things are quite different.  The Pew Center released a study on January 19, 2010, called “The New Economics of Marriage: The Rise of Wives,” which revealed how dramatic some of these gender changes have been in the past 40 years. This study mostly discussed marriage and income, changes in who worked and stayed home, gender educational levels reached, and other marital statistics. 

For instance, “In 1970, 28% of wives…had husbands who were better educated than they were, outnumbering the 20% whose husbands had less education. By 2007, these patterns had reversed: 19% of wives had husbands with more education, versus 28% whose husbands had less education. In the remaining couples — about half in 1970 and 2007 — spouses have similar education levels.” (From the Pew Center Study).

How can these changes not affect gender relationships? 

The study also related changes in marital issues, and concluded that the “reshuffling of marriage patterns from 1970 to 2007” during which time, “Among U.S.-born 30- to 44-year-olds, women now are the majority both of college graduates and those who have some college education but not a degree. Women’s earnings grew 44% from 1970 to 2007, compared with 6% growth for men.”

Does anyone still question how much different our roles and expectations for each gender are today vs. just a few decades ago?

Another finding from this study relates to what has occurred to men and women during our present economic downturn, which ”is reinforcing these gender reversal trends, because it has hurt employment of men more than that of women.” 

Have these changes affected marriage?  You betcha. The study went on to say that, “These days, Americans are more likely than in the past to cohabit, divorce, marry late or not marry at all. There has been a marked decline in the share of Americans who are currently married.  Among U.S.-born 30- to 44-year- olds, 60% were married in 2007, compared with 84% in 1970.”

How have all these changes affected men’s and women’s roles within marriage?  Another Pew Research Center survey, in 2008, found “that wives who earn more than their husbands are more likely to have decision-making power, especially over major purchases and household finances. According to the survey, in couples where the husband makes more money, spouses are about equally likely to say that husbands (35%) and wives (36%) make most decisions regarding household finances. However, in couples where the wife makes more, spouses say that only 21% of husbands make most decisions on household finances, compared with 46% of wives.”

What does this all mean for our children, for our boys who are now outnumbered in college entrances for the first time in American history?  What will it mean in relationships?  How will it affect the work force?

I don’t think there’s a clear answer and only time will tell, but like the well-known story of Exodus, where a generation of Israelites weren’t allowed to enter “the promised land” due to their memories, I suspect that my generation will stubbornly cling to our notions of which sex does what. 

In my marriages, both of my wives worked, but I made the larger income and made the major financial decisions.  However, during my first marriage when I left my career to be the SAHD (stay-at-home-dad) and when we later got divorced, I became my boys’ sole parent. 

Those years were very confusing for me because I was not treated as an equal parent at my son’s schools, when I tried to participate in the parent organizations.  I got “lip service” appreciation from the mothers but was mostly ignored.  I believe that was because I am in the transition generation where our gender roles are uncomfortably changing, whether for better or worse. 

During those years, men almost universally asked me one question, “Have you gotten a job yet?”  Women usually asked, “What do you do all day?”  Can you imagine one mom asking another mom that question?

Now, in my second marriage, I am still the SAHD, working out of my home, still taking care of the majority of our financial needs, while my second wife continues to work in her career.

You might say that I’m one confused man still wanting to be the “man of the house,” but recognizing the changes that have occurred during my adulthood while not feeling totally comfortable with them.  That is what happens in any “revolution” and we are going through a revolution of gender roles and expectations.

The boys in my family will know nothing different, as they are growing up with technology that was only in the mind of Stanley Kubrick (well, Isaac Asimov really, I suppose) and gender roles that my parents couldn’t even imagine.  When I was a young boy, I played with my Roy Rogers gun set while wearing my Davey Crocket hat.  The girls I knew loved Ann Margret, from “Bye Bye Birdie,” and Annette Funicello, from “The Mickey Mouse Club.” 

The Sallan boys and their generation are growing up as these gender changes become more acceptable and maybe even second nature to them. Men and women will have interchangeable roles in many instances.  A clear definition of what a man or woman can or should do, may no longer exist.  I sincerely hope it’s for the best.  Time will tell.

Please listen to “The Bruce Sallan Show – A Dad’s Point-of-View” Thursdays at 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., PST on KZSB AM1290 in Santa Barbara or on the Internet via a live stream.  For that link and all information about the show and Bruce, visit his web-site: http://brucesallan.com. Bruce’s column, “A Dad’s Point-of-View,” is available in over 75 newspapers and web-sites worldwide. Find Bruce on Facebook by joining his “A Dad’s Point-of-View” page: http://www.facebook.com/aDadsPointOfView. You can also follow Bruce at Twitter: http://twitter.com/BruceSallan.

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RU Crew, do you know any stay-at-home-dads? If so, have they experienced uncomfortable situations because of their SAHD status?

Thank you, Bruce for a thought-provoking post.

Join us on Friday when author Julie Wachowski discusses the e-publishing world.

Bio: Bruce Sallan was an award-winning television executive and producer for 25 years, during which time he produced over 30 television movies, pilots and series.  He produced his first television movie at age 24 and was a Vice President at ABC at 29.  Google him if you care for the specifics.  Along the way he worked with such actors as Ingrid Bergman, Ron Howard (before he was a director), Mickey Rourke, Ben Affleck, Hal Holbrook, Barbara Hershey, Sisey Spacek, Henry Winkler, Alan Arkin and Brian Dennehey.  He wrote articles for Daily Variety and the Producers Caucus Bulletin. 

 Bruce became a first-time Dad, to a son, 4 days after his 40^th birthday.  His second son was born three years later.  When his boys were still quite young, Bruce left show biz to become a full-time Dad and to care for his ailing parents…a classic “sandwich” situation. Sadly, shortly thereafter, his marriage ended and his wife abandoned their children, leaving the State.  Bruce found himself a full-time single Dad, in his late-forties, as well as a returning single man in the new world of cyber dating. 

 He began writing various blogs on the dating sites he used, as well as articles for local publications including a regular column for a local paper about being a single Dad.  His column is now published in over 75 papers and web-sites internationally, and its focus is primarily on parenting issues from the Dad’s point-of-view, though often the situations are gender-neutral.  Yet, just as often they’re not and it’s Bruce’s contention that the Dad’s point-of-view is less “heard” yet equally valuable to parents.  He also writes about divorce, blended families, Internet dating, men’s work, teens, and male-female issues.  Bruce presently lives in Agoura, California with his second (and last) wife and two boys, who are 16 and 13.

Hi, I’m a romance author with my debut ready to go out sometime this year. However, the date has been pushed back because of my bad grammar. My publisher wants me to fix certain things such as “wandering body parts”.
She gave me examples such as:

I would write “She tossed her chin over her shoulder”

Would the right way be: “She jerked her head around”?

 Another example:  “Her fingers raked through the hair on his chest” when I should say it as “She ran her fingers through the hair on his chest”. I love to write but always had a weakness with grammar. I’d be happy to get the help and if there’s a site or guideline you know I can go to, or if you can answer this, let me know.

I’m also real bad with sex scenes. I try to describe a position or action and it wouldn’t make sense to some people. I wonder if there’s a site that offers pointers in writing these sex scenes.

I appreciate your time and looking forward to hearing from you.

 Sincerely,

 Nona Sebastian

 Hi, Nona,

Thanks for the question, and congratulations on your sale.  The problem of wandering body parts is a common one, so common, in fact, that my friends and I used to trade egregious examples like little boys with baseball cards.  Some particular favorites from my old file:

Her eyes flew across the room.  (Did they sprout wings when they sprung loose from the sockets?)

His feet raced down the hill.  (I always wondered which foot won that race.)

Her ass beat time with the drums.  (I don’t even want to know how her ass held the drumsticks.)

In my experience, the source of the problem is usually the verb.  By that I mean that the action being ascribed to the body part is not one that can logically occur.

Let’s take a look at your first sample sentence.

