Social media tips for writers - #writersmtip

I've started up a new hash tag that aims to give social media advice for both published and aspiring writers. Look for #writersmtip (no it's not S&M tips for those trying to cash in on the Fifty Shades of Grey).

A couple of months a go I presented at Whitsunday Voices Youth Literature Festival on social media etiquette and that lead me to start freelancing in social media strategy for published authors. I've nearly finished the plan for my first client, which is very exciting. So playing a bit more in this sandpit, and inspired by Adrien-Luc Sander's, aka @smoulderingsea, regular #editortips, I wanted to get a hash tag going (imitation is the highest form of flatter =D).

Once a week I'll collate the tips I've shared on the blog. Some are for writers who are aiming for publication and some are for authors who already grace the bookshelves. I started with Facebook, so here are this week's:

@S_M_Johnston Tip of the day: Don't create a Facebook Page because you think you should. If you don't regularly update it then it's useless #writersmtip

 @S_M_Johnston Think really hard about FB pages - do I need it? And, will I maintain it? #writersmtip

 @S_M_Johnston For an example of a well executed FB page, check out @Wendy_Higgins Sweet Evil page.  #writersmtip

@S_M_Johnston If the author's wall has mainly personal posts it's probably not a public profile. #writersmtip

@S_M_Johnston Check the author's wall. If it's private then it's not a public profile.#writersmtip

@S_M_Johnston If the author has lots of friends (like thousands) then it's probably a public profile. #writersmtip

@S_M_Johnston If the author has only a few hundred friends it's probably a private profile #writersmtip

@S_M_Johnston Check these things out BEFORE you send a friend request #writersmtip

@S_M_Johnston If it's a private profile, don't send a friend request unless you know them. Talking to them at a conference doesn't count #writersmtip

@S_M_JohnstonIf they accept a friend request, don't private message them, especially with a request to read your MS #writersmtip

@S_M_Johnston FB writers’ groups can be a great place to find critique partners and network. #writersmtip

@S_M_Johnston Remember even it’s a closed group your posts in a group will appear on your newsfeed. #writersmtip

@S_M_Johnston The only way posts in a group won’t appear on your newsfeed is if the group is secret. #writersmtip

If you have any questions you can hit me up on Twitter using the #writersmtip or ask here on the blog.

Look out for the Pitch Madness Snipers

It's here! Well, not quite yet. The submission windows for the semi-annual Pitch Madness go live on Saturday, September 1 at 12PM EST and 6PM EST. The game theme this time is Paintball. What's Pitch Madness, you ask? Well, its a game where Brenda Drake brings together a bushel of agents to compete for your pitches. My group blog, YAtopia, is joining three other blogs in this funtastic event. So I guess I'll start by introducing them first.

Brenda Drake

YATopia Blog

Shelley Watters

Erica M. Chapman

Here's the crazy awesome agents participating...

Dawn Frederick - Red Sofa Literary
Brittany Howard - Corvisiero Agency
John Cusick - Scott Treimel NY
Victoria Marini - Gelfman Schneider Lit.
Judith Engracia - Liza Dawson & Assoc.
Louise Fury - L. Perkins Agency
Sarah LaPolla - Curtis Brown Ltd.
Brooks Sherman - FinePrint Literary Management
Molly Ker Hawn - The Bent Agency

We'll have more about the agents up in our Meet the Agents' post coming September 4 and 5.

Now, here's the submission deets ...

Shine up your 35-word (exact-anything over will be disqualified) pitches and the first 150-words (if the cut-off falls in the middle of a sentence, go to the end of that sentence) of your finished Adult, Young Adult, and Middle Grade fiction. We'll pick 60 entries to move on to the Agent Pitch Match.

We've doubled the number of entries we're taking in this time. There will be a percentage of what genres make it in based on all the agents likes. You guessed it, there will be more YA in the contest than Adult, but the main thing we're looking for is the WOW factor. Only one entry per person.

We have two submission times, and this year we're holding it on a Saturday.

The windows open on September 1 ...

1ST SUBMISSION TIME: 12:00 pm EST for the first 100.
2ND SUBMISSION TIME: 6:00 pm EST for the next 100.

Only the best of the best will make it to the final round.

Here's how to format your entry ...

