Kristen Lamb's Blog, page 86

Immerse the Reader in Your World & Never Let Them Up for Air

Image courtesy of Aimanness Photography. Flikr Creative Commons.

We live in a Golden Age to be a writer. Everyone has an opportunity to publish. The downside of this is that we are being deluged with bad books, which frequently are just books published before the writer was ready.

In the old days, most writers failed miserably (especially in the beginning), but our failure was private and came in the form of stacks of rejected queries. These days, if we jump the gun, our rejection is very public and comes in the form of poisonous reviews from irritated readers.

This is one of the reasons its important to always be learning as much about the craft as we can. True artists are always open to new ideas, to growing and learning more. This is how we can enjoy a career where each book is better than the last. It can help build reader anticipation for our next book and the next. Readers trust us to be growing and always improving our storytelling.

Show Don’t Tell

One of the biggest problems I see (when I do edit) is writers have not yet learned how to show and not tell. This makes the work repetitious, predictable, and since it’s one-dimensional, the reader isn’t pulled into the work. The best way to keep readers hooked is to immerse them in your world and never let them up for air.

We’ve all heard the saying, Actions speak louder than words. This is true in life and even truer in story. Readers experience all the same emotions we do. They experience the same emotions as our characters.

Our job, as writers and artists, is to make them connect their own experiences with what is happening with the character. We’ve all felt love, lust, rage, disappointment, depression, loss, and elation. Our goal when writing is to help readers make that connection.

To show a little of what we are talking about, I am going to be a bit self-indulgent and share parts of one of my works Dandelion, which I have submitted for publication. In this story, Jane, a homemaker and prior D.A. is planning to kill the gunman who murdered her six-year-old son in a mass shooting.

Jane nurses her wine to kill the time that refuses to pass and the memories that refuse to die. She nurses her wine and nurses her pain. She wants the pain erased, but it’s all she has left. She needs it to propel her forward, because she’s planning the unthinkable. Revenge.

Most adults have been in a position where the hurt, pain, anger is so great that all they can do is keep sipping at alcohol in hopes they can numb the emotion threatening to break their thin composure. Also we can tell Jane is conflicted. She wants the pain to go, but needs it to keep her pressing toward her goal.

A song kicks up on the jukebox. Broken Hallelujah. It’s already played three times in the hour she’s been here. The song makes her start thinking and thinking only causes pain and her mind drifts from its moorings to that moment the world went wrong.

Here, the reader is given a sense of setting. We hear the song, and it is a very specific song. My character is a good Christian woman who now has lost her faith. The visual sense is the one most overused and it is actually one of the weakest senses.

Sound and smell are far more powerful. Also, instead of simply saying her mind drifts, I deepen the experience with the words “drifts from its moorings.” This gives a sense that what was once anchored has unexpectedly shifted.

Most of us have been in a position of stepping off a boat onto a dock and feeling the sensation of the boat drifting a way from us, scaring us. This makes the experience far more visceral. It also allows me to show the reader that Jane is no longer in control of what was once stable.

A hand touches her shoulder. Jane jumps, so caught in the black undertow of her grief that she’s momentarily forgotten where she is. 

All of us have been through something so terrible, that we drift into another world. We have a foot in reality, but another in the world of our pain. In this story we see that experience because Jane jumps when someone touches her. She needs a moment to remember where she is and why she’s there. I choose the word undertow very carefully. Undertows are invisible, frightening and have the power to drown and kill.

When the protagonist finally meets the person (Svetlana) who will help her with her revenge, she’s rattled. She’s a housewife, not a killer. But she’s trying to look strong so she asks for a cigarette even though she isn’t a smoker. She’s also hesitant to talk, because she knows that she’s planning something illegal and (to some) immoral.

Jane swallows. She says nothing. Volunteers nothing. She draws deeply on the cigarette, and tries to look casual, like she does this all the time, but Svetlana’s black eyes draw her in, and Jane’s helpless to escape their gravity. 

Notice Jane swallows. Most people, when they are nervous, get dry mouth. Instead of me telling the reader that Jane is nervous, the words show it. I also show how she’s scared and knows she’s guilty. She won’t say what she wants aloud.

“I saw the news. I saw what he did.” Svetlana’s words sizzle with acid. A long pregnant moment expands between them and, just as Jane thinks she might crack from the pressure, Svetlana’s manner softens. 

All of us have been in a situation where the tension is so thick we feel we are about to crumble under the pressure. Instead of telling the reader. “Jane is very tense, nervous about what comes next,” I pull the reader into deep POV where the reader can almost feel the pressure stealing their breath.

Thank you for allowing me to share some of my writing .

What This Means to You

When I read a lot of new works, I see a lot of “coaching the reader.” New writers do a lot of telling. And yes, we have to do some telling or our story would be 500,000 words long. But through training and practice, we can discern which parts to tell, versus which parts need to be shown so they can have max effect on the reader.

When I see phrases like “and she wept bitterly” I roll my eyes. Or “she slammed the door in anger.” Glad I was told she was angry. Stop telling! We are smart and we get it. Really. I’ve read works with so much heart-pounding I thought the character was about to go into cardiac arrest. There are a lot of ways we can use emotion and senses without being predictable.

On Friday, I highlighted two of WANA’s instructors in their post Making the Pages Cry. Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi have created a tremendous resource for writers The Emotion Thesaurus and they will be teaching a class soon Using Nonverbal Communication to Wow Readers.

All of us can learn to do these techniques better. It’s how we grow to eventually become masters of our art. I am still learning and always will be. I hope you guys will take advantage of this class, because it can take your writing to another level.

What are your thoughts? Questions? What are some works who used this technique so well you couldn’t sleep until you finished the story?

I love hearing from you!

To prove it and show my love, for the month of February, everyone who leaves a comment I will put your name in a hat. If you comment and link back to my blog on your blog, you get your name in the hat twice. If you leave a comment, and link back to my blog, and mention my book We Are Not Alone in your blog…you get your name in the hat THREE times. What do you win? The unvarnished truth from yours truly.

I will pick a winner once a month and it will be a critique of the first 20 pages of your novel, or your query letter, or your synopsis (5 pages or less) .

And also, winners have a limited time to claim the prize, because what’s happening is there are actually quite a few people who never claim the critique, so I never know if the spam folder ate it or to look for it and then people miss out. I will also give my corporate e-mail to insure we connect and I will only have a week to return the 20 page edit.

At the end of February I will pick a winner for the monthly prize. Good luck!

How Badly Do You Want the Dream?

WANACon was a huge success, thanks to the tireless efforts of many amazing WANAs coupled with gutsy presenters and courageous attendees. Everyone was so brave trusting that WANA could really reinvent the conference experience, and I am immensely grateful for everyone’s work, faith and trust.

But I am always growing, learning, and reaching to go higher. Right now, I am slap-happy tired, but I wanted to take a moment to talk about something very important (before I fall asleep and forget, LOL).

How BADLY do you want the dream?

Since launching my business a year ago, I have grown so much. A lot of that growing, frankly, SUCKED. It hurt.

When we reach for bigger things, we are tested. We find out a lot about who we really are, and sometimes what we see is less than pretty. In fact, it can be downright embarrassing. Pressure reveals cracks, weaknesses, and areas that are just plain flawed.

Others have dubbed me the WANA Mama, and I feel that is accurate because I am not here to deliver a fluffy kitten hug and feed you sugar.

Yes, I do believe in every one of you. I feel you are unique, special and have a wonderful story inside of you. But you need your meat and veggies, too. We all do. Becoming a career professional isn’t easy and it isn’t for the weak of heart.

I’ve had these exact same lessons, so I’m not feeding you anything I haven’t had to eat, myself.

Beware of People-Pleasing

One of the largest challenges most of us will face is the need to please others. Critique groups are fabulous, but if we don’t have a spine, we can end up with a book-by-committee.

