A Marketing Experiment

by Margaret Welwood

Working with a new Facebook friend, I found a (free) outlet for some of my poems, and a unique way to market my picture books for children.

There Once Was a Singer Named Lil

There once was a singer named Lil

Whose voice was so utterly shrill,

It cracked windows and doors,

And it shattered stone floors.

Now that takes incredible skill!

After you’ve recovered from the trauma of Lil’s portal-defacing, granite-pulverizing soprano voice, please note the way Sarah K. Blodgett has modified the text. Like many other people, she has found that simple ways—in this case highlighting syllables and underlining “long” vowels—can make a significant difference.

We all agree that reading is important—this is the Authors Community, after all. And we know that English spelling is problematic because it’s a mash-up of languages.

But what Sarah K. Blodgett has latched onto is the fact that it’s syllables we must read, and not individual letters.

According to Professor Suzanne Kemmer of Rice University, “Syllables apparently are a more natural unit for humans to perceive and hence code (write) and decode (read) by means of marks on a page.”

As we know, buh-i-tuh helps with bit, but as soon as we add an e after the t, the rule changes. Add er at the end, and we see why Kemmer insists that it’s syllables as a whole that we must read. The difference between biter and bitter will be readily perceived by one who has learned to read using syllables rather than individual letters.

Blodgett has found a way to make this feature work for struggling readers.

Noah Text™ “simulates predictable writing systems by highlighting critical word patterns”—something reading teachers do all the time. However, in books modified with Noah Text™, the highlighting is embedded, making it easier for children to practice reading on their own.

Now, the experiment:

I “liked” several of Sarah’s Facebook posts and studied her website. I was impressed with her strong interest in helping people learn to read (prompted by her son’s struggles), the years of research she’d pored into the project, and the fact that she was already working with another author. Sarah was clearly passionate about her cause and her product, and did not wish to run a one-woman show. I also noted the relative scarcity of material in Noah Text™.

I messaged her on Facebook and asked if she’d be interested in seeing pdfs of Scissortown and Marie and Mr. Bee.

After she checked out the pdfs, we had a phone chat. We agreed that the two books would be modified and printed, and I would supply her with several to show at workshops. She would list the Amazon links on her website, and I would include information about Noah Text™ on mine.

Additionally, I had poems looking for a home. I offered her an assortment, including the above limerick, to be modified with Noah Text™ and listed with the other freebies on her site. My thinking is that if people like what they see, they’ll check out my books online.

What are some interesting ways you’ve promoted your books or seen other authors promote theirs?

Margaret Welwood loved teaching English as a Second Language, writing magazine articles, and editing a business magazine and adult non-fiction books (one an Amazon #1 best seller, the other a Writer’s Digest award winner). However, with the arrival of grandchildren and their welcome request—“Grandma, can you tell me a story?”—she began writing and editing picture books for children. This is now her favorite genre.

Please visit eBookChristian to learn about Margaret’s picture books for children (both print and digital), and her Authors Community (AC) vendor page for her editing services.

Try Your Hand at Poetry

by Sarah Tun

Three reasons to write poetry:

 to get the creative juices flowing

1. to connect with literary journals as possible publishing outlets
2. to be encouraged because a little bit of publication can bring a lot of joy!

I’m sure you can find others.

 Be motivated:

 Have you ever tried writing poetry? Or is it something perhaps you did long ago but never took yourself very seriously? Nothing is ever wasted with GOD.

I used to dabble. Over the last couple of years I started to write again, sometimes writing from scratch and at other times, digging out things I’d already written and tweaking.

In the last 18 months I’ve had about a dozen things published; a series of poetry written after a mission trip 15 years ago and tweaked this summer is going to appear in a literary journal next month. So far I’ve not been paid financially, but it’s been a great joy, and a celebration with friends, to share some pieces I’m very pleased with.

So I’d like to encourage you too. And in case you need a gentle nudge, here are some things you could consider including. Poetry today ranges from prose typed as poetry, to truncated language, to just about anything that is moody and descriptive and profound…

Rhyming couplet:

“Singing signals the Joy of Life

Moping only the gloom of strife;

To bring new life to a soul — with music and laughter

A poem inspires hope to son and daughter….”

NO, poetry does not have to rhyme, and often when it does it seems trite.

How about Onomatopoeia:

“The sizzling bacon filled the house

with scents so fragrant, made my sinus ache….”

Whatever you might think to write, or for whatever reason, your poetry may be for many eyes — or none but your own. Yet, this is something you can play with. And you may really experience some fun!

Poetry can make perfect sense: cool and clear and dispassionate. Or it can burn into your mind with raw emotive turbulence. It is a way to get creative juices flowing, a way to turn the tide on your frustrations, a way to move toward a new direction, just for a moment, to bring new life to your writing experience.

