Back to School Special: My how-to book on writing, The Essential Guide for New Writers, From Idea to Finished Manuscript is now on super sale! Instead of $10.95, I've dropped the price to $5.95 plus FREE US shipping and handling, but only if you order direct from my website, http://www.valeriestorey.com/.
I wrote the book primarily for my workshops when a student asked if I had a book of my own to go with the course. It was at the end of one of my summer sessions, a hot Georgia night with a thunderstorm on the horizon. I was a little surprised by the question because I always provide workshop participants with loads of notes and photocopied handouts, as well as a thorough bibliography of other writers' how-to books. But there was something about the idea that intrigued me. Thinking on my feet, I found myself saying: "No book yet, but there will be. Soon." A few months later I went on to write and publish the book, and have used it in hundreds of workshops. One chapter, "Creative Conflict," even went on to be sold and reprinted in a textbook on video production.
The Essential Guide for New Writers is a book close to my heart. In many ways it could also be subtitled, "Notes to Me About Writing" and it's chock-full of everything I consider important to make your writing dreams come true, e.g., streamlined plot and characterization techniques; end-of-chapter writing exercises; easy synopsis and query letters tricks.
The Essential Guide for New Writers is a book for all writers, no matter your level of expertise. If you're just starting out, the book will help you get past those first-draft jitters and well on your way to having a finished, polished manuscript that's submission-ready. And if you're a writer with a few years of sales and experience behind you, there's nothing like sitting down with "beginner's mind" to refresh and charge up your creative batteries. As I like to tell my students, every time you start a new piece of writing, you're a new writer. The day you think you know it all could very well be the day you need to change careers.
Tip of the Day: Get your copy now while the sale lasts. Remember, this offer is only available through my website, http://www.valeriestorey.com/ and nowhere else. Happy writing!
Hi, Everyone! Guess what? Today I'm a guest blogger at Charissa Weaks, A Day in the Life of An Aspiring Writer. Sending a big thank you to Charissa for her lovely welcome and for providing us all with a great site to read and follow. I met Charissa through Twitter and I can't say enough about how happy that makes me.
Although it hasn't even been two years yet, I can't believe there was a time when I wasn't Tweeting, or blogging, or chatting to my friends at JacketFlap. And I'm always happy to meet more! Which brings me to the question many of my non-Tweeting, non-blogging writer friends ask me: How do you manage to find the time? The answer is that I don't find the time, I make it. Social media is important to me because:
- I am a writer and I love to share what I've learned or am learning about writing. My blog and my website valeriestorey.com are all about passing on information--for free. When I was starting out as a young writer, I was fortunate enough to be mentored by some great and well-known authors, now sadly no longer with us. I like to think I am helping to keep their legacy alive by passing on what they taught me. I enjoy talking writing, and I'll gladly talk to whoever wants to listen!
- Social media is a lot of fun. It's entertaining. I enjoy reading other people's blogs, especially the ones that are "mini literary journals." I try to add to the mix with my own efforts, e.g., things such as the collages that I put at the top of my posts.
- Social media has been very educational for me. I've learned so much, especially through Twitter. Every day I come across some amazing treasure trove of information, from tips on marketing and and writing, to collage techniques and the latest theories on Iron Age burial mounds. I love the buzz coming from creative and thoughtful people and I love being part of that conversation.
- And, finally, I do, ahem, have books to sell. I've sold a number of books through my contacts and various sites and I'm very, very grateful to those book buyers.
That said, it's really time for me to finish this post and get back to work on the WIP so I can have a new book to sell! Have a great day, friends, and be sure to go visit Charissa and see what's happening at her site.
Tip of the Day: The key to making social media work for you is to schedule the times of day or night you'll sign in. For instance, you might want to "reward" yourself with 10-15 minutes of Twitter for every five pages you write or revise; or perhaps you could give up watching 30 minutes of television to visit some blogs instead.
