Twitter Acronyms for Writers #amwriting #Wwow #writing

Have I mentioned how much I love twitter? I’ve been tweeting officially for more than a year now and I’ve learned everything by just playing around. BUT it would have been so much easier if someone shared Twitter advice from the get-go. SO, that’s where I step in for you.

Twitter Acronyms:

BTW – By the Way

BC – Because

CX- Correction

DM – Direct Message. This message will only be for the person you send the message to, but again it can only be in 140 characters or less.

EM – Email

FB – Facebook

FF – Follow Friday. On Friday’s you can hashtag FF to promote other tweeters you want others to follow. For example: #FF @MelindaDozier

HTH – Hope that helps

IMHO – In My Humble Opinion

JK – Just kidding

LMAO – Laugh My Ass Off

LOL – Laughing Out Loud

LMK – Let Me Know

MT – Modified Tweet. Put this at the beginning of the tweet so others know you altered it.

NSFW – Not Safe for Work (important for the above #darksideresearch!)

PRT – Partial Retweet. You put this at the beginning of the retweet so others know you altered it.

RE – In reply to

RT – Retweet

RTHX – Thanks for the Retweet

TIL – Today I Learned

TMB – Tweet Me Back

YW – You’re Welcome

Now how about WRITER specific lingo that newbies might not know? You will also see these acronyms on Twitter:

CP – Critique Partner

WIP – Work in Progress

MC – Main Character

POV – Point of View

LI – Love Interest

YA – Young Adult

MG – Middle Grades

SF/F – Science Fiction/Fantasy

MS - Manuscript

NA – New Adult

NF – Non-fiction

RWA – Romance Writers of America

PW – Publisher’s Weekly

ARC – Advance Reader Copy

Resources on the web with an extensive list:

NetNanny - http://www.netnanny.com/learn_center/glossary/acronyms

TagDef - http://tagdef.com/

I hope you found this insightful. Happy tweeting! Oh, and add me, if you haven’t already. I have lots of fun! www.twitter.com/melindadozier

FOLLOW ALONG AND READ ALL THIS WEEK'S POSTS.

TAMMY DENNINGS MAGGY HTTP://TAMMYDENNINGSMAGGY.BLOGSPOT.COM

LACEY WOLFE HTTP://LACEYWOLFE.COM/BLOG.HTML

PALOMA BECK HTTP://ROMANCEBECKONS.BLOGSPOT.COM

YOU CAN FOLLOW US ON TWITTER AT #WWOW. OR FIND US ON FACEBOOK AT WORDS OF WISDOM. AND SOON WE'LL BE OPENING OUR OFFICIAL WWOW BLOG - DETAILS TO COME!

How to Beat the Rejection Blues #Wwow #writingtip

Face it! Rejection and writing go hand in hand, be it with a publisher, an agent, or from a bad review. 

Having just lived through another rejection last week, Here's what I did (and normally do.)

1. Cry. Yep, I'm a sap.

2. Play computer games... to hell with that manuscript waiting for me.

3. Put my Kindle in the drawer... why did those authors make it and I didn't?

4. Drink some wine... and more wine... and WHINE.

5. Wake up and try it all again.

I've had to rethink about how to get past those rejection blues. If I could skip the whole day of feeling blah, I would, but I personally think it's good to get it out of our system.. Then what? What can we do? Here's my advice.

1. Let it sink in, sit there for a few minutes and then move on. If you dwell on the pain for too long, it will destroy your motivation, will power, or kill off your muse. We don't want that!

2. Learn from your rejection. Sometimes an editor/agent will give you advice in their rejection letter. Use these suggestions to improve your manuscript. It's all a learning experience!

3. Review a publisher/agent guidelines carefully. Sometimes your manuscript can simply be rejected based on not following directions.

4. Know you're not the only one. We all face rejection. Check out this great blog post. 50 Iconic Writers Who Were Rejected

5. DON'T STOP WRITING! If you stop, they've beat you. You are a winner. You can do it. Fix it. Make it better.Move on.

Some great author's advice:

“I tell writers to keep reading, reading, reading. Read widely and deeply. And I tell them not to give up even after getting rejection letters. And only write what you love.”
—Anita Diamant

“Every rejection is incremental payment on your dues that in some way will be translated back into your work.”
—James Lee Burke

Chin up! Keep writing! Move forward!

Follow along and read all this week's posts.

Tammy Dennings Maggy http://tammydenningsmaggy.blogspot.com

Lacey Wolfe http://laceywolfe.com/blog.html

Paloma Beck http://romancebeckons.blogspot.com

You can follow us on twitter at #WWoW. Or find us on facebook at Words of Wisdom. And soon we'll be opening our official WWoW blog - details to come!