Have you ever put your hand to poetry?

Perhaps it’s time to play with words; it’s time to find a new way to start your writing day.

Consider: Poetry is not just for Christmas Cards. It’s for LIFE🙂

And if you have delved into poetry, what has been your experience?

Sarah Tun is an author, developmental editor as well as a professional voice for voice overs and narrations. She is a vendor partner here at Christian Authors Community & Services.

© Sarah Tun

Picture Book Dummy is a Smart Idea

by Margaret Welwood

“You mixed up the spaghettis,” announced Coralie (Scissortown artist and spaghetti sorter).

I had printed off my story as a Word doc, then cut the text into strips and taped them onto pages of 8” x 8” paper. I then taped the rough line drawings of Coralie’s pictures to the pages. That’s when I knew something was wrong, and Coralie diagnosed the problem: I had Tina’s mom adding sardines to the spaghetti AFTER she’d added a whole onion to another batch. You’ll have to read the story to find out why the invading Slicers and Dicers made for such unorthodox culinary measures. 😊

Unless you have a great ability to visualize, and maybe even then, a picture book dummy is critical to see how your story flows. The dummy can be quite fancy, or—like mine—drop dead simple. However you make it, this tool will help you see how much text is on each page, where it should go in relation to the pictures for variety and greatest effect, and how to place suspenseful material on the righthand page to invite your young reader to turn the page.

This author is much “artsier” than some of us, but you might enjoy watching him construct a dummy for his picture book. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KG-DxxChC8g

This post gives useful information on the physical construction of a picture book (not something I’d given much thought to till I started writing them). http://editorialanonymous.blogspot.com/2008/10/basic-book-construction.html

I find the instructions in this post very clear. https://www.highlightsfoundation.org/12445/guest-post-lisa-cinelli-crafting-a-picture-book-dummy/

Lisa’s guidelines for evaluating your book dummy will also help you evaluate the story itself.

Speaking of which, I sent Marie and Mr. Bee to an online author/editor friend in the hope of getting some pre-publication buzz. What I got was a very kind reply that I wouldn’t want her to review the story because it had plot holes. Making a book dummy helped my son and me lay out the book to make the story clear, making minor adjustments to the wording while paying careful attention to page turns.

Also, Coralie’s art did what it was supposed to do: clarify, enhance, and add credibility to the story line. For example, the “Super Grow Tree Co” labels on the trees in the picture above were Coralie’s idea to explain how the trees grew so fast.

Please note below the matching teacups and lamp, the warm glow of the lamp, the aging Mr. Bee’s glasses and gray hair, and the fact that Marie is knitting him a sweater. None of these are mentioned in the text, but they add a richness beyond words as we see Marie caring for her elderly little friend.

Interestingly, when I invited this online friend to take a look at the story after it was laid out, she gave it five stars and made no mention of plot holes.

So there you have it: a do-it-yourself visual aid that will be invaluable if you indie publish and will be working directly with your illustrator. If you’re seeking a traditional publisher, you will probably not be asked for suggestions for illustrations. However, making a book dummy will help you get the best possible flow for your story.

Margaret Welwood loved teaching English as a Second Language, writing magazine articles, and editing a business magazine and adult non-fiction books (one an Amazon #1 best seller, the other a Writer’s Digest award winner). However, with the arrival of grandchildren and their welcome request—“Grandma, can you tell me a story?”—she began writing and editing picture books for children. This is now her favorite genre.

Please visit eBookChristian to learn about Margaret’s picture books for children (both print and digital), and her Authors Community (AC) vendor page for her editing services.

Margaret has been working with AC author Terri Martin on Happy’s Surprise, a charming tale of a little rabbit, his grandpa (think Grandparents Day), and an important life lesson learned the easy way! For those of us who have learned too many lessons the hard way, this is a refreshing and comforting story.

If you’re an aspiring children’s book writer, please check out the benefits of a free membership in the Authors Community, and the value in the Manuscript Bundle.

Book or Benefits – Appeal to the Senses in…

By Gina Burgess

I have nearly 35 years’ experience in sales and marketing all kinds of products and services, mostly services. I found out that I’m much better at promoting intangibles rather than tangibles. Services seem to have more obvious benefits than physical objects. Promotion of books came a bit harder for me to do until I realized readers do not buy books.

I can see your eyebrows raised and hear that explosive, “What?”

It’s true. Readers don’t buy books. They buy experiences. Think about it. Why do you purchase a book? It certainly isn’t because of the binding, nor the typestyle of the prose, nor the book’s cover even though the cover has a lot to do with creating interest in the book.

