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1 - Because you love it!

Day 5 - Show VS Tell
By: Allie Standifer

Round One: In this corner we have telling.
The shark was swimming quickly.
In this corner we have showing:
The shark swam fast.

Now the second example may sound like an excited six year old, but it's more engaging to your readers. It puts them in the action and dumps any passive phrases. Your main goal is for your readers to immerse themselves in the world you create. It doesn't matter if it's present day Houston, five hundred years ago in Scotland or a bar a thousand years in the future on Pluto.

Show the action, don't just talk about it.
She was running away from the dark and blood-crazed chipmunk
OR
She ran from the blood-drooling chipmunk.

Most of the time you can identify the telling words by the ing. Running, screaming, dancing, jumping, shouting…you get the idea. I like to play with a sentence in my head before I type it. If I need someone to jump from a burning building, I mentally flip it back and forth until I find the best combination of words to draw my reader into the action.

Beware of passive words in any form.

They drag you, your book and ultimately the reader down until no one can remember why the hero and heroine are doing anything. The ing words make the sentence more passive. Make the verb active, in the moment, ready to jump off the page at the reader! This doesn't apply only to fast-action books or mystery who-done-its. These rules apply to the mildest of inspirational Christian books all the way up to hot and heavy sex scenes in the backseat.

Just remember if you keep your characters in the action, your readers will naturally follow along with them.

 

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Day 6 - Expand Your Horizons: Write Travel Articles
by Layla Chase

Not only are freelance sources a chance at earning money for your writing, they are great opportunities to strengthen and broaden your writing skills. A small amount of research with various publishers will clue you in to what they want to see and to focus on when you arrive.

First capitalize on what you know. If you have a vacation home in the mountains or at the shore, look at the area through the eyes of someone seeing it for the first time. What do they want to know? Include details about seasonal events available, range of accommodations and restaurants, climate and something that makes that vacation spot unique. The addition of a few photos highlighting the area will round out the article. Target publishers might be the local newspaper, Automobile Association magazine, chamber of commerce.

Using that same destination, write an article about a different and more specialized aspect. Maybe the beach town has a row of antique shops specializing in artifacts from shipwrecks. Or every August, a street fair showcases artwork by local artists. On the final weekend, a silent auction is held during a wine tasting. Here the article provides more depth and possibly hits twp different market-one focused on the art element and the other concentrating on the various wines.

Traveling with young kids presents special difficulties that only a parent who has lived through the even can truly understand. Slant your article to the helpful tips that made your trip easier. Target publishers are regional or national parenting newsletters or magazines.

Be aware in our changing world that not all information sources can be held in your hands. Consider submitting your articles to the variety of internet ezines and information sites.

Day 7 - Attack of the Time Suckers
By Betty Hanawa

However it's come about, you now are at home full time and can write. You're going to spend the entire day writing.

And then the Time Suckers attack. You end the day having accomplished less on your writing than you did when you spent the day at the soul-sucking day job. Bring those Time Suckers to heel.

Set your priorities

Email needs to be set to automatically go into folders. Anything from an editor needs to be answered promptly. Emails from your critique partner regarding a work in progress can be attended to. Social emails definitely can wait. And for pity's sake, don't get sucked into Mafia Wars or Farm in Facebook. Keep your activity there to a minimum.

Want to keep up on the blogs? Set the ones you want to read to come to you with the RSS feeds. Mine come to Google Reader where I skim the titles and decide if the subject is a "need to know."

Manage Family Obligations

Yes, you have to take your mom to the doctor, the pets to the vet, but carry something with you to write on while you're waiting. Laundry, dusting and vacuuming have to be done, but do it after you've done your daily word count. And make the family help. You may end up with the only kid on the college dorm floor who knows how to do laundry. Combine errands to do all on one day or afternoon.

Writing is your day job now. Treat it as such.

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Day 9 -Character Traits of a Good Writer
By Elle James

 

Hi, I'm Elle James and I'm a writer. Sounds like a confession to an obsession. Well, it is!
Writing is an obsession I'm glad I have. Many people I know are surprised and excited to learn I've become a writer. So often I get the comment, "I've always wanted to write." But outside my writer friends, there are few that take the leap and become a writer. If you sat in a church with 500 people and asked how many have written a book, the chances are that number would be really low. To write a full manuscript and actually get it published makes the odds even greater.

