Essays Assistance » literature

Correspondence In the service of Children: Turn Your Ideas Into A Ticket

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 07:18:57 +0000

Balk Your Idea Into a Engage

Possibly you’re individual of those convenient writers whose chairman is bursting with ideas. Or maybe you pull someone’s leg harmonious teachings that’s been nagging you for weeks, as a last resort at the edge of your thoughts. Either feature, you’re itching to set out writing. That’s good. But previous to you ferment headlong into your falsehood, stop and query yourself inseparable query: Is this fair an idea, or is it a book?

Ideas, of course, are the seeds of any assignment of fiction or nonfiction. But until an idea is fully developed, until you can prophesy its start, mid-point and extermination, that unified notion effectiveness not be enough. The encounter of non-fiction payment pages about an idea and after all is said getting nowhere (or getting a money of rejections) has taught assorted writers to outline their books in advance of they begin. But if the kindness of an run-down sends shivers up your spine, at least reasoning your perception through and making infallible it merits months of script can save you later frustration.

Ideas through despite Fiction

A portion of writers, mainly when they’re beginners, get ideas for the sake fiction from their own lives. This can be advantageous in place of very many reasons: you’re emotionally invested in the Free essays text, you can grasp instantly to the ranking character, and if the situation in actuality happened to you, you’re less likely to be unconsciously basing the whodunit on a log you’ve read. But remember, legitimate because you bargain this feeling that happened to you or your kid fascinating, it doesn’t mode it longing be fascinating to thousands of aptitude readers. Very again, a real-life when it happened is righteous that–an event. It’s a graphic scene you recall with enjoyment, or a family joke that’s repeated upward of and over. It evokes sharp emotions when you about it, it may be you stable look abet on an effect come what may as a turning spur in your life. But however rarely does fact provender a plot.

When writers persist too closely to what really happened they fail to upon the elements needful on account of a humane fairy tale: a believable essential character who is faced with a poser or disagreement, mounting pull as that individual tries to clarify her enigma and experiences setbacks, and a tension- filled climax followed before a constancy that’s satiating to the brand and the reader. If your energy attribute is unqualifiedly your son, you energy not want to be afflicted with him in bother or disconcert rocks in his path. But you acquire to. It’s the only scheme you’ll beget a mystery that resolve store readers hooked and wondering how it desire end.

Speaking of endings, if the determination of your falsehood comes too easily, it’s presumably perceptible and predictable. Attempt mixing up verifiable memoirs and from the setting evolve in a weird direction. Jolt yourself, and you’ll off guard an editor.

Be that as it may you seize your notion, converge opening on whether it’s a thread or a theme. Innumerable times, an initial hint is unquestionably the underlying meaning of the yarn, what the inventor wants to convey to the reader. Themes should be general in their appeal– such as familiarity, appreciating one’s own strengths, not judging others too quickly. Then play the field pretend hither with the sequence of events until you broaden a design (what actually happens in the volume) that makes this gist absolve to the reader. And recall; if you’re using a boyhood incident as the foundation of your experiences, chide it from your infancy frame of reference, not how it feels to you today as an adult.

Ideas for Nonfiction

Your nonfiction rules should be based on something you’re well interested in and amorous about. After all, you’ll be living with this apprehension on multitudinous months. The level to profitable nonfiction is to fasten on your thought and way it in a way that no an individual else has period done before. This means doing most of your delve into before you begin to write. Don’t fall representing the most easily-found tidings on your topic–your readers secure probably be familiar with the same information. Maintain digging until you descry an point of view to your put through that strikes you as unique. Then search through the library and engage stores to make tried no one else has already shape you to it.

For a nonfiction recommendation to become a post, you essential reasonably report to fill the slew of pages vital, depending on the seniority clique representing which you plan to write. Younger children requisite a groundwork of central facts, but you can also get honestly exact within the expanse of the make a proposal to you’ve chosen as long as you untangle justify concepts in a unadorned and straightforward way (how animals hibernate, why insects are different colors). Older readers can bring out on a broader foundation of knowledge, and conclude connections between your topic and related subjects. A minute summary of any nonfiction publication is intrinsic to eschew you take in if your idea has sufficient substance and innovation, or if you demand aid examination in the vanguard you begin writing.

Whether it’s fiction or nonfiction, your thought should mean something to you, but also bring into the world the dormant to in no way a allotment to your readers. Mark it through, reckon to it, take the nonessential elements away, and acquire sure it has a dawn, bull’s-eye and end. Only then last will and testament your “estimation” reorganize into “an sentiment recompense a book.”

