The Fabulist Flash

Issue 103

Red Mum Mug

In This Issue:

1. This Week
2. 21 Full Grown Elephants?
3. Writing Copy That Sells
4. Cyndia Depre takes the 18Q
5. About The Fabulist Flash

1. This Week

Do you own a copy of The Chicago Manual of Style? Is it worth owning? What's the point? Those questions were uttered and debated this week among some writers I know. It's been an interesting debate, not because of the topic--every writer should own a copy of this book in my opinion--but because so many people think the book is too expensive. And, priced around $55, I understand folk's trepidation.

...Yes, he's climbing up on his soapbox...

It's interesting to me how we set priorities. Most of the people having this debate were drinking frothy coffee drinks in plastic cups with big straws. I won't do the math for you because you get the point.

It all comes down to what we think is important. As writers, we need to be current on our grammar, punctuation, and word usage. We need to understand the mechanics of our craft. But, I don't know anyone who can keep every single rule of grammar and punctuation in their heads all the time. Sadly, we don't enjoy an era where editors and publishers are willing or able to spend time with us or our work, correctly our mistakes and helping us learn to be better writers. Instead, we are expected and required to turn in flawless manuscripts, ready for publication. To achieve this, we not only need to be writers, but editors and proofreaders, too.

The best way to become your own editor is to have the tools that editors use. At the top of that list is The Chicago Manual of Style. Spending time with this book is better than any editing course you might take. When you compare the price of the book to a course on editing, it's a bargain.

...I'll step down now.

Have you checked out the newsletter Writers on the Rise (www.WritersOnTheRise.com)? I'm one of a dozen monthly columnists for this Writer's Digest 101 Best Website. The September Back to School issue is chocked full of great advice.

A Fabulist Flash reader emailed information about two free sites where you can list your events: EventLister.com and CraftLister.com are online Event Directories that offer free listings and free searches! EventLister.com broadly covers all imaginable types of event listings, while CraftLister.com specializes in art and craft shows, artists, and crafters.

Web Link: http://www.EventLister.com/
Web Link: http://www.CraftLister.com/

This week's issue has a bit of book number whimsy with 21 Full Grown Elephants? That’s A Lot Of Books by Dee Power and advice on Writing Copy That Sells by Trish Andrews. Plus, author Cyndia Depre takes the 18Q.

Until next week,

Gregory
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Gregory A. Kompes (www.kompes.com) is a writer, photographer, professional speaker and author of the bestseller 50 Fabulous Gay-Friendly Places to Live, The Endorsement Quest, and Your Intensive Care Unit Stay.

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Preview 9 essential books for writers on The Writer's Bookshelf

2. 21 Full Grown Elephants?

21 Full Grown Elephants? That’s A Lot Of Books
by Dee Power

The year 2005 saw 172,000 new books released in the United States, according to Bowker, the world’s leading provider of bibliographic information. The number of new titles dropped about 10% from the record high of 195,000 in 2004, but 172,000 titles is still quite a few books.

Dee Power, the co-author with Brian Hill, of "The Making of a Bestseller," puts this number into perspective. If the books were shelved side by side one would need two and three quarter miles of shelving. If the books were stacked one atop the other, they would reach almost nine times higher than the world’s tallest building, the Taipei 101, which measures 1,671 feet. To transport one copy of each title, the vehicle would have to be capable of hauling 86 tons or 21 full grown elephants. Laying the books down in a straight line would require a little over 16 miles of railroad tracks.

If a copy of each title was purchased at retail, the total expenditure would be enough to send one student to Harvard for 70 years. However, it would have only been enough to cover less than 20% of the cost of the most expensive diamond ever sold(A 100.10-carat, pear-shaped, "D" flawless diamond sold for $16,548,750, at Sotheby’s, Switzerland, on May 17, 1995.)

If each author received a $5000 advance, the total would nearly approach $1 billion. And most interestingly of all, if one author wrote all these books, consecutively, he or she, would have had to start writing during the time of Neanderthal Man, nearly 100,000 years ago.

How difficult is it to get a book published by a commercial publisher? Well the odds are better gambling in Las Vegas. Power and Hill surveyed over 60 literary agents. On the average these agents agreed to accept only a little more than 2 in 1000 of the authors who contacted them.

It has been estimated that 25 million people in the United States consider themselves writers and only 5% have been published anywhere. Ready for another dose of reality? Only 1% of manuscripts submitted to publishing houses are accepted for publication.

