5 Ideas for Author Newsletter Content -- A Guest Post by Sarah Forgrave

Ashley here! I am so excited to be hosting my dear friend and former Alley Cat (though once an Alley Cat always an Alley Cat, right?) Sarah Forgrave on the Alley today! Please welcome her back to the blog! :) I know you'll enjoy her insight!

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5 Ideas for Author Newsletter Content

Has anyone else noticed that Facebook and Twitter can be fickle? With the ever-changing social media landscape, it can be a headache for authors to find and keep our audience. 

My wise agent once advised me to think beyond social media and begin building an e-newsletter. But the age-old question inevitably cropped up: What should I write about?

As I’ve navigated these waters, I’ve honed in on five items that are valuable additions to any author newsletter.

1)   News – (Insert “well, duh” here. :)) This can include recently published articles, upcoming book releases, book signings, or special pricing deals. For the pre-published author, this might include project completions or agent signing news. Don’t forget to share personal news too! If you’ve just gotten married or had a baby or moved to a new house, your readers will love the inside peek at your life.

2)   Photos – Just like web content, you want your newsletter to be visually appealing. Consider investing in a subscription to a stock photo website for access to thousands of photos that can convey the mood you want. Also include personal photos. When I visited Alley Cat Ashley this spring, I included a photo of us in my newsletter. Not only did I get to share a personal side of me, but I got to introduce my readers to a fabulous writer.

3)   Items of interest to your brand – I know, there’s that ugly “B” word. To demystify it, think about unique aspects of your writing that your readers would find interesting.

For instance, author Dani Pettrey writes “Armchair Adventures,” and her newsletters often include a snapshot of a compelling adventure story that relates to her latest book release. In my newsletters, I include a Healthy Habits Corner with nutrition and fitness tips, since I’m a fitness instructor and incorporate health and fitness into my fiction. For a novelist who writes World War II books, interesting history facts might be shared.

Recipes can be a great addition too, particularly if they fit into your brand. Any recipes I share are healthy and simple, Dani might share a trail mix recipe, and a WWII writer might share a recipe that was popular during that time period.


Whatever you share, the goal is to make it interesting, valuable for the reader, and something that sets the tone for your writing in general.

4)   Giveaways – This might include package giveaways related to your books. For instance, Dani Pettrey gave away a Land & Sea Package during the release of her book, Stranded, which centered around an Alaskan Cruise. The package included fun items related to the book’s setting and theme.

You might also give away books (by yourself or authors similar to you) or gift cards. In each quarterly newsletter I send, I give away an Amazon gift card to one of my subscribers. It’s a simple way to say thank you to my readers, and it’s a fun surprise for the winners too.

5)   Free content – At first glance, this might sound the same as giveaways, but they’re distinctly different. Giveaways can include non-book items, and they are a prize given to a limited number of winners that are drawn at random. Free content, on the other hand, is given to ALL subscribers and would involve something written by you.

For example, earlier this year I wrote a romantic e-short exclusively for my newsletter subscribers. Now whenever someone new subscribes on my site, they automatically receive the short story in their inbox. I enjoyed the process of writing the e-short so much, I have another one in the works for later this year. It’s been a great opportunity for me to give readers a small taste of my writing while waiting for my full-length novels to be published.

If you don’t have fictional content to offer, there are other possibilities for free content. Playing off my health and fitness theme, I could offer a healthy meal toolkit exclusively to newsletter subscribers. Author Beth Vogt offers a list of her favorite inspirational quotes to blog subscribers.

Whatever is unique to you that would add value (and, of course, fits within your brand) can be a great incentive to draw in new subscribers and keep current subscribers engaged.

And really, that’s the ultimate goal behind newsletters – to find new reader friends and keep the current ones excited about your work.

By offering unique, relevant content that enriches their lives, you’re building a relationship that will rise above the ever-changing waters of social media.

Enjoy the ride!

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Have you started an author newsletter? What do you like about other authors’ newsletters you follow? Any content ideas you can add to my list?

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Sarah Forgrave is a work-at-home mom whose work has been featured in Guideposts’ A Cup of Christmas Cheer, as well as the webzine Ungrind and the Pearl Girls™ book, Mother of Pearl: Luminous Lessons and Iridescent Faith. When she’s not writing, she enjoys teaching fitness classes, shopping the produce section of her local grocery store, and hanging out with her family in their Midwest home. To read Sarah’s free romantic e-short, “Running to You,” you can sign up for her newsletter on her website. She can also be found on Facebook, Twitter, and her not-so-secret addiction—Pinterest.