So what makes a good writer? Here are a few of the traits that make a good writer.

Loves to Read

First and foremost a writer should love reading. If you're not writing something you yourself would want to read, then why bother? Most writers get their start because they love to read a good book. Many times a writer will be disappointed by the poor quality of what they are reading. They might even say "I could do better than that!" It's up to the writer who loves to read a good book to create such a thing.

Passionate

A good writer is passionate about her chosen occupation. Passionate about the words she is writing and passionate about the finished product. The passion shows in the writing through the emotions of the characters and the emotional reaction the readers have to the characters the writer breathes to life on the pages. Without passion, the book will be flat, uninteresting and just plain dull. The writer's passion reminds him why she chooses to write. Whether it's to entertain others, for the self-satisfaction of knowing you created a book worthy of publishing or just because you love knowing that others "got the message" in your written words, passion is something everyone wants to feel, live and enjoy throughout their lives. What better place than in your writing?

Thick-skinned

A writer's life may be lonely and sedentary, but by no means is it easy. Writing is NOT for sissies. A thick skin is a must to make it in the business of writing. Criticism is everywhere. From critique partners, to editors to the ultimate readers of your books. If you can't handle the heat, don't step into the lane of fire. Most writers go through many iterations of critiques and edits before their books finally reach the reading public. A writer with a weak backbone would crumble. If you don't already have one, grow a spine!

Observant

- A good writer observes people and events around him/her, always searching for a germ of an idea to seed new stories. People watching is a fertile breeding ground for fresh crops of ideas. Reading and watching television or movies gets the wheels turning, keeps the ideas coming. From news reports to existing movies, books and television, a good writer can put a twist on a story or come up with a spin-off. By watching, reading and experiencing life with her eyes wide open, the writer can be guaranteed a bottomless well of fresh ideas.

Persistent

A good writer is persistent. Not only does the writer have to force herself to sit in a chair day after day, pounding away on a keyboard to get a full manuscript written, she has to sell her work. Rejection after rejection could douse the flame of some of the most passionate people. But not the writer. A writer keeps trying, keeps writing the next great novel. Throw a wet noodle against the wall enough times and eventually it'll stick. It can take years to hone your skills and even more years for an editor to recognize your talent and buy your book. A good writer never gives up.

Makes Criticism work for him

-Writers are subject to loads of feedback on their work. The good writer sifts through the feedback and changes what needs to be changed and tosses the rest. The primary lesson a writer must learn is to be the best judge on when to accept the changes and when to stand up and say no. Some writers refuse to change a thing in their manuscript. An editor wants to know a writer is willing to consider changes. If they aren't, they may not sell the book.

Writes a good story

Bottom line, the most important trait of a good writer is that she can tell a good story. A good story is always in the eye of the beholder. The good writer writes the book of his heart, a tale of characters overcoming obstacles to reach their goals. A good writer makes his reader cheer for the characters, makes the reader lose herself in the story to the point she can't put the book down until the end. It's all about the characters and their story. A good writers sucks them in and won't let go.

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Day 10 - A Time To Write
by Bev Oz

With over 29 million books sold in 2008 and the third-highest grossing movie launch on record, Stephanie Meyer is arguably one of the most popular and famous authors in recent history. Her Twilight book and movie series have earned her instant celebrity, as well as a bundle of money. Like many readers of her books, I researched her background to find out as much as I could about her personal story, hoping to not only feel closer to the author who captured my imagination about young vampire love, but to discover how she accomplished such incredible fame. To my surprise, I learned that, just like the majority of "we" authors and authors-to-be, she started out a regular person. A full-time homemaker and mother to three young boys, Ms. Meyers has said many times she wrote her first book when she could find a spare moment, most often late at night after her children were asleep. Though writing a book and raising three sons literally wore her out physically and mentally, she was driven to write out the story that came to her in a dream.