Why Authors Should Use Google Plus #Wwow

Last week I gave a tutorial on how to use Google Plus. This week I will focus on the WHY. 

Google Plus is another great resource/tool for authors. Each day, more and more people are signing up. Those that do use Google Plus rave about the benefits and the future potential.

What a writer can do on Google Plus to make your profile more appealing:

• provide links to your blog, websites, public profiles, online book store
• Share information. Write posts of interests for your fans, fellow authors, blogs you follow to establish yourself as an expert and to build up your "brand."
• Add photos of anything author related: cover photos, conventions you attend, etc.
• Upload videos: book trailers, author introductions

Here is what makes Google's social outlet a great resource for authors: 

1. Google Plus is part of the Search Engine Google which makes your posts public, and ultimately brings more traffic to your site. Connecting your Google profile to your blog provides more search results.Check your stats! The proof is there.

2. It's all about "CIRCLES." Adding your followers/friends into specific titled circles aids in who you send posts to, and who sees your posts. Here are some good suggestions for authors: Authors, Reviewers, Bloggers, Editors, Publishers, Family, Friends, Triberr. 

3. Use hashtags in your posts to make it search-friendly. I've used the regular hashtags we use on twitter: #amwriting, #amediting. You can also tag people in your post (similar to Facebook). 

4. Each post has a "comment" option. This is easier to follow than, say, Twitter where comments are all over the place. It is one centralized place.

5. Wanna hangout? Google Plus has a "hangout" feature. I haven't used this much, as I'm still learning, but it's the big hype on Google Plus. It's a group video feature where you can interact with a "Circle." This is ideal for writer's conferences, writer's conferences, an online event such as book discussion, giveaway party, book reading sessions, interviews. The list is endless. I'd love to hear from anyone who's experienced this. 

With all the wonderful features Google Plus offers, I think a writer must add Google Plus to their platform of social media. Take the plunge and join the network. Don't forget to follow me at: https://plus.google.com/u/1/100956716011590449582/posts

WoW is a Smart & Savvy Group of Authors who write this weekly feature for their blog each Wednesday. While we don't claim to be experts, the goal is to impart what we've learned about writing, editing, getting published, book promotion, and more along the way. 

Follow along and read all this week's contributors' posts. 

Tammy Dennings Maggy http://tammydenningsmaggy.blogspot.com/ Trying out Scrivener

Lacey Wolfe http://laceywolfe.com/blog.html Marketing/PR for beginners

Paloma Beck http://romancebeckons.blogspot.com List Yourself at AuthorsDb.com

You can follow us on twitter at #WWoW.

Or find us on facebook at Words of Wisdom.

Google Plus for Newbies #Wwow

With all the social media out there, it's hard to keep up, but I found one place that ties in a little Facebook with Twitter -- Google Plus! I'll admit that when I first tried it, I was overwhelmed. But after spending a little time navigating through Google +, I found that I actually like it a lot. 

So, I will try to make a quick basic tutorial for newbies out there. Next week I will share why I think authors should use it for promotional purposes.

First, you will create your profile. Here is mine.

It's much like the timeline wall on Facebook. Your personal information, a picture of yourself, a cover picture, friends (who you follow) and your posts/wall. This is also where you can post your blog links or other information you want to share. Here is an example of my last post:

Here you can see my post titled "Book Spotlight Only You by Lorna Peel". You can write as much as you want about the post/link, add a link (or not) and a picture from the post will appear. You can choose from as many pics as you provide on the post. Also see the empty box at the top. This is the square where you can insert a new post. What I like is that you can choose which "Circle" you want to send the post to. You can also add a picture, video, file or link. 

Next is the HOME screen where you see the "Newsfeed" from the people you follow.

Here you will see posts, links, pictures, follower suggestions, trending hash tags. You can also post on this page. 

How do you find people to follow? There is an icon for FIND PEOPLE. Google will suggest people via your email or with the same interests.

Once you add friends to follow, you can place them into specified CIRCLES. You have the liberty to name your circles whatever you want (Authors, Publishers, Reviewers, etc.)

One last favorite aspect of Google Plus is the Communities section. You can find other people/groups with similar interests. You can even start your own community. 

There is so much more to the Google Plus Network, be it games, hangouts, exploration, events. Too much for a newbie, so I started with the basics. Try it out today, if you haven't already, and you won't be dissapointed. I can be found at: https://plus.google.com/u/1/100956716011590449582/posts

Next week, I will discuss why Google Plus is an important social network for authors. 

