Every writer needs a bio. Do you have one? I have four or five.

Why do you need a bio? Good question.

When you write magazine or website articles, you want to include a short bio at the end of the article. Looking through their articles will give you a clue to length and style.

You can incorporate parts of your bio when you are writing query letters. Use them in the paragraph that explains why you are the person to write the pitched project.

If you are writing a book, a bio might be on the back cover and sometime inside at the back of the book.

Write your bio for where it is going. It’s that simple.

I have a bio for my secular writing and another for material for Christian publications. I have another for when I speak at conferences. Then, because I have several books in different areas, I have made specific bios for those books and their websites. I have a folder labeled “Bios” in which I store all my bios.

What’s in a bio? Here’s one of mine. Use it to help you write one or two that tells who you are.

“John Vonhof is a freelance writer who writes for the Christian and secular markets. He has taught at the Mt. Hermon, Florida, and Castro Valley writers’ conferences. John has self-published two booklets and four books, two of which were later picked-up by mainstream publishers, and has been published in many Christian and secular magazines, newsletters and Internet sites. Two of his books have reached multiple editions: The Pastoral Search Journey, 2^nd edition with The Alban Institute, 2010; and Fixing Your Feet, 5^th edition with Wilderness press 2011. His current projects include two books, three Kindle ebooks, several websites, and spin-offs from his books. He lives in Manteca, California.”

“Nice. This is good.”

Every writer likes to hear that his or her writing is good. That the writing itself is good. That the topic is good. That the beginning and ending is good. The title is good. In short – that it’s all good. Wow. That’s kind of encouragement we live for. It’s the anticipation we have when we attend a writers conference or submit a manuscript to a publishing house.

Writing

We spend months and in some cases, years, working on a novel or nonfiction book. There’s a lot invested in our words. If we have done everything right and know our craft, we have a good chance of hearing those words.

Did you notice what I said in the previous sentence? Here it is again, “… and know our craft.”

Do you know your craft? What does that even mean? Here are my thoughts:

• You understand sentence structure
• You understand punctuation
• You can spell
• You understand beginnings, middles, and endings
• You understand plot and structure
• You understand dialogue
• You rewrite and rewrite
• Your critique group has helped shape it
• You have done your research
• You know it has an audience
• You know it fills a hole in the market

Is that too much to ask?

I hope not because that’s what we need to do.

When you can answer those questions, you’ll have an excellent chance of hearing, “Nice. This is good.”

Last weekend I was finishing up the last of four days at the Florida Christian Writers Conference. We had fun and the workshops were very good. I love how everyone has a writing project. It is fascinating to hear the writing dreams of the writers. I have always said I love helping new writers develop their projects.

So here’s a question. How do you manage your writing projects?

Let me explain. Most writers I know have multiple writing projects at one time. They try to balance them, sometime successfully and other times not. Fiction writers have several books going at one time. Children’s writers often have five or more projects at one time. Nonfiction writers may have several projects going, and each one has different components.

Each writing project may have items like: a query letter, book proposal, research on the competition, research on each part of the content, marketing plan, endorsements, and of course, writing the manuscript.

Some of these parts are more important than others – and need to be done first. Some have a higher return on investment – the most bang for the buck and time. Some are interconnected. And what about deadlines?

So how do you manage your writing projects?

If you are like many writers, many times it’s not very well!

We get lost in doing one project at a time, missing important parts of other projects and their deadlines. And this is even more important as one is planning for a upcoming writers conference.

So here’s the thing. I am designing a project management system for writers. Stay tuned. You’ll hear about it first on this blog. The idea grew out of a few conversations at the Florida conference. In the meantime, if you have ideas for me, please let me know.

In a few days I’ll be at the Florida Christian Writers Conference near Orlando. I am one of 46 faculty there to help, encourage, and mentor the conferees. I love it. I hope to see some of you there. If you haveen’t decided to attend, I hope this post will encourage you to join us.

I’ll be teaching a pre-conference workshop on reasons why and why not you’ll get published, and pitching; and electives on writing information that sells; finding great ideas; writing ebooks and booklets, and getting known before the deal. Plus two after hours informal workshop about new ideas in book marketing and turning your writing into an app.

