Getting it Right: The-Not-Always-So-Glamorous World of Advertising

Okay, I’ll admit it: I’m not perfect. I made a horticultural error in my first novel, which a reviewer and gardening enthusiast was kind enough to point out to me privately. Now I’m extra-careful about getting it right. And we want to help you get it right.

So let’s talk about the wonderful world of ad agencies.

I was seduced into the advertising business by certain popular entertainment that shall remain nameless. It sounded like the career would be creative, fun, glamorous, and judging by the lifestyles of those in that popular entertainment, extremely lucrative.

As Humphrey Bogart says in Casablanca, I was misinformed. Continue reading “Getting it Right: The-Not-Always-So-Glamorous World of Advertising”

L. Leander Announces New Non-Fiction Title

Author L. Leander is pleased to announce the release of her new non-fiction reference book, 13 Extreme Tips to Self Publishing.

13 Extreme Tips to Self Publishing by L. Leander is the go-to book for those who are new to the world of writing and publishing a book. It’s a short, concise guide of tips to guide the writer through the maze of questions that crop up when navigating the road to finish and make a book available to the public. The author has included things “I wish I’d known” as she makes suggestions to ease the stress of self-publishing. Links to helpful sites are included. Are you thinking about taking the self-publishing route? Confused about where to start? Then this book is for you!

13 Extreme Tips to Self Publishing was released on December 25, 2012 and is currently available from Amazon.com and Amazon UK.

What Can Theatre Do For You?

A Guest Post
by Benjamin Steele

Some time ago I was approached by my mum, Carolyn Steele, who wanted my opinion for a blog post. She said it was about characters, what makes them flat or page-leapy, and how we feel about our creations. She had to stop me when I started to ramble about Stanislavski, and we decided there might be a post in how an actor’s method could benefit the fiction writer. I would like to share with you how my experience as an actor and playwright helps my development of prose characters.

So you’ve got a character that comes off a little flat, a little boring—he’s just zis guy you know? I’ve heard all sorts of tips for giving characters a little more life: the most common being physical or personality quirks, and rich backgrounds that shape their development. While these are undoubtedly useful tools for both the writer and the actor, I consider them to be traps. These should be supplementary tools, second to the arguably most important influence on a character’s action: Dreams of the future. Continue reading “What Can Theatre Do For You?”

Anthologies (Part 2)

Last month I posted on the use of anthologies–book length collections of writing by several writers–as an optimal way for writers to break in, build “platform”, and promote their work and brand. This week I’ll examine it from the other side: the publishers, editors, curators, or whatever you want to call people who conceive, collect, and produce anthologies.

There are advantages to the “supply side” of this literary format, as well as the submission end. Hey, it’s a publication credit where somebody else provides all the content. It can help establish you as an editor and publisher in a pretty graphic way. There are few better ways to establish contacts with writers in a given field: not only by posting general calls for submission, but also as a “license” to contact writers of more prestige and request the honor. It’s an excellent promotional vehicle: just as you provide a boost to the various writers by the work of creating the book, you–and your line or imprint–benefit from their combined promotional efforts…and you can advertise your other works in the back pages. It’s a powerful tool for charities, causes, or communities: a large percentage of multi-author collections come out under some collective aegis such as a church, writer website, academic department, or cause like AIDS awareness or Breast Cancer prevention or Humane Society outreach. Continue reading “Anthologies (Part 2)”