Sunday, November 6, 2016

November 15, 2016 meeting


L. Diane Ferguson, the Vice President of The Write Scene writer's group, will be the next speaker at our monthly meeting. She will be speaking about the different things she learned at her last writer's convention. It will be a fun time of learning all the new things that are going on in the writers world. She will have information that only a select few are privy to, so don't miss this meeting!

We also have a time at the end of the meeting called 'The Writer's Tool-shed' where we give out some practical information that helps in all areas of the writing process. Don't miss out on networking with others and learning more about becoming the best writer you can be.

L. Diane Ferguson, Vice President


Vice-President of The Write Scene (Scenic City Writers Group)

L. Diane Ferguson did not always love books. One Christmas an Aunt gave her the most dreaded Christmas present ever—you guessed it—a book.  She dutifully read “A Wrinkle in Time” by Madeleine L’Engle and the love affair began.

In the sixth grade, she wrote and illustrated her first book for a school assignment. That’s when she knew she was a writer. She wrote poetry, short stories & children’s tales for her school newspaper. As an adult, she read every “How to Write a Novel” book she could get her hands on, and is currently working on the first three books of an Urban Fantasy Series.


She now serves as Vice-President of The Write Scene—The Scenic City Writers Group in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and is a long-standing member of Romance Writers of America (RWA). She is also a member of the Georgia Romance Writers (GRW) and the Futuristic, Fantasy and Paranormal (FF&P) Chapters of RWA.  She resides with her family in North Georgia. 

Friday, October 28, 2016

Encouragement, Obedience, and Obstacles - Denise Sherriff

Denise Sherriff was our special guest speaker on 10/18/16. She had an amazing message that helped us all. The link to the video is attached. She shared some funny stories and some life lessons that helped her in her book writing process. She shared some obstacles that almost kept her from finishing her book. She also encouraged all of us to have a team of people to uplift and pray for us in our own journeys. That was a very important part of the process to help her keep pressing forward in her dream. Denise also shared a chapter of her book with the group. It was amazing! She helped each and every one of us to gain the determination to finish the race we start. I am so thankful that she shared her story with us!

The writer's tool-shed portion at the end of the meeting was all about NaNoWriMo. This stands for National Novel Writers Month, where thousands of authors and writers challenge themselves to write a 50,000 word novel during the month of November. October is wittingly known as 'Preptober' so all of these writing Jedi's can get their story backgrounds and characters set up before they start the month long course of action. If you want to familiarize yourself with the rules and regulations, just click the link attached and find all you need to know about this coming up writer's event.

Join us next month on November 15th at 6:00 pm. Diane Ferguson will be our special guest speaker. She will be sharing some insight about a romance writers conference she will be attending. There will be all kinds of information for her to share, so don't miss it. The meetings are every third Tuesday of the month. The same place and the same time each month. If you want to start networking and getting your work recognized, then come out and join our group. We can't wait to get to know you!

Tuesday, October 4, 2016

Denise Sherriff - Special Guest Speaker 10/18/16

I am married to Richard Sherriff and we have one child, Anthony, age 22, who is studying 
Psychology at University Tennessee Knoxville. Richard works at Lexus/Toyota in Chattanooga and is a student of University Tennessee Chattanooga in a Masters program in Criminal 
Justice. We moved here 10 years ago from Oregon. We attend Redemption Point Church.

I will be sharing:

~How I began my journey to obedience.
~Encouragement to fulfill your desire to write the book you have been dreaming
  about.
~Obstacles to expect but not to be hindered by.  
~Establishing a team of people to uplift and pray for and with you.
~It's okay to relate yourself with the experts of authoring books: They have the same  
   problems.
~Expect  God to move in miraculous ways.
~Notes from an official writers blog.
~I would like to read several pages from my book, Kairos Moments.

Areas where we enjoy serving:

~Elder at Redemption Point Church alongside my husband Richard.
~I mentor women and Richard and I mentor married couples.
~We take messages of encouragement and Bible Study to Silverdale Prison.
~I am involved in the Zion Project, an awareness ministry for those in bondage to Sex
  trafficking.
~On the Leadership Team of City Share outreaches to the Community.
~Facilitators and leaders of The Prayer Force Team that actively prays for all
  needs.