Pinterest for Writers Part 2 with Guest Author Sarah Forgrave

I’m so excited to be back on the Alley today!

In my last post, I shared my newfound enthusiasm for Pinterest and included ideas of what authors can pin to connect with their intended audience. In this post, I’ll share specific tips to help you find that audience.

Here are some ways to get started:

1)      Follow people with similar interests and repin their posts. In my experience, this doesn’t always guarantee a follow back. (I still haven’t figured out Pinterest’s notification system, but I will say it doesn’t seem to be as effective as Facebook or other platforms in making people aware when I’ve followed them.) All that said, some will follow you back. And even if they don’t, it’s worth sticking with them if they post really great content that relates to your interests and platform. Which leads to my second tip…

 

2)      Focus on pinning really great content. Pins that link to excellent blog posts, words or ideas that move you – basically anything that is worth someone’s time to read or follow. The more value you bring to others, the more they’ll want to follow you.

 

3)      Find boards for book lovers and contribute your voice. In the Christian fiction world, there are a few large boards where hundreds of people can participate by sharing their favorite Christian fiction books. These are avid readers who have no vested interest in writing and just love to share books they love.

One way to find these boards is to check out authors you admire or know and look through their boards. (There is a small icon of three people at the top right of group boards.) Once you join or follow the board, interact with pinners who’ve pinned books you like or that are similar to yours. Comment on those pins by stating how much you loved the book and/or what you loved about it. Follow the reader pinners in those groups and repin their book posts. Not everyone will respond or follow back, but I’ve made some awesome connections with future readers who have no connection to the writing

world whatsoever. Hopefully when I’ve published a book in the future, those friends will be thrilled for the chance to be an influencer for an author they “know.”

 

4)      Pin a lot. Now, I say this with caution. Go back to Point #2 and make sure you run everything through that filter. But there is something to be said for higher volume. The more you pin great content and prove to be an expert on a topic, Pinterest takes note of that and starts including you in their “recommendations” emails. This takes time, so be patient with it. But just be aware that it does make a difference over the long haul.

 

5)      Take advantage of hashtags. Yep, just like Twitter and Facebook, Pinterest allows hashtags. I’m still figuring out the best hashtags to use on Pinterest, but when I post books I’ve read that would appeal to my future audience, I usually add the tag #ChristianFiction. I’m not sure how actively people seek out that particular tag, but I’ve had some repins and interaction as a result. Play around with this—do searches on Pinterest, etc.—until you’ve nailed down the hashtags that draw the most traffic for your topic of interest.

Most of all, HAVE FUN!

If Pinterest isn’t doing it for you, don’t force it. Don’t let yourself get paralyzed by these suggestions or think you can only post things related to your books. Like I said in my last post, people want to connect with you as a human being, so share who you are.

Connect with people in an authentic way. Truly care about what they like and who they are. By doing so, you’re building a solid foundation for success.

What are some ways you connect with readers online? In what ways do you see your favorite authors connecting with readers online? What tips can you add to my list?

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Sarah Forgrave is a work-at-home mom who feels blessed to do what she loves – raise her two children while writing stories that inspire. Her work has been featured in Guideposts’ A Cup of Christmas Cheer, as well as the webzine Ungrind and the Pearl Girls™ book, Mother of Pearl: Luminous Lessons and Iridescent Faith. When she’s not writing, she enjoys teaching fitness classes, shopping the produce section of her local grocery store, and hanging out with her family in their Midwest home. To connect with Sarah, you can find her online at her website, her Facebook page, and, of course, Pinterest.

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Bulletin board photo by pakorn/FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Book heart photo by patpitchaya/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Pinterest Tips for Authors, Part 1

So excited to have former Alleycat, Sarah Forgrave with us today talking about PINTEREST!!

Welcome SARAH!

 

I've recently jumped headfirst into the world of Pinterest and love it so much that Pepper invited me to share my enthusiasm here on the Alley. To which I said, “Of course!” J

Pinterest can be a fantastic tool for authors to create a human connection to their friends, readers, and fellow writers.

As I started mining this topic, I had so much to share, I’ve decided to split it into two parts. This post will focus on ideas of what authors can pin to enhance their presence and brand. Next week, I’ll talk about specific ways you can connect with the people you hope to find on Pinterest.