Name: Brenda Drake
Title: The Britanika Journals: Around the World in 80:45:07
Genre: Middle Grade Adventure
Word Count: 50,000

Max and Annika use a transporting globe to find her missing father. With evil men in an airship on their tails, Max must use his sleuthing skills with Annika’s inventor ones to rescue her father.

Maximilian Drayson knew that a masterful sleuth had to pay attention to one crucial thing—the details. He tightened his grip on the white apron he had snatched from the Britanika's laundry room. It took several hours into his investigation to find it, and most would think it was just a soiled apron, but he believed it to be a clue.

He paced the manicured lawn of the Britanika's residence, scratching the back of his neck and searching the ground. This particular mystery came about after he had overheard one of the Britanika's housemaids, Molly, sobbing to another servant about losing her mother's brooch. At hearing Molly's distress, he went into action.

Before beginning his investigation, Max interrogated Molly, asking her a series of questions: When had she last seen the brooch? Did she wear it while she worked? What were her household duties? He needed every bit of information he could obtain if he wanted to mark this case as solved.

For those that don't make it into Pitch Madness we'll be hosting a twitter pitch party on the hashtag #PitMad on September 13 from 8AM to 8PM EST. So get those twitter pitches ready!

That's it. We're so excited!

 

What do butterfly faces and Nermal have to do with a v'log?

Meet Nermal, my v'logging pal.

 

He likes sleeping,

 

v'loging and chasing plot bunnies.



And today we're v'logging about my face

 



Enjoy!

Critique Giveaway and a bonus!

MS editor extraordinaire, Aimee Salter, has stopped by today to give away a first chapter critique – yah! She critiqued my manuscript, so speaking from experience, her advice rocks.

Aimee also did interviews with me on my two group blogs YAtopia and Writing Teen Novels, so check them out for some great free advice on making your manuscript sizzle.

So some quick questions before the giveaway. 

Sharon: What’s the best thing about editing other people’s manuscripts? 

Aimee: Without question, the best thing about critiquing is what I learn about my own writing from identifying the problems in others. We writers are always too close to our own work to truly edit effectively. But by identifying structural, phrasing or plot problems in someone else’s manuscript, I’m able to better see where mine has gone wrong.

Sharon: And, what’s the worst thing about editing other people’s manuscripts? 

Aimee: Having to tell people their babies aren’t perfect.

Can I say, in defence of all critiquers / editors: We tell you what we see because we want your story to be even better. Don’t view suggestions for improvements as criticisms of your talent or your story. See them as the rungs on a ladder to making your story shine and revealing your true talent to your readers.

Sharon: So, how did you get into freelance editing? 

Aimee: I learned how to critically analyse a manuscript in a critique group which included published and represented authors. In any “clinic” we’d each give our full manuscript to the Administrator who assigned it to someone else, then gave us another manuscript to read in full. When I saw how much my writing improved as a result of being on both sides of that coin, I knew every writer should do it.  

Once I’d been doing that for a couple years, some of the authors approached me outside of the group structure because they’d found my comments helpful and wanted to start working as partners. I was excited – but I remembered how hard it was to find that group and gain credibility in those circles. I knew there wasn’t enough of that kind of help out there for everyone because most authors with that kind of experience already have a critique group they trust. They aren’t often looking for new blood.  

I also know most fledgling authors can’t afford a full editorial consultant. So I decided to offer critiques at an affordable price (usually in the vicinity of $225-275 for an entire manuscript up to 100,000 words) because I want to see more authors watch their babies grow up like I got to.

Sharon: What advice would you give to other people considering hiring a professional editor, such as yourself?  

Aimee: Do your homework. Make sure the editor can actually help you. Then make sure their style works for you. Everyone works differently and you need to make sure you can accept the tone and structure of any given editor’s work. 

Don’t pay money to anyone who can’t provide an editorial sample (and by that I mean a portion of an actual manuscript with their notes / marks on it as they would present to you in your work), or who hasn’t been recommended by someone you know personally.  

Keep in mind that online recommendations (especially Twitter / Facebook) could easily be dummy accounts set up by editors trying to drum up business. Don’t pay any money until you know what you’re paying for. 

If you can’t afford a super-reputable editor who freelances outside of a traditional publishing career, read self-published books until you find one whose prose and plot make you wish you’d written it, then find out who edited it. Hire that person – or someone they recommend.  

