Category Archives: Publishing

Interview Questions for Your Main Characters

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GCfGN_symbol-drop-shadow[Dalya’s Note: This guest post was written by Beth Barany, an award-winning novelist, keynote speaker & creativity coach for novelists.]

Many nonfiction writers may be unfamiliar with how to develop characters in their how-to or other pieces. But with some guidelines and some investigative questions, you’ll be able to create interesting and compelling characters for your teaching stories.

Guidelines

Many fiction writers start with this next exercise even before they start their stories. How do I know that? I’m an award-winning novelist, with 2 novels and 2 novellas published, and when I’m not working on my own stories, I help authors write, publish, and market their novels.

Goal
Start with your character’s outer goal. What does she want? Have it be something anyone could see. Example: to get a job. Also, all characters have an inner and non-tangible goal, like to feel satisfied.

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Now Available: New Independent Publishing Resources for Changemakers

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ebookLooking for a new way to attract and engage prospective donors, clients, or customers? Today’s audiences often bypass traditional fundraising or advertising. Instead, they want relevant and useful content that they can act on right away. Are you offering them that?

A book or e-book (maybe even a “free-mium”) is a great way to share your experience and insights, bring more visibility to your cause or organization, and establish yourself as a passionate and credible “author”-ity in your field.

Vital components of your overall marketing strategy, books and e-books can be recycled across many communication and fundraising channels (online and offline). You’ll make a winning impression when you can say: “We wrote the book on that topic!”

With e-books and books so easy to create these days, what’s holding you back? And how can you make them work for your organization?

My website now houses lots of great new resources for current and emerging self-publishers—especially leaders of social sector organizations:

Conference call: Independent Publishing for the Changemaker: Advice on how to use this ultimate marketing technique: what’s involved and how to get started (handout plus recording)

Webinar slides:

  • Publishing Your Ebook for Greater Business Impact
  • Thinking About Hiring an Independent Editor? Start Here!

Detailed handouts:

  • The right team for the indie publishing process
  • Where to find an independent editor: professional associations
  • Websites of interest to the indie writer/publisher

Download your copies HERE.

The Loving Tension between Writers and Designers

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[Dalya’s Note: This guest post was written by Nadia Khastagir who will be a Special Guest on the 3/5 Writing Wednesdays call. She is a co-owner/graphic designer at Design Action Collective.]

How many times has a copywriter bemoaned that designers always say there’s too much text? How many times does the designer want the editor to cut more text?

How can we come to a perfect harmony?

Graphic design should make your text sing. Good design should enhance the text, it is the supporting actor to the lead star, making sure that the lead role drives the plot and the story. It is the rhythm section to the leader singer. It is the choir to the diva. At the same time, if the story is dominated by the one star always taking the solo, the audience can lose interest, it starts to feel monotonous. This is why design can enhance the copywriting.

Functional graphic design shouldn’t overwhelm the reader to distraction but encourage the reader to read the this brochure, report, flyer, advertisement. Graphic design should show off the stars of the story.

Graphic design can transform your copy into an eyecatching piece:

nadia 1

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Panel on 10/12: San Francisco Writing for Change Conference

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I will be speaking at the Fifth San Francisco Writing for Change Conference, which is for nonfiction writers who want to bring about the changes individuals, communities, and the planet need. Please feel free to stop by and say hello!

Jean Shinoda Bolen, author of Moving Through the Millionth Circle: Energizing the Global Women’s Movement, will give the keynote address.

The Conference will provide a full day of panels about writing, getting published, and promotion. Attendees can get free feedback on their work and pitch book ideas to agents and editors (including me).  Two scholarships available.

Location: Unitarian Universalist Center, Geary at Franklin, San Francisco.

Cost: $149

Details and registration: www.SFWritingforChange.org

Celebrate Banned Books Week: The Freedom to Read (Sept. 22-28)

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banned books[Dalya’s Note: This guest post was written by my Assistant, Leslie Rivera.]

Imagine not having the freedom to read books of your own choosing. Can you imagine someone else dictating which books you could or couldn’t read? That’s exactly what had happened for years in schools, bookstores, and libraries. In response to the censorship, Banned Books Week was launched in 1982 by library activist Judith Krug. Since that time 11,300 books have been challenged in schools, bookstores, and libraries.

Banned Books Week is a time to celebrate our freedom of expression, choices, and liberties to seek out knowledge regardless of its controversial nature. Librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers come together this week to show solidarity in the written word.

Check out the Calendar of Events to see what’s happening in your community. For example, in Alameda, CA the Alameda Free Library is hosting a Community Banned Books Week Reading Marathon (September 22-28) and White Hill Middle School (in Fairfax, CA) is hosting an “Uncover to Discover” event (October 1-15).

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