So let’s dive in with What to Pin:

1)      Research – Many authors create boards for a specific topic they’re researching for their books, such as historical events or setting details. Pinterest can be a great way to store all those resources in one place.

 

2)      Storyboards – I’ve done this for my Guideposts story that just released and also for a full-length book I’ve recently finished. These boards can include character photos, setting photos, sayings that relate to the book, or any other items that give your readers an overall sense of the story and ignite their interest.

 

One example of how this can increase reader engagement: When I was reading my friend Jody Hedlund’s book, Unending Devotion, I wanted to really picture what the hero looked like. So I looked up her Pinterest board and found the photo she’d posted of an actor who resembled her hero. The detailed visual made me dive in and love the book all the more!

 

3)      Any topics related to your books and/or writing themes – For me, this might be organ donation, since the heroine of my latest book is a heart transplant recipient. Or I also pin a lot of health and fitness information and motivators. Both of these topics are found in my books and are also things I’m deeply invested in in real life. Historical writers might post beautiful flowing dresses that relate to the time period they write. (Laura Frantz is famous for this.)

 

4)      Anything else that interests you – Even if it doesn’t relate specifically to your book, enjoy all the fun that Pinterest has to offer. By pinning the things that interest you personally, it will make you more human to your readers. For instance, I love to pin recipes, inspirational quotes, travel photos, reading and writing quotes, mom tips and encouragement, and more. Any time we connect with others on an organic level, the stronger that connection will be.

 

5)      Secret Boards – These are found at the bottom of your profile page and are only visible to you, meaning they don’t show up in anyone’s Pinterest feed and no one can see them when they view your profile. They can be a great tool for writers. For instance, I like to find intriguing photos of people that would make great future characters. I’ve created secret boards for future heroes/heroines where I store all these photos for possible use later, when I would then pin them to their official storyboard. Some authors choose to create future hero/heroine boards and make them public. Neither way is right or wrong. It’s just up to you to decide if you want all your writer friends to steal that one amazing character from under your nose. J

Of course, these are all suggestions to spark ideas, not black-and-white do’s and don’ts. Take what resonates with you and feel free to skip the rest. The most important thing is to have fun and post what interests you.

Have you joined the wonderful world of Pinterest yet? Why or why not? What are your favorite things to pin?

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Sarah Forgrave is a work-at-home mom who feels blessed to do what she loves – raise her two children while writing stories that inspire. Her work has been featured in Guideposts’ A Cup of Christmas Cheer, as well as the webzine Ungrind and the Pearl Girls™ book, Mother of Pearl: Luminous Lessons and Iridescent Faith. When she’s not writing, she enjoys teaching fitness classes, shopping the produce section of her local grocery store, and hanging out with her family in their Midwest home. To connect with Sarah, you can find her online at her website, her Facebook page, and, of course, Pinterest.

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Research photo by audfriday13/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

What's Up the Street for Next Week?

Contest season is slowly winding to a close!

Did you make it before the Genesis deadline?? I got my two entries in. (Party!)

How many did you get sent in? Even just one is AWESOME! And if you skidded in at the last minute as the door was sliding close you are MUCH braver than I am. ;-)

Don't forget to check out the Frasier too. That deadline isn't for a week or so more, so you have a little bit of time. ;-)

Couple BIG things to celebrate this weekend! One is former Alley Cat SARAH FORGRAVE has SIGNED her first contract with B&H publishing! WAY proud of you, Sarah!

Another contract to celebrate: former Alley guest poster AMY MATAYO has also signed a three book contract with B&H! B&H is SCORING the great authors this go around. Way to go, ladies!

Mary has finished her novel and entered in the Genesis.

Amy is interviewing Candace Calvert on Friday.

It's a good time around here!

We have a great week of writing tips planned out for you, so be sure and stop by and comment and join the event that is writing.

What do you have to celebrate this weekend?

Writing For the Love.... of Communtiy

Pepper, Mary, Casey, Angie, Sarah, Wendy

 I have been inspired lately--just by witnessing the fruit of other writers. It's easy to get caught up in this writing life and only be in it for "me", but when I open up and give a little encouragement, prayer, time, to those around me, the blessings overflow in a whole new way. Hope this post that I wrote last year inspires you, and also gets you geared up for the upcoming ACFW conference!

