#MFRWauthors Participate in #NaNoWriMo... Are You?

Are You NaNo-ing?

November is National Novel Writing Month. You'll see it referenced on Twitter as #NaNoWriMo and lots of authors will be talking about it over the next few months. National Novel Writing Month is a 501c3 nonprofit (formerly known as the Office of Letters and Light) that believes everyone's story matters so each November, they host this huge writing event. Many authors find it motivational. For me, it's a challenge that pushes my word count higher for the month. While I can average 30,000 words/ month, I've written 50,000 words during the past two Novembers. The program can work!

National Novel Writing Month organizes events where children and adults find the inspiration, encouragement, and structure they need to achieve their creative potential. Our programs are web-enabled challenges with vibrant real-world components, designed to foster self-expression while building community on local and global levels.

In 2013, 310,095 people participated in NaNoWriMo.

NOW is the time to sign up. You can do that here. You will definitely want to set up a profile and bookmark it because this is where you will go each day or so to update your writing stats. You'll also earn badges - they're like smiley stickers teachers used to give you in elementary school. NaNo is all about the fun!

THEN spend the next few weeks preparing...

• Connect with participating authors. You can do this on the NaNo website.
• Participate in the NaNo forums on their website. Gather good ideas!
• Blog about your goal. Tell others to gain support and serve as motivation.
• Insert a NaNo word count widget on your blog.
• Plan out your story so not to waste time later when you should be writing.
• Let your family know your writing schedule for November. It will alter your normal schedule and you'll need their support/ cooperation.

CONNECT with other MFRW Authors who are participating. After you register, leave your username in the comments field below and go find the others on the NaNo website. Let's be buddies! Look for me - I'm registered as PalomaBeck.

Great News!
There's some fabulous NaNo sponsors this year. Here's my two favorites.

Two free paperback copies of a finished book for NaNoWriMo winners.

CreateSpace is proud to support Wrimos. We invite you to explore easy and rewarding independent publishing, take advantage of free tools, or choose from our everyday low priced professional services. In addition, NaNoWriMo winners can get two free paperback copies of their finished book.

50% off Scrivener for all NaNoWriMo winners, and 20% off for all participants

Scrivener is an award-winning word processor and project management tool for the Mac and Windows that has been enthusiastically adopted by best-selling novelists and novices alike.

As a NaNoWriMo 2014 winner, you will be eligible for a 50% discount on Scrivener’s regular license on either the Mac or Windows platform. For those who participate and don’t make their 50,000 words, use the code NANOWRIMO for 20% off until December 31, 2015. A special NaNoWriMo extended trial version is available now.

When Life Gives You Lemons, Write a Book @KittyB78 #MFRWauthor #amwriting

Life sometimes gets in the way for us writers. Doubly so for the marketing aspects. But, overcoming adversities is not just for authors, but for all humans. Each day we face new choices. Some will affect us for years to come, and will bring dire consequences. But, that is how we {like our characters} grow and become stronger, wiser people. We face our lives one challenge at a time. Sometimes we will make the wrong choice, but as long as we learn from our mistakes, we will grow stronger and work toward the goal of creating a better life for ourselves.

Inspiration can be so difficult to see during the hard times, but it's because you're emotionally involved at that point and unable to see clear and objectively. Take a step back and look at all the good you have in your life. Friends, lovers, family, children, the stark beauty of nature. Look at all the blessings in your life. Simply waking up in the morning is a blessing.

If you look for the negative, you will find negative. If you look for the positive, you will find the positive. Your outlook determines so much of what you discover in life. Is this not the same for each of our characters? Don't their decisions and the events of their pasts mold them into who they become? Don't they have the same choices to make?

These books are a huge help in understanding your characters strengths and weaknesses.
The Positive Trait Thesaurus Writer's Guide to Character Attributes
Negative Trait Thesaurus Writers Character eBook

Life will always knock you down. Learn to roll with the punches and get back up. Then go again.

About the Author
Catrina Barton is a real go-getter, who in 2006 turned her avid reading addiction since three, into a vigorous passion for writing. Especially New Adult Romances. Drawing on her knowledge as a Kung-Fu Instructor she makes her fight scenes both realistic and action packed.

