Yes, that's right; if you're a writer, you're also a marketer. I read a great marketing article this morning on the We CAN Promote Our Books! Web site. It's called "The Power of Gimmicks." While I'm not crazy about the word "gimmicks," tying gifts and small products to your book is always a wise idea. The point is to choose an item that is both useful and desirable to the reader and that also is closely related to the book's theme, message and/or design.
At the International Christian Retail Show this year, I saw several excellent examples of marketing at work. One was a group of darling Amish children passing out flyers and postcards to advertise Wanda Brunstetter's novels. They also helped advertise the free showing of the movie "The Redemption of Sarah Cain." Another favorite was a group of people dressed as football players gathered around the entrances and exits of the escalators, passing out packages of Kleenex wrapped with information advertising Karen Kingsbury's new novel Between Sundays.
For more fun ideas for giveaways you can relate to your books, check out Gail Gaymer Martin's helpful article at canblog.typepad.com/canbookmarketing/2007/08/the-power-of-gi.html.
Also, please let me know your own ideas for marketing the books you're working on! Thanks!
martes, 28 de agosto de 2007
lunes, 27 de agosto de 2007
Need a Creative Boost?
Recently, a friend who works as an acquisitions editor for a Christian publishing house recommended that I read Julia Cameron's book The Artist's Way. I've been so moved and challenged by Cameron's insights and by her perspective on the importance of creativity in every arena of our lives, including the spiritual arena. I highly recommend her book!
I've been gathering and reading books that focus on the relationship between creativity, theology and Christian spirituality to help me as I write my new devotional, flow. Here are some of the best I've found:
-The Artist's Way and The Vein of Gold: A Journey to Your Creative Heart by Julia Cameron
-A Room Called Remember by Frederick Buechner
-Creativity: When the Divine and the Human Meet by Matthew Fox
-The Reflective Life by Ken Gire
-Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg
-Writing for the Soul by Jerry B. Jenkins
-Bird by Bird; Traveling Mercies; Plan B; and Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith by Anne Lamott
-Writing to Change the World by Mary Pipher
-Walking on Water by Madeleine L'Engle (recommended by my author friend Jennifer Lyn King)
Please make it a goal to read at least one of these during the month of September. I promise that you'll be highly motivated in your creative endeavors and rejuvenated in your faith as a result!
I've been gathering and reading books that focus on the relationship between creativity, theology and Christian spirituality to help me as I write my new devotional, flow. Here are some of the best I've found:
-The Artist's Way and The Vein of Gold: A Journey to Your Creative Heart by Julia Cameron
-A Room Called Remember by Frederick Buechner
-Creativity: When the Divine and the Human Meet by Matthew Fox
-The Reflective Life by Ken Gire
-Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg
-Writing for the Soul by Jerry B. Jenkins
-Bird by Bird; Traveling Mercies; Plan B; and Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith by Anne Lamott
-Writing to Change the World by Mary Pipher
-Walking on Water by Madeleine L'Engle (recommended by my author friend Jennifer Lyn King)
Please make it a goal to read at least one of these during the month of September. I promise that you'll be highly motivated in your creative endeavors and rejuvenated in your faith as a result!
martes, 21 de agosto de 2007
Authentic Parenting: Relevant Hope for Parents
I returned yesterday from a relaxing, enjoyable trip home. I drove to Indiana and spent over a week with family and friends.
During that time, I spoke with several teens and young adults who are struggling with tough issues: sexual immorality, the struggle to recover from painful and unexpected divorces, one young man's bitterness and anger over the death of a parent, and the hurts a college-age girl has experienced from rumors within the church. All of these young people have amazing parents who truly love their kids and love the Lord with all their hearts. So what has gone wrong?
The fact is that most Christian parents desperately want to be godly, loving leaders and mentors to their children. And their kids want to serve God and experience His blessings and favor in their lives. But there's a disconnect. Why are so many teens getting bogged down in sin and shame? Why are parents not able to connect with their struggling kids?
Part of the problem is the difference in the modern generation (including the Builders and the Baby Boomers) and the postmodern generation (including Generation X and the Mosaics, or Generation Y). The values, belief systems, and technological advances available to today's youth make this a vastly different culture from that of the Builders and Boomers.
If you're a parent seeking wisdom for parenting in this postmodern era, look no further than Mary DeMuth's excellent book Authentic Parenting. Mary offers a simple, easy-to-understand guide to postmodern culture. She does an excellent job of demystifying what's going on in your child's mind and explains how to engage your child or teen in meaningful conversation rather than alienating them by just giving orders. This book will help you understand not just the postmodern culture but the modern culture and the differences in values and attitudes between the two. Authentic Parenting will equip you to build a solid relationship with your kids by being authentic and loving, yet firm, and by capitalizing on "teachable moments" to illustrate biblical principles.
