Wednesday, April 29, 2009

THE FIRST INTERVIEW!!!!

With, Mrs. E. D. Baker! We'd like to thank her, first of all, and now, here's what you've been waiting for!!!!:

Kiera: Do you think that young authors should worry about getting published before they have really gotten to know how to write well?

E.D. Baker: Not really. Hone your craft first. For one thing, gettingpublished isn't easy. Young authors should work on improving theirwriting until they are confident that it is good. I am not sayingthat young authors shouldn't try to get published, just that theyshould focus their efforts on improving their writing rather than onfinding an agent or a publisher before they are ready. You are morelikely to get published when you are a better writer. Sending a storyoff to a publisher before it is ready may well earn you a rejectionletter, which can be disheartening to any author. I received so manyrejection letters when I started out that I used to joke that I couldwallpaper a powder room with them. Every one of the rejection lettersmade me wonder why I was trying to be an author.

Kiera: On your way to getting published, what were the people like?

E.D. Baker: Many people were very nice and very encouraging. The peopleputting on writing conferences were helpful, as were the people in thewriting groups to which I belonged. However, there were also peoplewho were more discouraging than helpful. My mother thought I wouldnever get published and my ex-husband made fun of my stories.(Writing tip - when people are rude or unkind to you, remember - youare an author. Whatever they have done could be used in a story andtheir characteristics could be used when you create a character.)

Kiera: What do you think was the greatest chooses you made while you were getting to know the publishing world?

E.D. Baker: Going to writing conferences. Even though I really didn't learn alot about writing from each one, I usually learned a little something. I also met my editor at a writing conference. Once you meet aneditor, you can send your story to him/her and mention where you met.This takes your story out of the slush pile and makes them more interested in reading something from an obviously serious writer.

Kiera: If you could do this all again, what is one thing you think you would do different?

E.D. Baker: I wouldn't rewrite the same story over and over and keep trying tosend it off. Instead, I would write one story, send it off and beginanother right away. Don't pin all your publishing hopes on one story.

Kiera: What do you think is the most awesome thing you have ever seen?

E.D. Baker: The birth of my children.

Kiera: What is your favorite type of pie?

E.D. Baker: My daughter makes a fantastic berry tart, which she makes in a piepan, so I guess it's really a pie. She uses fresh blackberries and raspberries that we pick ourselves.


THANKS!!!

So that's it! Tell me what you think, and I'll invite more author to "join us"!

Monday, April 27, 2009

Okay...

There's supposed to be one more post I have to get done with today but I'm waiting for a few authors to help me with this one. IF people read this, then they might get the WRONG idea of how to do things... Uh-un, that would not be good. And I haven't had much experiance writing busniness letters, so I want to see what the pubuished author have to say. Sorry!!!!

BUT, I do have some more info on how to find THE right publisher for you.

Mrs. E.D. Baker, author of the Tales of the Frog Princess series and Wings, says that you can attend writing confrencess. They will give you current information on who is accepting what.
AND:
Think about if you want an agent or you want to go solo. This is all very inportant. E.D. Baker is a 'solo' author, and that only means that you have to rely on yourself pubishers.
There is LOTS more I could tell you, but I'll go through that later.

EXCITING NEWS!!!!
Miss Jessica Day George has an interview coming up! I'll be posting it as soon as possible...

Incase you had no clue, Jessica Day George is the author of Dragon Slippers, Dragon Flight, Dragon Spear (coming in May), Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow, and The Princesses of the Midnight Ball.
She is an awesome writer, and is very good at her job.

WELL...
That's all.

Remember, publishing is a huge step into the future, make sure you want to and make sure you know what you are going to get into.

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Guess what???

If you want to get a book published right now-- here are some links.

I found the Writer's Market... It may be hard to navigate, but you smart people will be able to figure it out!!!
www.writersmarket.com (oh my goodness... the only thing I didn't google... the address' name!)

Here's the one for self-publishing:
www.tikatok.com
This is a really fun website, but it doesn't offer editing like some other book-writing things do... But you can look at other's books and make suggestion, which always turns out to be a blast...

GOD LOVES YOU!!!! Be good, and remember to encourage each other if you and your friends decide to give publishing a try!!!! (:

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Who would pubish my book?????

