7 WAYS TO GET OVER THE REJECTION BLUES

In case you just landed here from some distant planet, let me let you in on a little secret...

If you're submitting your manuscript to any agents or publishers, you WILL get rejected. More than once. Maybe enough to lose track. The initial sting never changes. The hopeful surge of anticipation quickly followed by the sharp pang of disappointment. It comes with being a member of this wild and wonderful industry that is part subjective, part hard work, and part luck. But while you can't get around the 'no entry" message hidden within every politely worded rejection letter, there are ways to help get over the rejection blues. 

HAVE A GOOD CRY... 
     
Or a good scream off the top of some grassy knoll. Take a moment to acknowledge the pain and get it out of your system. Beat a pillow. Throw some darts. Stomp through the house saying it's unfair. You're human and of course it hurts. But remember...you are in this for the long haul and drowning in a pity pool will only keep you from your dream agent...or your dream publisher...or whatever lofty writing goal you have set for yourself. So have a good cry and then move on.
    
GO FOR A WALK...

Return to the gym. Or if you're like me, head to a martial arts training facility and kick something. Do something physical to take your mind off of those little gremlins running around in your head trying to tell you you're not good enough for this kind of life. Because you are. Know how I know? Because despite the fact you KNOW there will be rejections coming your way, you're still brave enough to send your story out into the world all alone while you wait at home hoping for good news. So go for a walk and reconnect to why you do this thing you love so much.

HANG OUT WITH BEN & JERRY...

Come on, you know sometimes the only thing that can take the edge off the rejection blues is a pint of Chocolate Peppermint Crunch. So go ahead and give yourself permission to grab some Ben & Jerry...just don't go diving into a gallon of the stuff...you'll wake up after crashing down off that sugary wave wondering just what the heck happened.

DON'T TAKE IT PERSONALLY...

I know it can be hard to do. Impossible sometimes if that rejection letter is particularly harsh. But most people "play nice" these days so the generic letdowns are usually easy enough to deal with. There are many reasons why our manuscripts get rejected...i.e.similar stories in the publishers existing lineup, not a good overall fit for the agency, not enough of a passionate connection for the agent or publisher to fight for it. That does NOT mean your story stinks, it just means it's not right for that particular person. Remember the whole subjective thing I mentioned earlier? Keep that in mind and try not to take those letters personally.

REMEMBER PRIOR SUCCESSES

Julie Hedlund, creator of 12 X 12 forum at http://www.juliehedlund.com/membership-forum/, is currently offering a free 12 day program to help writers get off to the right start in this new year. One of the ways is to make a conscious list of prior successes, no matter how small. Sometimes when there is a hurdle placed in front of us, it's easier to think NOTHING has gone right. But even something as small as adding another paragraph to an existing story validates your worth as a writer and serves as a reminder that you are still heading in the right direction.

SHARE WITH OTHERS

Writing is a lonely occupation to begin with so when we get a rejection letter, it can be easy to think we are the only ones going through this. This may be the time to reach out to others who have experienced the same disappointment. See how they have dealt with the blues and come away better able to deal with that part of the publishing path we are all on. One word of caution though. Drawing on the loving support of this wonderful writing community is one thing...putting down or talking negatively about the person generous enough to review your manuscript and give their subjective opinion as to whether it's right for them or not is unbecoming of a true writing professional and will always do more harm than good. 
 
KEEP ON WRITING

Probably the most important thing to remember when you are feeling the rejection blues is to keep on writing. Every day. Your creativity and storytelling ability is a muscle which will atrophy if not used on a regular basis. It's also proven the more you write, the better the chance you will improve your overall writing skill. If the rejection letter offers specific reasons as to why your manuscript was turned down, take the time to seriously consider the merits of the reasons. But no matter what, just like Dory in Finding Nemo, when it comes to your writing...just keep swimming, just keep swimming...

I hope you learned something new today and be sure to check back tomorrow for the next post in my month long celebration!

