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May 2008 Online Auction for Juvenile Diabetes from Novelist Brenda Novak

One of the really cool things I’ve come to enjoy is the ability to not only review books and network with other authors, but to follow up with them and their work. I was in the process of reading up on Yasmine Galenorn (I had reviewed her urban fantasy book entitled Witchling) when I saw that she was donating signed books and other collectibles to raise funds for Juvenile Diabetes. Ms. Galenorn has a vested interest in the auction, as does the founder, romance author Brenda Novak.

Here are more of the auction details:

Online Auction for Juvenile Diabetes

When: May 1 through May 31
What: Raising funds to find a cure for Juvenile Diabetes. From Brenda Nowak’s site:

all auction proceeds will go to the Fund-A-Cure drive of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (which means it goes directly to research). To find out more about this top-notch charity, visit their website at http://www.jdrf.org/.

Where: Details through Brenda Novak’s Auction Page

Prizes and Raffle: A healthy range of items from both inside and outside the publishing industry; you don’t have to be a fan or a reader to participate. Here is Yasmine Galenorn’s Auction Basket, but there are other items with a broader appeal like a camcorder.

Even if you don’t participate, I hope that this event inspires you to get out there and do something for your community or a cause you believe in. If you hear of any other writers who are out there, “doing good deeds,” please let me know.

Happy scribing!

March 12, 2008

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Google’s Blogger: Pros and Cons for Freelancers

Last year, when I started learning about SEO and blogging I tried an experiment. The goal was to learn as much as I could about Blogger (owned by Google) to build visibility and get some readers. After months of toying around with different aspects, I’d like to share with you the pros and cons of this free blogging software so you can ascertain whether or not it will work for you.

Setting Up Blogger

I found that there are quite a few good things about Blogger from a usability standpoint. First, it’s super easy to set up, especially if you don’t have a lot of technical or programming skills. You can easily rearrange the on-page elements to get the look you want, with a variety of themes that don’t take a lot of time to customize. I’d say truthfully, that you could get started blogging through Blogger within a half an hour.

Writing Conference at UW-Milwaukee March 7 to 9 2008

Billed as the conference where “you CAN succeed as a writer, the Sixth Annual Spring Writer’s Festival at UW-Milwaukee offers a variety of seminars for novices to the craft. I have a vested interest in this conference because my Netconcepts work colleague, Jeff Muendel who writes for a variety of publications including CNet Searchlight and Practical eCommerce, will be presenting. His seminar is one of interest to many authors, it is titled, “A Writer’s Website” and takes place on Sunday, March 9th at 9:30 a.m. Jeff works as an analyst and has a lot of expertise to share — he’s also a fiction author in his own right — so if you’re planning on paying the $269 to go, be sure to stop by and listen to his “must-see” presentation.

Jeff Muendel’s presentation is perfect for any writer, novice or pro. Here’s the synopsis of Jeff’s presentation:

Hone your Writing Skills – Take a Free Class!

When I was going to college, online courses were not really accessible to me as a student. The channel I could go through to “try before I decide” was either the local technical college or places like the UW-Extension office, both of which you have to pay for.

One of the great debates about building a career in writing, is the question of whether or not an author, editor, or freelancer needs a formal education in the craft. I have a BA, and several of my colleagues have Master’s degrees in the field. This whole idea of “formal education” may not work for everyone (universities are not very tolerant nor kind to “genre” authors), but at the very least it’s a good idea to hone your craft and “try” things out.

Highlights from Previous Seminars: Freelance Writing 101

Digging through the archive of handouts and seminar presentations, I thought I’d post the notes from one of the roundtables I participated in.

What is a freelance writer?

An independent contractor “for hire”
A savvy business owner
Has great “time-management” skills
Knows what they are worth
Has realistic expectations and goals
A qualified individual performing a service
An “expert” in their field

How do I promote myself?

Online

Establish your identity
Follow-up emails and thank yous
Be professional
Avoid “flame wars”
Distinguish yourself from fans
Network through social media
Use proper “grammar” (avoid L33t or LOL-speak)
Referrals

Offline

Non-Gaming Seminars
Business groups
Community organizations
Conventions
“Best” Time to talk to publishers
Dos and Donts of what to say
Portfolio/Resume or not to Portfolio

How do I find work?

Develop your Own criteria
What will you accept as payment?
What do you want to write?
Who do you want to work for?
Be realistic based on experience

January 29, 2008