Through the Portal: Release Day is Here!

I’ve been obsessed with reading for as long as I can remember. My mom had to bring large paper sacks to our weekly library trips so I could fill them up with my treasures. I would quickly finish my pile and head right back for more.

This seems to be a common trait amongst writers. We love to read. We love to write. Finally my dream of being a published author, and not just a reader, is coming true.

My novella, “Shadow Land Motel,” is featured in “Through the Portal,” an anthology by the gifted contributors at Read Write Muse. Today is the big release day, and excited doesn’t begin to express how I feel.

After I finished college with an English degree, circumstances seemed to conspire against me. I gave up my dreams of writing for more practical jobs. Then I moved to British Columbia, got married, and had children. Slowly the desire to write cooled down to barely an ember.

I went through a dry spell even in my reading years. As a “grown-up” and a parent I felt like it was somehow frivolous to read fiction. Stories were for children, and I read my children plenty. I resigned myself to reading only non-fiction, “helpful” books. Parenting, marriage, spirituality, mental health. They were mostly very good, but somehow my mind was getting creatively dull.

When my kids were both in school full-time they attended a very small private school that had no library. That simply wouldn’t do, so I volunteered to start one. In the process of selecting books for the high school students, I started reading fiction again. It rekindled that love I had for the pure joy of wrapping myself in the world an author created.

Once I began to read, I could barely stop. I watched the film version of “The Fellowship of the Rings,” and then bought the books. (Yes, I confess I only read “The Hobbit” before that. I’m pathologically scared of spiders, so I thought there might be more in LOTR.) I read the trilogy in three days. My only breaks were to feed and check up on my children.

Finally the creative embers at the core of my being were stoked enough to roar back to life. I had ideas coming to me, and the enthusiasm to write them. Of course I had all the fear, busyness, and obstacles that I’d always had, but I felt alive again in a creative sense.

For all my enthusiasm, it has taken years to be at the right place, at the right time, and with the right people to have a story published. I am very pleased with “Shadow Land Motel.” It came from places in my imagination that I hadn’t explored before and a genre that is new to me.

I always loved Edgar Allen Poe and watched old reruns of the Twilight Zone on TV. This novella is perhaps a reflection of those influences. If you grew up in Kent, Washington in the '70s and '80s, there is a reference just for you. This story started in a dream, a strange one at that. It couldn't be told in a short story and grew into a novella. I hope it reaches that place in your imagination between waking and sleeping.

I'm very proud of the collaboration contained within the pages of "Through the Portal." And I'm blessed to know the wonderful, talented Musers who make up Read Write Muse. You can find "Through the Portal" on Amazon.com in paperback and eBook. One dollar from each book will be donated to a cancer-related charity. Thank you for coming on this journey with me!

Here are the Amazon links:

Click here for the paperback edition.

Click here for the Kindle edition.

Through the Portal: Cover Reveal and Release Date

I’m bursting with excitement up here in British Columbia, and finally I get to share my news with you! 

The writers and bloggers at Read Write Muse are publishing our first anthology: Through the Portal. It will be released on October 7, 2014 in trade paperback and eBook. Today was the big cover reveal, and we’re so proud of it! 

The theme of our anthology is portals. Many of us have faced the portal of mortality in our family and friends' lives over the past year. We have chosen to donate part of our proceeds to a cancer related charity to honor those in our lives facing that doorway, some who have lost their battle and some who have won.

The creative minds of our Musers found many directions to explore with this motif. My own short story turned out longer than expected, and ended up as a novella: "Shadow Land Motel."

It began with a very vivid dream I had a couple years ago; so vivid that I wrote the scene down the next day. That dream turned into "Shadow Land Motel," where a mother and her young son learn that some tourist traps are literal. 

The portal experts at Read Write Muse invite you to escape into imagination through this portal story collection. 

Jump through time to new worlds, indulge in pizza, chocolate, and romance. Fight evil villains, transport with innocent souls, and glimpse into that final portal awaiting us all. 

Authors, bloggers, songwriters, and poets collaborate to bring you stories sprinkled with ethereal prose, whimsical humor, and heart pounding thrills. Through the Portal beckons you to unlock the adventure. 

Including the works of Annie Adams, Andrea Asay, J.S. Bailey, LaDonna Cole, Katie Cross, Laura Custodio, Rob Holliday, S. R. Karfelt, Kelsey Keating, D. M. Kilgore, Emily Ogle, Natalie J. Pierson, and Kimberly Robertson. 