Sunday, September 25, 2016

Special Guest Speaker for 09/20/16: Darlene Underwood

Darlene Underwood was our special guest speaker for this months writers meeting. She shared about her book publishing experience, from start to finish, with Subsidiary Publishing. She chose to publish her book through Xulan Publishing which is a Christian Publishing Company and printed her books through Pathway Press, in Cleveland, TN.
When you decide on a Subsidiary Publishing company to publish your books, you will choose from different packages which offer different services for you to choose from. They will give your and ISBN which includes a scanner code box which can be scanned at any bookstore and your price information will be credited to you. You get 100% of your royalties with the package she chose. She also chose to have a non-exclusive contract, which gave her exclusive rights to her book.
Xulan Publishing also gave her a diagnostic review of her book before she got it printed. This gave her an overview of what needed to be fixed and what her next step should be. She also mentioned that there is an active author fee of $35.00/year with Xulan to keep an active status with the publishing company.
Darlene will be having a book signing at LifeWay Bookstore on October 22 from 11-2 pm. Go out and support our local author!
Destiny's Journey: The circle of one woman's spiritual pursuit for completeness by [Underwood, Darlene]
Destiny's Journey

Our second segment of the meeting was about software and resources. Sharon Moore shared about a gaming software that's called Realm Works. It was designed for gaming characters, but this will also help fiction authors keep their different characters and plot settings organized. She also talked a little about Scrivener. This is a software that is very highly recommended for authors. It will keep your manuscript in order and formats it for printing.

I want to thank both of these ladies for sharing all of this great information with us. Always plan to take good notes when you attend these meetings. There is so much to learn.

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

Introduction to Self-Publishing: An Independent Approach to the Author's Industry (Leslie Williams Delgado)

Here's the highlights from our meeting on 08/16/16. Leslie Williams Delgado was our special guest speaker. It was an awesome meeting. She had a lot of useful information to share.
Here is the outline that she shared.

I. What is Publishing?

a. Publishing is making information available to the public.
i. Printed literature
ii. Recorded film or music
iii. Digital media

b. Think about it: if you post on Facebook, you’re published! But in
actuality, the publishing industry is far more involved than social
networking when you’re looking to publish a book.

c. Why Publish?
i. You want to share your work with the public, whether in general
or a certain demographic, in a professional format. Your work
might be a resource, informational, or simply for entertainment.

II. Types of Publishing (Writing Forward)

a. Traditional publishing: proposing your work to an industry agency with
the prospect of acquiring a publishing contract. Publication of your work
is contingent on their acceptance of your work. (i.e. Zondervan, DK
Publishing)

b. Subsidy publishing: Entering a partnership with a traditional printing
company in which the author provides an initial investment and the
publisher handles distribution and marketing (i.e. Dorrance Publishing)

c. Self publishing: utilizing the services of a printing press to professionally
print your product; extra services such as proofreading, editing, and cover
design can also be purchased, but all costs are the responsibility of the
author; consequently, all marketing and distribution are also the
responsibility of the author. (i.e. Lulu Publishing)

III. Benefits and Drawbacks of Traditional Publishing vs. Self Publishing
(Writers Digest)
a. Traditional publishing offers wide distribution, lots of exposure, and they
take care of the marketing of your book. Additionally, they have the
resources to do offset printing in high quantities, making your books in
high quality at an affordable price for your consumers.

b. Unfortunately, traditional publishing also has the power to make changes
to your work without your involvement, control over cover art and title,
and the entire process from contract to distribution can take a very long
time. Even e-books can be priced unreasonably in this method of
publishing.

c. Self publishing allows you complete creative freedom, and all profits are
yours to keep due to the highly accessible print-on-demand model. The
overall process can be completed in far less time from conception to
production.

d. The drawback to this is that the author is responsible for all costs, from
editing to cover art to printing and distribution.

IIII. When is Self Publishing a good option?

a. When you’re looking to publish a small run of your literature for a small
demographic, such as conventions or conferences.

i. Niche demographics can be far harder to publish traditionally, and
oftentimes the reason traditional publishers tend not to consider
these types of projects; this is when self publishing becomes a
fantastic alternative to the publishing solution!

b. When you’re looking to professionally print literature for small groups
such as clubs or study groups.

c. When you’re looking to create your own personal or family library.