If 99% of all manuscripts submitted are rejected, by any standard, a writer whose book has been published has achieved a major milestone. However you look at it, 172,000 is a lot of new titles and a lot of happy authors.

About the Author
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Brian Hill and Dee Power were inspired by their own publishing experiences to research and write “The Making of a Bestseller: Success Stories From Authors and the Editors, Agents and Booksellers Behind Them,” Hill and Power have also co-authored two other nonfiction books and a novel, “Over Time," Money Love and Football: all the important things in life. http://www.BrianHillAndDeePower.com.

3. Writing Copy That Sells

Writing Copy That Sells - What's The Big Secret?
by Trish Andrews

When someone buys a product, what they actually are buying is the benefit of owning that product.

A woman buys a gift to celebrate a birthday or express a thank you... but deep down she wishes to be generous, thoughtful and remembered. A man buys a new set of golf clubs – his old set might be a bit worn out, true... but he's really hoping this new set will knock strokes off his game and improve his prestige at the clubhouse.

Writing copy that sells is all about showcasing these benefits to the potential buyer. It can be a product or a service - what sells is the excellent benefits they bring. It's the benefits that motivate and persuade the reader that your product will make his or her life easier or better.

To put it another way, there are hundreds of gifts and golf clubs out there. Why buy yours? The buyer's inner decisions will determine the sales outcome, after all. As a copywriter, your mission is to develop a relationship with the reader, understand his problems, and then solve those problems with your product. Lead him to choose you!

Here's a look at some key points to writing great sales copy, all focused around selling the benefits of your product or service:

Use Attention-Grabbing Headlines

They say headlines pull in 80% of the orders if done correctly. Your "hook" headline is the most important piece of copy on your page. Make it irresistible. Good, effective headlines get your readers' attention and draw them into your sales copy. Now you're on your way to a sale.

Write Copy That Answers The Age-Old Question: "What's In It For Me?"

Explain the features of your product or service only in a secondary light. Features are product centered. Benefits are people centered and solve problems! It is easier to sell a solution to a problem than it is to sell the same feature that hundreds of other products have. Simply put, your copywriting should highlight these problems, and then offer your product or service as the best solution.

Establish Trust. Show Them You're Real

Rapport is so important! Part of what will lead your readers through your copywriting is the one-on-one relationship you develop with them. This is especially true in web site copywriting.

Write about your product or service from the standpoint of a friendly expert. Study the product information and history until you know it well. Present the information in an entertaining, clear and concise way. People want to do business with an expert. Keep your writing as simple as you can, too. Never lose your readers in the details.

Understand Your Audience!

Who is your target market? What do they need? How old are they? What brought them to read your sales copy? This kind of information will make a great impact in how you write your copy. It is impossible to sell to everyone, so narrow your copywriting down to focus on your real target market.

This one tip alone will reshape how you write your sales copy. When you understand and write for targeted readers, the return will be remarkable.

Because you'll know who they are and what they need, you will be practicing all of the above techniques by default:

-- You will be able to write targeted headlines that will grab your readers

-- You will be able to show your readers what is in it for exactly them

-- You will establish rapport with your readers

Writing copy that sells simply focuses on good, old-fashioned human behavior! We all want benefits in life. Write about them.

About the Author
=================================================================Trish Andrews helps freelance writers and businesses grow and profit through writing and search engine optimization. To discover how to prosper from SEO web content in your business, or to hire a writer that will make your site come alive ... visit her website at http://www.pro-technical-writing.com

4. Cyndia Depre takes the 18Q

Website: www.cyndiadepre.com

Bibliography:
Amanda's Rib

Biography:
Cyndia Depre was born in Iowa, and has lived in Pennsylvania, Illinois and Minnesota. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting, with a second major in Finance, from Northern Illinois University. After running her own business for ten years, she closed the doors and began writing full-time. She now lives in a suburb of the Twin Cities with her husband and their miniature Schnauzer. They keep an old, but much loved, boat at a marina on Lake Minnetonka, and use it as often as possible. Cyndia is currently working on her second novel.

1. Did you choose the writing profession or did it choose you?
It chose me years ago, but I didn't start writing until my mid-forties. My parents convinced me to follow another path. One that ensured a paycheck every week.

2. What is your background? (education, work, etc.)
I have a degree in Accounting with a second major in Finance. After working for others for many years, I opened my own business. When I reached middle age I decided to follow my dream, closed my business, and began writing. I was surprised when I discovered how difficult writing is. I don't believe anyone really understands the hours and tears that go into learning how to get words on paper until they try. Fortunately, I'm stubborn and never gave up.