You can preorder my book, THE STORY CATCHER, now through Amazon, www.amazon.com, or Barnes & Noble, www.barnesandnoble.com. It is available in both ebook and print copies. Here is the book blurb and book trailer.




 

 

Blurb:
 
Addie comes from a long line of readers, or "story catchers," as her family likes to call themselves. Every time Addie tries to catch a story on her own, though, the words play tricks on her. Addie tries everything she can think of to corral those wiggly letters, but it will take a little faith to become the next STORY CATCHER.
 
Trailer: 

5 Common Myths About Getting Published, Part Two

***This is PART TWO of a five part series to uncover some myths about becoming a published author.  Make sure to come back next week and find out more insider secrets about the writing industry!***

Last week I talked about the first myth in this series where some new writers think you need to have a college degree in children's literature or writing before you can actually call yourself a writer. If you missed last week's post you can go here to check it out.

Now I'd like to talk about the next myth some new writers think is necessary to become a published author.

MYTH #2...YOU NEED AN AGENT TO GET A FOOT IN THE DOOR

I worked hard my first year as a "professional" writer to strengthen my writing skills. I also started setting goals for my writing career and one of those goals was to land an agent. I thought the ONLY way to become an author was to find an agent willing to represent me and then THEY would magically get my stories published. 

I was wrong.

There are many larger publishing houses that won't consider an unagented submission, but there are still ways for writers today to get their work in front of a publisher. Here are some of the opportunities I have come across over the years where writers don't need an agent to get noticed by a publishing house...


1) WRITE ON CON (http://www.writeoncon.com)...a FREE, week long writers conference usually held in August and including things like critique forums, guest speakers, twitter pitches, editor chats and chances to pitch to publishing houses. 

2) PITCHMAS (http://www.pitchmas.blogspot.com)...Twitter pitch forum under #Pitchmas usually held twice a year in July and December. Agents and publishers requests manuscripts pitched during a one day pitch party and even publishing houses not normally open to unagented submissions will occasionally sign on to read the pitches.

3) PITMAD (http://www.brenda-drake.com/pitmad)...Twitter pitch party held four times a year under #Pitmad and hosted by author Brenda Drake where writers pitch their completed manuscripts to agents and editors. This is where I met my editor, Jessica Schmeidler, from Anaiah Press and where my story went from a twitter pitch to a book contract in SIX DAYS!

4) #MSWL (http://www.twitter.com)...Twitter forum where agents and publishers list their manuscript "wish lists".  Just do a search for #MSWL and the wish lists will pop up. Just make sure to research any agents or publishing houses before submitting and ALWAYS follow the publishing house's guidelines to make sure your manuscript has the best chance at being considered.


For those of you interested in pursuing agency representation, here are a couple of ways to bypass the slush pile as well as some agents looking to add to their client list...

1) JULIE HEDLUND'S 12 X 12 FORUM (http://www.juliehedlund.com)...in my humble opinion, probably one of THE best pipelines to get your work into the hands of agents. Registration is closed for this year but any writer serious about their career and interested in finding an agent should definitely check this forum out! 

2) RATE YOUR STORY (http://www.rateyourstory.blogspot.com)...not only can you receive FREE professional critique ratings on your picture book stories up to 2000 words, creator Miranda Paul also provides membership levels where writers can receive special newsletters loaded with contests and insider links to agent opportunities.

3) AGENT WHITLEY ABELL (http://www.inklingsliterary.com)...newer agent looking for Middle Grade, Young Adult and select Upmarket Women's fiction. She loves mythology, heartbreaking contemporary novels, historical suspense, and cute romantic comedies.

4) AGENT ALEXANDER SLATER (http://www.tridentmediagroup.com)...established agent looking for children's, middle grade, and young adult fiction and nonfiction. 

5) AGENT RENEE NYEN (http://www.ktliterary.com)...newer agent looking for Young Adult and Middle Grade fiction. She is interested in YA historical fition, mystery, science fiction, and thrillers.