When not indulging her fertile imagination to craft stories for your reading pleasures she enjoys hiking with her family and amateur belly dancing.

Proud member of many writing and marketing groups. An active participant at Critique Circle and several other crit groups. Her love of writing and her family rival her exhilaration from helping fellow writers. That's why she created her blog: Kitty's Inner Thoughts.

Fave Personal Quote
"An author cannot grow without both constructive criticism and encouragement."

Author's Social Media
Blog: Kitty's Inner Thoughts http://kittyb78.wordpress.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Kittyb78
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KittyB78
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Catrina-Barton/e/B008BYQCYA
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6423796.Catrina_Barton
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/CatrinaBarton/
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/catrina-barton/49/682/165
Google +: https://plus.google.com/111888709855091430404/posts
Authors Database: http://www.authorsdb.com/authors-directory/152-catrina-barton
Biblio: http://bibliocrunch.com/user-profile/KittyB78/
Single email notification for my next release: http://authoralarms.com/Catrina_Barton

I'M IN A BLOG HOP!!! Now What? #MFRWAuthor

We all know a blog is an on line method of communicating with readers. So what's a blog HOP? A Blog Hop is a grouping of blogs, connected in some fashion. Generally hops continue over a period of two to three days, with a goal of increasing attention for all participants. MFRW has been fortunate to utilize a unique software for the bi monthly hops, which joins all the blogs in a simple to navigate progression. The weekly excerpt blogs connect via 'linky links' which keep a list of participants. Each blog then copies the links to connect back to the main page and the other blogs.

Sounds interesting? Think it might help spread the news about your writing? How can we best utilize this organized effort, and what can we as participants do to make the hop even more effective?

Woody Allen has been heard to say 90% of success is showing up, which certainly applies to writing, and even more to blog hops. You need to have your blog ready in time to go live along with the rest of the hop participants. Most blogs these days are shared through Facebook, Twitter, and Triberr. To get the maximum benefit from Triberr, you'll want to create unique titles. These titles can reflect the hop theme, such as "Endless Summer" or "Home For The Holidays" but should expand on the initial wording. You might use "Anthony's Endless Summer Memories" or "The Duke Goes Home for the Holidays." This way your title will be within theme but will stand out from the crowd plus you won't hit a Triberr traffic jam of too many to count "Endless Summer" or "MFRW Summer Blog" titles.
If there is a recommended Twitter identity, such as #MFRWAuthor, you should use it in your title. This identity flags your title on Twitter and guarantees greater exposure.

Once your blog publishes with a unique title including the Twitter flag, you can sit back and enjoy your success. Or can you?
A blog hop is a community effort. The more you put into the hop, the more you get out of it. Invest time in checking the other blogs in the hop, and in making supporting comments. Go out to Triberr or Twitter and give those other blogs more exposure; you know the other participants are doing the same for you.

When Monica's not helping with MFRW blog hops, trying to garden in the high desert, or playing with her dogs, she dons her super heroine costume as Mona Karel, Romance Writer. She often shares story information, recipes, and pictures on Mona's website

Author Conferences: A Recap of Hot Mojave Knights by @Emerald_theGLD #MFRWauthor #HMK2014

For this month’s post, I'm embarking on a timely deviation from my discussions about moderating the MFRW Facebook group to talk a little bit about a reader and author convention I attended last weekend. HMK (Hot Mojave Knights) is a romance reader event designed to bring authors and readers of romance together for a weekend of learning, interaction, fun, and ogling hot men (a.k.a. the knights). This year was its second iteration, and I attended the inaugural conference last year as well.

HMK is held in Las Vegas (which for me serves as a reason to go in and of itself!), and both the reader and author attendees tend to collectively represent virtually all genres of romance. For authors, the convention offers the chance to promote one's work and meet readers both familiar and unfamiliar with it.

But the real reason for HMK is the readers. The founders and organizers of HMK, Shannan Albright, R. M. Sotera, Johanna Riley, and Siobhan Muir (who did not organize or attend this year but was one of the founding organizers last year) developed the event to bring readers into direct and personal contact with the authors whose work they so enjoy. The convention is kept deliberately small, with attendance capped at 200 people if I remember correctly, to allow the kind of intimate interaction the founders envisioned to set HMK apart from the many other romance-oriented conferences that take place each year.

