Last Sunday as usual was a very busy day. Ray too has been busy helping at Seahorse Australia and with our grandchildren. We try to post his Meditation Moment each Wednesday but this week it will be late. Ever since we moved here to Tasmania in 2003, he has been a guest speaker at churches who either do not have a minister right now or when a minister is away on holidays. His motto is "Have Bible, will preach!" This week we were at Westbury Baptist church and really did enjoy the worship and service. Of course, I think the preacher's sermon was really wonderful - as always when this retired minister preachers! It certainly blessed and challenged me as he shared the passage in Revelations chapter three about the Smryna church.
Westbury is about 45 minutes drive from us, and by the time we arrived back home to a light lunch it was not long before we were off once more to our own little church. That night we had a special guest, Stephen Atkins, who shared in song and message. Wonderful! Inspired me to an even deeper love for my Lord Jesus Christ. Do check out his website and CDs.
And then Monday morning I had to leave early to go to Launceston for the Annual General Meeting of our Society Women Writers Tasmania. This is one of the groups I mentioned in my last post. And since that meeting I am so pleased that another member accepted my request to nominate to take my place as president. So, this year while I stay on as Vice-president, I have shed the other resonsibility and thus less to to occupy my mind! Our membership this last year has been the most for many years and of course this does also mean more work and responsibility also for the committee.
Since arriving home I have been trying to prepare the workshop I am taking at the day seminar for Christian writers on Saturday 21st. It has been suggested I share about: A Christian aspect in writing novels, Preparing manuscripts for publication and Marketing. But how much material can I share in the time available? How can I be sure I speak about things that are relevant to those in attendance?
In fact, as I said not long ago to Ray, “I am having my usual problem preparing. Too much material and which is the most necessary, the most needed, the most important?” So tonight, I am taking a break from that and chatting to my blog readers instead.
Do any of you have a specific question on any of those three topics? I know, I know! There are heaps and heaps of questions. But do mention a few for me that some of you may either need input on if you are a writer or simply curious to know what writers have to think about when writing a novel.
Are you interested in how I approach writing that next book, how I try to sell it first to a publisher before ever trying to interest readers in my book? Are you interested in how my Baragula series came about?
Marketing is my biggest hurdle at the moment. I feel like a sponge - trying to soak in as much information as possible. So I would want to ask, in this time where marketing seems very difficult, what avenues have your found that work, and what aspects don't work so well? Hope this question helps you form your workshop! :)
ReplyDeleteI personally find myself very interested in how you propose it to a publisher and convince them that there is an audience for something that doesn't fully exist yet.
ReplyDeleteI wish I knew all the answer to these, Amanda! However I do want to make it clear that when I think of "marketing" it is promotion, and that includes of myself as author as well as my books. Thank you, Amanda, this has certainly made me look back and study my own experiences since 1993.
ReplyDeleteLuis, the most important "marketing" of all - to an editor!
ReplyDeleteFirst I would try and find some kind of "proof" you may have that the audience you perceive DOES exist. And remember that across countries this may well vary from cultures to cultures.
Over the years I have done a lot of reading and study about submitting my manuscripts and strongly advise all writers to do the same. If for the proposal you cannot find other books "similar" to your own, it may be a good or bad thing, depending on your ability as a writer to "wow" the editor. I think while finding an agent is these days as difficult as a publisher, I think that may be the first person you have to convince!
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete