The Fabulist Flash

Issue 155

by Gregory A. Kompes

In This Issue:

1. This Week
2. Book Proposals
3. Write Great Blog Posts
4. Judy Pearson Sember takes the 18Q
5. About The Fabulist Flash

1. This Week

The heat broke here in Vegas. This summer was long and hot, but we're now, finally, below 100 degrees. I love this time of year: 80s during the day and 60s at night. We've got all the windows open again. I'm experiencing a change in attitude with the change in temps. My production level is increased and I'm getting caught up on all those things I've been putting off and avoiding for months. Some of that may be happening because we'll be moving soon.

For those keeping up with our new house...We had our second "official" walk through this week. I say official because, we walked through the new house on our own when no one was looking...shhh, don't tell anyone. The house is wired and all the plumbing is in. Next, it's insulation and then interior and exterior walls. It's amazing to me, but we're less than six weeks away from the move in date. Although, our building supervisor reminded us that there's no solid date guarantee yet.

And, yes, I have started the next novel. While the latest one is being circulated and read I started book two in this new series. I was feeling this overwhelming fear about people reading the novel draft. Luckily, it was already out of mine and into their hands. I was talking about my fears with a writer at the Pen & Grill this week. It doesn't seem to matter how many books we've written and published. That fear of what the first readers will think of a new book is real. Since there's no way around it, I've decided to just feel it and move on.

Hope you're writing up a storm!

Gregory

Upcoming Events

October 20, 2007: Internet Tech: Building Your ACE Internet Self-Promotion Platform with Gregory A. Kompes -- learn how build, brand, and expand your writing career using Internet Technology during this three hour seminar sponsored by NSA-Las Vegas.

October 29, 2007: Writerpreneur(tm) Course: Internet ACE: Building Your Online Self-Platform Platform with Gregory A. Kompes -- learn how build, brand, and expand your writing career using Internet Technology during this 10 week, interactive, online course. Registration Open.

November 10, 2007: Writerpreneur Workshop: Say It, Don't Slay It with Linda O'Connor. Las Vegas, NV.

If you'll be in Las Vegas on a Wednesday night, socialize with the local writers at the Writer's Pen & Grill(TM). Open to all writers!

2. Book Proposals

Book Proposals - Strategies to Get Yours to the Top of the Stack
by Gail Richards

If you decide a traditional publisher is right for you, then you will need to create a world-class book proposal. The book proposal is a business plan for your book. You are attempting to convince a publisher of two things: that this is an idea on a topic that will sell and that you have the credibility and marketing connections to make the sales happen.

You may or may not need an agent. You can submit a proposal directly to the publisher and all publishers take unsolicited manuscripts from people who aren't agents-it happens every day. It can actually be harder to get an agent to represent you than it can be to find a publisher.

Never forget that a book proposal is a sales document. Whether the audience for the proposal is an agent or a publisher, there are six things you must introduce with your proposal to sell it.

1. A compelling idea-The first paragraph of the proposal must be like the first paragraph of a great book. If it doesn't grab the editor, he or she won't read further. Use facts throughout your query to show the magnitude of the situation the book addresses, along with stories to demonstrate genuine human interest. Present the whole idea crisply in no more than two or three pages.

2. A well-thought-out table of contents or book outline-Establish your ability to think clearly and organize your thoughts and material to which others can relate. Show the beginning, the middle, and the end of the story, even in a nonfiction book. You will also need to do a synopsis of the contents of each chapter. This is just an educated guess; there will be room for making changes later.

3. An ample market for the book-Explain that the market is substantial enough for the possibility of volume book sales, which means 20,000-plus copies. Who is likely to read the book (Hint: "everyone" is not a credible answer)? What other books will compete with yours, and how successful have they been (Another hint: "I have no competition" is the answer of a novice)?

4. Adequate expertise and credibility-You must prove that you are the best person to write this book because of the combination of your education, expertise, life experience, background, determination, and ability to share compelling stories. You don't have to be the best-educated or have a perfect background (although it helps), but you do have to show that your unique background makes your slant new and intriguing.

