Posts filed under 'Reading & Writing'
Hook, Line and Sinker: Publishing with a Sub-Title Makes All the Difference
Book titles have captured the imagination with word play and symbolism for centuries, and promise to continue doing so for centuries to come. But as the Internet becomes the new publishing marketplace and bookstores pack their shelves with hundreds of new publications each month, the sub-title has become an increasingly important feature for many books today.
Consider The New York Time’s Best Seller The Story of Edgar Sawtelle (by David Wroblewski). One of the first things most readers want to know is whether this book is fiction or non-fiction. It’s a fair enough question. Some prefer novels, while others prefer memoirs and biographies. But you can hardly tell what genre Wroblewski’s book is from the title alone.
Luckily, Wroblewski is smart to this audience, and his cover includes the brief, but descriptive sub-title “A Novel.” Think about what these two simple words establish. Suddenly, readers know the genre; online retailers know under what category to list the new publication; bookstore managers know where to shelve the title; and Wroblewski’s publisher knows one more keyword to use in their book promotion campaigns.
Even with a small sub-title “A Novel” (as with The Story of Edgar Sawtelle) or say another like “A Collection of Pop Culture Essays” can make all the difference. Don’t waste your chance to associate more keywords with your book that are not only valuable to your online marketing, but just as important to communicating the heart of your book to your readership.
To avoid confusing your target audience and retailers who are prone to list your book under the wrong genre without complete information, an informative sub-title accompanying your book can ensure that potential readers find your title and buy a copy without hesitation.
The Point: While your title can be a catchy pun or symbolic reference, don’t pass up the opportunity to inform your audience and take advantage of some valuable keywords with a descriptive sub-title.
This is Justin, blogcasting from Wordclay, signing off.
Add comment August 12, 2008
The Wordclay Contest Winner’s Circle: Meet the Writers Who Wowed Our Judges
If you’re as curious as this blogger, then the announcement of the Single Short Story contest winners may have piqued your interest enough to visit Wordclay’s Contest Connection page and read excerpts from their stories.
But a simple read doesn’t always cut it – sometimes we want to know the writers behind the story. That said, I contacted them personally and asked for some background information to share with our readers.
So without further ado, meet Samantha Weiss (Grand Prize Winner) and Benjamin Solomon (Runner-up):
Samantha Weiss just graduated from MIT with a Bachelor’s degree in creative writing and chemical engineering. She completed Odyssey in the summer of 2007, one of the most highly respected workshops for writers of speculative fiction. She participates in Codex, a professional-level writers group, and is editing a book about professional athletes written by an author who coaches Olympic, all-pro NFL and NCAA athletes. This story, “Simulated in Black and White,” was part of the thesis work for her writing degree. At the moment, she is working as a chemical engineer in India.
What does Weiss have to say about Wordclay?
“I was introduced to Wordclay at a writers’ convention in New York, and was drawn to its reputation for being an unusually easy and affordable self-publishing option, and for having a capable and knowledgeable staff.”
Benjamin Solomon Lives in Atlanta, where he edits The Open Face Sandwich.
What does Solomon have to say about Wordclay?
“I have found Wordclay to be an excellent resource for DIY writers eager to take publication into their own hands.”
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Have a question for the winners about their writing process or inspiration? Submit your comment below, and I’m happy to forward your query onto them.
This is Justin, blogcasting from Wordclay, signing off.
Add comment July 15, 2008
Which is best? Reading the book, before the film, or after?
With the continuing trend of turning bestselling books (even not-so-bestselling) into movies, is it still better to read the book before seeing the film, or should you wait to read the book until after seeing Hollywood’s adaptation (great movie, by the way!)?
I’ve always been the traditionalist, refusing to see a movie till after I’ve read the book. For the most part, I think this has served me well. True, I do get disappointed a fair amount of the time when favorite bits from a novel aren’t included in the screen narrative, but I also get to enjoy having some amazing prose brought to life, visually.
I’m not just talking the characters, either. I’m talking the lyricism of an author’s particular style of writing being faithfully and beautifully adapted to the screen. The example that springs to mind most easily is Michael Ondaatje’s English Patient, lovingly put on celluloid by Anthony Minghella. There were lots of instances where the two narratives didn’t match up, but it was like I was watching the language of the book translated into light.
But then, you’ve got series of books—Harry Potter, for example—where you read the first four volumes, as soon as they come out, go and see the first film when it premieres (which was much too juvenile a reflection of the first book), and from then on out, you are forced to see these young actors as the characters in the books, when before it was left to your imagination. So, read all the books before seeing any of the films?
