Simon Rose's Blog, page 215

Words4TheWebwise – Copywriting and Website Design and Development.

[image error] [image error]
Podcasts: iTunes and Going Live

(Warning - There a lots of links in this post, so make sure you follow each of them. This may seem like a quick overview, as uploading to servers can get a little technical so if you have questions please email me and I'll do my best to help.)

If you've been following this series, you now have an mp3 file sitting on your computer waiting for the world to hear. There are a couple of things you will need before broadcasting your brand new podcast. First of all, an Apple ID. Secondly, you'll need iTunes, Mac or PC. Thirdly, there is a text file called an RSS feed which tells iTunes what is in your mp3 - title, description, author and so on. We'll get to that in a moment. You will also need an FTP program for uploading everything to your host. Again, if you aren't sure about this ask.
If you are using Garageband, all you have to do is select Share > Share Podcast to iTunes. Simple! In Windows, you can try applications like EasyPodcast to take care of the RSS feed and other technical nonsense. If the software you are using doesn't create an RSS feed, you can always create it yourself - it's just a text file saved as MyPodcastDate.xml (make sure it has .xml at the end). For an example. visit Apple.com. Using your FTP program, login and transfer the mp3 and RSS feed file to a new folder. Copy the address of the RSS file, you'll need it for iTunes.
Now you need to submit your podcast. Click here and iTunes will take you to the podcast submission page. Enter (or paste) the web address for your RSS and click continue. iTunes will check the feed address, and you'll be on your way! Once it's approved, you'll get a confirmation email, and you can start spreading the word.
If you don't want to use ITunes, you can simply upload it to your blog and use an mp3 player to play the track. If your blog has an RSS feed which updates your visitors automatically, they will know when you have a new show. Most blogging software (Wordpress, Blogger, etc) have built in RSS feeds.
Obviously, there isn't space here to go into all the details, but this should give you an idea of the steps involved. For more details, visit Apple.com or email me. I'd love to hear from you. 
I can be reached by e mail (Contact at nburmandesign.com) and Twitter (@nburmandesign). NBurman Design can be found online at http://www.nburmandesign.com and you can also visit my blog LifeImitatingDesign.

Unusual and Marvellous Maps @ Dark Roasted Blend

Check out my article, Unusual and Marvelous Maps, at Dark Roasted Blend
I've always been fond of maps, from those antique ones showing sea serpents and hideous monsters devouring ships in the vast expanses of the ocean, to those showing what the world looked like in the distant, and not so distant, past. Maps have, of course, been with us in one form or another, for a long time and this article looks at depictions of the world, geographic regions and individual countries from the ancient world, the age of discovery, alternate realities and more.
Dark Roasted Blend is among the finest locations online to find the weird, the wonderful and the fantastic, crammed with great articles, stunning photography, plus fabulous new content appears daily.

Classes with Chinook Learning Services in Calgary, Saturday March 12

[image error] The Calgary Board of Education provides adult and continuing education through  Chinook Learning Services . This spring, I am pleased to be offering the following courses.
Writing Children's Books: Intro - 9.30 am to Noon March 12In this workshop you will discover how to balance youthful imagination with adult professionalism, and gain awareness of writing for various age ranges. This workshop explores the do's and don'ts of writing for younger readers, turning ideas into stories, the writing process, the importance of editing and revision, story structure, and the role of research. Come and get a taste of a wonderful craft!
Forming Fictional Characters - 1.00 pm to 3.30 pm March 12Characters are the heart of every story - their actions drive the plot. Their individuality is what readers or audiences most remember. This workshop explores where writers get ideas for characters, and how to use descriptive language to build them. Participants will invent their own unique characters and learn how to write engaging dialogue and lifelike scenarios. Create an unforgettable story with unforgettable characters.
Register now with Chinook Learning Services.

