RMFW’s Broken Links, Mended Lives a finalist in Colo. Book Award

Broken Links, Mended Lives has a special place in my heart. I was one of the editors, and my daughter, Jalena, designed the cover.

I received the most exciting news over the weekend.  Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers’ third anthology, Broken Links, Mended Lives, has been named a finalist in the Colorado Book Award!  I served as editor for the anthology, along with Susan Smith and Jeanne Stein, talented and dedicated members of RMFW. 

I’m delighted for the authors of this outstanding anthology, and for the top-notch selection committee members who faced no easy project, deciding which to include from among the many excellent short stories submitted.  I’m also pleased for my daughter, Jalena Penaligon, who designed the cover, and for Karen Duvall, who created the book design.  You can read more about the anthology here.

My fingers are crossed for the next step.

Rocky Mtn Fiction Writer’s Conference

It’s almost here!

One of the nation's best conferences September 11-13

The last several weeks have brought a whirlwind of activity and preparation for the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writer’s annual writer’s conference, to be held this year at the Renaissance Hotel 3801 Quebec, near the former Stapleton Airport.

The Writer of the Year event, part of the pre-conference festivities held on September 3, turned out to be a big success with attendance, prizes and entertainment. Several lucky people won free books by Writer of the Year nominees Kay Bergstrom (writing as Cassie Miles), Pam Nowak, by outgoing Writer of the Year Jeanne Stein, and newly named Writer of the Year Mario Acevedo.  Other very lucky people won breakfast with one of the agents attending this year’s conference (Becca Stumpf, Prospect Agency; Christine Hogrebe of Jane Rotrosen Agency; Emmanuel Alspaugh of Judith Ehrlich Agency; Janet Reid of Fine Print; Jenny Rappaport and Kristin Nelson).  The grand prize drawing was for a free conference, and was awarded amid enthusiastic applause.

I’m one of the editorial co-chairs for Broken Links, Mended Lives, the third anthology released by RMFW Press, so I’ve been very engaged, getting to know the authors and developing promotion related to the book.

The RMFW conference hosts dozens of craft and marketing workshops, as well as a program announcing the winners of the RMFW writing contest.  The official release of Broken Links is scheduled at the Book Signing on Friday, September 11 at 7:30 p.m, where over forty authors are scheduled to sign their novels.

I’ll be presenting two workshops during the conference, one on “Yellow Page Plotting” and another on Twitter and Social Media Marketing.  I’d love to see you at the conference, and at one or both of my workshops, if you can make it.  Hope to see you there!

How to tap Twitter’s strengths

Twitter - when the info pipe is spewing data at 500 gallons a second, one must avoid drowning.

Today let’s look at how some authors use Twitter, and what features they value.  I surveyed writers from Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers and asked them how they use this fast-growing medium.

RMFW’s “Twitter” stars – survey results
Note:  “Tweets” means # of messages sent per day.
Christine Duncan.
Tweeting: 6 months.  Tweets per day: 2-3.  Followers: 130.  Tool or Time-waster: Tool.
Kelley Pounds
Tweeting: 7 months.  Tweets per day: 2-3.  Followers: 358.  Tool or Time-waster: Tool.
Diana Rowe
Tweeting: 4 months.  Tweets per day: 1-2.  Followers: 150.  Tool or Time-waster: Tool
Karen Duvall
Tweeting:   2 months.  Tweets per day: 5-10     Followers: 80     Tool or Time-waster:

Kelley Pounds discussed branding in my survey and explained the need for a focus.  If you profile yourself as a writer and get followers interested in your name or genre and Tweet about that regularly, you’re building your audience based on that.  If you suddenly start Tweeting about things unrelated to what your followers expect, you begin to lose followers because you are undermining your brand. Kelley Twitters as kellscreations and Tweets about her art and jewelry.

Since Diana Rowe writes travel articles, she wants potential editors or PR people to find her. Diana likes the ease of a short, 140-character post – she calls it her “Star Ship Enterprise Captain’s Log” She finds tips from other well-traveled journalists.  “It fuels ideas for more articles,” she says.

Christine Duncan tweets to increase traffic for her two blogs.“It helps you connect not just to readers but to agents, publicists and small publishers, so it’s a worthy writing business tool,” she said.  “I’ve learned about blog book touring, other social networks and some publicity ops, all because I use Twitter.”

Karen Duvall has gathered many followers in a short time, no surprise since, in addition to writing fantastic novels, she’s adept at all things cyber, computer and social.  Karen focuses on editors and publishers, since four publishers are considering her agented novel, Knight’s Curse, now. She follows editor Colleen Lindsey, noting her comments about books, submissions and personal interests.  Commenting on Twitter’s time-wasting potential, Karen said, “It would be easy to abuse, but I haven’t had that problem. As for it being a tool, yes!  Heather Osborn of Tor announced last week she had a slot open in her schedule for paranormal romance and a bunch of Tweeting writers were able to send her their manuscripts.  (Osborn) received 35 and read 8 over the weekend.  Networking is important in this business.  You snooze, you lose.”

How to tap Twitter’s strengths

This is my Twitter avatar (photo ID) that accompanies each of my Tweets (messages). Be sure to submit a square photo, or the results can be less than desired.

Free info flows as easily as wine at an RMFW conference, but when the info pipe is spewing data at 500 gallons a second, one must avoid drowning.

Rather than accumulating many followers, I suggest you be selective.  Pick a handful of industry pros to follow, and after your feet are wet, add a few more.

Find RMFW Tweets from those members listed earlier and/or  Shannon Baker, Chris Goff or me – and see who they’re following. Borrow from their follow list at will.  I’ve been following Maria Schneider, a freelance writer and former editor of Writer’s Digest magazine, and consider her a good addition. Feel free to lift Maria’s name from my list.

Maria Schneider compiled a list of 25 Good Twitter Follows for Writers. Browse it at http://tinyurl.com/7swo3a and start following.

Include a photo.

This powerful feature helps your followers feel as if they know you.

Next:  More tips on how you can harness the power of this fast-growing medium.

Kitchen Table Writing is hot!

Anne Randolph

Just returned from Anne Randolph’s “Kitchen Table Writing” workshop sponsored by Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers. Anne has a gift for communicating enthusiasm about writing, and soon had us all writing away in our notebooks.  I’ll never think of timed writing in the same way.  She has free tips on writing on her web site.  Thanks, Anne!