Stephen King, another celebrated and well-known author, admits to writing every single day - even Christmas. J.K. Rowling, author of the beloved Harry Potter series, only found time to write her first book when her daughter fell asleep in her stroller, and this was after a full day of teaching, grading papers, and creating lesson plans for the following day.

The point, you ask? Well it's perfectly clear. All three of these writers, who write in different genres for different audiences, all have one thing in common regarding their success. They made time to write, every day, even if they only wrote a little. If you want success as a writer, that's exactly what you have to do. Write.

Day 11- Make The Most of Your Vacation Travels
By Layla Chase

In October, my husband and I combined a visit with friends with a 4-state tour of various museums. Our friends live in Spokane, WA and we wanted to visit Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming 500 miles away. Therefore, we leafed through auto club travel books for points of interest.

Prior Planning

Whenever possible, we choose state highways and stopped at roadside historical markers and vista points. Although not tied to a set itinerary, we scoped out museums along the route so we knew the choices available. Entrance fees for Montana museums are good for two days. Annual National Park passes are inexpensive, and a senior lifetime pass costs only ten dollars. In Idaho, we drove the Nez-Perce Trail, visited a mining museum and took a self-guided tour of a mountain firefighters' residence camp-complete with working mules.

Every location has a story

One clear weather day allowed us a quick visit through Yellowstone Park on slushy roads where we sighted coyotes, bison and eagles. That night, we met an Oregonian couple in a Montana restaurant who shared information about wolf pack research occurring in a secluded park valley. Unfortunately, a snowstorm prevented our return to Yellowstone so we headed north to Bozeman's Museum of the Rockies (dinosaur and frontier exhibits) and the American Computer Museum. We viewed C.M. Russell artwork in Helena and walked a historic building tour of downtown Missoula.

Write it down

Every location sparked a story idea and I jotted notes. Pick up brochures everywhere you visit to help jog your memory. Because, like that old Seals & Crofts song, "we may never pass this way again."

Day 12- Lions, Tigers, Bears…Agents...Oh my!
By Allie Standifer

The title might look strange, but those three animals have a lot in common with qualities you want in someone representing you. An agent is essentially your face and name to publishers. You don't want to slip up and have a toothless, vagabond show up trying to sell your work to the easiest bidder. You want an agent with the ruthlessness of a lion, the tenacity of a tiger, and the loyalty of a bear. And those agents are out there, if you're willing to look.

Research!

Research, folks, it's all about taking the time to find the right agent for you. Signing with the wrong agent will feel as good as wearing a pair of shoes two sizes too small…on a marathon. The easiest way to learn basic information is to check out websites. See which authors they represent now, how many books are out, and associations with which publishers are present. Most important, does this agent have any authors who write in your genre? If the answer is no, chances are she/he is not the right one.

Ask for Recommendations

Also ask around the writer's loops. With Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and the million other cyber communities available, there's always someone willing to share information. If a writer loves her agent, she's not going to hesitate to talk him or her up. Same goes if the writer had a bad experience.

Sites about Agents

There are sites dedicated to informing writers all about agents. Simply type in "Literary Agent" in your search engine and watch what comes up. Remember though if an agent looks too good to be true, he or she probably is. Always, always, always ask around if you find an agent that interests you. Get the opinion of established writers. Know who you're dealing with before signing on that dotted line.

A good agent can be your loudest cheerleader and biggest fan. A bad agent can ruin your name, your work and your reputation. It's worth a little time and trouble to investigate someone so involved in your career. After all, when all is said and done, it's all about you.

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Day 13 - Going Back to the Day Job
by Betty Hanawa

Recently, I started a new day job after several years of being at home all day. The first couple of weeks left me physically and mentally exhausted. It has been years since I crunched numbers, plus I've had to learn the terminology, various codes and how to complete different forms. I'm just now beginning to feel like I've got a handle on my time again.

Because my time to write is now more limited, I take my netbook with me nearly everywhere. Frequently in my training, my husband and I have gone to different locations. While he drives, I work on the writing project in progress. I've also made sure I write a minimum of 100 words to a page a day. I won't hit my NaNoWriMo goal, but it keeps me in the story and adds to the word count.