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Yes, folks. We're sometimes considered to be hermits, scribbling away in our writing caves, sipping on the upteenth cup of coffee, hunched over desks, frantically pouring out words as we listen to the voices in our heads...just typing that makes me want to go find a cozy spot and begin to create! BUT, God has taught me so much this past year, and by placing people in my life as I delved into the writer's community, I know that this craft is not a lonely one. It offers some of the most wonderful friendships I have come across, and I want to share with you all how the conference shed light on my variation of the old African proverb...“It takes a village, to raise a writer.”

It morphed based on three experiences I had at the conference: AUTHENTIC FRIENDSHIPS, FACE TO FACE HONESTY, WORSHIP AS ONE BODY

AUTHENTIC FRIENDSHIPS

Pepper and Ashley Clark

You can tell when someone is authentic. When they are showing you their true self and what their mouth speaks is genuine. Yes, we are all professionals trying to “sell” our books, but if you lose that authenticity, you lose what makes you YOU. I was surrounded by women ( Alley Cats, crit partners, new author friends, blog friends...) who were authentic, who didn't put on airs, who allowed their hearts to be worn smack dab on top of their neatly pressed blouses.
And I walked away knowing that I have a giant support system of which I wouldn't have realized if I chose to continue my hermitage (is that a word?)...I have friends out there who understand the passion I am driven by, and accept the humanness that causes me to stumble. When I was REAL, and others around me were REAL, God's light and providence was all the more evident.

FACE TO FACE HONESTY
I had the opportunity to sit with three editors and three agents this year. Yes, I was one of those who checked the board and snatched up appointments when someone I hoped to talk to was available. I have a harder time just striking up a conversation with an editor or agent in the hallway, so the designated appointments were gold to me.
I had some nibbles, but believe it or not, the ones that blessed me most were the “rejections”... particularly when an editor gave me a concrete example of how my story could improve... can I tell you I sat behind my computer and applied her criticism, and came up with a whole new layer of character development, a strong foundation for my novel's theme. Had I not been willing to crawl out of my writer's cave and expose myself to “the village” I would never be in the know of what people (the BIG people, the I-want-to-impress-you people) want to know!

WORSHIP AS ONE BODY

Angie and Melanie Brasher

There is a humility to know that every person in the room can cast off the cares of the same dream at the same time and fully submit to their Savior. And, to find hope when a successful author (Jenny B. Jones) blesses us with words from scripture, to share her experiences as a new writer, and know how much God has blessed her in this journey, was worth the trip to ST. Louis. To hear the testimonies of so many who are on this same path, fills a writer's heart and encourages us continue. Gather your pots, friends, God is willing and able to fill them with precious oils overflowing.

So, have you had any experiences with workshops, conferences, writing groups that help encourage and mature you as a writer?

Knowing When to Step Away (Plus a Farewell)

If you saw the Weekend Edition, then you already know about my decision to step away from my regular role here at The Writers Alley.

Good-byes are never easy, especially when it involves the wonderful women who are part of this group. But the reality is that life sometimes dictates difficult, but necessary, decisions.

Our lives are often like an ocean. We may go through times of low tide, when our schedules have breathing room and we can rest on the beach--maybe even build a sandcastle--without the waves crashing over us.

Then we may be offered an opportunity here, sign up for a commitment there. And with each thing we add, the tide starts to slowly rise. As long as we're comfortable on the beach and our sandcastle is protected, we don't worry too much about the rising waves.

...Until that final commitment pushes the tide past us, sending a mini-tsunami that crushes our castle and sweeps us away. That's what happened to me recently and what prompted the hard decision to leave this blog. 

Since many of us have lots of commitments on our plates (and since I can't do a blog post without giving practical advice :)), I'm going to share four steps for evaluating your own schedule.

1) Determine what your top two or three priorities are. (Picture these as the sandcastles you're trying to protect from the giant wave.) For me, this came down to family time, church, and focused time to work on my fiction writing.

2) List out everything that's on your plate. And I do mean everything. (These are the waves that creep toward your sandcastles.)

3) Mark each item on the list with one of the following categories: (a) Non-negotiable -- Definitely needs to stay on my list; (b) Iffy -- It could go either way; (c) Can be sacrificed -- This may be something that's easily discarded, or, like my role here at The Writers Alley, it may be a bigger commitment that someone else can come in to fill. (Picture this evaluation process as determining how big your waves are.)

4) Begin the process of elimination. (This is the removal of those waves that threaten your sandcastles.) For me, this process is accompanied by a lot of prayer. Start with the items marked as "can be sacrificed" and envision your life with those things removed from your schedule. Are you better able to focus on your top priorities, or does the elimination of those items hinder you from your priorities in some way? As you pray, envision, and continue to work up the ladder of the categories, it will become clear to you which things need to be surrendered.