Read Write Muse will donate $1 per book sale to a cancer related charity for one year.

4 Easy Ways to Increase Your Blog Comments

So you write your blog post, marvel at how perfectly crafted it is (or maybe wonder if it is good enough to publish), put it online, and wait for a comment that will show you that someone out there in the wide world reads your work and appreciates you.

{crickets}

Anybody out there?

visualpanic via Compfight cc

Has this happened to you? It definitely has happened to me. So how important are comments, anyway? If you don’t get them, does it mean no one reads your page? Or nobody loves you?

Let me put some of those fears to rest. Comments aren’t nearly as critical as you think. While they’re great for a writer’s ego (as long as they’re positive), they aren’t necessarily a good indicator of whether or not readers are engaged with your page. That’s why we use analytics. They are, however, a great way to start a conversation.

Comments function as a way to communicate with your readers. If you love to engage with argumentative readers, you can push them to comment by posting more controversial content. It can be a great way to start a discussion. Be sure to stay true to your voice and the tone of your blog. You are building a community of like-minded people, and those are the ones who will come back again and again.

There are two trains of thought on comments right now.  The new trend among some larger blogs is to turn off comments altogether. Much of the time comments on posts become a forum for self-promotion. (“Hey, I loved your post, and I’m a professional, too! Try my new app blah blah blah! And visit my website!”)

The massive site Copyblogger has removed its comment box completely, citing a 96% spam rate in its comments as one of the reasons. Seth Godin’s blog has never allowed comments (making some people to question whether it should even be called a blog.) And Jay Baer’s website, Convince and Convert, plans to stop allowing comments in the near future. 

There are still many more defenders of comments out there. After Copyblogger’s announcement, many bloggers wrote about why they are still valuable. 

photo by miss miah via flickr

The comments on your blog are the opportunity to create a community. It’s a chance to show your readers that their opinions are important, and that they can contribute.

Remember that just because people aren’t commenting, it doesn’t mean that they don’tlove what they are reading. 

There are a few things commonly done on blogs that might be hindering your readers from making a comment.

If you want to increase your comments, make sure you have your blog optimized and set up specifically to make commenting both simple and rewarding.

Here are some tips to help:

1. Make it easy to leave comments

Don’t make your reader jump through hoops just to leave a comment on your site. If captcha is turned on, turn it off. Don’t make them register just to comment. A convenient option is a login with Facebook Connect  or Twitter Connect (both for Wordpress.)

2. Ask a leading question

At the end of your post, ask a good question of your readers. They often have great ideas. One obstacle to comments is to sound too authoritative in your post. If you have all the answers, why should anyone give you a suggestion?

3. Respond to comments

As a blogger it’s very important to respond to every comment you receive. People are less inclined than ever to comment on a blog, so reward their efforts accordingly. When you respond, you have the opportunity to turn the comment into an engaging discussion. Try to respond as promptly as possible, and when you can, ask a question that will draw them into a continuing conversation.

4. Comment on other blogs

Connecting with other bloggers and blogging communities is a great way to increase your own community. When you comment on other bloggers posts, they will often return the courtesy. You might even find yourself in the position of guest posting on other sites, which will increase your authority and your exposure. That will bring more readers to your site, who will hopefully feel compelled to comment. 

I agree with those who think comments are still useful and important to blogging.

Please let me know in the comments below if you have any suggestions for increasing readers comments, or if you think comments are no longer relevant. I really want to know.

How to Spice Up Your Author Platform

Do you cringe when you hear the phrase “author platform”? It sounds intimidating, doesn’t it? Like you might have to climb up on some vast stage, proclaiming your writerly prowess to the world. Don’t worry. It’s not scary, and it doesn’t have to be overwhelming.

What is an author platform? It is just a way to talk about a writer’s engagement with their fans, their presence on social media and online, their connectedness to other writers, critics, etc. Agents and editors are looking to see if an author has visibility and authority, and can reach their target audience. Whether you are a beginning author or are already published, it’s necessary to have a platform.

photo via flickr

Think of it this way. It’s about connection, so instead of a platform it’s more like pathways. If you’re sitting alone in your little cottage in the woods writing your lovely heart out, it doesn’t matter how fabulous the words are flowing from your pen.

