Time to Write

Get them out of here, they're celebrities (authors)!

Writing in the Scotland on Sunday, Jeremy Watson says “celebrity memoirs are being left on the shelf because of fallings sales caused by the credit crunch…(and) publishers can no longer afford fees reaching into seven figures for authors.”

He points out that in the UK, there are only a few celebrity memoirs planned for the first six months of 2009—however, I wonder whether that’s partly because there were so many published in 2008 and because they tend to sell much better around Christmas than any other time of year?

An interesting revelation about numbers: “Last December, books had to sell at least 10,000 copies to make to the Top 20 of the Bookseller’s magazine charts [of hardback books]. This year it will take sales of just over 5,000.”

Reports suggest that comedian/actress Dawn French got £2 million (about $3 million) for her memoirs, “Dear Fatty,” and sales are projected to be only 30,000 so far this year, not a great deal for the publisher (but a great deal for her…).

 Watson’s prediction: “Celebrity memoirs are set to be overtaken in popularity by self-help manuals and books on how to survive global economic meltdown.” 

(If you're a non-celebrity interested in writing a book, see Your Writing Coach, published by Nicholas Brealey Publishing, for how to get from your first idea all the way through to publication. You can get it online or at discerning book stores.)

Could you use this method to fund your writing?

An article by Rachel Abramowitz in the Los Angeles Times reveals how independent film-makers are being creative in order to get financing for their movies. Here’s my favorite:

 “Actress-writer-producer Sybil Temtchine has raised about half of the $600,000 budget for her film "Audrey" from female business leaders. About a year ago, she sat in a Borders and collected the name of every famous female author who'd written a book that somehow touched on female empowerment, from Suze Orman to Marianne Williamson. She wrote to 200 of them, and sent a link to her short film "Piece A' Cake," which was the launching point for her proposed feature, a comedy about female insecurity.

 About 75% of the women wrote back. Some sent checks and others introduced her to women's organizations like 85 Broads, which support women entrepreneurs. 85 Broads' founder Janet Hanson "blogged about us. It was the greatest blog, like only a mother would write," Temtchine says. “

Is this a method that you could use as a model to get funding for a writing or other artistic project? The key feature was that her film had a very specific theme (women's obsession with their body image and food and how damaging it could be--although the short film handles it with humour. Does your project have a theme that might appeal to lots of people? Among those, which might be willing to support it (not only with money but maybe also by spreading the word)? How can you reach them? 

Lots of people would have felt awkward or embarrassed writing to strangers. She wasn't, and has $300,000 to show for it so far! 

(If you're interested in finding additional unconventional and inexpensive ways to market yourself or your product, check out my book, "Do Something Different," published by Virgin Books and available at the usual online retailers and in discerning book stores. It features 100 case studies to inspire you to get the word out in this crowded marketplace.)

What to write when you don't feel like writing

When you're not sure what to write for others (e.g., books, articles, etc.) or feel blocked in general, write for yourself. As reported in the online edition of the McGill Tribune, "The process of writing about traumatic events or important events can have beneficial physical and mental health effects," says Carolyn Birnie-Porter, a PhD student at McGill who has researched the therapeutic benefits of journal writing. Much of her research is based on studies by James Pennebaker, a psychology professor at the University of Texas. According to his studies, journal writing can, among other things, improve immune system function and reduce stress levels.

 "[The writing] needs to have insight into why it happened," says Birnie-Porter. "Just writing about positive emotions [or] negative emotions … does nothing." Some key words to use that will have a positive effect include "realize" and "understand."

Even if you don't want to commit yourself to keeping a diary or journal regularly, it can help carry you through a lean period of writing and can help your health at the same time.

Visual inspiration for writers with Moodstream

For a lot of writers, visual images are a great source of inspiration. If that's you, try the new Moodstream at Gettyimages.com. You can set some levels (such as how serious or humorous you want the images to be, how nostalgic, and so on) and you can turn on or off a musical accompaniment. 

The site will start streaming images from Getty's huge collection. 

