Hi, folks.
If you're a writer and sometimes feel lonely, please
don't. We're in this together and we've all suffered horrible
disappointments, rejections, and bad reviews as well as our first
glowing review or piece of fan mail.
I've written about my own
experiences over the years through blogs and articles here on MB4,
and my publisher decided it would be a good idea to gather them up to share with writers of all levels.
I've entitled the
collection "Write Like the Wind," and there are now three volumes. Maybe
someday when I've written more articles I'll add a fourth volume, but
for now, this is it!
The eBooks are only 99 cents each, which isn't too bad. Here's a bit about them if you'd be interested in taking a look. ;o)
Kindle eBook, 99 cents each
Introduction
This
writing guide is a collection of articles I’ve written over the past
seven years for fiction writers of all levels. Whenever I stumbled
across something in the writing process, whether it was new-to-me
technical skills or promotional methods, I wanted to share them with my
network of writing pals. I was driven to help new writers just as my
mentors helped me in the beginning of my career. Sort of like paying it
forward, you know?
One of my favorite sayings I use when I
sign off from my articles is “remember to take pleasure in the little
things, and if you love to write, write like the wind!”
I
guess it’s a strange concept, but I have this vision of unleashing
swirling gusts of words just like the wind that rattles leaves in trees
and blows hats along the sidewalk. Don’t stop to analyze, don’t
hesitate, don’t edit yourself to death. There’s plenty of time for that
later (and then you can “Edit Like an Architect” like my friend Natalie
Neal Whitefield says.) Just let it all out in one big gushing explosion
of words, and keep going until you reach the last chapter.
Thanks
for ordering this guide. I’d love to hear from you, so if you’d like to
say hello, feel free to drop me a line at aaron.lazar@yahoo.com or stop
by my website at http://www.lazarbooks.com.
Aaron Paul Lazar
Volume 1:
What Makes a Writer Tick?
1. Motivation
2. Balancing Life and Writing
3. Writing From The Heart
4. Defining a “Real” Writer
The Nuts and Bolts of Writing
5. Advice for New Writers
6. Forbidden Words
7. The Hook
8. Writing Like You Talk
Marketing and Building Your Platform
1. Bringing Back the Dead
2. Writing Reviews to Build Your Platform
3. How Radio Shows Can Help Writers
4. Tweet, tweet! (I feel like a bird)
5. Read an eBook Week — an experiment
A Little Poetry, Please
6. Word Painting
7. Squeeze a Little Poetry Into Your Novel
8. Savor the Moment
Learn to Write by Reading
9. Listen to the Master – John D. MacDonald
10. Speaking in Voices – Tami Hoag
Dreams – Do They Influence Your Writing?
11. Connecting through Dreams
12. Downtime and Dreams
Defining Success
The Ultimate Reward
Volume 2:
What Makes a Writer Tick?
1. Finding Time to Write
2. A Writer’s Life
3. Cheap Therapy
The Nuts and Bolts of Writing
4. The Dreaded Synopsis
5. Writing Love Scenes
6. Writing From a Woman’s POV (when you’re a guy)
7. Tag Team Query Letters
8. Beta Readers — who they are and why you need them
Marketing and Building Your Platform
9. Blogging — what’s the big deal?
10. Live Chats — do they sell books?
11. Writing Columns and Branding Yourself
12. Audio Books — how to get your novels into ACX
Dealing with Rejection or Unfair Criticism
13. The Shredding
14. Rejection! (Is your book REALLY that bad?)
Character Letters – examples
15. Sam Moore Speaks
16. Message from Gus LeGarde
Where Do You Write?
17. Writing on the River
18. Writing on the Road
19. Writing with Kids
20. Face-to-Face with Writers (in real life!)
Author Interviews – some examples
Interview with Aaron Lazar by Dorothy James
Volume 3:
What Makes a Writer Tick?
1. Are All Writers Egoists?
2. Practical Advice for Writers
3. Chasing the Writing High
4. Coping Skills for Writers in Hard Times
The Nuts and Bolts of Writing
5. Dialogue Tags
6. Your Preface: what it is, when to write it
7. Writing the Tough Stuff (or killing the one you love)
8. Setting the Scene in Your Own Backyard
9. Typing “The End”
Marketing and Building Your Platform
10. Being a Guest on Radio Shows — how hard is it?
11. My First Book Signing
12. Freebies — clever marketing, or foolish folly?
13. Recording Your Character’s Voice
Plotting and Ideas
14. What Scares You?
15. Using Emotions to Drive Your Next Plot (“It’s Over”)
16. Response to “It’s Over”
17. Comfort Movies (plot themes)
Character Interviews and Letters – examples
18. Interview with Oscar Stone
19. Interview with Sam Moore
20. Interview with Siegfried Marggrander
Interview with Ruby, from Tall Pines Mysteries
Thank you all and I hope you have a wonderful holiday season!
Aaron Paul Lazar
www.lazarbooks.com