“She tossed her chin over her shoulder”

When we think of someone tossing something, the motion usually involves using the hands to propel an object away from the body.  In this case, your sentence implies that she has somehow detached her chin from her face and thrown it over her shoulder.  We know this can’t be correct.

There is a secondary meaning with this verb, one that comes up in phrases such as, “She tossed her hair over her shoulder,” or, “She tossed her head.”  In both cases, the verb is describing a motion of the head rather than a motion with the hands. The problem with using the verb in this sense with the direct object chin is that the chin is not separate from the head.  She cannot toss her chin without tossing her entire head.

The cure for this problem is careful editing and attention to the nuances of verbs.  Whenever you name a body part in a sentence, identify the verb describing any action or motion of that body part.  Can this body part actually act in this way?  If the answer is yes, then you should be fine.  But don’t be too quick to answer yes.  Open your dictionary and check it.  Compare the definition in your dictionary to definitions in online dictionaries or to other words listed in the thesaurus.  This process will often reveal subtle shades of meaning that might make you question whether you actually have the right verb.

The second step is to question whether just one part of the body performs the action or whether it’s the entire person.  For example, in our sentence,

His feet raced down the hill

his feet don’t race by themselves.  His entire body is moving.  He might be noticing how quickly his feet are moving in his haste to get to the bottom, but his feet don’t cross the finish line while his arms and legs are still in the starting gate.

My guess is that you’re experiencing a similar problem in the sex scenes.  Sex scenes are loaded with body parts doing all sorts of inventive things.  Edit carefully to make sure that the verbs describe an action which is physically possible.  For me, personally, I have no problem with the sentence,

“Her fingers raked through the hair on his chest”

because in all of my dictionaries (and I checked three), a secondary meaning for rake was to scratch, which is something that fingers can easily do. And it’s just the fingers (not the whole body) performing the act of raking. (Your editor might object to this sentence for other reasons, though, and the only way to find out what she means is to ask her directly.)

It does become easier with practice, and before long, nobody’s body parts will wander in unexpected ways.

Got a question for the editor? Email it to askaneditor at romanceuniversity dot org.

* * *

Theresa, thanks for the lesson on flying body parts.  Thank you also to Nona for sending in her letter.

Join us on Monday when author Christi Barth joins us to talk about small publishers. 

Theresa’s Bio:  

Theresa Stevens is the Publisher of STAR Guides Publishing, a nonfiction publishing company with the mission to help writers write better books. After earning degrees in creative writing and law, she worked as a literary attorney agent for a boutique firm in Indianapolis where she represented a range of fiction and nonfiction authors. After a nine-year hiatus from the publishing industry to practice law, Theresa worked as chief executive editor for a highly acclaimed small romance press, and her articles on writing and editing have appeared in numerous publications for writers. Visit her blog at http://edittorrent.blogspot.com/ where she and her co-blogger share their knowledge and hardly ever argue about punctuation.

Good morning and welcome to the final installment of our series on bulding a web presence. Today, Jeannie Ruesch of Will Design for Chocolate will share with us what published writers should include on their websites.

Welcome Jeannie!

Hello again RU Crew & Readers!

Welcome back to the Websites 101 series.  If you’re just checking in, we’ve been discussing websites at every stage of a writer’s career.  We started with the Unpublished Author’s Website, continued with The About-to-be or Newly Published Author and now, our series wraps up this week with a final look at the Established Author’s Website.

What’s the next level you can take your website to once your author bookshelf has books stacked and your readership base is growing?   You have a website that’s been focused on your author brand,  you offer updates and new information often, but you want more interactivity, you want to reward your readers with a deeper connection to you and your work.  How do you do that?

Now is the best time to truly shift the focus of your website.  In other stages of your career, your website was a place to show yourself  to other writers, agents, editors, reviewers and while some of that may still be true, your ultimate goal should be enhancing the reader’s experience: immersing them in your world(s) and offering more connection to you, the author.

The Basic Needs

Before the bells and whistles, you have to make sure you’ve got the basics in order. Basic needs for an established author’s website are mostly in line with everything else we’ve discussed – a solid design that enhances and evokes your brand, a clean navigation and easy-to-use site.  As you gain a larger readership and write more books, there are a few added basics that every site should have:

A simple, printable book list.

This doesn’t need to be fancy, but it should list all the books you’ve written.  If you’ve written series or connected books, they should be listed in order.

A coming soon page.

This is across the board for any author, but as an established author, it’s imperative.  Your readers will come to your site looking to find out when your next book is out.  As soon as you know, let them know.  Provide details on release dates, blurbs, cover, and whenever possible, a sample of the first chapter.

An easy way to contact you.

An established author is going to have fans write to them or want to connect somehow.  Have a contact page that gives all the options you offer.  A contact form, an email address, a mailing address (PO Box, please), any and all social media connections you have.  Everywhere you want a reader to contact you, list those options.

Bells & Whistles

You may ask why you need to enhance your reader’s experience through your website.  Aren’t the books enough? Or your Facebook page or twitter, or your blog?

Yes and no.  Some readers won’t ever visit your Facebook page, your twitter account, or your blog.   But your website is the one place everyone will come when they want more: more of your books, more information, more connection to you.

We’re writers, but we’re also readers. If you’ve ever met one of your favorite authors, then you know that in some ways, to a reader, an author can be like a celebrity.  Readers feel connected from your books, and just like we’re all curious about what our favorite celebs are up to, we like to know about our favorite authors.  That connection helps to build a reader’s loyalty, their trust.   And offering more for them on your website shows the reader that you value them – that you realize that your career wouldn’t be what it is without them.

So, what sorts of bells and whistles can you add to enhance their experience?  We’ll study some examples of bestselling authors and what they share with their readers:

Epilogues, Deleted Scenes & Other Short Stories

Giving more of your stories is a great way to draw your readers to your site and keep them immersed in the world you created.  One fabulous example of this is Julia Quinn’s 2^nd Epilogues for her Bridgerton series.  Her tagline for these is terrific: “Because happily ever after is a whole lot of fun.”   The offer the “story after the story” for one of my most beloved series.

Another author who has done this is Susan Elizabeth Phillips, who offers an epilogue to Heaven, Texas.

You can also choose other routes, such as deleted scenes.  Caridad Pineiro offers deleted scenes from a number of her books, as well as free reads.

Readers love more of their favorite stories.  It’s why series, especially in romance, are so successful.  When we fall in love with the characters, we want to keep reading about them.  These are great options to give a little more to your readers.

Micro sites

A micro site is a glimpse into the world of your books.  One example is Brenda Novak’s LAST STAND series.  She has a micro site available from her website (it requires flash to see) that showcases this series – the lead heroines, cases, chapters, and all wrapped in the design idea of the “offices” of the Last Stand – which works with her series premise.

If you have connected books or long-standing series, a micro site dedicated to your book’s world and characters is a great way to get your readers that much more involved.

More Information About The Author

Readers love to get to know their favorite authors.  There are a ton of different ways you can do this.   One I think is particularly enjoyable is on Lisa Gardner’s website.  She has a video called “A Day Living with Lisa Gardner.”  The video is funny, in tone with her books, and a great way to make readers laugh.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Other options, outside of the traditional “About me” paragraphs can be quirky Q&A.  Kristin Hannah does this on her website, and it’s different and fun.  (And she apparently hates onion rings.)

Get Behind The Scenes

Readers love to delve into the world of how you created their favorite books.   Look for ways to bring out special details that aren’t anywhere else – more than just settings, character bios.  Look for unique tidbits.

One of my favorite authors, Karen Rose, offers trivia on how she created her books: http://www.karenrosebooks.com/krose-trivia.htm .  It’s a great insight into how some of my favorite characters and stories came about.  I love reading these, as a writer and reader – it’s fun to see where she gets her ideas and how my favorite books come to life.

