Meryl's Notes at meryl.net by Writer Meryl K. Evans

Developing Your Fiction Platform

2009-10-13T15:27:37Z

Welcome to meryl’s notes blog (this here place you’re lookin’ at) in Plano, Texas. We’re honored to be a stop in Therese Walsh’s WOW! Women On Writing Blog tour. I first met Therese in Christina Katz’s first ever #platformchat on Twitter. Since then, I’ve enjoyed getting to know her and learning from her and her Writer Unboxed site. Here’s a bit about Therese Walsh. (Stay tuned in this post if ya wanna win this book!)

About Therese Walsh

Therese Walsh’s debut novel was recently released by Random House (Shaye Areheart imprint). The Last Will of Moira Leahy is about a woman who lost her identical twin about a decade ago, but reconnects with her former life after purchasing an artifact from her past. Through interwoven narratives, we see Maeve Leahy as she was and what led to the tragedy with her sister, Moira. We travel with her in the present day as she unravels the truth about the artifact–who’s following her and leaving her notes — as layers of her past are peeled away and the course of her future is forever altered. Therese is also the co-founder of one of the Writer’s Digest best sites for writers, Writer Unboxed. You can learn more about her and her novel at her website: ThereseWalsh.com.

Developing Your Fiction Platform by Therese Walsh

In today’s world, platform is an important consideration for a debut novelist. Our technology-centered world is a noisy one, with so many things to do, to hear, to see, to read. What will set us apart? How will we gain notice? We’d all like to believe that our work will be enough to garner its due attention and propel us into a contract and then onto the NYT’s bestseller list. And it happens. To some. The rest of us have to work at it.

So how does a fiction writer go about developing a platform, anyway? Is it even possible? Yes, it is, and in several ways. Platform can be built broadly, as in the more widely you’re known, the greater the number of people you can potentially reach. It can be built specifically, through efforts you might make to tap into your core audience. And it can be strengthened subtly — almost unconsciously — as how you present yourself online says something about you and, through you, your writings.

Becoming Widely Known

This, from a recent Washington Post article:

(Many authors) “are actually selling their book long before they sell the book,” says Richard Pine, a literary agent for three decades and co-founder of InkWell Management. These people, he says, are establishing who they are and what they have to say and are building an audience years before they actually have a book on the shelves.

Kathleen Bolton and I started Writer Unboxed — a blog meant to empower other writers with craft posts and through interviews — in January of 2006, which marks the beginning of our online-platform effort. We became better known individually as the blog became more successful, and as we reached out to other writers, and as they mentioned us on their own sites, and as others linked to us, and so on.

You don’t have to use a blog, or rely on one exclusively, to get your name out there. Other avenues to a potential readership involve social networking efforts on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads and the like. The bottom line is that you should do something — and ideally you should do many somethings — to get your name out there. The more avenues you have to becoming known, the better for you in the long haul.

Finding Your People

Though becoming known on a large scale is important to your platform, it’s also a little like taking an ad out on PerezHilton.com: Yes, you’re reaching many, but only a fraction will care enough about what you have to offer to click through and buy your book. Honing in on the people who very likely will care becomes important.

Case in point: The Last Will of Moira Leahy is a book about twins — the story of one woman’s recovery following the loss of her twin, but also the story of this woman and her sister when they were young girls, and how they grew and changed and became separate. I knew that I needed to put forth an effort to become known by the twin community in particular, so I reached out. I sent galleys. I sent emails. I connected with people on Twitter. I waited to see if these people would choose to support my work. Luckily for me, most of them did.

I made a great ally in Shelby at Double Up Books, a bookstore dedicated to all-things twin. Shelby is not only carrying Last Will in her store, she truly believes in it and even tweets about it on occasion. I’ve gladly added her store to the buying options available on my website, and I buzz her as often as I can too. (Buy from Shelby!)

Presenting the Right Face: Yours

What kind of face do you present to the world, and does that face correspond with what you write? One of the best examples I’ve seen of matching a public face with published work is via thriller novelist JA Konrath. JA’s novels (e.g. Cherry Bomb) have been called “brisk and breezy” and laden with “offbeat humor.” JA’s personality is clear when you read his blog, A Newbie’s Guide to Publishing — which, by the way, is packed with helpful information. His Facebook posts and tweets are also frequently hilarious. Brisk, breezy, offbeat humor – that’s JA, all right. He is the perfect poster child for his work.

