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Links: Independence Day 2009 Edition
July 3rd, 2009 | Tags: fireworks, holidays, independence day, linkedin, star trek Links: Independence Day 2009 Edition
Happy 4th to Americans and Happy belated Canada Day.

Email going around with this. “At 5 minutes and 6 seconds after 4 a.m.,on the 8th of July, this year, the time and date will be:

04:05:06am on 07-08-09

“This will not happen again until the year 3009.” You can say the same for the ones coming in the next three years:

05:06:07am on 08-09-10 (2010)
06:07:08am on 09-10-11 (2011)
07:08:09am on 10-11-12 (2012)

It’d be cool to have one of these birthdays.
- 7 Ways to Build Your Author Brand Online
- My Favorite Book Covers of 2008: Fabulous list. Can’t begin to pick one.
- LinkedIn: 22 Ways to Dominate: Link with me, if you haven’t already.
- How to Succeed (or Survive) as a Writer: PDF slidepack of F+W Media Editorial Director Jane Friedman’s two most popular talks from 2008-2009, plus a handout on surviving publishing in the 21st century.
- 10 Books for Mothers Who Write: I read Letters to a Young Poet when I took art in college. I don’t even remember the book — just that I read it. Maybe it’ll resonate more with me now.
And for fun because we’re allowed…
- Buildings don’t always fall down. They fall over.
- 10 Life Lessons from Star Trek presentation
- The Sea Pig [Link: shelleyryan]
- Collection of Independence Day covers from New Yorker
- When fireworks go wrong. Proof that fireworks aren’t toys.
Links: 26 June 2009
June 26th, 2009 | Tags: cars, photos, social media, social networking, star trek, twitter Links: 26 June 2009
- Easy on the Hooptedoodle: How to be invisible when writing a book. You know… show instead of tell. [Link: The Blood-Red Pencil]
- Exposing Some Myths About Blogging Pay Rates
- 7 Ways to Rediscover Your Dreams
- Book Marketing 2.0: 5 ways you can use Web 2.0 tools to promote your book
- Namechk: See if a user name is available across many social networks.
- Twitter Logo Generator [Link: Crenk]
- Best Sites for Used Cars: Daughter has driver’s permit. Not gonna get her a new car. If anything, she’ll inherit hubby’s car once he gets a replacement.
- Star Trek does opera: Khannnnn! in Italian.
- Emo Babies: Not emo as in wearing black, but showing their feelings and emotions. Very cute.
- Wanna See a Kindle 2?
Links: 20th Wedding Anniversary 2009 Edition
June 12th, 2009 | Tags: email, logos, social networking, twitter Links: 20th Wedding Anniversary 2009 Edition
Yesterday was my 20th wedding anniversary. Wow. Two decades of marriage. I’m very lucky to have Paul as a partner in life, parenting and silliness. Yes, I’m up for many more! I just hope he can handle me!
- What books do people proselytize about?
- 10 steps to get your e-mail inbox to zero every day [Link: Aliza Sherman]
- How Twitter Will Change the Way We Live: I watched #tonys on Twitter last Sunday and it was quite an experience different than what I am used to on Twitter.
- Social Networking Medial ROI Calculator
And for fun because we’re allowed…
- 40 Fantastic Sand Sculptures
- How to Plan a Vacation Using Social Media: Note to self… remember this when I finally manage to plan one.
- Guess the Logo: Love these games.
- 8 Weird and Wacky Items Sold on Amazon.com
Why Writers Should Have a Platform
June 3rd, 2009 | Tags: Christina Katz Why Writers Should Have a Platform
Christina Katz is the author of Get Known Before The Book Deal, Use Your Personal Strengths to Grow an Author Platform. She started her platform “for fun” seven years ago and ended up on “Good Morning America.” Christina teaches e-courses on platform development and writing nonfiction for publication. Her students are published in national magazines and land agents and book deals.