One of the best workshops I attended at the National RWA Conference was on how a cover was created. It was run by the amazing Kate Duffy, and she walked us through the variations of a romance novel cover – we saw the different versions, the changes and why they were made. It was fascinating.   While you may not be able to offer something like this to your reader, there are other details you can offer.  Things that you changed along the way and why.

And as someone who always watches the “How it was made” section on DVD movie releases, I love knowing what’s behind the scenes.   I love seeing the special effects in movies, and readers love knowing what went into making a book.

Fan Clubs

Fan clubs can be a tricky thing.  They can be called a number of things: fan club, registered readers group, etc, but it boils down to your loyal fans looking for a deeper connection with you.

On Eloisa James’ website, her “registered readers get: a whole level of eloisajames.com available only to registered readers. On these pages you will find short stories, extra chapters to Eloisa’s books, special bulletins from Eloisa, photos and other exclusive items.”  As well as advance notice of news and books.  Her website also has an “easter egg” hunt ongoing, and registered readers get hints on the game.  Her fan club is a place to play and get the inside scoop.

This level of connection has to be unique, because these days, readers can connect with you in a variety of ways: facebook, twitter, other social media.  What you offer in an exclusive group is essentially a bargain: I’ll give you, the reader, special access in exchange for your email address and agreement to send you updates.  It’s the author’s way of remaining connected to the reader and rewarding loyal readers with ways to make them feel special.

Interactive Additions

One good way to get readers active on your website is a forum or message board.  However, use caution with this because boards can take time to build, and if they aren’t kept up with fresh content, can quickly become stale.

I love the concept that Eloisa James & Julia Quinn joined their forums together into one.  It’s a great way to connect with readers of the same genre and build a stronger base for activity on the board.

Taking Your World Into Theirs

The next step would be to provide options that bring your written world off your website and into the everyday world of your readers.   There are a few ways to do that, from simple and inexpensive to luxurious and interactive.

Bling

Bling is always good for giving goodies to your readers.  This can be a variety of things from buddy icons, wallpapers, to downloadable/printable bookmarks and more.  Buddy icons can be used on message boards, forums.  Wallpapers can grace your reader’s computer

Games & More

Another option is to look into 3D games such as Second Life, and build a world that your reader can navigate through in 3D with their own avatar

Or look at creating a game about your books.  At the “Nora” level, taking the next step involved actually creating a game based on the world and characters in her Bride Quartet series, where you can “be” a character and truly interact with her world on your own time, away from her website.

Other options include apps for phones and more.  These get expensive of course, so choose what fits within your budget and always, what enhances your brand.

It Has to Work.

There are no limits to how interactive you can get with your readers.  But something to keep in mind with the addition of new perks, new games, new information, more details and more interactivity, is the most basic needs of a website: Keep it simple.

Your navigation needs to expand and grow with your new features, but overall you want to be sure your readers can find things without much effort.  Brenda Novak says, “I think the key to having a good web site is making the information quick and easy to obtain, while making the site as interactive as possible, with content that constantly changes. As the site grows, so does the amount of content, and it’s imperative that it be organized in an intuitive way so that it doesn’t frustrate the visitor. Otherwise, it becomes a waste of time and effort.”

Frustrating the visitor can be easier than you might think, especially when your website is full of information.  Your main navigation should have easy, recognizable headers such as “about”, “Books”, “extras”, “Contact”, “Links”, etc…  Look across most author websites and you’ll see the same navigation titles.   Don’t get cute here, don’t try to think up something original – this isn’t the place for it.   The more content you offer, the simpler your navigation needs to be.

So load up on the added features, get interactive with your readers but remember to keep your website simple, focused and professional.

***

RU Crew, here’s your chance to ask a web designer about building a website.  Go to it!

Special thanks to Jeannie for being here.  Jeannie will be back with another post on August 19 , so mark your calendars. Join us tomorrow when Theresa Stevens, Publisher, STAR Guides Publishing, teaches us how to ground flying body parts.

Jeannie’s Bio: It was a Saturday afternoon when Jeannie Ruesch gave up her illustrious, hours-long ambition of becoming a Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader (after seeing the made for TV movie).  That day, she sat to write her very first story and when she was finished, she knew that pen ..or rather, pencil and collegiate-lined paper was the path for her.  She was six.  She finished her first two books in 7th grade—handwritten on 150 legal size pages and complete with hearts dotting the I’s, of course.

As an adult, however, she discovered the need to…well, pay for things.  In her words, she “paid a lot of money to go to school, get a degree and go beg for work.”  She began her career in marketing and design and continues to this day, with her graphic design and marketing business, Will Design for Chocolate.  She considers herself fortunate that her passion of writing and her other love go hand in hand so nicely.

In 2008, she sold her first completed novel (as an adult and written on a computer this time) to The Wild Rose Press– a historical romance that has been a labor of love from the start.  She is also the creator of the WIP Notebook, a writer’s tool to help stay organized while you write.

Now with a few more tools in her author’s tool belt, her first published book, and a drawer full of emergency chocolate, she has a lot more stories to tell and websites to create.  She lives in Northern California with her husband (who is likely tired of having his brain picked on the ‘male perspective’), their son and her brother, who she thanks every day (since he cooks and she hates to.)

Urban Fantasy author C.J. Redwine is back for another installment of our ever-popular Query Writing 101.  This month, C.J. has chosen a letter from Jennie Bryant . Thanks to C.J. and Jennie! Readers, feel free to post questions for C.J.

Dear Ms. Agent or Editor:

Before I dive into the query itself, I’m going to address the length. This clocks in at just over a page and a half. You have one page MAX. You’re going to need to do some serious tightening to whip this into shape. You need one paragraph setting up Sarah’s character, situation, and goals. One doing the same for Max. One revealing the stakes of the story and what the two must choose/do/overcome and the consequences for failure. And one very streamlined paragraph delivering the mss title, genre, wordcount, any writing credentials you have, and one pithy sentence explaining why you’re querying this agency. (If you want to. That is totally optional.) I’m going to help you cut, cut, cut. Ready? Deep breath. Here we go.
 
Thank you for accepting my manuscript sample and giving me a shot at my dream, to become a published writer. It’s a dream that captured me when I picked up my first romance novel many years ago. (All of this can go. They know it’s your dream or you wouldn’t be querying. Use the space for hooking them on your story.) Your agency represents many great, reputable and diverse works that I admire.I think you will enjoy my book, Love and Honor, a contemporary romance between a divorced mom whose life and love faces continuous threats from her past, and the honorable Air Force pilot who struggles to protect her by her side and from abroad. The manuscript is complete at 90,000 words. We can totally streamline this. For example: “LOVE AND HONOR is a contemporary romance complete at 90,000 words. I admire many of the books you represent and feel my novel would be a good fit for your list. Thank you for your time.” I suggest you move this to the end of your query and hook them on your story first. Also, admiring many of the books on their list is a pretty vague reason to query. I’d either mention something specific about the agent, or mention a couple of books that are within your genre that they represent, or leave that part out and slide your writing credentials into that space instead.

So many women dare to fall in love with the man of their dreams, only to have that dream shatter into a nightmare of physical and mental abuse. This whole paragraph needs to go. We don’t care about so many women. We care about Sarah. Let us know in her paragraph that she’s fought hard to survive and be successful in the aftermath of an abusive marriage and that will be good enough.

Sarah is one of the survivors. A thirty-three year old divorcee, she has fought for and found success in the aftermath of her own nightmare. And that success has let her build a new home and a new future for her and her daughter in the small town of Lexington, Michigan for nearly five years. However, her nightmarish past has
left her in a shell, quiet, insecure. And while single life has seemingly suited her just fine, her heart lives in a fantasy world where the “knight in shining armor” still exists. Love the last sentence. I think you can streamline the rest and make it flow better. I’d suggest you carefully read aloud your paragraphs and listen for when your punctuation choices aren’t quite giving you the rhythm you want, or when your sentences feel a bit awkward. Here’s a streamlined version of your own words:

Sarah is a survivor. At thirty-three, she’s fought for and found success in the aftermath of life with an abusive husband. Now, all she wants is to build a new future for herself and her daughter in the small town of Lexington, Michigan. Her nightmarish past, however, has left formerly confident Sarah huddled in a shell of insecurity. She pretends single life suits her just fine, but her heart lives in a fantasy world where her knight in shining armor still exists.

