Writing A Better Newsletter

I have done newsletters on and off over the years. Right now I am developing a newsletter that will, hopefully, help me promote my writing. I send it out on a monthly basis, and tweak it as I get feedback. (Many thanks to my friend Jamie Morris for her wonderful suggestions!)

I am always looking for ways to ramp up my newsetter. I do have the target audience - people who read my work, and other authors. I try to vary the content enough to hold the attention of my newsletter audience. (I was aghast to find out that having 10% of those that received my newsletter actually opening it was a good percentage! Note to self - write better subject lines!)

I include links to writing related articles, blogs, and tools that have crossed my path. From time to time I will include links to other authors whose work I admire. I also include links to books that I already have out there, and snippets from my WIP (thank you Jamie for this suggestion!).

Things that we can all do to make our newsletters better are:

1. Keep our intended audience in mind when pulling the newsletter together.
2. Create an editorial calender. For me, since my newsletter goes out monthly, that would be creating a list of twelve topics that I would like to address. the months that have major holidays I cheat, and use the holiday to base my newsletter around.
3. Format the newsletter to look professional.
4. Use an professional e-mail sender, such as Mail Chimp.
5. Make you newsletter easy to scan, with bold headlines. People won't read your newsletter unless they see something that interests them.
6.  Give your readers information (or links to information) they can actually use!
7. Include links to your previous work - I have links to four of my books at the end of my newsletter.
8. Include a pic of yourself, so that your readers can relate to you on a personal level.
9. Be consistent - don't ramble!
10. Make sure your readers can opt out easily if they want to.
11. Ad images to create interest.
12. Use a logo and tagline that will brand you for your readers.
13. Include links to your professional site, as well as your social media sites.
14. Check your newsletter before you send it, checking for spelling, grammar, and consistent photo size. 

(c) January 2018 Bonnie Cehovet

Reproduction prohibited without written permission from the author.

Character Driven vrs Plot Driven - Yikes!

Good question - does it really matter if a story is character driven or plot driven? For me, the answer is easy - I want to write a series of cozy mysteries based around the same characters, so my stories will be character driven. But ... they also have to have an interesting plot to drive the story line and hold the readers interest. Each writer needs to determine for themselves where the balance is between character and plot in their stories. 

Every writer will have a natural preference - a way in which they prefer to tell their stories. How can a writer tell what their preference is if they really are not sure?  Some things to think about are:

Character Driven Stories:

1. The story is based around one or more characters.

2. The author creates the world of the story, but the characters control their own actions within that world.

3. The focus is on the internal changes that the characters experience.

4. The reader becomes very involved with the characters, what makes them tick, their attitudes, and what is behind their actions. The layers of each characters persona becomes evident as the story evolves.

5. The ending of the story is unpredictable.

Plot Driven Stories:

1. The story is based around events.

2. The focus is on ideas, rather than people.

3. There is a clear end goal.

4. Characters are making quick decisions that move the plot forward - there is not a lot of focus on developing the characters themselves.

5. The development of the characters is a backdrop to the plot itself.

Have fun with this!

(c) January 2018 Bonnie Cehovet

Reproduction prohibited without written permission of the author.

The Art Of Writing Prompts

I love writing prompts! They do so much to expand our horizons as writers. Really? Yes, really! Why is this?

1. They act as a kick start to creativity.

2. It is a great way to learn to barnstorm ideas.

3. You can use many things as prompts - images, single words, phrases, themes ... whatever works as a focus mechanism.

4. The material that comes from writing prompts can take on a life of its own!

5. Writing prompts, and sharing what we write, helps us connect with our writing community.

Here are some sites to play with:

CreativeWritingPrompts.com

WritersDigest.com

ThinkWritten.com

WritingForward.com

WritingExercises.co.uk

TheStoryShack.com

I am going to be including a writing prompt in my monthly newsletter from now on. Here are a few to get started with:

1. Use the word "Mother" as a focal point.

2. Use the word "Fury" as a focal point.

3. Picture a door, and write about what you might find on the other side.

4. Focus on "Death", nad how it has affected you personally.

5. What does stress feel like to you?

Don't stop and think ... just write! If you want, set a timer for five or ten minutes, or for however long you want to write. Whatever you do ... just write!