Christina has been encouraging reluctant platform builders via her e-zines for five years, has written hundreds of articles for national, regional, and online publications, and is a monthly columnist for the Willamette Writer. A popular speaker at writing conferences, writing programs, libraries, and bookstores, she hosts the Northwest Author Series in Wilsonville, Oregon. She is also the author of Writer Mama: How to Raise a Writing Career Alongside Your Kids.

What is a platform?

Christina Katz: Long story short: Your platform communicates your expertise to others, and it works all the time so you don’t have to. Your platform includes your Web presence, any public speaking you do, the classes you teach, the media contacts you’ve established, the articles you’ve published, and any other means you currently have for making your name and your future books known to a viable readership. If others already recognize your expertise on a given topic or for a specific audience or both, then that is your platform.

A platform-strong writer is a writer with influence. Get Known explains in plain English, without buzzwords, how any writer can stand out from the crowd of other writers and get the book deal. The book clears an easy-to-follow path through a formerly confusing forest of ideas so any writer can do the necessary platform development they need to do.

Why is platform development important for writers today?

CK: Learning about and working on a solid platform plan gives writers an edge. Agents and editors have known this for years and have been looking for platform-strong writers and getting them book deals. But from the writer’s point-of-view, there has not been enough information on platform development to help unprepared writers put their best platform forward.

Now suddenly, there is a flood of information on platform, not all necessarily comprehensive, useful or well organized for folks who don’t have a platform yet. Writers can promote themselves in a gradual, grounded manner without feeling like they are selling out. I do it, I teach other writers to do it, I write about it on an ongoing basis, and I encourage all writers to heed the trend. And hopefully, I communicate how in a practical, step-by-step manner that can serve any writer. Because ultimately, before you actively begin promoting yourself, platform development is an inside job requiring concentration, thoughtfulness and a consideration of personal values.

How did you come to write Get Known Before the Book Deal?

CK: I already had a lot of momentum going when I got the deal for a very specific audience. I wrote a column on the topic for the Willamette Writer’s newsletter. Then I started speaking on platform. When I gave my presentation, “Get Known Before the Book Deal,” at the Writer’s Digest/BEA Writer’s Conference in May 2007, Phil Sexton, one of my publisher’s sales guys, saw it and suggested making the concept into a book.

Coincidentally, I was trying to come up with an idea for my second book at that time and had just struck out with what I thought were my three best ideas. My editor, Jane Friedman agreed with Phil. That was two votes from people sitting on the pub board. They converted the others with the help of my proposal, and Get Known got the green light.

Why was a book on platform development needed?

CK: Writers often underestimate how important platform is and they often don’t leverage the platform they already have enough. At every conference I presented, I took polls and found that about 50 percent of attendees expressed a desire for a clearer understanding of platform. Some were completely in the dark about it, even though they were attending a conference in hopes of landing a book deal. Since book deals are granted based largely on the impressiveness of a writer’s platform, I noticed a communication gap that needed to be addressed.

My intention was that Get Known would be the book every writer would want to read before attending a writer’s conference, and that it would increase any writer’s chances of landing a book deal whether they pitched in-person or by query. As I wrote the book, I saw online how this type of information was being offered as “insider secrets” at outrageous prices. No one should have to pay thousands of dollars for the information they can find in my book for the price of a paperback! Seriously. You can even ask your library to order it and read it for free.

What is the key idea behind Get Known Before the Book Deal?

CK: Getting known doesn’t take a lot of money, but it does take an in-depth understanding of platform, and then the investment of time, skills and consistent effort to build one. Marketing experience and technological expertise are also not necessary. I show how to avoid the biggest time and money-waster, which is not understanding who your platform is for and why — and hopefully save writers from the confusion and inertia that can result from either information overload or not taking the big picture into account before they jump into writing for traditional publication.

Often writers with weak platforms are over-confident that they can impress agents and editors, while others with decent platforms are under-confident or aren’t stressing their platform-strength enough. Writers have to wear so many hats these days, we can use all the help we can get.

Platform development is a muscle, and the more you use it, the stronger it gets. Anyone can do it, but most don’t or won’t because they either don’t understand what is being asked for, or they haven’t overcome their own resistance to the idea. Get Known offers a concrete plan that can help any writer make gains in the rapidly changing and increasingly competitive publishing landscape.