I’m excited to be a part of this great conference for another year. If you are going, I hope you are excited? I am and here’s why:

1. Next week is the 25^th Florida Christian Writers Conference near Orlando. Twenty-five years! Wow.
2. Six continuing classes, mentoring tracks, 56 elective workshops, and 12 After Hours workshops.
3. Cecil Murphy is the keynote speaker. He alone is worth the price of admission.
4. An amazing faculty of excited 46 authors, agents, editors, and publishers – who are excited to help you with your writing.
5. One-on-one meeting with the above 46 encouragers.
6. Opportunities to have your submissions read and critiqued by the faculty.
7. Opportunities to meet with exciting faculty for manuscript CPR.
8. Worship in song and word.
9. Great food.
10. Opportunities to sit with your any of the 46 faculty during meals.
11. Getting to experience Billie’s southern humor.
12. Opportunities to connect with the conferees throughout the conference.
13. The chance to learn what type of writing excites the conferees.
14. Hearing the great ideas in the conferee’s queries and proposals.
15. And finally, I am truly excited to share my workshops with the conferees. I have been fine-tuning my four workshops and two After Hours sessions. It’s fun.
16. One more. I have been building my Wednesday night pre-conference session, called, “Reasons.” We’ll have fun.

I’ve been using my iPad to build my presentations. Capturing images, adding text and photos, managing transitions, making changes on the fly, adding newly found content – I love my iPad.

I hope we can meet at the conference. If you are west coast, I’ll also be at the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference from March 29 through April 3.

Author’s today face challenges on several fronts.

First, because of the ease in publishing in digital formats, more and more people are writing a book. That doesn’t mean what they write is any good – or that it will sell. But the marketplace is crowded with more titles that ever before.

I want to pause here a moment and talk about what you write. Make sure it is your passion. Otherwise you will lose interest over time. When you are passionate about your topic, it becomes your mission. The image below is an example of what happens when your passion, your strengths, and what you think the world needs (your topic) intersect.

Second, every author wants to be published by a mainstream publishing house. That has always been the sign that they have reached the “big time.” Authors spend month after month, year after year, trying to reach the magical pinacle of book success. If and when it happens, they suddenly discover that the publisher is not really selling their books. That is up to them.

So the challenge is to decide which way to go.

You can choose to continue to court publishers with your book proposals and manuscripts in hopes of getting an elusive contract. You’ll earn anywhere from 7% to 15%, usually based on sales numbers and the publisher’s royalty plan. They will “own” the book in any and all formats – literally forever.

Or, you can choose to publish your writing as an eBook. You can go through the relatively easy process of having your file converted into a format acceptable by Kindle and iPad, the two largest eReader sellers, and you will own the published work. Depending on the price point you choose, and the platform (Amazon or Apple), you will make anywhere from 33% to 70% of the book’s price.

You’ll make more from the sale of a $9.99 eBook than you will through the sale of a $19.99 print book. You’ll be an “published author.” Yes, you still need to make sales and if your are smart, you leanr about marketing a book.

Let me give you some numbers. I have a mainstream published book, Fixing Your Feet, that is available in print form for $19.95 and in Kindle form for $9.99. My royality for a print sale is 15%, about $1.50. My royality for a Kindle sale is close to $2.00. I make more from the sale of a lesser priced version of my book.

I won’t kid you. Writing a book and getting it on Amazon in Kindle format does take time and energy, and getting sales takes more time and energy. But you can either spend that energy getting sales for your publisher, for a lower royality, or for yourself, for a higher amount.

It’s your choice.

As alway’s, I welcome your comments.

Is this your stack of writing projects?

Many writers have a tall stack of uncompleted projects. Or a bulging Pendaflex file. Or files on their desktop or in folders buried on their hard drive. The question is what to do with all these ideas.

Are all ideas meant to be finished? Should some languish for months and years? Should some be tossed? Good question.

One perspective is that in order to succeed, writers need to learn to finish projects. It’s important to learn to complete what you start. Too often we start projects and lose interest. Editors and agents want to know that you’ll finish the project to get to acceptable book or article. Your spouse or friends want to see something completed too.

Many writers are good at starting projects – but spotty at finishing them. Remember that any project worth doing, should be done well.

So when should you quit a project? Here are my thoughts:

• If it is too big for you at this stage and would pull you away from other timely projects.
• If you have a project with a deadline, everything else needs to come second.
• If you have lost interest in the project.
• If it is too far beyond your capabilities.

Take your time. Go after the projects that have a chance at getting published?

This is a guest post from Joanne Kraft and used with her permission from a post a Inspire Writers.  

