TO SPECIALIZE, OR NOT TO SPECIALIZE?

Written by Mary Anne Hahn


Continued from page 1

The reason is pretty obvious, if you think of your own experience as a consumer. Certainly, many of us shop at discount department and variety stores, never knowing what kinds of bargains we might find at these places. But where do we go when we need something specific, or of high quality? The department store may or may not have a particular book we want to read, but chances are excellent that a bookstore will have it. The variety store may carry tools, but a hardware store will more likely carry exactly what we need for that fix-it project. In health matters, we go to general practitioners for routine check ups, but prefer to have specialists treat any serious conditions. Moreover, we're often willing to pay top dollar forrepparttar expertise and reliable reputation thatrepparttar 129679 specialist, or specialty store, provides.

The same holds true for people in need of a writer. The celebrity seeks an experienced ghostwriter for her tell-all autobiography, one with a track record of completing entire books and getting them published, whilerepparttar 129680 political candidate needs a seasoned speech writer. Software companies want writers skilled at putting together user-friendly technical documents, while advertising agencies look for samples of creative copy. These writing styles differ as greatly from one another as, say, a watercolor from an oil painting, or reggae from a symphony-and our potential markets and customers know it. So although we might be fully capable of switching gears from one form or writing to another, few people are going to gamble on us if there is a tried-and-true specialist out there for hire.

So yes, I am advocating that one ofrepparttar 129681 first things you do if you want to start a profitable writing business or career is decide what kind(s) of writing you will specialize in offering. Start out with as narrow a scope as possible-keep in mindrepparttar 129682 mechanic who works solely on Mercedes transmissions-and becomerepparttar 129683 very best at whatever type of writing it is that you've chosen. Once you have established yourself in one area, you can always diversify into others.

Atrepparttar 129684 very least, you'll be able to write that book: "How I Made Millions as a (Fill inrepparttar 129685 Blank) Writer!"



Mary Anne Hahn is the editor of WriteSuccess, a free biweekly ezine of ideas, information and inspiration for people who want to pursue successful full-time writing careers. To subscribe, send mailto: writesuccess-subscribe@yahoogroups.com


You're Published! Now How Do You Tell The Readers?

Written by Michael LaRocca


Continued from page 1

Next, workrepparttar local media. Newspapers, radio, and signings at local bookstores. Once that's generated enough interest -- and again I assume your novel deliversrepparttar 129677 goods -- you can take a shot at national coverage.

My next suggestion involves writing contests. I don't know about you, but I usually buy every book onrepparttar 129678 Booker Prize Short List. Likewise,repparttar 129679 first ebook I ever read was an EPPIE winner. I don't know how many people dorepparttar 129680 same, but certainly more than enough to justifyrepparttar 129681 effort. Some contests even offer cash prizes.

It stands to reason that some awards are more prestigious than` others. Winning "Bubba's Book Award" probably won't help sales.

Entering contests is something that you should coordinate with your publisher. Some contests don't allow author entries, and certainly you don't both want to enterrepparttar 129682 same book. If there's an entry fee, be realistic about your chances of winning, and consider how many sales you must generate to pay that entry fee.

I keep a small but growing list of book contests at http://free_reads.tripod.com/bookcontests.html

I also believe that anyone selling anything should have, atrepparttar 129683 very least, a free website. As I started with ebooks, I consider it mandatory. As an author, of course I also write a newsletter.

To receive my article onrepparttar 129684 strategy involved in setting up your website, send a blank email to websitenewsletter@sendfree.com.

To receive my article onrepparttar 129685 mechanics of it, send a blank email to website@sendfree.com.

Michael LaRocca is the author of four published novels and an EPPIE 2002 Award finalist. His website is designed to help you find the best free and low-cost quality reads, and to help you improve/publish/promote your own writing free and avoid scams. http://free_reads.tripod.com


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