What is the structure of the book and why did you choose it?

CK: Writer Mama was written in small, easy-to-digest chunks so busy new moms could stick it in a diaper bag and read it in the nooks and crannies of the day. Get Known is a bit more prosaic, especially in the early chapters. Most of the platform books already out there were only for authors, not writers or aspiring authors.

To make platform evolution easy to comprehend, I had to dial the concepts back to the beginning and talk about what it’s like to try and find your place in the world as an author way before you’ve signed a contract, even before you’ve written a book proposal. No one had done that before in a book for writers. I felt writers needed a context in which to chart a course towards platform development that would not be completely overwhelming.

Introducing platform concepts to writers gives them the key information they need to succeed at pitching an agent either via query or in-person, making this a good book for a writer to read before writing a book proposal. Get Known has three sections:
- section one is mostly stories and cautionary tales,
- section two has a lot of to-do lists any writer should be able to use, and
- section three is how to articulate your platform clearly and concisely so you won’t waste a single minute wondering if you are on the right track.
At the front of Get Known, you discuss four phases of the authoring process. What are they?

CK:
- First comes the platform development and building phase.
- Second comes the book proposal development phase (or if you are writing fiction, the book-writing phase).
- Third, comes the actual writing of the book (for fiction writers this is likely the re-writing of the book).
- And finally, once the book is published, comes the book marketing and promoting phase.
Many first-time authors scramble once they get a book deal if they haven’t done a thorough job on the platform development phase. Writers who already have a platform have influence with a fan base, and they can leverage that influence no matter what kind of book they write. Writing a book is a lot easier if you are not struggling to find readers for the book at the same time. Again, agents and editors have known this for a long time.

What are some common platform mistakes writers make?

CK: Here are a few:
- They don’t spend time clarifying who they are to others.
- They don’t zoom in specifically on what they offer.
- They confuse socializing with platform development.
- They think about themselves too much and their audience not enough.
- They don’t precisely articulate all they offer so others get it immediately.
- They don’t create a plan before they jump online.
- They undervalue the platform they already have.
- They are overconfident and think they have a solid platform when they have only made a beginning.
- They become exhausted from trying to figure out platform as they go.
- They pay for “insider secrets” instead of trusting their own instincts.
- They blog like crazy for six months and then look at their bank accounts and abandon the process as going nowhere.
I’ll stop there. Suffice it to say that many writers promise publishers they have the ability to make readers seek out and purchase their book. But when it comes time to demonstrate this ability, they can’t deliver.

My mission is to empower writers to be 100 percent responsible for their writing career success and stop looking to others to do their promotional work for them. Get Known shows writers of every stripe how to become the writer who can not only land a book deal, but also influence future readers to plunk down ten or twenty bucks to purchase their book. It all starts with a little preparation and planning. The rest unfolds from there.

Couldn’t any author have written this book? Why you?

CK: I have built a career over the past decade empowering writers. I’ve developed and built my own platform as a writing-for-traditional-publication specialist, and I’ve worked with others as a writing and platform-development instructor. Many of the people I’ve been working with are landing book deals and while the other hundred-or-so writers I work with a year are developing their skills, I notice patterns of behavior — what leads to success, where writers get stuck, and how I can be helpful in these rapidly changing times in the industry.

I’ve witnessed too many writers, who were off to a great start, hopping online and quickly becoming very lost. I started to write about platform in Writer Mama, How To Raise A Writing Career Alongside Your Kids, but I quickly noticed that more details on platform development were desperately needed. My platform is based on helping others. I have a vested interest in seeing the people I work with — and those who read my book — succeed. Writers are my tribe.

Thanks to Christina for empowering writers and for stopping by again. Check out Get Known Before The Book Deal, Use Your Personal Strengths to Grow an Author Platform.
Q&A on Query Letters and Book Authoring with Wendy Burt
May 26th, 2009 | Tags: query letters Q&A on Query Letters and Book Authoring with Wendy Burt
I’m honored to have another guest writer joining the blog. Wendy Burt-Thomas takes time out of her busy schedule to answer questions about queries and book authoring.