3. When did you 'know' you were a writer?
The first time a critique group liked my work. After having my early efforts shredded by them, praise came as a wonderful surprise and I thought, "I can do it! I really can!"

4. How would you describe your style of writing?
Characters always come first for me. I use a lot of dialog and inner thought in an effort to make them as real as possible.

5. What is your writing process?
I usually start with an ending, then write to it. Scenes pop into my head and I write them, then knit them in where they fit best. I guess my process could best be called 'patchwork'. LOL

6. What was your path to publication?
I have at least 200 rejections. Probably closer to 300. But I never gave up. Every rejection spurred me to send two more queries. It took a couple years, but I finally landed a contract. When I became discouraged, I limited my 'pity party' to no longer than fifteen minutes.

7. What is your favorite self-marketing idea?
Getting my book into a gift shop. When people think of books, they think of bookstores. But, as we know, they are mighty tough to get into. A local gift shop agreed to carry my novel and has sold a tremendous number of copies. Many people go to her store needing a gift, but not knowing what. They see my book display (which says I'll personalize book signatures) and buy. This has also caused several book clubs to buy the book. Then I meet with them. It's turned out to be the best marketing technique I've used.

8. What are the biggest surprises you've encountered as a writer?
My biggest surprise was learning how hard writing is, and that I didn't know one single thing about it. I didn't know POV from an SUV. I was also surprised to discover how difficult it is to find a publisher and/or agent. Nearly everything that's happened since I began writing has been a surprise.

9. How do you inspire yourself? What are your sources of creativity?
I like 'issue' books. Novels that entertain and tell readers something they didn't know. Books have introduced me to many fascinating areas I never would have explored on my own. Amanda's Rib is a murder mystery/romance, but the sub-plot is domestic violence. Lots of people don't know much about it, or how prevalent it is. They often blame the victim. I wanted to tackle that issue, and that desire spurred me to write Amanda's Rib. However, life can be ridiculous. Every day I find something which may seem normal, but is funny if you look at it a different way. I wrote Oblivious to make people laugh. The issue in that book is quite simple. People should be nice to one another. Most of us are good folks, just trying to get by. It seems we are often pressured to be like everyone else. Let us be individuals, and accept us foibles and all. Maybe that's not an issue, per se, but that's what I wanted to get across. Wanting to get a message out there is my inspiration.

10. What is your proudest writer moment?
Most of the email I get makes me extremely proud of AR. People telling me how much Amanda's Rib meant to them. One lady said, "You wrote my life." Another said she finally felt someone was on her side. These letters are quite moving, and I'm very pleased to know AR has actually helped so many people.

11. What's the best advice you were given about writing?
Oh, boy. This is a toughie. I've gotten so much. The best is probably learn the rules, and obey them as much as possible. Learn to self-edit rather than rely exclusively on others.

12. What is your most embarrassing writer moment?
I have a horrible sense of direction. In Amanda's Rib I had a small town fifteen miles east of Chicago. That would have put it in Lake Michigan. I didn't catch that gaffe until the final edit with my publisher.

13. What business challenges have you faced as a writer?
Promotion. Trying to get the most I can from my limited marketing dollars. I'm an unknown, and getting my name and book out there is one huge challenge.

14. What is your writer life philosophy?
Do my best. Never sit back and say I can't do better. There comes a time to let go and send the work out. But I still think I could have, should have, done better.

15. When you're not writing what do you do for fun?
I have so many hobbies. I love puzzles, fishing, cooking on and on. I can honestly say I am never bored.

16. Who do you like to read?
Mysteries, with and without a romantic element. Suspense. True crime.

17. What's your advice for new writers?
Make your protagonist(s) instantly likeable and/or interesting. Resist the urge to shove tons of back story into first chapters. I think that's the mistake I run into most often when working with new writers. They love their protags and want readers to, too. So they begin by telling, telling, telling all about their hero/heroine. Big mistake. Make the reader want to know the characters. That is done by making them interesting or likeable or both. Try to accomplish this in the first or second paragraph.

18. What are you currently working on?
Nothing at the moment. I have a title, but that's it. Ideas flit around my brain and I jot notes. But since finishing Oblivious I haven't seriously written much. It's summer and I live in Minnesota. There's time enough to write when the snow flies.

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Are you a published writer? Take the 18Q today!

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5. About The Fabulist Flash

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