And if you weren’t able to anticipate the majority of my answers here, hire me. There are samples of my critique work on my website. I’m a lot cheaper than a qualified editor, and when we’re done, I guarantee your manuscript will be noticeably improved (if I can’t improve it, I won’t let you hire me).  

Most importantly, because I’ve worked with published authors, I know what a “submissible manuscript” looks like. And because I don’t believe in critiquing the same manuscript more than once, I won’t lie to you about how close (or far away) yours is.

Thanks Aimee!!

So, you can enter the competition below to win a first chapter critique from Aimee, and I've also thrown in a $15 B&N voucher. You've got until September 3, 2012 to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A new contest is coming!

Pitch Madness is coming up in September (genres tbd). We already have 8 agents signed up! Submission windows will be on September 1 and all the fun starts September 7-12 with a Twitter Pitch on the 13th open to everyone. Rules of the game, agents' bio, and instructions will be up the week of August 26.

Talking about YA can win you stuff!

My friend and awesome author, Jeyn Roberts, has started a new YA forum - The YA Book Club -  where you can connect with authors, share you writing and WIN STUFF!

Find out  more about the details in Jeyn's blog post.

For the love of eBooks

I must confess that I used to be so against eReaders. I just didn't get it. For most of my day I'm stuck looking at a computer why would I want to then spend my spare time reading off a computer instead of having a book in my hand. I thought it would be a fad that would die out.

But it didn't.

And then my husband bought me an iPad and I decided to download a couple of eReader apps. Well, then it was on. I realised how quick and easy it was. Now I've got more books waiting to read on my iPad then physical books around the house that I haven't read yet.

Here's what I love the most about it:

• My massive book addiction isn't on adding more weight to my already over flowing bookshelves.
• There's an automatic night light built in so I can read while hubby's sleeping.
• I've got books at my fingertips that I used to have to special order in (being in regional Queensland Australia for some reason means extremely limited book choices. I had to order in Beth Revis' A MILLION SUNS because no where in town had it in stock).
• I don't have to wait for the Australia release, which can be up to a year behind the US release date (we're Down Under, but we're not Mars!)
• The books are cheaper, so of course that means I can buy more books with money I'm saving.
• I'm finding books that I love that I wouldn't have otherwise considered buying (Lux novels, I'm looking at you).

I seriously doubt the physical book will ever disappear. But I'm so excited about the reading world eBooks are opening up.

So, what's your view on the rise of eBooks?

PS - keep an eye on the book as a competition is coming soon.

Sharing some lovin'

I have crawled out of my editing cave. My manuscript is off to my agent and I'm getting back into the writing groove with my work-in-progress, KARMA.

But before I get too buried in my writing I'd like to acknowledge my latest kick-arse critic partner and my new copy editor.

Aimee L. Salter and I met on Twitter when she put a call out for a critique partner. I had just finished a major write for a revise and resubmit for an editor and I wanted to make sure that I'd addressed the editor's notes. Aimee was one of the best critique partners I've had and her notes, while only requiring subtle edits to the manuscript, made a huge difference to the flow and impact of the story. She has a great eye for characterisation, plot flow and what will gel with a YA audience.

The other person who helped out was my mum. Retirement gives her some spare time and having read all the various versions of the story she was the perfect person to give it the final once over.

I know that a lot of new writers are apprehensive about sharing their stories with others, but if you network you can make the right contacts to help you find people who are eager to help out a fellow writer and are trustworthy.

Not only do you get great feedback on your manuscript, but getting to see another person's writing style can help improve your own. I really enjoyed the swap with Aimee. Her story was fantastic and I hope it finds a home with an agent or a publisher soon.

Agent Ahoy

A quick post guys to let you know that last week I signed with new Australian Agent Kelly Mclean.

Kelly is hungry to sell my work and she really gets my speculative fiction style, as weird as it is. Her passion for my story SLEEPER and my works in progress DIRTY RAINBOW and KARMA is why I decided to sign with her.

It's been a long journey for me being so close to being agented so many times. Thankfully, Kelly saw the potential in my work and the uniqueness of my storytelling and offered me representation. She gets an unbelievable amount of submissions and I'm only one of a handful of clients that she's signed so far.

