Alexander M. Zoltai's Blog, page 218

How Can Authors Find Readers?

Some of the wildest relationships in the world are between authors and readers.

Lately, writers have had a new horde of "experts" yelling at them about how to hook-up with readers.

Personally, I don't think any two books (except the pulps in various genres) have the same history of attracting readers.

It seems that, just as Mary wants Jim but Jim needs a wake up call and Mary doesn't want to seem forward and Jim…, well you get the idea; seems that authors need Relationship advice, not Marketing advice.

Readers have relationships with authors, always have, and today's publishing scene is begging authors to build relationships with their readers, like never before.

Some say writers need to "Build A Platform"–sounds rather like a place to shout at folks…

Some refer to the author's audience as their Tribe.

Jeff Goins recently wrote a blog post called, Finding Your Tribe May Be the Hardest Thing You Ever Do.

Jeff speaks from an interesting perspective best summed-up in this quote from another post:

"Writers Don't Write to Get Published,…is a call-to-action for writers to fall back in love with the art of writing and to let go of the need to be acknowledged and affirmed.

"I had an epiphany a few years ago that really set me free from my own self-doubt and allowed me to just write for the sake of writing."

So it's a bit of a surprise when his post on finding a tribe says:

"We are all  looking for a tribe. Our 1000 true fans. A place to belong. We want to be heard and known, to actually make a difference."

You see, Jeff wrote a Manifesto about writing-for-the-sake-of-writing so he could use it to attract a tribe to his writing…

Believe me, I'm not crying foul or looking down on Jeff's approach. I've written for the sake of writing and I'm now working to find my tribe.

Perhaps the whole concept will become clearer by reading the extensive comments Jeff got for his post………

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Our Comment Link Is At The Top of The Post :-)

Tagged: author, author platform, book promotion, finding your tribe, promotion, writer, Writers Resources, writing

Promotion ~ All Authors Must Deal With It

I can't recommend the way I promote my books. Sure, I'll tell you what I'm doing but it's probably not for you.

I'm self-published and I'm a maverick. Luckily, there are other ways to promote :-)

I can't assume all my readers are aware they can search for past posts with the "Top Tags" section in the right-panel. You'll find "publish", "self-publish", and "promotion" there; and, clicking on them will give you the posts I've done on those topics.

I do, however, want to bring a couple links to past posts here:

Traditional vs Self-Publishing ~ Is The Promotion/Marketing Different?

Too Much Advice Can Be Dangerous

More Book Promotion Tips . . .

Joel Friedlander, cutting-edge writer on all things publishing (who I've linked-to here often), recently wrote the introductory articles for a new service at CreateSpace.

First, I must say that CreateSpace is one way to self-publish but I recommend FastPencil…

Also, I hate the term "marketing", mostly because far too many marketers don't know much about the importance of real, human relationships in the realm of creating an author's audience.

All that said, do check-out all the articles on CreateSpace's Marketing Central.

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Our Comment Link Is At The Top of The Post :-)

Tagged: CreateSpace, FastPencil, Joel Friedlander, Marketing, promotion, publish, self-promotion, self-publish

Can An Author Learn About Writing From A Singer?

Writers often learn lessons for their craft in unusual places.

Most songs are story-like; and, since using words to create new realities is, in all but the most tedious editing, much like performing a song, singers might be good writing instructors…

I recently learned, and expect to continue to learn, some subtle aspects of writing from the singer, Annie Lennox.

I've listened to Annie a lot but never before heard her teaching me about writing; though, it has been said, "When the student is ready, the teacher appears."

She has a song called, Why?, which I've listened to countless times; yet, the other day, while listening to two different performances, I learned a few things.

First came the awareness that the lyrics could not only be applied to a romantic relationship but also to the relationship between a writer and their Muse…

Next, comparing the two performances became like looking at two different revisions of a piece of writing.

The words of the song don't change but each word is capable of being expressed with more than one tone, which shifts the meaning a bit. Of course, in writing, a word can be attended by "tone words" that shift meaning…

There are more subtle lessons I haven't yet been able to put in words…

Perhaps you'll watch the two performances and leave your thoughts in the comments?

The first offering is a music video of the song, carefully staged and full of evocative imagery.

The second is a live performance.

What lessons do the two "revisions" reveal to you?

Which do you think express the meaning of the words best?

Why?

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Our Comment Link Is At The Top of The Post :-)

Tagged: Annie Lennox, creative writing, learning, Performance, singer, Why?, Writers Resources, writing

Global Peace ~ How Can It Happen?