Through online conversations at Writer Unboxed and elsewhere, I hope you’ve sensed my passion for empowering others. You’ve seen my posts on unboxed writing and the importance of polishing your prose. You know I love words and the occasional punny joke. You know I’m detail oriented and that I love a strong visual image. What you know about me sets up an expectation as to what you might find in Last Will — and, though I’m admittedly biased, I’d like to think it won’t disappoint you.

What are you doing to develop your fiction platform?

Write on, all!

Win: To win a copy of the book, please leave a comment at least 50 words long that answers the above question. Or you can write about twins, triplets, multiples. You don’t have to be a multiple. Maybe you had a good friend who was a twin. Or share how you feel about Kate Plus 8. You have until 11:59pm on November 18, 2009 to qualify for the drawing. The unbiased and robotic Random.org has the honor of picking the winner.

How Writers Can Manage Federal Income Taxes

2009-11-10T18:00:35Z

Photo credit: Jasper Greek Golangco

Disclaimer: I am not an accountant. The closest I can come to be considering one is from taking one graduate college course on accounting and using QuickBooks. This advice comes from my own experience.

Some writers start a freelance writing business with little thought to the business part. That’s a small part of why I thought I’d never go into business myself. I didn’t know if I could figure out the admin part of the career beyond invoicing and getting paid. Then there’s taxes (shudder).

Some of the companies I’ve freelanced for took care of the taxes. Most didn’t. So it was my responsibility as a US citizen with her own business to take care of my contribution to a teeny part of the government’s budget. If nothing else, follow the golden rule and you’ll be … well … golden. For the most part.

Golden rule: Have extra money in your business account so you can pay your taxes.

I pay quarterly taxes. In IRS speak: 1040ES (1040 estimated income form). Every quarter, I wince my way to EFTPS.gov and take care of the payment. Better to do it quarterly than to write a big check at the end of the year. Here is how I manage my taxes:

Obtain an Employer ID number (EIN): See this EIN chart to see if you need one.
Save income for taxes: I make sure I always have cash on hand to pay those taxes.
Figure out tax rate: IRS.gov states: “The self-employment tax rate is 15.3%. The rate consists of two parts: 12.4% for social security (old-age, survivors, and disability insurance) and 2.9% for Medicare (hospital insurance).”
Pay quarterly taxes by April 15 (1st quarter), June 15 (2nd quarter), September 15 (3rd quarter) and January 15 (4th quarter). I pay mine on EFTPS.gov. I look at my reports in QuickBooks to see how much I made for X quarter. I subtract expenses from that. And then apply the tax rate to the total and pay that amount.
Record all expenses and keep the receipts: Do you subscribe to Writer’s Digest or buy 2009 Writer’s Market? Save those receipts. They contribute to your writing business. Your home office, supplies, computer, phone and all that also count as expenses. Accounting treats some items differently, so check with your finance pro.
Track payments to subcontractors: This typically doesn’t apply to me — I prefer to keep it a one-person business — but I some of you may subcontract work to others. If you pay them over $600 in a year, give them Form 1099-Misc.
Check state income tax requirements: Thank you, Texas, for making this easy. We don’t have state income taxes in Texas, but I had to pay income taxes to New York. So not only do you need to know your resident state, but also the income tax requirements of states where you have clients. Your finance pro can help with this.

Many user-friendly applications have come out that are easier to figure out than QuickBooks. The key is to find one that lets you create invoices, record payment and enter expenses. The rest are just extras and it’s up to you whether you want them or not. I also use reconcile and reporting features.

Track everything. What you pay. What you buy. Your invoices. Your received payments. Better to record everything and let the accountant determine what qualifies than to miss a deduction or other opportunity.

What other tax management tips do you have?