She is a full-time freelance writer, editor and copywriter with more than 1,000 published pieces. Her third book, The Writers Digest Guide To Query Letters hit stores in January 2009. To learn more about Wendy or her three books, visit Guide to Query Letters. If you have a writing-related question, you can also post it on Ask Wendy.

Please tell us about your book.

The book was a great fit for me because I’d been teaching “Breaking Into Freelance Writing” for about eight years. In the workshop, I covered a lot of what is in this book: writing query letters to get articles in magazines, to land an agent, or to get a book deal with a publisher.

Since I’m a full-time freelance magazine writer and editor with two previous books, this was incredibly fun to write because it didn’t require tons of research. I was lucky enough to receive lots of great sample query letters from writers and authors that I use as “good” examples in the book. I wrote all the “bad” examples myself because I didn’t dare ask for contributions that I knew I’d be ripping apart!

In addition to the ins and outs of what makes a good query, the book covers things like why (or why not) to get an agent, where to find one and how to choose one; writing a synopsis or proposal; selling different rights to your work; other forms of correspondence; and what editors and agents look for in new writers.

It was really important to me that the book not be a dry, boring reference book, but rather an entertaining read (while still being chock full of information). I was thrilled the publisher let me keep all the humor.

Why are query letters important?

Breaking into the publishing world is hard enough right now. Unless you have a serious “in” of some kind, you really need a great query letter to impress an agent or acquisitions editor.

Essentially, your query letter is your first impression. If they like your idea (and voice and writing style and background), they’ll either request a proposal, sample chapters, or the entire manuscript. If they don’t like your query letter, you’ve got to pitch it to another agency/publisher. Unlike a manuscript, which can be edited or reworked if an editor thinks it has promise, you only get one shot with your query. Make it count!

I see a lot of authors who spend months (or years) finishing their book, only to rush through the process of crafting a good, solid query letter. What a waste! If agents/editors turn you down based on a bad query letter, you’ve blown your chance of getting them to read your manuscript. It could be the next bestseller, but they’ll never see it. My advice is to put as much effort into your query as you did your book. If it’s not fabulous, don’t send it until it is.

A writer submits queries to publications she knows well and targets the audience, yet she gets rejected. Other than to keep trucking, what can the writer do?
1. Make sure you’re reading the writers’ guidelines - and following them. It could be that they no longer accept freelance features, they’ve shortened their word count, etc.
2. Me sure to at least skim the last year’s worth of issues. They may have run a similar topic a few months back.
3. Interpret your rejections. Are you getting the template check box that says “no thanks” or handwritten notes from the editor that say, “Good writing. Please continue to submit.”? A standard rejection may be about your writing, while a note may indicate that the specific article is just not a good fit.
4. If you’re getting encouraging rejections, drop the editors a line asking them if you can be included on their list of freelance writers - for assignments.
5. See if the magazine has an editorial calendar. Even an advertising calendar (sometimes included in the media kit) will let you know the focus for each upcoming issue. Try to pitch a piece that ties into an upcoming month - just make sure you pitch far in advance. A large magazine may be preparing its December 2010 issue in December 2009.
You’re also a magazine editor. What is your biggest gripe regarding queries?

Queries that show that the writer obviously hasn’t read our publication. I’ll admit that I did this when I was a new writer too – submitted blindly to any publication whose name sounded even remotely related to my topic.

One of the examples I use was when I submitted a parenting article to a magazine for senior citizens. Oops! A well-written query pitching an article that’s not a match for the magazine isn’t going to get you any further than a poorly written query.

There’s an entire chapter in the book about agents. Do you think all new writers should get agents?

Probably 99 percent of new writers should get an agent. There are lots of reasons, but my top three are:
1. Many of the larger publishing houses won’t even look at unagented submissions now;
2. Agents can negotiate better rights and more money on your behalf;
3. Agents know the industry trends, changes and staff better than you ever could.
You’ve been a mentor, coach or editor for many writers. What do you think is the most common reason that good writers don’t get published?