Did you purchase your computer because it had a 17 inch screen, backlit keys, and a terabyte of storage? Believe it or not, you did not. You purchased your computer for what it would do for you. The wider screen made your work easier because everything is easier to see when it’s bigger. Backlighted keys are easier to find while typing in low light, and the larger storage space allows you to download movies and games and still have plenty of space for all your writings so you aren’t juggling a portable drive. It’s all right there at your fingertips. Plus the price was within your budget, or they had easy payment plans.

Back to book promotions.

Generally, readers have a reason to buy that sounds good—Hey! This book is on sale! But that isn’t enough for them to buy it. If it was, people would have tons of books in their Kindle or Nook. A person will never buy just because a book is on sale or download it because it’s free. They must have a real reason to buy. What might that be?

Way back when, Brian Tracey named this double reason to buy the Duality Law: The reason that justifies the purchase, and the real reason.

Look at it this way: You don’t purchase a pair of slacks because they are on sale. Your closet would be stuffed if that was the real reason. You purchased the slacks because they made you look good, or feel better about your figure, or they were very comfortable. Those reasons are sense-able appealing to your senses. They were on sale, or the perfect color that matches a pair of shoes, or had deep pockets. These are the reasons that justify the purchase. A reader must have both of these reasons to prompt a purchase and/or a download of your book.

Price is neither a feature nor a benefit. Pricing of the book helps to justify the purchase. As long the price is reasonable (Smashwords survey said between $2.99 and $5.99 for fiction) readers will buy your book as long as the genre is one they like to read. If a person doesn’t like action/adventure they’ll never download action/adventure even if it’s free. Never. Because they don’t like the genre. See?

As for non-fiction, a higher price plus author credentials help justify the sale. The reasoning for higher price? This must be a quality non-fiction because of the higher price. Credibility is crucial as well for obvious reasons. Here’s an example: Even though two different face creams have the same ingredients to help promote a smooth, soft complexion, if one is priced low, say $10 compared to a higher priced product say $50 generally the higher price indicates better quality ingredients so the cream must be better quality than the $10 priced cream. Understandably, the non-fiction book requires more research and more time for the editor to work magic on it so it should cost more than a book of fiction.

So how do you appeal to the senses in book promotions?

Your book description needs to leave the reader wanting more. It needs to raise some compelling questions, or describe a scenario that raises the questions, How? Or Why?

Here’s part of a description from one of my clients, Julia David:

Then a voice speaks from the morgue basement. A rough and tumble outlaw who’s supposed to be dead is still alive! For some unfathomable reason, Lauren agrees to help him stay dead.

Intriguing? You betcha.

Choosing sound words

Words are all an author has to appeal to the senses. Using the perfect word to convey a particular sound seems easy—for Edgar Allan Poe. What kind of bells is he referring to with these words: tinkling, sprinkling, merriment, jingling and the tinkling of the bells?*

What about these words: mellow, molton-golden, swells, dwells, rapture impels, swinging and ringing, chiming and rhyming?*

What about these: brazen, turbulency, shriek out of tune, clang, clash, and roar, clamor and clangor?*

And these: melancholy menace, rust in their throats is a groan, moaning and groaning?*

Creating a smell out of nothing

Our sense of smell is powerful. It can instill memories that will swell when an aroma tickles our noses. It can evoke emotions, and it can trigger us into survival mode. Words describing smells can either curl the lip in disgust or make a reader float in some pleasant memory. Whether it’s a heady aroma, piquant, comforting or fetid, frowsty, funky or fusty, smells bring a story description to life.

Taste is closely linked to smells. Of course just reading the word sour makes the jaw muscles tighten. Savoury or syrupy, tart or spicy can make mouths water.

Touchy vs. Feely

Let’s not confuse feeling with touching. You feel comfortable when laying down in bed, but the bedspread has the knotty texture of channel. Believe it or not, some authors do confuse the two. There are hundreds of words that describe how something feels to the touch. Hairy or smooth, damp or dry, hot or cold, abrasive, bristly, gelatinous, jagged, and the list goes on. You can also add texture words to sound words for even more clarity such as, “Her abrasive shriek grated my ear drums.” Or “His jagged sigh cut into my heart.” It creates an emotion with sound.

Just remember that you don’t need to address all five senses in your book’s description. One or two senses will bring your description alive leading readers to purchase your book. If it’s horror, make them feel the terror. If it’s romance, give readers a “taste” of longing and desire. If it’s non-fiction, create a desire to know more about your subject that you are passionate about. The only limit is your imagination.

Take a few minutes in the comment section below and sense-able a book description by writing a one-two sentence description of your latest book using two or three of our senses.

Gina Burgess is an editor, illustrator, and author. She is COO of AuthorsCommunity.net owned by Common Sense Marketing Strategies, LLC. She also writes a weekly column at LiveAsIf.org

Answers to the Bells question from Edgar Allan Poe’s poem, The Bells.

*Silver Bells

*Golden Bells

*Alarm Bells

*Iron Bells