Beacon Literary Services

BRAVE NEW E-WORLD!

2009-07-16T10:39:00.009-07:00

This article by Sarah Sheard in the Globe and Mail is a must-read for all authors and aspiring authors. She verbalizes the opinions of countless writers who have been muttering about the growing inequities between publishers and authors for the past decade or more.

Her commentary may also make first-time authors modify their plans for seeking publication or at least have a contingency plan.

Go to www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/brave-new-e-world/article1206617/

IF GIVING READINGS IN PUBLIC SCARES YOU LEGLESS, THERE'S HOPE...

2009-07-09T11:05:00.013-07:00

All writers have to speak in public sooner or later. Open mics abound; poetry slams are commonplace; authors give readings from their latest books.

If the prospect of participating in these opportunities scares you legless, you are not alone.

Here is a short blog post from my friend, Geoffrey, who is a brilliant speaker's coach, that gets to the heart of the fear: http://geoffreyxlane.com/blog/2009/07/4-beliefs-that-help-fight-fear/. He provides the reasons that cause sweaty palms and a tangled tongue at the microphone, and outlines some strategies to calm your nerves.

ADD VALUE FOR MAGAZINE EDITORS

2009-06-29T11:27:00.005-07:00

BEACON FLASH #37 - July 2009

In the summer issue of The Beacon, the sidebar addressed one way to add value for magazine editors. This Flash will give you more ideas.

Freelance writers no longer just write articles. In today's connected and visual world, we have become content providers, which means that well-orchestrated text is just not enough. Savvy writers today offer:

a choice of article lengths: feature, department, or short
a text version for the publication's website, which is shorter and edgier. (Think - small screens on Smartphones)
a selection of their own images in lo- and hi-res for print and web (see the June 09 Beacon); everyone with a digital camera can achieve pix good enough for print magazines
podcasts for the website that enlarge on the written article and may include interview clips and sound effects. (The 18-34 year old age group prefers to listen to their magazines, but so do many others.)
where appropriate, short video clips for the website. ( For example, sports and recreation, and travel pubs use them.)

These enhancements to simple print articles demand that writers check into periodicals' websites to see what they offer. Some use all of the above to push traffic back and forth from their print mags to the website. Others do not. Make sure you know who uses what before you query an editor with an article idea and your additional offerings.

A few diehard freelancers are resisting this approach, saying they are writers not broadcasters or photographers. But many have already embraced the change and upgraded their skills to provide magazine editors with exciting content for print and the web. These are the writers who are selling their articles in this competitive climate.

To learn more about the value-added components, join Julie for
Pitching in a Cold Climate
at the Whistler Writers' Festival on September 12, 2009.
Go to www.theviciouscircle.ca and click on "Events" for details.

THE NEW SURREY WRITERS' SCHOOL OPENS REGISTRATION FOR THE FALL

2009-06-13T19:39:00.003-07:00

Registration is now open for fall offerings by the Surrey Writers School at www.surreywritersschool.com

Introduction to Creative Writing
Writing From Life
Writers' Express

Signing Bonus:
All students attending either Introduction to Creative Writing or Writing From Life receive a FREE copy of 101 - and more - Writing Exercises to Get You Started & Keep You Going by Lois Peterson.
(Value $19.95).

SWS is also looking for YOUR ideas of what you'd like them to offer. Email SWS anytime at lp@surreywritersschool.com.

SURREY INTERNATIONAL WRITERS' CONFERENCE 2009 OPENS REGISTRATION

2009-06-10T18:57:00.007-07:00

The renowned and wonderful SiWC has opened for registration early this year. It runs October 23-25 in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada.

If you attend, you are guaranteed a mind-expanding experience as a writer. Workshops galore, appointments with agents and editors where you can pitch your latest books, a Blue Pencil Cafe with working writers who can assist with your writing and career, and wonderful company.

It is a friendly conference where the presenters are approachable and very helpful. Delegates also get to rub shoulders with champions and learn vast quantities of craft and marketing skills at the myriad workshops.