This process isn't easy. And it often means surrendering something we enjoy very much, like my role here on this blog. But throughout this evaluation, we must always keep our sandcastles protected. No matter how much we may love one of the "waves" on our schedule, if it comes to the detriment or destruction of our castles, we need to let them go.

So to the readers here at The Writers Alley and to my fellow Alley Cats, I want to thank you for making this such a fun place to visit and learn together. I'll greatly miss being a part of the camaraderie and support. But have no fear...I won't be a complete stranger. And I look forward to seeing what God does through this incredible group of women as we all move forward, protecting our precious sandcastles for His glory.

Let's talk...Have you ever had to do an evaluation of your schedule like I described here? What would you say are your top two or three priorities? How do you know when it's time to step away from a commitment?

*Tide photo by Rawich / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
**Sand photo by Lisa McDonald / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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Sarah Forgrave is a stay-at-home writer-mom who feels blessed to pursue her calling and passion. She writes contemporary romance for the inspirational market and is a contributor to the webzine Ungrind.

To learn more about Sarah, visit her personal blog at:
http://www.sarahforgrave.com/blog

A Day in the Life of a Contest Judge

Contest season is heating up. Maybe you've submitted an entry to the Genesis or another writing contest, and now you're chewing your fingernails down to nothing while you wait for results. Or maybe you're checking email every two seconds just in case the judges' feedback came through. (I'm not saying any of this from personal experience. *wink*)

Then when you finally get your entries back, you may find yourself wanting to chuck them in the trash can. Or shoot darts at a picture of the judge's face.

Before you get carried away, though, let me present some perspective. In the last couple years, I've been on the other side as a judge. And things on this side are much tougher than I would have expected.

For someone like me who has been on the receiving end, I'm extremely conscientious of the feedback I provide. But I'm also juggling my own writing (or in some cases during contest season, putting it completely on the back burner so I can judge).

Plus I'm also a stay-at-home mom of young children. Need I say more?

Here's a little snippet of what might happen when I open an entry to judge...

*Reading first sentence* Wow, nice hook!

"Mommy, I want a snack."

"What's that, honey? Oh, a snack?" *going to pantry to get some animal crackers* "Here you go."

Okay, let's read that first sentence again. *typing comment in entry* Great opening!

"Mommy, Mickey Mouse is done. Can I watch Little Einstein's next?"

"I'm sorry, honey. What'd you say? Oh, sure. Take the remote and watch whatever you want." (Don't judge...I'm desperate at this point.)

*finish typing comment in entry and read second sentence*

"Mommy, the TV isn't working."

Argh...

At this rate, it takes me three hours to read an entry and provide meaningful feedback. At least, I hope it's meaningful because I've had so many interruptions. For all I know, I may have said the entrant needs more description when they had too much of it.

As hard as it is to imagine sometimes, judges are people too.

And while we truly want to help develop other writers' skills, we have interruptions and agents or editors who still expect us to meet our deadlines.

When you get your contest entry back, read through the judges' comments with a clear mind. You may (hopefully!) find some great nuggets to take your writing to the next level.

But if something doesn't jive or comes across as mean, remember who's on the other side of the comments. They may have just gotten a snack for the tenth time during your entry, and they're taking their frustrations out on unsuspecting you.

Perspective is so important, no matter what stage we may find ourselves. We would all benefit from remembering there's a person behind the words--no matter which side we're on--and filtering everything with wisdom and understanding.

So let's talk...What side of contests do you sit currently--entrant or judge? If a judge, how do you balance your other responsibilities with contest entries? If an entrant, how does this perspective change the way you receive contest feedback?

*Feedback photo by Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
**Time photo by Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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Sarah Forgrave is a stay-at-home writer-mom who feels blessed to pursue her calling and passion. She writes contemporary romance for the inspirational market and is a contributor to the webzine Ungrind.

To learn more about Sarah, visit her personal blog at:
http://www.sarahforgrave.com/blog

When To Hit Send?

Photo in Flickr Creative Commons by Horia Varlan

 A few weeks back, I wrote a post on After You Hit Send. After working on sending out my full, I have come to realize the big question... 

When to Hit Send? 

I sat there, with my finger poised on the mouse...one small touch would send off my manuscript into cyberspace all by its lonesome...with no assurance that it would be of any interest at all. I quickly texted my fabulous crit partner (Alleycat Ashley) and asked her,

"When do you know when you are ready to submit?" 

