Tag: Writing

#AuthorToolboxBlogHop: monthly hop for #authors who want to learn more about being authors

Published on by melanievlogan1 Comment

One can never know too much when it comes to writing.  That’s why resources like the Author Toolbox Blog Hop are essential.  It gives writers a way to learn, share experiences, provide support, and bounce ideas off each other.  Information on how to sign-up for the hop is below.

Raimey Gallant

Author Toolbox Blog Hop: A monthly blog hop for authors who want to learn more about being authors. All authors at all stages of their careers are welcome to join. #AuthorToolboxBlogHop #amwriting

The #AuthorToolboxBlogHop is a monthly event on the topic of resources and learning for authors. Feel free to hop around to the various blogs and see what you learn! The rules and sign-up form are below the list of hop participants. All authors at all stages of their careers are welcome to join.

The Rules:
1. Theme:This is a monthly blog hop on the theme of resources/learning for authors: posts related to the craft of writing, editing, querying, marketing, publishing, blogging tips for authors, reviews of author-related products, anything that an author would find helpful. Sharing of your experiences as it relates to these topics is encouraged but straight journaling with no take away for authors is not what this hop is about. Can you post genre-specific content? Absolutely. You have an idea for a post that doesn’t fit the parameters I’ve outlined, but you feel in your heart…

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The 4 Ps of marketing for #authors (#IWSG Blog Hop)

Published on by melanievloganLeave a comment

After months (and sometimes years) of hard work, an author may be ready to take his novel to the next level.  That’s where marketing to the masses comes into play.  But any old type of marketing just won’t do.  It has to be properly considered and planned.  That’s where Raimey Gallant’s post comes in handy –  the 4 Ps every author should use when marketing his/her prose.

Raimey Gallant

The 4 Ps of Marketing for Authors

I’m dating myself, but I used to want to have Angela Bower’s job. For those of you who are unfamiliar, Angela was a character on a show co-starring a very young Alyssa Milano. For those who are familiar, Angela was the boss, am I right? And Angela was an advertising guru. Then I grew up and majored in marketing, and my dream was shattered. (Well, one of them. I also wanted to be Nancy Drew, Indiana Jones, and Jessica Fletcher. Still working toward that last one.) Back to the day I learned that there was no longer a market for Advertising Specialists, and that advertising is just one small piece of the puzzle. What puzzle, you ask? It’s actually more of a pie chart, and it’s called the ‘4 Ps of Marketing,’ or the ‘Marketing Mix.’ Below, I explain how each piece of this puzzle forms the holistic view of…

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Describing Your Story: TaQuanda Taylor’s Insight on Grabbing the Reader

Published on by melanievlogan1 Comment

Hooking a potential reader can seem like a grueling task.  As TaQuanda pointed out, a writer does not want to say too much for fear that the consumer will have all they need and move on without making a purchase.  If there’s not enough, it can come across as confusing or uninteresting.  So what should one do?

TaQuanda’s template is a good start.  It provides a “fill in the blank” format that can be customized.  For further assistance with blurbs, check out this post.

 

The Official TaQuanda Taylor Site

Hey love-bugs,

How do you talk about your story without giving too much away and still giving enough information to make someone want to read it?

It’s tough.

You don’t want to say too much and you can’t say too little. If you don’t give people enough details to draw them in, they may not want to pick up your book. If you give them every detail from start to finish, they won’t pick up your book because what’s the point? You’ve told them everything. There’s no need to read the book now.

So you write a logline. If you do it right, it should sum up your story without giving up too much and keeping it short and sweet. But loglines are hard to write. You mean to tell me that I have to tell you about my story in just one sentence?
That’s impossible.

That’s what I’ve always…

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What #2018 Means

Published on by melanievloganLeave a comment

When a new year arrives, it brings about promises for change, aspirations to achieve dreams, or meet some type of goal or resolution.  But this year, it’s a little different for me.  Instead of looking forward, I’m reflecting on years past.  Years when loved ones were still around, and the whys of actions (or lack thereof) remained a curiosity of a shy young lady too scared to rock the boat.  And too afraid to trust anyone with the secrets in her head and her heart.

Building a wall may have been a security blanket, but who did it really keep warm?  Certainly not me.   I realize now that I shut out many who only wanted the best for me, and kept silent about the ones who meant the worst.

Things are different now. The wall’s coming down.

For 2018, my plan is very simple.  Live a life that is pleasing to God and treat others with love and kindness.  Of course I will still continue with the other goals that matter to me like this blog, and the bucket list items mentioned awhile ago (which I’m happy to announce I now know how to swim and had a blast in L.A.).  At the end of the day, or rather, when I’m old and gray(er), I want to look at my life and see not only material accomplishments, but be encircled by loved ones.  It may not sound like much, but to me it’s everything.

 

 

100 #Word Quips to Make You #Laugh and Brighten Your Day

Published on by melanievloganLeave a comment

Struggling with the time change?  This might be a good pick me up! 🙂

Melanie V. Logan

Everybody needs a good laugh every now and then.  And life with my husband can certainly provide the best medicine.  Below are my humorous accounts of such events.  Enjoy!

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Usually when my husband and I run errands, he drives.  But on this particular warm Saturday, he asked me to take the wheel.

As we cruised along, he complained about everything – the route I took, how fast I

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How Do You Get #Readers to Trust You?

Published on by melanievloganLeave a comment

This post is so profound. It gives every writer something to think about.

When I’m reading a story, I like learning new words or about situations that I’ve never experienced. But if something sounds outlandish, I will side-eye it and get to Googling to confirm whether accurate.  The findings are what determine whether I deem the story or author trustworthy.

My intentions are to write fictional stories that appear as realistic as possible.  This makes the stories believable and more likely to draw the reader in.  As Jacqui mentioned, building credibility helps to build trust.  And my goal is to create the bond that forms a lasting relationship with the reader.

A Writer's Path

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by Jacqui Murray

I went to my bi-weekly writer’s critique group last night. We get submittals ahead of time, gather our thoughts and comments, and then each of us gets 5 minutes during the meeting to share our suggestions. This week, we were reviewing the work of one of my favorite group authors–we’ll call her Mari. She is writing an amazing piece about a family coping with Alzheimer’s. It’s character-driven fiction, but could also be classified as creative non-fiction so detailed and realistic are the scenes.

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