One tip: set the images to flash by slowly so you can get an emotional impact, and when one pops up that seems to be speaking to you about whatever you're writing, pause it, study it--and then get back to writing!

(There's also inspiration every month in my free Brainstorm e-bulletin. If you'd like to get tips for being more creative and productive, just send an email request now to [email protected])

More on using curiosity to sell more of your writing (the secret)

In the previous post, we took a look at how curiosity can make your book's cover and back cover be more magnetic for readers. This time the question is:

CAN YOUR TABLE  OF CONTENTS KEEP A SECRET?

 A good table of contents should reveal what’s in the book but still keep some secrets. For example, let’s say I’m interested in a book about how to conduct better meetings. A traditional table of contents might include these chapters:

1. The importance of having an agenda
2. How to make sure everybody participates
3. Keeping to a schedule

These are all valid topics, but frankly they sound boring. I get the feeling I’ve heard all this before. Compare that to these chapter titles:

1. SATNAV power for meetings
2. Even the guy under the table has an opinion
3. How to finish meetings before you die

The core content may be the same in both cases but the second version sounds more interesting. If you think these titles are a little too flamboyant or obscure, you could combine the two:

1. SATNAV power for meetings: the importance of having an agenda

 With that version it’s more clear what the chapter is about, but it still suggests that it will be an entertaining read.

YOUR FIRST SENTENCE

 The final thing people tend to look at before making a decision about buying is the first sentence. Lots of novels take advantage of this, with anything from “Call me Ishmael,” to “The first time I tried to kill my husband was on a Tuesday—or maybe Wednesday, because it was after midnight.” The same can work in non-fiction. In my marketing book, “Do Something Different,” my first sentence starts, “I hope you’re feeling frustrated…” My point was that if the readers were frustrated about getting out the word about their product or service and wanted to find out how to do so cheaply and quickly, this book was about to give them exactly what  they wanted.

 And now I’m curious how you are going to use this principle to make your writing more appealing.

 P.S.: In case you read the previous post and are still wondering, the men who accidentally  shot themselves were trying to trace a loaded .357 Magnum as a pattern for a tattoo. The gun went off and the bullet hit both of them, but neither had life-threatening injuries.

(Your complete guide to writing, from idea to publication, is called "Your Writing Coach" and it's published by Nicholas Brealey and written by...er, me. A great gift for yourself or a friend or relative who wants to write. Find it at your favorite online seller or in bookshops.)

Use the curiosity factor to sell more of your writing (the naked couple)

A while back at a newspaper’s web site I spotted this headline for a story from the Associated Press: “Naked Couple Grapple Over Dog Near Shower.”

 I was researching something else, but I had to stop and check out the naked couple story. What did the dog have to do with it? And, for that matter,  the shower?

 Well, it turns out they were taking a shower together and the guy wanted his dog in the bathroom with them. Don’t ask me why,  they didn’t go into that part in the article. Anyway, his girlfriend didn’t want the dog there, and they got into an argument that turned physical. The girlfriend was arrested for investigation of second-degree assault (she threw a picture frame that broke and cut him).

 Another headline from the same site: “Men Shoot Themselves in Tattoo Attempt.” It worked again: I felt compelled to find out how you could possibly shoot yourself while trying to give yourself a tattoo.

 The reason I’m telling you all this? I believe that this headline illustrates a hugely powerful tool that writers can use: namely, the power of curiosity. We human beings are wired for it. Even when we know that we should be doing something else, when something arouses our curiosity, we just have to find out what’s going on.

USING CURIOSITY TO SELL YOUR BOOK

 How can you harness the power of curiosity for your writing? Let’s take the example of a book.  Most people have a set routine when browsing at a book store: look at the title, look at the front cover, look at the back cover, then look at the table of contents if it’s a non-fiction book, or the first page if it’s a novel. Each of these gives writers the chance to heighten curiosity.