At WANACon, all the presenters had strong opinions about what way to go, which resources to use. But, here’s the thing, no one has all your answers.

Except me. Listen to everything I tell you .

Kidding.

Part of maturity is listening to all the information and then applying what seems to fit to our own career. Make your own decisions. Stand firm, yet remain flexible. Not everything will work, so don’t be afraid to admit something didn’t work. Move on. Keep moving.

Traditional publishing is suffering because it’s having to learn to bend and move with change. Many indie authors suffer the exact opposite problem. They don’t stick to anything long enough to watch it bear fruit. As writers (or even publishers), we have to find that middle-ground where our feet are planted, but we can still stick-and-move when we need to.

Publishing has been very rigid for the past century, but now we are in an age that publishing can be tailored specifically for you. This is why it is vital to be educated. It’s why WANACon brought all kinds of experts not just indie.

Take everything in. Listen. Learn. Then try new things. Sometimes we will have stuff blow up in our face. In fact, a lot of the times it will. But we will learn far more from our failures than we will from success.

We have to keep trying stuff until we find the best fit, and, as the paradigm shifts, most things will continue to change. What fits today, might not fit in three months. We are all shooting at a moving target, and that is why we have to be vested, present and teachable.

If we aren’t failing, then we aren’t doing anything interesting.

When I launched WANA International, I failed…A LOT. I hired the wrong people, then had to fire, then try again. I needed to learn that talk is cheap. People can say anything. Words cost nothing. How do people react when the heat is on? Do they stand by you or do they bail and leave the mess in your lap? Do they help solve the problems or contribute more?

Is your team of support there for the good and the bad? Fair-weather friends are no use to us, and pressure is good at showing us who our support network really is.

I won’t lie. WANA International had a lot of really tough times.

For one, the original interface blew up into a GIANT mess, so I had to let go and search for better technology that could achieve the vision I had in mind (fortunately Jay found me ). Additionally, I failed to be a good boss, set boundaries, keep people accountable, and there were consequences. HARD consequences. But the aftermath of all that pain was I grew tremendously as a person and a professional.

There are probably more tough times ahead, but we have to change our attitude toward adversity. Adversity is there to test who we are and make it plain what and where we need to change.

Comfort=DEATH

A lot of people shy away from growing pains and avoid what scares them, yet I will say this. BEWARE of times you are comfortable. It means you aren’t stretching as an artist and professional. It’s like working out using the same dumbbells for ten years. Your muscles won’t grow. Pain and discomfort are vital to making us better.

I was terrified to try doing a conference like WANACon. There was so much fear and doubt and I don’t think I’ve slept properly in three months. But I had to try it and be willing to risk that I could very well fail as badly as I did last summer. In fact, I could have failed even WORSE. But I had grown enough to know that, good or bad, this experience would make me better. Do what scares you.

Candy Havens presenting at WANACon. “If you don’t make your page count, I will find you and punch you.” Inspiring words to live by and proof of why we all love Candy so much.

Suck It Up, Buttercup

Many times, when we become writers, we have this magical-mystical vision of what being a writer is. These dreams are for hobbyists and amateurs. Real writers work. They work hard and are willing to do whatever it takes to be successful.

I used to tell writers that, if they didn’t like Facebook or Twitter or blogging, to not do it. Now? I take a much more hard-lined approach. Being successful involves doing a lot of stuff we don’t like. There is no Plan for Writing Success that involves us doing only stuff we enjoy. That’s a pipe dream.

We Must Ask Ourselves What We Like MORE?

No, maybe I am not thrilled with having to do Facebook, but I LIKE the idea of being a successful writer who makes a very good living MORE. Before social media, writers had a 93% failure rate. Most writers (traditional and non-traditional) failed to ever earn a living wage doing what they love. Now we have the power to tip the odds in our favor. If we choose not to take advantage, the onus is on us.

WANA, in many ways, reminds me of Dave Ramsay’s Financial Peace University. Dave’s advice involves a lot of initial sacrifice coupled with discipline to become debt-free and wealthy. Yes, in the beginning it is tough to live on a strict budget and save when our friends are spending. But down the road we will have long-lasting and stable success others won’t.

If we work when others are playing, later we can play while everyone works.

It is hard to tell friends and family we have to write instead of play. It’s hard to lose friendships. It hurts to fail. But all of this is necessary for us to grow and to reach our dreams.

So I challenge you today to look deep inside. Be honest. How badly do you want the dream? What are you willing to sacrifice? What areas can you come up higher? Who do you need to cut loose? What is holding you back? What scares you?

I LOVE hearing from you…

And a HUGE thank you to all of our presenters and agents. I am super grateful for the amazing Candace Havens who not only was our inspiring keynote, but she stepped in to teach Revision Hell when one of our other speakers called in very ill. Major thanks to Jay Donovan of Tech Surgeons, to the WANA Operations Manager Chad Carver, WANA Boosters like Laura Ritchie & Lena Corazon. A nice round of applause to Jami Gold who did a fabulous job as moderator and helped keep WANACon running smoothly. TEAM WANA held an amazing conference and it wouldn’t have happened without such a wonderful and giving group. THANK YOU.

To prove it and show my love, for the month of February, everyone who leaves a comment I will put your name in a hat. If you comment and link back to my blog on your blog, you get your name in the hat twice. If you leave a comment, and link back to my blog, and mention my book We Are Not Alone in your blog…you get your name in the hat THREE times. What do you win? The unvarnished truth from yours truly.

I will pick a winner once a month and it will be a critique of the first 20 pages of your novel, or your query letter, or your synopsis (5 pages or less) .

And also, winners have a limited time to claim the prize, because what’s happening is there are actually quite a few people who never claim the critique, so I never know if the spam folder ate it or to look for it and then people miss out. I will also give my corporate e-mail to insure we connect and I will only have a week to return the 20 page edit.

At the end of February I will pick a winner for the monthly prize. Good luck!

I also hope you pick up copies of my best-selling books We Are Not Alone–The Writer’s Guide to Social Media and Are You There, Blog? It’s Me, Writer . And both are recommended by the hottest agents and biggest authors in the biz. My methods teach you how to make building your author platform FUN. Build a platform and still have time left to write great books.

Making the Pages Cry

Happy Friday! We have a real treat. Becca Puglisi is here to give tips to take your writing to a whole new level. All writers struggle, especially when trying to convey emotion. It’s easy to beat the same words until they bleed and WE cry. This is one of the reasons that The Emotion Thesaurus is a must-have reference for writers. Becca and Angela took the time to put together one of the most innovative and valuable writing tools I’ve ever seen. We are thrilled to have Becca here today!

Take it away, Becca!

***

I considered writing today about that one thing you need to write a truly great story that the reader can’t put down. But we all know that there isn’t just one thing. Voice? Plot? Characterization? Motivation? Sure. All of the above. But since I’ve seen roughly a gajillion blog posts that cover these topics, I’d rather write about another important element that doesn’t get much press: emotion.

When your story lacks the appropriate emotion, the reader quickly loses interest and stops reading. When asked what caused the disconnect, they can’t always articulate it clearly. They say things like…

I couldn’t get into the story.

I didn’t connect with the character.

The stakes were high, but for some reason, I just didn’t care.

The main character wasn’t believable.

It just didn’t grab me.

There are a lot of reasons behind reader apathy. As a rabid reader myself, I can say that many times, when I toss a book aside, it’s because the character emotion isn’t quite right: there’s not enough of it; there’s too much; it’s poorly written; the emotion doesn’t fit the character and so doesn’t ring true.

Whatever the reason, reader apathy is bad. We want the reader to be emotionally invested and fully engaged in the story. We want them to be late to work because they had to read one more chapter to see what happened next.

We want them reading our books under their desks at school when they’re supposed to be studying biology. (I taught school; I’m allowed to say that.) One way to make sure that the reader is plugged in is to use our own experiences to infuse emotion into the story.