WELL...
First, some necessary questions I'd have to answer for myself:

Would I like to self-publish?
Would I like to 'sell' my book?
Would I like to get something out of it?
Who do I want to publish my book?
(if you're going to 'sell' your book...)

After I get done answering these questions, then I could move on.

Let's say I would like to self-publish. First, I must write my book/poem/song. (this is necessary for getting started...) After I get done with that, I could go onto a site like tikatok.com For this site, you must be writing a small book. Then, I would buy as many books as I think I would need to start selling my books. (notice that 'sell' and selling are different things)
After I do all of this, I would find a local businesses, as preferred by most self-publishers. I go knock on their door and give them a copy of my book, then wait to see if they think it's worthy of selling in their store. If they say "Yes", I wait to see how the books sell.
If they sell good, then I might want to start selling at different stores.
If not, then you might want to re-think your idea. (of your book)
All steps to self publishing:

1. Write your book.
2. Find a site/group that will make copies of your book.
3. Buy copies of your book.
4. Go to a local store and see if they want to buy your books.
5. Wait for the outcome.
6. Thank God that you got a chance to do something like that!!! (;


IF you want to 'sell' your book...

Wait, what is 'selling' my book? you're asking. 'Selling' your book is what we'll call having someone else do the hard stuff-- buying your book, selling it, that stuff.
BUT!!!! you must get them to LOOK at it. This is hard.
First, write your book. You don't have to write all of it for most companies, just a few chapters. (we'll talk about the 'other' companies soon...)
Then print out your first 2-4 chapters. NO MORE THAN FOUR!!! Make sure your front is Times New Roman, and your text size is 12. These will make you look professional.
Than, you have to go to the Writer's Market. How do you get there? I can't tell you. I don't know how. You can go to your favorite librarian and ask if they will show you how to get there.
After you get a publisher to look at you manuscripts, then you have to wait until they call you and say "You've got guts... And they paid off!!!" (they will not say that... It's just what I thought would be funny...)
Well, then you're hired by the company to write books until your ideas have dried up. (yep... No switching after that!!!)
Steps:

1. WRITE YOUR BOOK!!!!!!
2. Copy 2-4 chapters of your book, size 12 front Times New Roman.
3. Go find the Writer's Market.
4. Find a company and give them your papers.
5. Wait for THE CALL.
6. Write until you can't for that company.
7. Praise God-- not many peoples get this chance.

WAIT!!!
"This seems all too easy, Kiera! How come there are no good reads on the self these days???" You're asking.
It's not. This 'simple' proses can sometimes take 4-6 years. Sometimes you'll get lucky, but true talent is often looked away from. Don't despair, though. If it's your passion, then I'm sure you're book will one day get published!!!

I WANT TO GET SOMETHING OUT OF IT!!!!! you say.
No. NOT riches, tax lay-offs. This may be THE best way to do it.
First, WRITE YOUR BOOK!!!! Come on people, you are NOT getting out of doing so THAT easily!
After you do so, (everyone knows about Schoolastics, right?) then you can go to the Schoolastics website and figure out how to do that...
I can't help you on this one. I Googled and Googled some more, but I can't figure out how to get to their publishing page... Then again, that might be in the Writer's Market.
Schoolastics will only pay you ONCE, but like I said, you'll bew getting tax lay-offs for as long as you live for selling your greatest idea to them.

I don't think a step-by-step thing will help you... Sorry, I know, I lost it!!!!!!!!!!!!

But, publishing is a HUGE step. Make sure you really think about it... Writing might be more of a hobby than a proffesion-to-be than it is to some people. But, you should be happy with whatever you get to be, and remember to put some of that good 'ol faith in there. God loves us, and we should make others see that as much as possible!!!





Well, if it helped or not, Thanks for reading!
And remember, THE BEST BOOKS ARE ON THE BOTTOM SHELF!!!!! (:

Friday, April 24, 2009

THIS IS NOT RUN BY Emniasatreiana Elf

Yes, I'll call her by her "real" name. Don't worry, this is a one-man-show. No one else but me, Kiera. I'll be doing some school stuff, posting THE latest things (books, song, things that go on in my head...) and let the public read them. (the posts... you can try reading my thoughts, but, well, it might be a little hard...)
ENJOY!
Kiera