Use what works. Toss the rest. J

Max is a devastatingly handsome man. Of course he is. This is a romance novel. J We don’t care that he’s handsome. We care what kind of man he is. I’d avoid this cliché and give us a connection with him as a person instead.  He has(He’s … using contractions gives you a more contemporary sounding voice.) made a career out of serving his country as an Air Force fighter pilot, learning the old school ideals of hard work, chivalry, integrity, and honor along the way. That old fashioned manliness (Manliness feels like the wrong word to me. Sounds very physical, appearance/strength driven etc. That may be just me.)  blends well with a penchant for charm, wit and romance. It is (It’s) a miracle he hasn’t been caught sooner. Actually, instead of the “it’s a miracle he hasn’t been caught sooner,” let’s do a quick sentence putting him and Sarah together and causing Max to unexpectedly fall head over heels. Then your last paragraph can cover the threat to Sarah, and their response.

Call it fate, clumsiness, or just dumb luck, Sarah’s and Max’s paths keep crossing. Sometimes they cross in an hour of need. Other times they cross in the most peculiar and humorous of ways. Whichever the case, there is a magic drawing these two together that neither can deny. But like all magic, there will always be those who try to ruin the trick. Just do one sentence at the end of the previous paragraph putting these two together and having them fall in love. You don’t need the rest of this.

Sarah’s ex husband Jeff is a man of power and prestige. In his mind, the divorce from Sarah was nothing more than legality. Sarah is still his and always will be. So when Max enters the picture, Jeff reminds Sarah who she belongs to in a terrible way. The jealousy becomes even more dark and sinister when Jeff teams with Max’s divisive sister, Amber, in a fight for family inheritance. What should have been a picture perfect love story has turned into a battle to keep the love alive.  This needs some pruning too. I’d suggest one sentence about Max and Sarah barely beginning their journey towards true love when Sarah’s possessive ex attacks her. Then continue with something like “Jeff isn’t the only one who’ll stop at nothing to cause this relationship to fail.” And finish with something like “With their picture perfect love story turned into a battle to keep love alive, will Max and Sarah defeat those who threaten them and prove once and for all that true love conquers all?” Or whatever actually works for you.

I am a active member of Romance Writers of America and Dallas Area Romance Authors. I have written for a local area website called Today on The Bay,as (missing a space after that comma) an art and entertainment reporter.  I’d use this in place of the “I’m querying you because you rep diverse books” stuff.

I’d be glade (glad) to send you my complete manuscript for your review. Thank you for your time and consideration and I look forward to hearing from you. No need to say you’d be glad to send your mss. She knows. J Save the space and just thank her for her time.

Sincerely,

Jennie Bryant

***

Jennie, thank you again for allowing us to use your letter. Let us know how these suggestions work for you.  We’d love to hear from you. 

For our readers, if you have a letter you would like C.J. to critique, go to our Labs page and click the link or send your letter in the body of your email to QueryWriting101@romanceuniversity.org.   C.J. will also take questions if you would like to send them.  We will post a letter on the first Monday of each month so be sure to check back.

Join us on Wednesday for Anatomy of the Male Mind.

C.J.’s Bio:

C.J. Redwine writes urban fantasy with a side of comic relief and is repped by Holly Root of the Waxman Literary Agency. She also teaches a monthly online query workshop where she offers unlimited critiques of each writer’s query until it’s perfect. She has just a few spaces left in her July Query Workshop. To learn more, go to http://queryworkshop.blogspot.com.

Think you know what a good man is? Not long ago, a female friend and I chewed this topic raw. Afterward, I wondered what a male would say if we asked him what constituted a good man.

Of course, I polled a couple of my male friends. Here are their answers. I knew I liked these guys!

Question: In your opinion, what qualities define a good man?

Test Subject #1:

What an honor to be considered your Guinea Pigs… I mean your test subjects! What a loaded question!!! LOL! Well… It looks like the umpire is ready so play ball! I’m not scared to take a swing at this!

What defines a good man?

Although obvious, first the individual should contain a majority of the X (male) chromosome; no biological fakers! Simply put, an individual who knows how to love, laugh, and live! More specifically, my top ten character makeup of qualities (in no particular order) contains spirituality, leadership, communication, compassion, affection, respect, integrity, trust, dependability and imagination. Not necessary, but a person you would be proud to call a “genuine friend”.

Test Subject #2:

A good man routinely examines his conscience, making regular searching and fearless moral inventories of his mind. If a man cannot practice rigorous honesty in his own mind he is not apt to deal with his loved ones and fellows honestly. Through the practice of the virtue of self examination he benefits those who he has relationships with; but, he also benefits greatly by being more able to discern truth. This practice is essential in maintaining psychic peace in his mind. A man who acts contrary to moral law to a great extent suspends his emotional maturation. He becomes an egotist whose self centered nature ultimately results in restlessness, discontentment along with alcoholism, drug abuse and other destructive habits. He continually searches for satisfaction in areas which can not satisfy. He looks to relieve stress in ways which fuels his anxiety. Without a mechanism to relieve the pressure of the guilt of poor behavior, much like squeezing a tube of tooth paste with the cap on, his mind will spring leaks in the form of anger, suspicion, paranoia or obsessive compulsive behavior. Modern society views moral guilt as a quaint useless idea instilled by religion not realizing guilt exists in the human mind without their consent, it is a reality in the human experience as much as gravity. How many inmates in your state prison do you suppose practiced routine examination of conscience?

When a man examines his conscience he must then act. With this knowledge he then must admit his wrongs to himself and his God and another human being. Until he confides in another the admission of wrong is simply theoretical. So here is another characteristic of a good man, trust. A man who is not honest with himself finds it very hard to trust others because he knows that he himself is not worthy of trust. The examination and admission exercise results in the ease of the pressure of guilt and decreases the likelihood that poor behavior will be repeated.

A good man is truthful, trusting and trust worthy, all other virtues are difficult to sustain without these.

Test Subject #3:

Making a man (besides Carbon based materials).

What makes a good man?  Well, I think that may depend more on what stage of life that man is in. In my earlier “Man” days, humor, acceptance, and spontaneity were a must. Of course you saw these during the Mellon Ball Happy Hours. Us men who attended, were always ready for what was next, be it a new shot, a new board game, or a bet/dare. We always knew that the key to letting a woman in was with humor (especially us with less than stellar looks). I also found at an early age (grew up with a Single mother and 2 sisters) that acceptance was a must of all people and most situations.

As a new father (late 20’s, early 30’s), it was still important to have humor (this will be a common theme for me), patience, and love. Humor, as when your 18 month old uses a whiffle ball bat to clean off the lower level of the Christmas Trees or as both kids somehow get sick one week after the other. Patience in the fact that now you are not the center of the universe, now it not only is the children, but your new(ish) wife and all of their needs. And finally, love; you learn unconditional love maybe for the first time in your life. Your children become everything and you find that you will do anything for them.

And now as a middle-aged male, I still have a bunch of humor, tolerance, and a great woodshed! Still laugh every day and try to make at least one person laugh with me. If I can still do that, I know I am making a difference. Tolerance…Hell, I have 2 teenagers and a wife, do I really need to explain??? And the Woodshed. What makes a really good man is a great woodshed where he can be “The Man” again. There he can have a beer (or 10), work with power tools, close friends, (CUPS tournaments at Crabfests) and at times, just a little piece of sanity.

One could argue that having a woodshed actually makes a good man, but I thought maybe I would try other features, but I think you get the drift that at times, one needs to be solitary to be a better member of a group.