WoW is a Smart & Savvy Group of Authors who write this weekly feature for their blog each Wednesday. While we don't claim to be experts, the goal is to impart what we've learned about writing, editing, getting published, book promotion, and more along the way. 

Follow along and read all this week's contributors' posts. 

Paloma Beck http://romancebeckons.blogspot.com/search/label/WoW#.UN348m_AeSo

Carol Burnside / Annie Rayburn:  http://wp.me/p1e7XX-PS

Lacey Wolfe: www.laceywolfe.com/blog.html

You can follow us on twitter at #WWoW.

Or find us on facebook at Words of Wisdom.

6 Tips to Improve Edits

Six Important Tips I've Learned During My First Content Edits

I thought I’d share some of my content edits trials and tribulations. Some of these tips may seem simple. Some may seem like common sense. But we’re all different and you never know until you have to sit down and edit.

 

1. A major weakness for many writers is the “passive voice.” Words to avoid: was, were, is, are, be, been, have, do, show, feel, realize, saw. Here are two great web sources to check your own exceprts: Writer’s Diet http://writersdiet.com/WT.php and Autocrit http://www.autocrit.com/ Also, I suggest doing a search through your manuscript for the key “passive” words.
2. All authors tend to favor particular words repeatedly. Again, you want to search for these words in the manuscript and pull out your thesaurus to choose better word choices. My favorite words in my latest manuscript have been: glance, look, shrug
3. Use exclamation points sparingly. It was suggested to me to use one every three chapters, if at all.
4. You’re going to have to cut or change your darlings. Stephen King said, “kill your darlings, kill your darlings, even when it breaks your egocentric little scribbler’s heart, kill your darlings.” No matter how much it hurts, you will have to do it.
5. Head hopping hurts the brain. When the author jumps from one point of view to another in the same scene, it distracts the reader and pulls them from the story. Keep your scenes in one point of view.
6. Get up and move. I had a month to edit my manuscript, so every free second I had, I found myself slumped over my computer. Boy, did I regret it later. I had major back pain (writer’s hump). My advice is to have a good chair, sit straight and get up to stretch. Sounds silly, but your back will thank me.

WWoW is a Smart & Savvy Group of Authors who host this feature each Wednesday.

While we don't claim to be experts, the goal is to impart what we've learned about 

writing, editing, getting published, book promotion, and more along the way.

Follow along and read all this week's contributors' posts.

Paloma Beck

Lacey Wolfe http://laceywolfe.com/blog.html Tips on getting your links noticed on Facebook.

Tammy Dennings Maggy http://tammydenningsmaggy.blogspot.com/ Can Pen Names Go on Vacation?

You can follow us on twitter at #WWoW.

Or find us on facebook at Words of Wisdom.

Becoming a Blog Tour Host - #Wwow

Participating in Blog Tours

Part of my author exposure has come from participating in blog tours. What are blog tours? It is a way for an author to promote their books from blog to blog (rather than store to store.) Blog tours can feature a book spotlight, question and answers, book review and book giveaways. During the blog tour there are a set number of stops (average is 10 - 20 stops) and takes place between a few weeks to a month. Blog tours can be set up by publicists for a particular publisher or by specific companies/coordinators. 

How did I get started? First, I featured my personal writing friends. This led to exposure to their friends and then even more authors. Later, I found several blog tour coordinators on the web and signed up to work for them. See a list below for the particular groups I participate with:

Author's Angels

Novel Publicity

Coffee Beans and Love Scenes (CBLS) Promotions


Author's Pal

You can also click these links if you are looking for help with organizing blog tours. They have many popular romance bloggers signed up with them. 

What do I get out of it? Exposure! I get more visits to my blog, more followers and make new connections with others. It has been great. I also feel great helping out other authors around the world.  It's worth it!

Please visit the other links below to have more Writer's Words of Wisdom:

Lacey Wolfe: http://laceywolfe.com/blog.html Interviewing an editor. Should be fun.

Tammy Dennings Maggy: http://tammydenningsmaggy.blogspot.com What to do for giveaways for blog hops, guest spots, and on your own blog

Paloma Beck: http://romancebeckons.blogspot.com/search/label/WoW#.UN348m_AeSo Overcoming Writing Roadblocks

Participating in Blog Hops: Author Promotion #Wwow

Promoting yourself takes time, so why not have fun while doing it? One way I promote my blog and myself as an author is to participate in Blog Hops. Where and how do you do that? 