All the details are at www.siwc.ca, but register early because it fills up fast...

Go do it!!

BC WRITERS: TIME TO SIGN-UP FOR SFU'S SUMMER WORKSHOPS!

2009-06-08T16:41:00.013-07:00

With four weeks to go, now is the time to select and register for some workshops in SFU's Summer Publishing Workshop series.

They offer emerging and experienced writers and editors a chance to learn from and work with more than 100 of Canada's top editors, writers, marketers, designers, publishers, and new media moguls. They challenge and guide the participants through one of the most intense and valuable educational experiences available in the publishing industry.

This year SPW is again hosting the widely popular Symposium of the Book, which focuses on From Memories to Memoir, an all day session at $75. In addition to this, individuals can choose from 44 other workshops across the disciplines of writing, editing books, promoting your work, magazines, design and new media.

I try to take one or two sessions every year and recommend SPW. The program is held at SFU's downtown campus. You'll find the details at www.sfu.ca/pubworks where you can also download the full program in.pdf.

SPW points writers in the right direction!
Four happy authors in 2008

NEWS FOR ALL WRITERS IN BC, CANADA

2009-06-04T20:06:00.005-07:00

This week the Surrey school district cancelled their Community Programs. Along with many others, the 16 year old Surrey Creative Writing Diploma program died too. But don't despair!

Original founder, Ed Griffin, and long time coordinator, Lois Peterson, quickly filled the gap by starting the Surrey Writers' School, which gets underway after Labour Day. The months before Christmas have a modest program but plans for 2010 are more ambitious, with many instructors from the old program offering their services.

My guess is that the SWS will be better than its predecessor, freed as it will be from outside constraints. This is a non-profit venture: the fees for the courses are low and, as always, excellent value. The website is already up at www.surreywritersschool.com and deserves watching as Peterson fleshes it out over the summer.

Just imagine...

BUILDING YOUR ONLINE PRESENCE

2009-06-02T15:04:00.008-07:00

This video by Joanna Penn of the Creative Penn is a clear and up-to-date presentation about how to create an author platform online that will reassure publishers that you are promotion-savvy and capable of increasing sales of your book when it launches.

If you can't access the video below, visit http://www.viddler.com/explore/thecreativepenn/videos/2/.

POD TITLES OUTSTRIP COMMERCIALLY PUBLISHED TITLES

2009-06-01T11:30:00.002-07:00

For the first time in history print-on-demand titles in North America have outstripped books published by traditional publishers. Quite an astonishing statistic!

For the full article, visit the CBC's webpage at http://www.cbc.ca/arts/story/2009/05/27/on-demand-books.html.

SUNSHINE COAST FESTIVAL OF THE WRITTEN ARTS

2009-05-22T10:12:00.004-07:00

August 13-16, 2009
Rockwood Centre, Sechelt, BC

Tickets for this highly regarded writers' festival go on sale on Wednesday, May 27th at 8am PDT. They sell out fast, so act quickly if you want a summer weekend on the Sunshine Coast of BC while immersing yourself in the written word. Once again the organizers have a gathered a terrific lineup of authors to enchant and provoke you. Details at www.writersfestival.ca.

BOOK BUYING HABITS - 2009

2009-05-18T11:10:00.018-07:00

The way we buy books in N. America has changed, is changing, and will continue to change.

All authors whether commercial or self-published need to pay attention to Bowker's latest information and not only at the writing stage, but also at the contract signing and at the promotion planning phase. Librarians and booksellers will learn much from this survey too.

Here are some highlights:

67% read book reviews online before buying
23% buy books online as opposed to 21% in retail outlets
21% of fiction was bought online
50% of all fiction bought is in the mystery and romance sub-categories
58% of readers are female
32% of readers are 55+
57% of book buyers are female and buy 65% of all books
67% of book buyers are over 42; 17% are Gen X; 10% are GenY

Electronic books are surging and so are purchases of e-readers, like Kindle. But the age group driving this is surprising - the over-50s:

Seniors buy the most e-readers, followed by the 18-34 year olds
E-book sales grew by 183% in the over 65 cohort and by 174% in the 55-65 age group
The 35-49 year olds prefer reading on their iPhones and iTouches

Bowker's stats are gathered monthly from a sample of 36,000 book buyers. Kelly Gallagher's (Bowker) slideshow can be viewed at
http://www.slideshare.net/bisg/4-making-information-pay-2009-gallagher-kelly-bowker-1406744. You'll need to register at Slideshare.net if not already a member - it's free.