5. Sufficient marketing connections and promotability-Show here that you know what the publisher is up against. You must list and describe your connections to important people or organizations that can be approached to sell you and your book. Having important people who will write the forward or give testimonials is important. This is the place to toot your own horn, but be honest. Highlight any previous media or public speaking experience that is noteworthy. Expect (and volunteer) to do a lot of your own book promotion.

6. Presentable sample chapters-whereby showing off our work, you exhibit your ability to write well enough that you'll give minimal problems to the editors at the publishing company. It is perfectly okay (and is advisable) to get some professional editorial help before you submit writing samples. You need compelling stories and a dynamic opening paragraph. You can lose an editor in two sentences, or draw them in. Submit one or two chapters with the proposal. Some publishers set out guidelines on their Web sites for manuscript specifications (double-spaced, type size, and more).

To find publishers, get the current Writer's Market. It contains enough information about publishing to last a lifetime. However, it's imperative that you have the most recent edition since some publishers could have gone out of business the previous year and others may have changed their rules. Then choose a particular publisher and look at their web site to see what they expect in a book proposal.

About the Author
================================================================= Gail Richards is founder of www.AuthorSmart.com a dynamic website connecting aspiring authors with the classes, audio library, tools, information and resources needed to make smart, informed decisions at each step in the nonfiction book publishing journey.

3. Write Great Blog Posts

Ten Ways to Write Great Blog Posts That Get Attention
by Courtland Bovee

Millions of blogs fight for readership online (over 75 million by some counts), with thousands more being created every day. Making yours stand above the rest may seem like a daunting task, but here are ten suggestions for making your blog posts stand out from the crowd.

1. Write each post title so it grabs the reader's attention. It is the first thing someone reads, and it should get your reader's attention right away. Your title should both pique the reader's interest and be informative. Do not write "Business Writing Advice"; instead, say "The Best-Kept Secret to Reducing Your Business Writing Worries." Longer titles have the advantage of describing in detail what your post is about; 8-12 words are a good range.

2. Keep sentences short and clear. A little goes a long way. Readers are busy people and they will not spend hours detangling complex syntax or sifting through blocks of text. Also, use strong language. Start a new paragraph every few sentences, and limit each post to 250 words, if possible. If you cannot write it in under 250 words, split it into two entries.

3. Break up the text. Use numbered lists, bullet points, and subheadings to make your posts easy to scan. Lots of white space on the page is a good thing-it allows your reader to take mental breaks and let the knowledge soak in. In addition, with the inevitable clutter of banner ads and side text, this technique puts some distance between your writing and all those distractions.

4. Keep current. No one wants to read old news. Your job is to stay up-to-date so your readers do not have to themselves. Read newspapers. Scour the web for references. For example, if you write a blog about business communication, subscribe to Google News Alerts using keywords related to the field, such as blogs, podcasting, instant messaging, business letters, memos, and business reports, so you will always be well informed. Posting items from last month or last year will lose your reader's interest faster than you can say "Enron."

5. Be bold. Timidity is an easy path to anonymity. Do not be afraid to create and state your opinions. Of course, there are some situations in which objectivity rules-but you have to give people a reason to read this blog by you and not by the person next door.

6. Be accurate. If you make a statement, be prepared to back it up. Know what your sources are and quote them accurately. Misinformation spreads like wildfire online; do not be the spark that sets it off or the wind that fans it.

7. Contribute to the conversation. Links are great-but then what? Do not just post links to the same tired sites, offer your reader something new. Contribute to the conversation. Your goal is to be the site to which everyone else is linking-so you had better have something worth writing about.

8. Stay focused. Once you have defined the theme of your blog, stick to it. A blog about piggy banks has no business posting about the latest innovation in alternative energy. Such a deviance will only confuse your reader and chip away at your virtual authority.

