Monday, January 21, 2008

Writing Book Recommended

I mentioned that the Christian Writer’s Market is a great resource for writers, at any stage in our journey. I wanted to tell you about some of the features the compiler, Sally Stuart, offers each year, as a new edition is published. The 2008 edition I ordered hasn’t arrived yet, so I am looking at my 2006 edition.

Writers today have to familiarize ourselves with the business side of writing, in addition to learning top notch writing skill. The days of Henry Thoreau, or Jane Austen or Leo Tolstoy, when writing talent alone sufficed for acclaim and selling books, are long past. We need to know about the dreaded field of marketing ourselves, for heaven’s sake.

I, for one, would prefer simply to write, and submit queries to magazines and book publishers.

Sally Stuart’s CWM 2006 offers info on topics including Blogging, Find Quotes, Book Reviewers, Ethnic Writing, Christian Writers Conferences, Area Writers Groups, Book Promotion and beyond.

This blog is part of my foray into building a platform, as it is called, and I also have a presence at www.shoutlife.com/terrahangen. My blog and the Shoutlife page are free, thank goodness!

Most writers today feel they need a blog and a website, and they are wise when they decide to create these. This does take time away from writing, but is an important piece of the puzzle of being published and selling what we write.
If you have a blog, let me know, and I will visit it.

2 comments:

Mrs. C said...

Terra,
You are right about the challenge and necessity of blending of all of the aspects of the writing life. I set out to write. Now I'm learning the ups and downs of sharing that. Like you, I am a member of shoutlife, but I also am starting a blog for my 2008 book "The Pilgrim's Basket".

You can stop by at http://writethroughme.blogspot.com/
I'd especially enjoy a gardener's insights. The story is about a gardening project. I need to get "growing" as I think about promoting it.

Mary Ellen

Terra said...

Mary Ellen,
I will check your blog tonight.
I am sorry but by accident I clicked "reject" instead of "publish", on your comments about sweet peas.
Please repost if inspired!
Terra