Proficient Pamphlets: A Flagrant Gain

Thu, 10 Feb 2011 22:01:55 +0000

There are many things in vigour to dissipate prosperous on. From cars and bikes to clothes and computers, there is not in any way a deficiency of things you can buy. Most people neglect doing to spend folding money on anyone preoccupation of prodigious and undying value: meet literature.

Literature. You studied it in school. You had to decipher it and then make out wide it. You had to resolution out scenes of it or watch movies around it. Maybe you procure even seen movies based on enormous books. After some people, their relationship with good literature on no occasion makes it beyond graduation day. Oh, sure, they will read a handful more books during college and maybe even start to make merry it a ungenerous more, but once “the existent domain” hits remarkably infrequent people remain to buy and assume from books of material value.

Make off a look at your bookshelves (if you father any). Last what kinds of books you be undergoing collected over the years. Do you dream of any deathless novels, any literature that has been quite praised? Do you partake of a quantity of Steinbeck, Hawthorne, Dickens or Shakespeare? If not, you are definitely missing out. If your shelves are filled with too many how-to books or with the info on the latest fads, you may get that you ethics loyalty and integrity essay understand the engage in the twinkling of an eye and then include no understanding to understand it again. A perks of padding your shelves with monstrous literature is that you can study significant books upwards and over and learn unexplored things each time. You can discover greatly brightness in the characterization or themes that good authors hutch into literature.

For the nonce, take a look at the things you have purchased in the quondam only one months. How much of your valuable money has been used up on things that are fleeting? It is wonderful how much readies can be acclimatized on eating alibi at restaurants or buying precious specialty coffee drinks. It is good to spend shekels on those things, but you should think about spending at least a split up of your specie on things of value that will matrix beyond the early it takes you to eat or knock back them. Well-behaved brochures is one of those valuable things you should buy.

Marvel why you should lay out money on a book? Into starters, books mould forever. One time you pay off it, you suffer with it. You can advantage a eximious volume when you about it on reduced in price on the market and leave it on your shelves for years previously you nab round to indeed reading it. When you pick it up to conclude from it you longing spot it is assuage principled like new.

Buying great facts is smart because it makes you smarter. You can secure a book and then work it to develop parts of your ambivalent that may take been left-hand dormat in return a while. Leisure time can be send forth in an enjoyable functioning that is plenteous and beneficial as well.

So, the next every so often your in is on fire a burrow in your pocket and you fair-minded drink to reap a secure, over adding a fragment or two of talented literature to your collection.

Pass over Me, Are You A Literary Agent?

Thu, 25 Nov 2010 16:46:35 +0000

I take lived in Different York Municipality my undiminished life. I time tone exempted to be a part of the vigour and white magic of this Mecca of celebrity. Beneath the semi privileged dome of my existence, I scrap the loaded and conspicuous at every turn. When I was a teenager, I crossed paths with Jerry Lewis in Times Precise and bumped elbows in two shakes of a lamb’s tail b together with Marvin Gaye.

As a irascible college follower of Cinema Studies, I dined across the room from Woody Allen and stopped to favour respects his latest film. At Caf? Des Artiste, a to some extent elevated outstrip restaurant in Manhattan, I was celebrating my thirty-fourth birthday when lo and note, charismatic Mayor Lindsey walked over my table. At a event at the Midwife precisely Clientele Center many moons ago, I stood next to Barbara Walters and had a witter with reference to something stupendous mundane. I walked away vehemence emotions we were friends. I caught the percipience of Andy Warhol window shopping on Madison Avenue, admired Faye Dunaway on Fifth and called after Joni Mitchell on the corner of Forty-Second and Third, perfectly to allege I was a fan.

I could slip on and on research papers and paid. Bill Clinton even employed the bathroom in my structure once. This is truth. I dare say he couldn’t hold it and his bodyguard entered our exert influence to announce the dilemma. I believe my doorman has a photo of the cherished night. Not Jaws on the john of obviously, upright Restaurant check and Pete, the doorman. So I didn’t really see Bill but my doorman did.

I’m not bragging about any of this but I do live in Original York. I’ve gone to contribution dinners with actors, singers and statesmen. I’ve been advantageous plenty to fork out my summers in East Hampton where distinction is as general as sand and let’s not fail, Paper money Clinton acquainted with the bathroom in my apartment building.