To order an autographed copy of Mary's excellent book, click on this link: relevantblog.blogspot.com. It will radically shift your understanding of what your kids want and need from you as a parent - and of what God requires of you as a communicator of His truth to the next generation.
During that time, I spoke with several teens and young adults who are struggling with tough issues: sexual immorality, the struggle to recover from painful and unexpected divorces, one young man's bitterness and anger over the death of a parent, and the hurts a college-age girl has experienced from rumors within the church. All of these young people have amazing parents who truly love their kids and love the Lord with all their hearts. So what has gone wrong?
The fact is that most Christian parents desperately want to be godly, loving leaders and mentors to their children. And their kids want to serve God and experience His blessings and favor in their lives. But there's a disconnect. Why are so many teens getting bogged down in sin and shame? Why are parents not able to connect with their struggling kids?
Part of the problem is the difference in the modern generation (including the Builders and the Baby Boomers) and the postmodern generation (including Generation X and the Mosaics, or Generation Y). The values, belief systems, and technological advances available to today's youth make this a vastly different culture from that of the Builders and Boomers.
If you're a parent seeking wisdom for parenting in this postmodern era, look no further than Mary DeMuth's excellent book Authentic Parenting. Mary offers a simple, easy-to-understand guide to postmodern culture. She does an excellent job of demystifying what's going on in your child's mind and explains how to engage your child or teen in meaningful conversation rather than alienating them by just giving orders. This book will help you understand not just the postmodern culture but the modern culture and the differences in values and attitudes between the two. Authentic Parenting will equip you to build a solid relationship with your kids by being authentic and loving, yet firm, and by capitalizing on "teachable moments" to illustrate biblical principles.
To order an autographed copy of Mary's excellent book, click on this link: relevantblog.blogspot.com. It will radically shift your understanding of what your kids want and need from you as a parent - and of what God requires of you as a communicator of His truth to the next generation.
viernes, 10 de agosto de 2007
Funds for Writers
Hi, friends! To find some ways to supplement my income and attain my writing goals, I recently began researching writing grants, research grants, and other sources of funds for writers. I will list some of these opportunities below. I hope they will be useful to you!
1. Sign up for the free Funds for Writers e-zine at fundsforwriters.com. Funds for Writers offers writing tips, lists of upcoming contests and grant deadlines, writing positions available across the country, and more.
2. The Elizabeth George Foundation offers grants to unpublished fiction writers, published or unpublished poets, emerging playwrights, and organizations benefiting disadvantaged youth. Elizabeth George is a fiction/mystery writer (see elizabethgeorgeonline.com). The application deadline for the first stage of the grant is June 15, 2008.
To request guidelines, write to: Elizabeth George, Elizabeth George Foundation, P.O. Box 1429, Langley, WA 98260.
3. The Puffin Foundation offers grants to emerging writers and artists in the fields of art, music, theater, dance, photography and literature. You may request an application beginning on September 1, 2007. The foundation will accept completed applications and proposals from October 1, 2007, to December 30, 2007, postmarked midnight.
To receive an application packet, write to: Puffin Foundation, Ltd., 20 Puffin Way, Teaneck, NJ 07666-4111.
4. The National Endowment for the Arts offers annual $25,000 Creative Writing Fellowships. The fellowships alternate between prose and poetry. The website is arts.endow.gov/grants/apply/Lit/How-G.g.html. Applications will be accepted online beginning on January 1, 2008, for the 2009 Poetry Fellowships. Applications will not be available until January 1, 2008, for the March 1, 2008, deadline. (You may need to wait to apply until the new funding number for 2009 is available.)
To contact the NEA by mail, write to: National Endowment for the Arts, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20506-0001.
Please help spread the word about these excellent sources of funding for writers! Let me know if you know of other useful grants or fellowships for writers. Thank you!
1. Sign up for the free Funds for Writers e-zine at fundsforwriters.com. Funds for Writers offers writing tips, lists of upcoming contests and grant deadlines, writing positions available across the country, and more.
2. The Elizabeth George Foundation offers grants to unpublished fiction writers, published or unpublished poets, emerging playwrights, and organizations benefiting disadvantaged youth. Elizabeth George is a fiction/mystery writer (see elizabethgeorgeonline.com). The application deadline for the first stage of the grant is June 15, 2008.
To request guidelines, write to: Elizabeth George, Elizabeth George Foundation, P.O. Box 1429, Langley, WA 98260.
3. The Puffin Foundation offers grants to emerging writers and artists in the fields of art, music, theater, dance, photography and literature. You may request an application beginning on September 1, 2007. The foundation will accept completed applications and proposals from October 1, 2007, to December 30, 2007, postmarked midnight.