My email groups are now all on digest and I've deleted a number of them or placed them to special notice only. I now delete without reading most FWD email. Blogs come to Google Reader where I skim the titles and decide whether to read them or not. Facebook is done once a week and I've deleted the distracting Twitter updates from my desktop.

I won't quit writing. The day job pays the bills. Writing fills my creative soul

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Day 14 - Local Museums Are Great Values
by Layla Chase

Small, local museums have much to offer-nominal entrance fees, knowledgeable docents, unique research material. On Labor Day weekend, my husband and I traveled about 200 miles to San Angelo, Texas-our goal was to visit a bordello museum. A guided tour of the dozen rooms over a contemporary jewelry store provided facts about the various owners in the fifty-year history before closed by a 1952 raid by Texas Rangers. We snapped pictures to our heart's content and stood in the individual rooms where the prostitutes had lived and worked.

The next day, we visited a railroad museum housed in an abandoned depot. Although small and maintained by volunteers, the museum contained plenty of interesting items. One volunteer (who adopted Randy and plied him with details) had worked in several positions and quoted training information and wages not mentioned in the formal exhibits.
By far, the gem was the Museum of Telephony at Fort Davis. Partially funded by Southwest Bell, this museum's exhibits were more professional and telephones of all shapes and sizes were represented. A delightful 84-year old docent named Mozell responded to our sincere questions and shared scenarios from her long telephone company career. Her details about becoming a contract switchboard operator at the age of 16 sparked a great historical story idea.

Another way to support small museums is to purchase regional books. Written by local authors, these books may be the only source for little-known incidents in that geographic area.

The Point is, make use of local museums for research, story ideas and subplot elements.

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Day 15 - Dialog: Life or Death of a Character
by Allie Standifer

"Thank you," she said.
"You're welcome," he said.

And that, folks, is the way you write boring dialog. You and your readers will be asleep before chapter one is halfway over. You have to remember you're writing (most of the time) about real people with real emotions. Unless your characters are robots then they will have more passion and life. Convey those emotions, show the words. Is your heroine mad? Happy? Crying? The more you give the reader, the more emotionally invested they will become.

"You saved us all," she cried and threw her arms around his tall muscular frame while hating herself for weeping all over his clean uniform. "Thank you is not enough." Her heartbeat pounded furiously as she met his dark gaze, wondering what the outlaw planned for her next.
"I couldn't let you die. Staple monsters are notorious for playing with their meals." His tanned, muscle-heavy arms crushed her against the stiff material of his jacket.

Granted I used more words in the second example, but it does prove the point. Dialog is the blood that runs through the body of your book. Without it the body ie: book dies. You have to keep your character's verbal exchanges fresh and real. Show them yelling or laughing or making fun of the plumber with the exposed butt crack.

Conversation can say so many things in so many different ways that the possibilities are endless. What if you had a killer teasing the cops about where the bodies are buried? Would the killer be sarcastic, debonair, crazy? What words would he use to taunt and tease them? To make himself sound and feel superior?

Now flip everything up, around and to the side. A vamp is newly risen and she doesn't know she's a vamp. What does her sire tell her? Are his words weak? Demanding? Does he tease her with information or try to reason with her like a child?

Everything your characters say is a peek beneath their layers of their souls. Use it wisely and character dialog will strengthen the weakest of villains, heroes and heroines.

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Day 16 - I Can See Clearly Now
by Shayla Kersten

POV is one of those mysterious acronyms writers bandy about all the time. Most people understand the basic point of view question as being first, second or third person-the "I" vs "you" vs "she". Most writers find their voice in first or third person. First person is usually more intimate since we're in one character's head for the entire book. Third person allows you to switch between characters so the reader gets to see the plot develop from more than one point of view.

