Jean Oram (.com)

How to Hold a Contest: 5 Tips Over at FTWA Today

Hey, I’m over at From the Write Angle talking about how to hold an effective online contest today. I’ve shared 5 tips, and as usual, squished pretty much everything I know about getting the biggest bang for your contest buck into that post. Why do I do that to myself? I chose to do a 5 tips theme so I wouldn’t feel the urge to pour all I know into every post! So silly.

An example of one of my tasty little tips: Did you know that advertising or holding your contest on Facebook has to stay within certain Facebook rules or you page could be deleted without warning? Scary, isn’t it?

Anyway, if you have ever considered holding a contest, or have held one and want to share your expertise and experience with the Write Angle gang, we’d love to hear from you. Pop on over!

Here’s a little something I whipped up for that post (mmm cake!):

How about you? Ever held a contest? How did it go? What would you do differently next time?

Never held a contest? What drives you to enter or not enter a contest?

10 Reasons Why Every Writer Should Be in a Book Club

There aren’t many things that can pull me out of the house after supper, but book club is one of them. Believe it or not, I’ve barely missed a meeting in the several years it has been in existence. I have loved every meeting and dearly love my bookworm buddies. After the last couple of book clubs I’ve been thinking, you know… every writer should be a book club member. Here are a few reasons why I think book clubs can benefits writers of all shapes and varieties.

10 reasons Why I Think Every Writer Should Join a Book Club:

1. Genres

If it is a non-genre based book club, you  get a chance to read everything and anything. You will learn tricks from genres you might not normally read. If it is a genre-based book club and your genre, you will learn an incredible amount about your genre from these readers–your audience! You will also learn what other writers are doing with the genre and how it is received by your shared audience. Gold, gold, gold!

2. Variety of Input

You get to hear what readers of all ages and stages and interests think of a book, a style, a sentence, a plot, a cover, an author, everything! Priceless.

3. Interpretations.

We had a big discussion about interpretations last Tuesday while debriefing after having an author visit us. If we saw the book differently after talking to the author is that good, or is that bad? Getting in the minds of other readers and finding out how they interpret things is intel, baby. Intel.

4. What Works. What Doesn’t.

We’ve got some amazing readers in our book club. We’re talking huge stacks of books devoured by our readers on a weekly basis. They’ve been around the book block a time or two and if they all say something didn’t work for them–pay attention. These ladies (yeah, we keep scaring all the men off) are expert readers. If you mess them up, oh boy! On the flip side, you can also see what really speaks to them and works. (We are surprisingly often on the same page (or at least the same chapter) in terms of what works and what doesn’t.)

5. Sounding Board.

You can throw ideas at them and see what they think. And no, they don’t know that I write, but sometimes I like to bring up ideas that fit with a book we’ve read to see what they think as readers. You know, a “What if the author did X instead of Y? Do you think that would make blah blah blah fit more?”

6. Genius. Bloody Genius.

You get to sound like a genius when you say things like, “It sounds like you sympathized with the protagonist but never really got the emotional attachment that would have made you empathetic. Do you think the author did that intentionally so you wouldn’t get overwhelmed by the subject matter?” Yeah, I got to pop that one out on Tuesday. I got a nice look of awe. (Felt guilty a bit. But just a bit.)

7. Non-Hermit Status.

It gets you out of the house you writerly hermit, you!

8. Word of Mouth & Advance Readers.

If you ever publish you have some lovely book people who love you and might help you get the world out as well as be beta readers (if you have the guts and think it would not put them in a ‘bad’ spot). Maybe. (Never, ever abuse your book club for your own promotional needs!)

9. Bookworms Rule.

It is a TON of fun to talk to bookworms about books. Heaven. Bliss. Love it. Nothing better.

10. German Chocolate Cake.

Yep, snacks. Love the books, bookworms, and camaraderie. But come for the cake.

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How about you? Do you belong to a book club? Why or why not?

Never Stop Learning: 5 Ways to Build Your Brand Identity as a Writer

Let’s get this out of the way: Writing is a business. Period.

If you plan to have more than your mother read your writing, it is a business.

“Well, wait,” you say. “I write because I enjoy it and yeah, sure, one day I’ll get published.”

I feel the same way.

For years I blogged because I wanted to. Not because I thought I should or was trying to build a brand. It was about me sharing ideas, opportunities, tips, and more because I felt the need to do so.

And I still blog for those same reasons. But now it is more. I also blog with a new additional purpose–the purpose of doing it well and building a brand. (It’s a big learning curve!)

When I first started writing a few years ago, I believed that writing a good story was enough. And sometimes it is. However, in today’s world I believe that writers need more. More to be truly successful. More to be noticed. We need to build a brand. We need to never stop learning and applying what we have learned. The world will not stop for us.

What is a brand for writers?

It is you. It is what makes you stand out from the crowd in an unique “you” way. It is recognizable. It is something you can carry over across various online worlds. Hone in on what your brand is and what it isn’t. Think of the big writers. What makes them “them.”