I look forward to growing with her and moving my career forward as an author.

Whitsunday Voices Youth Literature Festival Special Post

This is a special post for the people who attended my presentations at the Whitsunday Voices Youth Literature Festival. 

Thanks so much for coming along to my session. I was so excited to be able to presenting to you and nervous (I think everyone could tell!)
Below I've put in a whole bunch of links to the various social media platforms that I discussed with you in the session, as well as links to various online posts about them to help you get more knowledge about the topics.

Here's a post on general internet etiquette and here's one about user names online and a general post on social media here.

We talked about Twitter and here's where you need to go to sign up for it. And here's some blog posts that will help you further with Twitter etiquette:

• Twitter: Please stop this
• When Aspiring Author's Attack
• Don't be a twit on twitter
• Twitter Twaddle
• The case for Twitter

There's not much out there about Facebook, but just remember to try and work out if an account is private or public before asking for a friend request. Instead, look for author, publisher and book pages as a way to connect on Facebook.

Blogging and book reviews can be a great social media experience. Blogger and Workpress are the two most common blog formats. Here's some posts relating to blogging. If you enjoy reviewing, then you can share your reviews on Goodreads.

• Tips on interviewing authors
• Conducting author interviews
• The art of commenting
• ARCs and how to get them
• Blogging Platforms
• Blog design
• Happy Owl Books

Writing communities can be a great way to start off your writing career. US HarperCollins authors Leigh Fallon and Wendy Higgins were discovered through a writing site. Figment and Wattpad are two of the most popular writing communities that cater for teenagers. Pros and Cons of Writing Communities post here (remember, Inkpop has closed down).

Here's where you can find some of the emerging media platforms:

• Pinterest - post on the platform.
• Tumblr
• Google+
• Instagram 
• Pottermore

Aspiring Writers:

• Help increase you word count - for a bit of fun.

You can find me on Twitter, Facebook, Wattpad, Figment, Tumblr, Pinterest, Goodreads, Google+, YAtopia, Writing Teen Novels, Sleepless Writers and you can read my story Karma, which placed second in the Australian Literary Review's YA short story competition. The beginning of the novel version is on my Wattpad account.

On Pottermore you need to search for me under the user name PhoenixIce25831.

I hope you enjoyed the session. If you have any questions you didn't get to ask in the session please drop me a line in the comments section.

My week in LOL cat pics

My Week in Pictures

I watch drama unfold on the Internet

I did some Beta editing

I got sick - ugh

I got a nice surprise in my email.

Next week I'm hoping to have some news to announce so stay tuned, while I find the right LOL cat pic to express it.

Social Media takes flight

I announced last month on YAtopia that I will be a guest speaker at The Whitsunday Voices Youth Festival this year - "Words Take Flight". I must confess I was rather excited to see myself on the program along side some of Australia's best YA and Children's writers. Cath Crowley (Graffiti Moon), Steph Bowe (Girl Saves Boy), Andy Griffith (too many awesome books to pick just one to highlight!) and Kate Forsyth, with many others.

The festival committee deciding to put me on the program was a definite different direction for the festival. It's the first time that the festival has featured a session on social media and it's proved to be a great move. My two sessions on effective use of social media for aspiring authors and passionate readers has sold out, so yesterday the festival coordinator asked me if I'd be able to do a third. Last night she told me the third session had nearly sold out too, which inspired a 0.o face from me.

She said there's been a lot on interest from the schools involved, which I think it fantastic. In 45 minutes I'll be squishing in information about how  to engage authors, agents and editors in the various social media platforms (which will include when not to engage them as well), the opportunities available to aspiring writers on social media, navigating online writing communities and blogging.

It's all rather exciting.

So over to you - what topics would you like to see covered at your local literature festivals?

A giveaway! That's Sweet!

Two good friends of mine have joined up for a giveaway!

Novelist Deena Shoemaker has a Sweet Evil promotion on her blog You're Absolutely Write at the moment. 

Deena is giving away a copy of Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins. And Wendy is offering up a critique as well. Check out Deena's blog for more details.

Give in to sweet temptation

My good friend and critique partner, Wendy Higgins, has her first book Sweet Evil coming out 1 May - Squee!