Poor marketing skills. I see so many writers that are either too afraid, too uniformed, or frankly, too lazy, to market their work. They think their job is done when the write “the end” but writing is only half of the process.

I’ve always told people who took my class that there are tons of great writers in the world who will never get published. I’d rather be a good writer who eats lobster than a great writer who eats hot dogs. I make a living as a writer because I spend as much time marketing as I do writing.

What are some of the biggest misconceptions that writers have about getting a book deal?

That they’ll be rich overnight, that they don’t need to promote their book once it’s published, that publishing houses will send them on world book tours, that people will recognize them at the airport. Still, you can make great money as an author if you’re prepared to put in the effort. If it wasn’t possible, there wouldn’t be so many full-time writers.

What must-read books do you recommend to new writers?

Christina Katz (author of Writer Mama) has a new book out called Get Known Before The Book Deal - which is fabulous. Also, Stephen King’s On Writing and David Morrell’s Lessons from a Lifetime of Writing: A Novelist Looks at His Craft. Anything by Anne Lamott or my Dad, Steve Burt.

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned as a full-time writer?

Seize every opportunity - especially when you first start writing. I remember telling someone about a really high-paying writing gig I got and he said, “Wow. You have the best luck!” I thought, “Luck has nothing to do with it! I’ve worked hard to get where I am.”

Later that week I read this great quote: “Luck is when preparation meets opportunity.” It’s absolutely true. And writing queries is only about luck in this sense. If you’re prepared with a good query and/or manuscript, when the opportunity comes along you’ll be successful.

What did you enjoy most about writing this book?

Writing the “bad” query letters. I’ve read – and written! – so many horrible ones over the years that it was a little too easy to craft them. But misery loves company and we ALL love to read really bad query letters, right?

What do you want readers to learn from your book?

I want them to understand that while writing a good query letter is important, it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. You can break it down into parts, learn from any first-round rejections, and read other good queries to help understand what works.

I also want them to remember that writing is fun. Sometimes new writers get so caught up in the procedures that they lose their original voice in a query. Don’t bury your style under formalities and to-the-letter formatting.

About Wendy Burt-Thomas
Wendy Burt-Thomas is the author of Oh, Solo Mia! : The Hip Chick’s Guide to Fun for One,Work It, Girl! : Productive and Fun Tips for the Hip Working Chick and Guide To Query Letters. Other credentials include more than 1,000 published articles, short stories, essays, reviews, poems and greeting cards.

She taught “Breaking Into Freelance Writing” for eight years and has worked as an editor, columnist, writer and PR specialist. Wendy lives in Colorado Springs with her husband, two kids and two black labs. She is a full-time freelance writer, editor and PR consultant.
Links: Memorial Day Weekend 2009 Edition
May 22nd, 2009 | Tags: freelance, movies, photos, twitter Links: Memorial Day Weekend 2009 Edition
(moment of silence) Thank you, soldiers.
- The Role of Get Rich Quick Merchants: Complete with fab New Yorker cartoon.
- Best Entrepreneur Books That You Never Expected
- Useful Tools: Straight out reviews of web apps and tools without the editorial or anything else.
- How Freelancers Might Save Publishing
- Why People Don’t Follow Back on Twitter: Are you breaking these Twitter Commandments? [Disclosure: I wrote it]
And for fun because we’re allowed…
- Awkward Family Photos: No ’splanation needed.
- Wireless Keyboard Wall Graphics: Ah, geek art.
- Best Visual Illusion of the Year Contest: Ah, dizzy art.
- Research Paper Glossary
- Top 10 Movie Misquotes
- Incredible photo of the sun… not just the sun…
Q&A with Sage Cohen on Poetry
May 19th, 2009 | Tags: poetry Q&A with Sage Cohen on Poetry
I loved writing poems when I was growing up. Now, I only write them for special occasions like my husband’s milestone birthdays. Sage is the author of Writing the Life Poetic: An Invitation to Read and Write Poetry and the poetry collection Like the Heart, the World.