 CURIOSITY-AROUSING TITLES

 More and more, authors are giving their books intriguing titles. A recent example: “The Secret.” Who doesn’t want to know a secret, much less THE Secret? Or how about “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows?” What the heck are hallows, especially deathly ones? Or the marketing book, “Made to Stick”—that one hooks you long enough to read the sub-title, “Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die,” which explains what  the book is about while at the same time arousing further curiosity.

 THE POWERFUL BACK COVER

 The back cover usually features some testimonials that reinforce the idea that you’ll find something useful inside. The best ones also raise our curiosity level more. Compare these two testimonials:

 “Joe Bloggs has written the best book on getting organized that I’ve ever read. It’s helped me a lot. – Martin Smith”

 “Joe Bloggs reveals the three secrets that finally allowed me to get organized. – Martin Smith”

 The first just makes me wonder whether  Joe and Martin are old pals. The second makes me wonder what  these three secrets could be.

In the next post: a look at how curiosity can add power to your table of contents.

(You can get lots more useful advice on writing in my book, Your Writing Coach, published by Nicholas Brealey--it takes you from the idea alll the way through publication. You can find it now on Amazon and other online outlets as well as in discerning bookshops.)

Writers: Must you write a happy ending? (Baz did...)

I guess happy endings are in demand not only at Thai massage parlours...Director Baz Luhrman has given in to studio pressure to change the ending of his film, Australia, so that the character played by Hugh Jackman doesn’t die after all. Here’s a funny take on it, from the Film Blog at Guardian.co.uk, written by Anne Billson:

“They've got to be kidding! Presumably these guys have never heard of Titanic. Obviously James Cameron misjudged the ending there; Leonardo DiCaprio should have clambered up on to that bit of flotsam so that he and Kate Winslet could shelve their class differences, have lots of kids and live happily ever after. Maybe that would have increased the box office takings.

What about the other films on Luhrmann's CV? Romeo + Juliet? Pah! Clearly, that Shakespeare chap didn't have a clue. Wouldn't the story have been more memorable if, say, Leonardo had opted for a less lethal potion, so that Claire Danes could have pulled him back from the brink with the defilibrator she'd thoughtfully stowed in her baggage? Dry eyes all round! Or how about Moulin Rouge? No need for Kidman to die in that - she only had TB, after all. Surely Ewan McGregor could have rustled up a last-minute cure, or offered one of his own lungs for transplant?

But why stop there? Let's face it: Casablanca would have lingered far longer in audiences' minds had Humphrey Bogart knocked Paul Henreid unconscious and hopped on that plane with Ingrid Bergman, instead of sacrificing personal happiness for the greater good. Gone With the Wind might have increased its frankly rather pathetic box office takings if Clark Gable had said, ‘My dear, I do give a damn. Shall we try it one more time?’”

>>>

 To be honest, the trailer for “Australia” doesn’t make me want to see it, happy ending or not—but maybe this is one of those rare times when the film is better than the trailer? 

Was my writing suggestion anti-family?

In my Brainstorm e-bulletin I suggested a few ways writers could find additional time to write. One was to take your family to the movies but instead of going in yourself, go to nearby coffee shop and write, and pick them up again when the film is over. I suggested that you and they can talk about the film on the way home.

One reader wrote: "What a horrific vision of the effect of the creative mind on family life! If my dad did that to us he'd have to get a taxi home. I know writers need space to think, but the idea is that they create it for themselves, not pay their family off to give it to them..."

Hmm, was my suggestion really anti-family? In my experience, kids love to tell you in great detail about a film or TV show they've seen, and asking them why the characters did what they did, what else could have happened, etc. is a great way to get an exchange going. They get much more engaged because they know something you don't know, and (for once) an adult is asking them for their knowledge and opinion. 

What do you think? You can add a comment here or send me your thoughts at [email protected]

(And if you'd like the receive my apparently provocative free monthly Brainstorm creativity and productivity e-bulletin, just send an email request to [email protected])

Could this be a way for writers to make some extra money?

Here’s something that could inspire you to find a writing project that could be lucrative. According to The Bookseller:

 Mi-Vox, a company specialising in MP3 players pre-loaded with audio books, is branching into UK audio-walking tours with the launch of 15 titles by Travel Tracks.

