Enjoyable Learning Experience

I'm excited about the Florida Inspirational Writers Retreat coming up this weekend (11/14/09) at Lithia, FL. I co-founded the FIWR last year with Ruth Ellinger (author of The Wildrose Series for Ambassador International) and have poured my heart into preparations for a memorable learning experience for the attendees.

Our excellent guest speakers this year include Eva Marie Everson, award-winning author of Shadow of Dreams, Sex, Lies and the Media and The Potluck Club Series. Eva's presentations will be "Walking & Falling: The Lessons That Changed This Writer" and "Turning Articles Into Books."

Larry Leech, journalist, author and president of Word Weavers, a highly successful writers group in the Orlando area, will speak about "Organizing and Planning" and "Developing Your Voice." (I almost changed Larry's whole focus with my first brochure draft - I listed his presentation as Developing Your Vice!)

Sue Miholer, an editor and author from the Northwest, will discuss "Self Editing 101" and "Inspirational Shorts."

We've included a Night Owl option this year, which includes dinner Friday (11/13/09) followed by networking, entertainment, writing exercises, a critique session for sharing new projects, led by no other than Larry Leech himself (the crown prince of critique groups), and optional sleepover in the lovely Cedarkirk Retreat Center.

I've almost finished preparing my own "Nuts and Bolts" workshop and am looking forward to spending a fun but educational weekend with fellow writers. Only one thing is missing.

You!

Giving Back

One of the ways many experienced writers "give back" is to offer a helping hand to beginning writers in some way: teach writing workshops, pen blurbs (endorsements) for books, even write how-to books on the subject.

Excellent books on the craft of writing include On Writing by Stephen King, Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamont and Jerry Jenkins' Writing for the Soul. And of course, we mustn't forget Grit for the Oyster: 250 Pearls of Wisdom for Aspiring Writers, the foundation block of this blog.

When I started writing 7 years ago, I was so encouraged by several seasoned writers who bent over backwards to give me guidance that I vowed that if I was ever a posesser of knowledge that would help other writers, I'd gladly share. That vow has manifested itself in numerous opportunites over the years: teaching local workshops ("So You Want to be a Writer..."), leading workshops at statewide writer's conferences, co-writing Grit with some awesome gals, and one other big event. . .

I'm excited about the upcoming writers retreat I co-founded two years ago: The Florida Inspirational Writers Retreat. This year the FIWR will be held at the lovely and inspirational CedarKirk Retreat and Conference Center in Lithia, FL on 11/14/09 and some outstanding presenters will be featured: award-winning author and speaker Eva Marie Everson, editor and writer Sue Miholer and creative writing instructor, editor and author Larry Leech.

Along with my co-founder, award-winning author Ruth Ellinger (Ambassador Intn's The Wild Rose Series), I'll lead a track on "Writing Nuts and Bolts." Our Night Owl option will be a real hoot, including a sleep-over experience (on 11/13) complete with entertainment, networking opportunities and an indepth writing critique group led by successful auhors.

Did I mention a popcorn pajama party?

We'll be giving out tons of writing guidelines and info from book publishers, agents, magazines, and trade journals. And free books and door prizes galore.

Anything here pique your interest? Zip over to my website www.DeboraCoty.com for registration information. Ask about our available scholarships.

This and That

I'm so excited for Suzanne with her release of Amish Peace - it's a wonderful, seep-beneath-your-skin-and-change-you kind of book. And I mean change from the inside out. The only real kind.

Lots of people are seeking peace in our crazy, mixed-up world today. Just today my agent and I agreed on the theme for my next book should be coping with stress. It seems like everyone everywhere is trying to deal with an underlying tension, a stress not visible, but there nonetheless.

Perhaps it's the economy, the loss of jobs, the increase of fear and uncertainty about things we felt so positive about just last year. It's a strange time, all right.

I'm busy gearing up for the Florida Inspirational Writers Retreat coming up November 14. I co-founded this great little one-day writing retreat and we had wonderful feedback from last year's retreat - the debut year. We're hoping for double the participation this year and are planning very exciting guest speakers - maybe we can coerce Suzanne to come to Florida to be our keynote speaker next year!