For myself, I am searching for agent to partner with because it is right decision for my future writing career. However, I encourage every writer out there looking to become published to do their due diligence and research the market. Maybe you aren't looking for agent representation. While a writer can still become a published author without one, like I did, there are still huge advantages to being represented by an agent so make the decision that is right for YOU and remember no matter what path you choose...agented or free lance...it STILL all starts with a great story!

What other opportunities, publishing houses open to unagented submissions, or agents looking for new clients have I missed? Add to my list by commenting below...

Happy Anniversary To Me!

Sometimes in the rush to balance everything on my plate, I forget just how far I have come with this blog. I realized last night that today, December 6, 2013, is my official TWO YEAR BLOG ANNIVERSARY. Time to do the happy dance!

Then I had to stop and catch my breath for a second. Two years. Two wonderfully, turbulent, mesmerizing, overwhelming years where i worked hard to take this blog from an audience of one...thank you, Janet...to something much, much bigger. I looked over this blog's current stats and thought I would share just how far I have come in twenty-four little months:

Number of posts written or hosted...500

Number of pageviews...253,721 (That's a QUARTER OF A MILLION VIEWS PEOPLE!)

Number of followers...2525 (People who follow me or this blog through Blogger, Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Tumbler, and Quora.)

Number of countries visiting...19 (This little blog is read in the United States as well as Ireland, England, Scotland, Canada, Russia, Germany, Australia, India, Malaysia, Philippines, China, France, New Zealand, Spain, South Korea, Bahamas, Bangladesh, and the Ukraine.)

Excuse me while I take a moment to put my head between my knees. My world is spinning with the possibility there are actually that many people who freely choose to stop by this blog. I am honored and humbled by such kindness and will strive to keep my posts worthy of such expectations.

These past two years have been a series of ups and downs. Some of the downsides included my Yahoo account being hacked and some people were worried I was stuck in some third world country without enough money to get home. Fortunately my friends were intelligent enough to know I never left Tennessee, so a simple change of passwords and creation of a different email account resolved that problem. Another downside was more insidious and ongoing. An ex-student of mine chose to stalk this blog and attempt to post comments which just meant I had to block the multiple accounts as they were set up, tag them as spam, and delete the comments. Small price to pay to keep my readers safe. The stalking continues but as long as that student chooses to refrain from posting comments, who am I to prevent them from enjoying my posts? Maybe they will learn something along the way...

The ups have been far greater in number. I have participated in three of Tara Lazar's PiBoIdMo challenges and came out a winner with 98 PB ideas to show for it. I have participated in Julie Hedlund's 12 X 12 forum where I now have 10 completed manuscripts and 19 works in progress under my belt. My FREE AUTHOR PROMOTION grew from 31 authors participating the first year with 350 autographed items to 43 authors this past year and 1000 autographed items! I've submitted some of my stories to 53 agents, received 2 requests for additional submissions, and managed to get one of my stories published in January of this year through Chicken Soup For The Soul: Angels Among Us edition. My WRITERLY WISDOM series (which is sadly coming to a close at the end of December) has been a joy to host where all kinds of lovely authors, agents, and illustrators have taken the time to share their own wisdom with my readers. And then there was my RAYS OF SUNSHINE blog post which has received over 15,000 page views to date! You can check it out if you'd like by clicking on the link...http://donasdays.blogspot.com/2012/05/rays-of-sunshine.html. I'm not sure why that particular post connected with so many people but it sure makes me giddy inside to realize it has!

So what's in store for the new year? 

You know me. Forever changing, forever evolving. I gave it a lot of thought and have decided to make a few changes with my readers in mind and to continue my mission to support this wonderful writing community as much as I can. With that in mind, here is my new blogging schedule beginning in January:

Monday...my readers will still receive inspirational posts but I might expand it a bit more instead of just focussing on writing analogies.

Wednesday...as an extension of my FREE AUTHOR PROMOTION, I will create my BOOK NOOK REVIEWS in which I will shine the spotlight on various authors who have kindly provided autographed books as part of my giveaways during my city's Children's Festival of Reading every May. This way, not only do I get the chance to show off their books to the over 15,000 people who walk by my booth each year, but I will now expand that FREE AUTHOR PROMOTION to my over 2500 followers...and maybe THEIR followers as well as I help spread the word about great books!