To learn more about our book buying habits and read comments about them, visit http://followthereader.wordpress.com

PEEKING INTO THE WORLD OF PUBLISHING

2009-04-29T11:30:00.004-07:00

BEACON FLASH #36 - May 2009

Writers dreaming of getting their first book published often don't have a crystal-clear idea of how the industry works, which hampers realistic expectations. The industry is complex and confusing for anyone at the outset of a writing career.

I have found a wizard blog that helps, not just for unpubbbed authors, but even for those who have already been published. Written by US agent Kristin, it covers trends, dissects query letters, and demonstrates what captivates publishers and why. Plus much more.

Last week, she was blogging from the London Book Fair and her comments on what publishers are seeking for their lists are a worthwhile read.

Her own pitch of a first novel for a client to a New York editor is an edifying example all writers can follow when querying a publisher's editor directly. The letter shows how crucial a fresh angle and voice are for fiction, as well as a bio para that reassures the publisher the author is a good bet. Read it and Kristen's analysis at http://pubrants.blogspot.com/2009/04/editor-letter-for-pain-merchants.html.

Kristin's blog is called Pub Rants, as in publishing rants, not the British watering hole, and there is much to gain from a prolonged prowl around her site. I recommend it to writers of most genres.

...www.pubrants.blogspot.com...

DON'T BE SHY! NONFICTION FOREWORDS

2009-04-23T13:34:00.005-07:00

Last summer and fall, five members of my writers' group had their books published. Two were nonfiction and needed forewords. In the spring we had discussed how to go about getting them. I had advised the authors to pick three top experts and then email the best first.
"But, he's never heard of me," one said. "Why would he write my foreword?"
"I wouldn't dare," the other said.
"You won't know till you try," I advised.

For two previous nonfiction books, I knew the individuals I had asked to write the forewords, so it was easy. For the other, I received a personal introduction from the subject of the book -- also relatively easy. However, my fourth book, James Douglas: Father of British Columbia, presented me with a challenge -- I didn't have any connections to use at all. So I took my own advice. I approached the one person I thought would be perfect to write the foreword. But I didn't think for one moment he would agree because he didn't know me or my previous work.

Last New Year's Eve, I emailed him and, much to my astonishment, an hour later had his reply saying he would love to write the foreword. I sent him the ms in March and, last weekend, his foreword landed in my inbox. It is all I wished for and set the book into context. My writer colleagues also achieved the same result last summer with their first choices, which just goes to show that it never hurts to ask. Don't be shy!

AMAZON REVERSES ITSELF

2009-04-09T19:38:00.002-07:00

The bigwigs at Amazon.com have reversed their policy of disallowing reviewers to promote their own works in the signature blocks, the body of the text, and any comments they add to their reviews of other authors' books.

The outcry must have changed their minds. GOOD!!

AMAZON IS DELETING BOOK REVIEWS

2009-04-05T10:04:00.009-07:00

Learned yesterday (April 4/09), thanks to the SF Canada listserve: Amazon.com is deleting book reviews that have the review writer's own titles included.

This is what it means. If you sign your reviews with "Author of ....." or mention in the body of the review that you "...wrote [title]" your review will go. If you added a link to a website, even to an Amazon book page, your review will disappear too. And, with no notice - just pulled! This apparently also applies to any comments you add to a review written by others.

Amazon.com's policy relayed to a SF Canada member:"Our participation guidelines don't allow customers to promote their own titles in their reviews." I went looking for this regulation but failed to find it.