V. The Self Publishing Process

a. Planning the Project (Brian Tracy International)
i. It’s important to gauge your work!

1. What is your intended purpose?

2. Who is your target demographic/psychograpic?

3. How do you plan on marketing?

4. What and where are your projected sales?
a. Unless you have people in the industry who can
assist you with your project, odds are you’ll be
handling this alone. Developing for yourself a clear
idea of the consumer’s aspect of your project will
help you to understand how to market your work.

ii. Research

1. Comparison shopping
a. There are multiple printing presses out there! Most
reputable shops allow you to calculate how much
your product will cost with a wholesale view,
including e-books. You can even calculate
discounts for printing in higher quantities!

b. Be careful to research the printing companies, as
well. Bad reviews from fellow customers can help
you stay away from the danger of losing your
investment!

2. Demographic and venue research
a. Unless you plan to invest in a publisher’s
distribution service, it’s likely that you’ll be printing
small quantities to sell on your own or on demand.
You’ll need to decide how and where you plan to
sell your books successfully to your target
demographic.

b. It’s important to be familiar with venues and events
that could be potential sales hot spots for your
project. Research not only events, but fellow author
experiences selling at those events.

c. Creating the Project

i. Book dimensions

1. Depending on the size of your book, the printing price will
change. Be considerate of your font size (something
comfortable to read for your consumer, but not so large it
takes twice the amount of pages to print.)

2. Remember that all marketing is your responsibility.
Writing the book is not limited to the body or chapters.
Any front and back matter, including acknowledgements,
prefaces, afterwards, etc., need to be considered as part of
the full document.

3. Unique is not always better! Depending on what kind of
book you’re writing, if you plan on printing, you’ll want a
book that’s comfortable for your reader to hold.
ii. Cover and interior art

1. Unless you’re an artist, yourself, you’re probably going to
want to have someone with experience design your cover.
For this, you’ll need to hire an artist!

2. Consider what kind of look you want for your book cover
and interior art. Covers include the illustration design and
the copy. Artists can provide the illustration and design,
but you must provide your own copy!

3. Artists are not equal! It’s important to research artists when
considering becoming their client.
a. A common misconception is that artists are equal.
Just because an artist can draw cartoons doesn’t
mean they can design an elegant fine art illustration!
Look for an artist with a skill set that matches the
look you want for your book.

b. Artists are expensive! Consider discussing the
project tentatively with more than one artist, and
find one that fits your budget with a comparable
skill set. Consider that when entering a contract with
an artist, there are upfront costs to the work, as well.

c. Remember, if you’re looking to illustrate a book,
you’ll need to come to an agreement with the artist
about charging for multiple pieces.

4. It’s important to communicate with the artists the
dimensions and technical specifications for your cover
design! If you’ve selected a trade 6”x9” paperback option
from your printing press, you can’t assume that a 10”x10”
piece is going to fit correctly on the cover! You’ll end up
with a misprinted cover if you don’t provide your cover
designer with these important details!

iii. Marketing

1. If you’ve heard the phrase “don’t judge a book by its
cover,” bear in mind that consumers in fact DO judge
books by their covers! Your cover is like the bright and
shiny packaging to your story! It doesn’t only need a good
design, but a good selling pitch.

2. You need to be able to develop copy for the book that
hooks the consumer with the desire to learn more. The
back cover summary should give a good idea of your book
without spoiling the best parts! Keep in mind it’s an
advertisement for the interior content.

iiii. Production

1. With a complete document and book cover, you’re now
ready to publish digitally and in print. A good practice is to
run one copy on demand for inspection purposes and final
proofing before investing in multiple copies.

2. Digital distribution costs are also more minimal, so your
book could be distributed more easily to other e-book sites.