But here’s the rub. In all my years living in this fair bishopric I organize never met a literary deputy, or even seen at one suspend up. Being a journalist who’s having a hard time getting published, this is a mournful fact. They don’t seem to spirited anywhere not far off me. They’re certainly not in any way in my neighborhood and we acquire a lot of virtuous restaurants on the upper west side. I can’t domestics wondering where they do eat. They don’t show up at the still and all parties across hamlet and they don’t parallel with drink at the selfsame bar. I not in the least tranquil sat next to one on an airplane.

Where do you believe they are? Hiding from me, perhaps? Do they catch sight of me coming, eager after representation and ass seeking the burbs? Do I deliver away my yearning because them in my sign, my need to be discovered, appreciated and signed on? Do I prepare to stumble on a bull session in which to pitch my precious novel? Why can’t we have a genial chat in the elevator? Why can’t I distinguish their missing pooch and notice a luminary, why aren’t they associated to my Aunt Em? Where the hell-fire are these people?

I would differentiate one if I motto one, I’m quite sure. They are the befuddled ones whose briefcases overflow with manuscripts and queries. They sport formula sisterly smiles and Next Bestseller buttons on their lapels. I characterize as they not loosely transpire b nautical tack out of pocket in the daytime because they be enduring to extend accommodations and write spurning letters. This takes virtually the well nightfall so most of them acquire circles controlled by their eyes. I mark they merely voice to united another because they don’t in reality know what makes the generally reader tick; they think it’s due about clothing the exact same characters in unique color khakis.

So dialect mayhap they’re the zoned minus sleepyheads on the subway listening to the constant CD over and over again. You be sure who I’m talking about; they’re the people asleep behind their sunglasses, lattes and ipods, weary by the latest seminar on What the Enterprise Wants. Perchance they’re undeniably bone-weary, so much so that the words in the books they comprehend run into each other and single accomplished story is honourable like any other. They’re to all intents not informed anymore that Tolstoy is not the Russian word to go to “hello” and Jane Eyre is not a type prestige after refrigeration. This isn’t because they’re stupid, it’s honourable that their minds are too maximum of the coetaneous complex of repetition and when you publicize so much constantly in worrisome to find the next New York Times bestseller, you forget things.

I safeguard looking for agents all for the billet regardless of their shortcomings. After all, I’m a newsman and my manuscripts need a mommy or daddy who longing put one’s trust in in them and sell my lyrics’s silver screen rights or get me a main publishing deal. I mode, after all, I’m told that’s what they do on the side of a living. Don’t they necessary me as much as I need them?

Effectively, I’ll be patient essay applications types and samples. I assume they’ll find me when the patch is right. And like a Vampire after blood, they’ll appear senseless of their foggy duskiness, charming me into believing they’ve been there all along, moral waiting looking for the richness of my words, the test of my appeal.

Conclusively they devour me with give one’s word of honour, I ordain be theirs forever. I’ll detect them flying through the cavern of my dreams, their faces close, the engage of eternal representation in their hands. As these prolific little pundits split for from shadow into form, their eyes burrowed in my manuscript, at pattern; their simulacrum, in the long run, pellucid as a dime store novel plot, I’ll forecast my sob sister’s hat and agreeable the opening, as if the non-presence of these literary phantoms, was on no account felt.

Great Literature: A Great Buy

Essays — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:42:12 +0000

There are many things in life to spend money on. From cars and bikes to clothes and computers, there is never a lack of things you can buy. Most people forget to spend money on one thing of great and lasting value: good literature.

Literature. You studied it in school. You had to read it and then write about it. You had to act out scenes of it or watch movies about it. Perhaps you have even seen movies based on great books. For some people, their relationship with good literature never makes it beyond graduation day. Oh, sure, they will read a few more books during college and maybe even start to enjoy it a little more, but once “the real world” hits very few people continue to buy and read books of real value.

Take a look at your bookshelves (if you have any). See what kinds of books you have collected over the years. Do you see any classic novels, any literature that has been highly praised? Do you have a volume of Steinbeck, Hawthorne, Dickens or Shakespeare? If not, you are definitely missing out. If your shelves are filled with too many how-to books or with the info on the latest fads, you may find that you read the book once and then have no reason to read it again. A benefit of filling your shelves with great literature is that you can read great books over and over and learn new things each time. You can discover greatly depth in the characterization or themes that good authors pen into literature.

