Building a Author Platform

                                                     

         A publisher requires and every author if self-publishing  must have a platform and marketing/promotion plan before a book is published. But, how does one build a platform and what is a platform? A writer’s platform consists of several components, but an important part is an online presence, a presence created before publication, not after. A platform—also referred to as an author platform or a media platform—is an established media forum through which an author connects to his or her audience.

         Here are some steps to build your author platform, but they aren’t the only steps possible, just what I consider most important:

1. Know your target readers. If your books cover more than one genre, then you need to target readers for all the genres. Join groups that cater to people interested in those areas, for example, but not to promote your books, but to promote you.

2. Identify and define your brand. What is a brand? An author brand is an ongoing, continually evolving story that communicates what makes your work unique, and represents an implied promise to your readers of what they can expect you to consistently deliver.

3. Create a website – a MUST for all authors and should be up and running before your book or books are released.

4. Start blogging consistently. Blogging is one way to share your expertise and—at the same time—build an author platform. Don’t blog just about your writing, but find areas you know about or have researched, maybe for a book, and blog about them. Blogging to reach other writers doesn’t open avenues for books sales as blogging to reach your target readers will.

5. Build an email list. Create an email sign-up form on your website. What? You don’t have a website yet? Okay, the first step is to set up your new site.

While you’re at it, create a sign-up form that connects to an email management system; here are a few of our favorite email newsletter platforms to choose from. Put it on your homepage to capture email addresses — and take a deep breath.

      Your job is to collect emails, and to send out worthwhile content. It may take a long time to build up your email list, and to figure out exactly what your message is, but you need to practice having a following.

      Everyone you know is a contact. The more people you know, the more influence you have, especially if you know people in high places.

      So, what if those influencers are a couple degrees of separation from you? People are surprising in how they choose to support fledgling authors. I’ve witnessed seriously established authors supporting new writers just because it feels good and they remember what it’s like to be in your position.

      In addition to the list of people you’re connected to, create a list of people who might blurb you, from realistic to pie in the sky. Who would be your ideal reader? Who do you dream might one day recommend your book?

6. Write guest posts.

7. Connect offline. Attend writing conferences. Speak at writing groups, schools, or libraries.

8. Use social media wisely. Pick just two social channels. That’s right: only two. Set up a profile on each and post once a day. If once a day doesn’t work with your schedule, then set a schedule and keep it: once a week, three times a week, three times a month, etc.

      I use Facebook and MeWe, but if you’re into other channels or options, try them. If you’re writing something that lends itself to images, join Pinterest or Instagram. If your work lends itself to video, do YouTube. Experiment to find any social media channel that works for you and your writing without spreading yourself too thin.

      The key to social media is posting regularly and engaging people. You want shares because shares lead to more follows. Rather than spreading yourself thin across multiple platforms, focus consistently on the two platforms that provide the most value to you and your work.

      It takes forever (seriously) to build up a following on social media, so don’t be discouraged. Celebrate a few likes a week. Manage your expectations. Keep going.

       The best way to build an author platform is simple: start. Just like you don’t run a marathon without training for weeks or months, you don’t start your author platform completely at once. Building your platform takes discipline and hard work, but if it weren’t worth it, no one would be doing it. Building an author platform is a marathon, not a sprint.

4RV Makes Front Page of Newspaper

The 4RV Shop-lett at Serendipity Market, Edmond, OK

        4RV not only has two shop-letts, one at The Market at Quail Springs, Oklahoma City, and one at Serendipity Market, Edmond, but the company also has made the front page of the Edmond Sun. Paul Fairchild interviewed owner Vivian Zabel and authors Wayne Harris-Wyrick and Charles Suddeth by phone before putting the information gained through the interviews and from the 4RV website into a well-written article, copied below, which appeared on the front page of the Midweek edition.

Area book publisher fills gap between major, vanity publishers

• Paul Fairchild | Special to the Sun
• Jul 25, 2017

     

Edmond resident Vivian Zabel, a professional writer for almost five decades, loves to tell stories. Ten years ago she branched out. Today she tells other peoples’ stories, as well. Her small, award-winning publishing company, 4RV Publishing, is one of the best kept business secrets in Oklahoma.

”We are a small, traditional publisher that produces quality books for all ages,” said Zabel.