Her equally talented friend and writer, Christina Katz, introduced us. I’m honored to have her as a guest here. Can you just see me doing my Barbara Walters pose and her sitting across from me?

How does poetry make the world a better place to live?
I think poetry fills the gap left by the so-called objective truth that dominates our media, science and legislation. Many of us want to comprehend and communicate the complexity of human experience on a deeper, more soulful level. Poetry gives us a shared language that is more subtle, more human, and–at its best–more universally “true” than we are capable of achieving with just the facts.

How has integrating the reading and writing of poetry into your life impacted you?
I will risk sounding melodramatic in saying that poetry saved my life. I stumbled into a writing practice at an extremely vulnerable time in my early teenage years. Poetry gave me then, as it does today, a way of giving voice to feelings and ideas that felt too risky and complicated to speak out loud.

There was a kind of alchemy in writing through such vulnerabilities…by welcoming them in language, I was able to transform the energies of fear, pain and loneliness into a kind of friendly camaraderie with myself. In a way, I wrote myself into a trust that I belonged in this world.

Do people need an advanced degree in creative writing in order to write poetry?
Absolutely not! Sure, poetry has its place in the classroom; but no one needs an advanced degree in creative writing to reap its rewards. What most people need is simply a proper initiation. I wrote Writing the Life Poetic to offer such an initiation. My goal was that everyone who reads it come away with a sense of how to tune into the world around them through a poetic lens. Once this way of perceiving is awakened, anything is possible!

Why did you write Writing the Life Poetic?
While working with writers for the past fifteen years, I have observed that even the most creative people fear that they don’t have what it takes to write and read poetry. I wrote Writing the Life Poetic to put poetry back into the hands of the people––not because they are aspiring to become the poet laureate of the United States––but because poetry is one of the great pleasures in life.

Who is Writing the Life Poetic written for?
Practicing poets, aspiring poets, and teachers of writing in a variety of settings can use Writing the Life Poetic to write, read, and enjoy poems; it works equally well as a self-study companion or as a classroom guide. Both practical and inspirational, it will leave readers with a greater appreciation for the poetry they read and a greater sense of possibility for the poetry they write.

What sets Writing the Life Poetic apart from other poetry how-to books?
The craft of poetry has been well documented in a variety of books that offer a valuable service to serious writers striving to become competent poets. Now it’s time for a poetry book that does more than lecture from the front of the classroom. Writing the Life Poetic was written to be a contagiously fun adventure in writing.

Through an entertaining mix of insights, exercises, expert guidance and encouragement, I hope to get readers excited about the possibilities of poetry––and engaged in a creative practice. Leonard Cohen says: “Poetry is just the evidence of life. If your life is burning well, poetry is just the ash.” My goal is that Writing the Life Poetic be the flame fueling the life well lived.

Is it true that your book and your baby were conceived and birthed at the same time? What did you learn from this process?
Yes, I often refer to my son Theo and Writing the Life Poetic as my multi-media twins! I found out I was pregnant with Theo about two months into the writing of the book and I was making final edits to the book in layout two weeks after he was born.

It was fascinating to have two of the most potent creative processes I’ve ever experienced happening in tandem. What I learned is a great respect for the birthing journey; it is one that has completely rewritten me along the way.

I am writing a monthly column this year for The Writer Mama zine titled “The Articulate Conception” which chronicles my journey of becoming an author and a mom. Through the course of ten essays, I am exploring this double-whammy birth trajectory–from the twinkle in my eye to the bags under my eyes. The first column is available here.

What makes a poem a poem?
This is one of my favorite questions! I’ve answered it in my book, but it’s a question that I’m answering anew every day. And that’s what I love about poetry. It’s a realm where invention is not limited entirely by definition; there is room enough for the endless possibilities of the human.

Every time we try to draw a line around what a poem is, something spills over into the next frame, shifting the point of view and demanding new names: olive, token, flax, daffodil. A poem is all of these, or none of them, depending on the quality of light and how the blade in the next room stirs the night.