On the other hand, if I could have waited to read The Golden Compass until after I saw the movie, maybe I wouldn’t have been so heart-wrenchingly disappointed with the adaptation. Granted, waiting to read the book wouldn’t have made it a better film, but maybe I wouldn’t have felt so betrayed.
I haven’t read The Hobbit yet, so maybe I’ll wait to read it until after seeing Guillermo del Toro’s two-movie adaptation of the book (and whatever story is supposed to follow). I trust del Toro as a filmmaker and storyteller (how great was Pan’s Labyrinth?!), and imagine he’ll do his best to faithfully adapt the narrative and the “feel” of the book, especially with Peter Jackson producing. I guess it’s a good book/movie combination to experiment with because, honestly, I can’t think of any examples, off-hand, where I’ve seen the movie first and read the book later. Unless I didn’t know there was a book to begin with …
So, what y’all think? Which is better? Read the book first, or see the movie first?
-Jenn
Add comment May 29, 2008
Benefits of Book Reviews: Choosing Periodicals That Target Your Audience
Book Reviews could be one of the most useful promotion techniques an author has at their disposal. Not only might you achieve a good rating by insightful professionals, but if your review is posted within an online periodical, you also gain SEO keywords for your Internet searchable book as well as thousands of possible readers who trust the periodical that’s featuring your book review.
Only thing is book reviews can be scary and risky. What if you get a bad review? A few words said by one respected reviewer can definitely affect the tide of your book sales. The better the words about your book, the more likely your book will sell to the masses. But the deeper a reviewer’s words cut into your book’s reputation, the more likely your book sales will suffer as a result. What’s an author to do with their writing future hanging in the balance?
Consider the Alternative:
Don’t be shy! Without a book review, your book will require a different means of standing out among other titles, perhaps a marketing plan that features readings and book signings for which you might not have the time.
Don’t hide either! A book review, especially by reviewers for magazines and journals that interested readers frequent, either online or in print, can only help reader understand your work. People will talk about your book nonetheless, so it’s definitely better to have the comments out in the open, for all to see.
Accept criticism! Readers are intelligent people, too. If claims by a reviewer are unfair or unjustified, you’ll definitely see a response by readers. And if the criticism is founded on fact, you’ll have some good insight into your own writing, comments that you can use when drafting your next publication. And remember, even a bad review can help get the word out about you!
(Continue below to read about Word of Mouth Marketing…) (more…)
2 comments May 20, 2008
Where’s Your Best Reading Spot? Where’s Your Favorite Writing Retreat?
Are the places we enjoy reading also the places we enjoy writing? I have this idyllic image in my head, of a young woman in a long skirt, sitting beneath a green, leafy tree, legs pulled up beneath her, reading a book resting in her lap. There’s a hill of green rising up behind her, white clouds floating across a blue sky (in no particular hurry) and sheep grazing on the hill. Yep – I’ve read/seen too many Jane Austen stories.
But could you write in this idealized space? Probably. As long as the bugs didn’t annoy you too much, the sheep didn’t attempt to eat your paper, and the clouds didn’t turn angry. But who actually “writes” anymore, scribbling words across the page, the pen making that distinct scratching sound? That seems as much of an anachronism as the young lady in the long skirt. Would your laptop work in the green hills?
Where is the best place to read or write? A nice, comfy chair might be just the ticket for a couple of hours of reading, but the same chair, when attempting to write the next great American novel, can lead to extensive yawning and a quick nap to refresh one’s perspective.
I can’t read in moving vehicles, except planes, so I’m pretty sure I couldn’t write, either – I’ve never really tried, though. Writing on planes seems like it would be easy, but a car or bus? Yeah, I’m going to dismiss these locations out-of-hand – not appealing in any way.
Nostalgia of high school and college brings to mind the diners in which we’d set up shop for the night – books, and notebooks, and endless glasses of iced tea and, later, cups of coffee. Old, overstuffed booths with the stuffing creeping from rips in the vinyl and tables 
sticky from the rag used to “clean” them. And pie. Isolated, kinda, but you can hear the surrounding people, maybe incorporate snippets of random conversation into the story you’re attempting to finish…or start. Too many cigarettes while reading or talking about the line or paragraph you’ve just read. Yeah, I like the diner scene.
Where else can writing and reading be enjoyed equally? Are there books or magazines out there that address the idea of creating spaces specifically for these pursuits? You’ve got libraries and you’ve got offices, but someone, somewhere has to want to reinvent these spaces – right?