Keeping in Character

Once you pick your poison, or your person, the hard part is keeping your story in character. Yes, in character. Maintaining point of view means you should examine the scene as if you are the character. What can you see, touch, smell, hear, know, as that character only. The emotions and thoughts of the other characters in the scene have to be shown by visual clues-i.e. frowns, smiles, body language-or by dialogue with the other characters.

by Scene or Chapter Break

Basically, we're talking about whose head are we in and how to stay there. Most reference books on writing recommend the POV change at a scene or chapter break. Some say not less than four manuscript pages (approx. 1000 words). It's not as easy as it sounds. The little things will trip you up. Not to mention, there are times you really want to show what the other person is thinking. Sometimes head hopping makes the scene easier to write. You don't have to worry about describing visual clues for the POV character to see and the reader to interpret. However, you also lose an opportunity to acquaint your readers with each character at a much deeper level.

Because you want the reader to have a better understanding of the character, good POV includes details.

Here's a few pointers

1. If the narrative includes any internal thoughts at all, you are in the POV of the character thinking them. Whether that's the one you are supposed to be in or not.

2. When you use one word to describe an emotion, you are telling me what the character felt. If you are deep in a character's POV, you should know the details of their emotion-i.e. heart racing, rapid breathing, tears of emotion, details! As with anything, I won't say never use a one word description of emotion. I will say think about it. If you say, "Sarah was happy". You just told me she was happy. Literally. Show me she's happy. Give me the details! "Her heart racing, Sarah laughed as she did the Snoopy dance around the room celebrating her first major book deal." Does the second sentence say 'happy' anywhere? No. Do you think she's happy? Yes. Why? Because of the actions described. Do you have a better understanding of Sarah's happiness? Yes. Details.

3. As long as you have your POV character firmly established, you don't need to use words telling me she's observing things. Words like watched, saw, smelled, tasted, heard, felt, are unnecessary because no matter what else is going on in the character's narrative, we already know it is her. So saying 'Sarah watched Jeffrey take a bite of his burger' is redundant. We know Sarah is watching him because if she wasn't, she wouldn't have seen him take a bite. All you need to say is 'Jeffrey took a bite of his burger.'

4. If you haven't established the POV character at the beginning of a scene or when you deliberately switch POV, those same words above become your friend. By saying, 'Sarah watched Jeffrey take a bite of his burger' you've firmly, and quickly, established we are in Sarah's POV. After that, you don't need to tell me again. We should be able to follow her POV by her internal dialogue and the actions she observes of those around her.

Remember, it's all about the reader. You don't want confusion where the reader has to backtrack to figure out who is saying or doing what or whose head are we in. You lose attention and momentum. That's how you lose readers. And editors and agents are first and foremost readers.

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Day 17 - The Convenience of a Netbook
by Betty Hanawa

Netbooks are the small computers rapidly gaining popularity. On average, they're approximately 12" by 7", yet hold as much memory as most PCs and regular-sized laptops and come equipped with WIFI. A netbook's screen shows a full page as opposed to the AlphaSmart™ devices' which display eight to ten lines of type. The costs of netbooks range from $300 to $500 and are quickly decreasing in price. Weighing only about 2 ½ pounds with a battery life of seven to ten hours, they're perfect for the writer on-the-go.

While some netbooks come with Linux, many now have Windows 7 preinstalled. If you search, you can find them with Windows XP. They don't have a DVD drive, only USB ports. With an external DVD driver, software can be easily loaded. Keyboards range from small to full size.

Mine goes everywhere with me. Anytime I know I'll have a wait before an appointment, I can add pages to or edit my current manuscript. On road trips, it's smaller and lighter on my lap than the laptop, plus it puts out less heat. It fits on the tray on an airplane with room to spare.

A netbook is definitely a plus for a writer's tool box. Not only is it terrific for keeping up with the work in progress and edits, if you need inspiration, you can search the internet for research. Or read an ebook. Or watch a movie. <grin>

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Day 18- Judging Others…
by Bev Oz

If you are a registered RWA member, particularly one who belongs to a local chapter, you've most likely been hit up to judge a writing contest. Being new to writing yourself, you may wonder if consenting to be a judge is a good idea. You probably doubt your ability to judge other's work when you haven't even published a story, or maybe even finished a manuscript, yourself. What can you, a writer wanna be, offer to another person who may be writing at a higher proficiency?

What do I have to offer?

