Helpful Tips for Writers Archives - Page 4 of 7 - Women's National Book Association, San Francisco Chapter

September 25 – WNBA-SF Chapter Virtual Happy Hour Mixer

Join us:

Friday, September 25, 2020

5pm-7pm

We miss you! Let’s get together and catch up on what you’re up to and share how everyone is doing while social distancing and devouring epic reads in your bathtub. Everyone will get time to share including any writing, new articles, books, virtual classes or awards. Please do share your latest news as we need all the good news we can get nowadays, right? It’s a MIXER, so bring a literary friend or two to join the fun. We appreciate our members and would love for you to join us so we can hear about the past months. We’d love to hear about books you have read, books you are writing, books you are publishing, books you are promoting, or libraries you support. We are enthusiastic for anything about the written word.

Zoom is super easy: you just click on the link we will send you once you rsvp and host Elise Marie Collins will invite you in to the Happy Hour.

All you will need is a smart phone, laptop or desktop with camera so you can join via both audio and video.

Some inspired ideas to consider:

Bring your own cocktail and snacks, wine and cheese, coffee, tea, or your favorite literary drink

May we suggest these book and wine pairings:

https://lithub.com/8-novels-for-the-literate-oenophile/

https://www.winemag.com/2011/09/29/wine-ink/

You might also consider a bookish background for your Zooming. Here are some fab options:

https://www.libraryjournal.com/?detailStory=great-libraries-for-your-zoom-background

Whatever you decide, we are really looking forward to connecting, hearing what you are up to and getting inspired. Please rsvp and tell a friend!

Take very good care and see you soon!

Click the button below to RSVP for the mixer; we are limited to 100 total attendees, so please let us know early!

August 21 – Finding #GoalTopia: A Vision Board Workshop for Writers

By Admin

To get what you want, you need to know what you want. It’s even better when you can see the goals you are aspiring to achieve.

In this fun, interactive workshop, Goal Coach Debra Eckerling will lead you through a series of exercises to help you hone in on what you want and then create a vision board – aka Goal Map – for your #GoalTopia. #GoalTopia is that magical place where you are achieving your goals and living your ideal life.

Join Deb, the founder of the D*E*B METHOD® and author of Your Goal Guide: A Roadmap for Setting, Planning, and Achieving Your Goals, for this #GoalTopia Virtual Scavenger Hunt on Zoom.

Visual cues are an inspirational and motivating part of the goal-setting process, and Deb wants to set you up for success. We hope to see you at noon on August 21.

Title: Virtual Networking Goals for Writers

When: Friday August 21, 12pm PT

Where: Zoom –Zoom (link provided via email – RSVP to deckerling@gmail.com – and in the Facebook Event)

About the Book: One of the biggest reasons goals fail is that people often don’t put enough thought into what they really want before diving in. Your Goal Guide by Debra Eckerling starts with that first, crucial step: figuring out your goals and putting a plan in place. Eckerling presents readers with her own tested and proven method: the D*E*B METHOD®, a brainstorming and task-based system, which stands for: Determine Your Mission, Explore Your Options, Brainstorm Your Path. Through a combination of writing exercises and systems, Eckerling provides readers with a process for making and setting goals that is stress-free, easy-to-manage, and even fun.

Debra Eckerling is the author of Your Goal Guide: A Roadmap for Setting, Planning, and Achieving Your Goals (Mango Publishing, January 2020), as well as the self-published Write On Blogging: 51 Tips to Create, Write & Promote Your Blog and Purple Pencil Adventures: Writing Prompts for Kids of All Ages.
A goal coach, project catalyst, and founder of the D*E*B METHOD®, Debra works with individuals and businesses to set goals and manage their projects through one-on one coaching, workshops, and online support. Note: DEB stands for Determine Your Mission, Explore Your Options, Brainstorm Your Path. She is the founder of Write On Online, a live and online community for writers, creatives, and entrepreneurs, as well as host of the #GoalChat Twitter Chat (Sundays at 7pm PT) and the Guided Goals Podcast.

Aug 12 – Create Your Online Style to Sell Yourself… and your book with Judy Baker

By Admin

How to Gain Attention and Respect from Agents, Editors, Publishers, and Readers

Authors recognize the importance of making connections with the right people in the publishing industry. A fabulous first impression can be your doorway into a valuable relationship, book deal, or partnership. Since COVID-19, your first meeting will probably be on a video call. Projecting your personality through the eye of a camera is an art and demands a carefully curated shift from in-person to online conversations and presentations.