***

RU Crew, what qualities do you feel define a good man?

Thank you to my buddies for letting me pick their brains. You guys are the best!

Join us on Friday when thriller author Alexandra Sokoloff shares her secret on how she’s distinguished herself in a male dominated genre

Good morning and welcome to Crafting Your Career. Today, we continue our yearlong look into the various romance subgenres by spotlighting the medical subgenre. Author Janice Lynn and Harlequin Mills & Boon Assistant Editor Lucy Gilmour are here to share their thoughts on this sub-genre.

Janice and Lucy will both be stopping by to answer questions, so get ‘em ready. 

Here’s Janice and Lucy!

Adrienne: How would you define this subgenre?  What are the plot elements that make it part of the medical subgenre?

Lucy: Thank you so much for having me here at Romance Universtiy. I absolutely love Medical romances so it’s a real pleasure to chat about them with you all.

I would say that Medical romance is open to absolutely any medical specialty. Maternity, pediatrics and the hospital emergency room are always well-loved but we’ve had quite a few naturopaths (often teemed up against the most cynical of alpha hero doctors!) and other different occupations too.

What we really want to see are all those enduringly popular hooks in Medicals (Miracle babies, gorgeous paediatricians, midwifery) given a fresh and contemporary twist. For example, think of the advances that have been made in the medical world in the last ten years with practises such as IVF – isn’t there just a wealth of tales just waiting to be told?

We encourage a wide variety of settings, so let your imagination run wild. Use the setting wherever it may be to add flavor, but don’t let it take over. Again, just keep in mind that the essential ingredients of a Medical Romance are your characters, their internal emotional conflicts and that magic of watching the love story between the hero and heroine develop. After all, that’s why readers come to Harlequin!

Janice: Medical Romances are just that–romances with a strong medical element whether in setting or characterization or plot.  Medical romances often combine all three elements, and certainly this makes for a stronger story.

For the Harlequin Medical line, there has to be medical scenes where the hero and heroine are taking care of someone.  There is a lot of scope within the line as to occupations and scenarios, but the medical scenes with the two main characters interacting have to be there.  

Adrienne: What subgenres do you feel are hot right now?  What’s not?

Lucy: I don’t think there’s anything we’d say isn’t hot within Medicals – the beauty of the line is that it’s so varied – there’s something there for everyone! Medical TV dramas are enduringly popular, and we really try to tap into what readers love about them – heroes such as McDreamy & McSteamy in Grey’s Anatomy and George Clooney in ER are just some of my personal favorites!!!!

We’re open to stories that take whatever tone suits the author’s voice best, be it vibrant, funny, sexy, intense, heart-wrenching, exciting, uplifting, unexpected, warm, community-focussed… If you think about it, even within shows such as Scrubs,  House or Nip/Tuck, different episodes can have very different tones – some are deeply heart-wrenching, and others fluffier, flirty and fun.  As I’ve said above, there’s huge scope for variety within the line, which makes it so diverse and interesting to read. If you’ve got a great idea and have strong characters and interesting emotional conflict in place – go for it!

Janice: I’m not really sure on this.  Twilight seems to be the biggest thing going currently, so I guess vampire stories are a hot subgenre.  I’ve no idea what’s not hot.  I know I’d love to see Romantic Comedies make a strong come-back as I love to read them and struggle to find new ones

Adrienne: Do you see any trends writers should avoid? Move toward?

Lucy: There are some specialties that will always be popular with our readers; surgeons (especially heart-surgeons – very romantic!), children’s & NICU doctors, midwives etc. – we’d love to see more of these, so have a think about what you can do with these themes that hasn’t already been done! And if there’s an area of medicine you’re particularly interested in then give it a go; as long as you’ve got an intelligent, compassionate heroine and a hero we’ll all be raving about in the editorial office then anything goes!  It’s all about finding the romance, the emotion, the drama rather than the edgy realism of medical life – really it’s about the fantasy of a romance between a lovely, smart heroine falling in love with a drop-dead gorgeous doctor.

Janice: I don’t recommend writers move toward trends, unless it’s to write what they love and to write, write, write.  As far as things to avoid, avoid trends that are detrimental to one’s muse, avoid trends that aren’t something you want to write but are doing so because you want to make a sale.

Adrienne: What do you like best about this subgenre? The least?

Lucy: Well, in terms of what I like least within the Medical line, sometimes we see too much focus on gory medical drama, or on hospital politics or the administrative ins and outs of running hospitals. Remember that first and foremost these are romances – just within a medical setting

Otherwise we see many of the same challenges as with many of our other series’ – character, conflict and clichés! At the heart of all great romances are two strong, appealing, sympathetic and three-dimensional characters. Emotional, character-driven conflict is the foundation of a satisfying romance - conflict spawns tension and excitement. Last but most definitely not least we want new authors to innovate, not imitate – throw those clichés out of the window!

And as for what I love love LOVE about Medicals – it’s got to be the heroes. All Harlequin heroes are super-sexy, but Medical heroes are dedicated, attractive, honourable, and human – men who will move mountains to save a life – the kind of man who we all dream of having on our side in an emergency.  They are strong, intelligent and successful and respected. Oh, and deliciously gorgeous as well…!

Janice: The thing I like the most?  The romance, of course.  I love the falling in love journey couples go through in a romance novel and this is definitely true within this line.  Some of the first romance novels I read were old doctor/nurse stories that were my grandmother’s.  I’ve never quit loving that storyline.  The thing I like the least.thinking.thinking.can’t think of anything at the moment.  So far, I feel that I’ve had a lot of flexibility within the line to stretch my wings, so to speak.  I think it’s a great Harlequin line to write for and would recommend it to anyone who loves Medical Romances.

Adrienne: How do you think this subgenre has changed in the last five years?

Lucy: Medical Romance definitely moves with the times…long gone are the days of being limited to doctor heroes and heroines who are only ever nurses. Now our heroines are every inch the professional match for the hero. Stong, independent heroines – another reason I love the Medical line!

Janice: I sold to the Medical Romance line in December 2006 and I’m not sure I can say how the line in general has changed during that time.  For my writing specifically, I’d say my Medicals have grown more sensual and have more humor than my first few releases.

Adrienne: What advice do you have for writers trying to break into this genre/subgenre?

Lucy: Many of our Medical authors also write for other Harlequin series – Harlequin Presents and Harlequin Romance to name a few, which just goes to highlight that the heart of the story MUST be a romance.

As well as the highs and lows, warmth and passions of medical life, Medicals promises heart-racing romance, with the added bonus of pulse-raising medical drama that throws our heroes and heroines together…even when they might not want to be!

For the doctors, surgeons, nurses, paramedics and midwives between our pages, it’s all about overcoming the challenges and obstacles of finding love under pressure in the demanding world of modern medicine.  Readers enjoy falling in love with top-notch docs and hot-shot surgeons from around the world, and experiencing love and life in the shoes of smart, caring and beautiful medical heroines.  Our stories can be intensely passionate or warm and tender; if you want to write a scorchingly sexy tale – go right ahead…or if you’d prefer to keep it warm and sweet and tiptoe away as the bedroom door shuts, that’s absolutely fine too!

Ultimately we’re looking for a range of emotionally intense reads, from the traditional to the ground breaking and promise our readers contemporary romantic relationships – set against a compelling medical backdrop. In a nutshell, we want to give the women who pick up our stories a big read in a 50,000 word book!

Janice: Write.  Submit.  Write.  Submit.  Read the line (I’d recommend my books. )  Know what the line is looking for and what has to be there for the book to be a Medical.   But mostly, write, submit, write, submit, and keep honing your craft.

Adrienne: Do you have any additional thoughts you would like to share?

Lucy: We’re often asked if you have to be a medical professional to write for the Medical line. And certainly the books include some medical drama as part of their promise in that it helps to firmly set the stories in the medical world and help us to learn more about the characters. But primarily it should be used to help drive the hero and heroine’s emotional conflict forward.