Parents are known for their one-liners, and mine were no exception. “Do it once, do it right, then forget about it.” Wise words imprinted on my heart as my military father explained how to mop the kitchen floor.

Throw your spaghetti!

Now, with four children of my own, I’ve discovered there are a few one-liners I’ve batted around long enough to stick with my four kids as well. My personal favorite?

Throw your spaghetti!

I use this saying to encourage family and friends to knock on every door in their path, and walk through and follow-thru when that door opens.

This saying originates from the traditional Italian way of testing pasta. The cook throws a handful of spaghetti noodles against the wall and if a few strands stick the pasta’s ready. If the noodles fall to the ground—the pasta remains in the boiling water.

Here are a few life examples of what “Throw Your Spaghetti” looks like:

While attending a writer’s conference, I was surrounded by hundreds of wannabee-authors like myself who dreamed of a coveted publishing contract. When I had the chance to talk with some of them, I was amazed by their talent, awed by their creative ideas, and immediately anxious about ever being good enough.

One of those gifted writers spoke with me, “I just got back my edited manuscript. It’s full of red ink. The editor suggested I talk with another publisher.” She moped.

“So, what are you waiting for? There are lots of publishers here you could talk to.” I reminded her.

“I don’t know. I really had hoped this editor would want it for her publishing house. I’m thinking it’s not meant to be for me.” She mumbled.

“Are you kidding? You have a gift, and you’re going to let a rejection from one publisher hold you back from your dream? C’mon get out there and meet with everyone you can. Throw your spaghetti!”

My college-aged daughter called to share, “Mom, I just found out about another college that offers a fellowship for creative writing. But, the problem is, I’m not sure if I should stick to my number one school choice in Iowa, or try for this one too?”

“Honey, there are no guarantees you’ll get into your first choice, so I’d apply for both. Throw your spaghetti!”

I’d flown cross-country to attend a women’s conference in the hopes of sharing my book idea with a few publishing houses. By divine miracle, my late registration didn’t hold me back from appointments with publishers.

I called my husband to share my progress. “Paul, I just met with a gal who taught a workshop about pitching my book idea. She said what I have isn’t good enough for a book.”

“I’m sorry, who told you? Did God tell you that?” Sarcasm oozed over every syllable.

“No, God did not tell me that!” Irritation got the best of me.

“Well then, I suggest you keep your appointments with the publishers and pitch your book idea. Throw your spaghetti!”

He was right. I kept both of my appointments. Each publisher gave me the green light to send in my full book proposal. Months later, those same publishers emailed rejections. But, I did what I do best—I threw my spaghetti and submitted my work over and over again.

What manuscript have you buried for lack of follow-thru? What gift have you ignored because you believe you aren’t good enough, pretty enough, or smart enough? Start working on your follow-thru, and perseverance, and throw your spaghetti.

Oh, and that book idea I was telling you about? You can find it on Amazon.

What holds you back from trying one more time?

Who encourages you to throw your spaghetti?

Joanne Kraft

Joanne Kraft is a recovering too-busy mom and the author of Just Too Busy–Taking Your Family on a Radical Sabbatical. A writer and sought-after speaker, Joanne’s articles have been published by In Touch, Thriving Family, ParentLife, Today’s Christian Woman, and P31 Woman. She’s appeared on CBN News, Focus on the Family’s afternoon show – Your Family Live, Sacramento & Co., and The Harvest Show.

We live in a busy world and finding time to write can be difficult. For most of us, finding time to write is a balancing act unless you are:

1. Retired
2. Married to someone who works so you don’t have to
3. Rich
4. A full time writer

I fall in none of the four categories. In fact, I work full time and with my commute, I am gone 12 hours a day – nine days every two weeks. My time to write is evenings and weekends.

Most of us have to balance work, commute, families with young children, caring for a family member, activities of children, community and church ministry commitments, and more.

What helps me might help you. Here is how I manage:

1. I have an iPad2. This allows me to plan using mind mapping apps and write using writing apps. The iPad2 is instant on and off when I open and close the cover. I can use it anywhere. When I am in a WiFi location, I can email files to my home computer or laptop or visa versa. The iPad2 helps me be productive anywhere and anytime.
2. I use several thumb drives. I have a 1Gb, a 4Gb, an 8Gb, and a 32Gb. The 1Gb is for work files. The 8Gb carries most of my project files. This allows me to work on personal things during my lunch hour at work.
3. I make writing a priority. Especially when I have deadlines. Yes, I know, there are times when I procrastinate. There are also times when I need personal time, family time, or health time (for golf). But when necessary, I know I have to write.
4. I use note cards and Post-It Notes. If you could see my office, you’d see my desktop is covered with 3×5 cards with note on them, and Post-It Notes with more notes. The same goes for my desk in my work office. In fact, here’s a photo of my office.