Fridays...I'm trying something new. I'm calling it my TALES FROM THE BAYOU. Whenever I tell stories about some of the things that have happened to me both as a child  growing up in the swamps of Louisiana and as a young woman trying to find her way in the world, people have said, "you aught to write a book!" So I figure, why not just tell you about the wild and crazy things that helped me become the person I am today?  Some of my tales will be good for a chuckle, some might bring tears to your eyes, and some might even touch your heart. At least that is what I will set out to attempt and you, my dear readers, will let me know if I succeed or not.

Well, there you have it! A look back at the past two years of this blog and my life as a writer. What will the next two years hold? Maybe an agent offering representation? Maybe a book deal? Maybe another Chicken Soup story to add to my collection?

I can only hope...

Stand Up And Take A Bow..

Last week I gave thanks for the bumps on my road to publication. Thanks for those obstacles in my way, hell bent on challenging the notion I can become an author some day. I said I was grateful for a thankful heart which sees hardships for what they truly are...a chance to reaffirm a dream I'm trying to make into a reality.

With Thanksgiving only three days away, I think it's time to also say a prayer of thanks for the people who have joined me on this journey and who have blessed me with their friendship, their loving support, and  their words of wisdom as I continue to grow as a writer. To all those kindred spirits who have achieved their personal writing goals this year,  I cheerfully do the happy dance in their honor. To those merry cheerleaders who lifted me up when I doubted myself, you don't know how thankful I am for the strength of your support during the times I needed it the most. 

But to a few very special people who have gone far beyond the casual camaraderie to help mentor and impart their own brand of kindness, they will always have a special place in my heart:

Susanna Leonard Hill...the first author to say a kind word to me. Susanna has done everything from providing incredibly insightful critiques of my manuscripts to providing words of advice when I'm struggling with understanding this path I'm on. I don't think she fully understands how much I admire her both as a writer and as an individual.

Beth Stilborn ...the first person in this writing community to make me feel truly welcomed. We met online through PiBoIdMo and I have sought Beth's counsel many times over the years on both personal and professional matters. She has a sweet, loving spirit and I'm honored to call her my friend.

Tara Lazar...the amazing founder of PiBoIdMo. If it wasn't for her drive to create an event for picture book writers, I quite literally wouldn't be writing this post. I met Tara during PiBo two years ago and my very first blog post back in December of 2011 was to thank her for making my dream of becoming an author just a little bit more real. I admire her courage and determination to stay true to herself and to uphold the integrity of the written word.

Julie Hedlund...dynamic leader of the 12 X 12 forum for picture book writers. Before I met Julie, I had attempted to query one editor after almost three years of writing. It was a horrible query letter which of course was promptly rejected and it wasn't until I joined as a GOLD member of her 12 X 12 forum that I gained the confidence to send my manuscripts out into the world. She and I have had many conversations about the life of a writer and I consider her a good friend and wise mentor.

Writers are known for having a way with words but right now all I can say is thank you ladies for being a friend to me. Most people never find out they've made a difference in someone else's life. Now the whole world will know how you all made a tremendous difference in mine and what better time to express my thanks than at Thanksgiving?

(Thank You For Being A Friend by Andrew Gold)

Looking To The Future

Yesterday was a time of reflection.  It was my birthday and every year at this time I look back at the past 365 days.  I take a moment to say my goodbyes to the not so great moments since my last birthday and remind myself of all the wonderful blessings I've enjoyed over the past twelve months.

Goodbye to...

1. Restful sleep.  For some reason I am not sleeping as well as I have in the past. I have calculated that over the eleven weeks of summer I will have lost over 220 hours of sleep which equates to 27 1/2 DAYS of sleep at summers end which I can't get back.