It felt weird to say that it was ready. Like I was being too rash...too presumptuous that it was polished enough. Ashley wrote back:

"Do you feel at peace about where it is?

 If the recipient were to reject you, would you feel good about it, like you gave it your best shot?" 

Oooh, good questions, don't you think? I pondered them, and looked back on all the steps I took to get to these final two questions. There were quite a few steps, and some were lengthy, but these steps helped inch that manuscript closer to cyberspace in the long run:

Photo in Flickr Creative Commons by goXunuReviews

1. POLISH: After typing 'The End', you most certainly are not at the end, really. It's only the beginning of the next phase...Editing. Typos, sentence restructure, plot inconsistencies, character arcs...don't get too dizzy. Alleycat Sarah wrote a great series on the Self-Editing Checklist to help with this step.
2. SEND IT: Not to agents or editors..but to friends and colleagues. Find some friends who read, preferably your genre, as well as professionals (that you know!) and/or crit partners. Get their overall feedback, suggestions...and wear thick skin!
3. POLISH once more, according to their feedback...at least the feedback you want to listen too. One of my friends told me a major plot point wasn't believable, but I didn't agree. Fortunately, the Alley Cats are a great sounding board and confirmed my hunch. Checks and balances are important when it comes to your story and your voice. If you feel strongly about why you wrote it, how you wrote it, and get some resistance from readers at this step, make sure you are honest with yourself, but also stand your ground if it's important. (It's always nice to have a crit partner at this point, because then you have someone who knows how you write, your story, and about the writing craft.)
4. FORMATTING is sometimes an afterthought, but SO important to make your piece really shine. Be sure you have the chapters numbered correctly (I have found this mistake more than once in my own manuscript), and that your margins are 1", a readable font through out, and proper spacing for chapter breaks, scene breaks... all that fun technical stuff. (Blah!)
5.  STEP BACK and marvel at your shiny piece. You have accomplished a great feat. It's something to smile about!
6. SLEEP ON IT. 2 a.m. is not a good time to hit that button. You'll want to skim through any new parts you've added and be sure you've gotten all those pesky typos. Tired eyes aren't trustworthy.
7. TEXT your crit partner for final encouragement....and move to the next step:
8. ASHLEY'S QUESTIONS: Yes, friends, they are from the mouth of a very trustworthy friend and crit partner, and I suggest you ask yourself also:

•   Do you feel at peace about where it is? 
•  If the recipient were to reject it, would you feel good about it, like you gave it your best shot?

If you can honestly say yes to both of these, then you are ready!

Now to tackle that query! Here's an older post to give you a start.

Any other steps you take to make your manuscript shine?

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Angie Dicken first began writing fiction as a creative outlet during the monotonous days of diapers and temper tantrums. She is passionate to impress God's love on women regardless of their background or belief. This desire serves as a catalyst for Angie's fiction, which weaves salvation and grace themes across cultures. She is an ACFW member and CEO of a family of six.

3 Unique Ways to Incorporate Holidays Into a Novel

This isn't a time of year when holidays are predominant in our minds. But with last Saturday being St. Patrick's Day, I recently got thinking about all the different holidays we celebrate every month. (August is the only month of the year without a federal holiday.)

And they can play a key role in our novels as well. Here are some ideas to freshen up your story:

1) Turn a holiday into a deadline. We all know how effective the "ticking time bomb" effect can be. Why not ramp it up and pair it with a holiday that holds significance to the characters?

Sure, you could always do the kiss at midnight on New Years Eve. But what about something less obvious, like Ash Wednesday? What if your character is an FBI agent who's chasing down a Ponzi scheme that patterned itself after a popular TV show? But the agent is giving up TV for Lent, which starts in two days, and he needs to unlock the code before Ash Wednesday?

2) Play up the quirks of lesser-known holidays. Remember earlier when I mentioned every month has a federal holiday except August? Chances are extremely high that a holiday will fall during the timeframe of your novel, whether it's a popular day or a lesser-known one.

Anybody seen the movie Leap Year? What if your character's birthday is February 29th and they only get an actual birthday every four years? How can you play this up in your book? Or what about federal holidays when the post office doesn't deliver mail? What if your character mails an important payment, but it arrives a day late because of Presidents Day?

3) Incorporate holidays with wardrobe. Although these may not be major players in your novel, they can add authenticity and quirks that set the stage for conflict and characterization.

