Pinterest
is a fast-growing tool employed by authors, publishers, publicists and
businesses. After the social media
giants: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube, Pinterest is next to take
off. It has 25 million members and
generates 10 million unique views each month.
So how does one harness its powers?
I
recommend you take a look at Entrepreneur
Magazine’s Ultimate Guide to Pinterest for Business, by Karen Leland, a
best-selling author of nine books and the president of Sterling Marketing
Group, where she works with entrepreneurs, small businesses and Fortune 500
companies.
So
what exactly is Pinterest? It’s a social bookmarking site that allows users to
create a visual online pinboard with images they love, organized around topics
of their choice by category.
Interestingly,
72% of Pinterest users are female, and 60% of them are 35 or older.
The
book does a sound job of showing how to set up a Pinterest account and reveals
how to create boards that get noticed, draw traffic, and convert fans into customers. Special chapters are devoted to creating a
strong community and enthusiastic following through high-engagement activities,
contests, social media outreach, and smart phone strategies.
I
am not active on Pinterest but after reading this book I may just explore how
to utilize this hot, new resource.
Interview With Poet Donna Marie Merritt
- What type of books do you
write? My focus has been on poetry the
past few years, but I have also written 15 math and science books for
children.
- What is your newest book about? Her House and Other Poems (Stairwell Books, 2013) is a collection
of poetry about nature, love, long walks, intimate moments… I think there
is something there for everyone.
- What inspired you to write it? My first three books were part
of the Poetry for Tough Times series (Avalon Press) and revolved around specific
themes: job loss, cancer, and the return to “ordinary” days. I wanted this
book to be more free-flowing, more observational—examining nature, people,
relationships, the ups and downs we all experience.
- What is the writing process
like for you? Hard.
It’s also the most fun I have all day. If I’m working on a magazine article or
column, I spend time researching and taking notes, and then I type it directly
on the computer. I revise, cut, and move things around until I’m
satisfied, while keeping word count, audience, and deadline in mind. For poetry, it’s a much different
process. I watch people and things, listen to sounds and conversations… I
wonder “what if” many times during the day. Often I play with language in
my head and sometimes jot down words and phrases, but it doesn’t
necessarily result in a poem. When I do write a poem, I use pencil and
paper. There is something about the scratch-scratch of the lead and the
movement of handwriting that lends itself better to poetry (for me,
anyway). I erase, cross out, circle words that don’t quite fit, and so on.
When it’s in decent shape, I type it on the computer and set it aside for
a few days or even weeks. Usually when I go back to it, I’ll find it needs
to be revised or at least requires a tweak or two. Or, I may hit “delete”
if I feel it’s just not working. For every publishable poem I write, I
probably toss half a dozen more.
- What did you do before you
became an author? I
wrote my first poem when I was eight, so writing has been part of my life
for a long, long time. But, I have also been a teacher (14 years) and an
editor (6 years), and currently I work days as a school secretary. The pay
for writing (especially poetry) is not steady. Worrying about paying bills
and having health insurance would be on my mind and interfere with my
creativity. While I would absolutely love to write full-time, the
secretarial job involves no overtime, so I have nights, weekends, and
summers free to concentrate on writing. Of course, if anyone would like to
throw a hefty writing grant my way, I would not be opposed!
- How does it feel to be a
published author? Some days I still can’t believe
it. I hold one of my books in my hand and think, “That’s my name on the
cover.” Or I head to a poetry reading and think, “People are coming to
listen to my poems.” And, if I
look up at a reading to see people laughing or crying in the right places,
it touches me in a way I can’t describe. When people approach me or email
to say that my poetry has helped them or spoken to them in some way, I
feel incredibly blessed to be able to do something I love and reach people
at the same time.
- Any advice for struggling
writers? Read.
Read. Read. Write. Write. Write. To be a good writer, you must first be a
lifelong reader. I read all genres, including poetry, children’s books,
young adult, fiction, biographies…(About the only books I can’t get into
are horror stories. My apologies to those writers!) As you read, take
notice of what you like and why
you like it. Is it the subject matter, the way the words flow, catchy
phrases, clever word play, the images the text evokes, quirky characters,
strong storyline, chapter cliff-hangers, a satisfying ending, or a
combination of things? And, of
course, write. If you want to establish a name as a writer, take yourself
seriously. View it as a job, not a hobby. Attend workshops and
conferences. Network with publishing professionals. Go to poetry readings
and book talks. Join a writers’ critique group. And then…start sending
your work out there. Begin with magazines to build a list of published
work. That will give you some credibility when you are ready to submit to
a publishing house.
Most important? Forget about
failing. You WILL receive rejection slips. By now I have accumulated enough to
wallpaper my house. If you are lucky enough to receive a rejection with
suggestions, please study them! Editors are so busy and receive so many
submissions that anything other than a standard, typewritten form from them is
a sign of encouragement. If an editor takes the time to make notes, pay
attention. There are many ways to improve your craft. We can all continue to learn
and grow as writers.
- Where do you see book
publishing heading? This
is a tough one. There will always be books and there will always be printed
books. But, we will be adding more ways to read them, including e-readers
and online platforms. As I see it, the bigger issue is self-publishing.
There needs to be some kind of vetting process. Poor-quality writing is
flooding the market. It’s the equivalent of typing a story, making copies,
stapling it together, and saying, “Here. I wrote a book.” My kindergarten kids
created books that way. We need to get back to what is worthy of being
published. It’s wonderful to share stories with family and friends.
However, the stamp of approval for books is being published by traditional
publishers, including small presses.
In addition, I would be thrilled to
see publishers pass up some of these celebrity “authors” who are given
contracts based on their names alone, not on whether they can write. What
message are we sending readers when books of little literary value are
published for profit only without making a lasting contribution to society?
Celebrities are given tons of marketing money, are booked on big television
shows, and drain budgets that could have been used for promotion of
lesser-known, but better writers. Okay, off my soap box, but it’s a message I
hope we start spreading.
To
end on a more positive note, persistence is key. Even with self-publishing and
celebrity writers and smaller budgets and publishing houses shrinking and
independent bookstores closing (did I say a positive note?), if you keep
writing and reading and are willing to improve your skills and take chances,
you CAN become a published author. It’s worth all the hard work and
determination. To be a bit cliché, follow your dream.
For more information, please consult: stairwellbooks.co.uk
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Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this
blog are his alone and not that of his employer, the nation’s largest book
promoter. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the
third-person. This blog is copyrighted material by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2013
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