If this is your reaction, it's understandable. I've been there myself. Just keep in mind that everyone's been in this boat at one time or another. Everyone starts out as a new writer, a newbie.

Benefits of Judging

Honing your craft, learning the art and technique of writing, is one of the major benefits of judging others' work. By reading another person's story, you take on the role of an evaluator. You look at a manuscript with a different, more critical eye. You start to see what works in stories and what doesn't. You catch the subtle ways other writers develop characters, move the story along, create conflict, drop in goals and motivation, and keep your interest. Once you've developed this skill, you can apply what you see and learn to your own work.

Training for Judges

Most contests I'm aware of provide on-line training for their judges. If you doubt your ability to evaluate another's work and provide feedback, the training you receive will help you conquer these concerns.

If you're concerned about your technical writing abilities, you can supplement your judges training by doing some self-study. Here are some web sites that may help you brush up on your grammar and other writing skills.

http://esl.about.com/od/beginningenglish/ig/Basic-English/index.htm
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/index2.html
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/

Don't hesitate to take a look and provide feedback on another writer's work. What you gain from the experience may be as beneficial to you as what you provide to your fellow writer.

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Day 20 - Self-Publishing
by Shayla Kersten

A recent debate has brought scrutiny to bear on the different types of publishing. Most of us are familiar with traditional publishing-advances paid, royalties paid, and all the money flowing toward the author, not from the author to the publisher. Traditional publishing employs editors, cover artists, marketing people, production people. All of these people are paid by the publisher, not the author. Traditional publishing can take the form of a New York publishing house or a reputable epublisher. In most cases, anyone wanting to be published in commercial fiction should aspire to this idea.

Again, money flows to the author

Self-publishing is a different creature. The author becomes all those people-editor, cover artist, marketing people, production people-or she employs them. Usually, the self-published author will farm out the functions she can't handle.

As a self-published author, she owns all rights to her book. She's responsible for the ISBN and the copyright. As each book is sold, she receives all monies over cost. The costs can vary. Each print book sold will have the cost of printing, paper, shipping, etc. Ebooks have less incremental costs. Distribution channels usually take from 40-65% of the cover price. But at the end of the day, any money made over cost, belongs to the author.

Advantages:

The author has complete control in getting her book published. Most self-publishing packages with reputable companies include distribution with the major online catalogs like Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble.com. The author doesn't have to run the gauntlet of traditional publishers' rejections.

Disadvantages:

Most self-published books don't sell a lot of books compared to traditional houses. The distribution channels can be limited. If a self-published author can't guarantee a book is returnable, it won't find its way into a brick and mortar store. So no impulse buys, no book signings unless the author supplies the stock-and major chains usually don't like to work with author stock. And while some self-published books have been picked up by major publishers-even made bestseller lists-the Cinderella story only happens to one in tens of thousands of books. Not very good odds.

So why self-publish?

A lot of self-published books are non-fiction (family history or a dissertation) or meant for a non-commercial market (a family cookbook). Some are niche markets for fiction where a major publisher wouldn't know where to shelve it or how to market it. Although an author has a better chance of making money and gaining readership by submitting to a reputable epublisher than self-publishing. But if no one wants the book and the author is sure of an audience then the decision is hers.

Some authors have taken some of their out-of-print books where their rights have reverted and released them through self-publishing. If they already have a large readership, the move could be a lucrative option.

The question comes down to what do, you, as an author want from your book?

Whatever you decide the key to a great publishing experience is research. Check out the publisher, even the traditional ones. Check out the agents. And whatever you do, check out the self-publisher because sometimes the company that looks so good is a vanity press in sheep's clothing. Too many times the unscrupulous prey on authors' dreams of seeing their name on a book. Don't let the stars in your eyes blind you to reality.

Come back tomorrow for the definition of a vanity press.

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Day 21 - Vanity Publishing
by Shayla Kersten

Yesterday's article covered self-publishing. Today's topic is vanity publishing. On the surface, the difference between the two is very minimal. In the end, the difference can have serious financial repercussions.

Most of the people behind vanity publishing are out to make a buck off an author who doesn't know better. This article will compare the points made in the self-publishing article with vanity press.