We can all think of costume parties where guests' identity are concealed. Or what about a misfit teenager who forgets to wear green on St. Patrick's Day and shows up at school as the outcast? Or what about the family who for 20 years has taken a group portrait on Christmas Day in matching red sweaters, but on Year 21, the "perfect child" shows up in all black?

The idea behind all these points is this: Be mindful of the timeframe of your novel and be aware of the holidays that may take place. Are there ways you can incorporate them into your story to add depth and conflict? You never want it to be forced, but you may just find that missing piece that will make your novel shine.

Let's talk...What sort of holidays have you incorporated into your novels? Have any lesser-known holidays wormed their way into your stories? What fun twists came to mind as you read this post?

*St. Patrick's Day photo from FreeDigitalPhotos.net
**Mail photo by digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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Sarah Forgrave is a stay-at-home writer-mom who feels blessed to pursue her calling and passion. She writes contemporary romance for the inspirational market and is a contributor to the webzine Ungrind.

To learn more about Sarah, visit her personal blog at:
http://www.sarahforgrave.com/blog

Story Setting: How to Make It Unique and Realistic

Nothing can bring a book to life more than a great setting. Sure, the characters are important, but setting is a close second.

Take Anne of Green Gables, for instance. How many "kindred spirits" want to travel to Prince Edward Island as much as they want to meet Anne? They want to paddle across The Lake of Shining Waters and experience The White Way of Delight in all of its beauty.

We choose the settings for our stories in different ways. But regardless of how they originate, I've noticed there are three primary types of settings writers deal with. I'll break them down below, as well as provide tips for how you can make your setting stand out.

Well-Known, Highly-Visited Settings (for example, New York City)

- Find a unique angle to freshen it up. Don't settle for generalities or cliches. Hone in on a particular neighborhood, a particular store or shop, a park, etc. (Think Breakfast at Tiffany's. Or how about Sleepless in Seattle, when they meet at the top of the Empire State Building?)

- Make sure the setting details are accurate. Since your readers have likely been there, they'll notice any inconsistencies or misportrayals. And you don't want to pull them from the story with a setting flub that's easily fixable.

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Real Settings That Lend Themselves to Uniqueness (for example, Sandwich, Illinois, in Alley-Cat Krista's book ----> )

- Play up the unique aspects. Whether it's the town name, like Krista's book, or a unique geographic location (a beach town, for instance), bring those things to the forefront in the story. Let them be key players. Think of the setting as another character in and of itself, with its own quirks and personality.

- Present the setting from an authentic viewpoint. It might mean you've already spent time there, or it might mean you need to go on a research trip (or do a virtual visit online). Look at the setting from fresh eyes and seek out the traits that first get your attention. Your readers are relying on you to transport them there, and they want the full experience, not a high-level skimming.

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Fictional Settings Based on Real Settings (For example, The town in my book is set in the same geographic area as a town where I grew up. I gave it a different name to give me creative liberty with the story details.)

- Even though the setting is fictional, make sure you get the details right on a general level. If you've created a fictional town in Minnesota, it's not realistic to have 90-degree weather in December. Consider the general geographic area and keep it true-to-life.

- Create unique details, but avoid making them too over-the-top. Readers want to be transported to a great story setting, but they also want it to be believable. Once you cross the point of being too outrageous, the reader may give up on the book altogether.

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No matter which type of setting you write, the key is to keep it unique and realistic. A well-written setting will enhance the story, not detract from it, and it will likely create lifelong fans. All you have to do is visit Prince Edward Island to see the proof. :)

What types of settings do you typically write? How did you end up planting your stories there? What are some of the quirks or unique "personality traits" of your settings that play a role in the story?

*Special note: There's a fourth type of setting I didn't cover here--fictional story worlds created by fantasy writers. Since I have no expertise in this area, I'm leaving it to the capable hands of the fantasy experts. :)

**Green Gables photo from www.anneofgreengables.com.
***Deer photo from http://minnesota.publicradio.org.

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Sarah Forgrave is a stay-at-home writer-mom who feels blessed to pursue her calling and passion. She writes contemporary romance for the inspirational market and is a contributor to the webzine Ungrind.

To learn more about Sarah, visit her personal blog at:
http://www.sarahforgrave.com/blog

What to Expect After You Submit to the Genesis ;-)

Tis the season for the Genesis. In fact, we’re down to the last few days of possible entries.


Have you entered?

Coming from a previous entrant, I thought I might share a little bit of ‘what happens next’.