Manuscript Evaluation and Editing Services

Have you written a novel, picture book or short story? Have you shown it to every one of your family and friends, who have all given their wholehearted endorsement? Are you now wondering if your work will appeal to a publisher, looking to take that next step but in need of professional advice? I offer a variety of services to writers, such as online workshops for adults, online workshops for children and young adults and manuscript evaluation. I will evaluate both full manuscripts or just a short synopsis of your story, along with the opening chapter. Having your work independently evaluated gives you an unbiased opinion, helping you to tighten your manuscript and fix problems you may have overlooked.
Having your entire manuscript reviewed by a professional can be pricey, especially if your novel comprises hundreds of pages, but my manuscript critique service is very affordable . For my basic service, I review the first chapter of a piece of work, double spaced, not to exceed ten pages, plus a synopsis of up to three pages. For picture books this may include the entire text, depending on the length of the story. The evaluation will include a written report of up to three pages, as well as suggestions and comments on the text itself, unless you object to that. I am also happy to answer any specific questions in relation to what publishers may or may not like to see in the story. Based on this, you may then decide to have the entire piece evaluated, to help you prepare for submissions to publishers. Examples of fees and more details on my editing services are available here on my website.

Beyond Belief: Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy for Younger Readers Part Two - This week's teleclass at the Children's Writer's Coaching Club

[image error] Join me on February 16 at 7 pm, Mountain Standard Time,
at the Children's Writers' Coaching Club at the National Writing for Children Center. 
In this month's class, entitled  Beyond Belief: Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy for Younger Readers Part Two, we continue to examine science fiction and fantasy writing for young readers, exploring how to determine the pacing and word count of your novel, the importance of young characters solving their own problems, the role of adults in children's stories and ways to create authentic characters for your story.
Registration is available here for this class and you can also obtain copies of archived teleclasses. Check out the Children's Writers' Coaching Club today.

Virtual Author Visits by Video

Children are almost always inspired when they meet a real life author or illustrator, but it may not always possible to have an author visit your school. However, why not put technology to work for you? Now you can arrange a virtual author visit via video using Skype. These can be conducted with large groups in a library or gym or with individual classes. You can get an idea of what a virtual visit looks like by viewing the video below, or by checking out the videos on my website or on YouTube, in which I talk about my books, my workshops for adults and schools, plus my various services for writers.
Ideally, in preparation for a virtual author visit, students should have read at least one of my books prior to the visit, but can also familiarize themselves with my work by undertaking the Super Scavenger Search. You may also wish to download the word search puzzles related to each novel. Study Guides and Classroom Resources are also available for all my novels. Each book can provide teachers with a wide variety of ways to explore projects with their students and class sets of books are available.To host a virtual author visit, you will need to download Skype, which is available for both Windows and Macintosh, and have a webcam. Mac users may also be able to set up a virtual author visit using iChat.
You may contact me directly at sorcerersletterbox@gmail.com for details on technical requirements and all about exactly how a virtual author visit works. A technical run through a few days prior is also advisable, to ensure that everything runs smoothly on the day of the visit.

Writing and Publishing Your Children's Novel - University of Calgary, Saturday, February 26

[image error] Each year, the Continuing Education department at the University of Calgary serves over 20,000 lifelong learners and offers thousands of courses taught by more than 1,000 instructors – all experts in their fields.


Writing and Publishing Your Children's Novel - Saturday, February 26 This workshop deals with getting started as a writer for young readers and the subsequent path to publication. You will examine the writing process from initial concept through to the finished manuscript, including how to turn ideas into stories, story structure, developing characters, the creation of outlines and the importance of editing and revision. You will also examine ways to research publishing houses where you can submit your work, cover letters, synopses and sample chapters.
Learn more about the Writing and Publishing Your Children's Novel workshop and how to register here

Online Writing Workshops for Children and Young Adults

[image error] With my Online Workshops for Children and Young Adults, through a series of e mail assignments, details of which are available here, we explore where ideas come from and how to turn them into stories, basic story structure, plot development, creating characters, developing dialogue and more to help develop writing ability. A set of workshops can be started at any time. Following registration, all assignments are sent by e mail and are completed at your own pace, to be sent to me by return e mail. There is no time limit and participants may take as long as they wish to complete their full set of workshops.
Check out Online Workshops for Children and Young Adults today.
[image error]