2. My old mailbox. Things have been exceptionally quiet on the other side of the hedges and I can only pray it stays that way. My new mailbox isn't looking quite so new after the last 4 am party but it's still hanging in there and for that I am grateful.

3. Household clutter. I have been gathering things in preparation of a yard sale next month and my study is starting to pile up. I'm counting down the days and hopefully when it's over my house will be a little more empty and my pockets a little more full.

4. Rejection letters. I'm collecting those like trophies. All are wonderfully positive but in the end I am discovering my voice is too unique for this market. Either I need to uncover an agent who will boldly go where no agent has gone before...or I need to check out new markets.

Hats off to...

1. Publication. My short story "Shortcut To Peace" was picked up by Chicken Soup For The Soul: Angels Among Us and released in January of this year. It was a much needed validation that at least some of my writing has merit.

2. Picture Books. I started off last year with not even a strong idea for a story and now, after PiBoIdMo and 12 X 12, I have 9 solid stories with 5 of them ready for querying and the other four in final revision stages.

3. WIPs. I have 16 other works in progress where I have written the basic outline or even written a very rough draft but need to go further with them.

4. Novels. I worked some on Lacey's Bridge but it has been Lunadar: Homeward Bound which has captured my passion at the moment.  So little time and so much of this story floating around in my head and nowhere to go until I can free up some moments for my writing.

5. Nonfiction. Expanding in an arena I have had an interest in for more than a year.  Working on research is like searching for buried treasure! Can't wait to see what I uncover next.

6. Contests and submissions. I have spent time this year doing a lot of submissions. Agents, Contests. Magazines. I'm testing the waters and narrowing my search for representation.

7. Participating in Julie Hedlund's 12 X 12. Where else are you GUARANTEED an agent specializing in picture books will actually read your story? And in most cases, they are providing valuable feedback on how to improve our writing.

8. Rejection letters. Yeah, you read correctly. Hats go off to these as well because in the whole scheme of things they assure me that I am doing the right thing. I am getting myself familiar with the processes involved in getting my work seen by the right people. Those letters might contain NOs for now, but one day soon there will be a YES and then I will be forever grateful for the ones who taught me perseverance.

Goodbye to my old life when I was a year younger. I better grab some sunglasses. I'm looking to the future and my future is looking pretty bright!!

WRITERLY WISDOM WEDNESDAY: Donna L Martin

The Virtual Bookcase

By Donna L Martin

If your home office bookcase looks anything like mine, it is crammed with all kinds of books on the craft of writing.  We can never have too many books on how to improve our writing.  But sometimes we  want to brush up on our writing skills and we're nowhere near home.  That's where trusty little ebooks step in to make sure we aren't missing our opportunities to grow as a writer.  Below are just a few of the many FREE ebooks about writing I've come across over the years that are now stored on my virtual bookcase...just waiting for me to come by, select one, and curl up with my Kindle in a comfy chair for a little ME time. 

Have you discovered your own FREE ebook favorites on the craft of writing I might have overlooked?  Let us know about them in the comments...