Do you impress and connect with your audience on a Zoom call?
Shelley Golden from Shelley Golden Style and Judy Baker from Book Marketing Mentor will show you the way. They have been sharing their insights over Zoom with writers like you. They will show how to pivot your online presence, so you feel more confident and become irresistible within the confines of a small screen.

You will learn to:

Create an outline of talking points to stimulate authentic conversations
Stage your setting to express yourself and impress your audience
Design your look for maximum impact
Define your signature style
Amplify your message

Leave this workshop with tangible results and the ability to:

Craft a powerful statement about who you are and the book(s) you are promoting
Know what it takes to engage the support of your reader tribe in an “on-line” format
Learn the 5 keys to looking your best on camera: camera angle, lighting, background, clothing color, and make-up.
Gain greater respect when inviting people into your home
Show your passion, confidence, and professional image
Create conversations that magnetize your audience

Shelley Golden from Shelley Golden Style will help you enhance your screen presence and signature look, including lighting, background, and image, in real-time.

Judy Baker, Book Marketing Mentor, will help you create a provocative and memorable message that integrates with your image and resonates with your readers. Your authentic, best self is the result.

Where: Zoom (link provided via email – RSVP below)

When: August 12, 2020 Noon PDT

Judy Baker is a professional business coach serving entrepreneurs and authors since 1994. She is an active member of the Bay Area Independent Publishers Association (BAIPA), Napa Valley Writers, the San Francisco Chapter of the Women’s National Book Association, Women in Publishing, and serves on the board of Redwood Writers. We know Baker for her informative and valuable workshops on marketing and skill-building workshops for the Sonoma Chamber of Commerce, The Volunteer Center of Sonoma County, Sonoma County Adult School, the Small Business Development Center, BAIPA and Redwood Writers. judyb@bookmarketingmentor.com bookmarketingmentor.com

Shelley Golden is an International Personal Branding Image Consultant with over 20 years of experience. Shelley is passionate about helping create your unique style to boost your confidence and attract the people you want into your life by creating a powerful unique personal brand through your clothing and overall image.

As 4th generation in the clothing and fashion business, Shelley’s rich experience as a fashion stylist, costume designer, costume historian, tailor, and certified color consultant puts her in a unique category to understand what it takes to create a powerful and successful personal brand

June 6 – You Can Be a Winning Writer: the 4 C’s of Successful Authors w/Joan Gelfand

By Admin

The 4 C’s of Successful Authors: Craft, Commitment, Community and Confidence

Not all writing careers are created equal. Why are some authors quickly catapulted to publishing success while other authors languish? Learn the secrets of how to become a successful author.

In this class, you will learn how to make the 4 C’s approach work for you.

During this workshop, Joan will discuss:

your writing challenges
how to put together a winning book proposal
the difference between a non-fiction and a fiction proposal
cover letters
finding the right agent (or publisher)
what to do once your book is published

Join us on June 6 at Noon for a fun, interactive session.

Where: Zoom (link provided via email – RSVP below)

Author of the #1 Amazon Best Seller, “You Can Be a Winning Writer” (Mango Press), Joan Gelfand’s three volumes of poetry and chapbook of short fiction have garnered over twenty awards and commendations. Joan’s novel “Extreme” set in a Silicon Valley startup will be published by Blue Light Press in July 2020. Joan has taught the 4 C’s approach at conferences and in libraries in the US and Mexico. Her key publications include Los Angeles Review, PANK!, Rattle, Huffington Post, Poetry Flash, Prairie Schooner, Kalliope, Meridian Anthology of Contemporary Poetry, Chicken Soup for the Soul.

Joan coaches writers in person, via Zoom and Skype. http://joangelfand.com

May 26 – Virtual Networking Goals for Writers w/Deb Eckerling

By Admin

Networking is essential for business and personal growth. Fortunately, companies and communities have been working overtime to keep people connected during this challenging time. Conferences are going virtual, while new online groups, mixers, and workshops are popping up each week.