9. Use key words liberally. Keywords are, well, key. Harness your blog's search engine potential by dousing your title and post with effective keywords that will help interested parties find your page in the vast, muddled blogosphere. This is one of the most important elements of getting your blog read-go at it with gusto.

10. Be consistent. Keep a schedule and stick to it. Post frequently-at least several times per week if you want to increase your potential of attracting new readers. Let your blog languish for weeks without updates and your audience will move on to fresher ground.

Maintaining an informative blog that people want to read takes hard work and good writing skills. Find what makes your writing unique-and flaunt it for all it is worth.

About the Author
================================================================= Courtland L. Bovee, one of America's leading instructors in clear and effective communication, co-authors several leading college-level texts with John V. Thill, a prominent communications consultant and current Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Global Communication Strategies. Their website, Business Communication Headline News, the #1 business communication site on the web, is at http://www.businesscommunicationheadlinenews.com

4. Judy Pearson Sember takes the 18Q

Author and speaker, Judy Pearson, takes the 18Q.

1. Did you choose the writing profession or did it choose you?
Writing grabbed me by the neck, sat me in a chair and nailed my shoes to the floor.

2. What is your background? (education, work, etc.)
As a marketing consultant for a publishing company I help people get their book grow legs and walk out the door. I soon found I had a book in me and caught the bug.

3. When did you 'know' you were a writer?
When I stopped thinking. Thinking about who was going to read this dribble, what they were going to say and what my mother didn't say.

4. How would you describe your style of writing?
Ann Lamot meets Louise Hay at the Pizza joint. I tried to keep a light style so my readers will stay awake and learn something.

5. What is your writing process?
As Oscar Wilde once said, "I put in the period I took out yesterday." I actually think about writing even when I am not at the computer. There is a story in almost every moment.

6. What was your path to publication?
I self publish my last four books but am looking into getting an agent this time around. I know a publisher of self-published books who is a great resource.

7. What is your favorite self-marketing idea?
E-direct mail. It is easy and fun to write a short bit of info that intrigues the buyer.

8. What are the biggest surprises you've encountered as a writer?
When I first started I could believe how hard this job is. Isolation, self doubt, and wanting to do anything but write. I mean anything; took out a wall in the dining room, remodeled the bath and even re-roof the house one time

9. How do you inspire yourself? What are your sources of creativity?
Life inspires me. Everyday situations can be the best source of inspiration. I read and watch programs that move me off my butt and on to the thing I am called to do.

10. What is your proudest writer moment?
When my first article for a major magazine was published which led to a my first book.

11. What's the best advice you were given about writing?
Stick with it, you'll get better.

12. What is your most embarrassing writer moment?
A New York agent and I were talking about my book when I looked down to see I had toilet paper on my arm. (Don't ask) We laughed fortunately it was clean TP.

13. What business challenges have you faced as a writer?
Show me the money. Show me the money. Patience is profitable so I've heard.

14. What is your writer life philosophy?
There is something deep inside me; my true self that will not let me alone. It needs me to nurture myself and therefore nurture the world. So after years of fight with my true self I say why not go for it. Write.

15. When you're not writing what do you do for fun?
Hike, walk, raft ride, movies, out with friends and people watching.

16. Who do you like to read?
Self help books, historical novels, marketing games.

17. What's your advice for new writers?
Use writing as a Vehicle to your inner self. No matter whether you are writing fiction or non-fiction you are writing who you are to get to know who you are. Enjoy the journey.

18. What are you currently working on?
I am finishing up my book, Say "YES!" to Life: How to Live Life and Love It! When you learn to communicate from your true self; your authentic wisdom helps you to do anything that you set your desires to. I overcame cancer twenty plus years ago by using this combination process of communication skills and inn-communication skills.

Take the 18Q Today!
=================================================================
Selected a Writer's Digest "101 Best Website" for 2007, the 18Q is a collection of writers sharing their experiences.

More than 100 authors have taken the 18Q. Take your turn Today!

5. About The Fabulist Flash

ISSN: 1554-0804

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