This Wednesday: Book Marketing Tricks
No, not a Halloween kind of trick, but little-known and innovative tricks that will help you stop pushing your book and start attracting buyers.
What do TV ads, telemarketers, and most authors have in common? They interrupt what potential buyers are doing and try to sell them something. But, how do you—or should you—follow those tactics? Pulitzer-nominated writer Doris Bloodsworth will answer that question this-coming Wednesday during the November meeting of the Orlando Area Writers Group, Florida Writers Association.
While talking, Doris will share the book marketing techniques that helped her pre-sell hundreds of copies of her first book (Groveland, from the Images of America Series) before it was released and the methods she used to make that book the one book an entire city was reading this summer. Along that journey, we’ll discover the difference between “push” and “pull” marketing, and we’ll learn how social media fits into the marketing mix, how to recognize and create affinity groups, and how to attract media coverage. In the end, you’ll discover how to have fun marketing your book with strategies that will have people clamoring for copies!
So, don’t miss that meeting! It takes place at the University Club of Winter Park from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM on Wednesday, November 4, 2009, and, as always, is free and open to the public. The University Club is located at 841 Park Avenue North, on the northwest corner of Park and Webster Avenue.
For additional information, visit the group blog at www.fwa-Orlando.org or contact Rik Feeney, group leader—usabookcoach@gmail.com or 407-862-5037.
Meeting Reminder: October 7, 6:30 PM
This month’s meeting of the Orlando Area Writers Group, Florida Writers Association, will feature local television journalist and author Bob Kealing, who will discuss how to identify unique topics in your local community and how to use public records to complete the story. Don’t miss this opportunity to see Bob, hear his advice for getting published, and ask him questions about researching and writing.
That meeting is this Wednesday, October 7, at the University Club of Winter Park. As always, our meetings are free and open to the public. The University Club is located at 841 Park Avenue North, on the northwest corner of Park and Webster Avenue. For additional information, visit the group blog at www.fwa-orlando.org or contact Rik Feeney, group leader—usabookcoach@gmail.com or 407-862-5037.
Bob Kealing: Blow-dried TV guy or compelling author?
Bob Kealing is an Emmy-award-winning investigative reporter at WESH-TV; but, he is also the author of Kerouac in Florida: Where the Road Ends and Tupperware Unsealed. This blow-dried TV guy and compelling author will speak at the next meeting of the Orlando Area Writers Group, Florida Writers Association, on October 7. Bob’s talk is titled “On the Road: Uncovering History in Central Florida Suburbs and Beyond.”
“I’ll describe what motivates me to pursue our area’s hidden history,” Kealing says. As part of his talk, Bob will discuss how you can find compelling stories and unique topics right in your own back yard, how to use public records to bolster your story, and how he accomplished his writing mission and got published. After the talk, Bob will answer questions and sign books.
That next meeting takes place on Wednesday, October 7, 2009, at the University Club of Winter Park. As always, we’ll be there from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM, and the meeting will be free and open to the public. The University Club is located at 841 Park Avenue North, on the northwest corner of Park and Webster Avenue. For additional information, visit the group blog at www.fwa-orlando.org or contact Rik Feeney, group leader—usabookcoach@gmail.com or 407-862-5037.
Thank you, Jamie Morris
Jamie Morris, director of the Woodstream Writers community in Central Florida, spoke at the September meeting of the Orlando Area Writers Group, Florida Writers Association. During her talk, Jamie facilitated a group exercise designed to create a variety of ways to work through writer’s block and other sticky parts of the first-draft process.
Among other resources, Jamie cited
- the Gotham Writers’ Workshop, which offers online workshops;
- a variety of articles by British Sci-Fi author Simon Haynes;
- the First Fridays critique group at Rollins College, which is open to the public and facilitated by Associate Professor of English and Writer in Residence Phil Deaver; and
- a variety of books with writing prompts, including Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones.