(c) January 2018 Bonnie Cehovet

Reproduction prohibited without writen permission of the author. 

New Year's Eve 2018

Welcome to New Year's Eve 2018! Looking back over the old year, looking forward to the new year. Before I start in about what 2017 was for me, what I am taking from it, and what I am looking forward to in 2018, I want to stop and give a tip of the hat to Sue Grafton, author of the "Kinsey Milhone" mystery series. As Ms Grafton's daughter posted on Facebook - "The series ends with "Y". Yes, Sue Grafton just passed away from cancer. Her series, which followed the letters of the alphabet, stops with "Y". Her books are favorites of mine, and I will miss her greatly (even though I never met her).

2017 was certainly a year with its ups and downs. The political climate continued to get worse, on a daily (if not hourly) basis. The sole aim in the Trum administration seemed to be to take down whatever former President Obama had put in place, and to change any and all rule and regs to fit the schemes of the rich. Why do I feel the need to mention this in an article about my year - because whether I wanted it to or not, it did affect me.

Because of the afore mentioned political debacle, I became more active in the area of politics. I sent more e-mails, made more phone calls, and wrote more letters than I have ever done before. I will continue to do this - within reason. I ended up on a lot of political lists that I have been steadily unsubbing from. The individuals/groups on those lists had/have pertinent things to say - but everything ends with a request for money, and they all need it by "midnight". I will not be used! I will contribute to local politicians, and through Hillary Clinton's political action group Onward Together.  

Over the past year I took both writing and personal development courses through Udemy, started a newsletter focused on writing, and fine tuned my WIPs - a mystery novel, and a book on decision making. I formatted what I want to have in my fictional character's profiles, and what I want included in my bible for each book (for my fictional books, so that each book in the series reflect what has actually happed, or been referred to, in previous books). In researching my mystery novel, I realized that I have an online acquaintance that I can use as to vet an important part of my book (no writer wants to look like a fool.)

I went through a personal health  crisis at the end of October that took until the end of December to really clear up.

For 2018, I am looking forward to publishing my first mystery novel, and to developing a solid plan for promoting it. I will continue with Udemy classes, as well as with interesting webinars that cross my path. I will make an attempt to network with other writers (a LinkedIn acquiantence has what looks to be an intresting novel coming out in 2018). I look forward to blogging here on a weekly basis, as well as writing one flash fiction (100 words) a week and posting it. I also look forward to strengthening the focus of my newsletter, and promoting it in a more efficient manner.

This is my life. What are you taking from 2017, and what are you looking forward to in 2018?

(c) 2017 Bonnie Cehovet

Reproduction rohibited without written permission of the author. 

  

  

Christmas Books That I Love!

Christmas is a lovely time of year! I look forward to decorating my house, playing Christmas music, cooking, baking, and, of course, reading Christmas themed mysteries! The following are some that I would like to share, in the spirit of the season. Enjoy!

Victoria Benchley. The Christmas Contest. This is part of t he Duncan Dewar series, and takes place Scottish village. He is trying to solve a murder, while at the same time vying for Angela's heart!

Kathi Daley. The Christmas Letter. This is part of the Tess and Tilly cozy mystery series. This story is based in the small town of White Eagle, Montana, and thrives on small town shenanigans! 

Francis Duncan. Murder For Christmas. This is part of the Mordecai Tremaine series, and takes place at a country retreat.

Joanne Fluke, Sugar Cookie Murder. This is part of the Hannah Swensen series, based on a community Christmas celebration. I love that there are a ton of recipies included!

Ellen Elizabeth Hunter. Murder On the Candlelight Tour. This is part of the Magnolia Mystery Wilmington series, featuring historic preservationist Ashley Wilkes, and the proverbial murder in the library!