The things on your “isn’t” list should not appear in your tweets or Facebook posts if you are going to be a ‘pure’ brand–unless of course you can find a way to swing that back to your brand in some way. (For example, the other week I shared a story about meeting Canada’s Greatest Know It All and turned what could have been an unrelated story (from a brand standpoint) into a post on writing.)

How do you build a brand?

1. Visual Identity

You need something that is distinctly you. Like a logo, avatar, or image that brands the blog or Twitter account as “you” and is instantly recognizable for your audience. Think Coca-Cola. What popped in your head? It was the red and white can and the writing, wasn’t it? That is visual branding. Now think about what you would expect to see on their Twitter and Facebook accounts. It’s the logo and writing, isn’t it? That is a strong visual identity and visual branding.

It is important to ensure your visual identity matches your brand’s persona. A flowery, feminine visual identity will not work if you are writing dark mysteries, but it would work well with some romances. Your identity should match what you are selling and your voice and tone–not what you think is purdy.

Keep your look current. What is visually up-to-date in terms of style and image on the net changes constantly. What was gorgeous five years ago may look painfully outdated now–and you could too by association.

2. Voice

Voice is huge for writers. It is the distinctive tone we put on the things we write. In theory, someone who read passages from a hundred different writers should be able to pull yours from of the pile. Think of your favourite author. You know the way they write, and their tone, and voice, and could pull them out in a blind taste test.

Our voice is part of our brand. Our voice should carry over all avenues of platform from tweets, to articles, to books, to Facebook posts. Your voice has to be genuine and you for that reason. Otherwise you run into consistency issues. And if you aren’t consistent it can make it difficult for your audience to trust your brand.

3. Consistency

If Coke started selling picnic tables the customer would probably go “wha?” When building a brand we need to hone in on one area and be consistent. Find your niche and hone it. For example, my It’s All Kid’s Play work is on it’s own website with it’s own URL, own logo, own look, own blog, own Twitter account, and own Facebook page. Why? Because if I suddenly started talking about “free play” and it’s values as well as activities to do with your children on this blog it would not go with the brand I am building here. This brand is about improving our fiction writing with the aim of publication. (But I now realize… my blog tagline does not reflect that.)

4. Credibility and Trust

Someone who is upfront, honest, and transparent builds trust. If your reader feels as though you are hiding something and not being authentic and putting it all out there, how will they trust you and your brand?

By being consistent and sharing what we know helps build credibility and trust. By the way, giving some (not all) tips and knowledge away for free is a great way to build trust because your consumer/customer gets to see what you are about, try what you are ‘selling,’ and see that it works. People like helpful people and remember them. And more often than not, they come back to that person when they need to buy. They also tend to recommend that person to others in need. These people are called brand ambassadors (pure gold!) and lend credibility and trust to you and your brand. (Because who are you going to believe when it comes to a product? The salesperson with an obvious vested interest or your buddy down the street?)

5. Marketing

Marketing can cover everything from paid advertisements to things like tweeting and even blogging. Don’t underestimate the power of these avenues in building (and destroying) your brand. Wherever you can, hone your brand and try not to dilute it. Create a niche and bring in your audience. They are yours.

Putting your brand out there can lend it a larger-than-life feel and can be involved or simple. Either way, a good rule of thumb should be that your marketing matches your brand and your brand’s voice.

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Once you have your brand, protect it. It takes way more work to create a brand than to destroy it. Train yourself to think of your brand first before you tweet or post. (And if you aren’t sure what your brand is at the moment, that’s okay! Sometimes it takes awhile to hone down to the nitty gritty.)

One last note: Editors and agents Google writers to see what they are doing online. And when they do, they like to see a brand that is professional, up-to-date, and in line with what the writer is trying to sell.

So how about you? What is your niche? What is your brand?

You’ve Got to be a Hungry Writer to be Successful

So you want to be a writer. A successful writer. But you aren’t sure how to get there. I mean, what qualities do you need? You already have a great story, but that publishing contract and tons of sales hasn’t magically appeared as of yet.

Let me tell you a story.

My one-year-old is curious. Persistent. Knows how to get what he wants. He’s not easily distracted from any task at hand, nor his ultimate goal. (Believe me, I’ve tried to distract him.)

But he’s quite often successful. And not because he wears me down–I have a feeling that giving in now would result in me admitting myself to a psychiatric ward during the teen years.

So why is he successful?

Persistence. But also because of his creativity. He changes his approach when he meets with ‘failure.’ He’s hungry to reach his goal and nothing will stand in his way. He keeps his eye on the ball (or banana or book or…).

For example, I frequently put things out of my son’s reach. For example, I will put a library book along the back cushions of the couch where he can’t reach it while he’s cruising along the couch. However, we have cats and one of them is an old lady who frequently has troubles retracting her claws. To preserve our couch from frequent thread pulls and holes, about 99.9% of the time it is covered in a blanket. Therefore, when I put things on the couch that I don’t want damaged by my little guy, I tuck it at the back of the couch, which, is covered by a blanket.