In addition to offering workshops using the Amherst Writers and Artists method, writing retreats, community presentations, and book-coaching services, Jamie also creates and distributes The Newstream, a quarterly newsletter for the Central Florida writing community.
The Newstream
- lists publishing tips and opportunities for writers;
- shares information on local workshops, writing intensives and retreats, and relevant community events; and
- applauds local authors’ victories and publishing triumphs!
To subscribe to The Newstream, or to learn more about her services or any of the other resources Jamie presented in September’s meeting, e-mail her: Jamie@WoodstreamWriters.com.
Thanks, Jamie. We’re glad you took time from your busy schedule to share with us.
Meeting Reminder: September 2, 6:30 PM
Beware: September has earned an early-first-Wednesday warning because this month’s meeting of the Orlando Area Writers Group, Florida Writers Association, takes place this Wednesday, September 2! Featured will be local book coach Jamie Morris, director of the Woodstream Writers community and Central Florida’s first certified and affiliated leader of the Amherst Writers and Artists method.
Please join us at 6:30 PM this Wednesday, September 2, at the University Club of Winter Park; as always, the meeting is free and open to the public. The University Club is located at 841 Park Avenue North, on the northwest corner of Park and Webster Avenue. For additional information, visit the group blog at www.fwa-orlando.org or contact Rik Feeney, group leader—usabookcoach@gmail.com or 407-862-5037.
The journey: From first idea to first draft
The September meeting of the Orlando Area Writers Group, Florida Writers Association, will feature local book coach Jamie Morris. During her talk, Jamie will identify some of the common roadblocks that writers encounter while working on their first drafts and offer some specific strategies for helping get past them, including the use of critique groups and writing prompts, as well as workshops for book writers.
Jamie has facilitated writing groups and workshops since 1982 and is the director of the Woodstream Writers community in Central Florida. She is also Central Florida’s first certified and affiliated leader of the Amherst Writers and Artists method.
With a community-oriented leadership style—and what some call a “literary sixth sense”—Jamie bases her coaching and teaching methodology on cooperative learning theories and techniques. She helps writers achieve their next steps, regardless of whether those writers are just beginning the journey or they have been travelling the path for some time.
Join us at that next meeting on Wednesday, September 2, 2009. As always, we’ll be meeting at the University Club of Winter Park from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM; the meeting is free and open to the public. The University Club is located at 841 Park Avenue North, on the northwest corner of Park and Webster Avenue. For additional information, visit the group blog at www.fwa-orlando.org or contact Rik Feeney, group leader—usabookcoach@gmail.com or 407-862-5037.
“Country Joe” Rosier spins our next meeting
The August meeting of the Orlando Area Writers Group, Florida Writers Association, will feature local writer, performer, and storyteller Joe Rosier. Joe will share a brief history of folktales and the art of storytelling, then focus on sharing his own process of researching, writing, and performing.
“Country Joe,” as he is widely known, has been a professional storyteller for twenty-five years but has also developed followings as a poet, playwright, and actor. “As a Central Florida trial lawyer, I’ve spun countless yarns to hundreds of juries; and, as a Maitland city judge, I’ve listened patiently to the ‘tall tales’ of other lawyers and their defendants.”
Outside the courtroom, Joe has performed at the Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival and the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tennessee, and he is actively involved with the Central Florida Storyteller’s Guild (for which he is a former president), the Daytona Beach Sandcastle Storytellers group, and the Florida Storytellers Guild. His most popular gigs are his one-man play “An Evening with Ulysses S. Grant” and his annual performances of “Doctor Rosier’s Scary Stories” (each October) and “A Visit from Father Christmas” (December).
Join Joe at our next meeting on Wednesday, August 5, 2009. As always, we’ll be meeting at the University Club of Winter Park from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM; the meeting is free and open to the public. The University Club is located at 841 Park Avenue North, on the northwest corner of Park and Webster Avenue. For additional information, visit the group blog at www.fwa-orlando.org or contact Stephen Evans, immediate past group leader—ImYourEditor@hotmail.com or 407-898-4299.