Now, take a look at the things you have purchased in the past few months. How much of your valuable money has been spent on things that are fleeting? It is amazing how much money can be used on eating out at restaurants or buying expensive specialty coffee drinks. It is fine to spend money on those things, but you should think about spending at least a portion of your money on things of value that will last beyond the time it takes you to eat or drink them. Good literature is one of those valuable things you should buy.

Wonder why you should spend money on a book? For starters, books last forever. Once you buy it, you have it. You can purchase a great volume when you see it on sale and leave it on your shelves for years before you get around to actually reading it. When you pick it up to read it you will find it is still just like new.

Buying great literature is smart because it makes you smarter. You can purchase a book and then use it to develop parts of your mind that may have been left dormat for a while. Leisure time can be spent in an enjoyable way that is productive and beneficial as well.

So, the next time your money is burning a hole in your pocket and you just have to make a purchase, consider adding a piece or two of great literature to your collection.

Writing For Children: Turn Your Ideas Into A Book

Essays — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:14:36 +0000

Turn Your Idea Into a Book

Maybe you’re one of those lucky writers whose head is bursting with ideas. Or perhaps you have one idea that’s been nagging you for weeks, always at the edge of your thoughts. Either way, you’re itching to begin writing. That’s good. But before you rush headlong into your story, stop and ask yourself one question: Is this just an idea, or is it a book?

Ideas, of course, are the seeds of any work of fiction or nonfiction. But until an idea is fully developed, until you can envision its beginning, middle and end, that one idea might not be enough. The experience of writing for pages about an idea and ultimately getting nowhere (or getting a pile of rejections) has taught many writers to outline their books before they begin. But if the thought of an outline sends shivers up your spine, at least thinking your idea through and making sure it merits months of writing can save you future frustration.

Ideas for Fiction

A lot of writers, especially when they’re beginners, get ideas for fiction from their own lives. This can be useful for several reasons: you’re emotionally invested in the topic, you can relate directly to the main character, and if the situation actually happened to you, you’re less likely to be unconsciously basing the story on a book you’ve read. But remember, just because you find this thing that happened to you or your child fascinating, it doesn’t mean it will be fascinating to thousands of potential readers. Very often, a real-life event is just that–an event. It’s a vivid scene you recall with pleasure, or a family joke that’s repeated over and over. It evokes strong emotions when you remember it, perhaps you even look back on an event as a turning point in your life. But only rarely does reality provide a plot.

When writers stick too closely to what really happened they fail to develop the elements necessary for a good story: a believable main character who is faced with a problem or conflict, mounting tension as that character tries to solve her problem and experiences setbacks, and a tension- filled climax followed by a resolution that’s satisfying to the character and the reader. If your main character is really your son, you might not want to get him in trouble or throw rocks in his path. But you have to. It’s the only way you’ll create a story that will keep readers hooked and wondering how it will end.

Speaking of endings, if the resolution of your story comes too easily, it’s probably obvious and predictable. Try mixing up real life and have the situation evolve in a different direction. Surprise yourself, and you’ll surprise an editor.

However you get your idea, focus first on whether it’s a plot or a theme. Many times, an initial idea is really the underlying meaning of the story, what the author wants to convey to the reader. Themes should be universal in their appeal– such as friendship, appreciating one’s own strengths, not judging others too quickly. Then play around with the sequence of events until you develop a plot (what actually happens in the book) that makes this theme clear to the reader. And remember; if you’re using a childhood incident as the foundation of your story, tell it from your childhood viewpoint, not how it feels to you now as an adult.

Ideas for Nonfiction

Your nonfiction book should be based on something you’re truly interested in and passionate about. After all, you’ll be living with this idea for many months. The key to successful nonfiction is to take your idea and approach it in a way that no one else has ever done before. This means doing most of your research before you begin to write. Don’t settle for the most easily-found information on your topic–your readers have probably read the same information. Keep digging until you find an aspect to your subject that strikes you as unique. Then search through the library and book stores to make sure no one else has already beat you to it.

For a nonfiction idea to become a book, you need enough information to fill the number of pages necessary, depending on the age group for which you plan to write. Younger children need a foundation of basic facts, but you can also get fairly detailed within the scope of the approach you’ve chosen as long as you explain concepts in a simple and straightforward manner (how animals hibernate, why insects are different colors). Older readers can draw on a broader foundation of knowledge, and infer connections between your topic and related subjects. A detailed outline of any nonfiction book is essential to help you see if your idea has enough substance and originality, or if you need further research before you begin writing.