1. Children’s Book Insider Clubhouse…www.cbiclubhouse.com…11 Steps To Writing Your First Children’s Book (enter your email address on right of screen to receive ebook link in email)
2. Steve Barancik…www.best-childrens-books.com…How To Write A Children’s Book (http://www.best-childrens-books.com/how-to-write-a-childrens-book.html)
3. Joanna Penn…www.thecreativepenn…Author 2.0 Blueprint (click on the button on top of screen)
4. Book Baby…www.bookbaby.com…The How-To Guide For Writers (http://www.bookbaby.com/free-publishing-guides)
5. SEO Discovery…www.seodiscovery.org…Free SEO Course…(http://www.seodiscovery.org/free-seo-course#axzz2Z3eOmACB)
6. Julie Hedlund… www.juliehedlund.com…Free Submissions Guide (enter your email address on right of screen to receive ebook link in email)
7. Working Writer’s Club…www.workingwritersclub.com…How To Become A Writer: Make Money Writing NOW (enter your email address on right of screen to receive ebook link in email)
8. Write To Done…www.writetodone.com…The Nearly Ultimate Guide To Better Writing (enter your email address on right of screen to receive ebook link in email)
9. Mira Reisberg…wwwmirareisberg.com…7 Tips To Creative Happiness (enter your email address on right of screen to receive ebook link in email)
10. Simone Haplan…www.picturebookpeople.com…Write A Dynamic Picture Book: 10 Keys To Success (enter your email address on left of screen to receive ebook link in email)
11. Freelance Writing…www.freelancewriting.com…Online Writing Jobs For Freelance Writers… (http://www.freelancewriting.com/ebooks/ebook-online-writing-jobs-for-freelance-writers.php) **You have to sign up for a free account to access free ebook**
12. Freelance Writing…www.freelancewriting.com…How To Write Fiction Stories With Substance (http://www.freelancewriting.com/ebooks/ebook-how-to-write-fiction-stories-with-substance.php) **You have to sign up for a free account to access free ebook**
13. Freelance Writing…www.freelancewriting.com…How To Plan A Home Office That Works (http://www.freelancewriting.com/ebooks/book-how-to-plan-a-home-office-that-works.php) **You have to sign up for a free account to access free ebook**
14. Freelance Writing…www.freelancewriting.com…How To Use Art And Imagery In Your Writing… (http://www.freelancewriting.com/ebooks/ebook-artistic-freelance-writing.php) **You have to sign up for a free account to access free ebook**
15. Jane Friedman…www.janefriedman.com…How To Publish An Ebook… (http://janefriedman.com/2013/04/21/how-to-publish-an-ebook) **This isn’t exactly an “ebook”, but it is an extensive resource guide on how to MAKE an ebook**

I've been writing since I was eight years old but only decided in 2010 to start writing professionally.

I write children's picture books, chapter books, and young adult novels as well as essays, poetry and anything else that interests me.  I am the host of the WRITERLY WISDOM series where authors and established writers give tips on the writing process as well as the host of my international FREE AUTHORS PROMOTION event held every May during my city's Children's Festival of Reading.

My blog is one way of connecting with the world around me and a better way of making new friends! You can leave a comment on one of my posts or you can reach me through any of my other links:

      Blog:  www.donnalmartin.com

      Twitter:  www.twitter.com/donasdays

      Facebook:  www.facebook.com/donna.martin.9440

      Email:  www.donasdays@gmail.com

Second Annual Free Authors' Promotion

(courtesy of Knox County Public Library)

A view from the Sunsphere at this year's Children's Festival of Reading

Last weekend was my second annual FREE AUTHORS' PROMOTION event at my city's Children's Festival of Reading.  I thought last year's event was amazing but I was blown away by this year's participants.  I ended up with 49 authors and over 1000 autographed items for my FREE GIVEAWAY!

It was rainy and muddy when I was trying to set up my booth (if you look at the line of smaller tents on the right side of the photo above, my booth was the blue one at the beginning of the row in the back.  I was right across from the author signing booth and could literally wave at Sudipta if I would have had the time.  

Despite the overcast clouds, over 12,000 people made it to the festival and I didn't even have time for a potty break as people were constantly stopping by to either register for the free books, pick up the signed swag items, or do the crafts I provided.  The hits at the booth obviously included the books (Susanna Leonard Hill, the little ones fought over your flap books again...;~), the older kids liked the  autographed bookmarks the most and parents loved Julie Hedlund's story app bookmark.  

Just a note for new authors wondering about marketing budgets and what to invest in.  At my booth the business cards, magnets, and large postcards weren't as popular as regular bookmarks, stickers, and Romelle Boas' Casey Chameleon bookmarks with the gummy lizards she attached to them were an absolute hit!

Thanks to everyone who sent me things to display at my booth...I had members of my TKD Street Team handing out cards all over the festival grounds and your lovely bookmarks and postcards are now in the hands of hopefully new fans of your work!

Below are pictures of some of the fun that went on all day long!

