The Fabulist Flash

Issue 51

New Orleans Homes Framed Print

In This Issue:

1. This Week
2. Feature Article
3. Feature Article
4. A Writer Tidbit
5. About The Fabulist Flash

1. This Week

Welcome to Issue 51 of The Fabulist Flash.

The devastation being suffered along the Gulf Coast is simply unimaginable. My thoughts, like those of the nation, go out to all the victims and survivors. I was relieved yesterday to receive word that several very good friends who live there are safe. If you want to do something positive, visit www.redcross.com and make a donation.

Career Press signed off on my manuscript, so 50 Fabulous Gay-Friendly Places to Live is officially done. This event was marked by the arrival of the second piece of my advance. Cash is always appreciated. Of course, now the real work begins of promoting the book. But, my publisher is kicking things off in style by taking out a full-page solo ad for my book in Baker & Taylor Magazine, distributed to all the librarians around the nation. It's beginning to look like my book is going to be a big deal and I couldn't be more thrilled.

But, it's not all great news. Career Press also passed on the new proposal I sent. It was an interesting rejection. They liked the concept, but just didn't feel it was a good fit for their imprint. Hopefully, my agent will be able to find a home for the idea at another house.

This week's issue has two feature articles. The first, Deadlines Can Be A Writer's Best Friendby Bonnie Boots, is excellent advice all writers should adhere. The second, All You Need To Know About Press Release Writing and Distribution
by Amber McNaught, is not only a good foundation of press release writing, it's also a fine example of how to use excerpts of your book as an attention getter.

Until next week,

Gregory
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Gregory A. Kompes is a writer, photographer and professional speaker. Learn more about Gregory and his work at www.kompes.com

2. Feature Article

Deadlines Can Be A Writer's Best Friend
by Bonnie Boots

I click the "send" button on my e-mail and my article is instantly transmitted to a magazine. Minutes later, I have a reply from the editor. It reads "Snappy writing and five days before deadline! Thanks, Bonnie. You're an editors dream."

I believe I'm a good writer, but more important, at least as far as editors are concerned, I'm a disciplined writer. I never miss a deadline. I hear other writers grousing about deadlines, even disregarding them until an unhappy editor prods them. That's a shame, because respecting deadlines can help you mature personally and professionally.

The word "deadline" can be traced back to the Civil War when prisoners were sometimes secured with nothing more than a line drawn in the dirt. Cross that line, they were told, and you're dead! I take deadlines just as seriously. Even during the most trying personal circumstances, I meet my writing commitments. Once, I even wrote a newspaper column as I sat with a dying parent. It was hard, very hard to focus my thoughts and write, but the personal strength I conjured that day translated into writing so powerful it brought my career to a new level.

As I wrote that day I wasn't thinking about winning awards. I was thinking of only one thing: I had to meet my deadline. Writing each word was a struggle. When I'd finish a sentence, I'd rest, feeling like I'd just made it another fifty feet up Mount Everest. When I completed that column, my personal resources were spent. Like a horse that's been whipped to reach the finish line, I was exhausted physically and emotionally and wondered where I'd ever find the strength to write again.

The next week, however, habit kicked in and I kicked out another column. In fact, I never missed a column through one of the most traumatic events of my life. Such is the power of established, disciplined writing habits.

The discipline I developed by always meeting deadlines has served me well both personally and professionally. Personally, it's given me the power to persevere through circumstances that might otherwise have crushed me. Professionally, it's given me a reputation among editors as a writer that can be relied on. I've had editors carry my name with them as they moved from publication to publication, even calling me for work I had no background in, simply because they knew I was one hundred percent reliable.

One editor worked on dozens of different magazines during my association with her, calling me to write about topics ranging from doll designers to antique autos. When I protested I knew nothing about cars, she scolded me, saying, "I don't need a mechanical expert. I have a dozen. What I need is one writer that can actually meet a deadline."