The pages should cry. They should sweat and tremble and bleed. The character’s emotion should be so realistic and gripping that the reader can’t help but feel it, too.

So, how do we make that happen?

I recently attended a local conference and sat in on a workshop by Ellen Hopkins—YA author of gritty, hard-hitting, edgy fiction in verse. During that hour and a half, she shared a technique for tapping into your own emotions and injecting them into your story. I thought it was brilliant, and effective, and a little terrifying. So I’d like to share it with you.

First, identify the emotion your character is experiencing—fear, for instance. Think of a time in your past when you clearly felt that emotion, then write that experience as the person you were at the time it occurred: a six-year-old boy, a kid at sleep-away camp, a college freshman, a newly divorced mom.

Writing the memory down will bring specific details to mind—sounds, scents, colors, and textures that you can include in your character’s fear-filled scene. Using these details will help draw the reader in so they experience the emotion along with the character. Then, when you refer to those things later in the story, they’ll trigger that emotion in the reader, and the desired feelings will return

It’s amazing how much you’ll remember when you dig up those old memories—which is scary, I know. We spend a large part of our lives trying to forget anything painful. Remembering makes us re-feel things we never wanted to feel in the first place. But it’s kind of necessary, isn’t it? Because how can we move the reader if we can’t recall and describe those intensely moving emotions?

This is why I truly believe that emotion is one of the must-haves for writers when it comes to engaging the reader. It’s one of the reasons Angela and I wrote The Emotion Thesaurus, to help us figure out how to better write our characters’ emotions. And it’s why we’ve decided to teach a course at WANA on the topic.

Using Nonverbal Communication to Wow Readers covers the techniques for showing character emotion, which will help writers build reader empathy and create an emotional experience that draws readers into the story. Participants will also receive a PDF copy of The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression.

So if you’d like more ideas on how to convey emotion, we’d love to see you on March 6th. And if you can’t make it, do try Ellen’s technique on tapping into your own emotions. I hope it comes in handy.

Thanks for having me, Kristen!

***

ANY TIME! Fabulous post and I love it when you guys make me look good . *hugs* I hope you guys will give Becca a round of digital applause.

***

BIO

Becca Puglisi is a YA fantasy/historical fiction writer and co-author of The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression. She is currently hard at work on the next two books in this series, The Trait Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide To Character Flaws and The Trait Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide To Positive Character Attributes, which will be available the summer of 2013. Becca enjoys speaking at workshops and teaching about various writerly topics. Online, you can find her hanging out at her award-winning blog, The Bookshelf Muse.

Writing Conferences Mommy Style: WANACon–The Answer for Writing Moms

Today we are super fortunate to have a guest post from one of our WANA International Artist Instructors. Natalie left her life in PR to become a multi-published author, blogger, and mentor to writing moms all over the world. Those of us who write while juggling babies, diapers, laundry and bottles know that we have unique challenges. People like Natalie are a real treasure. She dedicates her life to teaching writing moms how to balance life, work, writing and family and not go off the deep end.

Take it away, Nat!

***

I love conferences. I enjoy dressing up in my beautifully professional suits, meeting new people (or maybe agents) in the Starbucks line, going over and planning my workshops out to detail that could rival my old college course schedule and yes, I really love laughs with new friends at the bar.

That was the outlook of my younger self. Now I have one BIG issue keeping me from most conferences and it’s comes in a small, blond and highly energetic package.  Conferencing it up as a mom is very difficult. However, thanks to the wonderful World Wide Web, conferences are becoming more virtual. Parents are finding it easier to maintain a professional presence while cartoons blare from the next room.

WANA International, which “empowers artists of a digital age” is hosting the first WANA Con: Worldwide Writing Conference starting tomorrow. This is a conference that accommodates writers that may not be an easy flight to a big city. I definitely understand if you are shaking your head to this one; I live and work from Saudi Arabia. WANACon is the perfect conference for writing moms (and dads, too) who can’t easily leave because of a child, dependent furry children and/or needy spouses.

Sure you pay a registration fee but look at the money you save on travel, food, that pretty new “power suit” you’ve had your eye on, etc. From the comforts of your home or as WANA Mama, Kristen Lamb says, “a party in your P.J.’s, the ultimate writer fantasy.”

And you’ll still get that networking feel (just provide your own “adult” beverage.) WANA A.I’s or “artistic instructors” will be in the virtual “hallway” and “classrooms” chatting with attendees. You’ll have web time with instructors of various topics. This is a great opportunity to learn about future workshops prior to signing up. There’s no better person to ask such questions to than the instructor.

WANACon also is bringing the benefit of agent pitches right to your computer. Really! You are getting those benefits of a great conference experience without leaving your home!

So when you’re tired, struggling to write thanks to your third cup of coffee and praying your toddler honors their bedtime, take a big breath. There is a conference for you that no tantrum can ruin. Dust the Cheerios from your shoulder and brush up on those pitches. It’s time to sign-up for WANACon.

P.S. Anyone who signs up for WANA Con is eligible for a special discounted rate of my upcoming “Writing Moms (and Dads!)” workshop as well as the consultation component. Just let me know when you want to sign-up for my workshop and I’ll ensure you get the discount.

Oh and there is a pajama contest during the conference. Yep, you don’t want to miss this! Sign-up for WANA Con!

Natalie C. Markey is an author, mommy, wife, animal lover and chaos manager extraordinaire. After a career in professional dancing and public relations/television in New York City she successfully turned her part-time writing career into a full-time career. She is the author of ‘Caring for Your Special Needs Dog’ and speaks on the topics of time management for writing moms and busy artists.  She also writes YA and MG fiction with a new non-fiction dog book on the way and holds numerous local and National freelancing contracts. Natalie graduated from Baylor University. She is thankful for the support of her husband, daughter, dog and two very hoppy bunnies.

All You Ever Wanted to Know About the Writing Conference of the Future–WANACon

Welcome to WANACon. We are here to serve you.
(Image via Flikr Creative Commons user KB35)

This week, we’ve been talking about WANACon, yet some of you might have questions. How does this work? What will the experience BE like? WANACon is very different than any conference. Our goal is to get as close to the actual conference experience as possible so presentations will be live, where you can see the instructor and interact, ask questions and gain valuable feedback.

All sessions but two are recorded in case you happen to miss anything. Susan Spann’s legal classes are the only ones not recorded, but Susan, being the kind and generous gal she is, has a PDF full of the information she’s teaching that she will freely share to attendees.

This is a conference for ALL kinds of authors, traditional and non-traditional.

We have experts from all areas of the industry; traditional, indie and self-publishing.

The Classroom

Our classroom is powered by innovative technology that was originally designed for homeschooling children. This means it is very simple and user-friendly. Here are some Classroom FAQs. Most computers (if you’ve purchased within the past four years) will be just fine.

Yes, it is a WORLDWIDE Conference

The conference schedule is based off EST (NYC time). We understand that some of you might have some late nights or early mornings, but that’s nothing compared to the jet lag you’d have if you had to travel to the States for this kind of line-up. For sessions you can’t make, the recording will be available to you.

We are working on teleportation technology for future conferences, but Jay has to build me a real light-saber first . When it comes to the writing conference experience, this is the best option we have for our writer friends across The Pond or Down Under.

The Process

Upon registration, we will e-mail you instructions, but the process is a little like this. Each day of the conference has it’s own password to gain entry. If you purchase one day, you will get one password. Purchase both and you get two passwords. Purchase an agent pitch, and you will have a third password.

You will go to The WANACon page. Off to the right, you will see this:

There are only TWO conference rooms. Classroom A is for all of the classes and Classroom B is for agent pitches. You will (for the conference) select Classroom A, then enter your name, and then the password. At this point, your computer will open our digital classroom and you will see this appear:

This is to connect you into the classroom, so you want to click ALLOW and then Join Audio.