A rather somber meeting for July 1
The July 1, 2009, meeting of the Orlando Area Writers Group (Florida Writers Association) will be a planning meeting with several important decisions on the table.
First of all, I am forcing myself to step down as group leader. Primarily, I am finding myself involved in too many floundering but promising business opportunities; I am also helping to organize and reinvigorate a few other organizations, as well. With those adventures taking up ten to twelve hours a day seven days a week, I no longer feel I have the appropriate amount of time to devote to this group. Under the right circumstances, I am willing to stay involved (if the new leadership so desires), but bring all your options, resolutions, solutions, and other ideas to be discussed.
Related to that order of business is the direction that we want the group to take. As those of you who have been around for a while know, our group has traditionally been more of a “presentation” and sharing and networking sort of group more than it has been a discussion-oriented or critique-type group. A couple of variations for possible new efforts are floating among some of the regular members, however, so bring your suggestions for that discussion, too. Your influence is important in determining how relevant and useful the group will be to your needs.
The last item on the agenda will be a discussion about shopping for and securing a future meeting site.
Anyone who cannot make the meeting is invited to e-mail their comments and opportunities to me at the address below. I’ll be sure to present them in your stead. I hope most of you can make the meeting, though.
That Wednesday meeting will take place from 6:30 to 8:30 PM at the University Club of Winter Park, which is located at 841 Park Avenue North, on the northwest corner of Park and Webster Avenue. As always, our meetings are free and open to the public. For additional information, visit the group blog at www.fwa-orlando.org or contact Stephen Evans, group leader, at ImYourEditor@hotmail.com or 407-898-4299.
June 3: Best Web sites for writers
Those of you who made our May meeting know that our speaker was ill that evening and caused you to enjoy an open discussion, courtesy of member Rik Feeney and yours truly. Those of you who didn’t make the meeting know now!
Regardless of your attendance record, though, promising to make our June 3 meeting this Wednesday is our scheduled May speaker and his topic, Writer’s Digest list of “Best Websites for 2009.” Member Christophe Couallier will be leading the presentation and discussion, based on the list and contents of the magazine’s May/June 2009 issue.
Writer’s Digest publishes this list annually to enlighten writers about the best tools and resources on the Internet. “From word challenges to critique groups to hot markets, the annual list of best writing Web sites is a one-stop shop for all the free resources you’ll need to find success,” Christophe says. Since we could not possibly cover all 101 Web sites during our presentation, Christophe will highlight his personal favorites. Then, following his presentation, he will add a few sites that are not featured by the magazine and invite you to announce your own best Web sites nominations to add. “Bring your notepads—It promises to be a fun meeting!”
As always, that Wednesday meeting will take place from 6:30 to 8:30 PM at the University Club of Winter Park, which is located at 841 Park Avenue North, on the northwest corner of Park and Webster Avenue. Our meetings are always free and open to the public. For additional information, visit the group blog at www.fwa-orlando.org or contact Stephen Evans, group leader, at ImYourEditor@hotmail.com or 407-898-4299.
Short Notice: Meeting this Wednesday, May 6
Sorry for the short notice, but with a part-time gig I’m working on this month, I’ve had trouble making arrangements. Nonetheless, we do have a meeting scheduled, and it will focus on the recent Writer’s Digest list of “Best Websites for 2009.” Member Christophe Couallier has graciously volunteered to lead the meeting in my absence and will also lead the presentation and discussion. Writer’s Digest publishes an annual list of the best tools and resources that are available on the Internet for writers.
Again, my apologies for the short notice, but I hope you can still show up and support Christophe while learning about online resources.
As always, our Wednesday meetings are free and open to the public and take place from 6:30 to 8:30 PM at the University Club of Winter Park, which is located at 841 Park Avenue North, on the northwest corner of Park and Webster Avenue. For additional information, visit the group blog at www.fwa-orlando.org or contact Stephen Evans, group leader, at ImYourEditor@hotmail.com or 407-898-4299.