Editors resent having to baby-sit writers, calling to coax, coddle, even threaten writers to get them moving toward their deadline. "It's like herding cats!" one editor wailed. Yet, often, that's where an editor's time and energy are spent. Imagine the good impression you'll make by being a writer that's mature enough to take your work and responsibilities seriously. You may have less experience than other writers, but editors will see you as a real professional. You may have less talent than other writers, but editors will see you as something better than genius-they'll see you as a writer that delivers on deadline.

About the Author
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Bonnie Boots (www.BonnieBoots.com) is an award-winning writer and designer who says all writers should show off their talent by wearing their Write Side Out! Her wise and witty product line of gear that shows the world you're a writer is at www.writesideout.com

3. Feature Article

All You Need To Know About Press Release Writing and Distribution
by Amber McNaught

(This article is an extract from the ebook "PR Power: How to Write a Killer Press Release – and make sure it gets published" by Media Relations Expert Amber McNaught. Buy the book online for only $9 (£4.99) at http://www.hotigloo.co.uk/prpower.htm)

Before you even think about writing a press release, there are a few things you need to know about the media. Here's the first - and most important - of them:

1. Journalists receive hundreds of press releases every week

Depending on the publication they're writing for, they may even get hundreds of press releases every day. So you're up against some pretty stiff competition. Obviously you're going to have to make sure your press release stands out, and grabs her attention. But how?

2. The vast majority of these press releases remain unread.

Luckily, the situation isn't quite as desperate as it may seem. You don't really have to compete with all of these hundreds of press releases. You only have to compete with the good ones. The reason? The rest of them go straight to that round metal filling cabinet on the floor...

When I worked as a reporter, it was my job to plough through the huge pile of press releases we received every day. Pretty soon I realized that only around 5% of them were ever any use to us. The rest were either transparent attempts at self-promotion from local business owners, or were on subjects which our newspaper just didn't cover.

What can we learn from this? Well, two things:

* If you want your press release to be read, you have to give the journalist the kind of news they're interested in covering

* In order to do this, you have to actually READ their newspaper.

Back to our journalists, and the final two things you need to know about them.

3. Journalists are very, very busy

Unfortunately, the newspaper industry is similar to many other industries in that there's a tendency to hire fewer staff than are really needed. This is bad news for journalists, but it's also bad news for your press release, as it basically means that the journalist you send it to will probably not have time to read it properly, and will simply scan the first line. If that first line doesn't grab their attention, they'll file it straight into the bin.

4. The media don't owe you anything

Here's something that most people forget: newspaper owners are running a business too. Their business makes money by selling copies of their newspaper, and trust me, they're in it for the money: they're not providing a public service.

When I worked on local newspapers, we would get a lot of phone calls from people who seemed to feel that it was our duty to print the stories they gave us, whether it was about their child winning a prize at school or their business winning a new client.

The problem was that as much as we'd liked to have helped these people, we were running a business. The success of that business depended on us providing news that people actually wanted to read, and, sadly, no one really wants to read about a child winning a book token or a business signing a new contract. (Unless, of course, you're the child's parents or the owner of the business.)

So, now you know a little bit about the media, it's time to sit down and write that press release...

About the Author
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Amber McNaught is the author of "PR Power: How to Write a Killer Press Release – and make sure it gets published!" Buy the ebook online for $9 (£4.99) at http://www.hotigloo.co.uk/prpower.htm Amber also offers an affordable press release writing and distribution service.

4. A Writer Tidbit

It's still Back to School sale time. Because of the advance check this week I treated myself to some new office supplies. What can I say? I like the smell of freshly opened pads and new pens. And, who knew there were so many new types of paper available?

If you buy your share of office supplies, too, you might be interested to know that you can get frequent purchase rewards from Office Max and Office Depot. Sign up for their free frequent shopper cards and you'll receive great coupons by mail and gift cards for future purchases.

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5. About The Fabulist Flash

ISSN: 1554-0804

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