Margaret Maron, Rituals of the Season. This is a Deborah Knott mystery that combines Christmas and Deborah's impending wedding. Excellent read!

If you would like to sign up for my monthly newsletter, please check out my site. 

(c) November 2017 Bonnie Cehovet

Reproduction prohibited without written consent of the author.

The Legend of Justice and Diamonds - Second Printing

"The Legend of Justice and Diamonds" was originally published through Xulon Press in 2010. It is now available through Create Space and Kindle (The Legend of Justice and Diamonds). (You can find my review of the first printing here.) I was (and still am!) drawn to this book because it takes its foundation from the Tarot, which has been a a part of my life "forever". The book presents the cards as both living virtues, and living human beings, fashioned by The Creator. The background is that of what author Louis F. Hemsey terms "first Earth" - the time before Earth as we know it.

The voice of the story is Acellus, The Creator's scribe. He is also the first angelic being. Through his visions, the reader moves into the past, into what is termed an alternate reality, where it is the sixth year reign of the first King - a rogue entitled the King of Clubs. The story exemplifies the eternal struggle between good and evil, and moves smoothly between three realms - (1) the Forest of Cards, (2) the earthly realm of the Kng of Clubs, and (3) the realm of the Keepers, the ones who read the Tarot cards.

As an author myself, I am imressed with the manner in which Hemsey moved his work from Xulon Press to the independent publishing venues of Create Space and Kindle. The addition of a dlightful new cover spices things up nicely!

I have it on good authority (Hemsey himself!) that a sequel is in the works - involving the son's of the Jack of Diamonds and the Ace of Spades, along with the Queen of Diamonds and Lady Arabella of Saxon.

Now is a good time to read (and savor) the first book, so that you have the background handy for reading the sequel!

(c) November 2017 Bonnie Cehovet

A Writer's Thanksgiving

We have thanksgiving coming up here in the United States on November 23rd. It is all about food, family, and being thankful for all of the abundance in our lives, whatever form that takes (which, for some, will be endless football games!). I have been sitting here thinking about what I am thankful for as a writer.

I have been writing ever since I can remember. For whatever reason, I aways seemed to be secretary of whatever organization I was with. I remember when I was in the sixth grade, and I was secretary for my Camp Fire Girls group. I wrote up the minutes, then I got to walk them down to the local newspaper (I lived in a really small town!). This was a very big thrill for me!

As I became an adult, and moved forward in my career, most of my writing was of a technical nature. (I worked as a Medical Laboratory Technologist.) As my avocation - Tarot and metaphysics - transformed into my vocation, I found myself writing on totally different topics. I took what to me was a huge risk and submitted an idea for a book to Schiffer Publishing Ltd., and it was accepted! I was shocked, and enormously happy! I submitted a second idea for a book, and that was accepted too. I am very thankful to Schiffer, and to my editor, Dinah Roseberry, for making publishing my books a very positive experience! 

I co-wrote a book on joy with my friend Brad Tesch, which turned out to be a very enjoyable experience. I am thankful for the time that I spent wth Brad co-writing that book. I wrote and self-published a book on surviving the holidays - which was a great deal of fun to write, and which made me feel good about being able to offer concrete "helpful hints" to others on how not to go insane during the holidays.

I have done written interviews with some of the most interesting people in the Tarot field. I am thankful that to a person they were gracious, and shared of themselves the things that worked for them, and the background of their work.

I currently have a WIP (work in progress) that entails, in part, flying in and out of smaller airports that cater to private and corporate planes. I am very thankful that I know someone through Facebook that I can contact to make sure that the airports that I researched and chose are actually viable choices. I certainly don't want to look the fool over a choice of airports! If this individual agrees to mentor me on this, they will receive mention as a valuable resource in my book.

There are so many things to be thankful for as a writer! What are some of the things that those of you who are fellow writer's are thankful for?

(c) Bonnie Cehovet November 2017