Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Are you a lonely writer? (aren't we all...)

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

6 comments:

Kim Smith said...

These books sound perfect for Christmas gifts to other authors! thanks Aaron!

Aaron Paul Lazar said...

Thanks, Kim. Aren't you sweet! Have a great evening. ;o)

Sonya said...

Commiserating with other writers always helps to ease the loneliness. I'm so glad I can talk with you, Aaron! (And you too, Kim! And Marta! :-)

It also helps at times like these to have a lap full of nice warm kitties, like I do right now. :-)

Aaron, I'm so happy that you've collected all of your writing tips. You have such good advice!

Aaron Paul Lazar said...

Sonya, thank you so much. That lap full of kitties sounds pretty good right now, it's 24 here on the hill. And don't forget, much of my writing life was crafted by your generous advice, Sonya. So thanks go out to you for all these guides as well!

Marta Stephens said...

Oh where would I/we be without each other's shoulders to lean on? Lonely? Sometimes, but that's the nature of the beast, right?

You've written so many wonderful articles over the years, Aaron so I know these books will be a huge hit, especially to new writers.

All the best

Aaron Paul Lazar said...

Thank you so much, Marta. I have so relied on the shoulders of you, Kim, and Sonya over the years. Thank you so much, and thanks for the kind words. ;o)

Merry Christmas!