To receive an application packet, write to: Puffin Foundation, Ltd., 20 Puffin Way, Teaneck, NJ 07666-4111.
4. The National Endowment for the Arts offers annual $25,000 Creative Writing Fellowships. The fellowships alternate between prose and poetry. The website is arts.endow.gov/grants/apply/Lit/How-G.g.html. Applications will be accepted online beginning on January 1, 2008, for the 2009 Poetry Fellowships. Applications will not be available until January 1, 2008, for the March 1, 2008, deadline. (You may need to wait to apply until the new funding number for 2009 is available.)
To contact the NEA by mail, write to: National Endowment for the Arts, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20506-0001.
Please help spread the word about these excellent sources of funding for writers! Let me know if you know of other useful grants or fellowships for writers. Thank you!
jueves, 9 de agosto de 2007
Life Lessons from Mom
Today's my mom's birthday, so I thought I'd share a few of the life lessons I've learned from her.
I remember my mom telling me that Ruth Bell Graham, the wife of legendary pastor Billy Graham, always keeps an open Bible in her house. My mom began to do the same, and once I began following her example, I realized how much easier it is for me to skim a chapter or two when I have an extra few minutes or pick up the Bible and look up a certain meaningful passage or phrase. It really helps me to stay in the Word more regularly. Try it!
My mom has always been a miracle worker with money. Although my parents have never been wealthy, they have always found a way to give generously and manage their finances wisely. I respect that about them.
My mom is a fantastic cook. She taught me to cook early on, and I appreciate that so much! My love of cooking has served me well. Who would have known that I would marry a young man from Europe???? :) God did. You gotta know how to make bread and other treats if you marry a European.
My mother is also the greatest prayer warrior I know. When she prays, things happen. She wakes up before sunrise every day and prays through notebooks and journals full of prayer requests. (Yes, I did say BOOKS.) She is so faithful.
When my mom prays for rain, you take an umbrella with you. That's the kind of prayer I mean.
Most of all, my mom has a solid, yet childlike faith in God. She truly believes His Word and fully trusts that He will keep His promises. She believes the best about people, and has taught her children to do the same. God and His Word are more real to her than anything else.
Thanks, Mom! You and your awesome legacy of faith are such a blessing to me.
Friends, what do you appreciate most about your mom? Please leave a comment here.
I remember my mom telling me that Ruth Bell Graham, the wife of legendary pastor Billy Graham, always keeps an open Bible in her house. My mom began to do the same, and once I began following her example, I realized how much easier it is for me to skim a chapter or two when I have an extra few minutes or pick up the Bible and look up a certain meaningful passage or phrase. It really helps me to stay in the Word more regularly. Try it!
My mom has always been a miracle worker with money. Although my parents have never been wealthy, they have always found a way to give generously and manage their finances wisely. I respect that about them.
My mom is a fantastic cook. She taught me to cook early on, and I appreciate that so much! My love of cooking has served me well. Who would have known that I would marry a young man from Europe???? :) God did. You gotta know how to make bread and other treats if you marry a European.
My mother is also the greatest prayer warrior I know. When she prays, things happen. She wakes up before sunrise every day and prays through notebooks and journals full of prayer requests. (Yes, I did say BOOKS.) She is so faithful.
When my mom prays for rain, you take an umbrella with you. That's the kind of prayer I mean.
Most of all, my mom has a solid, yet childlike faith in God. She truly believes His Word and fully trusts that He will keep His promises. She believes the best about people, and has taught her children to do the same. God and His Word are more real to her than anything else.
Thanks, Mom! You and your awesome legacy of faith are such a blessing to me.
Friends, what do you appreciate most about your mom? Please leave a comment here.
domingo, 5 de agosto de 2007
The Simple Life
A God-shaped life is a flourishing tree.
-Proverbs 11:28, The Message
What does it mean to live a God-shaped life? I believe that simplifying our lives and prioritizing the Lord's purposes are vital. I recently attended a Summer Writing Seminar and had the privilege of meeting "The Organizing Pro," Marcia Ramsland. Marcia wrote the bestselling books Simplify Your Life, Simplify Your Time and Simplify Your Space. She's also a "marketing maven" and shared some great principles for book marketing. Some of her recommendations include:
-Read The Frugal Book Promoter by Carolyn Howard-Johnson and How to Build an Empire Around Your Book by Tom Antion.
-Begin immediately to compile an e-mail list of your contacts.
-Start writing and sending out a monthly e-zine. You may use one of the following services to help you send it out and keep track of your readers' contact information:
organizingpro/kickstartcart.htm
constantcontact.com
greatinternetmarketing.com
You may also sign up for FREE organizing tips on Marcia's website at organizingpro.com.
