Archives for August 2017

Read a Book for My Birthday!

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon August 31, 2017

I learned that my birthday next week, September 6, is National Read a Book Day!

Do I have the perfect career match or what?

So, what book will you read for National Read a Book Day? You can read it in honor of my birthday if you like, but most of all, choose a book for your entertainment, edification, and increased knowledge.

Would you like to suggest a book I should read? If you do, I’ll select the top three or five, put the titles in a feminine, stylish hat, and draw one. The winner will be awarded a copy of Bygone Christmas Brides, which includes one of my novellas I wrote awhile back. I’m honored to be included with authors Ginny Aiken, Carla Gade, Pamela Griffin, Jill Stengl, and Gina Welborn.

I can’t wait to see what books you recommend!

A Writer’s Top 6 Productivity Practices

By Bob Hostetleron August 30, 2017

I’ve met fifty book deadlines, never missing one (though I have renegotiated a few), and many more article deadlines. These days, as a writer, editor, and agent, I have even more tasks, schedules, and details to juggle than ever before. Happily, I’ve installed a handful of productivity practices that aid my feeble mind and fragile memory. Here are six that I find the most helpful: Working ahead …

Category: Technology, The Writing LifeTag: Productivity, Technology, The Writing Life

Books are Not Mass Media

By Dan Balowon August 29, 2017

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A hundred years ago, the most powerful media in the world were newspapers. Newspaper writers and editors were society’s thought-leaders and political kingmakers. The day-to-day influence of a major newspaper was unchallenged, no matter what city or country. They were the first truly mass media, defined as broadly available to everyone at a nominal cost and holding an extremely high level of …

Category: Branding, Craft, MarketingTag: Branding, Christian Market, Marketing, Message

Fun Fridays – August 25, 2017

By Steve Laubeon August 25, 2017

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This is a special fun Friday. Our youngest daughter is getting married today. This makes three married daughters. At the risk of making myself a puddle of sentimentality, I can only say that I am proud of all our girls. Today, for the last time, I will be walking a daughter down the aisle. She may be all grown up along with her sisters, but I will always carry the below photo in my wallet and in …

Category: Personal

Find More Writing Time – Use Your Agent

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon August 24, 2017

Have you ever been to a “perfect” wedding? You may think so, but chances are, even if you weren’t aware of it, procedures went wrong. Why is it hard to plan and execute a wedding? Because we don’t practice to perfection. So, many people hire wedding planners to take care of details for them. A similar profession? The interior decorator. Though my home was likely among the more modest …

Category: Agents, The Writing LifeTag: Agents, The Writing Life

Every Book is a How-To

By Bob Hostetleron August 23, 2017

C.S. Lewis famously said, “We read to know we’re not alone.” I think that is true. But I have long subscribed to a similar statement that I see as sort of a corollary to “Lewis’s Law.” It is this: No one reads about other people. We read only about ourselves. Feel free to quote me. And send me royalties. But you might say, “How can that be, Bob? I read a lot of romance novels. They’re fiction. …

Category: Craft, The Writing LifeTag: readers, The Writing Life, Writing Craft

We Need More Reader Segments

By Dan Balowon August 22, 2017

In the bookselling world, books are categorized with a coding system developed by a collaborative industry organization called the Book Industry Study Group (BISG). They own and manage the BISAC codes, an acronym for “Book Industry Standards and Communications.” No matter how you are published, you will be required to categorize your book in one of the fifty-two primary categories, then by second …

Category: Book Business, Branding, MarketingTag: Book Business, Branding, Marketing, readers

Deadlines Born – Deadlines Made

By Steve Laubeon August 21, 2017

Deadlines. The bane of every writer’s existence. “A necessary evil.” “My nemesis.” I talked to an author who changed the internal time clock on his computer just so he could have three extra hours, claiming he was writing on the West coast (USA) instead of where his office was (East coast USA). Writing Without a Deadline (Deadlines Born) Not everyone, however, is …

Category: Get Published, The Writing LifeTag: Deadlines, The Publishing Life, The Writing Life

Fun Fridays – August 18, 2017

By Steve Laubeon August 18, 2017

A hilarious confrontation between an Elephant and a Goose. (It gets rather creative at the 30 second mark.) There has to be a metaphor somewhere in this video. Which one to do think is most appropriate? Publisher and Agent? (Which one is which?) A writers conference meeting in the hallway between a writer and an editor? Little Brother vs. Big Brother in Grandma’s backyard? Come up with your …

Category: Fun Fridays

A Few Little Letters Can Make All the Difference

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon August 17, 2017

Recently I heard a great anecdote about one little letter. Seems our pastor did a Google search as he researched the parable of the weeds. He typed in “weed” and, well, let’s just say the topic of dandelions didn’t sprout. He had to add an “s” to find the right type of weed. Don’t try this at home and definitely not on a corporate computer. I assure you I didn’t! A couple of weeks ago my husband …

Category: Craft, Language, Writing CraftTag: Language, Writing Craft