Game du Jour: Week of 8 November 2009

2009-11-07T15:26:33Z

The following games will be discounted next week on Game du Jour, the first ‘one-deal-a-day’ website dedicated to indie and casual games:

Sun. November 8th: 50% off on The Conjurer

Mon. November 9th: 50% off on Campfire Legends: The Hookman

Tue. November 10th: 65% off on Elementals: The Magic Key

Wed. November 11th: 65% off on Fairy Nook

Thu. November 12th: 65% off on Kitchen Brigade

Fri. November 13th: 65% off on Fishdom: Spooky Splash

Sat. November 14th: 65% off on Cake Mania Main Street

Links: November 2009. Seriously? Edition

2009-11-06T17:44:40Z

Congratulations to Kim Priestap! She won a copy of Claudine Wolk’s book. Stay tuned for more books!

Wanted: Dallas area company in need of personable and experienced IT manager in hardware and networking (just about everything except software development) among other things. I have just the guy for you.

Articles with valuable advice…

Ask the editor: The top 5 secrets to getting a book deal: Must read for every author with a book needing a publisher [Link: Maria Schneider]
Chrome Extensions: Extend your Google Chrome browser. I love Google Chrome and use it almost as much as Firefox. Oh, I don’t stick with one browser. Each one has strengths and weaknesses.
Death of the Book Review: Viral Loop Chronicles Part 2: Yes, there are people who abuse the reviews feature on Amazon. But they still help shoppers especially ones who can tell a fake, author’s friend or off-topic review from a good one.
Publishers Weekly Best Children’s Books of 2009: I’m sorry for those whose books come out in November and December [Link: Alice Pope].
When to Walk Away: Sometimes you can’t bend any further to meet a client’s writing budget.
Technology not causing social isolation: Pew study: Technology ENHANCES our social world. I agree wholeheartedly. I am in touch with more people daily in a single week as a freelancer than I would be in a month in a corporate job [Link: SmartBrief]

And for fun because we’re allowed…

7 Horrible Video Games with Awesome Soundtracks: I am not related to Earnest Evans.
Holiday Lights: Need inspiration? Need to save time? Here’s a winner!
12 Coolest MP3 Players: Wait a minute. Some are NOT cool… they’re strange.
Giant Cardboard Robot Suit: Wow.
Youthmobile 2030: 6 Crazy Cars for the Next Generation: My car crazy son likes this.

Book Review: The Last Will of Moira Leahy

2009-11-05T13:29:38Z

Therese Walsh’s debut novel, The Last Will of Moira Leahy, opens with Maeve Leahy remembering losing her twin “on a harsh November nine years ago.” So it’s obvious why she has struggled with every November. That is, until now. On a whim, she attends an auction to bid on a keris, a Javanese-style dagger that launches her extraordinary journey where her past and present collide.

Though Maeve becomes a successful professor of languages at a university in Bethany, New York; it’s no surprise that she feels incomplete without her twin. So the keris reminds her of happier days in her youth when she played with her keris pretending to be Alvilda, the pirate queen. She lost the original keris in the bay near her childhood home in Castine, Maine.

Soon after the auction, she finds a pocket-sized book on weaponry in an envelope nailed to her office door. The book provides details about the keris. This anonymous message is the first of handful she receives regarding her keris, which leads her traveling to Rome bringing her near to someone she loved, Noel Ryan. He had left New York for France to track down his mother and Maeve’s childhood friend makes sure the two reconnect during her stay in Rome, Italy.

The two have an uneasy reunion in Rome, but they take the time to explore the city while searching for an empu who can unlock the secrets of her dagger. The author provides intricate details of the scenes in Castine, Bethany and Rome while blending them into the story in a masterful way.

Even good novels sometimes lag in getting the reader up to speed on specifics, but this suspenseful story never dawdles. Walsh grabs and holds the reader’s curiosity from the first page to the last as she explores girls’ past, Maeve’s relationships and the intriguing history of kerises. The author also effortlessly transitions the story back and forth between Maeve’s present time and “out of time” during the twin sisters’ childhood and adolescent years. The main characters make unpopular decisions adding more authenticity and less predictability to the story.

The secrets, travels, fantasy and humor will trigger your craving for answers to all of your questions from what happened to Moira to what makes the keris so important. The Last Will of Moira Leahy may be Walsh’s first novel, but she took risks by using multiple narrative modes, flipping between past and present and avoiding the easy route. The result is a gripping and rich story that will linger in readers’ minds for a little while.