Simplifying our lives can be so refreshing! In his bestselling book The Purpose-Driven Life, pastor Rick Warren writes: "Nothing matters more than knowing God's purposes for your life, and nothing can compensate for not knowing them - not success, wealth, fame or pleasure...
You have just enough time to do God's will. If you can't get it all done, it means you're trying to do more than God intended for you to do (or possibly, that you're watching too much television). Purpose-driven living leads to a simpler lifestyle and a saner schedule.
You become effective by being selective."
How is God refining you today, helping you become more purposeful and selective in your daily work?
-Proverbs 11:28, The Message
What does it mean to live a God-shaped life? I believe that simplifying our lives and prioritizing the Lord's purposes are vital. I recently attended a Summer Writing Seminar and had the privilege of meeting "The Organizing Pro," Marcia Ramsland. Marcia wrote the bestselling books Simplify Your Life, Simplify Your Time and Simplify Your Space. She's also a "marketing maven" and shared some great principles for book marketing. Some of her recommendations include:
-Read The Frugal Book Promoter by Carolyn Howard-Johnson and How to Build an Empire Around Your Book by Tom Antion.
-Begin immediately to compile an e-mail list of your contacts.
-Start writing and sending out a monthly e-zine. You may use one of the following services to help you send it out and keep track of your readers' contact information:
organizingpro/kickstartcart.htm
constantcontact.com
greatinternetmarketing.com
You may also sign up for FREE organizing tips on Marcia's website at organizingpro.com.
Simplifying our lives can be so refreshing! In his bestselling book The Purpose-Driven Life, pastor Rick Warren writes: "Nothing matters more than knowing God's purposes for your life, and nothing can compensate for not knowing them - not success, wealth, fame or pleasure...
You have just enough time to do God's will. If you can't get it all done, it means you're trying to do more than God intended for you to do (or possibly, that you're watching too much television). Purpose-driven living leads to a simpler lifestyle and a saner schedule.
You become effective by being selective."
How is God refining you today, helping you become more purposeful and selective in your daily work?
viernes, 3 de agosto de 2007
FLOW Devo for Creative Christians
Wow! Speaking of "going with the flow," God has been faithful to do more with this project than I ever could have asked or imagined! Here's a list of just some of the people who have already written guest devos or have committed to contributing:
Jerry B. Jenkins, author of the Left Behind series, Writing for the Soul, and other books
Sandra Glahn, author, speaker and professor at Dallas Theological Seminary
Dillon Burroughs, musician and author of Middle East Meltdown and other books
Anne Jackson, staff member of LakePointe Church, author of Mad Church Disease, and blogger extraordinaire
Jeanne Damoff, author, dancer and choreographer
Jennifer Lyn King, author and photographer
Daryl Rodriguez, pastor, teacher, fine artist and musician
Colleen Rodriguez, fine artist, nurse and musician
Dorothy Martin, pianist, writer and fantastic mom!
Tina Howard, writer and blog queen
T.J. Wilson, writer, blogger and Mount Hermon friend
Andrea McCarthy, writer
Alyssa Jurek, writer
Michelle Hurst, writer
Several others plan to send their devos within the next 2-3 weeks. If you would like to contribute to this exciting creative project, please send your 1- to 2-page creative devo to me via e-mail at marla_alupoaicei@yahoo.com. (If possible, please use either The Message or the NASB version of the Bible. Both may be accessed online at Bible Gateway -biblegateway.com.) More info is available below; simply scroll down to the bottom of this page, click the "Next Page" link, and the article "Go with the Flow" will appear. Thank you!
Jerry B. Jenkins, author of the Left Behind series, Writing for the Soul, and other books
Sandra Glahn, author, speaker and professor at Dallas Theological Seminary
Dillon Burroughs, musician and author of Middle East Meltdown and other books
Anne Jackson, staff member of LakePointe Church, author of Mad Church Disease, and blogger extraordinaire
Jeanne Damoff, author, dancer and choreographer
Jennifer Lyn King, author and photographer
Daryl Rodriguez, pastor, teacher, fine artist and musician
Colleen Rodriguez, fine artist, nurse and musician
Dorothy Martin, pianist, writer and fantastic mom!
Tina Howard, writer and blog queen
T.J. Wilson, writer, blogger and Mount Hermon friend
Andrea McCarthy, writer
Alyssa Jurek, writer
Michelle Hurst, writer
Several others plan to send their devos within the next 2-3 weeks. If you would like to contribute to this exciting creative project, please send your 1- to 2-page creative devo to me via e-mail at marla_alupoaicei@yahoo.com. (If possible, please use either The Message or the NASB version of the Bible. Both may be accessed online at Bible Gateway -biblegateway.com.) More info is available below; simply scroll down to the bottom of this page, click the "Next Page" link, and the article "Go with the Flow" will appear. Thank you!
Suscribirse a:
Comentarios (Atom)