I will be doing a giveaway to celebrate next month, but for now feast your eyes on this trailer goodness.

The axing of the Queensland Premier Literary Award saga continues

Over the past day and a bit, I've been reading a lot on the debate about the scrapping of the Queensland Premier's Literary Award.

I believe having these awards in some form is important. It's about celebrating outstanding Queensland Literature. It's the recognition of those writers' contribution to the culture of our state.

It's disappointing that the new government didn't make an effort to consult with stakeholders on this and look for a workable solution. I don't believe there would have been as much outrage if the awards stayed, but with private enterprise funding the categories - even if that meant the prize money dropped. Or if the awards continued minus the prize money at all.

That certainly is what appears to be what could be happening for starters with some dedicated people  launching the Queensland Literary Awards.

Here are some of the quotes I've found most interesting that have come out of the debate:

Stuart Glover on ABC: What most of the awards are about are about signalling a valuing of literary activity and an encouragement of cultural and literary discourse. And what this signals, in the particular context of Queensland is that that isn't valued.

Tanya for TLC Books: Awards are important to writers as many many books get published every year and the awards and those books that are long and short listed get recognised as works worth reading, of being in a bookstore, or library, or a school text. The most prestigious awards not only give honours but lead to significantly increased sales. They are an important part of the business. (I really loved this whole article - a very well thought out and non-political piece).

Sue Abbey on ABC: It's such a unique award and opportunity in Australia. Out of it came writers such as Doris Pilkington, of course the author of Rabbit Proof Fence, which went on to become the film Rabbit Proof Fence and premiered all over the world.

Chad Parkhill on Meanjin: It’s hard to put a fiscal value on these benefits, but given that the breadth of Queensland’s awards was unparalleled amongst state literary awards—it gave prizes across 14 separate categories compared to NSW’s 13, Western Australia’s 10, South Australia’s eight, Victoria’s seven, and Tasmania’s three—it seems to have performed very well for a minimal investment. $244,475 is a strikingly small amount in a state budget that runs to $4.6 billion deficit. The cost in terms of Queensland’s cultural reputation is impossible to calculate, yet already inevitable comparisons between Newman and Joh Bjelke-Petersen been aired. In the meantime, writers are already seeking to rebuild. The Unaipon seems most likely to survive, as it previously existed independently of the other awards. Queensland authors Matt Condon and Krissy Kneen have announced their intention to run independent awards structured along much the same lines as the old awards, albeit without the state’s imprimatur. UQP’s general manager, Greg Bain, has pledged his support for the new awards and reaffirmed UQP’s commitment to publishing the recipients of the Unaipon and Emerging Queensland Writer awards. Just how successful these new awards will be in a hostile political climate and without access to the state’s resources remains to be seen.

For more blog posts, news and opinions check out the Queensland Writers Centre's Queensland Premier's Literary Award page.

Newman won't recognise QLD writers

It's Australian Author Month and Premier Newman has shown how much he appreciates his state's author by scraping the Queensland Premier's Literary Awards.

In the month where we should be celebrating the achievements of our country's writers, we have instead been greeted with this.

It shows that he doesn't value the importance of having a strong local publishing industry so that children, teenagers and adults can read stories by Queensland writers. The awards give valueable recognition to a section of society that contributes greatly to our culture.


This also shows that Newman has little understanding about how hard it is to be a writer in Australia and how little most writers earn from their craft. Awards, such as the now defunct QLD ones, and scholarships provide writers with a way to supplement their income.

As an emerging Queensland writer I'm disappointed that Newman has made the Arts a target. The savings that are being made are very small in the overall picture of the budget. It's equivilent to the base pay of two local MPs, yet the prize money is shared amongst multiple authors.

I want a head of state who embraces the Arts and Literature and supports local writers. I want a head of state who acknowledges the importance of books with local content and by local writers. I want a head of state who doesn't cut a small amount of funding to an already underfunded part of the community.


I urge who loves books to make your views known.

Sign this petition to the Premier.
Vote in this poll (open until 5 April).
Email the Premier: thepremier@premiers.qld.gov.au
Write on his Facebook Wall.
You can also join in the comments and poll on the Courier Mail.

I hope the awards in other states and the Prime Minister's awards will be kept safety and not follow this poor example.