Author in Residence Program for Schools

For my Author in Residence program, I can be at your school for a week or longer. This allows me to cover certain topics in much more depth than would be possible during a regular author visit. We can also look at working with the students on a specific project.A week in residence can be designed however you would like, to best meet the needs of the students. Here's what a week could look like, based on a school where I spent five days working with students from grade one through seven. However, this is just an example and I am very flexible and happy to discuss your schools unique requirements with you.K/1/2 Story CreationThis highly interactive presentation explores story structure relating to the creation of a well-defined beginning, middle and end. Using a series of seemingly unrelated objects, students participate in creating a story in what is always a lively and fun filled session. Although this exercise is done as a group, afterwards students are so enthusiastic that they want to create their own illustrations to go with the story and expand on the narrative that we have created together. In the weeks after my visit, some schools have added the children's pictures to the story, as they create their own books and design covers for them. These have often been displayed in the classroom or sent home to parents.Grade 3 Fantasy Realms and CreaturesIn two sessions, we discuss the elements of fantasy and the many creatures and characters that inhabit the fantasy realm. In The Emerald Curse, the main villain has created monsters in his laboratory, combining some of the most fearsome creatures on earth. Most students are very familiar with monsters and strange creatures from mythology, books and movies and really enjoy the workshop where they get to invent their own unique mythological creature along with its powers, enemies, diet, habitat and the fantasy kingdom where it lives.Grade 4 SuperheroesThe Emerald Curse involves a young boy who is propelled into a strange comic book dimension, to save his grandfather, the world's greatest comic book artist and writer. The novel was influenced by the comic books and superhero adventure stories I read whilst growing up. In two sessions, we explore the superhero genre, before students create their own superhero, complete with costumes, powers, secret identity, headquarters, friends, family and one or more archenemies. They are also encouraged to draw their creation and some may even write a short story.Grade 5/6/7 Time Travel, Historical Fiction and Writing StrategiesThe Heretic's Tomb, The Sorcerer's Letterbox and The Alchemist's Portrait are time travel stories. These sessions look at where ideas come from and how writers turn them into stories. We examine how history has served as inspiration for authors and filmmakers and learn about the importance of historical research. Students will then invent their own time machine or device, paying attention to detail and to the need for authentic historical settings. We also explore how to write gripping fiction and cliffhanger endings.Grade 8 The Shape of Things to ComeThe events described in The Clone Conspiracy may be science fiction, but cloning has become very much science fact in recent years. These sessions examine how much technology has developed in the last one hundred years, how the pace of change has rapidly accelerated in recent decades and challenges students to contemplate what types of technology we may expect to see in the century to come.Grade 9 People Plotting: Creating Memorable CharactersWithout people there is no plot and characters are at the heart of any story. In these workshops, we explore where writers get ideas for the people in their stories, the many methods of creating strong characters and how to use descriptive language to build them. Students invent their own unique characters and also learn how to write effective and engaging dialogue for their creations.The time frames for each session above were calculated to accommodate the school's schedule and the number of students in each group. Grades one and two had one session each, while I worked with the remaining grades on two separate occasions. Your school may be entirely different and you may also want to cover alternate topics. You may also prefer to combine classes together in the library, for example, instead of having presentations take place in individual classrooms. However, the above scenario is merely a guideline as to what a week in residence could look like and I am very happy to discuss your school's unique requirements with you.Contact me directly for details of fees and availability for Author in Residence at info@simon-rose.com.

Classes with Chinook Learning Services in Calgary, Saturday March 12

[image error] The Calgary Board of Education provides adult and continuing education through  Chinook Learning Services . This spring, I am pleased to be offering the following courses.
Writing Children's Books: Intro - 9.30 am to Noon March 12In this workshop you will discover how to balance youthful imagination with adult professionalism, and gain awareness of writing for various age ranges. This workshop explores the do's and don'ts of writing for younger readers, turning ideas into stories, the writing process, the importance of editing and revision, story structure, and the role of research. Come and get a taste of a wonderful craft!
Forming Fictional Characters - 1.00 pm to 3.30 pm March 12Characters are the heart of every story - their actions drive the plot. Their individuality is what readers or audiences most remember. This workshop explores where writers get ideas for characters, and how to use descriptive language to build them. Participants will invent their own unique characters and learn how to write engaging dialogue and lifelike scenarios. Create an unforgettable story with unforgettable characters.
Register now with Chinook Learning Services.