Off to the left, you see where all the listener’s names appear (it’s why you enter your name when logging in. The center of the screen is where instructors can upload a Power Point, or (more likely) where you will watch them present, live, in-person and real-time.

Captain America wears a Scrunchee. The truth is out. Where you see my face…I mean Captain America is where you will see the presenter. Notice off to the right, there is an IM window.

The IM window allows you to chat with each other, to ask the presenter questions. It’s also a way for you to let Jay the Digital Dark Knight know if you are having any troubles with the audio. Notice there is a main IM window, then next to it, there is a tab with a +.

This is a way to send messages privately, so should you have any technical issues, Jay can troubleshoot with you one on one. Thus far, I’ve had amazing success with this system, but issues DO happen. That is the nature of technology.

Now notice in this picture, I am the only one in class, but in the conference this will be populated with all of you (our attendees). Remember you had to join the audio? Here is where your presenter can mute the class, then later unmute for Q&A.

If you have a question, our WANA Digital Classroom has a way you can raise your hand.

Just click the icon that looks like a hand and that icon will appear next to your name. At the appropriate point, the instructor can then unmute your audio and allow you to ask your question.

All audio and IMs (except the two legal classes) are recorded in case you miss something. If you happen to live in a part of the world where you just can’t make it until four in the morning, no worries. Attend the ones you can and get the audio for those you miss.

The agent pitch sessions work the same way. You can (if you choose) activate your webcam, which is the middle icon that looks like a web cam.

This will be in the upper left quadrant (refer to above image). BBB will give you a preview of your video so you can check your hair, then you press a PLAY button and your video will appear. Then the person on the other end can just drag that box front and center so you can be face-to-face. If you’ve ever chatted on Skype, then the experience is familiar.

After each presentation, Jay will clear the classroom and you will log back in. This is to help us keep the recordings separate.

To make sure everyone gets a chance to get acclimated, we are having a social time tomorrow night. This will give you an opportunity for you to get an idea of what our classrooms are like. It will also give us an opportunity to fix any issues you may have before the conference.

Most of the time the audio works right off your computer. Some computers may require a headset. I just use my cell phone headset in those cases. There is also a call-in number in the IM box.

There will be continual tech support and many of the WANA instructors will be there to help shepherd anyone who gets lost. Additionally, we have backup speakers in case of any technical difficulty. Captain America has volunteered to teach about how to write great villains. He’s fought plenty.

The goal of WANACon is to give you a true conference experience from home. One of the most valuable aspects of any conference is the face-time with experts, and we have a bunch of those.

Our line up:

WANACon 2013 Speakers and Agents

Best-Selling Author Candace Havens – Keynote Speaker

Bestselling author Candace Havens has written six novels for Berkley including, Charmed & Dangerous,Charmed & Ready, Charmed & Deadly, Like A Charm, The Demon King and I and Dragons Prefer Blondes. Her new venture is writing for the Blaze line of Harlequin. Those books include Take Me If You Dare, She Who Dares, Wins, Truth and Dare, and The Model Marine. She is also in the anthology Spirited, and the proceeds go to help literacy. Her books have received nominations for the RITA’s, Holt Medallion and Write Touch Reader Awards.

She is the author of the biography Joss Whedon: The Genius Behind Buffy and a contributor to several anthologies. She is also one of the nation’s leading entertainment journalists and has interviewed countless celebrities including Tom Hanks, Nicolas Cage, Tom Cruise, George Clooney and many more. Her entertainment columns can be read in more than 600 newspapers across the country. Candace also runs a free online writing workshop for more than 1800 writers, and teaches comprehensive writing class. She does film reviews with the Dorsey Gang on New Country 96.3, and is the President of the Television Critics Association.

New York Times & USA Today Best-Selling Author Shirley Jump – Keynote Speaker

Shirley Jump is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author. She has sold twenty-five novels and now writes stories for Harlequin/Silhouette and Kensington Books about love, family and food—the three most important things in her life (though, there are many days when the order is reversed), using that English degree everyone said would be so useless. Read excerpts, see reviews or learn more about Shirley at: www.shirleyjump.com.

New York Times Best-Selling Author Allison Brennan

New York Times Bestselling Author Allison Brennan is the author of nineteen novels and several short stories. A former consultant in the California State Legislature, she lives in Northern California with her husband Dan and their five children.

Allison is currently writing the Lucy Kincaid series about an FBI recruit. The fifth book, Stalked, is on sale now. Stolen will be out on June 4, 2013, followed by Cold Snap on 10.29.13. Also, she’s thrilled to announce a new mystery series that will launch in March, 2014 starting with Maximum Exposure. For more information about investigative crime reporter Maxine Revere, visit her website, www.allisonbrennan.com.

Marcy Kennedy

Marcy Kennedy is a fantasy writer and freelance writer and editor who believes there’s always hope. Sometimes you just have to dig a little harder to find it. In 2007, she won the suspense/thriller category of Writer’s Digest’s Popular Fiction Competition, and in 2009, she won the grand prize. In 2011, she was honored to win the short feature category in the Canadian Christian Writing Awards. Although she still writes magazine and newspaper articles and edits projects for small businesses and individuals, her first love has always been fiction. Marcy is currently working on a co-written historical fantasy for the general market.

Jared Kuritz

Jared Kuritz is the Director of the La Jolla Writer’s Conference and a Managing Partner with STRATEGIES Literary Public Relations—a San Diego-based firm that works with NY Times bestselling authors and first time authors alike.  Unlike traditional PR firms, STRATEGIES works with many authors from the infancy of their projects to help decide their business model, the most ideal method(s) of publication, and the proper platform building activities.

Award-Winning Author Joshua Graham

Winner of the International Book Awards (Beyond Justice),

#1 bestselling author Joshua Graham’s award-winning novel Darkroom hit 3 bestseller lists on Amazon the night of its release.

CBS News described Darkroom as a book with “action, political intrigue and well-rounded characters…a novel that thriller fans will devour.”

Publishers Weekly described Beyond Justice as: “A riveting legal thriller…breaking new ground with a vengeance…demonically entertaining and surprisingly inspiring.”

Suspense Magazine listed Beyond Justice in its BEST OF 2010, alongside titles by Scott Turrow, Ted Dekker, Steven James and Brad Thor.

His short story The Door’s Open won the HarperCollins Authonomy Competition (Christmas 2010.)

Writing under the pen name Ian Alexander, Graham debuted with his first Epic Fantasy novel Once We Were Kings, an Amazon #1 Bestseller in multiple categories and Award-Winning Finalist in the SciFi/Fantasy category of The USA “Best Books 2011″ Awards, as well as an Award-Winning Finalist in the Young Adult Fiction category of The USA “Best Books 2011″ Awards, and an Award Winner in the 2011 Forward National Literature Awards in the Teen/Young Adult category. Once We Were Kings is available in e-book and hardcover editions.

J.E. Fishman

J.E. Fishman

Former Doubleday editor and literary agent, J.E. Fishman is author of the critically acclaimed animal-rights thriller Primacy, the comic mystery Cadaver Blues (A Phuoc Goldberg Fiasco), and the new financial thriller The Dark Pool. He also sponsors The 1000-Word Cliffhanger Contest. Find out more and follow him through http://jefishman.com.

Literary Agent Helen Zimmermann

Helen Zimmermann has been a marketing executive at The Crown Publishing Group, worked as the events director at an independent bookstore, and founded her agency in 2003. Her experience gives her unique and invaluable insight into each project that she works on. She is well aware of the value of in-house buzz, online marketing, store placement, social media, author platform, etc. and works hard to make sure all of these marketing components are in place for each and every project.

It is her goal to successfully steer her clients through the entire publication process, from writing, editing and polishing the content to marketing, publicity, production, and all aspects of the publication process. She has been a member of AAR since 2007.