As an author, I consider my attendance at HMK an investment—as well as, I must admit, a blast. I have enjoyed it immensely both years I have attended, and I am already looking forward to attending next year. As an author, I get to promote my books and brand, have swag included in the swag bags handed out to all registered attendees, hear directly from readers (and meet many potential new ones), and display and sell books at the author signing.

The weekend includes craft-related panels for authors on topics such as how to write historical novels, understanding Kindle Direct Publishing, and tips for writing or researching kink-related topics. Evenings are filled with organized social events to give readers and authors alike the chance to enjoy each other’s company in an informal setting. The event is small enough that you’re almost sure to get the chance to meet or interact with any attendee you’d like to.

The author signing is one of the signature events of HMK and offers the opportunity for all the featured and spotlight authors to set up books and swag and aim to dazzle all the visitors that come through. :) Authors keep all the proceeds from any books they sell. This year, the signing took place on the Saturday afternoon of the weekend and was open and free to the public.

HMK 2015 is already scheduled for October 1-4. While the organizers are (I hope!) taking a well-deserved break before they delve head-first into the planning and organizing of next year’s event, there will be opportunities to sign up to be a featured author at it over the next few weeks (registration for featured authors will be open until February 28). If you would like to be kept up to date on that, I encourage you to follow HMK on Facebook and Twitter, and you may also check the HMK website in the coming months for more information. (And if you’re interested in checking out the action that occurred last weekend in Vegas, look up the hashtag #HMK2014 to get a taste.) I have already signed up to be a spotlight author and am looking forward to attending again.

As an author, do you like to attend events or conferences? If so, which ones? Does the idea of a smaller event like this interest you?

Thanks for reading, and see you next month!


Emerald
Emerald is an erotic fiction author whose short stories have been featured in anthologies published by Cleis Press, Mischief, and Logical-Lust. She serves as an assistant newsletter editor and Facebook group moderator for Marketing for Romance Writers (MFRW), and she selects and posts the monthly inspirational quote on the MFRW Marketing Blog. Her first solo book, If... Then: a collection of erotic romance stories, is out now from 1001 Nights Press. Find her online at her website, The Green Light District.

The Founder of MFRW Speaks Out: Ellora's Cave vs Dear Author #MFRWauthor #notchilled

Ellora's Cave (EC) is suing Dear Author, a book blogger. There's more to this than you would be led to believe.

As the founder of Marketing for Romance Writers, I often see details behind the scenes because authors from all over the web email me for advice, or to rant safely, or to bounce ideas off someone. Most of the time, I listen and ask a few questions. They already know what they want to do -- I'm there as a sounding board. That's fine with me. I enjoy helping people. I'm good at listening, and I can keep a secret. I've heard some horror stories about publishers imploding, and businesses going belly up because of poor decisions, bankruptcy, owner-hissy-fits... you name it.

This time, I'm the one with the issue, and it's one I have to speak out about.

Back in April 2013, I'd been recruited by Ellora's Cave to write for them. Since their slush pile was a year-long wait, I was flattered to be asked. I had one uncontracted story, outside my usual storyline, about a female dominant BDSM. The editor who'd recruited me loved it, and I had a contract a few days later. Everyone raved about high sales at EC. I saw dollar signs floating in the air and hoped this would be a break for me.

The book debuted in July 2013, and I promoted it all over the place. By October, when I hadn't received a royalty check, I emailed the person who was supposed to be in charge of royalties, and asked. I got a polite "oops-we-overlooked-you" response, and a promise it would go out ASAP. I finally got a check in January 2014.

For a whole $17. Wow.

This was what EC authors were all excited about? Surely not.

I figured okay, maybe the book wasn't that good. Didn't sell. That happens. Or it was the wrong audience. EC readers like male-dominants, not female. Fine.

When I was told recently the book had been nominated for an award at EC's Romanticon, I thought that was odd. Why would they honor a book that made them zip money? I flattered myself that it was good after all, and maybe the editors had nominated it. Apparently, despite the fact that I write erotica, I am naïve.

