Simone DaCosta's Blog: Depicting The Writer in You, page 7
July 31, 2012
The Internet
“The internet is about interaction which is another way of getting your book out there”
The internet is all things to all men but to a self-published writer it’s the most perfect marketing tool. Simply, the Web is the cheapest, most effective and sociable way to promote both the author and his book because it costs nothing but a little ingenuity to leave a link to your website.
Web links are arguably the most essential marketing tool a writer can ever have and the self-promoting possibilities are endless. In a technological age the internet is a calling card to the world so it’s crucial that as many browsers see your web as possible. Sometimes, though, a little chutzpa is called for and one way is to enter into a forum by doing what is commonly known as ‘piggybacking’.
In other words, when you find an appropriate thread to leave a comment be sure to sign off by piggybacking on to it by adding a link to your website. After all, given how the point of the social network isto get the message ‘out there’, this is a terrific way of directing internet traffic to your website. It really is that simple.
Piggybacking is not something that should be overused but if handled with awareness and discretion then it will attract new visitors. After all, given how the internet is there to be used to your advantage in any way possible, you can be sure that if you don’t take advantage then somebody else will.
Martin Baum
Contributor on Simone's Blog
The internet is all things to all men but to a self-published writer it’s the most perfect marketing tool. Simply, the Web is the cheapest, most effective and sociable way to promote both the author and his book because it costs nothing but a little ingenuity to leave a link to your website.
Web links are arguably the most essential marketing tool a writer can ever have and the self-promoting possibilities are endless. In a technological age the internet is a calling card to the world so it’s crucial that as many browsers see your web as possible. Sometimes, though, a little chutzpa is called for and one way is to enter into a forum by doing what is commonly known as ‘piggybacking’.
In other words, when you find an appropriate thread to leave a comment be sure to sign off by piggybacking on to it by adding a link to your website. After all, given how the point of the social network isto get the message ‘out there’, this is a terrific way of directing internet traffic to your website. It really is that simple.
Piggybacking is not something that should be overused but if handled with awareness and discretion then it will attract new visitors. After all, given how the internet is there to be used to your advantage in any way possible, you can be sure that if you don’t take advantage then somebody else will.
Martin Baum
Contributor on Simone's Blog
7 Solutions for Repetitive Sentence Structure
The following rhetorical tools enrich writing by eliciting a primal emotional response in readers:
1. Alliteration
Alliteration, the pattern of two or more words within a phrase or sentence that begin with the same sound, is an effective form of emphasis that adds lyricism to even straightforward prose and influences the mood.
Alliteration can be delivered in consecutive words: “They have served tour after tour of duty in distant, different, and difficult places.” Or it can recur with gaps of one or more nonalliterative words: “Squaring our performances with our promises, we will proceed to the fulfillment of the party’s mission.”
2. Assonance
Assonance, akin to alliteration, is the repetition of vowel sounds in a phrase or a longer passage: “The clamor of the band addled them.”
3. Consonance
As the name implies, consonance refers to repetition of consonants — specifically, those at the ends of words: “Their maid has spread the word of their deed.”
4. Onomatopoeia
This term refers to words that are sound effects, indicative of their meaning or otherwise imitative of sounds: “A splash disturbed the hush of the droning afternoon.”
5. Repetition
Repetition is the repeating of a word or phrase to produce a pattern or structure that strengthens the cumulative effect of a passage: “When I find you, I will catch you. When I catch you, I will cook you. When I cook you, I will eat you.”
6. Rhyme
Rhyme, the matching of identical or similar word endings in sentences of prose or lines of poetry, needn’t be limited to lyrical contexts: “If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit.”
7. Rhythm
Rhythm, the deliberate manipulation of syllabic patterns in a passage, like rhyme, should not be consigned solely to poetry: “The eager coursing of the strident hounds and the sudden pursuit of the mounted men drove the bounding prey ever on.”
When employing one or more of these techniques in your writing, keep these points in mind:
· Be sure they have intrinsic value to the content and do not simply showcase your cleverness. Employ them in moderation, and be true to your voice and the tone of your writing.
· In serious expository prose, no more than one or two instances will help readers retain important information or strengthen a memorable conclusion. A more casual, lighthearted essay can afford a few more tricks, especially as mnemonic devices. A humorous piece allows you to be more indulgent, but an excess of use can quickly become wearisome and counterproductive.
· Study the masters, take note of their restraint and originality, and use those lessons as points of inspiration for your own applications of these techniques.
Reference:
Nichol, M (2012). Daily Writing Tips. 7 Techniques for Effective Writing. Online publication. Retrieved from http://www.dailywritingtips.com on July 23, 2012.
Stephanie Williams
Contributor on Simone's Blog
1. Alliteration
Alliteration, the pattern of two or more words within a phrase or sentence that begin with the same sound, is an effective form of emphasis that adds lyricism to even straightforward prose and influences the mood.
Alliteration can be delivered in consecutive words: “They have served tour after tour of duty in distant, different, and difficult places.” Or it can recur with gaps of one or more nonalliterative words: “Squaring our performances with our promises, we will proceed to the fulfillment of the party’s mission.”
