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E-Writer Issue #5 16 June 2004 http://www.nickdaws.co.uk E-mail: ewriter-at-nickdaws.co.uk "Hints, tips and tricks for wired-up writers" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >>> In This Issue <<< 1. Editorial 2. Article: Why Every Writer Needs a Website 3. Market Info: Miscellany 4. Article: Kwickee Bitesize update 5. Style File: Lie or Lay? 1. Editorial Hello again. And many thanks for being a valued subscriber to E- Writer! I don't usually use this newsletter to blow my own trumpet (well, not much, anyway), but I couldn't resist the opportunity to share this e-mail with you. It came from a guy called Dave James who recently bought a copy of my CD-based course 'Write Any Book In Under 28 Days'. He wrote originally because he was concerned about the time it was taking his CD to arrive (blame the US postal service). Here's what he said: "Thanks for the reply to my email. I did finally receive my CD. I was getting jittery because I needed to complete a script for my TV show. I had a script writer and another freelancer who were writing without contact with me...the person who knew the content for this particular script. I was the person who had the experience and material which could tell them how I wanted the script to be perceived. Anyway, thanks for the reply. I am looking forward to taking over the complete script writing assignment for my TV show. After reading the first module on your CD I do believe I can complete my script even better than the two I had originally contracted to write it. Whew!" In case you're wondering, Dave produces a cable TV show (OK, I admit I hoped he was on the writing team for Seinfeld when I first saw his e-mail!). Anyway, the point is that he saw the potential of some of the ideas and techniques I reveal in my course for writing for TV. Many of these techniques - which range from 'blueprinting' to 'power editing'- can be used for other types of writing as well as books. So if you've not bought my course because your writing interests lie elsewhere, dare I suggest that you might like to think again? Whether your main interest is playwriting, screenwriting, articles, short stories, or something else, the chances are that many of the ideas and techniques in 'Write Any Book in Under 28 Days' will still be relevant to you. And even one of these ideas and techniques - as many purchasers have testified enthusiastically - can boost your writing productivity (and income) many times over. And while I'm on the topic of my course, can I just mention a couple of rather more prosaic reasons why it may be a good idea to buy sooner rather than later? First, for US customers, my publishers may soon be obliged to start adding US sales tax to the price of the course (EU customers already have to pay VAT, unfortunately). And second, for non-US customers, the dollar is still relatively weak against the pound and other currencies. Because the course is priced in dollars, that means you can currently get it at a bargain price. But don't bank on the greenback staying weak forever! If you'd like to know more, you can read a lengthy extract from my course at http://www.nickdaws.co.uk/writeany.htm. There is also a link to my publisher's sales site at the bottom of that web page. I thank you! 2. Article: Why Every Writer Needs a Website If you're a writer and don't have your own website to advertise yourself, you're missing out on a lot of opportunities. How do I know? Well, I've had my own site for about seven years now, and during that time it's brought me dozens, possibly hundreds, of work opportunities. Here are just a few which came my way as a result of people seeing my site... * Hamlyn Publishing (UK) wanting me to write a couple of two- page spreads for a proposed book. * A retired gangster living in Ireland wanting me to help write his memoirs. * A local video company, wanting my help scripting a training video. * A US publishing house wanting me to ghost-write an exposé of malpractice in the insurance industry. * A UK publisher, wanting me to quote for producing a series of city guides for publication on the Internet * And, not least, White Cliff Computing Limited, wanting me to write my recent CD-based course on book writing, and subsequently two further CDs on other topics. I didn't actually take up all of these opportunities. Sometimes I was too busy with other projects (and I must admit the retired gangster scared me a little ;-). However, the point is that none of these approaches would have come my way without a website. There are other benefits as well. If I'm applying for a new writing project or commission, I can simply suggest that the potential client refers to my website if they require any further information. It saves constantly sending out weighty CVs or résumés, and makes me look like a technologically aware, up- to-the-minute sort of guy (this becomes more important when, as in my case, you are no longer in the first flush of youth!). The website also helps me keep in touch with readers of my books, and it provides me with an additional (if small) income stream through advertising. OK, I hear you saying, you've sold me on the benefits of having a website, but I'm a writer, not a tech-head. I don't know how to create my own site, and I don't have the spare cash to hire someone to build one for me. Let's take the latter point first. Getting a website built for you need not be hugely expensive. Freelance writers really don't need whizzy, cutting-edge designs with Flash animation, online databases, shopping trolleys, and so forth. A basic site which showcases you and your work should be more than sufficient. Try entering "website