I think I've been accepted as the new Community Manager for the Writing Centre at Suite101. I'm excited and just a bit intimidated. Who do I think I am? Then I think, that's silly. Either way I think it's an achievement and I will let myself be proud. If I get it. I will know for 100% sure when the results are posted in about 2 weeks.
This will be a short newsletter. I just have too much going on, well not even that anymore. I'm just too unsettled. No longer upset, just not settled in my mind.
Anyway, for you today I have something I read from a Harlequin Flipside romance writer. At the time I read it I scoffed and thought "how lame"! Now, I've had time to re-think while the idea has simmered on the back burner of my brain. Here it is...
I used to give advice to my university students - all aspiring writers. On the first day of class I would tell them to give me a good Elvis snarl, growl, then say "I can do that!" Surprisingly, I got a lot of resistance, but after a couple of minutes of good, solid growling I explained how that pit bull attitude is the start of achieving anything they want. It's all about the attitude.
My friend Toni had that "can do" attitude. An immigrant from Italy, she went after what she wanted. Her dream was to be an attorney and later, a criminal court judge. She snarled, growled and she did it! And you can do that too! So let me hear that snarl, hear that growl and say "I can do that!"
Dianne Drake
Go get your pit bull and tackle something that's been intimidating you! You go Grrrl!
(You too boys).
Found on an abandoned blog: When tempted to gossip, breathe through your nose. I thought it was cute.
Here is an idea for the next time you are stuck with an idea and can't fight your way out of a wet paper bag with it. Try the reframing matrix plan.
The Reframing Matrix is a formal technique used to look at problems from different perspectives. It helps to expand the number of options open to you for solving a problem.
You draw up a reframing matrix by posing a question in a box in the middle of a piece of paper. You then draw a grid around it. Each cell will contain approaches to the problem, seen from one perspective.
One way of using the technique is the '4 Ps' approach. This looks at the problem from the following viewpoints: Product, Planning, Potential and People. Another set of perspectives is to ask your self how different professionals would approach the problem. Useful professions to consider would be medical doctors, engineers, systems analysts, sales managers, etc.
I found this on a site called Mind Tools. http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCT_05.htm
Consider applying the reframing matrix to your writing blocks or hold ups. What would your four perspectives or viewpoints be? Overall you could say: Story, Publisher, Reader, Characters. But it could be applied to sections of your fiction too. Look at the situation from the viewpoint of four different characters. If you are working on a non-fiction article look at it from the viewpoint of four possible readers- other writers, professionals, your siblings, a checkout cashier, etc.
It does help to give you fresh ideas and slants/ angles on the ideas you already have.
Here's a writing exercise for you:
Write a short description of a scene or action with one character in the scene. Don't describe the character, or avoid as much description of the person as you can.
Now give someone else the scene to read. What do they think the character looks like, sounds like, etc? Is it anything the same as you pictured the character as you wrote the scene? Give the scene to other people to read, get a few opinions about what the character looks like.
It's interesting how people can read the same thing and see it in different ways.
When you write fiction, especially romance, mysteries or some other genre where people tend to identify themselves with the heroine/ hero of the story it's a good idea to avoid a lot of description of that person. Think of how jarring it is to be reading a book and remember the heroine is a redhead after all, not a brunette like yourself. People do put themselves in the story, usually as the star. Let them get into your story. As a writer we bring them new adventures they might never do themselves.
Here are my ideas about making a writer's site an asset to you and a resource for others to come to. It's a bit scattered as I am leaving for Ottawa tomorrow and have some family stuff ongoing. But, I wanted to share the ideas while they were brewing around in my brain.
I think blogs are a great way to go. They take over a lot of the grunt work and are still fresh and creative. Avoid going the LiveJournal route though. Your blog should look like something you have done, not a clone from another site. Getting your own domain is a huge assest, if you can afford the cost. This will also give you an email address which does not include the words Yahoo, Hotmail or AOL.
The best thing about a blog on your website is keeping your site freshly updated and making it interactive without too much fuss on your part. You can update daily, or a few times a week. Just add an inspirational quote, a writing tip you've found that works, jot down a new publisher/ market you've found, scan a sketch or photograph you've come across and add it to your blog.
However, a blog doesn't have to be the focus of your site. Make it a sidebar on your main site, a secondary page or a secondary site. It really does help to keep traffic to your site if they can expect to have something to read when they get there. Avoid link rot, stagnating pages and a bland site in general by adding a blog. Be creative, that's what we do!
Also, blogs run on text mainly. If you are not a great graphic artist a few simple text graphics are really all you need. Look for a font you like and make a banner to head your blog. Keep the colours simple and easy to read. Add some smaller text graphics as navigation links if you have more than one page. Include a text graphic with your email address. This will foil spam bots as well as they can't read graphics, only HTML.
Check out other writer's sites and see what they come up with. Avoid copying anything, instead make your own unique version of the idea. Turn it around to suit you and your own site.
Monitor your traffic cause it does give you a nice ego boost to see people actually coming to your site. Keep a guest book or some form of message boards available. People are more likely to leave a quickie note than send an email. Especially if they can leave a link to their own site behind, self promotion. When you get feedback, answer it as soon as possible.
You can boost your ratings/ rankings with Google by getting your site linked to on bigger sites. So email the webmasters and ask for a linkback. Explain who you are, what your site offers and always offer to link to them too.
If you go with the blog plan and turn your site into a resource of some kind (for writers, for hobbyists, or for the topic you write about) you will find it easier to get linkbacks as you are offering original content. Webmasters and directory editors want original content with simple navigation. If you create it, they will come.
Consider ways of going out to your readers, catching them at home. Send out an email to subscribers each time you update your site. Give a preview of what you ar updating with. Start a newsletter with your best content of the month/ week, depending on how much work you can put into it.
Work on the webring idea. Make yourself part of a chain of sites. When you submit your site to web directories suck as Dmoz send the listed editor an email. Be polite and courteous. Add your URL to your email signature and make a point of joining relevant email lists, forums and newsgroups. Post when you have something to add to the chat, not just to self promote. If you seem interesting people will click on your signature links. Leave comments in guestbooks too. Even if only the site owner sees your link he/ she could be a contact to cultivate. After all, you came to visit them.
Offer free content to ezines relevant to your genre. Set yourself up as an expert on your topic/ genre. Always include your byline with linkage (also known as a resource box) at the end of each article. Stage chats on your site and make sure you are there on time for however long you set the chat. Or moderate your message boards, don't leave questions unanswered. Set up surveys, quizzes and personality test type things. People seem to be addicted to clicking those. It doesn't have to be rocket science.
Give freebies of some sort. If you are graphically inclined offer desktop wallpaper. If you write books offer desktop wallpaper of the cover art from your latest book. Link to sites you have found useful. Either handy web gadgets for writers or something useful for people interested in your topic/ genre. Keep these links checked and eliminate/ fix link rot right away.
If you can, offer a coupon or discount on the purchase of your book. Better still, give them out to those who come to your webcasts (web chats) or subscribers of your newsletter.
If you make appearances or attend events keep a schedule available on your site too. Of course, keep it updated. You can also keep readers up to date with what you are working on. Let them know you are writing a fresh chapter, proofreading copy, mailing out an article, hearing back from that promising editor, etc. Also, write about professional organizations you are a part of, as they relate to your work. Let your site become a news portal for them. This is especially nice for hobbyists, crafty types and such. You can become their guide to what's going on. Not so tough for you since you will already be keeping track for your writing.
Make sure you also include all your essentials for self promotion. Contact information, clips, the services you offer, and so on.
Writing is a business, not just an art. Happy webbing.
"Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does." William James.