4RV looks for authors who fall through the cracks at major publishing houses, victims of a cost-cutting war being fought at those companies, Zabel said. With margins in the industry shrinking, larger publishers tend to focus solely on marquis authors. She finds gems in their throw-aways.

“There needs to be something between the major publishers who won’t accept anything and the vanity or self-publishing entities,” she said. “Ten years ago, I made the decision that maybe I could help fill that gap.”

Despite 4RV’s small size, it offers all of the services of a larger publishing house, separating it from other smaller publishers. Authors do not pay for editing, illustration, color art, formatting or other needs.

A big part of Zabel’s strategy is giving authors a lot of attention in sales and production.

“A major publisher puts a book out for six weeks,” she said, “then takes it off the shelves. We leave it out there as long as the author is with us. We don’t put a time limit on it. It may be six years or 16 years, however long they’re with us. That book will be available to be sold.”

Major publishers lock authors out of the production process, she said. It’s not uncommon for an author to be excluded from the illustrating, editing or cover art procedures. 4RV gives authors input on both, attracting writers who are tired of the way big publishers operate.

“Since we’re a traditional publishing company, we don’t request or require that manuscripts be through an agent,” Zabel said. “I think we’ve only had two that came through agents. Everything else is directly from the authors.”

4RV also anonymously evaluates manuscript submissions. Race, creed, color and gender don’t enter the equation. Neither does an author’s sales history. The process is so carefully anonymous that Zabel has had a couple of her own submissions rejected from 4RV. The company only wants quality.

“It’s the only way to keep the company honest because we want it to be universally open for anybody that meets our standards,” she said. “Good writing is good writing.”

A great-grandmother, Zabel does impose a few restrictions on submissions. Excessive violence and profanity are off limits. But her rules aren’t getting in the way of attracting — and keeping — authors.

“In 10 years we’ve released at least 115 books. Of those, we still have about 100 that are still under contract,” she said. “Our contracts aren’t long-lasting like a lot of other publishers’ contracts. Most of our authors choose to stay with us.”

Authors like the agility and speed with which 4RV books works. They also like the laser-like focus on quality.

“Like all writers, I submitted to multiple publishing houses. 4RV was very quick to respond. They do a thorough editing of every book they accept. I think it’s very critical to make sure it’s the best product that it can be,” said Wayne Harris-Wyrick, writer of four 4RV titles.

4RV keeps its production process lean by handling everything from soup to nuts in electronic communications. There are no physical offices.

“We have email. We have different ways that we can store files on Google Drive. We can put all of our files together and look at them and share them and go on,” Zabel said. “The only thing physical is when the books are actually shipped and there they are. Real, live books.”

Sales are largely electronic, as well, she said, adding that Barnes & Noble charges for shelf space, increasing sales costs with low to no promotion. But while readers might not find 4RV on the shelves of the bookselling giant, they can order titles from the stores.

4RV uses one of the industry’s largest companies — Ingram — to handle printing and distribution. Ingram ensures that titles are available on Amazon and available for order by brick and mortar stores. It also allows Zabel to print titles on an as-needed basis, wiping out warehousing costs.

Zabel’s  company's small, agile size allows her to move books through the publication process faster than larger publishers. It’s a process that can take up to seven years at bigger publishing houses. Zabel has shaved that time to a matter of months, giving 4RV crucial chances to recoup its investments quickly.

“Publication happened quicker for me than other friends of mine that publish at other publishing houses. Kabam! I guess that’s because it’s a small publishing house and they focus on the authors that they have,” Harris-Wyrick said.

Zabel is not getting wildly rich, but her strategies work. She’s had four books do sales in the thousands, she said. But due to her cost-cutting efforts, it doesn’t take a best-seller to be profitable.

Her focus on quality rewards 4RV in other ways. She’s had roughly 20 books garner major awards, including Literary Classics Awards, Oklahoma Book Awards, and Mom’s Choice Awards for some of her children’s books.

Zabel is always on the hunt for new ideas. In June she published Spearfinger, a first-of-its-kind offering. A Native American legend, the story is told in both English and Cherokee. 4RV created that niche from scratch with no competitors on the field.

“What I really hope is that enough Cherokee kids will get interested in the book and get interested in the language and keep speaking Cherokee,” said author Charles Suddeth.