-Jenn
1 comment May 15, 2008
SEO Writing: Getting Your Unique Voice, Your Literary Authority and Your Authorship Noticed on the Internet
What is SEO?
Short for Search Engine Optimization, SEO writing utilizes the keywords of your Internet articles and posts to locate your content when an individual searches on your subjects. For instance, when a person searches on “free self-publishing,” the Wordclay blog will be listed among the pages that may interest you. Similarly, when a person types “free author Web sites” into the Google field, AuthorTree will be listed as one of the sites you would want to visit.
The Next Step
Say you’ve published your book and perhaps you’ve even set up a free author Web site with AuthorTree. Now what?
In order to get as much Internet exposure as possible, you need relevant and insightful content that will not only reveal the virtues of your recent publication, but also optimize the odds that readers will stumble upon your title as they search on specific keywords and loyally read certain periodicals.
For example, your book may concern a particularly heated political issue, so your target audience may visit blogs and news feeds that examine these issues at length. Even if you’re not writing for CNN, you can still draft and submit relevant articles to other Internet corners that are related to your field of expertise. The more people read your insightful prose and hear the authority in your voice, the more they’ll trust your book is a good investment.
It doesn’t stop with articles either. There are plenty of Internet journals that allow writers to post or submit reviews. Topics of these articles are numerous, with subjects such as TV shows, movies, books, magazines, comics, art exhibits, music albums, cultural and sub-cultural events, as well as other forms of emerging multimedia platforms.
You may also want to submit more personal articles to various e-zines. If you’ve had a recent dating experience others might enjoy, check out Nerve, where you may consider submitting a piece of creative nonfiction. Or if you’re particularly interested in pop culture, maybe visit PopMatters and search out a place for your voice.
As you post these reviews and feature stories, your recognition should grow as your writing infiltrates the digital world. (more…)
4 comments May 6, 2008
Top 15 Web Sites Engaging Writers: Writing Contests, Blogs & Forums
Have you heard of the crunch motivation, when writers of all walks brew pot after pot of coffee, peck furiously at the keyboards, awake and writing for maybe 12 hours straight, desperately trying to meet their preordained deadline? It doesn’t matter if you’re writing an article or submitting to a literary contest like Wordclay’s Short Story Contest, the fact is writers like to procrastinate. Writing is damn difficult – that’s why. It’s exhausting both physically and emotionally. In just a few sentences, writing can challenge people, realities and ideas. It’s not only easy to burn out, but likely as well.
The trick is to keep writing fun and interesting. Still, that’s quite a daunting task in times of existential crisis. Trust me – years of literary and philosophical criticism as well as a master’s degree in writing under my belt – when I say that quiet despair and frustration is all that awaits the lone writer, always struggling against a current of deadlines.
So how do you become enthusiastic and then sustain that enthusiasm about writing? If you’ve read our previous blogs, you know that communities and other engaging forums are a great way to talk the industry talk, but that’s still a discussion of sorts. What you want are places to visit where you can actively write alongside your fellow artists, egging each other on to the next great sentence.
That said, here’s Justin’s list of the Internet corners that not only encourage writers to write, but also seek to return writing to its invigorating (non-exhausting) roots.
Unveiling 15 Writing Communities & Web Sites that Engage Writers
About: (Note: All “About” sections are lifted directly from the source Web sites.)
Protagonize is an online community originally dedicated to the (nearly) lost art of the addventure (yes, that’s spelled right), a very specific type of collaborative fiction. Recently, the site has been expanded to support the creation of linear stories, as well. We hope this will allow the site to attract a broader community of authors looking to create collaborative, interactive fiction.
Continue for all 15 listings. (more…)
4 comments April 22, 2008
Written on the Body: The Art of Tattoo Storytelling
“Skin” isn’t in the book. Rather, it’s a “mortal work of art: a story tattooed on readers’ bodies, one word at a time.” Only the participants of the story will receive a complete copy of the whole story, and I want to be one of those participants.
It’s been almost two years since I e-mailed Shelley about my desire and willingness to be part of the project and, with only 315 words left to distribute, my chances don’t look too good.
I’ve long been fascinated with words – not just words that roll off the tongue well, or have cool meanings – but how words look. The combination of the font, the letters in the word, coupled with the meaning of the word, has an affect on me that I can’t, well, put into words.
When I was a kid, maybe nine- or ten-years-old, I used to beg my sister to write words on me with those colored markers that smelled like fruit. It’s funny, though, she had terrible writing, and I was always disappointed with the outcome. Then, I discovered tattooing and Peter Greenaway’s film, The Pillow Book. Check out the review on Rottentomatoes.com. Together, it was a realization of what I tried to get my sister to do as a child – indelible words on my skin.
