Letters To The Editor For December 16th
Letters will return next week.
Promoting Your Book with Twitter By Steff Green
Twitters, Tweeters, Twits and Twitterers – whatever you choose to call them, the internet is abuzz with people using Twitter – the latest in social networking tools. Twitter functions like a micro-blog. You have 140 characters to write a post, or “tweet” and publish it on your twitter feed. You can follow other tweeter’s feeds, and they can follow you.
Why Isn’t My Book Selling?
I just googled my book. There are 16 websites selling my my book. I cannot understand why it’s not selling. Can you help?
Moonlighting for Extra Cash By Diane Stark
I’m usually a stay-at-home mom and freelance writer, but since this school year has started and the flu has been so widespread, I’ve been asked to substitute teach at my children’s school a lot more often. While it has really cut into my writing time, my husband and I were pleased to have the extra income. That is, until we realized that I was actually earning more money when I stayed at home and wrote during my free moments throughout the day. This was quite a surprise, realizing that writing was paying me more than a “real job.”
A “Traditional Publisher” Says I Must Purchase 3,000 Copies Of My Book!
My friend, who is a writer, suggested I contact you about a contract I was offered. I am a first-time author and a bit green when it comes to the business. Within the contact it is required that I purchase 3,000 books when it is printed. I have to buy them at 65% off the retail price. My friend said she has never had to do this before. Is this something new that publishers are doing to make up for the recession? Any advice would be appreciated.
SNOW?? STORM!!! WHOO-WHEE!!!
I was starting to get pretty nervous about the annual Christmas card picture. While we had three short spurts of snow during the fall, things weren’t looking too good for the arrival of a real storm in time to take pictures to go with the family holiday newsletter. Each year, during the first snowstorm, the children are all ordered to get to the house (most of them drive now) as soon as possible, and to trudge outside for a snowstorm Christmas card photo. It’s a Hoy family tradition! They smile through chattering teeth, and try to keep their eyes open for the dozen or so shots I take…while snowflakes are landing on their lashes. Heh… It’s great fun for me and the kids always pretend it’s a pain-in-the-butt for them. In reality, they get as pumped about the first snowstorm as I do!
On Friday, we heard there might be a bit of snow on Sunday so I texted all the kids…
READERS RESPOND – Are Content Mills Lowering the Quality of “News” on the Internet?
I’m sharing readers’ comments that arrived after the article was published. Don’t miss the last one!
“My Editor Screwed Up My Book!”
As a book editor I deplore the bad workmanship of some of my colleagues. Editing a book takes time and care and the last step, for me, is running spellcheck to pick up any typos I might have missed. Quite often I have to refer a ‘correction’ back to the author to make sure I have understood the intended meaning. In some manuscripts I have to rewrite a sentence or paragraph that appears clumsy or obscure, and that may need discussion as well. An editor should always improve the material she’s working on and should have the professional integrity to turn down something that is really badly written. I agree that (your reader) should not pay the second installment, but tell the editor exactly why and cite examples.
Another thing, ask the editor you intend to use what she has worked on recently and who for. A good editor will be praised by her clients, something you often see in acknowledgements in a published book. And that may be the place to find an editor. If you aren’t writing fiction, look in books on similar subjects. Many editors who work for publishers do freelance work as well.
Anne
I Was Sucked Into Content Mill Writing By Anonymous
I was sucked into content mill writing early on in the game. As a fairly new writer, I was eager to get my feet wet and several content mills were willing to let me take a dip in their pool. Being offered compensation for my work made me feel beyond elated, regardless of how little the compensation may have been.
A “Traditional Publisher” Says I Must Purchase 3,000 Copies Of My Book!
My friend, who is a writer, suggested I contact you about a contract I was offered. I am a first-time author and a bit green when it comes to the business. Within the contact it is required that I purchase 3,000 books when it is printed. I have to buy them at 65% off the retail price. My friend said she has never had to do this before. Is this something new that publishers are doing to make up for the recession? Any advice would be appreciated.