Zabel does make books physically available for Edmond residents. 4RV titles are available at Serendipity and The Market at Quail Springs. A book signing is scheduled at Serendipity July 29.

“We really have been one of the best kept secrets in Oklahoma and especially in Edmond. Nobody realizes who we are here and they’re surprised to find out we are not just another typical independent book publisher,” said Zabel.

     Everyone within driving distance of Edmond is invited to the Meet the Authors event July 29 at Serendipity Market, 917 E. Danforth, next door to Pickles (between Boulevard and Bryant). Wayne Harris-Wyrick and Kathleen Gibbs will be autographing their books from 10 AM - 2 PM. At 2 PM, Jodi Heaton Hurst and vehoae will be signing until 5 PM.

Book Marketing - Even Tiny Action Steps can Produce Huge Results

"Someone is sitting in the shade today because

someone planted a tree a long time ago."

By Karen Cioffi

This Warren Buffet quote inspires me. It's simple, yet so amazingly powerful. 

1. A tiny seed can create something as massive as a tree, even a sequoia tree.
Think of the giant sequoia tree in California, USA. It averages around 26 feet in diameter, weighs around 4,189,000 lbs. and reaches heights of 275 feet. According to Wikepedia, "Record trees have been measured to be 311 feet in height and over 56 feet in diameter. The oldest known giant sequoia based on ring count is 3,500 years old."

The seed of the sequoia tree is 0.16–0.20 inches long, 0.039 inches broad, and 0.039 inches wide.

Hard to imagine, isn't it.

Well, this can easily relate to writing, to content marketing, to business . . . to just about everything in your work and life.

Small positive actionable steps, no matter how tiny, can create massive results. You may think your writing and marketing efforts aren't moving you forward, but think of how long it takes that tiny seed to grow into that tree that gives shade.

2. Basic action steps to move your author/writer platform forward.

A. Everyone selling something online needs a website. So, the very first step is to create one or have one created.
B. Make your website work for you by publishing blog posts to it regularly. This strategy will create visibility, bring people to your site, build your authority in your niche, and boost sales.
C. Share your blog posts on social media networks, such as GooglePlus, Twitter, and Facebook.

3. What you sow today can have benefits for many tomorrows.

Time will pass whether you take action or not. If you have an idea, take action now. Don't wait for tomorrow or until you have more time or until you have more money. Take action now. The benefits may turn out to be bigger than you could possibly imagine.

You may reap the benefits of your writing or content marketing or business efforts far into your future, so take that initial step. Or, maybe it's expansion that you're thinking about, or a new strategy.

Keep in mind though that every living thing needs sun, water, and food to grow. So, when you take that step (plant that seed), be sure to give it the nurturing it needs to become what you believe it can be.

Plant that seed today!

Karen Cioffi is an award-winning author, children’s ghostwriter, and content marketing instructor. Get weekly must-know writing and marketing information and more, right to your inbox. Join Karen Cioffi in The Writing World. (It’s all free!)

Do You Still Need a Website as the Core of Your Online Platform?

By Karen Cioffi

A few years ago I wrote an article about the need for home business websites. I explained the reasons a website was an absolute must and gave a couple of statistics proving that need.

Since then, social media has exploded. It’s become more powerful than ever, and more and more people and businesses are using it as an integral part of their marketing strategy.

In fact, the social engines are now an essential element of brand visibility, website traffic, and building authority to all size businesses. It’s gotten to the point where some are questioning the need for a website.

Are websites for marketing really a thing of the past?

Here are three reasons for that question:

1. Some might reason that you can blog on venues like LinkedIn. You can also publish articles on EzineArticles and other article directories to generate visibility and authority.

2. If you’re selling a product or service, you can use social networks to do so by linking to your Amazon or other sales page.

3. Want to let people know about you and what you do? You can do that on your social network pages. You can even build your subscriber list through social media.

So, it’s not unreasonable for some to wonder about the necessity of a website.

But, if you decide to forgo the website or get rid of an existing one, think twice and even three times about it.

The benefits of a website

While the social media sites, like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn allow for just about everything you need to market you and your product/service, you’re at the mercy of these sites.

Pro internet marketer and entrepreneur Sandi Krakowski has over 1 million Likes on her Facebook page. And, she has over 1 million clients, which allows her to produce millions in revenue. She knows what she’s talking

In a recent email from Sandi, she said, “If you don't have a website, listen to me very carefully, you own NOTHING online. You're homeless. You have no real estate, you are under the control of someone else's property and when push comes to shove, you my friend are in a big pickle!”

