Thursday, January 24, 2008

"Successful publication about getting word out." According to new blog

Seems like an odd name for a blog, doesn't it?

I did that on purpose. That's because today we aren't talking about blogs; we're talking about Press Releases.

Have you ever seen a press release? Do you know how to do one? These are questions that can be answered, to a certain extent, at www.PRWeb.com

Go to this website, http://prweb.com/writing_release.php and follow the free online tutorial to help you craft your press release. Also, look around this website with an eye for marketing.

1. How does this website cause repeat business [look for changing content]
2. How do they get traffic to the site? [Offer helpful service to both sides, writer and editors.]
3. It's not a blog but content is still free and useful. [They do sell a service but look at what I had you link to. Meaningful content to help you with press releases. Don't you think you'll return if you need to do a press release? It is likely.]
4. It's free to sign up [but the service has a fee]. This allows them to get in contact with you to share special offers.

How can you implement one or more of these features in your own marketing? Depending on how a person uses them, press releases can be very helpful, or a waste of time. Likely your publicist at your publishing house will help with the press release but do you have something to say now? Something that is valuable to your community? Take 30 minutes and learn a bit about how these can help.

Now, HIGH 16

I told you yesterday they'd requested my Full MS [manuscript] but if you were following closely you'll realize I'd only written those 40 pages. Now I had an editor wanting to see an entire Manuscript. I remember it was a Tuesday night-and two days before my 30th birthday. Happy Birthday to me!!

We were preparing for Chris' next round of Chemo [which would also be on my 30th birthday]. The story was a wonderful distraction from all that was happening. I couldn't write until after Chris' treatment but when the kids were gone I planned on moving quickly through the story.

On Thursday night, after the kids had left, I sat down to write. The story was moving along but my brain was moving faster than my hands. I was thinking about scenes that would occur for 50 pages.

It caused brain freeze.

I stared at the computer feeling my one chance to be published was fading away. I couldn't get control over these characters. I sat my laptop aside and grabbed my notebook. I started writing one sentence summaries of each scene on my notebook. I scribbled for hours. When I was done I had 12 pages of notebook paper front and back with sentences like:

"She meets him in town. He is handsome. Leaves quickly and asks pharmacist about who was in recently. She's still not certain Mr. Colewick's death accidental."

The cryptic little sentences were enough to job my memory later. However, I still had to get the book written. And all I had was 12 pages of "scene sentences". I didn't know it yet but I had created something that would completely revolutionize my writing.

I started writing scenes based on my notes. I was amazed how quickly the scenes were flooding out of me. Then I could double back and add red herrings or bits of foreshadowing since every scene was numbered on my paper.

The story was flooding out of me.

I had it written and edited and off in 20 calendar days. And I hadn't had time to write every single day.

I sent it off, ready for my Published career to begin.

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