3. With a completed project, it’s now time to start planning
your sales! Remember, it’s all up to you!
a. Plan for events by projecting the amount of
potential consumers and stocking accordingly.

b. Charge reasonably for your books. Remember, if
you’re publishing in print, you’ll be buying them
wholesale, so it’s up to you to calculate the markup.

c. You are your own marketer. Plan to interact with
your consumers and develop your pitch for your
product!

d. Keep interest high by networking and periodically
promoting your book online on social networks.

VI. The Future of Publishing

a. Should you publish digitally?

i. The concept of the e-book is really still in its infancy. With the
introduction of the Kindle in 2007 and other mobile devices
following suit, the e-book industry sales skyrocketed from 2008-
2010. There has been a small decline since the initial release of the
e-book, but the industry, for the most part, is remaining steady.
(BBC)

ii. Mobile devices continue to become more common in today’s
economy, and the convenience of having multiple books available
in one small device is a selling point for many consumers.

b. Should you publish hard copies?

i. While the e-book does continue to rise in popularity, the fact is
that there are still a huge population of consumers who prefer a
physical copy. There are multiple factors to this finding, but the
most impactful is likely to be that reading a physical copy is in fact
more comfortable for consumers!

ii. Physical books are collectible for a number of reasons, including
their aesthetics, their accessibility when in intense use such as
studies and research, and the ability to attribute them to their
creators with such features as signatures and personalized notes.

(Mashable)

VII. Printing Presses

a. Lulu.com (Print and digital, on-demand, distribution services)

b. Createspace.com (trade paperback and digital, on-demand, distribution
services)

c. Authorhouse.com (Print and digital, package, distribution services)

Works Cited
Klems, Brian. “The Pros and Cons of Self Publishing (& Traditional Publishing). “ Writer’s
Digest. 11 June 2012. http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/the-pros-and-cons-of-self publishing-
traditional-publishing
Donovan, Melissa. “A Writer’s Guide to Types of Publishing Companies.” Writing Forward. 3
April 2013. http://www.writingforward.com/news-announcements/getting-published/types-ofpublishing-
companies
“Publishing a Book? 10 Questions You Must Be Able To Answer.” Brian Tracy International.
http://www.briantracy.com/blog/writing/most-important-questions-to-answer-when-you-write-abook/
Catone, Josh. “Why Printed Books Will Never Die.” Mashable. 16 January 2013.
http://mashable.com/2013/01/16/e-books-vs-print/
Other Resources
Doyen, Barbara. “Anatomy of a Book: The Contents.” 2006. Barbaradoyen.com.
http://www.barbaradoyen.com/book-publishing/anatomy-of-a-book-the-contents
Friedman, Jane. “Start Here: How to Self-Publish Your Book.” 16 February 2015.
https://janefriedman.com/self-publish-your-book/

Mission Statement

The Write Scene's Mission Statement:

We are local writers supporting other writers in networking and getting their work recognized.

We are friends helping friends network in the Scenic City!

We want to offer information on illustration, publishing, marketing, and writing.

Thursday, August 11, 2016

Leslie Delgado Williams



Leslie Delgado Williams is our special guest speaker for 08/16/16 at 6 pm. The topic will be Introduction to Self-Publishing: An Independent Approach to the Author's Industry.

Leslie is primarily an illustrator, but has delved into the world of writing since she was young. In 2006, she began working on her first novel Genjou o Mamoru (Protecting the Present Circumstances), which is now titled Genjou: Protecting Us. She self-published her book in 2009. Her updated work is now a full-length young adult fiction book. Leslie is now beginning work on a series of children's books.

She has lots of things to share that will help us in our writing and publishing adventures. You don't want to miss this meeting!

Thursday, July 21, 2016

Darlene Underwood 'Destiny's Journey'

by Darlene Underwood
Destiny's Journey is available in paperback and as an e-book









Darlene Underwood is having a book signing at Nutrition World in Chattanooga, TN on Friday July 22nd from 12-3 pm. Please show our local author your support by stopping by. Her book is awesome and you will be blessed by her message.

HIghlights from our first meet & greet

~If you missed our first meeting, here are some of the highlights~

Comments and ideas: Don't use people's names that you know...Start somewhere...Know your why. Why are you writing your book?...There's a book in everyone...If you ask for opinions, be prepared for negative feedback...You need 7 pairs of eyes to proofread your book...