Did you notice she said you don’t have control with social media sites?

Think of it as renting space in a building. Or, better yet, buying within a condominium development. You’re not in control. You’re at the mercy of their rules and regulations, their changes, their agendas, basically, their whims.

Want to change the exterior color of the building? Want to do major construction inside?

You’re at the mercy of the owner’s permission.

In other words, you’re not in control.

This is the same as using sites like Facebook and GooglePlus. You never know when or if changes will come that will render your social media page useless.

This is why you still need your own website.

If you use paid website hosting through sites like Bluehost, you own the site. It’s yours. You are in control of what you publish, how you publish, and so on. You can choose your own theme with the header dimensions and design you want. You can put ads and affiliate links on it with no problem. You can sell from it.

Along with this, people trust bloggers. This gives bloggers influence and authority. It’s good marketing to have that authority, that influence, go to your own site.

Bottom line, as an author / writer, you still absolutely need your own website!


Knowing what to do and ‘not do’ is an important aspect of online marketing. Karen Cioffi’s new CREATE YOUR WORDPRESS WEBSITE TODAY (no code, no technical stuff, no fuss ) e-class through WOW! Women on Writing shows you how to build your online foundation.
CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS!

Don’t be Taken to the 'Website Design' Cleaners - 5 Tips to Creating an Author Website as the First Step in Your Online Marketing Strategy

By Karen Cioffi

There is an abundance of website design and hosting services on the internet. You can get services that handle both the design and the hosting, or services that provide one or the other. Whatever your needs, there is a service out there for you. But . . . consumer beware.

Some design/ hosting website services prey on unsuspecting and naïve authors or individuals and charge to not only create a site, but they keep control of managing the site. The customer is only allowed to add or edit content on the site.

This means the author can’t add links, change images, or tweak the site for SEO optimization, such as page title optimization.

I get upset when I hear of occurrences like this. There is no reason why a design and hosting service needs to control website functions and features to the point that an author or individual needs to pay the service to add or delete a simple link. And, some services charge a monthly fee. They’ll set up your website for free, but you have to pay monthly to keep it going.

Authors need to be aware. There is so much information online advising the basic dos and don’ts of creating a website, but you do need to do a bit of research to find it. There are plenty of legitimate and reasonable services out there also. If you’re confused or uncertain, ask around.

Here are 5 starting tips to create an author website:

1. Choose an effective domain name. Think about it carefully. You want a name that will be search engine effective (keyword optimized), reflect what the site is about, and is able to grow with you (unless you are creating the site for a specific book). You can also use the subheading to elaborate on the domain name.

2. Decide if you have the skills, or want to learn them, to create a website of your own. If you have the time and patience you can do it!

3. If you decide you need help with creating a website, look for someone who wants to establish himself as a website builder, or someone who does it in her spare time, or a writing/marketing service that does it as more of a courtesy to clients. You will pay much less. And, try to make arrangements that will include the designer teach you how to manage your own site. This will make updates, changes, and posting much easier, and cost free.

4. If you feel you can create your own, you can choose a free hosting site, such as WordPress, Weebly, or Blogger. On the flip side, if the thought of having to create a website feels daunting, go for Blogger.com; it’s very user friendly and good for beginners. And with its updates, it has a number of features much like other websites.

5. Keep in mind that down the road you may want to have a website that can be effectively optimized and that’s more SEO versatile, so you may want to have a paid WordPress site from the beginning. The prices range from around $3 and up per month – depending on how long you sign up for and the service.