What I chose to do was edit all the reviews I have written because I don't want any authors to lose positive reviews on their books, which effects rankings. No word yet if Amazon.ca has the same rules; however, just in case they follow suit, I edited my reviews there too.

Surely listing another book that Amazon sells would only enhance the click-throughs to everyone's benefit, including Amazon's?

WHAT TO DO WITH ALL THE BOOKS WE COLLECT?

2009-03-30T08:34:00.007-07:00

BEACON FLASH #35 - April 2009

My home is an irresistible magnet to books of all kinds. The walls in our bedrooms, hallways, and living spaces have floor to ceiling shelves crammed with books we cannot live without; most are old friends between hard covers. However, it is the numerous paperbacks we attract that cause real problems for my husband and I. We acquire far too many and often simply do not want to keep them. What to do with them all? Hospitals are swamped; second-hand outlets often decline the mass-market variety; and my reader friends, likely as not, have read them.Well, here’s my solution. I release them into the wild using www.Bookcrossing.com.

Over five million books are travelling the world alone after an owner has registered them on the website and dropped them off at a train station, an airport, or even at a concert. I usually release mine at a local rec centre but have been much more inventive on occasion. Bookcrossing is free to join.

Once a member of Bookcrossing, you register each book and receive a number for it; then you enter your planned release location. After printing off free bookplates, you add the ID # to one and stick it on the book’s first blank page. Et voila! The fun starts when a like-minded recipient picks up the book and enters its location on the website and releases it again after reading it, thus continuing the process.

One of my books made its way across Europe from Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris and is presently visiting Iran. How about that! Bookcrossing is just one way your books can live many lives and give hours of pleasure.

If you have discovered more ways of recycling your books, please comment below and share your insights with the followers of this blog.…

MORE ON THE GOOGLE SETTLEMENT FOR CANADIAN AUTHORS

2009-03-26T09:46:00.003-07:00

The Writers' Union of Canada has provided useful and informative advice on the Google Settlement for all Canadian authors who have books published before January 5/09.
This affects us wherever our books were published. TWUC says we should NOT opt out of the settlement.

The details of TWUC's advice are here: http://www.writersunion.ca/av_pr240309.asp

A THOUSAND STORIES WAITING TO BE TOLD

2009-03-22T14:00:00.023-07:00

Last week, I was profoundly moved as I stood on the Gulf Coast of Texas where Hurricane Ike came ashore exactly six months ago. I had never been to the site of a natural disaster before and was quite unprepared for its overwhelming sadness.

The media in the Deep South had been pawing over the event on the half-year anniversary, using video images and anecdotes of that horrific night. Some of the stories were astonishing, even unbelievable, I thought. Then I went to the coast to see for myself. The pouring rain and gusty winds lent some reality to the scenes I saw, but nothing of the terror that those who rode it out experienced in the dark of the night.

On the Bolivar Penisula, about 95% of all habitation was erased. I was reminded instantly of the images of Banda Aceh after the tsunami. Today, all that remains are heaps of debris over the sandy, flat area; thousands of plastic bags litter the landscape, trapped in wire fences, around pilings, even amongst the fallen gravestones in the cemetery. The authorities have collected hundreds of fridges, stoves, washing machines, TVs, etc. into piles awaiting disposal and still have much work to do before rebuilding commences. Most residents lost everything.

Galveston Island fared a little better and probably 70% or more homes are still standing, though many are condemned. Beachfront restaurants are gone, marked by a few pilings left in the sand. The debris here has been cleared, except for the odd battered car and more unsightly plastic bags. (I swore I would never, ever use one again.)

As I stood and stared at the devastation, I thought mostly about the people who once lived there. The majority evacuated, but a few chose to stay. Of those, about 100 died. The survivors tell harrowing tales and relive the hurricane with frequent nightmares. I heard about miracles, unbelievable luck, and extraordinary courage.

There must be thousands more stories of survival, rescue, and loss to be told and I hope a writer in Texas is gathering them for a book.