designer" in your favourite search engine and you'll get hundreds of potential designers. Approach a few with details of your requirements and see what responses you get. You may well be pleasantly surprised by the quotes you receive. Website design is a very competitive field - and, of course, the designer you use can be based anywhere in the world. However, if at all possible, I do strongly recommend that you consider building and maintaining your own site. This has all sorts of advantages. For one, you can update it yourself quickly and easily, and you can also create it exactly as you wish. You can add bits, take bits away, try out advertising, start your own newsletter, etc. etc. This is the route I have taken, and although my site is never going to win any awards for its design, it suits my purposes very well. In my time I've used various programs to create and maintain my website, starting with a program called the CompuServe First Web Page Designer (now, I'm sure, residing in software heaven). If I was starting again today, however, I would definitely invest a few bucks in the Newbie Club First Website Builder. This is a four-volume guide to creating, writing, designing, automating, uploading and promoting your own website, in fully illustrated e-book format. As well as the four beautifully written e-books, you get loads of free software, including the Super Easy Mini Site Wizard, which will build a basic site for you in literally minutes. Check out everything on offer in this product at http://tinyurl.com/2syw8. I guarantee it'll blow you away. Even if you decide to hire a professional designer to create your site for you, the Newbie Club First Website Builder will show you everything you need to know in order to take over the running of your site and maintain and update it yourself. Incidentally, the Newbie Club, which is aimed at people new to computing rather than IT specialists, also produces a free email newsletter packed with hints and tips for newcomers to computing - you can sign up to it at http://tinyurl.com/2zgy2 if you wish. Although I've been using PCs for quite a while now, I still subscribe, and regularly pick up useful hints and tips I hadn't been aware of before. 3. Market Info - Miscellany Here are a few more potential markets for you. The first one comes from the National Writers Association website ( http://nationalwritersassociation.co.uk). A ghost-writer is required to help write an autobiography. This mainly concerns situations which arose during WWII. Any author wishing to apply for this contract is asked to send a complete CV/résumé to: Writer, The National Writers Association, PO Box 831, Warrington, WA4 2WG, UK. Please enclose a stamped, addressed envelope [presumably for those living outside the UK an International Reply Coupon would be acceptable]. No deadline is mentioned, unfortunately. Sonecco Interactive is a new audiobook/spoken word publisher based in Sheffield, UK. They are currently in the early stages of developing their first range of general interest titles, and are keen to receive submissions of any material that would lend itself to the audiobook format. They are happy to consider both previously unpublished material and work which may have been published in a non-audio format and for which the audio rights are available for sale. All production and marketing will be taken care of by Sonecco, and royalties paid. Submission details and other information can be found on the Sonecco website at http://www.sonecco.com. If you have a 2.1 degree or better, you might be interested in an opportunity being offered by Degree Essays UK. They are looking for freelance writers to research and write student essays and dissertations. They say earnings of up to 1000 UKP ($1700) per week are possible. It might sound a bit dubious, but they say that students are told they can only use these essays as research material; they can't pass them off as their own. Anyway, if you'd like to find out more, the website is http://www.ukessays.com/writer.html. The well-known UK TV and radio production company Celador is currently accepting scripts for TV and radio comedy shows. Television comedy scripts should be sent to Humphrey Barclay or Vanessa Haynes, Development Executives. Radio scripts (comedy and light entertainment) should be sent to Liz Anstee, Head of Radio. The address is as follows: Celador Productions Ltd, 39 Long Acre, London, WC2E 9LG, UK. They say that if your idea is something that would suit Celador you will be contacted by their office to arrange a meeting. See also the Celador website at http://www.celador.co.uk. Harbinger Books is a US publisher dedicated to publishing "the very best in horror, dark fantasy and mystery titles for the speculative fiction market". Published and unpublished writers are invited to submit novels from 80,000 to 100,000 words in length. They don't publish short story collections and rarely anthologies. Harbinger say they pay professional level advances as defined by the Horror Writers Association and the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America. E-mail submissions should be sent by e-mail to Submissions-at-harbingerbooks.net. Postal submissions should be sent to: Joe Nassise, Editor-in-Chief, Harbinger Books, c/o Revelation Press, 4560 East Hearn Road, Phoenix, AZ 85032, USA. Don't send your manuscript straight off, though. They would first like to see a query letter and a 1-2 page synopsis describing your novel. If this interests them, they will then ask to see sample chapters. Allow six to eight weeks for a reply. See also their website at www.harbingerbooks.net.
Finally, Moving Stories is a celebration of 200 years of railway |