Self- Publishing	Vanity Publishing
Author has complete control of the manuscript.	Author has complete control of manuscript
Distribution with online catalogs	Distribution with online catalogs
No rejections from traditional presses	No rejections from traditional presses
Books don't sell many copies	Books don't sell many copies
No brick and mortar stores	No brick and mortar stores
Slim to none chance of being picked up by a major publisher	Slim to none chance of being picked up by a major publisher

 

Looks like the two are the same. However, the difference comes in on the money side.

 

Self- Publishing	Vanity Publishing
Author owns all rights	No guarantee of ownershop of rights
All net profit accrues to author	Author receives a royalty sometimes as low as 50% of net profit

 

Yes, it comes back to the money. Vanity presses usually offer a variety of fee-based services from editing to covers and marketing. Typically, the cost is over-inflated and the services could be obtained elsewhere cheaper and by reputable providers.

If an author is determined to self-publish, she should do her research carefully and comparison shop. The following websites have up-to-date detailed information on individual operations and scams. And Absolute Write has a forum where requests for more information can be posted.

Preditors and Editors
http://www.anotherealm.com/prededitors/

Writers Beware
http://www.sfwa.org/for-authors/writer-beware/

Absolute Write
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=144

Be careful out there. Don't let someone prey on your dreams and turn them into nightmares.

Day 23 - Money is the Root…of Success!
Financial Stability for the Published Author, Part II
by Cerise DeLand

You are now a business owner. As a published author, you are now responsible to pay your expenses out of your income. The author's major financial challenge is to realize and live by the unalterable fact that the expenses come every month, but your royalty checks may come as sporadically as once a year…or less!

How can you plan for that and protect yourself and your family from financial ruin?

The answer is to plan ahead financially. That begins with knowing what expenses you will incur, what are regular and non-negotiable, and which can be predicted and not.

Essentials in your budget must include all of the following:
" Office supplies: paper, ink, pens, notepads
" Technology: computer, printer, laptop, etc.
" Writers group dues
" Subscriptions and fees (ex: library fees): any periodicals that contribute to your professional development
" Postage: to/from your publishing house, writers groups, etc.
" Gasoline and Mileage: gasoline purchases, mileage estimates to/from meetings, other events that contribute to your professional growth.

Fluctuating costs that can be fixed by you each year according to cash flow and profitability:
" Supplies: (non-office such as others' novels)
" Conferences: all writer conference fees and expenses.
" Travel to meetings and conferences: airline, car, etc.
" Meals and Entertainment: taken at 50% of the gross as a deduction. You must have the receipt and the name of the person you dined with.

The two most important categories you must track before you pay anyone anything, however, are your income and your tax payments based on that income. Into your new expandable file, you will also have one category for all your income receipts and deposit slips for your publishers' advance and/or royalty payments. The other major category you need to track and define is your tax level. Know from your previous years' tax rates at federal, state and local levels what percentage of your income you have paid or should. Then, immediately upon receipt of advance/royalty check deposit that percentage of your income into your savings account. That amount should stay there until you are ready to pay the government its quarterly or annual amount from your income. At no time, should this amount be mixed with your household's personal income until you have paid all your bills.

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December 27 - Taxing the Writer
by Shayla Kersten

Writing can be expensive!

Go figure… Between membership dues, conference fees, travel, meals, research materials-including books you read to keep up with the market or to check out what a publisher is buying-the list goes on. A beginning writer without a sale under her belt has no income to offset the expense. After you're published, the cost keeps growing. Now you can add advertising and promotional materials.

Deduct it!

If you are serious about writing as a business, you can deduct all of the items listed above and more. Computers, printers, paper, postage…you can't write or submit without those. Today's technology makes writing easier-internet research, email to editors and agents, online promotions. Although these items don't add individual expense, you have to have access to the internet. So add your internet bill to the list of deductible items.

If you have a home office where you go to lock out the family, or because you need a place to go to "work" each day, you can deduct a portion of your mortgage interest expense based on square footage.