Not long after, I got a note from my EC editor that she'd miss all her authors, but all the EC contract editors were being let go, and this was good-bye. (I've since hired several for The Author's Secret and was thrilled to get them. We were about to add editing services, so this was fortuitous for the business. I hope to keep them very busy.)

Then two of the publisher's executive officers quit.

I got this horrible sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. I'd seen this happen to others, but not to me. What was going on at EC?

EC authors began complaining on the author-only Yahoo group, claiming they hadn't been paid. (EC says it's having software problems). One author created a restricted Yahoo group so those EC authors who wanted to join could keep in touch. In case things went bad and we got shut out. Publishers have been known to shut down communication, thinking if they can keep authors from talking to each other, it'll be fine. (It's not.) I've been published since 2004, and I've seen a few failed pubs. That's sadly what happened in several cases. But today, we have social media, and it's not as easy to shut people out or keep them from connecting.

When the book and author blog site Dear Author posted an article about the EC situation, I read it. Didn't see anything I hadn't heard from others. There was nothing new there.

A few days ago, EC sued Dear Author for defamation. Let me repeat that: A publisher is suing a book blogger.

This is unprecedented.

Why? It's tantamount to an author suing a reader for a 1-star review. It's not simply saying "Hey, you defamed us" -- it's intimidation. It's telling bloggers that if they dare speak out, EC will come after them too.

As much as I'd like to play it safe and stay in the background, I can't. This is wrong. I have to speak up and speak out. I have to urge others to do the same thing. I am speaking about it from the Marketing for Romance Writers marketing blog because this kind of thing affects every author.

If you haven't heard about this story until now, I urge you to read other posts. This fight is going to be huge. It's going to rock the publishing world, because it's a fight that should never, ever have happened. I am not alone in speaking out. There are multiple posts everywhere, because we are not going to be intimidated into silence.

About a month ago, I took my one EC book down from my website, and refused to promote it any more. I'm not getting paid for it anyway. Maybe the book really wasn't all that good. Maybe there are other reasons why I'm not getting paid. I'm not sure. That doesn't really matter any more.

What matters is that I was afraid to speak out about this, because I didn't want to be sued, or singled out in some way. And to be afraid because I thought my own publisher would come after me for being truthful... that's just WRONG.

What can you do to help?

I'm asking everyone to take a look at this issue, and speak up. Stand with EC authors. They are the ones who are suffering. Buy their other books. Follow them on social media. This is hurting their livelihood, and that hurts all of us. A blogger is being sued for speaking out, and if we don't stand with them, we could be next.

Share this post. Share other posts about this issue. Here is a list of several.

http://www.kaetrinsmusings.com/2014/09/echoing-the-streisand-effect.html

http://the-digital-reader.com/2014/09/26/elloras-cave-sues-dear-author-book-blog-defamation/

http://www.badmenagerie.com/were-small-bloggers-but-were-feeling-the-fallout-elloras-cave-and-the-suit-against-dear-author/

http://jennytrout.com/?p=8077

http://herhandsmyhands.wordpress.com/2014/09/27/elloras-cave-dear-author-the-streisand-effect-and-freedom-of-speech/

http://wendythesuperlibrarian.blogspot.com/2014/09/little-miss-crabby-pants-is-almost.html

http://deirdre.net/elloras-cave-author-exodus-support-thread/

http://kbgbabbles.com/2014/09/the-wtfckery-report-elloras-cave-suing-dear-author-blog-for-defamation-why-book-bloggers-should-be-worried.html

http://www.thepassivevoice.com/09/2014/elloras-cave-sues-dear-author-book-blog-for-defamation/

If you have comments, please share them. If you've written a post, and it isn't listed here, feel free to share it in the comments. If you've found this post helpful, please share it on your social media.

FYI: the hashtag #notchilled is being used to discuss this issue on Twitter.

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Kayelle Allen is the founder of Marketing for Romance Writers. She is a multi-published, award-winning author, and the owner of The Author's Secret, an author support company. Her unstoppable heroes and heroines include contemporary characters, futuristic immortals, covert agents, and warriors who purr.

Homeworld http://kayelleallen.com

Unstoppable Heroes Blog http://kayelleallen.com/blog

Twitter http://twitter.com/kayelleallen

Facebook http://facebook.com/kayelleallen.author

The Author's Secret https://theauthorssecret.com