Here is a list of places to find specific types of blog hops:

Carrie Ann Ryan Blog Hops - http://carrieannbloghops.blogspot.com/
Hops are focused on romance. She is very organized and there are many participants. You can't go wrong with this one!
Also, there is a facebook group to help with the organization: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CarrieAnnBlogHops/

The Blog Hop Spot - http://thebloghopspot.com/event-page/
Only a few a year, but worth checking out.
Also on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/367868446563993/?fref=ts

Under the Covers Book Reviews - http://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/current-giveaways/upcoming-blog-hops
Adult-centered blog hops. Upcoming hops include Naughty New Years Blog Hop and Fools for Luv Blog Hop. 

Romance Reviews - http://www.theromancereviews.com/romancehop.php
Upcoming Romance Hop and Erotica Romance Hop 

Reading Romances - http://reading-romances.com/
You can also friend this blog on Goodreads and get updates of upcoming blog hops.

I am a Reader, Not a Writer - http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com
Although I am a writer, I know other writers do participated in these hops. Family friendly and lots of YA book hops coming up!

How does it work? Usually the hosting website has a linky sign up. You enter your blog address and name. Then you will be added to the list. Next, the hosting site will send an email with instructions, if there are any special materials or directions.

Write your blog post. Schedule it to be posted early that morning. 

Most bloghops have a giveaway. This is an ideal time to giveaway a copy of your book!If you have a giveaway, use rafflectopter or another useful tool. See my previous post on Rafflecopter use.

Promote  the blog hop on twitter or facebook. Warning: Don't overpromote! You want people to visit your blog,  not throw it out the window.

If you know of other blog hop hosting sites, please let us know in the comments below! 

It's that easy! 

Visit other Writer's Words of Wisdom authors for great advice!

Paloma Beck: http://romancebeckons.blogspot.com/search/label/WoW#.UMXrW4fAeSo

Lacey Wolfe: http://laceywolfe.com/blog.html

Tammy Dennings Maggy http://tammydenningsmaggy.blogspot.com

How to Write a Short Synopsis: Quick Tips

#Wwow - Writer's Words of Wisdom

Finishing a book is not the end. An author who wants to take their book through the traditional publishing route will have to write a synopsis and a query letter. This is a different type of writing and many writers find it difficult. 

Since I  finished writing a one-page synopsis for my newest book, Frequent Flyer, I thought I'd share several online resources I found  helpful, particularly for romance authors.

http://www.moodymuses.com/2011/10/barbs-musing-as-requested-how-i-write.html#more

http://www.charlottedillon.com/SynopsisSamples.html

http://lisagardner.com/writers-toolbox

There are tons of books out there on the topic, as I'm sure you've seen. But who has time to read them? I just jumped right in. 

My Top 10 Words of Advice for Writing a Synopsis:

1) Have a strong opening sentence. Just like in your novel, you want to catch an editor's attention with a hook.

2) Introduce your characters. Don't make it boring... Susy is a 30-something single mom. Blah! Give us some punch to it. Show the editor who the character is. 

3) Include the key components of your novel: hero/heroine, the set up, romantic conflict, character motivation, the black moment and the resolution.

4) In a one-page synopsis, it's impossible to include every detail of your chapters.In fact, I would think editors don't want a summary of each chapter, anyway.  Find a good way to include the essentials (see list above) in a way that will engage the editor. Describe the major plot points, not each scene. The goal is to give a sketch of your entire manuscript, in fewer words.

5) Don't ask questions. Will Amanda discover a renewed love for Jake? This doesn't work. The editor wants the answers, not the question.

6) Stay focused. Don't change POV's and stay in the same verb tense 

7) Don't forget to tell the ending. Editors want to know how the story ends. Don't leave them hanging.

8) Choose your words carefully. When you write your manuscript, you hopefully choose precise words. You want to do the same in the synopsis. 

9) Voice is important. If you write a romantic comedy, then your synopsis should show that. This is the time to give the editor a clue on what type of writer you are... if you're funny, you better show it.

10) Don't stress. Write your synopsis out as if someone asked you to tell them your story. Then go back and see how you can improve. Edit it just like you'd edit your manuscript.

WoW is a Smart & Savvy Group of Authors who host this weekly feature each Wednesday.

While we don't claim to be experts, the goal is to impart what we've learned about 

writing, editing, getting published, book promotion, and more along the way.

Follow along and read all this week's contributors' posts.

Paloma Beck: http://romancebeckons.blogspot.com/search/label/WoW

Tammy Dennings Maggy: http://tammydenningsmaggy.blogspot.com/

Lacey Wolfe: http://laceywolfe.com/blog.html

You can follow us on twitter at #WWoW.

Or find us on facebook at Words of Wisdom.

Thanks for stopping by,

Melinda