Hi all,
Yes, I do already have this blog. And yes, on rare occasion someone actually posts a comment. I do feel a little alone out here on my skinny blog limb and so ... I hope to increase my readership (bloggily-speaking) by linking up, hooking up, and chatting it up on other writers' blogs.
I attended a Cyberspace Marketing talk at the recently-held WomenWritingTheWest conference in Colorado Springs, put forth by non-fiction author, Donna Druchunus. She's written several successful books including ARCTIC LACE. Well, you can bet that I paid attention to her words when she shared that at one point ARCTIC LACE was 800 on Amazon! My oh my, I said to myself. Donna does Blog Tours for her books. I won't go into detail, except to say that she literally sets up a blog tour with 30 or so writers and posts on their blogs. You can see the value in this, ie many other folks get to know about Donna and her writing, through other sites and other subjects. A nifty idea, I'd say.
Also, I have the pleasure of e-knowing the wonderful, successful writers, Karen Kay and Alice Duncan. These women are amazing in talent and generosity. Bestselling, Native American author, Kay, is part of a western blog, petticoatsandpistols.com. Check it out and comment, absolutely. I might be able to guest post on Kay's blog, which would be an honor. Alice is a talented, award-winning, bestselling author and editor. She's ever a font a knowledge on well ... just about everything. It would be an honor, indeed, if she gets a blog up and going, to guest post on her site. You can see where I'm going with this. You can see the value of being on the same cyberpage with these powerhouse women. You bet, I'm a groupie!
And so ... whether kicking and screaming all the way into the bloggosphere ... I shall try to go where "no historical romance writer from Tabernash, CO, has gone before!"
Blogging all the way ...
Jo(anne)
http://www.joannesundell.com/
www.squidoo.com/historicalromancewriter
http://www.joannesundell.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Wednesdays with Joanne - "Just Do It!"
Just Do It!
Just go ahead and get in touch with your dream authors to request a much-needed, much-appreciated blurb for your next book. But ... follow the rules to help ensure success.
If you write in a certain genre, try to find writers in your genre. It gives your book more of a boost, adding credibility. Readers know their writers, and if they spot a science-fiction writer's blurb on your historical romance ... well ... you can see what I mean. Plus, a science-fiction writer probably won't enjoy reading what they "don't write," much less like. You better your chances for a favorable review, if you pick your authors much like you search out agents and editors.
Look within the writing organizations to which you belong, and seek out those authors you believe might express an interest in giving you a quote. Just because they're "rich and famous" doesn't mean they won't give you some of their time, if and when they have it. If you make sure and give them plenty of lead time, you better your chances for success. I believe this is key! These noted authors have deadlines and their time is precious little. But if you approach them early and give them plenty of time, they usually will respond in the positive. Be professional, always!
Your reward for obeying the rules in approaching authors for quotes will come back, ten-fold. On my first book, noted award-winning, bestselling author and editor, Alice Duncan, gave me a quote. She's also been more than kind in giving me quotes for my subsequent books. NYTimes bestselling author, Joan Johnston, gave me a quote for my second book, and NYTimes bestselling author, Susan Wiggs, and bestselling author, Suzanne Lyon, are going to give me quotes for my third.
So ... just do it!
Jo(anne)
www.joannesundell.com
www.squidoo.com/historicalromancewriter
Just go ahead and get in touch with your dream authors to request a much-needed, much-appreciated blurb for your next book. But ... follow the rules to help ensure success.
If you write in a certain genre, try to find writers in your genre. It gives your book more of a boost, adding credibility. Readers know their writers, and if they spot a science-fiction writer's blurb on your historical romance ... well ... you can see what I mean. Plus, a science-fiction writer probably won't enjoy reading what they "don't write," much less like. You better your chances for a favorable review, if you pick your authors much like you search out agents and editors.
Look within the writing organizations to which you belong, and seek out those authors you believe might express an interest in giving you a quote. Just because they're "rich and famous" doesn't mean they won't give you some of their time, if and when they have it. If you make sure and give them plenty of lead time, you better your chances for success. I believe this is key! These noted authors have deadlines and their time is precious little. But if you approach them early and give them plenty of time, they usually will respond in the positive. Be professional, always!
Your reward for obeying the rules in approaching authors for quotes will come back, ten-fold. On my first book, noted award-winning, bestselling author and editor, Alice Duncan, gave me a quote. She's also been more than kind in giving me quotes for my subsequent books. NYTimes bestselling author, Joan Johnston, gave me a quote for my second book, and NYTimes bestselling author, Susan Wiggs, and bestselling author, Suzanne Lyon, are going to give me quotes for my third.
So ... just do it!