You can feed the need for more of the story by checking out the extras on Walsh’s web site.

Watch this blog for a chance to win a copy of The Last Will of Moira Leahy when Therese Walsh stops by on her book’s WOW! Women On Writing Blog tour.

A disclaimer today to keep the FTC away: I received a copy of the book from the publisher.

PC Game Review: World of Zellians: Kingdom Builder

2009-11-04T03:43:05Z

In World of Zellians: Kingdom Builder, you take on the role master builder Zorn’s student. The city planner teaches you how to work with the kings and queens to build and fix up their kingdoms. It doesn’t take long before the student becomes the master causing the jealous Zorn to respond no-so-kindly by creating disasters and setting madmen loose to mess with your hard work.

Build-a-lot fans will recognize some similar game play, but this one doesn’t spend as much time on the building aspect as Build-a-lot does. World of Zellians: Kingdom Builder also has a different graphic style with a more cartoon and colorful design.

The citizens of the kingdom also come out of their homes and go about their day, much like in Fairy Godmother Tycoon without the humor. (Except for the madmen.) The kingdoms vary in style from the tundra and desert to the coast and the valley.

You begin every level by meeting with the monarch to find out the kingdom’s needs. You also run into politics side as several have feuds going on that it becomes a game of one-upmanship. Some of the lands have tricky requirements because of barriers, spacing issues and things that you can’t demolish because they’re sacred — the ruins and the trees in the prairie — or unbreakable.

Gold, materials, population. Every shop, social building (homes), production and special building types give you at least one of the following: gold, material and population. Some buildings require you to build others before you can build it.

For example, the grocery store requires a grain farm, orchard and four people. A grain farm requires water and eight people. It sounds disorienting, but the game does a great job of providing you with the information you need.

Experienced players will find the game too easy and unchallenging with all the time in the world and no consequences. If you mess up, you can restart the level. While this could be a drawback, it makes for a more fun and relaxing experience from the other building games that tend to get stressful.

I couldn’t help but want to keep on playing World of Zellians: Kingdom Builder to see the next kingdom and theme, to see what new shops appear and to see what will stand in my way. The buildings vary all the way to the end, so you never get tired of the scenery. If anything bores, it’ll be the lack of challenge. Go on and give it a try. The free time will be enough to help you decide whether to buy or deny.

Using Twitter’s Lists Feature for Writing

2009-11-02T16:54:34Z

If you haven’t heard by now, Twitter now has Lists that lets you put Twitter users into groups. It doesn’t matter if you’re following someone or not, you can add anyone into a list or two or three. Here’s an introduction and a how to use Twitter Lists at Web Worker Daily.

Twitter users have their own rules for who they follow and not follow. Some follow those who fall into a specific field, career and whatnot. Guy LeCharles Gonzalez follows those with some connection to publishing. It’s not elitist if someone doesn’t follow you back. They use Twitter in a different way than you and I do. Nothing against you. Really. I promise.

I follow thousands of people. It’s crazy, I know. But my work varies. Know that I do not follow every high quality tweeter who follows me. Some folks just talk about things I’m not interested in. Most of the people I follow fall into one of the following areas:

Work as writers, editors, publishers and related.
Tweet about casual games. After all, I run The Game Zen and write for Gamezebo.
Experts in social media and PR. This area changes daily and I want to keep up.
Experts in marketing especially business-to-business (B2B). For my work with InternetVIZ.
Make me laugh. I find lots of gems in Tweets to fill me with energy and smiles.
Those from the Dallas / Fort Worth area. Gotta stay on top of what’s happening in my neighborhood.
People who write about things related to disabilities and accessibility. Might find something worth sharing in my CI blog.
Gadgets, technology and web design. I cover this area often and have met a lot of folks in this field.
People who discuss general business. This one is broad, but they just don’t fall into any of the above categories.

