The Fresh Voices Issue of WPNews for June 2024


	View in browser

WPNews for June 2024

The Fresh Voices Issue

From Kathleen Kaiser, President

On July 1, the merger of IWOSC and PALA into the Writers & Publishers Network will be complete. Everyone is now a member of WPN and can participate in all meetings, webinars, and more. The IWOSC website will remain and morph into a new WPN site over the next six months.

We request interested members join a committee and get to know more people in this larger organization. We also need a Membership Director whose duties primarily focus on finding new benefits for members. I have a long list of potential services and discounts, so the responsibilities are mainly emailing the organizations and setting up the arrangements. I will gladly help this person so they get off to a great start.

Any writer with story ideas for this newsletter, please submit them to Sandy Murphy, our newsletter editor, who is waiting to hear from you. The topic can be on the craft of writing, marketing tips that worked for you (case study), or publishing tips.

If you like using social media, our social media director seeks members to join his committee and help spread the word about WPN. Same for our marketing committee. The more people with ideas and input generate more buzz and continue our mission of being a resource for writers, publishers, and the publishing community.

Here's to a great summer—let the writing and beach book buying begin!

Kathleen

Attention Editors

WPN is looking for WPN/IWOSC/PALA members who are editors to participate in our new release program for authors. We want to update the old program and offer input from editors on the quality of the opening pages. There is a small stipend available for those interested in participating in the program

Curious?

Please get in touch with Kathleen Kaiser at kathleen@kathleenkaiser.com for more details.

From Sandra Murphy, Editor

I see a lot of posts from wannabe writers. It seems so simple—get an idea, park yourself in front of the computer, write it in a few weeks, and get an agent to publish and promote it. You can write your second book while they’re busy with all that. How hard can it be?

Writing of any sort is not and should not be quick and easy. Vanity press, hybrid press, AI-assisted writing or AI written cheat the reader, other writers, and yourself.

Want to write a book? When do you start? Start long before you sit down to type or scrawl. Make connections, learn the craft, and know-how and why things are done the way they are. Make connections before you know you need them. Do favors before asking for one. Read a lot. Educate yourself. Write bad prose or poetry. Then, do better every time. When you think you know it all, read that bad story you wrote. You’ll see how far you’ve come and realize there’s always room for improvement.

https://www.facebook.com/writersandpublishersnetwork/ Drop by, make friends, start a discussion, and ask questions. Check out the post from our guest, Diana Hurwitz. She knows the value of building relationships versus yelling “Buy my book” at fandom people.

Sandy, Editor, editor@writersandpublishersnetwork.com

If you’d like to write a guest post for the newsletter, email editor@writersandpublishersnetwork.com with article ideas. Don’t send the full article—we want to avoid duplicates.

If you are not a member yet, join at www.writersandpublishers.com.

CLICK TO READ

Features and Columns

Ask the Book Doctor: About Titles by Bobbie Christmas

Q: I’ve written five short stories for children compiled in one book. Each short story has a title and subtitle. The book has a title and subtitle. Are the story title and subtitles italicized? Is the book title and subtitle italicized? On the book cover do the book title and subtitle have to be italicized?

A: The answer depends on how and where the titles and subtitles are used. Titles and subtitles when standing alone at the start of a story, on the book cover, or in the table of contents are not italicized. In other words, titles used as titles are not italicized. When narrative or dialogue refers to a title or subtitle of a book, however, it is set in italics. When narrative or dialogue refers to a short-story title, with or without the subtitle, it is surrounded by quotation marks and not italicized.

Q: What’s the best way to find a title for my novel?

A: Have you written the novel yet? If not, don’t worry about the title. Read More...

______

Send your questions to Bobbie Christmas, book editor, author of Write In Style: Use Your Computer to Improve Your Writing, and owner of Zebra Communications. Bobbie@zebraeditor.com or BZebra@aol.com. Read Bobbie’s Zebra Communications blog at https://www.zebraeditor.com/blog/.