Questions asked: Pin names, Good or Bad idea?...Self publishing vs Publishing Company?...How can someone market their work so it will appeal to the their niche?...

I promised to put the people that I currently follow on the website. They are marketing and publishing experts.

http://www.shelleyhitz.com/

http://brucejonesdesign.com/tag/bruce-the-book-guy/

Remember to like us on Facebook

Saturday, July 9, 2016

I used to walk alone by Larry Goodrich

I used to walk alone down paths of dirt and stone
I was confused and so alone

I heard a voice and was told
I could walk down streets of gold

It said there was a Holy Book
and all I had to do was look

I read about a mighty God
He had a son who died for mans sin.
and in my heart let Him in.

I no longer walk alone down paths of dirt and stone
and now that I'm getting old
I know someday I'll walk down those streets of gold.

Meet & Greet

Join us for the very first official 'The Write Scene' writers meeting on July 19th at 6:00 pm. We will be meeting at the Western Sizzlin in Ooltewah, TN. If you plan to eat before the meeting, please be there at 5:30 pm. This will be a short meeting to help us find out what you want to learn more about.

Our intent for this group is to become friends and help each other get past mental blocks and stumbling blocks that writer's sometimes experience. We also want to learn all the different aspects of the book publishing process to make it a better experience for first time writers and established authors.

 
Jeanette Cole, Secretary of The Write Scene (Scenic City Writers Group)

Hi, I am Jeanette Cole. I have been married 21 years to James Cole and we have two children. I recently wrote a book titled Depression: State of Mind. It's all about my testimony of overcoming depression. After a life-long battle of this mindset control of the enemy, I finally agreed to let God show me how to become whole. Making that decision brought attack after attack, but with each battle, I became stronger and stronger. God showed me how my attitude, speech, thoughts, words, and actions were keeping me bound. When the Word of God hit my spirit, it was life changing.  
Revelation 12:11 says that we are overcomers by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. We must all be doers of the Word. It doesn’t help us, or those around us, if we are hearers only.

I never realized I had the gift of writing. After taking classes at Cleveland State Community College a few years ago, I found that I love every aspect of it. I love the research and the editing -the entire process. My Comp II instructor gave me a huge shout-out on several papers that I wrote in class so I decided to try writing a book. That is a totally different process, but it is very fulfilling. I am currently writing my second book and have ideas for several others. I just have to find the time to sit down and write them. That, I think, is the hardest part...finding the time.

*Proud member of the Chattanooga Writers Guild

Depression: State of Mind

Depression: State of Mind
 
The very first shout out for The Write Scene's website is going to be for my (Jeanette Cole's) first e-book Depression: State of Mind. I am still in the process of getting it in print. This is my testimony of overcoming depression. This was a very exciting process for me and I have learned so much. I truly believe that this book will help others overcome depression also. Revelation 12:11"We are overcomers by the blood of the Lamb and the words of our testimony."

I also have a website that I update weekly with motivational blogs. It is http://jeanetteshighervision.com/

Also, please like my Facebook page

Monday, June 20, 2016

Becky Brown, President of The Write Scene


 
 
President of The Write Scene (Scenic City Writer's Group)
 
Hello, name is Becky Brown. I am married with two grown children and 5 grand-children. My husband and I live in Ft Oglethorpe, Ga. I started writing when I was a child. I have always loved to write. When I was eight years old someone gave me an old typewriter. I loved that old typewriter! I would read books and re-write them the way I would tell the story. That's when I decided I wanted to write children's stories.
 
I wrote for my high school paper and have won awards for my poetry over the years. I am currently working on a book to help children to understand more about God and draw them closer to God. I would have to say that God, and my family, is my inspiration.

*Proud member of the Chattanooga Writers Guild

Monday, May 16, 2016

Getting Started

We are just getting started with our writers group here in the Scenic City. It will be awesome and we are very excited! We would love to hear any thought and ideas of guest speakers and genres that interest you. We are getting our calendar filled with hometown celebrities that will share their expertise to get us all on the 'write' track.

Now is the time for your help. It's all about you! This group is for you! Leave us comments and suggestions about things you want to know more about. Help to make The Write Scene SPARKLE!