I know it’s crazy that I have a bit of a list and a huge Twitter stream. Social networking is high on my list of things to do for my business. Writers could manage the people they follow and their lists in the following ways:

Create a writers list. This will be your water cooler, support system and colleagues in the same boat.
Create separate lists for editors, publishers, agents and gigs. I lump all of these into one because I have broader interest. Or you can make one list. It depends on your needs. If writers and these folks are the type of people you follow and nothing else — then use lists to narrow them down further.
Create a favorite people and clients list. Yes, you can make it private if you prefer not to share. This way you don’t miss a single tweet. This would most likely be a short list.
Follow other people’s lists. Why start from scratch? We’re not the only ones creating lists, so we can follow other people’s lists. I follow Simon Mackie’s list of Web Worker Daily writers.
Create an experts on X topic list. What’s your beat? Football? Finance? Fashion? Make a list for your frequently covered topics for instant access when you’re working on an article. No more trying to remember the people you read for the topic.
Create a list for learning. Plenty of Twitter IDs focus on tweeting writing, grammar and other tips.
Create a list for current events, conferences and projects. Hey, there’s lots happening on Twitter right now due to NaNoWriMo.

To see my lists, go to @merylkevans and look in the right sidebar. Click the list to see who appears in it. You can also “Follow the list,” which adds my list to yours so you won’t have to manage it. Just remember, you can’t edit other people’s lists.

Here’s a closed-captioned screencast on how to create lists.

Some developers behind applications that make it easier to manage your Twitter business are already working on adding the list feature. I look forward to seeing what they do.

I love these lists especially since I’m a freak when it comes to organization. Of course, you can find me @merylkevans; hope I make the good list!

You might like to read more Twitter articles.

How do you use the list feature?

Game du Jour: Week of 1 November 2009

2009-11-01T19:28:32Z

The following games will be discounted next week on Game du Jour, the first ‘one-deal-a-day’ website dedicated to indie and casual games:

Sun. November 1st: 65% off on Trapped The Abduction

Mon. November 2nd: 65% off on The Jolly Gang’s Spooky Adventure

Tue. November 3rd: 65% off on Mystery Masterpiece: The Moonstone

Wed. November 4th: 50% off on Sally’s Quick Clips

Thu. November 5th: 50% off on Campfire Legends: The Hookman

Fri. November 6th: 60% off on Kelly Green Garden Queen

Sat. November 7th: 50% off on HdO Adventure: Frankenstein

Links: Halloween 2009 Edition

2009-11-02T14:01:39Z

My little guy loves They Might Be Giants. The two Johns were brilliant for coming up with entertaining yet educational (shh…) music for kids that parents can enjoy without sugar overload. Serious niche that didn’t hurt their standing with original audience. They are coming to Dallas on Halloween! Little guy will be there with big guy. Rock on! Vote for your top 25 books on writing… or win a book.

Articles with valuable advice…

@FakeAPStylebook: OK, this belongs in fun… but it’s for writers and I don’t want it mixing in with pumpkins and zombies. Side-splitting stuff.
The Part of Social Media That Freaks out Freelance Writers: Remember to venture out there. Don’t wait for people to come to your blog.
About NaNoWriMo — Three Ways to Thrive, One Sure Way to Suck: If I were to do NaNoWriMo, I’d do it with the mission of having fun, challenging myself and stretching my writing boundaries — not as a stepping stone to publish a novel. Larry gives us a good reality check.
15 Twitter Users Shaping the Future of Publishing and 15 More from BookOven: I follow ‘em all.
Myths about Queries: Insight you may not have heard before.
What Problems Does Google Wave Solve? Best explanation of what Google Wave does. It even perplexed me at first. [Link: Guy LeCharles]

And for fun because we’re allowed…

Why Dogs Don’t Like Halloween: True. Adorable anyway.
10 Awesome Homemade Halloween Costumes: Yip yip yip yip… Ah, memories…
Zombie Love Cake Toppers
15 Coolest Google Earth Finds: I can’t tell what that is after the letter “Z.” Anyone? Anyone?
12 Insanely Titled Books: Some are the topic of the book…

Finding the Time to Write

2009-10-27T21:57:30Z

Welcome to meryl’s notes blog (this here place you’re lookin’ at) in Plano, Texas (OK, the blog doesn’t live on a server in my house — but that’s where you’ll find me… in Plano, not in the server). We’re happy to be a stop in Claudine Wolk’s WOW! Women On Writing Blog tour. Here’s a bit about fellow hybrid mom (Moms who work) and author of It Gets Easier!…and Other Lies We Tell New Mothers Claudine Wolk… (Stay tuned in this long post if ya wanna win her book!)