Some authors do come from a medical background, although increasingly many do not! The internet allows contact with the medical world and a wealth of personal experiences can all be utilized to help you achieve believable and realistic medical drama. Medical details should be kept to a minimum, we don’t need masses of medical drama, what there is should be both contemporary and correct. We are essentially looking for romance writers rather than medical professionals to write our stories.

It’s important to remember all medical drama is within the context of a romance – therefore we are not looking for a great deal of detail.  Readers are looking for an escapist read rather than a medical textbook!

And finally, I’d just like to say that we’re most definitely looking for exciting new authors; from the US, Australia, the UK – or absolutely anywhere in the world – what we want are talented writers with unique, fresh voices who create compelling characters and fabulous stories that will keep readers turning the pages!

Janice: Just that I appreciate everyone stopping by and that if you’re looking for an idea of the vast range of writing styles within the Medical line, order this month’s.  Each one of the authors with books for sale at http://www.eharlequin.com/ this month have very unique writing voices and our sensuality levels vary.  That’s a really cool thing about the Medical line, you aren’t boxed in by sensuality level.  The level can truly be dictated by the characters, plot, etc.

***

Thank you to Lucy and Janice for visiting with us today. 

RU Crew, here is your chance to get answers regarding the medical subgenre.  Go to it!

 Join us on Wednesday when three men give us their opinions on the definition of manliness.

Bio:Lucy Gilmour is an Assistant Editor for Harlequin Mills & Boon and works in their London office.

Lucy joined Harlequin five years ago after finishing her classics degree and spending two glorious years working in the French Alps. She works across all of the UK acquired series giving her the chance to work with some of her favourite heroes – the Alpha males of Harlequin Presents and Harlequin Romance, devilishly handsome doctors of Harlequin Medicals and Harlequin Historical’s Regency Rakes!

Lucy dreamt of working for Harlequin since she spent her first-ever allowance of pocket money on a much treasured Presents at the age of thirteen. Reading (and editing!) romance is still utterly delightful – what could possibly be better than falling in love with a new hero every day?!

Bio: Award winning author Janice Lynn has a Master of Science degree in nursing from Vanderbilt University and works full-time as a family nurse practitioner in a small, rural town in the southern United States. Juggling the aspects of day to day life and her life-long dream of writing happily-ever-afters, Janice lives with her husband, their four children, their two dogs, twenty-two 4-H chickens, and a lot of unnamed dust bunnies that have moved in since she started her writing career.

Good morning and welcome to the second installment of our series on bulding a web presence. This month Jeannie Ruesch of Will Design for Chocolate will discuss what newly published writers should include on their websites.

Welcome Jeannie! 

The title of this blog is a little misleading.  In fact, this article will target a slightly different demographic.  The focus of this blog is on the Contracted-and-soon-to-be-published-for-the-first-time Author. (Way too long to fit in the subject line…)  

So here’s the first bit of news, which might be startling wake up call to those of you who fit into either of the above categories.  If you are newly published, which means your book is already on a shelf somewhere (virtual or real), and you don’t have a website?  You’re behind the curve.  In fact, you might be approaching D status on the Marketing Report Card.  A new author’s website provides a multitude of functions – ones that include helping you to gain readers, reviews, attract attention and more.  As an Author (with a capital A, cue the drum roll), your audience is wider, more varied and has different needs.  Therefore, your website now has a checklist of elements it should provide. 

 If you don’t have a website and you have a book out, then print this article out, find a website designer you love, and get ready for the sprint of your life.  You need to catch up.   If you are an author with the contract under your belt and a “release date” looming in your future, you are right on track.

 Do You Need A Website?

 Yes.

 It may seem blunt and unnecessarily scare tactic-y, but the truth is that for an author in today’s world, a website is your best marketing line of defense.  It is an absolute necessity. 

And for an author with a release date on the horizon, the website isn’t going to be the only marketing consideration you have, but in all likelihood, it will be the one that everything feeds.  Think of ads you see in magazines, on book review websites, bookmarks, business cards – everything lists a website address.  A website is the place where most everyone will come to find you when they want more information. 

You need to provide that information in a timely, professional manner.  According to Kristin Nelson, of Nelson Literary Agency, “that website should be up and running when the catalog copy is being done for your book.  Why? Because your publisher is going to be sending out ARCs to reviewers and to other terrific people who have the power to give you a plug, and it’s at that moment in time when they might want to find information about you and the book quickly and easily.”

Which leads to one other point of distinction: Easily.  At this point, you need to have a domain name secured with your author name.  JaneAuthor.com if it’s available or if not, some of the variations I’ve seen are:  janeauthorbooks.com or authorjanesmith.com.  A domain name is a small yearly expense and it’s very simple to set your domain name to forward to any other location.  There is no good reason not to have one of your own. 

Mostly, an author at this stage needs to create a professional appearance, top to bottom.   Think of how much attention you have paid to your appearance on a first date. That first impression is important and you need just the right “outfit” to achieve just the right look.  If you present yourself as professional, then people will think of you as such.  If you present something half-hearted, people may assume you feel the same about your career.

Who Is Your Target Audience?

Before looking at what to put on your website, we need to focus on who will be viewing it and what their specific needs are.  In our previous post, we discussed how an unpublished writer’s audience is more inclined toward attracting an agent/editor and building a network of connections with other writers.  A new author has a bigger audience to provide for.  Not only are you trying to attract readers, but you’re trying to establish yourself as a professional in the marketplace among other professionals who have the power to help propel your career. 

Your website might be visited by book reviewers, librarians, book buyers, and big name authors as well as readers.   In all cases, two things are true.  These visitors want to delve deeper into the book and they want to know more about you. 

Your readers are going to want to feel connected to you and your work.  Whether they’ve read the book already or they are considering buying it, your website can give a nudge into buying this book or remembering you when the next one comes out.  It’s possible that they’ve seen mention of the book somewhere else – an ad, a book review, a comment on a website or social network, or a recommendation.  They are now coming to you to convince them the book is worth their time and money. Ultimately, they are looking for someone they can trust.

How do you build someone’s trust through a website?  Present the authentic you, keep any promises you make and respect the relationship.  Remember that your website, for a reader, is about building upon the relationship you’ve started with your book.  Your work is your shining glory – everything stems from it.  But a relationship is often nurtured by the little things, the small details.  And especially when there might be months to wait in between your first and your second book, your website can maintain that bridge.

Industry professionals are going to want to trust in you, as well.  They want to know that they are putting their name to someone who is professional, serious about their career and knows what it takes to stay in the business.  Every review a book reviewer puts their name on builds upon their reputation.  Same goes for other authors.  When someone is giving their name to further your career, the way you show respect and consideration for that is to present yourself in a way that enhances their trust.  

What to Put On Your Website?

So with the audience firmly in mind, what should your website look like at this stage?  We break that down into Design and Focus/Content.

DESIGN

As I mentioned in our last post on websites, I believe the best litmus test you can give your website design is whether or not you would print it out and hand it to someone in person as a representation of you.  Would you be confident that you’ve handed them something that will steer their perception of you in a positive light?

It’s easy to be lax when it comes to what you put on the web, because you aren’t face-to-face with the person viewing it.  But if you had to hand them a printed version of your site and watch and receive their response in that moment, would it change how you look at what you’ve got?  Imagine the best-selling author in your genre who you’d love to get a quote from.  Would you immediately start to think of excuses for why your site looks as it does? Or could you give a big smile and say, “This is the extension of me and my work that I want you to put your name on with a stamp of approval.”

That’s what your website is – an extension of you.  And because authors put reviews and quotes on their marketing material, you are asking for Mr. Big Author’s stamp of approval on you, the Author, and all that encompasses you.  That includes your website design.  Be 100% confident that it represents your brand as a writer well.  Dress your site for the job you want: Successful. 