Jo(anne)
www.joannesundell.com
www.squidoo.com/historicalromancewriter
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Wednesdays with Joanne - "Rules of Engagement"
Hi Romance Lovers, one and all!
However tempting it is here, to lament the rules of engagement in love and marriage, I'm referring to the rules set down on how and how not to write a romance novel. I'm talking about the rules set down on how and how not to submit a romance novel to editors. I'm talking about how to succeed with editors ... hooking them, rather than annoying them ... because you didn't obey their rules of engagement.
When most of us consider submitting to a publisher, we focus primarily on what we're writing and not especially how we're writing. We pay attention to format to a point, making sure our font is 12-point and that we're in Courier or Times New Roman. Right guys? We're focused (as well we should be) on just who we should submit to; when we should submit; should we submit to more than one editor; and which houses want what? This is all important but ... so is format!
The importance of this was brought home again this morning, when I tuned into an exchange on an author loop between authors and editors. While the editors are usually very nice about reformatting manuscripts themselves, they'd prefer not to have to do this. A writer's chances for sale are much, much better if the formatting for their manuscript is correct in the first place. We authors need to (in addition to all of the aforementioned) find out the specific template and format for each house to whom we wish to submit. In doing so, in submitting a manuscript that's already in the house's acceptable format--a manuscript that obeys their Rules of Engagement--we're giving our manuscript the extra boost that just might make all the difference in sales.
Let's go get`em, guys!
Jo(anne)
Next from Five Star:
The Parlor House Daughter, 12/08
A...My Name's Amelia, LP coming
http://www.joannesundell.com/
www.squidoo.com/historicalromancewriter
However tempting it is here, to lament the rules of engagement in love and marriage, I'm referring to the rules set down on how and how not to write a romance novel. I'm talking about the rules set down on how and how not to submit a romance novel to editors. I'm talking about how to succeed with editors ... hooking them, rather than annoying them ... because you didn't obey their rules of engagement.
When most of us consider submitting to a publisher, we focus primarily on what we're writing and not especially how we're writing. We pay attention to format to a point, making sure our font is 12-point and that we're in Courier or Times New Roman. Right guys? We're focused (as well we should be) on just who we should submit to; when we should submit; should we submit to more than one editor; and which houses want what? This is all important but ... so is format!
The importance of this was brought home again this morning, when I tuned into an exchange on an author loop between authors and editors. While the editors are usually very nice about reformatting manuscripts themselves, they'd prefer not to have to do this. A writer's chances for sale are much, much better if the formatting for their manuscript is correct in the first place. We authors need to (in addition to all of the aforementioned) find out the specific template and format for each house to whom we wish to submit. In doing so, in submitting a manuscript that's already in the house's acceptable format--a manuscript that obeys their Rules of Engagement--we're giving our manuscript the extra boost that just might make all the difference in sales.
Let's go get`em, guys!
Jo(anne)
Next from Five Star:
The Parlor House Daughter, 12/08
A...My Name's Amelia, LP coming
http://www.joannesundell.com/
www.squidoo.com/historicalromancewriter
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Wednesdays with Joanne - "Going LARGE"
Hi all,
Yes, as we age we do go LARGE, but this is usually not of our own choosing. And all the duct tape in the world apparently doesn't want to hold up our sagging parts. Phooey! So much for living in the real world. I choose to visit the "unreal" world of writing where it's safe to go LARGE.
My second novel, A...My Name's Amelia, will be released at a future date in large print by Thorndike Press in either their Clean Reads or Wheeler Publishing lines. This gives a longer life to my hero and heroine, Amelia and Aaron, which makes me very, very happy.
All of this is yet another reason for me to opine the good deeds of Five Star - a part of Cengage Learning. From acquisitions to hardcover release, they are a great group with which to work. I am most fortunate to be published with them, sagging parts and all.
Jo(anne)
www.squidoo.com/historicalromancewriter
www.joannesundell.com
Yes, as we age we do go LARGE, but this is usually not of our own choosing. And all the duct tape in the world apparently doesn't want to hold up our sagging parts. Phooey! So much for living in the real world. I choose to visit the "unreal" world of writing where it's safe to go LARGE.
My second novel, A...My Name's Amelia, will be released at a future date in large print by Thorndike Press in either their Clean Reads or Wheeler Publishing lines. This gives a longer life to my hero and heroine, Amelia and Aaron, which makes me very, very happy.
All of this is yet another reason for me to opine the good deeds of Five Star - a part of Cengage Learning. From acquisitions to hardcover release, they are a great group with which to work. I am most fortunate to be published with them, sagging parts and all.
Jo(anne)
www.squidoo.com/historicalromancewriter
www.joannesundell.com
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