Posts filed under 'Reading & Writing'
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.
###
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
Wordclay Interviews Poet Jamie Crawford, Grand Prize Winner of the Single Poem Contest
Calling all writers… Calling all writers…
Come in writers!
Jenn’s blog has been interrupted this afternoon to bring you some breaking news.
For the first time in history, Jamie Crawford, Grand Prize winner of Wordclay’s Single Poem Contest, has agreed to answer our Interview questions.
Blogger Justin Dimos is on the literary scene and reports:
Justin: How did you feel entering the contest?
Jamie: I felt a bit apprehensive because I’d never participated in a national writing competition before and realized this would mean a higher caliber of writing would be considered.
Justin: How did you react when you found out that you had won?
Jamie: I didn’t process it. I thought maybe a mistake had been made. Finally, though, I realized that I had legitimately won the single poem contest. It was an exhilarating and uplifting feeling to be recognized in this way.
Justin: What did you know about Wordclay before you entered the contest?
(more…)
2 comments April 3, 2008
A Wordclay Solution: How Print-On-Demand Can Benefit Literary Magazines and Trade Periodicals
Truth is literary magazine and trade periodicals suffer constantly. When the editors aren’t trying to squeeze every penny out of their meager printing budget, then they’re dealing with flighty designers, artists, volunteer readers combing through hundreds of submissions, event coordinators, venue staff for readings, journals returned to sender – if you can name a single part of the production or printing process, then it’s undoubtedly an editorial stress as well.
Trust me, as a previous editor-in-chief myself, I understand completely. Looking back, I’m surprised I didn’t pull all my hair out and develop an ulcer in the meantime.
But as I started working for Wordclay, the journal benefits of Print-On-Demand technology and companies like Wordclay – companies who are trying to automate the publishing process – occurred to me.
Let’s cut to the chase then.
Running a literary magazine, like anything, takes money, usually at least a couple thousand per issue. Unfortunately, funding for many magazines and periodicals primarily comes from outside sources such as university reserves, local or state grants as well as independent donations. Frankly, subscription sales can barely keep most periodicals afloat, which means editors have to rely heavily on the renewal of their annual donations and grants. And editors print, all with the constant threat that their outside funding might not come the next year around and then the magazine will, literally, go under.
So how exactly can POD technology and Wordclay help prevent quality magazines from biting the dust before their time?
First, obviously, Wordclay is free. An editor could use our free story and poetry templates from the Genre Lounge and design a galley all by themselves, designer free. Then, if you’re not concerned with cover art, you could opt for a free cover. Or you can always pay a small price for the Stock Cover Art and submit artwork with directions for our professional designers. Comparatively, it will save you time and money using Wordclay even with Stock Cover Art, then contracting a busy designer who might not care about the look of your emerging journal.
(Note: Read about the controversial shipping cost later in this blog) (more…)
5 comments March 18, 2008
Author Networking: The Top 24 Online Reading and Writing Communities You Need To Know
Greetings and salutations from Wordclay, Internet surfers.
Last week, drafting the text for the Memoir Genre Spot, imploring authors to join online writing and book communities, it suddenly occurred to me that authors may already be too exhausted at the end of the day, tired from writing, publishing, marketing, day jobs, families, dogs and whatever number of other worldly pursuits you’ve got, to actually pour what little, precious energy they have remaining into tedious searches for online communities.
Not when there’s so much quality late-night television, and with the writer’s strike over, it’s only going to get better. Or worse, depending on your viewpoint – worse in the sense that shows will be more likely to keep your attention.
So I opened my laptop and, over the course of a few weeks, compiled a list of The Top 24 Online Reading and Writing Communities.
7 comments March 11, 2008
What’s Happening with Wordclay? A Behind the Scenes Exposé of the Newest Online Self-Publishing Company
For those of you who haven’t been able to keep up with the seemingly organized chaos happening at Wordclay, you’re not alone. So, I thought that I would play devil’s advocate this afternoon, give our readers some casual notes and frank advice about the new Wordclay features and, hopefully, clear up any short circuits from which you may be suffering.
Up Next, This Sunday on Another 60 Minutes: What’s happening with Wordclay?
Investigative Wordclay reporter Justin Dimos give details:
Last Thursday, our judges chose the 100 Finalist and Winners of both the Single Poem and the Book of Poetry contests. Luckily, Angie and I were prepared to launch the Wordclay Writing Contest Connection, which is a place where visitors can read poetry by the winners, see the list of Finalists and (eventually) read about our new contest. Angie and I are still tweaking the Web site, but for the most part, it’s running smoothly. In the next few weeks, you should expect to see biographical information (and collection covers) from the winners as well as details on the upcoming Single Short Story and the Short Story Collection contests.
Our team also managed to launch the new Genre Lounge. “Genre what?” you may ask, and I may answer: The Genre Lounge is a place where writers and authors can frequent for genre-specific templates, marketing advice and publishing articles. We currently have Poetry, Christian and Short Stories available, but don’t worry, we constantly adding new genres. In fact, I’m currently writing Memoir for the next Genre Spot. You can make a suggestion for a new genre by e-mailing Wordclay’s customer support or by posting a comment on this blog.
Add comment March 3, 2008
In the News: ReadWriteWeb Covers Print On Demand and Wordclay
In the words of Wordclay’s president Dave McCauley, “Now it’s all about the independent artists…” which, in actuality, sums up the entire DIY publishing mission in one simple phrase.
On Friday, Feb. 22, ReadWriteWeb published an article, Online Print On Demand Space Heats Up, in which their bloggers examine the recent explosion in POD technology and services within the publishing industry. Lucky for us Wordclay bloggers, McCauley not only possesses a remarkable insight into publishing, but a handy knack for expressing the complicated creative and business issues surrounding self-publishing in a straightforward and concise way.
(Note: It can never hurt to flatter the president of your company.)
But flattery aside, McCauley just so happens to be right as well.
In the ReadWriteWeb article, McCauley makes some pretty insightful observations about self-publishing and print-on-demand technology, likening DIY publishing to the upsurge of the indie music scene as well as examining the recurring costs of traditional publishers. (more…)
2 comments February 25, 2008