Relationship Building is the Key to Successful Marketing by Diana Hurwitz

Key points:

Start early

Find your tribe

Engagement is key

Give more than receive

You’ve been working on your magnum opus for months, years, maybe a decade. You’ve rewritten, revised, edited, and polished it, and it is finally ready to be presented to the world. You may decide to self-publish and ponder how to advertise. Maybe you went the traditional route and the publisher is ready to release your book. Either way, it is time to shout from the rooftops that you have a book available to purchase. Waiting until the release date is far too late to start relationship building.

You’re excited. You might hate the idea of publicity, but you must do it. Your publisher may or may not provide unique opportunities and connections. You have to take the ball and run with it. They can’t do that for you. Read More...

_______

Diana Hurwitz is the author of the Story Building Blocks series on plotting, character building, and worldbuilding, the fantasy series Mythikas Island, and the Story Building Blocks blog.

You can follow her at:

http://dianahurwitz.com/

https://dianahurwitz.blogspot.com/

https://www.facebook.com/storybuildingblocks

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Diana-Hurwitz/author/B002BOC3HQ

Promoting Yourself in Three Easy Steps by Linda Kay Hardie

Like most writers, I used to cringe and change the subject when anyone brought up book promotion. What do I know about it? How can I put myself out there? Do you want me to sell myself? I’m uncomfortable with this whole idea. I’ll bet you are, too.

Nowadays, I speak about my books at all sorts of locations, and I often have a table at art events or as a vendor at an outdoor festival, selling my books. What’s my secret? I’m glad to share because it’s all about sharing, not selling.

First, don’t think of it as self-promotion. Reframe the whole situation. Think of it as getting to know other writers and meeting your readers. You will share your love of reading and writing with people who want to hear about those topics. Think of it as talking about books and writing (two of your favorite topics, right?) to like-minded people.

Second, you’re not going door to door to sell your book. Learn More...

______

Linda Kay Hardie writes short stories in many genres, but not romance. She tried once, and everyone ended up dead. Tragic. She also writes recipes and is the reigning Spam champion for Nevada (yes, the tasty treat canned mystery meat).

Her writing has won awards dating back to fifth grade, with first place for an essay on fire safety. In 2022 she was honored with the Sierra Arts Foundation’s Literary Arts Award for fiction in Reno, Nevada. Her latest published stories appear in AI, Robot from JayHenge Publishing, Tales of the Apocalypse from Three Ravens Press, and The Perp Wore Pumpkin from Misti Media. For details, see https://www.amazon.com/author/lindakayhardie

The Publishing Game by Jay Hartman

Happy Pride Month! June is a month of celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community and its accomplishments, community, and contributions to all aspects of society.

“But Jay,” I hear some of you saying, “it’s 2024. Marriage equality is here. Public acceptance is more positive than ever. Is there really a need for a month just for one community?”

Yep. The same reason there’s still a need for Black History Month, Indigenous Heritage Month, or AANHPI (Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Month). The reason? Contrary to what you might read, things still aren’t so good for these communities. I’m not getting into a political discussion in this column, but I want to address this from a publisher's perspective.

When you lift all voices, everyone becomes a winner in The Publishing Game. Read More...

______

Be part of the discussion! Send your questions to jhartman@mistimedia.com with TPG in your subject line.

WPN Vice President Jay A. Hartman has worked in the publishing industry for more than 30 years. For 13 years he served as the creator and Editor-in-Chief of Untreed Reads Publishing. In 2023 he created Misti Media, a company dedicated to book publishing and author education.

Benefits of a Writers Conference – Four Pieces of Advice by W. Terry Whalin (@terrywhalin)

As a professional writer, I’ve found many benefits from attending a writers' conference. Consider these events to be a personal investment. Attending for a full day or spending several days in another state will involve time, energy, and money.

Like other businesses, the writing business is relational. Talent, craft, and skill do enter the consideration, but it’s also who you know. You are possibly new to the field and crying, “I don’t know anyone.” That’s okay. Everyone begins somewhere in this journey. You don’t have to stay in that situation. Through writers' conferences, you can begin to form editor relationships.