FOCUS & CONTENT

As an about-to-be/newly published author, your website audience is looking for more information to establish their opinion of you and your work.  To meet the barest of basics, you should always have:

A Front Page that provides basic information about your upcoming book.  People should be able to type in your domain name and get immediate facts: what you write, when your book comes out, and where to find it.  They want to know what to expect and when, as quickly as possible.  

• A Bio – A few paragraphs and a photo of you.  People want to see who you are.  This photo should be professional and simple.
• Book page – Your book’s page should include a summary of the book (back cover/jacket copy), a cover image, excerpt if possible, and links when available on where to buy the book.
• Coming Soon Page – Have a page that gives details about what’s next from you.   Both readers and industry professionals will appreciate knowing that you’re building a career, not just a one-hit wonder.
• Contact information.  An email address and/or a contact form where someone can get reach you. 
• Events & News.  If you are planning a book tour in bookstores, any booksignings, conferences or blog tours, be sure to put that information on your site.  Include dates, links and any relevant information. 
• A Way To Capture the Connection.  Don’t let a visitor walk away from your website, waving their hand as they turn their back and saying, “I’ll call you sometime.”  Nail down the next date now by giving them options to let you connect to them:
  • Social Media Links:  Your links to Facebook, Twitter and other social media networks that you actively maintain should be accessible easily.  Preferably on the home page.
  • Newsletter Subscription:  If you have a newsletter, offer an easy-to-find place to subscribe to it. 

Beyond the basics, there are plenty of “Added Features” you can adopt. Think of the extras sort of the way you would a DVD release of a movie.  You get the movie and you get more– behind the scenes information, deleted scenes, the ‘making of’ features, and whatever else enhances the viewer’s experience.  That is the goal for everything beyond the basics on your site:  Enhance your website visitor’s experience.

I did some searching on author websites, looking for interesting, unique ideas, here are some websites that get an A for fresh website content.

Character Quotes

Janet Evanovich’s site – the header contains quotes from the characters in her books.    I LOVE this idea – and for a new author trying to establish a name, what better way to give glimpses of your style?   Where you put this on your site depends on a number of factors – genre, style, site design – but it’s a wonderful way to intrigue a viewer into wanting more.

Deleted Scenes

Every book has them and sometimes, they are scenes you loved, found interesting but ultimately cut from the book.  So share them!  Pick one or two, make sure they shine and add them to your website.  Therese Walsh, author of The Last Will of Moira Leahy, does just this.  A word of caution though:  Choose carefully so your scene doesn’t provide spoilers or ruin something in the reading of the book.

Research Notes

Therese Walsh also provides research articles to share how she researched aspects of her books.  Once readers have delved into a world of a book and loved it, they want more.  Personally, I love the way she’s laid out her pages here and shares photos and words, including quotes from people she spoke to. 

Research here, for me, is different than offering a “research for writers” page.  Because here you are trying to instill the same sense of magic and personal voice in the aspects you included in your book.  Did you learn something that fascinated you?  Share the fascination as well as the fact.

Sneak Peeks

You have a Coming Soon page that talks about what is ahead from you.  Include a sneak peek of your work – maybe a few lines, or a character article about your favorite character. 

Author Christyne Butler (http://www.christynebutler.com) has a Coming Soon section on her bookshelf that gives all the facts about her upcoming books – as well as includes a picture of the hero and heroine, in her mind’s eye, of each book.   I love this – it’s a bit of whimsy and always fun to connect a book that’s not yet out with a recognizable face.  When the book comes out, the images are removed and replaced with the cover.  But for something that is months out, it’s a great way to instill some interest.

Brand-Specific Interactive Extras

Depending on your brand and the tone of your book, look for fun, interactive extras you can include on your website.  Angie Fox (http://www.angiefox.com), author of The Accidental Demon-Slayer (and others), has a quiz on her website that asks what your ‘biker bitch name” would be.   This fits perfectly with her voice and tone, and it’s fun for the reader.   (Mine is Spaghetti Neck Stella Fast Pants, if you were curious…)

These are just a few of the extra ways you can enhance your visitor’s experience.  And don’t forget the ones we mentioned for unpublished writers, because those will work as well:

• A music soundtrack for your book

• Favorite Things Lists
• Links
• Highlighted elements of your books – recipes, causes, an historical era, whatever you can pull from your book and share in a way that furthers your voice and style. 

I’d like to add one note about pulling elements from your books.  Be sure it’s something this section fits YOU, the author, as well.  For instance, I’m not a fan of cooking.  Most anyone who has read my blog posts knows this.  So if I included a Recipes section on my author website – unless they existed of “Get in Car. Drive to Chili’s.” – it would seem disingenuous.

Everything you put on your website should have a purpose.  And when you’re considering what to include, ask yourself these questions:

• Does it enhance the visitor’s experience and connection with me?
• Does it further my brand?
• Does it feel genuine?

And since I haven’t said it yet…congratulations on your new or upcoming book!

Next time, we’ll delve deeper into the world of websites for authors established in their success.  How do you ramp it up to the next level? 

 ***

RU Crew, here’s your chance to ask a web designer about building a website.  Go to it!

Special thanks to Jeannie for being here.  Jeannie will be back with another post on July 15 , so mark your calendars. Join us tomorrow when Theresa Stevens, Publisher, STAR Guides Publishing, joins us to discuss the differences between an outline and a synopsis. 

Jeannie’s Bio: It was a Saturday afternoon when Jeannie Ruesch gave up her illustrious, hours-long ambition of becoming a Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader (after seeing the made for TV movie).  That day, she sat to write her very first story and when she was finished, she knew that pen ..or rather, pencil and collegiate-lined paper was the path for her.  She was six.  She finished her first two books in 7th grade—handwritten on 150 legal size pages and complete with hearts dotting the I’s, of course.

As an adult, however, she discovered the need to…well, pay for things.  In her words, she “paid a lot of money to go to school, get a degree and go beg for work.”  She began her career in marketing and design and continues to this day, with her graphic design and marketing business, Will Design for Chocolate.  She considers herself fortunate that her passion of writing and her other love go hand in hand so nicely.

 In 2008, she sold her first completed novel (as an adult and written on a computer this time) to The Wild Rose Press– a historical romance that has been a labor of love from the start.  “It’s been through four or five revisions, including one complete scrap-it-and-start-over, and has been a wonderful tool for learning how to be a better writer.”

She is also the creator of the WIP Notebook, a writer’s tool to help stay organized while you write.

Now with a few more tools in her author’s tool belt, her first published book, and a drawer full of emergency chocolate, she has a lot more stories to tell.  She lives in Northern California with her husband (who is likely tired of having his brain picked on the ‘male perspective’), their son and her brother, who she thanks every day (since he cooks and she hates to.)

Today’s visiting professor is author Bella Andre.  Being a firm believer in the force of positive energy, I took Bella’s Feng Shui workshop and have since organized my workspace.  I’ll take all the help I can get when it comes to getting my creativity moving!

Whether you are a Feng Shui believer or not, there’s nothing wrong with having a great workspace, right? Bella is here to share her thoughts on the subject.

Take it away, Bella!

During the past few years, I’ve given several FENG SHUI FOR WRITERS classes for RWA, both online and in person at chapter meetings. I tend to get into the details pretty quickly – the specifics of what to move, where to move it, and whether to get rid of it all together. But today, I’m feeling like approaching the idea of Feng Shui from a completely different angle. [Funny, the same thing always happens with  my books after I outline them. ]

You’re probably wondering, what is the point of Feng Shui for writers? Well, the basic tenant of Feng Shui is that all of us live our best lives – and do our best work – in environments that suit our particular needs and personalities. This is why one size does not neccessarily fit all. For the most part, people work best in rooms that are clear of clutter. However, there are cases where people are comforted by smaller spaces, by darkness, by having things all around them. Have you ever known anyone who has dragged their mattress into their closet? I know two. It wouldn’t work for me, but it’s the only way they can get a good night’s sleep.