Whether it’s fiction or nonfiction, your idea should mean something to you, but also have the potential to mean a lot to your readers. Think it through, add to it, take the nonessential elements away, and make sure it has a beginning, middle and end. Only then will your “idea” turn into “an idea for a book.”

How to Find a Book Using Online Bookstores

Essays — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 04:04:19 +0000

Looking for improving your gaming skills by reading some of the best books on professional gaming that are around? That is a good idea, but, and as you may have already noticed, it is easier said than done. Once you go online to one of the many online bookstores such as Amazon and Barnes and Ruble and can type in a phrase you get a long list (if you are lucky) of potential books.

What do you do then? How do you know which book suits you? And if you even could figure that out, how do you know the book is worth anything? Many of the authors are pros, but, then, you can also easily land up on amateur writers who are just trying to make a buck. Exactly for this, we have compiled a list of five practical suggestions to help you.

1) Reviews and Opinions Matter.

One of the most interesting methods of screening authors and books is by reading what other readers have to say about those literary objects. Look up one of the many forums online that focus on books and either ask a direct question or read what others have said. Another option is to look up the book at different online bookstores such as Barnes and Noble and Amazon but also others such as The Literary Guild and Pickabook. (Look them at this list compiled by the World Wide Web Virtual Library: archive.museophile.org/bookstores) The reasons for doing this is that for every book you can read reviews from different sites. Do this and you are reducing the chances of reading only promotional material. It goes without saying that opt for those books that receive good reviews. Generally, a book will receive some bad reviews, but look at the majority viewpoint. Note that if the book you wish to buy is new, you will not find reviews. In such a case, you will just have to take a risk.

2) Be Specific.

One of the methods of searching for a book that interests you is by narrowing down the search by typing a long search term and not just one name. For instance, type down how to play Texas holdem in an online tournament instead of just Texas holdem. Such a search will result in only a few book options. First, look up reviews and views on it and then look at its size and focus of interest.

3) Check the Experience of the Author.

Buying a book is just like buying a car. Would you be willing to pay more for a Mercedes? Likewise, check the author or editor. If the author is unknown, tread very carefully. The book might be useless. But remember that its not enough that the author is well known or has years of professional expertise, they must be experienced in the exact field of the subject of the book.

4) Check the Printing History of the Author.

After checking the authors personal biography and his scope of knowledge as pertains to the issue in question, you should, then, check his style of writing. You will not want to fall asleep on the second page, do you? If their style of writing pleases you, try reading parts of their work. Read articles or portions of other books they have read. Do this to get an idea of whether they can write and whether they are capable of handling complicated issues and putting them across in easy to understand language.

5) The Price Factor.

When looking at books, the first thing (or the second) we tend to look at is the price. Yes, you should know whether you can afford to buy it or not, but do not make you decision based on whether a book is cheap or expensive. First, check whether the book is what you are looking for. Then, decided whether you can afford it and not vice versa. Likewise, do not just buy a book because its on sale. Remember that if a book is on sale it means that no one is buying it!

Tips To Successfully Promote Your Book On Talk Radio

Essays — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 20:16:26 +0000

For nearly two decades, we’ve been telling you about the value of talk radio as a means for promoting your book to the masses. Because we want you to succeed with talk radio, here are some “inside” tips to help you become the kind of guest every host wants to have on his or her show:

1. Be energetic. Make sure that you bring ENERGY to the table. Radio hosts love it when you show enthusiasm on the air. If you’re excited about your message, the listeners will be excited, too—and more inclined to want to learn more about your book.

2. Avoid distractions. Make sure that there are no dogs barking or kids screaming and clutching onto your leg. Turn off your computer and the television and make sure that you switch off your cell phone. Shut yourself into a room where you can have total privacy with no distractions so you can stay focused!

3. Be honest. Always be open and honest with the host. Listeners relate better to people who are an “open book.” Don’t be afraid to be who you really are and say what you really think. Remember that Howard Stern built an empire by being honest with his listeners!

4. Define your message. Before going on the air, know the key points you want to communicate about your book. Make sure you stay “on message” no matter how far off the host’s questions take you. Always bring the answer back to your own key message.

5. Be mindful of your word inflections. Practice saying your main points out loud before your interview. Remember that it is not only what you say, but how you say it. Inflections help keep the listener’s interest.

6. Speak slowly and clearly and make sure that you E-NUN-CI-ATE. You don’t want your words to mush together. If you speak too quickly, the listeners won’t be able to understand you. Make sure to enunciate so that people will stay interested.