(courtesy of Knox County Public Library)

David Claunch, storyteller

(courtesy of Knox County Public Library)

Some of the youngest festival goers having fun!

(courtesy of Knox County Public Library)

Jarret Krosoczka drawing his Lunch Ladies

(courtesy of Knox County Public Library)

Curious George and the crew from Alice In Wonderland

(courtesy of Knox County Public Library)

Bob Shea talking about his Dinosaur vs series with young volunteers

(courtesy of Knox County Public Library)

Kerry Madden, author of Nothing Fancy

(courtesy of Knox County Public Library)

Friends of the Library Used Book Sale

(courtesy of Knox County Public Library)

Wah Lum Lion Dancers performing for the crowd

(courtesy of Knox County Public Library)

Our very own Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen meeting fans

(courtesy of Knox County Public Library)

Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen during her author showcase talk

(courtesy of Knox County Public Library)

Musician Jim Gill entertaining the crowd

(courtesy of Knox County Public Library)

Play Village youngsters having fun in the sand!

(courtesy of Knox County Public Library)

The Tennessee Valley Fair Chicken

(courtesy of Knox County Public Library)

Bob Shea & Jarrett Krosoczka autographing books for their fans

(courtesy of Knox County Public Library)

Debbie Diesen, Author of Pout Pout Fish

(courtesy of Knox County Public Library)

Junior League's Kids In The Kitchen performance

(courtesy of Knox County Public Library)

Author and storyteller, Sherry Norfolk

(courtesy of Knox County Public Library)

Curious George led the Parade of Books through the festival grounds

(courtesy of Knox County Public Library)

Allan Wolf entertaining the crowds

I can't wait until next year!

WRITERLY WISDOM: Beth Stilborn

It's time once again for WRITERLY WISDOM where every Wednesday we will sneak a peek into the world of writing and publication.   I am so happy my next guest blogger agreed to do a post for this series.  I was first introduced to Beth Stilborn when I participated in Tara Lazar’s PiBoIdMo (Picture Book Idea Month) in November 2011 and I consider her a good friend.  Take it away Beth…

To Blog or Not To Blog: A few thoughts on writer blogging, the hows, whys, pleasures and pitfalls

By Beth Stilborn

As writers consider how to “build our platform,” we often ask, “Should I have a blog or a website? What should I blog about?”

Blog or website? I suggest you start with a fairly simple blog, one that allows for “pages” behind tabs. You can move to a full website later, if you choose. An example is Julie Hedlund’s website. Julie started out with a blog but as her career in writing expanded she had a website built which includes her blog and much more.

What platform should I use? Many companies provide blogging capabilities, and each has advantages and disadvantages. For most bloggers, I think either Wordpress or Blogger is simplest. Both offer free blog-hosting and are customizable.

Blogger offers Google Friend Connect, an easy way for people to follow your blog, flexibility in pages and add-ons, and good statistics information.

Sylvia Liu has suggestions to make your Blogger blog more like a website.

Wordpress is comparable, but without Google Friend Connect. I found Wordpress.com to be limited in widget capabilities (which allow for lists, and other add-ons along the sidebar.) It provides some flexibility, and good statistics.

Wordpress.org is the paid version, which gives widget capability, but few statistics, and less flexibility for post appearance. It’s a seesaw of positives and negatives, whichever you choose.

What url to choose? I advise you to use your name for your blog address, in the way it is (or will be) used on your books. That allows a reader, editor or agent to find your blog easily. Purchase your name’s url even if you’re not ready to set up your blog or website.

Content: The content of your blog is the most important consideration. It is what you write that will attract people to your blog and keep them coming back, not the appearance.

What do you have to share? What will show your area of expertise? Does much of your writing focus on a topic such as sports or science? Incorporate that. You don’t have to stick exclusively to one topic, but let that special interest show through so that a reader – or editor or agent – sees the basis for the focus in your writing.

Joanna Marple has a particular interest in endangered animals, and Miss Marple’s Musings highlights this in many creative ways. Patricia Tilton’s blog, Children’s Books Heal, focuses on special needs kids.