2. Assonance
Assonance, akin to alliteration, is the repetition of vowel sounds in a phrase or a longer passage: “The clamor of the band addled them.”
3. Consonance
As the name implies, consonance refers to repetition of consonants — specifically, those at the ends of words: “Their maid has spread the word of their deed.”
4. Onomatopoeia
This term refers to words that are sound effects, indicative of their meaning or otherwise imitative of sounds: “A splash disturbed the hush of the droning afternoon.”
5. Repetition
Repetition is the repeating of a word or phrase to produce a pattern or structure that strengthens the cumulative effect of a passage: “When I find you, I will catch you. When I catch you, I will cook you. When I cook you, I will eat you.”
6. Rhyme
Rhyme, the matching of identical or similar word endings in sentences of prose or lines of poetry, needn’t be limited to lyrical contexts: “If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit.”
7. Rhythm
Rhythm, the deliberate manipulation of syllabic patterns in a passage, like rhyme, should not be consigned solely to poetry: “The eager coursing of the strident hounds and the sudden pursuit of the mounted men drove the bounding prey ever on.”
When employing one or more of these techniques in your writing, keep these points in mind:
· Be sure they have intrinsic value to the content and do not simply showcase your cleverness. Employ them in moderation, and be true to your voice and the tone of your writing.
· In serious expository prose, no more than one or two instances will help readers retain important information or strengthen a memorable conclusion. A more casual, lighthearted essay can afford a few more tricks, especially as mnemonic devices. A humorous piece allows you to be more indulgent, but an excess of use can quickly become wearisome and counterproductive.
· Study the masters, take note of their restraint and originality, and use those lessons as points of inspiration for your own applications of these techniques.
Reference:
Nichol, M (2012). Daily Writing Tips. 7 Techniques for Effective Writing. Online publication. Retrieved from http://www.dailywritingtips.com on July 23, 2012.
Stephanie Williams
Contributor on Simone's Blog
I was told that in order for me to get the best out of my book, I should consider converting my manuscript to an E -book. How does an E-book work?
We have this question from an author who has published in paper:
This is true. Most authors will benefit greatly from having their books in both paper and digital format. E-books are a digital file that folks can read on their Kindle, Nook, iPad, computer, or any computer device or droid. If you are technically proficient on the computer, then jump in and check out the web sites that will show you how to create and upload an ebook. If not, use a service like the ones I described above, particularly www.bookbaby.com or www.outskirtspress.com . For a fee (usually under a hundred dollars) you send them your manuscript as a Word .doc or .rtf file. They will convert it to a file that can be viewed on the various types of e-readers (Kindle, Nook, and the like). They’ll also create a cover and set up an account to collect royalties. The fee is worth its weight in gold, because your book will be done right, and won’t create problems for the e-reading devices. It will also free you up to be writing that next book while they’re producing your ebook. It can be done in as little as a week or two, and is much faster than the long learning curve you’ll encounter if your computer skills are elementary. Nothing will turn away readers faster than a badly prepared ebook, so read about it at places like BookBaby and Outskirts. If it seems to you that you can do what they’re offering, then go for it. If not, be prepared to spend some dollars to get it done right. Then write, write, write that next book!
It’s all new and different, I know. So I’ll leave you with a quote that has been on my fridge for years: “May you have the vision and the voice to find new songs to sing.” Every aspect of publishing is a “new song” these days. So be brave. Make a plan. Do the parts you can do well yourself and “farm out” the rest. And by all means, enjoy the journey!
Mary Schwaner
Contributor on Simone's Blog
This is true. Most authors will benefit greatly from having their books in both paper and digital format. E-books are a digital file that folks can read on their Kindle, Nook, iPad, computer, or any computer device or droid. If you are technically proficient on the computer, then jump in and check out the web sites that will show you how to create and upload an ebook. If not, use a service like the ones I described above, particularly www.bookbaby.com or www.outskirtspress.com . For a fee (usually under a hundred dollars) you send them your manuscript as a Word .doc or .rtf file. They will convert it to a file that can be viewed on the various types of e-readers (Kindle, Nook, and the like). They’ll also create a cover and set up an account to collect royalties. The fee is worth its weight in gold, because your book will be done right, and won’t create problems for the e-reading devices. It will also free you up to be writing that next book while they’re producing your ebook. It can be done in as little as a week or two, and is much faster than the long learning curve you’ll encounter if your computer skills are elementary. Nothing will turn away readers faster than a badly prepared ebook, so read about it at places like BookBaby and Outskirts. If it seems to you that you can do what they’re offering, then go for it. If not, be prepared to spend some dollars to get it done right. Then write, write, write that next book!
It’s all new and different, I know. So I’ll leave you with a quote that has been on my fridge for years: “May you have the vision and the voice to find new songs to sing.” Every aspect of publishing is a “new song” these days. So be brave. Make a plan. Do the parts you can do well yourself and “farm out” the rest. And by all means, enjoy the journey!
Mary Schwaner
Contributor on Simone's Blog
Depicting The Writer in You
Our Mission: To express the literary art of writing and its evocative quality that gives all writers much joy.
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