Success in the Places Where People Gather

It's true. For now, traditional bookstores are dwindling in numbers. But as  such stores and mainstream sales channels retrench to develop alternate strategies, new opportunities emerge for authors to reach readers. In that, it's an exciting and productive time to be an independent author. Successful independent authors know how to capitalize on innovative, non traditional events. At Book Bridge Press, we tell clients to establish events in places where people gather. Events and booksignings in supermarkets, gift stores, coffee shops and family recreation places are good choices, as are opportunities during association luncheons, community meetings and more. Such events are innovative, niche-oriented, and productive for the author. As well, the author isn't competing with thousands of other books in the room. At that moment, the light is shining on them - and their book only. This is a rich sales position to create for one's product.

Better yet, these events often allow for better, more focused promotion to occur. Eager to utilize the draw and fully aware of the cross-benefit it offers, business owners of such establishments are often quite good at promoting events to their customers. It's a win-win. While we are not stating that independent authors should ignore traditional bookstore events, such channels are only one part of a full equation, and connecting with new readers in places where people gather is an important element to any successful sales and promotion plan.

On that note, Book Bridge Press client Rhonda Lundgren will be signing her book Penelope Buys the Moon at Bruegger's Bagels in Minnetonka, Minnesota, today from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. as promoted in Lake Minnetonka Magazine. Bruegger's Bagels is a lovely coffee and bagel shop and neighborhood gathering place. This is a smart strategy, as the exposure and foot traffic at a coffee shop on a Saturday afternoon should promise to produce great results for this author.

We realize that some people may think this is not as glamorous or exciting as seeing one's name and book promoted on a poster in a large bookstore chain. But a name on a poster doesn't always equate to better monetary rewards or broader exposure to new readers when compared to the rewards an author can gather in a non traditional setting. It's important to keep in mind that the goal is to sell books, and cultivate a readership. By establishing events in the places where people gather provides tremendous opportunity for an author to accomplish both. And remember, a following is established one reader at a time, one autograph at a time. Whether an author connects beneath the bright lights of a bookstore or at a community farmer's market isn't important. The important fact is that they connect - and grow.

Kidlit Success: Read Aloud to Make it Better.

When writing for children, it's important to consider all the ways in which a book will be used. Most often, picture books are shared through a group reading experience, such as when a teacher reads to a classroom, a storytime in a library, a bookstore event, or a parent reading aloud to children at home. 

A good writer will consider the emerging reading ability of a child as well as the aural ability and context a child might assign to what they hear when a book is read out loud to them.

Years ago, I wrote a draft which included the line "The girl let out a wail." Now, for experienced readers who can handle this text independently, they will understand there are whales and wails. In this regard, the line might suffice. But this line is not the best choice for a read aloud. Why? When a young listener hears "The girl let out a wail" they may stop going forward in their listening posture because the aural message halts the contextual processing. The girl let out a wail? The young listener may initially think of the definition and context with which they are most familiar (whale), and stall to ponder the girl and the many ways and reasons for which she could be letting out a whale. Had she swallowed it? Is it locked in the closet? How did this whale get in the story anyhow? 

From this, it's easy to see why the read aloud is critical to the success of a picture book. So what can you do to make sure there are no breaching whales in your story?

As you write and move through your stages of self-editing, read your story aloud. But don't just sit at your desk and read the text out loud in a hurried fashion. Simulate the classroom or library experience. Get a chair. Face the room and imagine you are a teacher reading to students. Set the timer. Read slowly and in the way you would read to young children - with expression. As you do this, those places in your manuscript that are heavy, clumsy, or include words or passages that may confuse a young listener aurally, will become apparent. 

In short, a picture book must be as strong and concise for those who are listening to it as it is for those who are reading it. This is where children's literature becomes exciting and demanding at the same time. Many picture books appear in sight and sound as if they were easy to create - but anyone who's attempted to write for children knows that it is one of the most difficult forms of writing. The simpler it seems, the harder it was to create. And one of the best ways to keep your story simple as you edit is to read it out loud and assess how it works for readers  - and listeners alike. 

Write for Success: Tips for Better Proofreading

Proofreading is the art of reviewing a manuscript and searching out problems with spelling, grammar, punctuation, and formatting. Though seemingly straightforward as a task, many readers have scoured a manuscript multiple times without detecting obvious errors. But a person can improve their proofreading skill so that errors become faster and easier to spot.  Being a great proofreader isn't difficult, it just takes practice. Here are a few tips to help you improve your proofreading skill.

Let's assume the manuscript has been through its content and development edit, and is ready for proofreading.

One approach is to review the manuscript with a funnel view. With a funnel view, you start large and work your way inward. How is this done? First, read the story or document as a whole. The most obvious of errors may leap off the page - or they may not. But what's important here is to become comfortable and familiar with the manuscript. Next, read and concentrate on the first paragraph. Search for errors in that zone. When you've finished with that particular paragraph, break the passage down and look at it one sentence at a time. Is the first letter capitalized? Is the punctuation correct? Does it make sense as a lone sentence? When you have completed a sentence, go back and re-read that sentence while focusing on one word at a time. This is where spelling errors will become noticeable if present. Then move to the second sentence, repeat. And when you have finished the first paragraph in this manner, move to the second paragraph and repeat. In short - read the whole document, then the first paragraph, then each sentence of the paragraph, and then evaluate each word in the sentence.

Another way to improve your proofreading results is to review the document by searching for key target areas.  First, read the entire manuscript. Then return and read as you evaluate for only spelling problems. Then, return to the document and tell yourself to focus on punctuation. Then, review for grammar issues. Then you return and review it in its entirety again.

If you like, you can use both the funnel and the zone approach.

One of the best ways to improve your proofreading skill for a lifetime - whether you are writing for children, business, school, or simply your own communication needs - is to decrease the use of spellcheck. Challenge yourself to review your writings manually, whether you are composing simple emails or complex work documents. Spellcheck is fine, but it can't always detect the nuances of posession, grammar, or your intent. As well, our brains are like muscles, and what we don't use, we lose. Personally reviewing your writing for spelling and proofreading errors makes you not only a stronger proofreader, but a stronger writer as well.