I wrote a novel with the struggle toward Peace as the central theme.

I facilitate discussions, on Book Island in Second Life, called Global Peace Chats.

The book and the discussions find folks "fighting" over Peace…

Tomorrow is the International Day of Peace. On September 21st, 2012 there will be a Global Truce Day.

Back in August, I wrote a post called, Global Peace ~ Can It Happen? I didn't ask "How?" in that post but I did mention:

"Saying global peace is impossible depends on folks believing that 'human nature' includes an ineradicable desire to be selfish and contentious. Some people feel that 'human nature' is such that, given half a chance, any human will 'naturally' use violence to attain their ends."

Do you believe that?

If yes, I'd ask you to go read that post (and, watch the impassioned video it contains); also, perhaps, grab a free copy of my novel…

One more thing you can do. Yesterday saw the beginning of the Social Good Summit, which will continue through the 22nd. Here's their blurb:

"Mashable, 92nd Street Y, and the United Nations Foundation present the second annual Social Good Summit. Held during UN week, the Summit is where big ideas meet new media to create innovative solutions.

"The Summit unites a dynamic community of global leaders to discuss a big idea: the power of innovative thinking and technology to solve our greatest challenges. It ignites conversations between a live audience in New York City and thousands around the world participating via Livestream. Each day, we will have sessions running from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. [Eastern Time, USA]"

Enjoy :-)

Oh!  There are also Special Documents and Web Resources available.

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Tagged: Global Truce, Human nature, International Day of Peace, International Peace Day, Livestream, Notes from An Alien, peace, United Nations Foundation

The Danger of A Single Story

One story, about anything, can be extremely dangerous. Most novels relate their theme from many characters' perspectives–many stories. Most news media cling to Single Stories.

What's the danger? If the Single Story is believed, there may follow certain prejudices or biases.

Also, a Single Story can have many variations while remaining "Single".

Tarie Sabido, one of my Google Plus friends, shared a video that explores this Single Story concept.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Nigerian author of Purple Hibiscus and Half of a Yellow Sun, has garnered many statements of praise for her writing, such as, "We do not usually associate wisdom with beginners, but here is a new writer endowed with the gift of ancient storytellers."

Let yourself be drawn in by this storyteller as she shows the danger of the Single Story…



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Tagged: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Half of a Yellow Sun, Nigeria, novel, novels, Purple Hibiscus, Single Story, The Danger of A Single Story

How Many Ways Are There To Write A Novel?

The "powers that be" in the worlds of the novel–those folks who set themselves up as "experts"–might tell you there are two ways to write a novel, or definitely only four, or as many ways as there are novelists.

When the "experts" disagree, it's time to make your own decision…

Wikipedia's opinion of what a novel is: "…a book of long narrative in literary prose….Further definition of the genre is historically difficult."

Of course, the word "novel" comes from roots that mean "new".

And, if you plunk the words how+to+write+a+novel into Google, you'll be able to lose yourself in the sea of, sometimes not so novel, opinions…

Sophie McCook, one of my new friends on the open-source social networking platform, Diaspora, is writing a chapter a day of her novel and posting it on a blog, tinychaptersontherun.

BTW, if you want an invite to Diaspora, which is in Alpha-testing-mode, send me an email at amzolt@gmail.com and I'll make sure they invite you :-)

Here's what Sophie says about her novel: "Tiny Chapters on the Run  is the story of Miriam Short, told in bite-sized chapters, published once a day (except weekends – the author is only human!). Miriam has no tact, delicacy or grace. She lies, steals and inadvertently kills.  But she did also get her brownie badges in 'basic mental adjustment' and 'innate self-worth'.  There will be ups and downs, loves and down-right dirty lies."

As of the time I posted this, there are 53 chapters–they're short, remember :-)

I've read the first two chapters and am having a time-schedule-freak-out—-prep for writing sequel to Notes from An Alien, 30 hours a week being Events Manager on Book Island in Second Life, attending to various social networking and other Webby tasks, wondering when to carve out time to read Don Quixote, and very necessary amounts of meditative zoning-out—-but Sophie's novel has sucked me in…

DO  go read it.

DO  come back and let me know what you think.

I'll pass your comments along to Sophie :-)

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Our Comment Link Is At The Top of The Post :-)

Tagged: Diaspora, Don Quixote, fiction, how to write a novel, Notes from An Alien, novel, Online Writing, Sophie McCook

Does Every "Interview" Count?

Self-promotion for a book often takes on the likeness of "interviews".

