1.
Please tell
me about the Mona Schreiber Prize and what it provides winners. Mona, a.k.a. Mom, was a writer of newspaper and
magazine articles and essays and had a strength in humor writing. I started the
prize in 2000 to honor her early passing from lung cancer and also to give
support to talented humor writers, as yet unrecognized. There are awards of
$500, $250 and $100 plus publication and promotion on my website and through my
social media, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Goodreads and newsletters
I send to MSP entrants and others. I also offer winners advice on writing,
networking and contracts, should they request it.
2.
Brad, what
type of writers should apply to the Mona Schreiber Prize? The weirder the better. When was the last time you saw
that in a Help Wanted ad? The pieces
should be under 750 words but can be fiction or nonfiction, in any form,
whether it’s a story, essay, list, instruction manual, love letter, ad,
instruction manual or any damn thing you can think up. Previous winners are posted
at www.brashcyber.com, as well as a piece Mona published, criticizing my
clothes selection when I was in high school.
3.
How are
prizes judged? Each entry is
judged by President-for-Life and benevolent dictator Brad Schreiber. I take
great pleasure in reading all entries, as they honor Mona and her abilities as
writer and instructor, strengths she genetically passed along to me. I am not
looking for any particular type of piece. You’ll have an advantage if you use
language creatively, have a vivid imagination and avoid clichés like the
plague…I mean, uh, strive for freshness.
4.
Why are
applying for awards and prizes a great way for authors to brand their works and
market themselves? You don’t have
much time to grab an editor or agent’s attention in a query letter. Winning a
prize that has been around for 20 years certainly helps. There are plenty of
other awards that are well-established, too. Your previous successes will force
gatekeepers to think twice before having the unmitigated audacity to hit the
delete button.
5.
How did you
get involved in the book world? By
being relentless and stubborn. I totally believed in my ability, despite scores
of rejections from editors and publishers. Then, I found a publisher who loved
my idea for a parody of the Guinness Book of World Records, WEIRD WONDERS AND
BIZARRE BLUNDERS. It became a bestseller for Simon and Schuster, with phony
records like Worst Flavor of Ice Cream (Chocolate Salmon Surprise).
6.
Brad, as an
experienced author, what have you found works for authors seeking to promote
themselves? Don’t overlook the
influence of discussion boards on the Internet. Much of the success of my early
years biography BECOMING JIMI HENDRIX was fueled by creating conversations on
boards having to do with classic rock, psychedelic music and electric guitar.
And be persistent in approaching well-known authors and celebrities who might
like your work. One of my proudest achievements is getting who I consider the
greatest humor writer in history, Larry Gelbart (Tootsie, TV’s M*A*S*H) to
give me a blurb for my humor writing book WHAT ARE YOU LAUGHING AT? On my
rougher days, I derive strength from his words on the cover: “At last, a how-to
book by someone who actually knows how to.”
7.
What advice
do you have for struggling writers? I
have had many students and consulting clients tell me they love writing but do
not like marketing their work or learning about contracts. I tell them that’s
like saying you want to have a child but don’t want to deal with messy diapers
or the kid talking back to you. It comes with the territory. Enjoy every step
of writing: the act of creation, the process of improving, attaining contacts,
getting published and produced and paid. And winning the Mona Schreiber Prize.
8.
Where do you
see book publishing heading in a few years? I think more authors in the future are going to be
more proficient at marketing and promoting themselves, by the use of podcasts,
e-newsletters, offering free samples of their work over the Internet and
brainstorming with innovative publicists on new ways to reach readers.
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How
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Enjoy
New 2018 Author Book Marketing & PR Toolkit -- 7th annual edition just
released
Brian Feinblum’s
insightful views, provocative opinions, and interesting ideas expressed in this
terrific blog are his alone and not that of his employer or anyone else. You
can – and should -- follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him
at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels much more important when discussed in
the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog © 2018. Born and
raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester. His writings are often
featured in The Writer and IBPA’s Independent.
This was named one of the best book marketing blogs by Book Baby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and recognized by Feedspot in 2018 as one of the
top book marketing blogs. Also named by WinningWriters.com as a "best
resource.” He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America
and participated in a PR panel at the Sarah Lawrence College Writers Institute
Conference.
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