Jenny Hansen

Jenny Hansen has been teaching software courses for more than 15 years in both live and online environments. Her ability to teach students at all levels has made her a primary trainer in many large projects for companies like Nestlé, Capital Group, Kaiser Permanente and CBS.

Currently, Jenny provides training and social media marketing for an accounting firm in addition to her training for WANA International. She writes memoir and women’s fiction, and has loads of fun blogging at More Cowbell. You can also find her on Twitter at @jhansenwrites.

Jason Chatraw

Jason Chatraw is the co-founder and CEO of Green E-Books, a small company he started three years ago with two other publisher but who quickly left him when their personal publishing companies became incredibly successful. For the past 23 years, Jason has been involved in the publishing industry on various levels.

He’s served as a sports editor of a daily newspaper, assistant editor on a million-circulation magazine, and written for The New York Times, and ghostwritten, co-authored or authored nearly 20 books. For the past few years, his focus has been on eBook publishing. As an eBook architect, Jason has designed more than 200 eBooks and has helped previously published authors find a new following through converting out-of-print titles into eBooks.

Lisa Hall-Wilson

Lisa Hall-Wilson is a freelance writer published across Canada specializing in marketing copy for faith-based non-profits, and short non-fiction pieces for magazines and newspapers. She specializes in interviews, profiles, and social justice initiatives. She’s passionate about making this world a better place one get-off-your-butt-and-do-something article at a time. She writes dark fantasy novels to find the authentic, the real, the heart-of-the-matter, because she’s convinced that the truth sets you free.

Best-Selling Author Aaron Patterson

 

Aaron Patterson is the author of the best-selling WJA series, as well as two Digital Shorts: 19 and The Craigslist Killer. He was home-schooled and grew up in the west. Aaron loved to read as a small child and would often be found behind a book, reading one to three a day on average. This love drove him to want to write, but he never thought he had the talent. His wife Karissa prodded him to try it, and with this encouragement, he wrote Sweet Dreams, the first book in the WJA series, in 2008. Airel is his first teen series, and plans for more to come are already in the works. He lives in Boise, Idaho with his family, Soleil, Kale and Klayton.

Intellectual Property Attorney Susan Spann

Susan Spann is a practicing California attorney with over ten years’ experience in intellectual property, publishing and contract law. Her publishing clients include book and magazine publishers, authors (both traditionally and  independently published), and developers of e-books and digital apps. She is also the author of  Claws of the Cat (St. Martin’s/Minotaur, July 2013), Book 1 of the Shinobi Mysteries featuring ninja detective Hiro Hattori.

Literary Agent Gordon Warnock

 

Gordon Warnock is a Senior Agent at Andrea Hurst Literary Management. He is a frequent teacher and speaker at conferences and MFA programs from coast to coast and a member of the oldest author services firm in the nation. His client list is an even balance of seasoned veterans and promising new voices including Robert V. Taylor, Howard Steven Friedman, and Tanya Chernov.

Gordon seeks to establish involved, long-term working relationships with talented and dedicated authors in such areas as: commercial fiction, graphic novels, contemporary YA and new adult, memoir, political and current affairs, pop-culture, self-help, humor and cookbooks. He is not looking for: religious fiction, genre fiction, new age, children’s, middle grade or anthologies.

Literary Agent Laurie McLean

At Larsen Pomada Literary Agents in San Francisco, Northern California’s oldest literary agency founded in 1972, Laurie McLean represents adult genre fiction (romance, fantasy, science fiction, horror, hip new westerns, mysteries, suspense, thrillers, etc.) as well as middle-grade and young-adult children’s books. She looks for great writing, first and foremost, followed by memorable characters, a searing storyline and solid world building.

For more than 20 years Laurie ran a multi-million dollar eponymous public relations agency in California’s Silicon Valley. She is passionate about marketing, publicity, negotiating, editing and a host of other business-critical areas. She is also a novelist herself, so she can empathize with the author’s journey to and through publication.

Laurie is the dean of San Francisco Writers University at http://www.SFWritersU.com and a key member of the management team of the San Francisco Writers Conference, http://www.SFWriters.org. In 2012 she and her author partners formed two ePublishing companies: JoyrideBooks.com for out-of-print vintage romance books, and AmbushBooks.com for classic out-of-print tween and teen children’s books.

Check out her agent blog, www.agentsavant.com, for tales of the agenting life, and the agency’s site, www.larsenpomada.com, for valuable information and links.

Literary Agent Pam van Hylckama Vlieg

Agent Pam van Hylckama Vlieg joined Larsen Pomada as an Associate Literary Agent in 2012 to represent young adult and middle grade children’s book authors, and adult romance authors. Over the past four years Pam has become one of the top YA book bloggers in the country at Bookalicious.org. She also partners her blog with Hicklebee’s, a children’s bookstore in San Jose, CA.

Pam writes supernatural YA and MG fiction and is represented by Laurie McLean, also of Larsen Pomada Literary Agents. She lives in the Bay Area of California with her Dutch husband, two children–a boy and a girl the perfect set–a Jack Russell terrier, a bull dog puppy, and a small guinea pig. It is her greatest dream to own a menagerie.And finally, MOI!

Social Media Jedi Kristen Lamb

Kristen Lamb is the author of the #1 best selling books, “We Are Not Alone–The Writer’s Guide to Social Media” and “Are You There, Blog? It’s Me, Writer.”

She is currently represented by Russell Galen of SGG Literary NYC. In her free time, Kristen trains sea monkeys for the purposes of world domination….when she isn’t trying to saw through her ankle monitor.

Registration is open through Saturday, but seats are limited and filling.

Registration

Again, here is where you can view the full conference schedule.

Sign up for BOTH DAYS of WANACon for a mere $125 (this includes ALL the parties and Surprise Pajama Sunday). Register HERE.

If you can only do one day? No problem! Registration is $75. Register HERE for DAY ONE or HERE for DAY TWO.

Ready to get an agent? Sign up for Agent Pitch Sessions HERE.

We hope to see you at WANACon and PAJAMACon. Seats are limited, so sign up asap. If you can’t attend WANACon, please at least help us spread the word. Since we don’t believe in traditional marketing or spam, WANA relies on genuine word of mouth. Please help spread the WANA love. Sow love and support then see what grows.

Do you have any more questions about WANACon? We are happy to help how ever we can, so ask away!

The First Step to a Quality Book–A Doubleday Editor Turned Author Speaks

As you know, we are ramping up for the very first Worldwide WANACon! Enjoy a conference experience that’s as close to the real thing as possible. Technology now gives us the ability to meet top tier publishing professionals face to face, real-time and from the comfort of home. Finally! A conference you can attend in your PJs. Learn from the best in the industry, pitch agents, and socialize. It’s now all here in one place.

I was fortunate to meet Joel at Thrillerfest this past summer, and I was just blown away by his knowledge, his energy and his personality. That was why he made my premium list of WANACon recruits. Not only does he have experience as an editor, but he’s also worn agent shoes and now is an author as well. Who else better to help us explore what great books really look like?

Today, we are highlighting a small slice of what you can expect from this editor-agent-now-turned-to-The-Dark-Side-author, J.E. Fishman.

Take it away, Joel!

***

We all know that famous dictum — courtesy of Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart — about pornography. To paraphrase: we may not be able to define porn with precision, but we sure do know it when we see it.

The same might be said for book quality.

God knows that certain aspects of quality reside only in the eye of the beholder. And, furthermore, when it comes to books — as with so many things — quality is no guarantee of sales. Similarly, commercial success is no definitive indication of quality. And yet, as creators we ignore quality at our peril.

There are tangible qualities, such as the properties of a paperback book binding. And there are intangible qualities, such as delivery of a good story. The important thing to remember is that, when it comes to books, the intangibles can often be as important to readers as the tangibles.