About Claudine Wolk

Claudine Wolk is a CPA and mother of three. She lives in Bucks County, PA with her husband Joe and her children, Joseph, Casey & Ally. She writes columns as well as magazine and newspaper articles on all subjects regarding motherhood in the 21st Century. She also is available for humorous but informative workshops on the subjects of “new motherhood” and “mothers returning to the workforce.” Visit Claudine at her web site: Help4NewMoms.com.

How Can I Find the Time to Write? by Claudine Wolk

It’s a question many aspiring writers ask. How can I find the time to write?

Well, the truth is, while I did keep a notebook of ideas, research and interviews while my three kids were babies, I didn’t really get serious about finishing a book until my youngest was a toddler. However, once I made the decision to finish the book, I did have success finding time to write the book after I did one very important thing — I decided that the book was important enough to spend time away from my family, chores, house to work on. I think that decision can happen to a writer at any point in their children’s lives.

The trick is to decide to do something that you have passion for, that may or may not make any money and that has nothing to do with parenthood. That’s a tough decision, especially when money is such a necessity. The reality is, though, not every decision you make about how you spend your time, has to be a financial decision. This concept is tough for folks to grasp. We are so programmed to think that any time spent away from the family must result in some kind of monetary reward that we put off doing the things that excite us.

Once I made the decision to explore the possibility of producing a book, finding the time to write was pretty easy:

While the kids slept for naps and in the evening. (Not too late, though, as sleep is very important.)
Waking up extra early before the family was up. (I was infinitely more motivated to wake up early to write, than to wake up early to exercise!)
Hiring the occasional babysitter during the day so I could edit or finish a chapter of the book.

This last option was the most challenging to justify. How could I pay a babysitter when I wasn’t bringing in the money to pay for her, let alone at a loss? But a realization finally hit me: the time I was spending in writing my book was important. I was laying for the groundwork for a potential new career, for a potentially money-making book, and most importantly, for my own well-being. Those feelings of well-being, of feeling fulfilled, transferred to my family. In short, I was a better Mom. In the end, it was well worth the money and it has paid off.

In essence, I have created a new career for myself, a career that I never knew I always wanted. I blog for my own blog at help4newmoms.blogspot.com as well as for hybridmom.com. I write for parenting magazines, comment on parenting message boards, and contribute my parenting expertise to any freelancers who will have me. I also speak to groups: Moms Clubs, Mom Groups, Local Networking groups, and Baby Expos all over the country. The work has been rewarding and it’s growing in scope. I hope to make a full-blown career of it.

In addition, I’ve learned how much I love the publishing industry: the marketing, the writing and the publicity. I’ve learned and continue to learn so much of the business, hands on, that I sometimes consult other authors interested in self-publishing. As well, learning and utilizing social marketing on web and creating and monitoring a website are skill sets that can be translated to any business.

In the end, by exploring a passion I had to help new moms, I’ve landed a brand new career that is fulfilling and flexible as well as producing a humorous and helpful guide for new moms that will be available to them forever. Demanding the time to explore a new possibility has been a blessing for me and family. Finding the time to write was well worth it.

About It Gets Easier! … And Other Lies We Tell New Mothers

“There is no question that being a mother is challenging, but this fun, frank, and prescriptive guide tries to do the impossible and make new motherhood easier. Featuring interviews with hundreds of moms and candid stories from author Claudine Wolk’s own experiences as a mother, It Gets Easier!…and Other Lies We Tell New Mothers mixes humor, honesty, and insider strategies that will give new moms a ‘leg-up’. This upbeat and entertaining book drives home the point that new moms are not alone and that there are things they can do to make motherhood a little more controllable and lot more enjoyable. Complete with resources for further exploration and a helpful glossary, this funny, irreverent book will help ease every new mother’s frustration.”

Your Turn: Win Claudine’s Book

Leave a 50+ word comment in this post by 11:59pm on November 4. That’s all ya gotta do to be entered to win this book. Share a favorite parenting tip or a time management tip. The unbiased and robotic Random.org will pick the winner.