While these five tips are the starting point for your author website, they will hopefully help you from being taken to the website hosting/design cleaners.

~~~~~
Want to know if your website is performing optimally? Karen Cioffi is an online platform and website optimization instructor and offers website audits. Visit http://www.karencioffi.com/website-services/ to learn more.

Happy Birthday 4RV Publishing

          Five years ago this month, we filed the papers to become 4RV Publishing LLC. During these five years, we have released over 100 books, have had seventy-five authors under contract. Illustrators came and went, and we had excellent ones. Thankfully, some of the best have stayed with us.

        According to what I read and what has been told to me and to others, we have a good reputation for publishing great books, quality books. Our authors and illustrators have been praised by many outside the company. Our editors have helped our books improve from the first manuscripts submitted to ready-to-print. We have an expert heading our art department, and a top of the line head of the editorial department.

         Some of our books have won awards: Confessions of a Former Rock Queen by Kirk Bjornsgaard took the Oklahoma Book Award in Fiction; Trockle by Holly Jahangiri took first in the Heartland Children's Book Award; Midnight Hours by Vivian Zabel placed first in the Heartland Fiction category, and her Prairie Dog Cowboy took first in the Young Adult category; Porcupine's Seeds by Viji Chary received the Mom's Choice Award; My Cat by Tony LoPresti received Certificate of Excellence in the category of Books for Children from CWA; Time Pullers by Horton Deakins was a finalist in the Science Fiction category in US Best Books; Walking Through Walls by Karen Cioffi was named a silver medal winner by Children's Literary Classics. I may have missed some of our awards, and if I have, I hope someone reminds me.

          4RV has done well for the first five years of its existence, thanks to a talented and hard-working staff, good writers and illustrators, and the readers who spread the word. 

4RV Publishing 
4RV Book Store  

 

4RV Book Launch at Kansas Book Festival

by Vivian Zabel 

     4RV Publishing will have a booth at the Kansas Book Festival September 15, and many titles will be on display and for sale. However, two new releases will be launched. The authors will travel from Canada and Texas for the launch of their books and other authors will attend from Texas and Oklahoma to autograph and promote their books. A top 4RV editor will also attend. Of course we welcome all authors, editors, staff, and readers to visit us in Topeka on the lawn of the Kansas History Museum, 6425 SW 6th Avenue.

  Coming from Ontario, Melanie Robertson-King, author of A Shadow in the Past, will attend the festival to launch her young adult novel. Also attending is the lead editor for the novel, Carla Ralston from North Dakota. The blurb from the novel reads:

    Nineteen-year-old Sarah Shand finds herself thrust back into the past. There she struggles to keep her real identity from a scociety that finds her comments and ideas strange and her speech and actions forward, unlike Victorian women.

     When Sarah verbally confronts confining social practices, including arranged marriages, powerful enemies commit her to a lunatic asylum.

      After falling in love with the handsome Laird of Weetshill, Robert Robertson, she must decide whether to find her way back to her own time or to remain in the past with him.

 

 

     Traveling from Texas to help launch her new young adult novel, Janet K. Brown will promote Victoria and the Ghost. From the back of her novel comes the following blurb:

     At fifteen, Victoria, a city girl, loses her mother's love and tries to cope with country isolation, no friends, and no one who cares, until she meets a ghost.

    Both novels and other 4RV books can be found through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and brick and mortar stores, as well as the 4RV Bookstore.

Good Manners for Interviews and Reviews

by Vivian Zabel   

      Your book is out, finally. You're excited and full of expectations. People want to interview you and to review your book. Often you are asked for a summary of your book for interviews and/or reviews. You sit down and write answers to questions for interviews. You write a summary of your book. You're prepared to "face" the world to promote your baby, finally delivered after such a long wait. But, what should you include or not include in an interview or summary?

          First, in a summary, never give away the whole plot. Give a blurb such as found on the back of a book, maybe add a few more details, but not much more. You want people to read your book. Therefore you want to tease them with enough to cause them to want to know more, for them to want to read your book. Only in a synopsis for an agent or a publisher/editor do you want to give the whole condensed story.

          Now about interviews, you always need to include a link or links where your book can be purchased. For example, 4RV books can be found on their bookstore site (http://tinyurl.com/4RVStore), from Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and through brick 'n mortar stores.

