Switch-hitting: Is it Really Taboo in Writing?

Some of my books; I feel very blessed!

I'm a nonfiction writer. Or at least my agent insists that I am. That's why he says I can't go back and delve into the fiction world where I began my writing journey (my first - and only - two novels are on the bottom right of this collage: The Distant Shore and Billowing Sails).

"You're a known entity in nonfiction now," he says.
"Women's inspirational nonfiction is your brand."
"You'd have to write under a pseudonym so not to confuse your readers."
"No publisher would take the chance."


Yet rarely a week goes by that I don't get an e-mail from a reader asking when the third book in the Emma-Lee trilogy will come out.

Sigh. Is switch-hitting really so very taboo?

More often than not, when I'm asked to lead a workshop at a writing conference, the topic requested is related to fiction. And I love it. Although I'm not actively writing fiction at the moment (just signed a new contract for another nonfiction book), I'm constantly studying the craft and skill-growing so that on that fateful day in the future when I return to my roots, I'll be ready.

So what I want to cover today is something aspiring authors often ask me about. It's a very good question and somewhat controversial. It's about switch-hitting too, but in a different way. It generally applies more to fiction, but can also apply to creative nonfiction (my forte) as well. Are you ready? Here's the question: Can you switch from first person to second person or third person and back again all in one body of work?

I've heard esteemed and ultra-learned writing teachers answer unequivocally NO to that question, and I've seen others equally pedigreed grin and shrug their shoulders.

So what are your thoughts on the matter, friend?

I've tended to fall more into the first category in theory but the second in practice. It's true that traditional English teachers preach hellfire and brimstone against the practice, but it's also true that many published writers do it and do it quite effectively. The thing is, it has to be skillfully accomplished or it becomes what I call an eyeball wall - it stymies flow and makes the reader stumble or even stop altogether to figure out what just happened ... the death knell for keeping the reader turning pages. And certainly the pox for getting an editor interested in publishing your book.

Then last night as I was reading my Bible, I came across the perfect example in this well known passage that switches perspective beautifully and seamlessly. So much so that you and I have never noticed:

Psalm 23 (NASB)
"The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want."  (starting out in first person) Now look what happens:

"He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake." (third person) Then we bounce back again:

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil;" (back to first person) But whoa, what's this?

"For Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me. Thou dost preprare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.; Thou has anointed my head with oil;" Hey, did we just hop to second person in the middle of a first person sentence? But we're not finished switch-hitting yet ...

"My cup overflows. Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." Ta-Da! Will you look at that - a triumphant first person ending! Beautifully written and beloved by countless millions after David, the psalmist who was inspired by THE Author of all authors, hopped around personhood perspectives like his feet were afire.

So that's the answer I'll go with. Switch-hitting is okay if and only if you're the reigning king of Israel and have slain a giant with a slingshot.

Nah.

Switch-hitting is good. It's rich. It's powerful. As long as you're clever and skilled enough to use it subtly and effectively.

Now I just have to convince my agent.   


 
 





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Who Doesn't Like a 75% Off Sale?

Deb's brand new book

On SUPER SALE for a limited time (sale ends 10/13/14): The Kindle edition of my brand new release is only $2.99!

I hope you'll hop on this one like a tick on a hound dog.

Here's the link: http://www.amazon.com/Too-Loved-Lost-Unconditional-Without-Limits-ebook/dp/B00MYME094/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1412019434&sr=1-1&keywords=too+loved+to+be+lost

Now don't tarry or you'll miss out!

And as an added bonus, my publisher is putting the Momma book of my 6 Baby Blessings on sale during the month of October. Yep - Too Blessed to be Stressed is only $1.99! 

Here's the link so you can take advantage of this great sale too: http://www.amazon.com/Too-Blessed-Stressed-Inspiration-Stress-Pool-ebook/dp/B005LOR2JC/ref=sr_1_2_bnp_1_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1412019333&sr=8-2&keywords=too+blessed+to+be+stressed  

If you've already got Too Blessed to be Stressed, please send this golden opportunity to a friend. As always, I'm VERY grateful for your support! 

What To Do When Your Book Releases (Part 2b)

A wonderful place to do interviews in Lake Mary, FL

This isn't going to be long enough to be Part 3 so I'm calling it an addendum to the previous two posts on this topic (please scroll back to catch up).

In going through some files today, I ran across a Tampa Tribune article from 7/08 I'd clipped that had everything to do with the topic we've been covering this week - book promotion.

The article should have been called, "How NOT to do a Television Interview."

Author Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth appeared on "The Wendy Williams Show" to promote her upcoming book. The interview started out amiably but somehow nosedived into the host and guest trading insults about bad nose jobs, Botox gone wrong and pathetic wigs.