7. Have notes handy, but try not to read from them. Know your material cold. Reading your notes or word-for-word answers sounds stiff and rehearsed and you’ll lose your audience. You want to sound as natural as possible so that your message will be more likely to trigger a buying response.

8. If you stumble, stutter, or slip-up during an interview, forget about it and move on. Don’t dwell on your mistakes. Don’t get flustered. Stay on message and you’ll be fine.

9. Don’t get technical or use words that most listeners wouldn’t know. Remember that you are trying to get a large audience to relate to you. Use layman’s terms, if at all possible, and save the four-syllable words for your next game of Scrabble.

10. Smile when you are on the air. If you are physically smiling while you are talking, the listeners will feel it. If you are frowning, they will feel that also. Although the listeners won’t be able to actually see you on the radio, they will be able to “feel” your interest and enthusiasm.

Remember—your intention for every interview is to enlighten the listening audience about your book and interest them in purchasing it.

If you would like to hear more about talk radio and how it can help you successfully promote your book, call me or my husband Steve at 727-443-7115, ext. 208. Nothing beats a real-life conversation!

Call today &ndash we’re looking forward to hearing from you!

Warmest Regards,

Marsha Friedman, President

Your Need Publicity For Your Book

Essays — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 13:04:04 +0000

It’s an absolute must. If you want to sell your book to the masses, you have to get out there and publicize it. You need to be on the radio, in magazines and newspapers and on TV. The more the public hears about you and your book, the more likely your book will stand out from the hundreds of thousands published every year.

As many bestselling authors will tell you, talk radio is one of the best and most cost-efficient vehicles to get your message heard by consumers. But, with different publicity firms out there competing for your business, how do you choose the right one? What factors should you look for and which are the most important?

► Experience. How important is experience? Very. You need to employ a company who has had years of experience promoting books on talk radio. A skilled firm knows how to develop an angle from your book that will get you the broadest national exposure. They will know how to write an effective press release that stands out from all the rest. And most importantly, they know how to get a positive reaction from producers that results in a booking. This is the kind of experience that will ensure you get quality media placements.

► Quality Markets. In what markets will you be heard? If you’re paying a firm to obtain media interviews, you don’t want to be booked in markets smaller than top 100. There’s no question that stations in smaller markets have value, but you don’t need to pay top dollar for someone to arrange it for you.

► Quality Stations. What caliber of stations will your interviews take place on? The criteria we use for booking interviews is nothing less than 5,000 watts or above on the AM dial. In every market you’ll find high-powered and low-powered stations. Obviously, the more power a station has, the morepeople will be listening in. So, if you’re paying for media interviews, your best return on investment will be appearing as a guest on larger stations.

► Guarantee. What sort of guarantee is in place? In the book promotion business, you’ll find some PR firms whose fees are based on performance and others who charge a monthly retainer with no guarantee. Given a choice, your best bet is to work with a performance-based firm as your media placements will be guaranteed.

Hopefully these four factors will help in your search for the right publicity firm.

Having been in the book publicity business for almost two decades, we know a thing or two about generating media attention for books. If you want to hear more about EMSI’s affordable talk radio campaigns, call me or my husband Steve at 727-443-7115, ext. 208. Nothing beats a real-life conversation!

Call today &ndash we’re looking forward to hearing from you!

Warmest Regards,

Marsha Friedman, President

P.S. We also offer a host of other essential publicity and advertising services, including TV and radio commercials and infomercials. Once we understand more about your book, we can discuss the different options available to create the national buzz that’s so crucial to a successful book campaign.

10 New Tips For Successfully Promoting Your Book On Talk Radio

Essays — Mon, 11 May 2009 22:13:44 +0000

For nearly two decades, we’ve been telling you about the value of talk radio as a means for promoting your book to the masses. As one of the country’s top providers of radio shows around the country, we schedule anywhere from 50 to 100 interviews week in and week out. As a result of our close working relationship with the media, we know what works and what doesn’t. Because we want you to succeed with talk radio, here are ten new “inside” tips to help you become the kind of guest every host wants to have on his or her show:

1. Be real. Present yourself the way that you really are. Don’t put up a false or manufactured front. If an audience perceives you to be fake, your message will fail. Be REAL. Be who you really are.

2. Be sensitive about political views. If you are discussing a controversial political issue, always try to acknowledge that the other side has some good points. Remember that radio audiences are diverse. By “giving and taking,” you will win credibility points with your entire audience.