What do you think people’s greatest misperceptions are about poetry?
I think the three greatest stereotypes about the writing of poetry are:
1. That one has to be a starving artist or deeply miserable to write great poetry.
2. That reading and writing poetry are available only to an elite inner circle that shares secret, insider knowledge about the making of poems.
3. That poetry does not fund prosperity.

I hope very much that Writing the Life Poetic helps offer alternatives to some of these attitudes and perceptions.

Why is National Poetry Month (April) a great time to read and write poetry?
Every month is a great time to read and write poetry! But National Poetry Month is special because there are a number of inspiring opportunities to read and write in virtual tandem with poets everywhere, which creates a feeling of momentum and community. On my blog, I have a brief list of some fun ways to plug into the fun.

I’d love to conclude with a poem of yours. Would you be willing to share one?
Of course! Happy to!

Leaving Buckhorn Springs
By Sage Cohen

The farmland was an orchestra,
its ochres holding a baritone below
the soft bells of farmhouses,
altos of shadowed hills,
violins grieving the late
afternoon light. When I saw
the horses, glazed over with rain,
the battered old motorcycle parked
beside them, I pulled my car over
and silenced it on the gravel.
The rain and I were diamonds
displacing appetite with mystery.
As the horses turned toward me,
the centuries poured through
their powerful necks and my body
was the drum receiving the pulse
of history. The skin between me
and the world became the rhythm
of the rain keeping time with the sky
and into the music walked
the smallest of the horses. We stood
for many measures considering
each other, his eyes the quarter notes
of my heart’s staccato. This symphony
of privacy and silence: this wildness
that the fence between us could not divide.

Thanks for visiting, Sage!

About Sage Cohen
Sage Cohen is the author of Writing the Life Poetic: An Invitation to Read and Write Poetry and the poetry collection Like the Heart, the World. An award-winning poet, she writes four monthly columns about the craft and business of writing and serves as Poetry Editor for VoiceCatcher 4. Sage co-curates a monthly reading series at Barnes & Noble and teaches the online class Poetry for the People. To learn more, visit www.writingthelifepoetic.com. Drop by and join in the conversation about living and writing a poetic life at www.writingthelifepoetic.typepad.com!

What questions do you have about poetry? If you write poetry, why do you do it?

Link: We Love Moms 2009 Edition

May 8th, 2009 Tags: dictionary, landing pages, networking, twitter Link: We Love Moms 2009 Edition

I’m very lucky to have a fabulous mom. Thanks, Mom.

The Peacock Guide to Landing Pages: Amy mentions the Twitter bio. My advice is to add keywords important to you and your business plus a couple of fun facts about yourself.
The Myth of the Sales Page: Right on, Sean! I’m not going to buy something after clicking a link that takes me to the landing page. This is exactly why businesses need to use different social networking tools.
Effective Networking for Book Publishing: No longer can authors depend on publishers to do the promotion — unless your name is John Grisham or some other hot shot.
An Open Letter to “New” Writers

Free Music Archive: Yes, free and legal.
Paintalicious - Thomas Allen’s Book Art Photography: “Blogzine of exciting contemporary art, showcasing an eclectic mix of underground artists, pop surrealists, emerging and rediscovered counter cultures.”
My First Dictionary: Dick and Jane style wholesome pictures meet cruel world. For word lovers.
&, the carrying case; &, the book and &, the tee: Who doesn’t love that gorgeous symbol? [Links: Havi]
What NOT to get for the baby or toddler

Kids and Books: Taking the Easy Way out

April 13th, 2009 Tags: politics, reading Kids and Books: Taking the Easy Way out

The success of Harry Potter and Twilight has brought about a new argument (might require free registration) that college students pick books to read like 13-year-olds, aren’t motivated to read books that help them make a difference in the world and don’t debate issues. First, we must give these series credit for lighting a fire in kids to read. If it weren’t for these books, some kids may never voluntarily read a book. Besides, these stir plenty of debate about paganism and witchcraft.

Second, kids in colleges still have to read good literature. They don’t get to choose all of their books. Of course, some may get away with avoiding such classes that assign classic or radical literature. Besides, good professors know how to encourage them to speak their minds about hot topics.

