Nicole Zoltack's Blog, page 72

25 Words or Less

At EPICon, the workshop 25 Words or Less was given by Larry K and Lorna Collins.

Can you say what your book is about in 25 words or less?

If you can't, then you don't know what your book is about.

Why is this a good idea?

- Because it's essential to writing a tight book and then selling it.
- Aim to excite the reader.
- Tell what the book offers.
- Leave the listener wanting more.

Imagine yourself riding in an elevator at a conference. The door opens and in walks the agent/editor/publisher you think ...

DIY Promo: How to Build your Buzz

This is the first of my notes from the EPIcon conference. First up, the promotion talk from author/editor Deidre Knight.

You need to work about promotion, even before you get signed.
Agents often goggle authors if they are interested in a submission.
So google yourself. What comes up?

There are many options for yet-to-be published and published authors that are both fast and free.
- Twitter (which works best with you connect with people and interact, not just constant tweet about your books, btw, ...

Blog Award!

The wonderful Bethany Wiggins at Shooting Stars gave me this great blog award, the Blogger BFF. Thanks, Bethany!

There are so many awesome bloggers out there. My favorites are one from fellow authors as they chronicalize their writing journey.

And now it's time for me to give the Blogger BFF to some great bloggers.

Drum roll, please!

And the recipients are:

Aubrie Dionne
Cherie Reich
Sarah Simas
Steph Burkhart
Shawna Williams

All of your blogs are wonderful, and I always enjoy reading them. Keep up t...

Awesome contest for writers!

Here is a super cool contest that you might want to enter (I did!). The prizes:


1 Lucky Winner will receive a critique of their first 30-40 pages by the fabulous Suzie Townsend + a pack of Twizzlers + a copy of Hex Hall
3 Lucky Winners will receive a query letter critique by one of these three agent extraordinaires: Kathleen Ortiz, Joanna Stampfel-Volpe, or Colleen Lindsay (One agent will be randomly assigned to each winner.)
1 Winner will receive a writer's survival guide consisting of...

Interview with K. Dawn Byrd

Fellow DBP author K. Dawn Byrd and I are interviewing each other on our blogs. To read my interview, head on over to K. Dawn Byrd's blog. Register and you'll be entered to win a copy of Knight of Glory!

And now, for my interview of K. Dawn Bryd:

I love hosting my fellow authors at DBP so it's great to have you hear. First, why don't you introduce yourself to my blog readers?

I'm an inspirational romantic suspense author with two books coming out with Desert Breeze Publishing this year.When not r...

The Write Stuff - How to Write Damn Good Prose

Sorry it took me longer than I wanted to get this blog post up. Another workshop from The Write Stuff conference and another from James Frey - How to Write Damn Good Prose:

Attitude

- There are no born writers, everyone can learn
- I'm a good writer but I want to be a damn good one. If you adjust your attitude to this, you will, with work.

Style

- Violation of rules - grammatical errors.
- You first have to know the rules in order to break them well.

Sense-ous details

- How many sense used in each pa...

Dear Lucky Agent Middle Grade/Young Adult contest

Here is some information about the ''Dear Lucky Agent'' Contest: Middle Grade and Young Adult (with agent Regina Brooks)

HOW TO SUBMIT

E-mail entries to fourthagentcontest@gmail.com. Please paste everything. No attachments.

WHAT TO SUBMIT

The first 150-200 words of your unpublished, book-length work of middle grade or young adult fiction. You must include a contact e-mail address with your entry and use your real name. Also, submit the title of the work and a logline (one-sentence description of...

The Write Stuff - The Power of Premise

Next workshop from the Write Stuff: The Power of Premise with James Frey.

An example of a premise: Love leads to insanity (through a chain of causal events [jealousy:]) - Othello's premise

Drunken slob leads to religious enlightenment (drunk, lose job, lose family and kids, get divorced, attempt suicide, seeks help, AA, finds religion)

Honesty leads to ruin.

Premise is not a moral.

Irony: man drowns wife, collects insurance money, buys a boat, goes out sailing and drowns.

Knowing your premise is a t...

The Write Stuff - Pitching Do's and Don'ts

The Write Stuff (GLVWG conference) was such a gem on useful information that for the next couple of posts, I'm going to share my notes with you all.

First up, Kim Lionetti shared with us Pitching Do's and Don'ts.

Don't:

- Read the full synopsis.

- Allow your nerves to take over.

Of course this one has to be one of the hardest aspects of picture. Put take a step back and relax. Keep in mind that you are the expert on your book.

- Pitch more than one novel.

- Memorize your pitch.

2-5 sentences is best....

Wizard Submission and GLVWG conference part one

Today I finished polishing my short story, Mine to Control, and submitted it to the Way of the Wizard anthology. Here's a brief blurb: A town crier announces a magic contest with the prize to become a famous wizard's apprentice. Madeline enters but isn't chosen. However, the wizard Larkin isn't as kind and good as he appears. Can Madeline save her friends and their village?

I love writing stories about swords and sorcery. This anthology was right up my alley. I really hope that Mine to Control...