You may say, “I have too many interests to narrow my blog so much!” So do we all, but for building a platform it’s best to highlight one or two areas.

Some people, like Susanna Leonard Hill, find ways to reach out and involve others through their blog posts. Her Would You Read It Wednesdays and Perfect Picture Book Fridays allow an eclectic platform.

Cautions: It’s great to blog about the writing process, but leave giving actual writing advice to the experts.

It’s best not to post your manuscripts (in part or in whole). Besides the potential for plagiarism, many editors consider something to have been published once it’s on a blog, and don’t want to publish something that’s already freely available. To demonstrate your writing abilities, it’s better to use writing that you don’t plan to submit.

Copyright: Simply stated, if it isn’t yours, don’t post it on your blog without permission. This applies to photographs and artistic images as well as writing. Just because you can find a photo through google images doesn’t mean it’s okay to use it on your blog. Use a site that offers images for legal free use or a service such as Fotolia through which you can purchase licensing rights to images.

To read more of what I’ve learned about copyright, check out my three-part blog series.

Brevity: This post notwithstanding, brief posts are best. The sweet spot is about 500 words, although sometimes a post will be necessarily longer.

It’s easier on your reader’s eyes if the paragraphs are kept brief.

Scheduling: Schedule one, two or three posts a week. If circumstances prevent you from blogging, give your readers a heads-up.

Overkill: You may have many things you want to say in separate posts, or many books you want to review. Space these out over the weeks. Six or seven blog posts coming in from the same person over a period of a couple of hours can cause a follower to delete without reading after a while.

Format: You’re competing for people’s attention with thousands of other blogs. You need to catch their interest with a hook sentence and keep their interest with a good post.

Keep your font simple, not too large or bold, easy to read. Note: light text on a dark background is very difficult to read. A “busy” background or sidebar can detract from the overall effect of your blog.

You can learn much about format at Laura B. Writer’s blog. (Search for the word critique in her blog’s search box.)

Comments: Comments are one of the perks of blogging. It’s common courtesy to respond to comments left on your blog. (When you get to the point that your posts have a couple of hundred comments on them, we’ll cut you some slack!) Comments build friendships, community, and that all-important platform.

Some people use Disqus for the comments on their blogs, which allows them to respond both on their blog and via email. I’ve heard positives and negatives about Disqus, but have not used it myself.

It is also crucial to read other people’s blogs and comment on them. The more you involve yourself with others’ blogs, the more they’ll involve themselves with yours.

Purpose: A personal blog can be random. A writer’s blog needs to have focus.

What do you want your public to know and what is it not necessary for them to know? They don’t need to know that you cleaned the bathroom yesterday – they do need to know what sort of a writer you are, what drives your imagination, what you read.

What would you want an editor or agent to see if they checked your blog? Heed this agent’s post – don’t air your dirty writing-laundry on your blog.

For more about blogs, check out Kristen Lamb’s post on blogging in which she calls it “an author’s most powerful social media tool”, and Robert “My Name is Not Bob” Lee Brewer’s blog.

Joy: Blogging can be, and usually is, a joy. It is a great way to hone your writing skills. It is a way to build community as you interact with your readers and reach out to other bloggers. I wish you that joy!

Beth Stilborn lives in a prairie city, and writes in a converted bedroom in her apartment, but she’s often elsewhere in her imagination! Most, but not all, of her writing projects (picture books, chapter books, middle grade fiction, adult fiction) include a focus on the arts, particularly theatre and music.

Beth blogs about “reading, writing, the arts and life” at By Word of Beth. She is a member of SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators), CANSCAIP (Canadian Society of Children’s Authors, Illustrators and Performers), the Saskatchewan Writers Guild, the online Children’s Book Hub, and 12x12 in 2013. Along with Emma Walton Hamilton, she is co-host of the Children’s Book Hub Facebook Group.

You can find Beth at her blog, http://www.bethstilborn.com

on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bethstilbornwrites

and on Twitter: https://twitter.com/BethStilborn