          Your publisher probably promotes you and your book, so you need to be sure to mention the company in return. Most people, when they see a book promoted and no publisher given, think the book is self-published. If you're not self-published, why would you want people to think you are? If you are self-published, you don't need to mention that unless you want to do so. By giving information, at the least the name of your publisher, you are also thanking the people involved for taking a chance on you and your work.

          It never hurts to give credit to people who helped you reach your goal. Did you have an exceptional editor? Let readers of your interview and/or review know. Did an artist give you an outstanding cover or illustrations or both? Share the information. A bit of recognition makes most people happier.  

          None of us have a nearly perfect book without the help of others.

 4RV Publishing 
4RV Bookstore    

 

How to push your book designer over the edge

by Vivian Zabel 

        Your book is edited; you and the editor think it is finished; the department head proofed it and sent it to the designer for formatting; the designer, who is not an editor but has formatted and helped copy edit enough manuscripts to recognize some common problems recognizes that more work is needed, or not. She formats and sends a PDF proof to the author, the proof reader, the editor, and the person who pays the bills. She asks everyone to go over the proof carefully and thoroughly. She gives directions as to how she wants each person to send his/her comments, changes, and solutions to problem areas each finds. One, yes, just one, person followed her request. She ends up with four documents, all "organized" or "disorganized" differently and hard to follow. She wants each change/suggestion/comment in order from front of the manuscript to the end, not jumping from one section to the other, but most don't list the problems areas in order.

        That problem is enough to push the designer over the edge, but then she looks at one of the documents. The person who sent the document doesn't understand some of the more elementary grammar or writing necessities. When a designer, who is NOT an editor, recognizes the problems, maybe it's time authors and editors do, too.

        Here are a few examples of what should already be known by writers and by editors:

1.  Dad, Mom, Sis, Grandpa, and other nouns are not capitalized IF an adjective is before it. For example, your mom, not your Mom; my grandpa, not my Grandpa.

2.  A character's thoughts are italicized and the words I, my, mine, or any other first person pronoun doesn't have to be included in the wording to make thoughts. They are words that the narrator wouldn't/shouldn't use as part of the narration -- unless the manuscript is written in first person.

      For example: Mary walked toward the door. Why shouldn't the world stop spinning for her. No, she gets everything she wants. The italicized words are not something the narrator should be writing, but something Mary thinks.

3.  Thoughts, which are italicized, must make sense as thoughts. Words spoken should not be confused with words thought by a character.

4.  Editors or authors who are not sure about something should get help from someone who does know before telling the designer to do something wrong.

5.  If each person involved in the copy edit sends in his/her revisions, sending in contradictory revisions for the same exact problems, the designer is forced  to make a judgement call or pester the boss. Each successive person should read the preceding person's edits. The designer follows the following chain of command: The author is outranked by the the editor; the editor is outranked by the department head, who is outranked by the company head. Everyone usually finishes proofing a proof at different times; therefore, seeing what others said first would help a person see if he or she agrees or not. A quick email would help each person better understand why or why not.

6.  Follow the style manual of the publishing house that is doing your book. Read it, refer to it, refer to it again, read it, follow it.

        I'm sure other things make a book designer want to snatch him or herself bald, but those are a few that can be easily fixed, if a person really wants to be a better writer or better editor.

A glimpse of Edmond Author Book Fair

by Vivian Zabel  

     January 14, 2012, Edmond Historical Society and Museum held its annual author book festival. Four members of 4RV Publishing and Pen and Keyboard Writers (affiliate of OWFI) participated: Vehoae (Shirl Yancey), author of Conscience: Breaching Social Amnesia; Horton Deakins author of Time Pullers; Jacque Graham, editor and contributor in Walking the Earth: Life's Perspectives in Poetry; and me -- author, editor, publisher, and whatever jobs are left. 

     I took photos of our tables and activities, and some came out.

Vehoae at her table

Jacque at our shared table

Vivian visits with a customer

Horton visits with a customer

Vehoae and Liz Codding

Jacque visits with a writer

Vivian makes change for a customer

Vehoae and Jacque visit

     Sometimes book festivals and fairs result mainly in networking, getting our names and faces better known. Sometimes books are sold. 