I have in the past compared storytelling to buildings and to trips down a river, but I used those metaphors to benefit writers. The reader, for her part, will never think of a story that way because the reader doesn’t want to work that hard. Unless pressed, a person won’t ask what’s wrong with that building; she’ll only say, “It doesn’t please me.” She won’t necessarily speculate on what makes for a good trip down the river, but she’ll know for sure whether she enjoyed the journey.

So it is with any kind of book. The reader won’t necessarily bother to analyze what’s wrong or right with it; she’ll only know whether it “works” for her.

Since quality is in the eye of the beholder, the first step toward achieving a quality product is understanding what the customer wants. After all, our delight or disappointment in a book is largely a matter of expectations. While as the writer you can manage those expectations, you are making a big mistake if you think you can dictate them.

Expectations come from the reader, not from the author.

Thus, it behooves you as an author — whether you’re writing fiction or nonfiction — to focus on what the reader wants, not what you want.

For example, as a novelist I like having big moral themes in my work. While readers of mysteries and thrillers may willingly consume books that are heavy on themes, they aren’t coming to my books for the themes themselves. I can deliver the theme along with a page-turning story, but if I deliver theme without story then I’m lecturing.

No one wants a thriller to read like a polemic. On the other hand, if we’re looking to read a polemic, we may find a genre story to be a low-quality substitute indeed.

To take an example from the realm of nonfiction, imagine that you are a celebrity chef. Your cooking is to die for, but your personality not so much. What people want from you is recipes. If you set out to write a memoir about your childhood instead, you are quite likely to disappointment those who want you to shut up and cook. I can guarantee that these folks won’t come away with the impression that you wrote a quality memoir.

What of it? you might ask. Can’t I write a quality book that no one will read?

The answer is yes and no. If you write a book that has a natural audience of 100 people, and you know what those 100 people want, and you deliver, then that group will have a perception of quality because their expectations have been met.

On the other hand, if you set out to write a book with a natural audience of a million people but write one that appeals only to 100, those to whom you’ve marketed that book will have a perception of low quality.

No one ever says, “That book disappointed me, but it was A-plus in every other way.”

Expectations are the context in which quality gets judged. That’s why giving the reader the content that she wants is the first step toward quality.

***

THANK YOU, Joel! We really appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule to be here.

J.E. Fishman

Former Doubleday editor and literary agent, J.E. Fishman is author of the critically acclaimed animal-rights thriller Primacy, the comic mystery Cadaver Blues (A Phuoc Goldberg Fiasco), and the new financial thriller The Dark Pool. He also sponsors The 1000-Word Cliffhanger Contest. Find out more and follow him throughhttp://jefishman.com. You can also check out his critically acclaimed novels HERE.

REMEMBER: WANACon is only two days away. We begin with a Thursday night social so you can get acclimated to our state-of-the-art digital classrooms. Then, we hop on a wild ride filled with NY Times best-selling authors, a USA Today best-selling authors, top agents, and more.

Registration

Again, here is where you can view the full conference schedule.

Sign up for BOTH DAYS of WANACon for a mere $125 (this includes ALL the parties and Surprise Pajama Sunday). Register HERE.

If you can only do one day? No problem! Registration is $75. Register HERE for DAY ONE or HERE for DAY TWO.

Ready to get an agent? Sign up for Agent Pitch Sessions HERE.

We hope to see you at WANACon and PAJAMACon. Seats are limited, so sign up asap. If you can’t attend WANACon, please at least help us spread the word. Since we don’t believe in traditional marketing or spam, WANA relies on genuine word of mouth. Please help spread the WANA love. Sow love and support then see what grows.

BE THE WATCHDOG – SAVE THE WORLD

 

One of the main reasons I launched WANA International was I realized that we were entering an entirely new paradigm and authors were vulnerable. Sure, we have a better chance of success than ever before, but we are open to old predators and new. We can’t fight what we don’t understand. We can’t defend against what we don’t know exists.

Intellectual Property Attorney Susan Spann is here with me today. This week, I want to take an opportunity to introduce you to some of the speakers that will be at WANACon this coming weekend, and I hope you will clearly see why I stalked, begged asked them to present. We writers are in a perilous world, and people like Susan can help keep you and your writing safe.

Take it away, Susan!

***

Would you give away your book for free?

I don’t mean a single copy. I mean the copyright – all copies, all languages, forever. Would you give that away for free, knowing you’d never make a penny and that the person you gave it to could make as much (or as little) as he or she liked?

If you would, feel free to go about your day.

But the rest of you, gather ‘round. I have a scary tale to tell.

As a publishing lawyer, I speak with a lot of writers. The lucky ones find me before they sign a contract. But there are others … not so lucky.

The ones who come too late, when there’s often nothing I can do.

The ones who signed a publishing contract that doesn’t require the publisher to account for moneys earned or amounts deducted from profits before “net royalties” are paid.

The ones who inadvertently granted their TV and movie rights to printer (not even a publisher) - for the life of copyright – and now won’t see a dime if the film rights sell.

The ones who entered their work in a contest – not realizing the entry rules contained a hidden copyright license that renders the work un-publishable by the author.

There are more. Many more, some even worse than the ones I’ve mentioned. (It does get worse. You’ll have to trust me there.)

And independent authors aren’t any safer than their traditional counterparts. Every time a book is published, in print or in digital format, there is a contract. Some indie websites and printers refer to their contracts as “terms of service,” but terms of service are legally binding contracts too.

Don’t be fooled.  A contract by any other name is just as thorny and just as dangerous to the unaware. Smart authors know how to recognize them, how to read them, and how to make smart decisions about them.

But how? How do I make decisions about something I don’t understand?

Feel like contracts might as well be written in CHINESE?

Good question. Here’s the answer.

1. Smart Authors Take Responsibility for Their Careers

As an author, whether you choose traditional publishing, independent publishing, or both, you are the one in charge of your career. Agents, editors, publishers, printers, and everyone else in the industry is a potential business partner, not an employer and not a mystical power controlling your destiny.

When you choose to write for publication – regardless of method or path – you are actually choosing a career. You wouldn’t enter a standard job expecting someone else to make choices for you. Don’t treat publishing differently than any other job.

2. Smart Authors Educate Themselves About the Industry

Don’t listen to hype, and don’t fall for myths and tricks. If you want a publishing career, learn about the business from every angle. It doesn’t matter whether you want to “go indie” or believe your choice is “brick and mortar all the way.” Learn about all the options, and continue learning throughout your entire career.

You can’t decide which option is best if you don’t know what the available options are.

Take your time. Read blogs. Read books. Explore resources. Ask questions every chance you get. Talk with authors – independent as well as traditionally published. Listen and learn. The more you know, the less likely you are to get caught in a trap.

3. Smart Authors Learn Some Publishing Legalese

Learn to read a publishing contract. Know the standard terms. Understand the places where contracts trap you, and have a reliable place to get answers when questions arise.

Find an attorney, an agent, or a qualified professional you can trust – and make sure that person understands publishing contracts. Publishing legalese differs from other forms of legal agreements. You need a specialist with experience in the industry.

Don’t let yourself be trapped or fooled by someone who seems “too nice to be taking advantage.” Don’t let the other side tell you what the contract says or what the strange words mean. Learn for yourself. Protect yourself. At the end of the day, you are your own best watchdog.

So be the best watchdog, and the most responsible author, you can be.

It’s your book. It’s the world you built in your head, and it deserves the very best chance of success you can give it.

And it’s more than just your book: it’s your career.

I ask again: would you give away your book for free?

No?

Then don’t let anyone take it from you either.

You are the President, CEO, and manager of your publishing career. Don’t take the responsibility lightly. Learn the industry. Be the watchdog. Save your (fictitious) world.