For more images, please visit
www.flickr.com/photos/beaconlit

INSPIRATION STRIKES IN THE ODDEST PLACES

2009-03-18T18:59:00.003-07:00

Last week, I came up with an idea for a series of books for boys, aged 10-13, who find reading a challenge. I was winging my way to Texas for a week's holiday and, bored with the book I was reading, began to stare out the window. Suddenly an idea began to niggle away at me and I let it meander around freely in my mind.

Within about fifteen minutes, I was yanking my small notebook out of my backpack. Less than an hour later, I had a list of thirty, yes thirty, settings. Not only that, I had sketched out the premise for a publisher for the 10,000 word books with a young hero for each.

The ideas simply poured out in a flow so fast, I could hardly get them down on paper. I suspect that all it took was relaxation and a blank mind for the ideas to surface in my consciousness. It was breathtaking!

TWITTERING - JOIN ME!

2009-03-09T19:52:00.010-07:00

I am now "twittering" and invite all friends and fellow-writers to join me in this experiment.

You can join up at www.twitter.com and then click on the "Find People" (upper right) and follow me by entering "JulieHFerguson" (use the upper case where I have). I'm hoping we can motivate each other to get more words onto our hard drives...

HEARD AT MY WRITERS' GROUP THIS MORNING

2009-03-05T16:27:00.004-08:00

The leader of my writers' group, Eileen Kernaghan (www.eileenkernaghan.ca), told us of a new article about literary agents in North America written by Canadian agent, Carolyn Swayze. Her excellent piece is featured in the Writers' Union of Canada electronic newsletter for Winter/Spring 2009.

Ms. Swayze provides a clear picture of how literary agents work in today's electronic world, what attracts them and what does not, and explains how they are paid and how much.

The article is a must-read for anyone thinking of approaching an agent for representation, whether previously published or an aspiring author. Ms. Swayze concludes her piece with a surprising opinion that will cheer the unpublished... go to www.writersunion.ca/e_w_smarts.html.

KINDLE 2 AND NEGOTIATING PUBLISHING CONTRACTS

2009-02-19T19:32:00.003-08:00

Amazon's Kindle 2 (e-reader) has new functionality. The device now sports an ability to transform an electronic book into speech, which means into an audio book.

As most publishing contracts handle e-rights and audio rights as separate secondary (subsidiary) rights, authors need to make sure that contracts that include a Kindle version, also pay them for audio rights.

Read this important article on the subject - third para:
http://www.authorsguild.org/advocacy/articles/e-book-rights-alert-amazons-kindle-2.html

FAMILY MEMORY AND LEGACY BOOKS, AND MUCH MORE

2009-02-11T09:40:00.012-08:00

BLS is pleased to announce a new presentation:

Create and Self-publish Stunning Family Memory Books, Travel Memoirs, Cookbooks, Histories...

If you have more digital photos than you know what to do with, this session is for you. For details, please visit: www.beaconlit.com/FamilyBooks.htm.

MADE THE TOP 100 WRITING BLOGS!

2009-02-06T09:40:00.008-08:00

I 've just heard that this blog of mine has been named to the Top 100 Creative Writing Blogs by Best Colleges Online. The list is divided into sections and the BLS Blog is in the "Getting Published" section, along with eleven others. Exactly where I want it to be...

You can find the top 100 at: http://www.bestcollegesonline.com/blog/2009/02/05/top-100-creative-writing-blogs/

MOBIPOCKET AND AMAZON KINDLE BOOK VERSIONS

2009-02-03T17:09:00.025-08:00

In 2008, the N. American sales of print books dropped and looks as if it will again in 2009. By contrast, the sales of e-books rose 80% and the major publishers are already digitizing backlists as well as publishing new books electronically from the get-go. There are over 200,000 titles available and counting.

...Take a look at this video clip (Canadian) about e-books ...

Thanks to Bristlecone Pine Press in the US, my bestseller Book Magic is now available in both Mobipocket and Amazon Kindle versions.

For Blackberries, iPhones, iTouch
USD$6.99 - click here

For Amazon Kindle e-reader
USD$6.99 - click here