Crafted promotional pieces with Q&A might be better called FauxViews :-)

Here's the latest one with me: Jexbo FauxViews Alexander M Zoltai about Notes from An Alien

Do you find FauxViews interesting?

Do you think they "work"?

What's your favorite way to find out about a new book?

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Our Comment Link Is At The Top of The Post :-)

Tagged: author interview, book promotion, interview, Jexbo, Notes from An Alien, promotion, self-publishing

When A Metaphor Turns Real . . .

Writers use metaphors and readers process metaphors. The word means to Transfer Meaning–Rain becomes Mercy, A Politician is the Devil, a Woman personifies the Muse… What if a Metaphor wrote a story?

Ardith Goodwin is writing a marvelous story that instills life into a common object. Can you tell what it might be from this beginning of her story?

"For days I had felt the sharp prongs of a rusted, metal rake scratch repeatedly across my back. I felt footstep after footstep land across my head, reminding me with each blow just how deep my face was in the thatch layered dirt. I had been here so long, in this cold, dark place that I was hesitant to believe there was any hope of being found. "

That excerpt is from the first installment. Ardith is posting the story on a special blog… Here's just a bit from the second installment:

"The moment I was pulled from the confines of that prison I was blinded by a magnificent light dancing across my face. Chunks of dirt still covered most of me, but it didn't prevent the light from reaching the parts of me that had been in darkness for so many years."

The blog is called, The Unforgettable Journey of Found Baby. At the end of each short post, you'll find a link to the "Next Post".

Take this journey. Read this story written by a real baby doll that was found in March of 2010. Read these words from Ardith:

"Found Baby writes about her everyday adventures, about how she feels, thinks, and the challenges she faces living in a world so obsessed with beauty and perfection. As she adjusts to life out of the ground, she can't help but recall bits and pieces of her life before she was buried, and those memories are heartbreaking….learn the story about how she was found….She believes there are no coincidences, and you landing on her blog isn't one either. Welcome, no masks needed……….."

Found Baby is 49 years old–she is Real; yet, Ardith says, "She has…become a metaphor for those who suffer from abuse, who have been outcast because they are 'different', who are abandoned or brokenhearted, or who are called ugly."

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Tagged: abandoned, abused, Ardith Goodwin, baby doll, broken heart, Found Baby, metaphor, ugly

Top 15 Posts ~ Reading, Writing, Publishing

Delaying a really cool post till tomorrow because things can change Fast  in the BloggingWorld.

The top "visits", all-time, to this blog are "HomePage" (meaning they hit whatever post was current that day), the AboutPage for me, and the AboutPage for my book, Notes from An Alien. After those came these individual posts:

Writing Challenge ~ Use The 1200 Most Common Words To Write A Story…

240


Author Interview ~ Maria Savva

136


Author Interview ~ Karla Telega

115


Author Interview ~ Joel Blaine Kirkpatrick

102


A Virtual Memorial That Brings Real Tears…

82


In Memorium, for Jamie…

82


What Is A Genre & Should You Try To Write In One?

78


Who The Heck Knows The "Right" Price for An Ebook?

77


Invitation To The Madhouse ~ Report On Self-Publishing

77


Self-Publishing Can Be Just As Creative As Writing

75


Author Interview ~ Simone Benedict

74


Author Interview ~ Stacy Juba

69


This Is The Way It Must Be Done!

67


Where Do Writers Find Their Ideas? ~ Revisited…

63


Blogging ~ Can It Really Fulfill The Writer's Dictum: "Write Every Day!"?

62

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Tagged: blog, blog post, most visits, publishing, reading, top post, traffic, writing

The Shape of A Story

Readers know the "shape" of a story from reading it. Writers must "craft" that shape.

Like most aspects of writing, there are varied avenues leading to the destination–each story could  be seen as shaping itself.

In a very broad artistic sense, the shape could be called the Dramatic Structure–how the story moves from one point to another.

Many authors speak of their "Story Arc" and, if you try a Google search for that, good luck with interpreting how all the conflicting views can be correlated…

As I've indicated before, I'm using Google Plus a lot these days. Recently, I noticed that Michael Kelly had shared a link that Paul Carroll saw in his Stream and shared with me.

The link lead to a video of Kurt Vonnegut talking about the shape of stories.

While quite humorous, I, as a writer, found the demonstration rooted in an often over-complexified Truth:

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Tagged: character arc, dramatic structure, Google Plus, Kurt Vonnegut, stories, Story Arc, story shape, story structure