*          *          *

Huge thanks to Kristen Lamb for sharing her blogging platform with me today, and also for inviting me to speak at the upcoming WANACon online writing convention. I’ll be teaching a class on understanding publishing contracts and another on “being your own best watchdog,” and I’m honored to be part of the fantastic lineup of professionals that Kristen and WANA International have brought together for WANACon to help equip writers with the tools to establish, grow, and manage their careers.

*          *          *

Susan Spann is a practicing California attorney with over ten years’ experience in intellectual property, publishing and contract law. Her publishing clients include book and magazine publishers, authors (both traditionally and independently published), and developers of e-books and digital apps. She is the author of Claws of the Cat (St. Martin’s/Minotaur, July 2013), a Shinobi Mystery featuring ninja detective Hiro Hattori. Susan blogs about law, writing and seahorses at http://www.susanspann.com , and can be found on Twitter @SusanSpann

THANK YOU SUSAN! What Susan has to teach is SO vital, she has TWO classes at WANACon, and that’s because WANA is here for authors, ALL authors, no matter what road you choose to take for your publishing future. Thanks for stopping by, and details for WANACon are below.

Do you have any thoughts? Questions? Maybe a horror story to share? Did you nearly fall into a contract trap?

Registration

Again, here is where you can view the full conference schedule.

Sign up for BOTH DAYS of WANACon for a mere $125 (this includes ALL the parties and Surprise Pajama Sunday). Register HERE.

If you can only do one day? No problem! Registration is $75. Register HERE for DAY ONE or HERE for DAY TWO.

Ready to get an agent? Sign up for Agent Pitch Sessions HERE.

We hope to see you at WANACon and PAJAMACon. Seats are limited, so sign up asap.

If you can’t attend WANACon, please at least help us spread the word. Since we don’t believe in traditional marketing or spam, WANA relies on genuine word of mouth. Please help spread the WANA love. Sow love and support then see what grows.

LinkedIn—Making The Most of Your Six Seconds

Image courtesy of cellardoorfilms WANA Commons…

Happy Friday! Today Jenny Hansen is going to talk to you a little bit about LinkedIn…hey, she gave me cookies. Who can say no to COOKIES?

You might be wondering why to bother with a LinkedIn profile, even if you aren’t a NF author (for NF authors, LinkedIn is a must). For one reason, a lot of agents and publishers are there, so it’s a good place to connect professionally.

Also, many of us will do additional work to supplement our writing income, especially in the early years. LinkedIn can be vital for getting freelance work that pays the bills or even gives us a little extra spending money.

Finally, if we self-publish (which many of us will), we will need to hire a team of professionals—content editor, line editor, book cover designer, book interior designer, e-book formatter, web designers, etc. LinkedIn is a wonderful place to find endorsed professionals to be part of your publishing team. Thus LinkedIn really is more than just one more social media site. It can be a valuable tool in your writing success.

So I am shutting up now, namely to go have cookies for breakfast. Take it way, Jen!

****

Hey y’all! Yes, I bribed Kristen into letting me shake my Cowbell here at her place so we could all talk about LinkedIn.

[I just heard some of you writers groan: Another social media platform?!]

I know, I know. I’ve got critique partners who are worried their heads might explode. I’m already on Facebook, they whine. I just want to stay home and write in my pajamas. Why do I have to talk to people?

Because you do.

We all need to build a writing team to survive in this crazy business. Those of us who hang out at #myWANA with Kristen Lamb know We Are Not Alone, unless we want to be. The process of getting a book published requires a massive amount of teamwork.

LinkedIn will become a big part of your team-building once you understand how it works and how to navigate it like a rockstar.

The most important thing to remember?

You get two inches, or six seconds, to make your first impression.

(Get your mind out of the gutter! You’ve gotta hang out at More Cowbell for thoughts like that.)

Seriously, it’s a common saying in the business world. Get your most important point into the subject line and the first paragraph of an email because that’s all most people will read. Even as an author, we’re aware that we have anywhere from two paragraphs to two pages to engage an editor, agent or reader. Hook people quick, or they’re moving on.

The average resume or LinkedIn profile gets no more than 6 seconds to engage someone. To be fair, the average person is looking for different things than the recruiters I mention in the link above, but 6 seconds is still the average browse time.

What makes people scroll past your “top two inches” on LinkedIn?

1. Your picture.

It should be a clear, close, front-facing shot where you look friendly and attentive. Unless you work with kids or animals, there shouldn’t be anyone else in the picture with you. No spouses, no kids, NO hats.

2. Professional Summary

What are you doing now? What have you done in the past? By adding current and past positions to your LinkedIn profile, you get a quick summary of this in your top profile block. (I’ll show this below.)

3. Easy to remember LinkedIn address

Very few people remember to customize their LinkedIn address. http://www.linkedin.com/in/kristenlamb will be easier to remember than . One I can type from memory and share easily. And the other…I can’t, and won’t.

4. Multiple ways to get hold of you

If you don’t want to be called, you don’t need to put out your phone number. But you should have an email, blog, website or social media account like Twitter listed in your Contact Info. These things will also help update your status, if you set them up correctly, which is a really easy, passive way to stay at the top of your connections’ minds.

Let’s look at a few profiles so you see what I mean…

I’m a software trainer by day and one of the things I do is work with accountants who want to build their networks. Last year, I took a class through Accounting Today with marketing master, Eric Majchrzak (and was delighted to discover he was in sync with our WANA Mama, Kristen).

Here’s Eric’s profile:

If you were to click his Contact info button, you’d see his email, phone number, Twitter info and website. He fits all of the four criteria above (and he should, because he’s a marketing dude).

What about authors?

I picked a traditionally published author and a small press/indie author so you could see some good examples. (I’ve linked their names if you’d like to see their entire profile.)

Robin Lee Hatcher – Traditionally Published Author

I’d maybe like a closer picture of Robin, but otherwise she gets an A+. Inside her contact info, she has two emails, her website and her blog.

Amy Shojai – Blogger and Small Press/Indie Pub Author

Amy’s entire non-fiction platform focuses on animals so having her cat and dog with her (that’s Magical Dawg and Seren-Kitty) is appropriate. She also has her Twitter info, blog, website and radio show links in her contact info.

The one update I would make to Amy’s profile is the addition of her new thriller, LOST AND FOUND. It’s a smokin’ book and she should have it listed on her LinkedIn profile.

Just to recap on WHY the above are great examples:

They have a picture, blog, and other social media info.
They clearly list what that person is up to.
They’re friendly and engaging, yet professional.

Starting in April, I’ll be giving LinkedIn classes for WANA International, but if you need some LinkedIn info now, I’m teaching the following class at WANA Con…

Course: LinkedIn – Your Professional Identity (The Cliffs Notes)
Time: Friday, February 22nd, 9 pm EST (that’s 6 pm for us on the West Coast)

We’re going to review topics like ”5 Things You Need To Know To Rock LinkedIn.” We’re also going to be looking more closely at LinkedIn profiles, what works well, and what could be improved. If LinkedIn has been making you want to hide under the covers, or if you’d simply like to know more, I hope you’ll join me next Friday night.

Special More Cowbell Offer:

List the URL to your LinkedIn profile, if you have one, down in the comments section. One winner will receive:

a summary of 4-5 profile changes that will yield better LinkedIn results
a 15 minute online Q&A session, one-on-one with yours truly

Do you use LinkedIn now? What questions do you have for Jenny? She’s at your service in the comments section!

About Jenny Hansen

By day, Jenny provides training and social media marketing for an accounting firm. By night she writes humor, memoir, women’s fiction and short stories. After 15 years as a corporate software trainer, she’s delighted to sit down while she works.

When she’s not at her personal blog, More Cowbell, Jenny can be found on Twitter at JennyHansenCA or at Writers In The Storm.

THANK YOU JENNY! As Jenny mentioned, she will be teaching at WANACon. Her classes are fabulous, so please join us this next weekend.

