Shameless marketing

[SusieMisajon]

Re: Shameless marketing

I liked your story, Susie, but there were a lot of misspellings! Do you have a spellchecker on your computer?

I think maybe I ought to go back and change the spelling from British to American English.

[Kaonohi]

Re: Shameless marketing

I think maybe I ought to go back and change the spelling from British to American English.

It was actually typing errors, like "chcken" for chicken, etc., which is why a spell-checker is so handy. For me it is imperative! I have forgotten how to spell, and my manual dexterity isn't what it used to be (my fingers don't go where I aim them).
I wish I had more free time, I'd volunteer to proof things for you; that's one thing I'm still pretty good at. Maybe some day.

Your stories are really good. Your flow and tone makes your characters and scenery really come alive! No reason to tolerate elements that distract the reader from the good parts.

[SusieMisajon]

Re: Shameless marketing

It was actually typing errors, like "chcken" for chicken, etc., which is why a spell-checker is so handy. For me it is imperative! I have forgotten how to spell, and my manual dexterity isn't what it used to be (my fingers don't go where I aim them).
I wish I had more free time, I'd volunteer to proof things for you; that's one thing I'm still pretty good at. Maybe some day.

Your stories are really good. Your flow and tone makes your characters and scenery really come alive! No reason to tolerate elements that distract the reader from the good parts.

Did you go and read the story on the blog? The better spelled one, with probably not enough punctuation because I tried to 'clean it up bit', is on post numer one of this very thread.

Now I have to go and look for myself for the chicken that's missing some meat...

[SusieMisajon]

Re: Shameless marketing

Oops!

I'm gonna end up too scared to write.

[Kaonohi]

Re: Shameless marketing

Oops!

I'm gonna end up too scared to write.

Don't you dare! I love your stories.

I haven't read a book lately that doesn't have some spelling or grammatical errors; just fix them and move on. That's why we have spell-checkers, editors and proofreaders! In a recent post I even misspelled my own name!

Keep them stories coming. Keep writing (that's the hardest part!), and keep working for professional publishing. Read! Even read magazines, and if you find a magazine that you feel your short stories will fit, send them a copy. Get your foot in the door, get some references, and other publishers will be more likely to give you a look.

There's a magazine called "The Sun," which is all human interest shorts. Give them a try.

[Kaonohi]

Re: Shameless marketing

Did you go and read the story on the blog? The better spelled one, with probably not enough punctuation because I tried to 'clean it up bit', is on post numer one of this very thread.

Now I have to go and look for myself for the chicken that's missing some meat...

Sorry, I read the one on your blog. I thought the one on this thread was just an excerpt.

Blog: "This is and isn't exactly how it is. Most people can critique food, and most people can make an excellent vinaigrette or roast a chcken deliciously,"

This thread: "This is and isn't exactly how it is. Most people can critique food, and most people can make an excellent vinaigrette or roast a chcken deliciously,"

This is minor, but a lot of publishers will toss a manuscript if it has two or more such errors; they will assume you don't care enough to check, edit or proof your writing.

I say this because I want you to succeed. Some day I want to see a collection of your stories in hardcover in a bookstore for $29.95.

[SusieMisajon]

Re: Shameless marketing

Ummm...I've cleared my inbox.

And someday, you'll get a signed hardcover, for free.

[Kaonohi]

Re: Shameless marketing

Susie, are you really thinking of doing audio versions?
I used to be a lecturer, and I'm told I have a gentle, comforting voice, and I'd work on commission....

Actually, your stories are more exciting, but I think I could handle that as well.

Does anyone know the market for audio books? I don't use them, I prefer good old paper.

[SusieMisajon]

Re: Shameless marketing

Susie, are you really thinking of doing audio versions?
I used to be a lecturer, and I'm told I have a gentle, comforting voice, and I'd work on commission....

Actually, your stories are more exciting, but I think I could handle that as well.

Does anyone know the market for audio books? I don't use them, I prefer good old paper.

Well, I got to thinking about it when I sat and read them as bedtime stories to Kalani. He remembers most of the incidents, and he really like it that I read them out loud to him, which got me to thinking about doing my stories as audio.

I don't know if there's a big market for audiobooks. There is a call out for willing volunteers to do them for ther blind, here, in France. And there are authors on Kindle who have podcasts of stories. Leilani says she'll do a video of the town to go with the podcast, but I dunno...

Someone once gave me a copy of Nancy Reagan's biography...which I stuck into my Sony Walkman and enjoyed, even though I would have never enjoyed the actual book, I suspect, but listening to any story can be pretty good. The kids used to have Harry Potter on Audio, which got the two eldest 'into' Harry Potter. When the kids were little, we'd all go to bed and listen to Peter Pan, or Lambchop at the Nutcracker Suite or The Snowman and fall asleep dreaming of the story and imagining ourselves right there.

I'm thinking that audiobooks are good for busy people, who want to read, but who are also too busy to justify sitting down and doing so...so listening to a story becomes a reasonable compromise for them.

Maybe we could do this. My voice is good, so I'm told, but I can't do my own stuff with any objectivity, and anyway, I'd probably embellish the story halfway through or start laughing when I think what happened in one.

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Shameless marketing

There is a call out for willing volunteers to do them for ther blind, here, in France.

I coordinate a similar service here in Seattle; while I am one of the staff that runs a 24-hour radio service of newspaper & magazine readings, we also have a division that produces book readings for our patrons throughout Washington State.

We have hundreds of volunteers who read for us, and a handful of them are professional voice talents who also do audiobook readings for profit. They say the market is pretty small, as the majority come from bigger-name voices based in NY or LA.

[SusieMisajon]

Re: Shameless marketing

I coordinate a similar service here in Seattle; while I am one of the staff that runs a 24-hour radio service of newspaper & magazine readings, we also have a division that produces book readings for our patrons throughout Washington State.

We have hundreds of volunteers who read for us, and a handful of them are professional voice talents who also do audiobook readings for profit. They say the market is pretty small, as the majority come from bigger-name voices based in NY or LA.

Ok, so if you aren't a famous voice actor, maybe getting a contract isn't easy. But who wants to always hear the same voice on all the books you 'read'? That's like seeing the same actor is every film you see.

So....there is a need for these kinds of books, aven if it's mainly for the sight-impaired.

I'd HATE to be blind and not be able to read. Or type away madly on the Internet. I'd need a seeing eye person to be able to come in here and 'see' all of you guys.

[Kaonohi]

Re: Shameless marketing

That's like seeing the same actor is every film you see.

Let me know if you never need me. OK?

[SusieMisajon]

Re: Shameless marketing

Let me know if you never need me. OK?

Let's try!

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Shameless marketing

I'd HATE to be blind and not be able to read. Or type away madly on the Internet. I'd need a seeing eye person to be able to come in here and 'see' all of you guys.

There are several great programs that vocalize webpages, e-mail as you type, etc., for the blind. And for those who read Braille, there is a "refreshable" Braille display - it takes a line of text from a webpage and causes a line of plastic dots to rise up on a keyboard-length strip. The user reads the line of Braille, moves to the next line and the dots change, and so on. Proficient users (like a couple of our employees) can get through webpages faster than those of us who are sighted.

[GregLee]

Re: Shameless marketing

... I'd probably embellish the story halfway through or start laughing when I think what happened in one.

Well, hmmm. I think that would be fun to listen to, and it's something no one could get from a printed version of the story.