I’m notoriously “tough-love” when it comes to Feng Shui – but here’s all I’m going to ask you to think about today: Think about every space you’ve ever written in. (Office, Starbucks, your car, your bed, an airplane, etc.) Think about the best scenes you’ve ever written. Is there a constant element present? Were you at home? In public? If you were at home, which room were you in? Was there music? Silence? Were your kids and husband around? Was the TV on? Were you outside?

Now, all you  need to do to give your career a great Feng Shui jumpstart, is to try to recreate that situation as closely as you possibly can on a daily basis. i.e. If the only book that ever “wrote itself” happened while you were vacationing at a lake, surround your office/workspace with artwork/photos of lakes, add a fountain with running water, get blue curtains, add pillows with lake motifs.

It’s a simple exercise, but a very powerful one. And of course, I’m happy to answer any more specific Feng Shui questions if you’ve got them, so fire away!

 ***

RU Crew, does your workspace need some positive energy? Bella will be here to answer questions on how to make that happen.

Thank you to Bella for a great post. Join us on Wednesday when John Arden Warwick returns for another installment in his series on men being capable of love.

Bella’s Bio: Bella Andre has always been a writer. Songs came first, and then non-fiction books, but as soon as she started her first romance novel, she knew she’d found her perfect career. Since selling her first book in 2003, she’s written twelve “sensual, empowered stories enveloped in heady romance” (Publisher’s Weekly) about sizzling alpha heroes and the strong women they’ll love forever. If not behind her computer, you can find her reading, hiking, knitting, or lunching with her favorite romance writing ladies. Bella lives with her fabulous husband and children in both Northern California and a ninety-year-old lakefront log cabin in New York’s Adirondacks.

Bella’s latest release, NEVER TOO HOT, is the third book in her Men Of Fire series.

A TOUCH IGNITES. A FIRE BURNS. AND THE HEAT HAS JUST BEGUN.

Deep in the cool green mountains of the Adirondacks, wounded firefighter Connor MacKenzie has come to rebuild the 100-year-old MacKenzie family cabin–and to be alone. A horrific blaze has left him scarred inside and out and certain of two things: He’ll get back on his Hot Shot crew no matter what it takes, and any woman who ventures too close will not stay long.

Ginger Sinclair has been burned by a different kind of fire. Having just escaped from a bad marriage, she’s retreated to the safety of the lakeside vacation town in upstate New York to start a new life. She’s done with men, with relationships, with the danger of desires that can rage out of control–until she unexpectedly encounters Connor MacKenzie. As a hot summer on the lake grows ever hotter, they find themselves sharing a cabin and a romance that will swiftly engulf them both.

Good morning and welcome to Crafting Your Career.  Unfortunately, C.J. Redwine could not be with us today for Query Writing 101.

Due to the volume of new readers who may not have seen C.J.’s first post with us, we have an encore for you.  To the wonderful (and dedicated) readers who have been with us since the beginning, we apologize for the repeat. 

How to be an excellent hooker: 

No, not that kind of hooker. I don’t give that kind of knowledge out for free. I’m talking about how to hook an agent, an editor, and ultimately, a reader.

 Before we can talk about what a hook is, we need to talk about what a hook is not.

 A hook is not an introduction of every single character in your novel. Hero, heroine, and villain if you have one-that’s it. You want the heart of the book. Leave the discovery of the other organs to your delighted reader.

 A hook is not a blow by blow explanation of every major plot point. That way lies Query Death, a fate best avoided. Besides, that’s a synopsis, not a hook, and never the two shall meet. You want the spine-the conflict that hurtles your heroine into peril in chapter one and escalates until she finally learns/grows/changes/accepts/acts/does the unthinkable…and comes out a winner on your last page.

 A hook is not a formal, business-y sounding measly paragraph sandwiched between the rest of the stuff in your query. Your hook is your query. The rest is just garnish because if you don’t grab an agent or editor’s attention with your hook, the rest won’t matter anyway.

 Now that we have that out of the way, let’s look at what a hook is.

 A hook is a two to three paragraph blurb that captures both the conflict and the Voice of your manuscript.

 That’s it. Sound simple? If so, please take a moment to slap some sense into yourself and we’ll continue. Condensing your 90k novel of fabulosity into a two-three paragraph blurb is tough. Most of us stink at it the first few times we try it. I know I did. But, like any other area of craft, practice really does make perfect.

 Or pretty close to it.

 How do you write a two-three paragraph blurb capturing the conflict and Voice of your manuscript?

Forget the two-three paragraph thing. Really. I know I just said it, but it’s like the Code on Pirates of the Caribbean. It’s more like guidelines than actual rules. You should feel free to break your hook up as your pacing needs dictate. Take a look at my example to see how I totally flaunted this rule. I did it because it mimics the pacing of my novel (which is one truly excellent way to bring Voice into your hook) and because I was experimenting with throwing business writing rules out the window.

Throw your pre-conceived notions of business writing out the window. Seriously. Yes, a query letter is a business communication and you’re going to keep a business-letter framework by having proper headers, salutations, and a nice tidy paragraph with your writing background and the word count and genre of your manuscript, but that’s where the resemblance ends. Why? Because novel writing is art. Publishing is art meets business. Query letters have to be a successful marriage of both as well. Nothing kills the excitement and Voice of a hook like trying to make it sound business-y.

Understand your novel’s basic conflict. Remember when I said you wanted to only include the spine of the book? A simple formula to help you identify your novel’s basic conflict is this: A must do B to avoid or accomplish C but D is a huge problem.  Fill in the blanks to this and you have your conflict. This is NOT your hook. This is a starting place.

Understand the Voice of your novel. My novel is dark urban fantasy written in a quasi-chick lit voice. Guess what? My hook reveals a dark urban fantasy and is written in a quasi-chick lit voice. The pacing of my hook mimics the pacing of my novel. My MC’s personality comes through. You want to do the same. Identify your novel’s voice. If you’re having trouble understanding how to make the connection between that Voice and your hook, grab five or six books in your genre and read the backs for some inspiration.

Write your hook. Take the conflict, play around with how to present it in the Voice of your manuscript, and tie it all up with either a question (Will Angela throw caution-and her reputation-out the window in time to rescue Jack before the vampires turn him into one of their own?) or a statement letting us know the final stakes (see my hook for an example).

Run it through the Query Shark. (http://queryshark.blogspot.com/) Agent Janet Reid provides an invaluable service to writers by giving honest, knowledgeable feedback on queries (posted anonymously). She’s also been known to request pages from those queries she really likes.

Writing an excellent hook takes perseverance, but when the end result is an agent’s or editor’s interest, the blood, sweat, and multiple revisions you poured into it are worth it. Happy hooking!

 My query:

 Ms. Fabulous Literary Agent
1234 Publishable Ave.
New York City, NY 10001

Dear Ms. Agent,

Alexa Tate is more than human. She can swim underwater without holding her breath, scale a brick building in five seconds flat, and hear the emotions of those about to commit a crime. A secretary by day, she uses her skills to hunt down evil at night. She is stronger, faster, and more lethal than anyone she’s ever met.

Until now.

A non-human hunter has come to town. Using mind-control to inhabit his victims and through them commit unspeakable crimes, the hunter leaves a trail of bodies leading right to Alexa’s door.

Suddenly, Alexa is the prey in an ancient war whose rules she is just beginning to understand.  

To stop the hunter and save those she loves, she must uncover the truth about her origins, keep a certain handsome cop from suspecting her of crimes she may have committed, and unleash the tremendous power locked inside of her without becoming what she fears most: a killer.

Living in New York City can be murder.

Shadowing Fate is an urban fantasy complete at 80,000 words. I’m a member of RWA, and a 2008 Golden Heart finalist. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

C.J. Redwine

***

We’ll see everyone on Wednesday when Wayne Levine will discuss why women don’t want to know what men are thinking.