The titles, which include cities such as London, Edinburgh, Cambridge, and Bath, will be rolled out at the World Travel Market at the Excel centre in London’s Docklands area. The tours cover the history and architecture by foot.

The MP3 players, including a battery, two sets of earphones and an “earphone splitter” so couples can listen together, retail for £18.99-£28.99. The pack also includes a map of the city.

That makes me wonder whether writing similar guides, but maybe more specialised, and providing them for paid download to use on people’s existing players (most notably, iPods) might be an interesting entrepreneurial venture for writers.  If you have a special interest, you probably already know all the places in your home town that might appeal to others with similar interests. Worth a thought at a time when coming up with new sources of income might be handy.

(For tips on how to be more productive and creative, sign up now for my free monthly Brainstorm e-bulletin. Just send an email request to [email protected])

How to Find More Time to Write

At the About.com freelance writing blog, Allena Tapia suggested some ways to find more time to write. Here are a few:

* Combine things: scribble notes while doing the laundry.

* Give up obligations: take another look at all the obligations you’ve taken on and see which ones you can ditch—even if only temporarily.

* Get away: consider making your own writer’s retreat. This could mean renting a hotel room for the weekend, or house-sitting for friends when they are away.

My additional suggestions:

* Get value for those expensive cups of Starbucks coffee: use a coffee shop as your place to grab a half hour of writing before work, after work, or during your lunch hour, or to get away from the family chaos on the weekend.

* Take the rest of the family to the movies, but spend that 90 minutes to two hours writing at a nearby café. They can tell you all about the film when you’re going home.

* Carry with you a few index cards with notes about whatever you’re writing, plus a few blank ones. This is a great way to think about writing and make some notes while waiting in line at the bank or supermarket.

(For more tips on how to be more productive, sign up for my free monthly Brainstorm e-bulletin. Just send an email request now to [email protected])

Selling What You Write: Tips from Indy Marketers

The other week I attended a workshop on marketing independent films. I don’t have any films to market, but I thought there might be some ideas that could be useful to us writers as well. Here are a few of the key points that came up:

• If you want to set up a website, consider using Wordpress blogging software instead. You have two ways to go: one is having your site hosted by Wordpress (free), the other is using the Wordpress software but hosting it on your site. The latter offers more options in terms of what you can do on the site, but both work well. For an example of the former, check out my site, www.Focusquick.com. I’ll probably do a bit of a revamp when the US edition of the book is published next year, but I think this one works well already (thanks, Gavin!).

• If you have a presence on more than one online site (e.g., Facebook, Myspace, Flicker, your own site, a blog, etc.) make sure they’re all linked to each other and let people on each site know what they can find on the others.

• Having a blog or website is one thing, getting people to come to them is another. Try to get mentioned on blogs that are already successful, and be consistent in how often you add new material—once a week is the minimum if you want attention, but generally the more often, the better. However, you need to balance this with the other things you need to do--which is why I now post only 3 times a week instead of 5 or 7 as previously. 

• Be interesting! Create material that is entertaining, or useful, or (ideally) both.

• If you produce print materials that promotes your work, such as posters or brochures, be sure you can get them to the target audience. It’s a great ego boost to see lots of lovely flyers promoting your book, for instance, but unless you can distribute them usefully, it’s a waste of money.   
•   
• Use every opportunity to plug your work. Like this: You can get inspiration for unconventional (and cheap) marketing methods by getting my book, Do Something Different, published by Virgin Books and available at the usual online outlets.  

What are publishers buying these days?

What’s selling to publishers these days? I subscribe to a newsletter called Publisher’s Lunch Deluxe that reveals many of the recent deals. My impression is that in fiction there is an increasing emphasis on the spiritual. Two examples:

“Jennifer Hudson Taylor's PROMISED BLESSINGS, in which two people must learn to trust each other and forgive, while bridging the hate between their clans into a peaceful settlement, but first they must discover the traitorous murderer in their midst and allow God to stretch their faith.”

