You might believe that traditional publishing will give you access to bookstores and libraries. The problem is few publishers offer a sales team. As far as indie authors are concerned, they are left to approach libraries on their own. In order to figure the details out, I meet with Tamar Kreke (Adult and Technical Services Coordinator) and Kay Webster (Youth Services Coordinator) from Greene County … Continue reading How to Sell to Libraries
Writers serve their community. Actually, a good way to connect with your audience is to be of service because many writers are also future readers. Some writers go beyond the usual networking and offer unique services to other writers. Brooke McIntyre is one of them. She helps connect writers with critique partners. She helps writers meet with agents and editors. What drew me into her … Continue reading From Writing to Entrepreneuring
Q: What is Four on 400? A monthly contest that provides ONE LUCKY MG or YA WRITER with feedback on their opening 400 WORDS! As part of our ongoing mission to support writers, we’ll give a MG or YA writer feedback on their work from four of The Winged Pen’s contributors. Q: Sounds exciting! How do I enter? To enter, simply comment at the bottom of this post! At 4pm (EST) … Continue reading The May #Fouron400 Kidlit Writing Contest Window is now Open!
Last month, I talked about how to build your platform: https://thewingedpen.com/book-marketing-p…re-your-best-bet/. This month, I will talk about how you can bait your readership further. A sale funnel will turn an indifferent audience into a warm audience. Your audience is made out of readers and writers like you. Think of your future audience not as potential buyers, but as a group of people who love the … Continue reading Book Marketing Part 2: Your Mailing List
Thank you to all the brave souls who entered this month’s Four on 400 contest! Sharing your writing takes courage, and we appreciate your enthusiasm for our contest. Below, we’ve posted the first 400 words from this month’s winner, along with feedback from at least four of our members. We also encourage our readers to share their (constructive) suggestions and encouragement in the comments section below. Casey … Continue reading 4 on 400: April Feedback
Whether you are a traditionally published, or an Indie author, or a hybrid author, you will be in charge of marketing your novels. Many authors do not realize that they must treat their writing as a business. As an entrepreneur, your job is to make sure you have a constant source of income. Just to be clear, by a traditionally published author, I mean someone … Continue reading Book Marketing Part 1: Fans are Your Best Bet
Bill Blume Website: http://www.billblume.net/gidion01.html Bill works as a 911 dispatcher for Henrico County Police. He served as the 2013 chair for James River Writers. Despite the red covers, little blood is spilled. Gidion is the younger male version of Sookie Stackhouse and Veronica Mars. A fast-paced thriller. A witty boy. Written by a police expert. Fresh spin on the vampire trope from the hunter’s perspective. … Continue reading Bill Blume and the Teenager Vampire Hunter
Brandon Mull writes for boys using his relentless imagination and his scouting experience. He has written Beyonders, Fablehaven, and Five Kingdom among others. Mull says in an interview with Tori Ackerman, “I wanted to go to a world where there was a lot to discover, but still light and fun.” If Brandon Mull’s series appeal to every demand of one’s imagination, it’s because the author … Continue reading Brandon Mull’s Creative Juices
Although often not lucrative, magazine publications can offer you many benefits. They help your name get out there and stand out from the crowd of writers; they can give you a unique insight into the publication world; they can help you be more productive and serve as experimental pieces; they can help you connect with other authors; you might attract the attention of an editor … Continue reading Star in MG / YA Magazines
If Pitch Wars 2017 seems too far away or too selective for you, you can always try out other mentorship programs available online. Some are free and some come with a fee. I have listed both below. But first…. What should you expect from a mentor? A mentor is a professional who is ahead of the game and understands the industry better than you. By … Continue reading Find Mentors after Pitch Wars?
Maybe the hardest part of creativity is to face the critical eyes of others. We have been raised to see organization everywhere, respect schedules, be on time, be logic, put things where they belong, put things in boxes. Although there is a lot of value in being organized, there is also a lot of value in creativity, in being messy. No one more than writers … Continue reading Creativity is Messy. Get Over It!
The Islamic New Year was October 1st. It came and went and few of us noticed. Well, this list of epic Muslim books for children is there to change that. Islamic literature has been underrepresented for a long time. It used to be filled with stereotypes and false information, but more and more own voice writers are emerging, and Jee, do their books rock! … Continue reading 10 Epic Muslim Picture Books