You have to put on your red cape (apparently you are Little Red Riding Hood), gather up your basket, and go visiting your neighbors down the paths in the woods. When you’ve established an excellent reputation and spread goodwill, then everyone will be eager to hear about your writing projects. And they will protect you from the Big Bad Wolf.

photo via flickr

A bit silly, I know, but not that far off from the truth. Your platform is an extension of you. Building trust and goodwill is as important as showing the beauty and uniqueness that comes only from you.

Your author website is another extension of you. Visitors to a website decide in three seconds whether to stay on the page or leave. You have very little time to make an impression. Creating a good website shows that you take yourself and your writing seriously.

Take time on your website design so that it is a reflection of you. Any agent or publisher you query will immediately look at your website. It must look professional, but not sterile and cold. Personalize the template you use. On the other hand, don’t go overboard with too many colors and fonts, and distracting details. One idea is to go with a theme related to the type of books you write. If you write YA fiction, you might go with colors similar to the ones in the picture of a teen’s bedroom below.

photo via http://houseanddecoration.com/

The landing page of your website is kind of like a first date. You definitely want to give the important information up front, like your name and tagline. You want to dress up a bit, but not too much (you don’t want to look like a floozy, do you?) And you want to give enough details, maybe even some teasers, so that the reader wants to come back for more. You want to draw them in so they will click on your other pages, and look through your archives (like a gentleman, of course!)

You won’t get a second date, or a second visit, if you fill your landing page with anything too negative. (No one wants to date a complainer.) Avoid long blog-type posts on your first page. It’s better to have a separate page tab for your blog. Remember to give out your phone number, or in this case ask them to sign up for your email list!

photo via flickr

Take these suggestions and be inspired! I would love to hear how you have implemented my ideas, or if you have your own ideas and recommendations. Let me know in the comments.

This post was originally published on www.ReadWriteMuse.com, where I write twice a month on author platform and social media. Come by and read some of the amazing insights by our 13 contributors on all aspects of writing and the writing life.

6 Spectacular Free Photography Sites for Your Blog

Writers love to paint with words. We love to create worlds and populate them with a wide variety of creatures, characters and landscapes. What we sometimes forget is that when we change our medium to the Internet, we have to change our approach.

Unfortunately the average human has an attention span of 8 seconds; one second shorter than the attention span of a goldfish (source). Using visual images in blog posts, tweets, facebook updates and other social media posting is much more likely to keep people on your page.

photo via Flickr

Here are just three statistics from a great post on the Hubspot marketing blog about using visual content (read the rest of the article here)

1. 90% of information transmitted to the brain is visual, and visuals are processed 60,000 times faster in the brain than text.
2. 40% of people will respond better to visual information than plain text.
3. Visual content drives engagement. In fact, just one month after the introduction of Facebook timeline for brands, visual content -- photos and videos -- saw a 65% increase in engagement.

A simple but eye-catching addition to your blog post is photography. If you do your own photography then you don’t have to worry about whether you can legally use the picture. There are quite a few good sources of relatively inexpensive stock photography that can provide you with beautiful pictures, either for a one-time fee or for a subscription.

Dog on the beach in Costa Rica - photo by me

I’m very thrifty, so I prefer to find the images for my blog posts through free photos with the Creative Commons license. (Click here for a link that explains the license.) Be careful that you post photos that you’ve taken yourself, or under this license only, or you may be infringing on someone’s copyright (which is illegal).

Here is a list of my six favorite free image sites.

Six Fabulous Free Photo Sites

1. Compfight 

This is definitely one of my favorite sites. It is easily searchable and brings the best quality and most relevant pictures to the top.

Kerri Lee Smith via Compfight cc

2. MorgueFile

This site has a large selection of high resolution digital photographs free to be used for corporate or personal use. The term "morgue file" comes from an old journalism term, and is now used for inactive files and documents.

Olyvia - photo by greyerbaby

3. Flickr - Creative Commons 

Many photos on the site are shareable as long as they are properly credited on your website and not used for commercial purposes.

photo via Flickr

4. Stockvault 

I particularly love Stockvault because it not only has beautiful photos, but it also has amazing textures that you can use as backgrounds for layering images or for building your website.

Gold Hill - photo by Paul Clifton

5. New Old Stock  

Vintage photos and photos that look authentically vintage. Beautiful images if you are looking for something different. 

photo from lse library collection

6. SplitShire 

Photographer and graphic designer Daniel Nenescu shares his images from Italy here, free of charge to the world. There isn’t a huge selection, but they are so lovely that I had to share them with you. This wedding cake photo is my favorite!

photo by Daniel Nenescu, via Splitshire.com

These six sites are just a few of the free photo resources you can find online that will give your blog or website that visual boost it needs. 

