hemingwaywantabes

Beware of Scams and More Scams

Mark Shaw — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 15:58:09 +0000

Hemingwaywantabes, hello and good day. Hope your writing adventures are going well. Keep the faith, one day you will be published!!!

Meanwhile, another warning about the scams out there. Beware of subsidy publishers, literary agents who want to charge you a fee, and most important, all of these people who call themselves, “writing coaches.” Certainly many are legitimate, but check carefully their credentials to see what they have published, and who has been published using their guidance. Regarding their having been published, by this I mean “books,” and books published by reputable publishers, no subsidy publishers, no wacky self-publishing, but real publishing. Check to see sales figures, etc., and check references wherever possible.

Also, most critical, ask for a list of clients who have been published, and who by. Any legitimate “writing coach” will provide this information. If they won’t, run the other way!!!

Blessings and good wishes,

Mark Shaw – www.markshawbooks.net.

Ten “Do’s and Don’t's” To Guide Your Publishing Dreams

Mark Shaw — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 22:10:02 +0000

Hello Hemingwaywantabes. Hope all is well and that you are writing away toward your publishing dreams. Recently, I spoke to the Boulder, Colorado Writers Group and provided Ten “Do’s and Don’t's” To Guide Publishing Dreams. This strategy has worked for me and for many of my clients who have been published. More at www.markshawbooks.net. Here goes:

Ten “Do’s” and “Don’t’s” Guaranteed to Work In Today’s Marketplace

Do Know Who The “Players” are in Today’s Traditional Publishing World – Literary Agents and Publishers Alike

Do Use Publisher’s Lunch as your bible to Understanding the Publishing World

Do Use Publisher’s Lunch, AARonline.com, and querytracker.net to locate potential Literary Agents.

Do Use Publisher’s Lunch to Locate PublishersDon’t Send the Query Letter and Book Proposal to Agents/Publishers Without Adequate Research

Don’t Simply Send a Query Letter and Synopsis to Potential Literary Agents and Publishers

Above all, Do Emphasize Your Expertise to Write the Book (Platform) and Promotion and Marketing Alternatives Including New Media

Do Follow the Proper Form For Query Letters (one page) and Book Proposals Including Correct Use of Buzz Words

Do Send Five to Six Query Letters and Book Proposals at a Time – Use Snail Mail if Possible

Do Follow Up After Two Weeks to Check Status of Submissions

Do Not Be Discourage By Rejection – This Word is Not a Part of the Aspiring Author’s Vocabulary

Bottom Line: To Optimize Traditional Publishing Potential, Remember:“Unique Book Idea + Great Writing + Savvy Publishing Strategy

And remember – It only takes one literary agent and/or one publisher to say “Yes.”

Grammar Guidelines from Kristina

Mark Shaw — Mon, 31 May 2010 15:48:59 +0000

Hey, Hemingwaywantabes, I have discovered some great grammar guidelines provided by a terrific proofreader/editor named Kristina (www.ParagonProofreading.com). Here is the link. Take a look and learn since without proper grammar, your writings will fall on deaf ears when they are submitted to literary agents and publishers. That’s no good especially when you have a terrific story to tell. So heed Kristina’s advice. It will be well worth it.

Here’s the link: http://www.grammarguidelines.blogspot.com/

Query Letter Tracking System

Mark Shaw — Mon, 24 May 2010 14:55:22 +0000

Hello Hemingwaywantabes. Hope your writing is fruitful and that you are edging toward publication potential in the near future. Never give up – remember, it only takes one literary agent to say “yes,” and one publisher to say “yes.” Keep the faith, your day is coming.

Besides PublishersLunch.com, which I have suggested before as an important tool to help you with your publishing strategy, another side, http://querytracker.net/index.php may also be helpful. Take a look at what the site offers free of charge, a way to track submitted query letters. Scads of literary agents are also listed as well as some publishers and I like the site’s warning, “Never give money to a literary agent.”

Hope this information is helpful. Now go write “one true sentence” as Mr. Hemingway used to say.

Mark’s Free Book on Publishing Process

Mark Shaw — Wed, 19 May 2010 15:04:32 +0000

Hello Hemingwaywantabes. Hope your writing journey is going well.

Many who visit this blog site are most kind with their comments but somehow do not realize that it is possible to download my book, How To Become a Published Author: Idea to Publication, free of charge. Free! Yes, free, that magic word we all love.

To do so, simply download the various chapters posted above this posting. By doing so, you will learn practical information designed to guide your process toward becoming published. And also learn about the evils of subsidy publishing, a dragon is there ever was one.

More information is also available at my website, www.markshawbooks.net. Don’t hesitate let me help you. I love helping aspiring authors.