“Tammy Kling and John Spencer Ellis's THE COMPASS, an inspirational novel, with a companion film on the way next year, about a disconsolate man's journey into the wild, a metaphor for the journey of life in which specific people and circumstances lead you towards your destiny.”

 This theme is also reflected in some of the non-fiction titles, including:

“THE JOURNEY--author and concentration camp survivor H.G. Adler's semi-autobiographical novel PANORAMA, translated by Peter Filkins, the story of one of the last of the Prague German-speaking Jews, raised and educated in Prague, who survives the camps and the destruction of his community, and finds spiritual rebirth in England.”

I never suggest trying to catch a trend, but if you already have a book or book idea with a spiritual or inspirational aspect, these tough times may make it more welcome.

By the way, you want to subscribe to the leaner free version of the Publisher's Lunch newsletter, or pay for the full version, go to www.publishersmarketplace to sign up.

(There's lots of useful information on writing and marketing your work in my book, YOUR WRITING COACH, published by Nicholas Brealey and available from the usual online retailers and from especially discerning book shops. There's more information on the site: www.yourwritingcoach.com.)

What writers can learn from the Obama campaign

What can you learn from the Obama campaign? According to marketing expert Al Reiss, writing in adage.com, there are three qualities of his campaign that gave him victory:

• simplicity
• consistency
• relevance

These are three key points that also can help when you’re pitching a book or article, or even when you’re writing a script. Here are three examples:

Simple: if it’s a non-fiction book, what’s the main thing readers will take away from reading it? If it's a script, what will be the log line on the poster that states the central conflict or idea?

Consistent: it’s a screenplay or a play, does the tone stay within an acceptable range? (I saw a musical recently set in a Jewish ghetto during Nazi times, and once in a while some scenes obviously intended as comic relief would pop up, disturbingly out of synch with the rest.)

Relevant: In your cover or query letter, is the information you’ve included relevant to the project? If you're pitching a script, are you sticking to the one thing they care about initially: the story (not all the merchandizing possibilities, or who you see in the roles, etc.). 

For more tips and an innovative right-brain approach to writing, see my book, YOUR WRITING COACH, published by Nicholas Brealey. And if you'd like free monthly tips on how to be more creative and productive, sign up for my Brainstorm e-bulletin--just send an email request to [email protected].

Farewell to a friend, writer Chris Wicking

I got the shocking news recently: my friend Christopher Wicking died suddenly of a heart attack at his new home in France. 

He wasn’t famous—unless you were a fan of AIP and Hammer horror pictures back in the late 60’s and early 70’s. Then you probably would know that Chris wrote Scream and Scream Again, City of the Banshee, Murders in the Rue Morgue, Medusa, Venom, Demons of the Mind, and To the Devil a Daughter. 

He also wrote TV episodes and TV movies and did feature script doctoring. We split one assignment: the idea was to do two mini-series, both based on books by Jack Higgins. I adapted one that become Midnight Man, Chris did On Dangerous Ground. Both starred Rob Lowe and aired on Sky here and on Showtime in the US. 

Chris was kind of a mentor in my first days of scriptwriting and was always a supportive and loving friend. He left us far too soon, at the age of 65. He’s survived by his wife, Lily Susan Todd, and two children…and a lot of others, including me, who will miss him.

Why you shouldn't clean up your writing desk

In an interview in the Guardian with Oxford professor of mathematics Marcus du Sautoy, Aida Eidemariam writes, "He works at home, in his counter-intuitively messy office (he finds searching for things helps him make connections)." 

Hooray, proof at last there's a good reason for having a messy office. And I've just cleaned mine up! Never mind, I have faith it won't stay this way for long.

And here's another encouraging revelation: "He doesn't do long hours, because he finds his work exhausting. 'I can often be squirming around so much in my chair trying to work out what's going on that I've probably ended up running, you know, 10km by the end of the day.'"

Yes! My writing also involves a lot of squirming...How about yours?