During one horrible interlude, the two snatched Omarosa's book back and forth amid audience hoots and catcalls until some director wisely decided to break for commercials.

I've done a few interesting interviews during my author days but I think the most memorable was when a guest appearing just before me brought along a friend and I got up close and personal in the green room before shooting (film, not wild game). By the way, Barbara Beck, the lovely host of TV-45's "The Good Life," is in the background.

Nobody told me interviews would include reptiles

What To Do When Your Book Releases (part 2)

My most recent Baby Blessing

This is the continuance of a previous post so please do us both a favor and scroll back to read Part 1 so we're both on the same page. Gracias. Donka. Gratzi. (My apologies for phonetic foreign language spelling to you linguists out there.)

Okay, once you've got your reviews flowing in and have reposted, retweeted, and regurgitated everywhere you can think of, you need to divvy your happy hunting grounds into two expeditions: near and far.

Near: Consider how to reach local readers. Ask friends to help you by posting your blurbs and sending their own fantastic reviews to their contact lists. A personal recommendation goes a long, long way in the book biz.

Think about having a book launch party at a local bookstore, home, restaurant, or business (any business will do but one remotely related to the topic of your book is best - for instance when my book, Mom NEEDS Chocolate came out, I had a launch party in a chocolate shop).

Offer to speak and sponsor contests with book giveaways to church groups, civic organizations, libraries, Bible studies (assuming your book is inspirational; I wouldn't do this if you write paranormal erotica). Plan on giving at least 30 books away one way or another for promotion - some will need to go to media folks you query for articles/interviews/radio mentions. Face it, they have to have your book to know what they're talking about, and most then donate the book to someone who is a candidate to become your biggest fan.

So don't think of it as a gigantic hole in your pocket. Think of it as an investment in your future.

My newest release

Back room book sales at speaking events are an excellent source of side income while you're waiting on your royalties to kick in. Most publishers offer significant discounts to authors (mine allows me to purchase my books at 1/3 their market value), so if you buy a book for $3.50 and sell it for $10 and multiply that by the 20 people lined up at your book table, you've got a nice little gig going.

Far: Internet is, of course, one of the fastest and most efficient ways to get word of your new book out to the far reaches of the galaxy.

Having no cyber-savvy of my own, I hire a publicist to handle this oh-so-critical aspect of promo for me. The fine ladies at Litfuse Publicity Agency have helped launch my past 4 books by organizing and implementing press releases, Facebook launch parties (where people from all over the world meet in a chat room at the same time on the same day for an hour of getting to know each other via laughter, a few tears, and best of all, discussing my book!), TV and radio interviews, a blog tour of 80+ sites, and a huge contest/Kindle and book giveaway that attracts hundreds of entries, which are then added to my contact list to receive my free e-newsletter.

Clever, huh? Publishers consider those 3,350 people currently on my list to be my fans and are thereby persuaded to consider me a good candidate for writing another book. Voila. Killed two raptors with one spear.

Here's the link to my upcoming 11/6/14 Facebook launch party for Too Loved to be Lost   https://www.facebook.com/events/827825463906082/. Click on the link and join now to be in the drawing for the Kindle and other cool prizes, then I'd love to have you join us BFF's (Blessed Friends Forever) at 8 pm EST on Nov 6. You can see how it works in planning for your own and have fun in the process!

So what promotional tactics work best for you?

 

What To Do When Your Book Releases (part 1)

It's that magical, mystical, maniacal time of the writing journey again - the release of a new book.

The wonder and excitement of holding that brand spanking new creation in your hands is lovely but momentary. Then reality sinks in. How will anybody know about this marvelous miracle?

AACK! I'm going to have to tell them!

Promotion panic sets in.

Hopefully you've had a little foresight and by this point have been plotting and planning your promo campaign for a couple months. The trouble is, most book reviewers (who your trust will gleefully plaster their 5-star reviews all over the internet, especially Amazon) require a book in their hands in order to read it so they can review it.

They're pretty picky about that.

So until you or your publisher have managed to place a book in their hands, you have to depend on your pre-publication endorsers to do the talking for you. You should have rounded up 3-4 (more if possible) endorsements - we call blurbs - from well known names in your field (meaning the topic of the book), names your potential readers will recognize and trust. These you should post everywhere you can - website, Twitter, Facebook, car bumpers, Times Square billboards, airplane banners ... you get the picture.

Because a book release is a big deal. Really. The bigger bang you can create during the first month post-release, the better your chances are to get those sales numbers up during the crucial first three months. These are the stats that convince publishers to offer you another book contract or not. And whether your book will stay on store bookshelves longer than the average author's quarter of a year. So do NOT underestimate the power of a great send-off.

More tomorrow on how to make your send-off the most memorable ever!