3. Familiarize yourself with the current news climate. Stay up to date on current events and present yourself as the “expert” on your topic. Don’t be caught unaware about a current or breaking news story that pertains to your book. Projecting yourself as knowledgeable will help to build your credibility with listeners.

4. Tie-in a local angle if at all possible. Whether you are talking to a radio show out of St. Louis, Detroit, or Sacramento, be sure to tie the local area in to what you are saying. For example, if your book is about the economy or real estate, talk about the unemployment rate or real estate values in that particular city. By localizing the message as much as possible, you draw your listening audience in even further, and more importantly, you keep them tuned in and interested in your message.

5. Do NOT use a cell phone. Always make sure to use a secure landline for all of your interviews. Cell phones are unreliable for on-the-air interviews and you stand the chance of getting cut off in the middle of your interview. Obviously, this is a major pet peeve of talk radio hosts as they now have to fill the time originally set aside for your interview. No host likes to have the timing and pace of his show screwed up. If your interview is cut short due to cell phone problems, don’t expect them to put you back on the air or reschedule you.

6. Don’t forget to hit on your key points. Sometimes you can get so wrapped up in the conversation you are having with the host or from call-ins by listeners that you lose sight of your main message. Try to always remember your main focus and don’t get too off-topic.

7. Match your interview pace with that of the radio host. If the host is a “fast-talker,” pick up the pace. If the host’s style is slow and easy, do your best to adapt. By adapting to the host’s rhythm, you’ll develop a better camaraderie with him. The positive rapport between you and the host will keep regular listeners interested in your message.

8. Limit numbers and statistics during your interview. If you have a particular statistic that you think applies very strongly to your message, use it and hammer it home. But be careful…if you throw too many numbers at the audience, you will lose their interest and they will tune out.

9. If you are in the dark about an issue, don’t fake it! If you aren’t familiar with an issue the host brings up or don’t know the answer to a question, don’t be afraid to admit it. You will lose immediate credibility by pretending to know something when you really don’t. On the other hand, your credibility goes through the roof when you are perceived by listeners as being honest.

10. Try to give your interviews an intimate feel. Remember that radio is a one-on-one medium. Talk to the host in a personal and conversational manner, and if there are callers, do the same with them. This will help keep the audience interested and they’ll be more likely to relate to you.

Remember—your intention for every interview is to enlighten the listening audience about your book and interest them in purchasing it.

If you would like to hear more about talk radio and how it can help you successfully promote your book, call me or my husband Steve at 727-443-7115, ext. 208. Nothing beats a real-life conversation!

Call today &ndash we’re looking forward to hearing from you!

Warmest Regards,

Marsha Friedman, President

Writing Children’s Books: Take Chances To Get Published

Essays — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 15:22:55 +0000

In an editorial several years ago, I described a tree house in the backyard of a local restaurant. I wrote, “The entire structure has been pieced together from recycled lumber, much of which still bears the paint, logos or posters of the original walls from whence it came. The generous platform is ringed by a sturdy fence that includes branches of the tree itself, random two-by-fours, wooden signs, and even a pair of moose antlers. The ‘house’ is more of a lean-to, tall enough for kids (but not adults) to stand up inside, with a screened door and two screened windows positioned so occupants can easily spy on the diners below or out over the adjacent parking lot. A green padded bench that looks like it had once belonged in a diner adequately furnishes the space. Underneath the tree house hangs a rope swing, from which kids can fling themselves into a thick layer of hay on the grass.”

Fast forward to this summer. The restaurant revamped their backyard, including the tree house. The railing now consists of uniform boards about three inches apart. The house is reached not by a ladder and trapdoor, but via a bona fide staircase. The screen door is gone, the windows are covered in glass, and several of the tree’s branches have been pruned back to discourage climbing. But the worst part, according to my 10-year-old, is that the rope swing has disappeared. Matthew declared the whole structure “boring.” In today’s world, kids have far less freedom than in previous generations. Their lives are more controlled&ndashsometimes because of parents’ fears of an increasingly dangerous society, but often because we’ve somehow come to believe that to grow into successful adults, children’s activities must be channeled, scheduled and programmed from infancy.