Let me know in the comments if you have a favorite site that I haven’t shared. If you found this helpful, sign up for notifications of my next post.

Related Article:  How to Spice up Your Author Platform, on readwritemuse.com

Related Article: 10 Tips to Jump-Start Your Writing Blog

10 Tips to Jump-Start Your Writing Blog

Have I mentioned that I’m obsessed with research? Right now my favorite topic is social media. I am fascinated by the way we devour it. So many platforms, so little time! Some of them I’ve embraced willingly, like Facebook. Pinterest? I’m addicted. I love collecting things, and hoarding is perfectly acceptable there. Others I’m slowly adding to my repertoire.

This obsession has grown from my realization that using social media is vital to writers. Sadly most of us can’t just rely on our lovely words to land us an agent or a publishing contract, so we go to work on our author platforms. It can be a daunting proposition, but it doesn’t have to be as frightening as we think.

Jayel Aheram via Compfight cc

Starting Your Blog

The first step, if you don’t already have one, is to start a blog. Don’t worry, it’s much easier than you think. There are lots of great tutorials out there. Two of the most common free blogging sites are Blogger and WordPress. I use Blogger, but we use WordPress for the collective writing site ReadWriteMuse. There are pros and cons to both. It’s really a matter of personal preference.

I must admit that I put off starting my blog for far too long. I was worried about whether I would have something interesting or relevant to say. Now I know that I don’t have to be an expert on everything. The old adage “write what you know” is true here more than anywhere. The struggles and journey you are taking as a writer give you many topics to explore.

Determining Your Goal

The key is determining the goal of your blog. Do you want to tell stories of your life like a journal or a writing sample? Or do you want to share your experiences in a way that other people can use the information themselves?

I follow a beautifully written blog by a writer who is chronicling her journey as a single mom. It is very personal and not a blog that is followed by a lot of people. Strung together as a whole it would make a powerfully moving book, but I don’t think the intention is to grow a platform.

If your goal is to establish an author platform, then you must write posts with your audience in mind.

Finding Your Audience

Don’t worry – writing for your audience isn’t as painful as it sounds! As a writer, you probably have already found your voice. Your personality is important, and blogging can be as informal as you are.

The important point to remember is incorporating points that your readers can take away with them. Tell them about your struggles, but show them how your fight can help them in their own battles. You know much more than you think! Those quirky things you do that help you write – they just might give someone else that breakthrough they’ve needed.

Lotus Carroll via Compfight cc

TEN TIPS TO JUMP-START YOUR BLOG:

1. Make an interesting bio page with a professional picture. Fun or interesting is okay, but you don’t want to look crazy here.
2. Always use images in your blog posts. Visuals are what draw the eye, and you must have an image so you can pin your post to Pinterest, or post to Facebook, or other visual platforms. Visual break up your text and keep readers' attention. Be sure you have license, like Creative Commons, for the picture. (More on using images in my next post.)
3. Whenever possible, use headers to break up your text into sections. People skim through blog posts, and this attracts their eye to important parts of your post.
4.  Always cite your sources. Be sure you have permission, like Creative Commons license, for an image and cite the source. Share from other sites, but be sure you link appropriately. And when you have a few posts up, you can backlink to related content on your own site.
5. Use short paragraphs. They are easier to read and force people to slow down. Long paragraphs can make people skip ahead or stop reading altogether.
6. Be consistent and post regularly. You don’t have to post every day, but make yourself a schedule and stick to it.
7. Make sure you have social media sharing buttons on your page so that people can share your posts. Good ones to start with are Facebook, Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, and Stumbleupon. Be sure to share your own posts.
8. Display your own social media links on your blog. You want your readers to follow you on other platforms as well.
9. Use tags. Tagging helps people locate posts. Use popular hashtags as well.
10. Answer every comment. Engaging with your readers and starting a discussion is crucial.

.reid. via Compfight cc

Take these tips and go blog away!

I’m going to continue posting about social media and writer platform in the upcoming weeks, so if you are interested in the topic please follow my page.

Let me know: How has blogging impacted your writer platform and your social media presence?

Related articles:  

• 6 Spectacular Free Photography Sites for Your Blog
• How to Spice Up Your Author Platform on readwritemuse.com