I’m grateful I took the two literature classes in college even though I stupidly took them in the same semester (picture me reading EVERYWHERE when I wasn’t in class) with over a dozen books to read between the two classes. In fact, literature courses were my favorite — I also took children’s literature and African literature.

Thanks to these classes, I had the opportunity to read Billy Budd (hated it), Heart of Darkness (ditto), Things Fall Apart (classic African lit — Chinua Achebe, author, visited my campus), Shakespeare’s The Tempest to name a handful. Not all of them were from many decades ago. We read Margaret Atwood and Gabriel Garcia Marquez’ 1985 book, Love in the Time of Cholera.

As for caring about issues and making a difference — my mom instilled that in me with her mighty volunteer work and strong interest in politics. I’m not as big on politics as she is, but I always vote and do my research before voting. I’m an active volunteer with PTA and we advocate for kids by writing letters to our representatives and senators whenever we’re concerned about an issue.

I have three children. One is a freshman in high school. She didn’t read a lot though I stacked her bookshelf with books of all interests. But then, she discovered Twilight (she was the appropriate age and didn’t even like the later books), Georgia Nicholson stories and Mitch Albom. She gobbled these fast. So for her, it’s a matter of finding books she likes. I leave her alone because she never listens to my recommendations aside from Georgia Nicholson (shocked me).

She loves to debate until everyone is blue in the face. She also started a group at her high school to talk about helping other countries. She managed to do that without any books.

My 10-year-old son, on the other hand, hated reading. But he has some issues and attended an intensive program. Since completing that program, he’s more open to reading. He took turns reading Harry Potter and all of HJ Ralles‘ books with Dad. I bought him books on cars, which he loves. It’s a step forward and I’ll take whatever I can get. He’s no pushover, that’s for sure.

The youngest, a kindergartener, loves reading — both being read to and reading. But we’ll see if that lasts once school becomes more work and less play. He already speaks his mind about plenty of things and has a stubborn streak. Could be the Taurus.

I always read. Newspapers, magazines and books. My kids see me reading. That’s all I can do along with talk about something from a book that fascinated me within an earshot or to them.

But I can’t help but wonder how reading will affect the Twitter and Facebook generation. While this generation may not read as much radical lit, they do care about making a difference in the world — just not necessarily with the help of books. The Internet is not bad for them. They connect with others and share their thoughts.

So don’t let go of hope that our young generations don’t care about making a difference or pick books that aren’t as challenging. Embrace anything they read and show them the importance of helping others.

It’ll be OK.

Book Review: The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur

March 24th, 2009 Tags: enterepreneur Book Review: The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur

Beware The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur has a potty mouth, but that’s what makes it endearing and an engaging read. Author and TP entrepreneur (TPE) Mike Michalowicz uses it as his brand. Anyone who doesn’t like potty mouth is probably not his ideal audience anyway. While potty humor — especially in the movies — tends to gross out, Michalowicz uses the humor well without disgusting the reader.

Michalowicz advice comes from his experience. In fact, he has lived in a retirement village because it was all his family could afford while he was trying to start his business.

The book gives you the playbook for your business whether starting out or already going. With less than 200 pages and plenty of examples, it’s a fast and engaging read thanks to the simple conversational writing style. He doesn’t do framework, concept or academic talk (read: boring) — at least not much. Instead, he tells you what you need and urges you to go do it plus throws examples to show how to put the idea in action.

He gives you idea how to get something for very little or nothing. That’s what it means to be a TPE: making the most of the little bits of toilet paper left on the roll with no full roll within reach.

Throw away the business plan. It’s useless. I agree with him because I’ve seen businesses grow and succeed without a business plan. However, he encourages cobbling together a one-paged prosperity plan that makes you cry and hits home along with a quarterly plan and daily metrics.

The book makes an effective first step for anyone thinking about or diving into entrepreneurship. It contains most everything you need to know including what you stand for, focus, marketing and financial management.

No. B.S. Just what you need to get off the pot and make the most out of what you already have.

I’ve added The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur to my list of short and powerful reads.