     One important point when attending a festival or fair or book signing: Please do not block the author's table/booth and/or monopolize him/her. For example, one person who was not interested in purchasing anything blocked our table wanting to talk about publishing, his writing, his background, his interests. Several times, I had to talk "over" him to reach people who were interested in the books on the table. Yes, I'm the head of a publishing company, but at a book festival or signing, I'm interested in selling books, not recruiting authors. Other authors are also interested in selling their books. Visiting when others are not around is fine. Exchanging a few friendly words is great. However we, even if great fans, need to move out of the way of others. I also had to learn that lesson.

     I recommend writers and readers take advantage of book festivals and fairs, as attendees. Published authors should participate.

4RV Publishing 
4RV Bookstore   Yes, Christmas sale prices are still in effect.

4RV Places in Preditors & Editors Readers Poll

by Vivian Zabel  

     The final tallies in the Preditors & Editors Readers Poll show that two 4RV books took first place in their divisions, that three books and a book cover placed in the top ten, as did an author and artist. The company placed in the top ten publishers, too.

*drum roll* And the winners are ---

Children's Book:  1st place Walking Through Walls by Karen Coiffi, illustrator Aidana WillowRaven

Other Novel:    1st place Sparrow Alone on the Housetop by Jean James and Mary James

         

Those placing in the top 10 are --

Romance Novel:  3rd place The Joke's on Me by Laurie Boris

Science Fiction:  5th place Time Pullers by Horton Deakins

Children's Book:  7th place Gunther the Underwater Elephant written, illustrated by Ginger Nielson

Other Novel:  8th place Aldric & Anneliese by Harry E. Gilleland, Jr.

Book Cover Art:  5th place Strangers in the Stable by Jim Laughter, cover by Aidana WillowRaven

Author:    3rd place   Vivian Zabel

Artist:   5th place Aidana WillowRaven

Publisher:  6th place  4RV Publishing

     Usually the site has images that can be copied and used: one for first place and one for the top 10 places. This year, apparently they didn't. 

     Congratulations to all 4RV placers and especially to our first place winners: Karen for her book and Jean and Mary for theirs.

4RV Publishing
4RV Bookstore    We're keeping the sale prices for a while longer.

4RV nominations for Preditors & Editors Readers Poll

by Vivian Zabel  

     The following, with links, are the nominations for the Preditors & Editors Readers Poll from 4RV Publishing. I've tried to scan all the categories to find 4RV nominates. Imagine my surprise when I discovered I'd been nominated in the Author division.

  Author - Vivian Zabel   http://critters.org/predpoll/author.shtml

  Romantic novel - The Joke's on Me by Laurie Boris

  http://www.critters.org/predpoll/novelr.shtml

  Print Book and e Publishing ( yes, both) - 4RV Publishing
   http://www.critters.org/predpoll/ebookpublisher.shtml

  Science Fiction - Time Pullers by Horton Deakins
   http://www.critters.org/predpoll/novelsf.shtml

  Children's - Walking Through Walls by Karen Cioffi illustrated by Aidana WillowRaven
                        Gunther the Underwater Elephant by Ginger Nielson
  http://www.critters.org/predpoll/novelchildrens.shtml

   Other Novels - Sparrow Alone on the Housetop by Jean James and Mary James
                              Aldric & Annaliese  by Harry Gilleland 

    http://critters.org/predpoll/novel.shtml

   Book/ebook cover artwork  - Strangers in the Stable by Aidana WillowRaven
   http://critters.org/predpoll/bookart.shtml   

   Artist - Aidana WillowRaven  

   http://critters.org/predpoll/artist.shtml

     We would appreciate any and all votes. The polls close January 9. Also, votes only count one per category (if you vote again, previous votes are deleted), and voters need to finish the process for votes to count.

Even Seasoned Authors need to do this

As an avid read and reviewer of numerous books, it pains me as both when I see inconsistencies and incongruity in stories.

For newer authors, all facts, timelines, as well as double-checking any real places should be for accuracy. Nothing will turn off a reader faster than reading about a character in the 1960s watching a program that wasn’t on-air until the 1970s.

If your story takes place in a town somewhere such as San Diego, CA as a television show did and someone that knows the town where they live, like San Pedro, CA close to three-hundred miles apart, and recognize buildings in San Pedro, you have a problem with reality and believability for your setting.

As Mark Twain said, “The difference between the almost right word & the right word is really a large matter–it’s the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.”

Never trust spellcheckers and grammar checkers, spellcheckers only tell whether or not a word is spelled correctly, not if it’s the correct word in your manuscript. The same goes for grammar checkers, they do not deal well with creativity in writing.

“You don’t write because you want to say something; you write because you have something to say.” — F. Scott Fitzgerald. Be sure that you have what you want to say organized.

Real writing is rewriting and editing. Always have a second pair of eyes read your work, someone who will tell you the truth, not what they think you want to hear.

A critique, especially for the newer writer is less than no critique if there is no constructive feedback.

Robert Medak

Freelance Writer/Editor/Reviewer/Marketer

Robert J Medak Writing & More

http://stormywriter.com/