For over twenty years, I’ve represented publishing houses as an acquisitions editor. My experience as an editor and a literary agent has been eye-opening and changed some of my perspectives. I’ve been surprised at some pushy conferees who interrupted a conversation to push their self-published, often cheesy manuscript into my hands. This forthright attitude usually backfires and makes the editor/agent want to run instead of listen to your idea. Always remember that you want to make a good impression. Read More...

_____

W. Terry Whalin, a writer and acquisitions editor, lives in California. A former magazine editor and literary agent, Terry is an acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing. He has written more than 60 nonfiction books, including Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams and Billy Graham. Get Terry’s recent book, 10 Publishing Myths, for only $10, with free shipping and bonuses worth over $200. To help writers catch the attention of editors and agents, Terry wrote his bestselling Book Proposals That $ell, 21 Secrets To Speed Your Success. As Jim Cox, Editor-in-Chief of Midwest Review, wrote, “If you only have time to read one how-to guide to getting published, whether it be traditional publishing or self-publishing, Book Proposals That Sell is that one DIY instructional book.” His website is located at www.terrywhalin.com. Connect with Terry on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Definitively Objective by Paula Messina

I Drive Your Truck was a number-one hit for Lee Brice and the 2014 Academy of Country Music Song of the Year. It’s hardly surprising that a truck appears in a country song's lyrics, but this song is different. It’s not about the truck. It’s about what the truck represents.

Written from the point of view of a young man grieving his brother, everything the listener learns about the brothers is through objects: the truck, the eighty-nine cents in the ashtray, dog tags, an Old Skoal can, a “Go Army” shirt. While driving the truck, the brother feels his deceased brother’s presence.

There’s a story behind the song. One of the songwriters, Connie Harrington, heard an interview with Paul Monti in which he talked about his son Jared, who was killed in Afghanistan while attempting to save another soldier. In an interview, Mr. Monti said about the truck, “It's him. It's got his DNA all over it. Read More...

Paula Messina is a seasoned Toastmaster and an award-winning speaker. She writes essays, fiction, and non-fiction. While she does not own a cat, she is on the board of Indelible Literary and Arts Journal (Indeliblelit.com). Indelible’s Evenings can be found at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8qZIPPS8P9Dlml-y9AggTg

Book and eBook Lengths are Changing by Dave Chesson

At Kindlepreneur, we’ve been researching Amazon trends and have found something you'll want to check out. I was surprised when my team showed me this analysis, which raises interesting questions about the book market.

Book and eBook Lengths are Changing

There's been a dramatic change in book-length over the years. The chart below shows the average page length of ebooks published on Amazon:

That's a sharp rise in page length after 2015. It’s difficult to tell what might cause this, but it could be related to:

Print Books Are Shrinking

My team also noticed print books are getting shorter over time.

As seen on Facebook: Posted by Marianne Friedman-Polonsky

How I Defeated the Book Bandits Who Emptied My Little Library: (Los Angeles)

Book bandits are the equivalent of someone showing up at a potluck buffet and taking all the food, leaving nothing for other guests. They are not partaking in the shared experience. They’re depriving everyone of a community pleasure. Measures were taken, and the battle of the book bulge was won.

Here are my three recommendations; they absolutely work. The bandits never returned after systematically emptying my library of everything as soon as I refilled it several days in a row.

1. Black out the bar code on the back of the books. It prevents scanning and resale. Nothing works without a bar/QR code nowadays.

2. Stamp the page side of the book. I got my stamp on Amazon. The custom text read, “LITTLE FREE LIBRARY, NEVER SOLD, ALWAYS SHARED.” Used books stores refuse to buy back books from LFLs, so the stamp prevents that resale.

3. Install a real or fake camera. Fake ones cost $7 for two on Amazon. Real ones with Bluetooth that link to your phone are available for around $25, and you get the added pleasure of seeing dogs walking and neighbors waving.

Three of my neighbors’ LFLs were also being targeted. I passed on my recommendations, and all the little libraries are happily serving the community again.

Please share the recommendations, and let’s all continue to share books with neighbors and passersby.

Who Gets Paid? The Writer!