Feel free to vent with me in the comments.

Aussie Author Month

I'm not shy about the fact that I'm a proud Australian and I'd love to see Aussies more prominent in the international literature scene. A vital step to get there is making sure that we support Australian authors locally through buying their books and spreading the word about their awesomeness.

So in April I'm going to be discussing Aussie authors that I love and their works, Aussie authors that I'm hanging out to read and other aspects about the Aussie publishing industry that I've picked up along the way.

I invite you all to join me in this journey. The first step is to get out there and buy a book by an Aussie Author. I'm going to be buying Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley. If you're into YA like me, then check out the Aussie YA Reading Challenge Group on Goodreads for some options.

Question: What Aussie book are you going to buy or read next?

Winners of the Novel Description Contest

Last month I held a contest for the best way to describe a novel using other novels, movies or shows. I judged it on accuracy for when I had read the book or how much it made me want to read the book if I hadn't already done so. So here's the winners of the Novel Description Contest:

$30 B&N Gift Voucher:

Name: Vivien
email: deadtossedwaves at gmail dot com
Book: Inside Out by Maria V Snyder
Description: Across the Universe by Beth Revis meets Incarceron by Catherine Fisher

Blood Song:

Name: Lexie B.
E-mail: nerdfighterwriter@gmail.com
Book: Before I Fall
Description: Groundhog Day meets Mean Girls.

I'll be in contact with the winners in the next couple of days. Congratulations.

After the Madness Workshop - sign up now!

Brenda Drake, Shelly Walters and Cassandra Marshall recently help a PitchMadness contest where agents got to bid on 60 pitches posted on three blogs.

When reading the PitchMadness entries, they noticed the entries that didn't make it to the agent match was because the first words weren't hooking them. There wasn't a unique element to pull them in, the setting was right but the action was too familiar, or the story started in the wrong place. So they decided to do another workshop focusing solely on the opening page.

And YAtopia (my group blog) jumped in to help, joining Brenda Drake, Shelley Watters and Erica Chapman in critiquing your opening words on the four sites this month. On YAtopia you could get a critique from either myself, Sarah Nicolas, Kelley York or Leigh Fallon.

YAtopia 

Brenda Drake

Shelly Watters

Eric Chapman

 Here how it's going down...

If you want to join in sign up on the linky below. Remember your entry will be placed on the blogs and critiqued not only by us but also by your peers. We're accepting up to 40 60 participants. We'll be critiquing two each per day starting March 26. Depending on the success, we may open another round at a later date. After you sign up on the linky below email your first 250 words of your manuscript (finished or unfinished - any genre) to brendadrakecontests@gmail.com. Again, don't wait. Email your entries right away.

Only the first 40 60 will make it into the workshop, so hurry and sign-up now!

Tribute to inspiring female authors

This is a belated International Women's Day post.

I've been noticing a trend. There are so many inspiring female YA authors out there at the moment, so here's my top five.

1) Beth Revis. Her perseverance inspires me. She had a goal and never gave up, and it resulted in one of the most amazing YA books EVER. Her insights into society and humanities short-comings just astounded me. Then there's Ms Revis' social media presence. She's giving with her fans and takes a stance on topics she feels strongly about.

2) Veronica Roth. Being published at younger-than-most age and then taking everything that goes with that in her stride shows that she is all kinds of awesome. I also admire that she's not afraid to put her Christianity out there, without being preachy in her writing.

3) Tara Moss. Apart from the fact that I really love her writing, both her Mak series and Pandora English series, I admire how active she has been for women's rights. Her role as a Unicef Goodwill ambassador and breastfeeding advocate is inspirational.

4) Emily Rodda. What an amazing Australian author Ms Rodda is! Her Deltora Quest series has made an impact internationally AND has become a cartoon. But what I love about her the most is that she wrote stories that enticed my son to read when he was younger and struggling to find stories that captured his attention.

5) Julie Davies. Ms Davies is not a name that people will know readily. She's been published in a few anthologies in Australia and is working on her first novel. But she was my boss and mentor when I worked for the government. Neither of us knew that the other one wrote. We lost touch after she moved jobs and reconnected recently. She had only recently decided to pursue her writing and I admire her for following her dreams.

So that's my fave inspirational female authors. Who are yours?