My home office

I hope you find time to write – and make time to write. To often we leave projects on the table, never to see the ink on a page. Unless you make time, it may not happen.

Today’s authors need to be open to putting their stuff into Amazon’s Kindle format. Let me share my example.

Years ago I published a small booklet, Parent’s Guide to the Emergency Room.

It was based on my experience working for over eight years in two hospital emergency rooms. During those years, I had a lot of experience with parents and their children. Some of these were positive, but many were negative.

If you’ve never been to a hospital emergency room, you have no idea what to expect. It’s even worse when you’re there with your child. And it’s even worse if your child is in pain. I knew parents could benefit with tips on what to expect, how to prepare before an emergency happens, information about the emergency room and who all the people are, what to know before you check out, helping a special needs child, and much more.

I saw this as an idea for a simple booklet. So I wrote the Parent’s Guide to the Emergency Room. I printed it in a 20-page booklet, 4 x 9 inches. I found a guy to do the cover illustration, laid it out in InDesign, and sent it to the printer. I sold some and have given many away to parents I knew.

Fast-forward to the digital revolution. I decided to put this out on the Kindle. I revised the content, adding a bunch of new material – it’s 4839 words. The cover was reworked for the digital size Amazon wants. Then I had eBookConversion.com do the conversion from a Word file into the Kindle format. They also did an ePub version for iBookstore and others, but I’ll implement those later.

I created a Kindle Direct Publishing account (it was easy), and uploaded the information. You add the title, a description, authors and illustrators names, cover image, price, and the content file. Within 12 hours, my eBook was available. Amazon even added their “Look Inside” feature.

Here’s the link to Parent’s Guide to the Emergency Room on Amazon. With the “Look Inside” feature, you can see the table of contents.

Parent's Guide to the Emergency Room on Amazon

I decided to start the eBook at $0.99. That means I’ll make $0.35 for each one Amazon sells. Sure, it’s small change, but I after a while, when the eBook has some reviews and sales increase, I can play with changing the price to $2.99, and I’ll make $2.09 each.

So what does all this mean?

We as authors can go directly to Amazon and publish our material – without a publisher. Amazon is our middleman. It still requires a quality and well-edited book. It requires a high-quality cover. And it requires us to market the book. But, and this is important, we are in control.

Many authors are sitting on unpublished manuscripts. Some are sitting on books that have gone out of print and the rights have reverted back to them. You can decide to convert these into Amazon’s Kindle format, and make them available to readers. You can make more money than you would with a mainstream publisher. Yes, you are in control.

In addition to the Kindle version, I am taking the revised file and will print 200 copies with the new content and cover. I’ll send some of these to children’s hospitals and other possible sources of special market sales. After all, I sold 7500 copies of my Happy Feet booklet to the Avon Foundation. Maybe I can do the same with my ER booklet.

My next Kindle project is my Happy Feet booklet. It’s another small print booklet. I should have it up by the end of January.

What will be your Kindle project?

Full disclosure: The Amazon link above contains my Amazon account information and if you click through and buy a copy, I make a few pennies.

Manuscripts are fickle things. We start a manuscript and from that point forward, we are forever changing it. Adding sentences, paragraphs, extra words, Then we make more changes. Then at some point, it’s done. But before I send it off, I make sure it is as good as possible. I hope you feel the same about your manuscripts. Here are three things to consider:

1.  If you are still leaving two spaces between sentences, you need to change. Now. Always have just one space between sentences. If you are using Word, use the “Find and Replace” to change occurrences of two spaces to one. In the Find box, hit the space bar twice and in the Replace box, hit the space bar once. Then either go one by one or use Replace All. Make sure you double-check your document.

2.  Always use Spell Check to go through your document.

3.  Another good trick is to read your manuscript aloud. Focus on the words. By reading it out loud, you’ll catch bad wordings, run on sentences, things that don’t make sense, incomplete sentences, and more.

Editors, publishers and agents expect a clean and polished manuscript. Make sure yours meets their expectations.