Don’t get sucked into a contract with a vanity or hybrid publisher! Money should flow one way: to the writer. Here are tips to help make a decision. Remember, organizations like the Authors Guild have someone who can review the contract before you sign and let you know if it’s safe. https://tinyurl.com/5n87exex

****

Looking at a small press for your book? Here are key things to check off your list from Julie Artz via Jane Friedman’s site. Make your list. Check it twice!

https://janefriedman.com/your-small-press-submission-checklist/

****

18 Ideas for a Successful Book Launch

https://www.writersdigest.com/publishing-insights/18-ideas-successful-book-launch

****

How to get your book into bookstores from Sandra Beckwith of Build Book Buzz.

https://tinyurl.com/4naycvtp

****

To Substack or Not to Substack That Is the Question. Is it better to newsletter? Or both?

https://janefriedman.com/substack-is-both-great-and-terrible-for-authors/

*****

New Releases from Members

A True Crime Memoir

When your friend is a murderer

How would you feel if your neighbor and assistant soccer coach were arrested and charged with murdering his wife and stepson by drowning them off Santa Cruz Island? He is your friend, and you believe it's a gross injustice. You testify at his trial to no avail—he is convicted and sentenced to life without parole.

Ivor and Sally Ogle Davis faced this situation in the early 1980s. Both were intrepid investigative reporters, and they decided to set out to prove their friend's innocence. Their investigation peeled away the layers of Fred Roehler's life, revealing a man of complex motivations whose past was marked by whispers of dark deeds and questions that linger like shadows.

This is not just a story of crime and investigation; it is a profound examination of the human condition, the complexities of the heart, and the eternal struggle between light and darkness.

"Davis serves up the stories behind the stories as only an insider can," said the prestigious Publisher's Weekly.

Got a new book coming out or had another success?

Are you a member of WPN or the former IWOSC/PALA?

Let us know and we will promote it in this newsletter that goes out to over 8,000 people. Another benefit of membership. Contact Sandy Murphy, Editor, editor@writersandpublishersnetwork.com

Bits and Pieces – News You Might Have Missed

Covers sell the book, but how do you know if your cover is a winner? Here’s a site where people can vote for their favorite covers. It’s fun, and it could help you decide what your cover should be. https://allauthor.com/cover-of-the-month/

First Comes Love, Then Comes Murder edited by Teresa Inge and Heather Weidner

Sandra Murphy’s short story, Straight to the Heart, appears in the latest anthology from White City Press.

If you purchase the paperback directly from WCP, you'll receive the ebook version for free. Keep the ebook, give the print as a gift! Prices are a bit lower at the publisher site, too (no vendor fees).

https://whitecitypress.com/product/fcl/MM/3/

From Publishers Weekly:

Last year the Indie Author Project and Ingram Library Services (part of Ingram Content Group), partnered with Lyrasis on a joint initiative to gain broader insights into the evolving relationship between independent authors and public libraries across the United States and Canada. Central to the initiative is a survey the collaborators conducted from November 15 to December 29, 2023. The survey, provided to 320 library staff members across the U.S., posed a brief series of questions about the value they assign to circulating self-published books.

FINDINGS:

"This data reveals that libraries are increasingly recognizing the critical role indie authors play in the future of their collections."

The results were heartening for indie author advocates. When asked ‘‘How important is it to include indie publications in your library’s collection?” 82% of respondents stated that it was either extremely important, very important, or somewhat important. Ninety-four percent of the surveyed library professionals stated that they would be either extremely interested, very interested, or somewhat interested in purchasing books from local indie authors in print if they were curated for quality by professional editors, while 93% said that they would be interested in showcasing local indie author’s books if curated for quality by professional editors. When asked to name the biggest obstacle to adding indie content to their library collections, 57% of participants reported the greatest obstacle is determining the quality of indie titles without input from reviews. Other factors included challenges relating to discovering worthy titles and purchasing from individual vendors.

Another Win Against Book Bans in Washoe County, Nevada! Thanks to EveryLibrary

https://tinyurl.com/2vezjkr6

Stories Save Lives

Get the latest updates on how PEN America is pushing back against book bans and fighting for the inclusion of diverse voices in our libraries and schools.

www.pen.org