Are you ready?

1. You try your very best to forget about when the semi-finals will be announced. In fact, you may go to great lengths to erase the finals announcement (May 28th in case you’re trying to forget it ;-) from your memory.

2. While you try very hard to forget May 28th – you wait. Waiting might include many activities. Your regular routine will most likely continue, with only a few hundred reminders per day that May 28th is getting closer. As you wait, some suggestions distractions might be:

         a. Watching movies, especially those similar to your novel

         b. Eat chocolate

          c. Walk, fast and furiously, for…er…28 minutes?

          d. Eat more chocolate

         e. Email other entrants within your close circle and gripe about how hard waiting is.

         f. Find a new hobby - Paper mache, Origami, and plate spinning are a few.

3. Strange side effects may begin to form. Things such as excessive nail biting, a preoccupation with calendars- particularly those months of April & May, a sudden compulsion to reread the book of Genesis....

4. Sometime in April (around April 9th – if you want to make sure not to check your calendars), semi-finalists will be notified. I hadn’t forgotten this date quite well enough and as soon as a phone number popped up on my cell with a weird area code last year I grabbed it.

Remember, being a semi-finalist is a big deal. It means your work landed in the top 20% of entrants. That alone is winning information.

5. Six weeks later, finalists are announced. This actually came as a surprise call to me. My fellow Alley Cats had to remind me of the day. (Life gets busy, okay)

(side note: Entering this contest is an example of a winner too. Just entering - because that means you've made it beyond the writing-infancy stage)

Recommendations to cope with the wait:

1. Find other authors who will commiserate with you :-) Actually, the Alley Cats are the best encouragers EVER! Several of them entered this year, so it will be a DELIGHT to cheer them on.

2. Eat chocolate to dull the despair of waiting.

3. Keep busy. There’s nothing worse than waiting around for something. Time goes by faster when you keep yourself busy :-)

4. Keep writing. Finish the manuscript you entered, or move on to something new. If you final, then you’ll have even more stories to pitch to agents and editors at conference.

5. Pray for patie…er…God’s will. The very thougth of praying for patience means you get suffering. Suffering + Genesis finals does not sound good, does it? :-) In all seriousness, don’t forget God’s loving hands are even in the middle of writing contests. He’s here – and He has a plan. One that includes the stories we write, but (more importantly) the one HE is writing in Us.

What are you doing to pass the time while you wait for…that date that will not be mentioned?


Any tips you can share?

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Pepper Basham is a Blue Ridge Mountains’ native, mom of five, pastor’s wife, and university instructor. She writes in various fictional genres but spices them all with grace and humor. She is a 2011 Genesis double-finalist and can be found causing mischeif at The Writers Alley, on her personal blog- www.pepperbasham.wordpress.com, or in her imaginary world. Company always welcome.

Four Simple Ways to Become a Healthier Writer

I don't know about you, but when I'm not taking care of my body through health and fitness, my creativity suffers. And a writer's schedule isn't necessarily full of time to spend three hours at the gym every day.

As I've been studying to become a certified fitness instructor, I've realized there are ways we can achieve our health goals AND our writing goals at the same time.

Here are four simple ways:

1) Use a stability ball as your desk chair. It helps strengthen your core (abs and back) and improves your posture. And if you want to take it up a notch, you can lift off the ball every once in a while to work your legs and glutes while you type.

2) Drink while you write. (Water, that is. ;)) If you write in hour-long chunks, make it your goal to finish off a cup or two of water before the hour is up. I'm a big fan of multitasking. :)

3) Set up a laptop stand on your treadmill, like our very own Pepper. This isn't the most practical for typing. But if you need to read through an excerpt or catch up on blogs or read a craft book, this is the perfect solution.

4) Take a recorder with you on a walk and brainstorm ideas. Or better yet, if you've got a writing buddy close by, take brainstorming walks together. (Or if your brainstorming buddies are far away, call them up and pace around your house while you talk. You can burn around 200 calories if it's an hour-long chat!)

Do you have any ideas to add to my list? How much time do you devote to your health each week? What would you do with the extra time you could save by multitasking on these goals?

*Exercise ball photo by John Kasawa / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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Sarah Forgrave is a stay-at-home writer-mom who feels blessed to pursue her calling and passion. She writes contemporary romance for the inspirational market and is a contributor to the webzine Ungrind.

To learn more about Sarah, visit her personal blog at:
http://www.sarahforgrave.com/blog