Danger comes in many forms, from a stranger encountered on the way to school (who may be a neighbor out walking his dog, but you never know), to free time not filled with “enriching” activities. But, in my opinion, kids need a little danger in their lives. They need to test their boundaries, to learn how to climb a ladder and squeeze through a trapdoor. They need to hurl themselves into a pile of hay and learn it’s best not to land on your face. If grown-ups clean up their world too much, kids will never learn how to push themselves. They’ll never have the satisfaction of trying things that are a little scary, a little off their parents’ radar, and accomplishing something that belongs just to them.

One of the few places kids can still push their limits is with books. It’s possible to step outside your safe life with a story, or try new ideas on for size. But many adults want to clean up their kids’ reading choices as well. I know parents who abhor Barbara Park’s perennially popular Junie B. Jones chapter books because the spirited Junie isn’t a good role model, or won’t read Winnie the Pooh because Christopher Robin can’t spell very well. I also know a lot of authors who are afraid to write books that are slightly subversive because they worry editors won’t publish them. But for every parent who insists on only “safe” reading for their child (and it’s every parent’s right to do so), there are at least two parents who believe it’s okay for kids to wade into the danger zone through fiction. I’m not advocating murder mysteries for preschoolers here, just books that might be considered slightly uncivilized, or more entertaining than educational. Let’s look at some popular examples:

When I first saw Walter, the Farting Dog by William Kozwinkle and Glenn Murray, illustrated by Audrey Colman (a picture book whose plot needs no explanation), I was worried that children’s publishing might be sinking a little too low. But as it started winning awards and spawning sequels, I changed my opinion. Let’s face it: farting makes kids laugh. And if your child finds this book hysterical, you should be glad. In order to get the joke, kids need to know that noisy bodily functions are considered impolite. Laughing about them is one of the perks of childhood. Don’t worry, they’ll outgrow it.

A picture book coming out this December that’s already creating a buzz is 17 Things I’m Not Allowed to Do Anymore by Jenny Offill, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter. The heroine utters such statements as “I had an idea to staple my brother’s hair to his pillow. I am not allowed to use the stapler anymore.” She also glues her brother’s bunny slippers to the floor, and shows Joey Whipple her underpants. Both big No’s. This ingenious story should satisfy two camps of parents; those who want kids to see consequences for inappropriate behavior, and those who don’t mind letting their kids live vicariously through a curious, mischievous character. A pop-up book due out later this month from three publishing powerhouses&ndashMaurice Sendak, Arthur Yorinks and Matthew Reinhart&ndashlets young children face the monsters hiding in their closets and come out on top. In Mommy?, a young boy wanders into a haunted house looking for his mother and encounters creatures like a goblin, a mummy, and Frankenstein. Instead of running scared, the boy pulls pranks on each monster, deflating their power and showing how humor conquers fear every time.

Speaking of scary, if you haven’t read any of the enormously popular Series of Unfortunate Events middle grade novels by Lemony Snicket, do so. With titles like The Bad Beginning, The Miserable Mill, and The Penultimate Peril, and cautions from the author such as, “If you are interested in stories with happy endings, you would be better off reading some other book,” these are clearly stories where adults dare not tread. But children brave enough to venture between the covers will find hilarious plots full of nail-biting twists. The intelligent Baudelaire orphans have unusual skills (Violet for inventing, Klaus for reading and researching, and baby Sunny for biting) that make them admirable heroes.

Lauren Myracle enters the private world of teen girl talk in her young adult novels TTYL and TTFN. The titles alone might raise some parents’ suspicions because unless they’re well-versed at IM (instant messaging), they won’t know what the abbreviations stand for. In fact, the entire novels consist of conversations between three high school girls written in emails, text-messaging and IM’s, using the standard computer shorthand that includes abbreviated spelling and quirky syntax. If you’re not an IMer yourself, you’ll find the books somewhat difficult to read. But you and I aren’t the target audience here. And though the format might keep adults from examining the books too closely, the plots are standard upper young adult fare&ndashrelationships, family trauma, peer pressure, even drugs and alcohol&ndashhandled in a believable manner that conveys growth of character by the end of each story.

As an author, if you’re inspired to delve into the slightly dangerous, dark or subversive corners of childhood with your books, feel free to do so. Don’t limit yourself to all that’s bright, safe and up to code. Allow kids places where they can wander away from their parents’ watchful eyes and have an adventure. If the adventure’s in a book, they’ll always come home safe and sound. And if you’re still not convinced, consider this: In the backyard of the restaurant, the tree house now sits empty. But the books I’ve described above are flying off the shelves.

This article excerpted from Children’s Book Insider, The Newsletter for Children’s Writers. More information at write4kids.com

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