Essentially, if you need to spend it to further your writing career, you can deduct it. But there's a catch. It is the Internal Revenue Service, after all. Isn't there always a catch?

The catch-writing as a business

Whether you make money writing or not, to deduct anything on your taxes, you have to treat it like a business. The best proof to the IRS of the seriousness of your intentions isn't selling a book. It's record keeping.

Some writers work for years without a single sale but they have records to show they are in the business of writing. Rejection letters, keeping track of writing time and submission/query letters with proof of mailing are some of the best ways to keep the IRS off your back.

Track writing time?

My preferred method of tracking my writing is by word count per day. I keep an Excel workbook by year. Each tab in the workbook represents a different book. I have one column with dates and one with daily word counts. Other parts of the sheet I use for notes, chapter lengths and daily word count needed for a deadline. Another sheet at the end of the workbook lists submission dates, response dates, contract dates and publication dates of each book.

Since proofing and working on edits take away from my daily word count, I note the date and length of time I spend on those in the appropriate sheet.

Promotional chats, book signings, chapter meetings, lunches with other authors and conferences are a few other necessary distractions from the daily count. I keep a calendar where I note each event.

File your receipts

And of course, I keep all my receipts filed by type of expense for each year. Being an accountant by day, I also have a spreadsheet of expenses and income by classification so doing my taxes at the end of the year is a breeze. Even if you don't do your own taxes, your accountant will kiss the ground you walk on if you provide them a summary of all those little pieces of paper.

If the IRS ever comes knocking on my door, I'm ready with all the proof I need of my dedication to the business of writing.

(Disclaimer: I am not a tax accountant. For more detailed information, see a tax professional near you or check out www.irs.gov.)

ay 2 Day 28 - Writing for Category
by ElleJames

When you're trying to break into the romance publishing industry you might be asking whether or not you should try your hand at writing category romances. In making your decision, just like with any big decision, you need to learn everything you need to know about category vs. Single Title Romances and weigh the pros and cons of each before making up your mind.

Category vs Single Title

Single Title romances are usually longer (not always, depends on the line). This translates into more pages required for each book, more complex plots and possibly more characters. Category romances are for the most part shorter and have specific "lines" with certain guidelines for each. They usually publish a number of books within each line each month, which means more books overall, thus more opportunity to break into publishing. The category romances usually only stay on the shelf for one month and are replaced at the end of the month with the next month's offerings of that same category line.

Category Pros

Distribution: Category romances, specifically Harlequin/Silhouette, have widespread distribution in over 100 international markets and 26 different languages.

Print run: A new author can get a decent first print run with category and be almost as successful in their sell through as an established author as the readers of category know about what they can expect from that particular line and will risk reading new authors for the short burst of pleasure offered in a category romance.

Build a name: Many NYT best sellers started in category like Nora Roberts, Tess Gerritsen, Suzanne Brockman and established themselves there first before writing for the single title market. Writing category gives you the chance to hone your writing skills and create a readership following.

Becoming a stable author: An author who satisfies their editor on a regular basis can become a stable author and contract for a certain number of books each year, thus providing a semi-stable income. Warning: editors change, authors fall out of favor. Never put all your eggs in one basket. By becoming a stable author, you could potentially build a career out of category and quit your day job! Many authors have.

Category Cons

Stigma: Some single title acquiring agents and editors might not appreciate the efforts of category authors and give them credit for writing good books. Your category sales figures aren't necessarily something the feel comfortable "banking" on when contracting for your single title work. Category sales and single title sales are different animals. Single title sales are highest on known author names. As stated above, category sales aren't necessarily tied to the author name writing for that category, rather they are more linked to the category brand.

Potential sales: Because the books are not on the shelves for long, the long-term sales potential is not there. Unfortunately, that means you only have a month for that book to reach its sell-through and its gone!

Throwaway books: some readers don't read category thinking the editorial is not of sufficient quality (we call them category snobs), when in actuality, there are excellent authors in category lines with great stories to tell.

NYT Bestseller? Maybe not: If you strictly write category for your entire career as an author, you probably aren't going to make the NYT best selling list. However, you might occasionally make the Waldens List!