He’s experimented with stretching, whining, and walking around the couch to get to things that are at the back of the couch. Never once losing his hunger to reach his goal. Naturally, he has met with success. He has discovered that if he pulls on the blanket, he can pull the ‘forbidden’ item within his reach. Score! He uses this tactic everywhere he can including getting a soother out of his crib if it is resting on a blanket or sheet. It doesn’t work everywhere, but he’s learning and adapting his approach to meet different situations.

So if you aren’t reaching your goals to become a better writer, increase your sales, get more followers, get an agent, get a contract, reach the next level, or what-have-you, ask yourself: Are you hungry? Are you hungry enough to do what it takes to reach your goals? Are you willing to work every angle? Are you willing to try something creative to get what you want? And most of all, do you have the persistence to keep trying?

Well, are you? I’m hungry for a platform and a book contract for It’s All Kid’s Play and I’m trying different angles to get what I need. What are you hungry for?

Can I Still Query My Self-Published Book?

I’m hearing this question a lot these days. (AKA: How to go from self-publishing to traditional publishing with the same book.) Writers, eager to bypass the waiting game that is traditional publishing are posting their work on sites like Smashwords and Amazon. Some writers have had amazing success with this by 1) having a fantastic story, 2) having had that story well-edited repeatedly, 3) getting a fantastic, professional looking cover, and 4) by marketing their book well. And in a lot of cases, 5) by having a second stellar book to help boost the sales of book one.

This post may be perceived as a bit of a downer for some, so before I get into it, I want to say that I think self-publishing your story in ebook form can be a great opportunity for many writers. That is, if you are the right kind of writer in that you don’t mind putting a lot of hard work into your story and its success. In other words, you can be an artist and a business person. I know a couple of writers who have found their niche doing this and have done quite well. It is possible! It’s exciting, and it’s a whole new frontier looking for homesteaders.

With that said, I think many writers are rushing to put their work for sale on online sites before it is ready with the hopes that their book will quickly make it ‘big’ with very little effort, thus catching the eye of the traditional publishers (or the girl next door), or simply making some cash at this writing gig.

Does it Count as Published?

The issue, from where I stand, is that many writers put their books up on sites like Smashwords with minor success (for whatever reason) and grow disillusioned when nothing happens. This is when they decide that maybe traditional publishing isn’t so bad after all. They pull out their query letter thinking, “It hasn’t been up that long and I’ve only sold a few copies, surely that won’t count as self-published/published.”

It does.

It does.

It does.

And in some ways it ‘goes on your record’ if you ever bring this book up again. It has been published. It has been out in the public domain. Some of its rights have been used.

Ready to Give it Your All?

So, only self-publish if you are really willing to give it your all. Otherwise you are wasting your time, a little of your reputation (if it sells poorly, isn’t well-edited, and generally doesn’t strike a cord with readers you may end up needing a pen name for future books), and your ability to successfully query this story again.

Successfully Querying?

But wait. I really can’t successfully query it again? Won’t agents and editors be impressed that I sold a copy a day for a month without even trying? Won’t that show there is a real market for my book?

Um… Sorry. But not really, no.

Here’s a little perspective. Some literary agencies are getting 5-10 queries a DAY from people who have self-published and are now trying to get that book seen in the traditional publishing world. Very, very, very few books from the self-publishing world make it into the traditional publishing world. We’re talking less than 1%. And those that do, on average, sell over 10,000 copies in a YEAR.* (If you are curious, that is 27.3 copies a day.) That’s what “good sales” means in this case. (And by sales–this means people paid for that copy, it wasn’t given away.)

Rights and Contracts

Let’s take a little visit to Awesome Book Land where your self-published book (and yes, selling on Smashwords or Amazon in ebook form is still considered self-publishing) has got some amazing sales figures and fabulous reviews, and you think, you know what, let’s try swinging at the trad pub world. I’m rocking this!

One issue. The traditional publishing contract. Most traditional publishers want books that have not been published already. Why? (We will ignore the conundrum that your fantastic sales may have caused the potential publisher to worry that you have already sold to most of your book’s market.) Basically, when you self-publish–even if you retain your rights–you have used some of your publishing rights.

Big deal? Yes and no.

There are a ton of different rights out there when it comes to publishing. The problem is, traditional publishers are often in need of a large pile of those rights in order to swing a profit… which means they aren’t exactly overjoyed when some of them have already been used. It’s a big tricky, complicated pile that I won’t get into, but it is something worth snooping into if you feel that you might want to go both self and traditional with your story.

So, long story short. Yes, sure, you can query your self-published book. The problem is that 999 times out of 1000 it is going to be more difficult than querying a story that you haven’t self-published. (And querying is difficult enough.)

My Two Cents

My advice? If you are going to self-publish, be darn sure you aren’t going to have second thoughts when it comes to going the traditional route with that story, because once you’ve put that story up somewhere the odds are going to be against you when it comes to publishing it traditionally. And if you decide to self-publish, invest in yourself and put out the very best product you possibly can.

And… go!

How about you? Do you have any self-publishing advice or stories to share?

* There are exceptions to this–I’m generalizing so this post doesn’t end up being a nice little ebook in itself. And I got this number from Sara Megibow of the Nelson Literary Agency.