WANACon Registration

Again, here is where you can view the full conference schedule.

Sign up for BOTH DAYS of WANACon for a mere $125 (this includes ALL the parties and Surprise Pajama Sunday). Register HERE.

If you can only do one day? No problem! Registration is $75. Register HERE for DAY ONE or HERE for DAY TWO.

Ready to get an agent? Sign up for Agent Pitch Sessions HERE.

We hope to see you at WANACon and PAJAMACon. Seats are limited, so sign up asap.

What to Do When Your Christmas Tree Wants a Bass Boat

My Valentines Day Tree. It’s a tradition…in Finland…ok the insane asylum.

Yesterday, I did an author interview (here is the link if you care to show this sweet new writer some blog love) and one of the questions was:

Kristen, I have four children and a full time job to juggle alongside my writing, so I can understand how busy life gets, but you, you are a business woman, a wife, a mother, a role model to all of us. How do you find time to juggle all of this and still stay sane? 

My first response is, “Who ever said I was sane?” Yes, I work hard, but this idea that we are going to work a day job, write books, blog, build a platform, be the perfect mother, spouse and have a Martha Stewart home is absurd. Yes, I confess. It is now Valentines Day and my Christmas Valentines Tree still proudly stands in my dining room.

Exactly how long can one leave up a Christmas tree before you are officially white trash?

I know that, technically, an artificial Christmas tree isn’t a living thing, thus shouldn’t evolve, but yesterday I heard Willie Nelson coming from the dining room, and, when I looked closely at the tree? I saw it had sprouted THESE:

Stop standing there like a GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE and get me a BEER!

To keep my tree from shooting in the air and playing banjo, I had to come up with a plan.

Take down the tree.

*clutches sides laughing*

Are you kidding? I have writing to do!

So I distracted the tree with Bud Light and some glittery nail polish from Wal Mart and took it to Pic Monkey for a Makeover:

Evolution of the Christmas Tree…

And now my Valentines Tree allows me to happily live in denial. It also no longer swats me in the @$$ and asks me to cosign for a bass boat.

I think the Easter Tree will be AWESOME.

And the whole “I am a role model to all of you” part? I think it gets clearer by the day why I wasn’t allowed to play with the other neighborhood kids.

So what about you? What is the longest you have ever left up your Christmas tree? Did it like to sing Stand By Your Man and watch fishing shows? I figure if I drag this out long enough I won’t look like a slacker. By the end of October I will be a role model!

Confess! Tell us about the Christmas lights still on your house or the plastic reindeer still munching your grass. Oh, and Happy Valentines Day! You know I love each and every one of you and THANK YOU for blessing me by coming to my blog.

I LOVE hearing from you…

To prove it and show my love, for the month of February, everyone who leaves a comment I will put your name in a hat. If you comment and link back to my blog on your blog, you get your name in the hat twice. If you leave a comment, and link back to my blog, and mention my book We Are Not Alone in your blog…you get your name in the hat THREE times. What do you win? The unvarnished truth from yours truly.

I will pick a winner once a month and it will be a critique of the first 20 pages of your novel, or your query letter, or your synopsis (5 pages or less) .

And also, winners have a limited time to claim the prize, because what’s happening is there are actually quite a few people who never claim the critique, so I never know if the spam folder ate it or to look for it and then people miss out. I will also give my corporate e-mail to insure we connect and I will only have a week to return the 20 page edit.

At the end of February I will pick a winner for the monthly prize. Good luck!

I also hope you pick up copies of my best-selling books We Are Not Alone–The Writer’s Guide to Social Media and Are You There, Blog? It’s Me, Writer . And both are recommended by the hottest agents and biggest authors in the biz. My methods teach you how to make building your author platform FUN. Build a platform and still have time left to write great books.

A Party in Your PJs–PAJAMACON The Ultimate Writer Fantasy

Need some adverbs taken out?

All right, Valentines Day is tomorrow. The perfect gift for the writer in your life? WANACon. Perfect gift for yourself, for the LOVE of your writing? WANACon. Last week, I detailed all the wonders of this revolutionary new conference. It’s from home. No travel. No heap of extra expenses like air fare, baggage fees, taxi rides, hotel, food, and parking. No body cavity search from the TSA. It’s affordable. It’s GLOBAL.

We have two New York Times best-selling authors, a USA Today best-selling author, award-winning and nationally best-selling authors, one of the TOP PR firms in the US, and a brilliant Intellectual Property Attorney to talk contracts. And we have hip, cool agents who understand and embrace the new publishing paradigm just waiting to hear about your novel.

WANA is here to help all writers, no matter the path you choose to take.

We even have SUPER successful indies to teach about Amazon, how to successfully self-publish, and how to make your self-published book as good if not better quality than even the big publishers.

What could be better than that, right?

PAJAMACon.

WANA is all about reinventing the publishing paradigm, and what goes better with the Internet than PJs (and Monster Energy Drinks)? For those of you who sign up for Worldwide WANACon, you get a BONUS. Sunday with ME, in your jammies from 11-1 EST. I will be teaching Rise of the Machines–Human Authors in a Digital World (which is the title of my new book, btw).

We will talk about author brand, blogging and secrets to having your content go viral. There will even be a Q&A with me. Ask me anything you want to know about social media, blogging, craft or even how to genetically modify sea monkeys for the purpose of global domination.

Regular conferences are awesome, but they require a tie and slacks or makeup and Spanx. NOT PAJAMACon. It’s all about the PJs.

Yes, this is a bonus day, but the coolest part is that if you send us your jammy pictures, we will choose three winners. Surprise! Send us your Sponge Bob Jammies, your Star Wars Jammies, maybe even some irreverent Happy Bunny Jammies. We know you’re writers, so we are betting you have the best jammies out there (all PG, please). Put curlers in your hair or even show us your best bed head. Pose clutching a coffee pot with toddlers climbing your head…you know, how you normally write every day .

I will be teaching in jammies as well, namely because it’s always been a dream of mine . Other than having a REAL light saber.

PAJAMACon–the Conference full of WIN!

What’s Behind Door #1?

A 9 disc set of The Star Wars Saga on Blue Ray. Because, yes, WANA is ruled by geeks.

What’s Behind Door #2?

Gets me, The Death Star to read and critique the first ONE HUNDRED pages of your novel. If there are problems I will help you detail a plan to whip that WIP into publishing shape. Four years ago, I did this with Piper Bayard and now she has a sweet publishing deal and blurbs from no less than four NY Times Best-Selling Authors and a rave review from the Associated Press. Who knows what I might be able to do with your little gem? (Though, as a disclaimer, I’m an editor, not a magician. I will do my best ).

What’s Behind Door #3?

One winner will receive a YEAR of any participating WANA International class (up to Gold level) for only $10 a class (and 99% are participating). I would give the classes for FREE, but the $10 covers the technology that powers the classes. But, since most Gold level classes are $150 and above, this is a SWEET deal. You get a YEAR to learn about craft, business, law, social media, blogging, tweeting, as much as you can handle.

Registration

Again, here is where you can view the full conference schedule.

Sign up for BOTH DAYS of WANACon for a mere $125 (this includes ALL the parties and Surprise Pajama Sunday). Register HERE.

If you can only do one day? No problem! Registration is $75. Register HERE for DAY ONE or HERE for DAY TWO.

Ready to get an agent? Sign up for Agent Pitch Sessions HERE.

We hope to see you at WANACon and PAJAMACon. Seats are limited, so sign up asap. This is perhaps the ONLY V-Day gift better than chocolate and at WANACon, you will lose weight since you’ll be having so much fun, you might just forget to eat .

If you can’t attend WANACon, please at least help us spread the word. Since we don’t believe in traditional marketing or spam, WANA relies on genuine word of mouth. Please help spread the WANA love. Sow love and support then see what grows.