Transitional Writing

In fiction writing, writers create the plot, develop the characters, design the storyline, and construct each scene. Writers have stories they want to share, but at least in the first few drafts, the writers are writing for themselves.

As several of our experts have shared in their webinars, the transition comes when the draft is no longer written for the writer, but is being revised for the reader.

And this is where the editor comes in and begins working with the writer. Perhaps the editor comes on the scene before the writer has made the transition of writing for self to writing for the reader, but whether the editor comes on the scene before or after this transfer has taken place, this shift should occur for the manuscript to become a successful book.

In addition to the editor helping the book (and the author) in this transition, the editor corrects logic and grammar in the manuscript. And then finally, the editor is wrapping up the drafting process, finalizing the manuscript for its entrance into the world.

—April Michelle Davis

May Webinar: Give Your Writing Business a Strong Start

We wanted to get to know Ruth Thaler-Carter (NAIWE's Networking Expert) better, so last month we sat down with her. Here are some thoughts she shared with us.

What do new and existing writing businesses have in common?

New and existing writing businesses probably share a common goal: for the owner’s words, thoughts, and perspectives to find an audience and outlet. Their owners might be at different stages of creativity, visibility, or success, but every writer wants—even needs—to be seen and heard.

Starting a writing business is exciting and challenging. Writing is a creative act. Having a writing business is a practical process. Get some practical, effective tips from a long-time, award-winning freelance writer/editor in this session. Learn about types of writing that can be the basis of a business; getting experience; finding outlets, audiences, readers and clients; avoiding scams; and more. Whether you want to write and publish books or articles, fiction or nonfiction, this session will get your writing business off to a strong start (and enhance an existing one).

You can join in this conversation on May 20 at 7 pm eastern, when NAIWE will host a webinar on building a strong writing business and more! The cost for NAIWE members is $10 and $30 for non-members.

To register for this webinar, please visit the NAIWE website.

On-Demand Training: How to Use Twitter Effectively Without It Killing Your Whole Day

Guest: NAIWE’s Green and Ethical Marketing Expert Shel Horowitz

Here’s what you can expect to learn in this class:

• Twitter 101
• The benefits of using a social media dashboard, such as TweetDeck or Hootsuite
• How to market on Twitter in 15 minutes or less
• How to build your Twitter following

Duration: 1 hour, 23 minutes

Shel Horowitz is an award-winning author, international speaker, consultant, and ethical marketing expert. Shel is the author of 10 books, including Guerrilla Marketing Goes Green and Guerrilla Marketing to Heal the World. Shel helps green and socially conscious businesses profit by going greener and by addressing hunger, poverty, war, and catastrophic climate changes.

Preserving One's Sanity

Let’s face it—in order to keep working well as writers and editors, we all need to preserve our sanity. This is especially true in these horrific times* in which we find ourselves in 2020.

To keep from going crazy, one thing I do is take walks in my neighborhood. I live in a suburban community which happens to also be close to cow pastures and farms, and I like to walk and enjoy the sights, especially the flowering trees in the spring and the colorful leaves in the fall. Seeing the Holstein cows in their fields is also really neat, since the sight of farm animals is not something with which I grew up.

I also exercise. It’s weird because I always seem to put off working out, yet while I am doing it and right afterwards, I feel fantastic. Music (particularly 1990s Eurodance) is essential to my workouts, and YouTube contains a plethora of such music mixes, which have been uploaded by DJs from around the world.

To read the rest of this article, please visit NAIWE member Suzelle Fiedler's blog.

May Bonus Webinar: Developing Author Videos and Supportive Marketing Actions

In May, we will be chatting with JRG, a NAIWE Benefit Partner, on the very important topic of book marketing.

You have written an amazing book and it has been published…now what? For your book to achieve significant sales and success it’s essential you have a strong and comprehensive marketing program in place. This is where we come in.

Topics Covered

• Videos to promote title and author
• Pitch decks/videos for potential television and film sales
• Marketing on Amazon and other websites
• Setting up on YouTube
• Providing links for your website and other social media actions
• Social media management and implementation
• Email list acquisition and management
• Contests and giveaways

Many publishers will do some of the book marketing, but to truly succeed today authors must take the marketing into their own hands. Using video marketing allows authors to reach a larger audience and brings the book to life. It can show the plot, what the characters look like, the locations, and so much more. NAIWE members receive 20% off digital marketing services.

To register for this webinar, which will be held on May 11 at 7 pm eastern, please visit the NAIWE website. The cost for NAIWE members is FREE and $20 for non-members.

April's New & Renewing NAIWE Members

Lee Elliott (Hillsborough, NC); Ray Glier (Decatur, GA); Jon Hartmann (Dallas, TX); Barbara Hyde (University Park, FL); Deborah Kevin (Columbia, MD); Beth Keyohara (Rio Rancho, NM); Edward Levy (Morristown, NJ); David Rose (Richmond, TX); GiGi Rose (Nashville, TN); Michael Thomas (Sault Ste. Marie, MI); Julie Von Bergen (Chicago, IL).

June Webinar: The Secrets of Good Design

In June, we will be chatting with Tamian Wood, NAIWE's Book Cover Expert, on the very important topic of color and typography.

Have you ever wondered what makes a person pick one product over another? Many times, it’s the result of good design. In this webinar you’ll learn a bit about the basics of color psychology, including cultural responses and the language of color.

We’ll also explore the transformative magic of typography and how you can use it, in varying ways, to change the message of your words. I’m not talking about reading the words themselves, but rather reading the mood of your font choice. And last, we’ll take a dive into tracking, kerning, and leading. OH MY!

Tamian Wood winner of numerous print and cover design awards, uses art, photography, typography, and digital collage techniques to create book covers that sell. She works with several publishers and a growing number of indie authors. Tamian’s most famous client to date is Pope Francis, whose Encyclical Letter won first place for cover design. With over 25 years in the design trenches, she is also a partner member in good standing with the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi) and a co-judge for a monthly cover design contest at Discovering Diamonds Historical Fiction Review site. Tamian has a weekly featured post (Critique Corner) at the Writers of Non-Fiction Facebook group. And she is the director of the LinkedIn group, Authors’ Resource. Tamian holds degrees in computer science and graphic design technology and is a proud member of Phi Theta Kappa National Honour Society.

The cost for NAIWE members is $10 and $30 for non-members. To register for this webinar, which will be held on June 21 at 2 pm eastern, please visit the NAIWE website.