If you'd like more into on the FIWR, please visit my website, www.DeboraCoty.com.

This Writer's Journey (continued)

As we all know, promotion is the key to "success" in the publishing biz. You may write the best book in all the universe but no one will read it if they don't know about it.

So this week, my main focus has once again been on promo of my recently released novel, Billowing Sails, and upcoming humorous non-fiction book (March release date) Mom Needs Chocolate. Since BS is a YA novel and my target audience is not only women (same as MNC) but teens as well, my promo approach is a little different.

For the past three months, I've been contacting every bookstore, library, middle and high school principal and English teacher I can find to pitch my Young Writers Workshop, a program I developed in conjunction with The Distant Shore, prequel to BS. Both books come with an affiliated writing instructional mini-course (excellent for adult writing groups as well) that I've been able to use as my "hook" to interest many diverse groups. I'm invited to speak, and BINGO - book sales!

I also developed an hour-long writers mini-workshop, "So You Want to be a Writer..." which is the hook that has served to draw nice crowds at bookstores. Unless you're named Dungy or Rowling, bookstore signings are considered a waste of time these days without some kind of hook to entice people to come. If you're only there to sign books, you end up feeling like a hawker at the county fair, desperately trying to woo people over to your table as they rush by. Demeaning and not much fun.

So Saturday I had a successful mini-workshop/signing at my local Christian bookstore, and depart tomorrow to lead two workshops over the weekend at a the Space Coast Writers Conference in Cocoa Beach. Yes, beach. Beaches are good!

Yesterday I received two more inquiries about Young Writers Workshops and now have twelve scheduled for the next five weeks, including four in the same day at one school, and four different schools in the same area (one in the morning and one in the afternoon) for the Friday and Monday I'm planning on spending the weekend with friends in Melbourne. For authors, it always pays to mix business with pleasure!

I also spent time yesterday exploring a delightful campground that my local writer buddy and I have decided to book for our full day November 14 writing workshop: Florida Inspirational Writers Retreat. The lodge where we'll meet overlooks the picturesque Alafia River peacefully winding through the wooded 100 acre property - perfect for a writer's retreat!

One last promo tidbit - keep fresh stuff flowing on your website to entice people to keep coming back. I just added a hilarious chocolate video on my Choc-Out page at www.DeboraCoty.com in association with Mom Needs Chocolate. It's a fantastic parody of Kelly Clarkson's, "Because of You," and tickles the chocolate bone in all of us. If you need a smile, check it out!

This Writer's Journey (continued)

This week has been a frenzy of answering responses to the Tampa Tribune article that came out Sat. A lot of people simply wanted to say they were inspired by the "Make a fresh start in 2009" concept and others wanted more information about the writer's workshops mentioned in the article. I directed them to my newly updated website.

And one contact was certainly unique. Would you believe there is a multi-level "healthy" chocolate company out there? A sales rep wanted me to recruit me and have me promote his product through my book, "Mom Needs Chocolate," releasing in March. I thanked him but declined, citing conflict of interest. Yeesh.

Then after all that "successful" promotion, yesterday I drove for two hours, lugged my heavy books and props about a half mile (spilled one box of books all over the sidewalk in the process), and then shouted for two hours to nearly 100 people (they didn't have a microphone and the room was large. All this effort resulted in two - count 'em - TWO book sales.

Ah, the mind-numbing roller coaster life of an author.

Do you think that will stop me? Well, maybe for a moment. Just for a good eye roll. Then it's back to the salt mines. Win a few, lose a few, but keep on digging.

Short and Sweet

A pearl of wisdom from the late great Blaise Pascal: "I have made this longer because I have not had the time to make it shorter."

Self-editing and writing concisely is so important to writers. Don't say in six words what you can say in four. Tirelessly search for just the right word. Don't settle for less.

That's the difference between good writing and compiling words.

Now a word from the sponsor:

Need a writing tune up? A spur of motivation in your saddle? Check out the terrific instructional writing programs included in Debora Coty's historical novels The Distant Shore and Billowing Sails (to be released 12/08). If you're interested in face-to-face instruction,
writing workshops for all ages are available at www.DeboraCoty.com.