Self-Publishing – The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

Mark Shaw — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 00:04:58 +0000

Interested in knowing all sides of the equation regarding the risky business of self-publishing? Then I suggest you take a gander at the following article:

reviews.cnet.com /self publishing

Good information all around, especially regarding all of the scams there are that trap unsuspecting writers into believing a subsidy publisher is their best friend. This is simply not true, as this article points out.

Query Letter Musts

Mark Shaw — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 18:11:20 +0000

Okay, Hemingwaywantabes, here’s some good tips for you regarding the query letter. I know there are a thousand and one ideas out there but please consider mine as they have worked now for nearly twenty books and counting. And remember, literary agents and publishers expect the right form to come their way. Otherwise you are dead before you even get a shot, and nobody wants to be dead!

Most important – the QL may only be one page in length, no more. No more, I said.

Now, the first paragraph feature two lines or so with a snappy description of what the book is all about. Give it some zip to gain immediate attention. If you don’t, no one will bother reading on.

The second paragraph. Consider these buzz words, “This unusual (or unique) scenario sets the stage for ________ (name of your book), a (insert about three or four more lines describing your book in detail. For fiction, that means a “mini-synopsis,” for non-fiction, a “mini-overview.” Most times this description will be lifted from your book proposal draft, one reason I suggest creating a book proposal first.

The third paragraph. Consider these buzz words: “(name of your book) is written in the spirit of such bestselling books as _____, _____, and _____, but it is unique because ____________. The target audience is anyone who enjoys (provide sense of who the audience is for your book.)”

The fourth paragraph. Consider these buzz words: “The author’s expertise to write this book stems from (provide your credential – why you are the one person in the world to write this book). It will be promoted (give some ideas you may have for good promotion – rely heavily on new media promotion – internet, etc.)

The fifth paragraph. Consider these buzz words: “Based on the genre of books mentioned on your website, I believe (name of your book) will interest you. If so, a manuscript is available for consideration.” (Or, a book proposal if you decide to got this route.

Thank you so much,

Z. Hemingway, Jr.

That’s it. Zing, zing, zing. Certainly, variations may occur, but if you stick with this form, you can’t go wrong.

Now get busy and create your query letter. And keep saying to yourself, “I will be published.”

If you have questions, send me a comment. Or email me at mshawin@yahoo.com

Discovering Literary Agents

Mark Shaw — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 17:05:31 +0000

Every aspiring author should strongly consider securing a competent literary agent to assist he or she’s efforts to locate a good publisher for their book. Good sources of information include www.publisherslunch.com, the AAR website, and a free media newsletter called mediabistro.com. Here’s one posting from the latter of interest:

Pitching An Agent: The Irene Goodman Literary Agency

Score representation at this shop with a marketable narrative for fiction or non

By M. David Hornbuckle – February 22, 2010

Number of agents: Four. They also have a very active and successful foreign rights agent and a movie agent in L.A.
Number of clients: More than 100.
Notable clients: Linda Lael Miller, Boyd Morrison, Keri Arthur, Karen Chance, Larissa Ione, Susan Donovan, Celeste Bradley, Lilith Saintcrow, Lauren Destefano. Amount of unsolicited material selected: About 5 percent a year
Fiction vs. nonfiction: Approximately 60 percent fiction, 40 percent nonfiction

Background: Irene Goodman got the agent bug more than 25 years ago after first breaking through as an editorial assistant at a publishing house. It was while later working at a small, but powerful agency (they represented Stephen King at the time) that she began taking on some of the clients the primary agent didn’t have time for. Within a year, the former medieval studies major was in business for herself . . .

Researching agents is a necessary evil toward realizing publishing dreams. So get busy hemingwaywantabes. A good agent is right around the corner.

Keep the Faith, Hemingwaywantabes

Mark Shaw — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 23:36:03 +0000

Am reading the revised edition of Moveable Feast released late last year that includes much of text cut from the book published after Hemingway’s death. Once again, I am amazed at the writing skill of the master. One great quote of his applies to every writer who has trouble continuing the writer process. It is:

“Do not worry. You have always written before and you will write now. All you have to do is to write one true sentence, and then go on from there.”

Okay, then, when you hit a wall, think of “one true sentence,” one great thought, and continue on. Most of all, never give up. The writing process is a lengthy one, filled with hills and valleys, but determination will pull you through.

New Website For Journal Writers

Mark Shaw — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 21:56:43 +0000

Hooray – take a look hemingwaywantabes – a new website specifically for journal writers. Check it out: www.IAJW.org. Sounds great and journal writing is a great training ground for aspiring authors and poets.