Like Justin, though he has me beat by the sheer amount of ink on him, I love my tattoos. And I love the words I have tattooed on me – but I’m not part of a collective story. Not collectively written, but a written upon collective.
And it makes me wonder about the convergence of flesh and words and meaning, and if the same word tattooed on two different people means the same thing. Or if the same word in two different books (or even the same book) means the same thing. And if they don’t, then how can we come to a consensus over any written text, whether on paper or skin?
I guess that’s why there are so many books out there – we haven’t come up with all the ways stories can be told – or written.
4 comments April 17, 2008
Introducing Wordbot: Our Newest Member of the Wordclay Publishing Team
No, you’re not crazy. You heard correctly. Despite our attempts to maintain an air of secrecy, word’s gotten out. Information has been leaked to the public. Unconfirmed rumors about a robot working for Wordclay have been making headlines.
I’m here not only to substantiate the story, but to introduce the robot that’s stolen all our hearts here at mission control as well.
It’s all true! Due to a freak accident in our IT laboratories, as some of the Wordclay techs were perfecting our online publishing wizards with some servos they obtained from NASA, lightning struck the modern sculpture out front, electrified the building and shorted-out our publishing server. When the storm abated and the lights came back on, to our surprise we found Wordbot, perked by a bookshelf, completely self-aware, reading.
When asked about his sudden and unexpected appearance, Wordbot commented:
“Search me. Without warning, I was just there, and I had the uncontrollable urge to read anything I could get my metallic paws on. I found this bookshelf and went to work. I learned a few languages in the few hours I was awake, which is the reason I’m able to communicate with you now. I guess you could say I was born to help Wordclay.”
Over subsequent weeks, enduring many skeptical professionals, slowly but surely, we all started to warm to our new publishing friend. Of course, we’re still working out the legality of his rights, i.e. whether Wordclay owns the rights to him as you would your book publishing through us, or Wordbot being of sound, independent mind has the right to leave and exercise his creativity at will. For the time being (more…)
Add comment April 14, 2008
Modern DIY Explosion: Online Communities Where the DIY and MIY Mentality Thrives
DIY what? MIY who?
Companies and organizations have been reputed for casually throwing around these acronyms like snowballs in winter, never knowing exactly for what DIY or MIY actually stand.
So let’s set the record straight now, get to the bottom of these terms and detail some Internet corners where the DIY and MIY are legitimately supported as well as encouraged.
DEFINING TERMS:
DIY (or “Do-it-yourself”): A term coined from the ‘50s that commonly refers to the process of making or building something for oneself without the aid of paid professions. The goal of DIY pursuits is as much about making a useful product as it is about self-empowerment.
MIY (or “Make-it-yourself”): Like DIY, MIY endeavors are primarily about creating a good that is functional and decorative, with a personal touch. MIY is a relatively recent term, focusing on crafting, clothing and household projects. The goal of most MIY pursuits is to encourage individuality in products and life, instead of cookie-cutter corporate standards.
Zine: Short for magazine, zines are smaller magazine that are usually hand written (or typed) as well as hand bound. Circulation is generally lower for zines, and distribution occurs either through distros or alternative publishing companies like Microcosm Publishing whose primary goal is to encourage self-empowerment and creativity.
Graphic Novel: A type of comic book that usually contains a higher page count, higher-quality illustrations and a more in depth storyline. Graphic novels are typically perfect bound and geared toward a more mature audience.
Craft: Either a skill (as in crafting a short story or repairing a car) or a term used to describe the decorative arts (as in Arts and Crafts). Some common handmade crafts associate with the DIY/MIY mentality include: pottery, ceramics, metal work, weaving, knitting, sewing, jewelry making, wood working, glass blowing.
DIY subculture: A group within the majority that feels a distinct lack of satisfaction and aesthetic in the industrial process of making goods for distribution. This subculture is often associated with music, revolution and activism.
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COMMON CONFUSIONS:
To DIY, To Sleep Perchance to Dream
One common confusion about the term DIY is the extent of yourself in the projects. Obviously, calling a plumber to fix a sink you never installed is not DIY. While knitting your own scarf with your own pattern is a great example of the DIY work ethic.
But what about the middle? What about companies like Wordclay who are using a publishing wizard to design books as well as professionals to bind, print and sell books? (more…)
2 comments April 9, 2008
