writing – Page 65 – Jean's Writing

How to grab readers!

Published on September 7, 2015June 13, 2017 by Jean M. Cogdell14 Comments

With a great book blurb on your back cover!

reading bed I don’t know about y’all, but I read the back cover before I buy a book. If I’m downloading an ebook I read the excerpt too. What do you read before a book purchase?

Last week I posted links for those of you out there getting close to publishing.

The following article is a great follow-up.

I got more from the article than just writing a good back cover blurb. The way Christine Frazier deconstructed the back covers of a couple of best sellers gave me tips on how to write an elevator pitch too.

The book blurb is broken down with an index card style that makes doing your own a breeze. She makes weaving in the hook and back story simple breaking it down into sentences and word count.

Christine then goes a step further with the help of a brave volunteer and adds a spreadsheet for everyone to use. I know I will. This article and spreadsheet will go hang out in my research file.

There is a ton of information! Head over and read…

How to Deconstruct Back Cover Copy to Write Your Own Blurb by Christine Frazier

You’ve made it this far, let me know what you think. So please give me just two more seconds and hit Facebook and Twitter and share.

Thank you!

If you’re not already, I’d be much obliged if you would follow me @jeancogdell on Twitter or jean.cogdell on Facebook!

Are you almost ready?

Published on September 5, 2015September 5, 2015 by Jean M. Cogdell19 Comments

To publish that book!

Where to go, what to do and how!

The questions are many, but hopefully these two experienced writers can help us all figure out the maze of self-publishing.

I’m playing with Createspace and trying to familiarize myself with the process. It can be intimidating, at least for this newbie.

However, after reading the step by step instructions provided by by Bryan Hutchinson over at Postive Writer, I feel a lot better. Bryan was kind with a quick response to my question too.

How to Publish a Paperback Book for FREE Using Createspace by Bryan Hutchinson

I wanted to know if I should use Ingram Spark in addition to Createspace. He suggested I publish everywhere, including Ingram Spark and even Nook Press.

From all I’ve read Ingram Spark is a must to get into stores. Still a bit confused, I was thrilled to open the following post by Jen Lang. She wrote a follow-up piece to article on How to Use CreateSpace and IngramSpark Together by Karen Myers.

Book Production: More Tips on Using CreateSpace and Ingram Spark Together by Jen Lang

Not that’s what I call Kismit.

Maybe you’re not ready yet to pull this trigger, but I think it’s important to be ready for that big day. So curl up on this long weekend and read these amazing articles. You’ll be glad you did.

After all luck is when preparation meets opportunity. (Something like that.)

Hope you learn as much as I did from the two articles and soon we all will say, “Published.”

You’ve made it this far so let me know what you think, and then give me just two more seconds. Hit Facebook and Twitter and share.
Thank you!
If you’re not already, I’d be much obliged if you would follow me @jeancogdell on Twitter or jean.cogdell on Facebook!

Need to get organized?

Published on September 3, 2015September 2, 2015 by Jean M. Cogdell10 Comments

Do you need help organizing your writing?

Well, I do!

Because sometimes I’ve had so many files swirling around in my computer that I forgot which one was the last one.

I check the dates. Grab what looks like the right one, but lo and behold there is another one way over on the other side of a black hole.

Head slap! How in the hell did a 100 pages end up with the cookie recipes?

Listen, I’ve always considered myself a pretty organized person. I like the potato chips on the bottom shelf of the pantry. Drives me nuts when someone moves them around.

But sometimes my fiction runs rampant, and like scurrying little mice, stories duck into hiding spaces on the far side of my computer.