Hymn to a Blue Hour. I could listen to this for hours.
Kudos, John Mackey. And to these trombone players who slay it!
(Peter Steiner feat. SzegEd TRombone ENsemble by György Gyivicsan)
One of the most amazing compositions ever
Reply
Tag Archives: Words.Music.Village.
2000 Marbles Make Mechanical Music
Wintergatan – Marble Machine
I love this amazing invention! Don’t you?
A proven technique to garner Amazon book reviews
Are your readers a bit “prickly” about writing a review for your book? Choosy Bookworm might be a solution for you.
My author clients often express frustration about how hard it is to obtain book reviews from readers. They ask, they cajole, they beg. I guess a lot of readers are either intimidated by the process, don’t know what to say, or just can’t find the time.
Luckily, one of our savvy ALWAYS tribe members—author Karen Mueller Bryson of Short On Time Books—recently shared an inexpensive answer to this problem. She pointed us to a site called Choosy Bookworm, where readers sign up for free ebooks in exchange for an Amazon review. Here’s the process:
- Choosy Bookworm advertises your published or pre-release eBook to their readers via their Web site and enewsletter.
- Interested readers sign up to receive your free eBook.
- You send the eBook as a MOBI or PDF; or you gift per Amazon.
- Readers will read your book and post a review on Amazon or GoodReads.
You can find all the details at Choosy Bookworm promotion, but here are some highlights:
- Your book must be priced at $3.99 or lower.
- You pay anywhere from nothing to $70, depending on the level of visibility you want.
- Submit your ebook on a Saturday, at least one week before you want it featured on the Choosy Bookworm site.
That’s pretty much it, and Karen swears by it… Sound like it’s worth a try, right?
What other proven techniques have you used to secure book reviews? Please share.
…………………..
Write on!
Ann Narcisian Videan
Write • Edit • Self-publish • Word-of-mouth
Check out my Book Shepherding sessions.
avidean@videanunlimited.com
#5 Writing tip: Writing is not a solitary sport
Actual writers look like this. Kris Tualla, Tisha Pelletier and Laurie Fagen at the Virginia G. Piper Writer’s House at Arizona State University. ©2010 ANVidean
Picture a writer.
Do you imagine a frazzle-haired, pajama-clad recluse sitting at odd hours and brooding over a computer screen, fiendishly snacking or imbibing caffeine? Perhaps she paces the floor, or maybe bangs her forehead on the desk, until inspiration hits. She might spend long hours taking guidance from characters who “tell her what to write.” She may even pour through defunct manuals explaining all the nitpicky grammatical rules no one pays attention to any more in this day of abbreviating and texting?
Yeah, that’s how the movies depict us. But, in real life, writing isn’t effective in solitary. Great writers get out and explore life, listen to conversations, try out experiences, and share their craft.
Sure we sit in the quiet when we’re actually putting words together, but most of the writing takes place mentally and experientially before we sit down at our computer or notebook. At least it should.
It doesn’t matter if you’re writing fiction, nonfiction, or business memos…input from external sources encouraging emotional phrasing and storytelling gets your words read. Here are some ideas:
• Sit in a coffee shop to listen to conversations and watch mannerisms.
• Try doing something new, perhaps even something your book character or employees do, and note your emotional and mental reactions to include in your writing.
• Join a writing association. It can help you, even if you’re not writing books.
- Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA)
- Romance Writers of America (RWA)
- Scottsdale Society for Women Writers (SSWW)
• Meet with a critique partner or group.
• Form your own writing group like my Alliance for Literary Writers, Authors and Yabbering Scribes (ALWAYS) tribe.
What do you do to garner input and experiences for your writing?
Ann Narcisian Videan: Book Shepherd/Editor/Author 