To navigate the new way of networking, join Debra Eckerling, founder of the D*E*B METHOD® and author of Your Goal Guide: A Roadmap for Setting, Planning, and Achieving Your Goals, for a Virtual Lunch N Learn for the Women’s National Book Association – San Francisco Chapter, on May 26 at 12pm PT.

During this workshop, Deb will discuss:

Setting goals for virtual-networking
Finding your “people” online
Following up with new contacts
Networking best practices for writers
And more…

Grab your lunch, a cup of coffee, and a notebook. Join us for a fun, interactive session.

Title: Virtual Networking Goals for Writers

When: May 26, 12pm PT

Where: Zoom –Zoom (link provided via email – RSVP to deckerling@gmail.com – and in the Facebook Event)

About the Book: One of the biggest reasons goals fail is that people often don’t put enough thought into what they really want before diving in. Your Goal Guide by Debra Eckerling starts with that first, crucial step: figuring out your goals and putting a plan in place. Eckerling presents readers with her own tested and proven method: the D*E*B METHOD®, a brainstorming and task-based system, which stands for: Determine Your Mission, Explore Your Options, Brainstorm Your Path. Through a combination of writing exercises and systems, Eckerling provides readers with a process for making and setting goals that is stress-free, easy-to-manage, and even fun.

April 30 – Social Media Goals for Writers w/Deb Eckerling

By Admin

A social media presence is essential for any business. This is especially true for authors who want and need to build relationships with their readers and community.

Social media may appear to be overwhelming. However, there are things you can do to make the process much more user friendly.

Want to learn about Social Media Goals for Writers?

Join Debra Eckerling, founder of the D*E*B METHOD® and author of Your Goal Guide: A Roadmap for Setting, Planning, and Achieving Your Goals, for a Virtual Lunch N Learn for the Women’s National Book Association – San Francisco Chapter, on April 30 at 12pm PT.

During this session, Deb will share tips on:
Getting Started on Social Media
Branding Your Profiles
Best Practices for Posting & Engaging
Setting Social Media Goals
And More

Grab your lunch, a cup of coffee, and a notebook, and join us for a fun, informative, and interactive session.

Title: Social Media Goals for Writers

When: April 30, 12pm PT

Where: Zoom –Zoom (link provided via email – RSVP to deckerling@gmail.com – and in the Facebook Event

April 14 – Goals for Writers, No Matter What w/Deb Eckerling

By Admin

Have you suddenly found yourself with extra time on your hands? It’s the perfect opportunity to move forward with your writing goals!

Debra Eckerling, founder of the D*E*B METHOD® and author of Your Goal Guide: A Roadmap for Setting, Planning, and Achieving Your Goals, will be leading a Virtual Lunch N Learn for the Women’s National Book Association – San Francisco Chapter, on April 14 at 12pm PT.

During this session, Deb will share:

A Variety of Goals for Writers

Strategies for Rethinking Your Goals
Tips for Setting Yourself Up for Success

Grab your lunch, a cup of coffee, and a notebook, and join us for a fun and informative interactive session.

Title: Goals for Writers … No Matter What

When: April 14, 12pm PT

Where: Zoom – https://zoom.us/j/354714993

10 Goals for Writers for 2020

By Admin

By Debra Eckerling, author of Your Goal Guide: A Roadmap for Setting, Planning and Achieving Your Goals (January 2020)

[Editor’s note: In this time of world chaos, we wanted to present something positive for you to focus on, as you deal with the changing times.]

It’s an opportunity to jump into new writing projects … and perhaps revisit some old ones. Whether your long-term goal is to sell a manuscript, get an agent, or break into a new publication, start by setting some short-term writing goals.

I’ve made it easy, and listed some goals to get you started. Keep the ones that resonate, tweak the ones that don’t quite hit the spot, and add new ones that will help you reach your long-term goals.

Here are 10 goals to set you up for writing success in 2020.

Journal Regularly. I’m not going to say journal daily, because for most people that’s not realistic. However, you can make some time for journaling. Spend 5 or 10 minutes, a few days a week, brainstorming your projects, retelling funny people-watching stories, or sharing thoughts of what’s going on in your life. A journal is multipurpose, in that it’s a tracking document for what’s going on in your life, personally, professionally, and creatively. Use it as such.
Research. This is going to be the year you get a leg up as a professional writer, right? Well, if what you’ve been doing is not quite working, try something new. Research new publications, agents, and professional development groups. And don’t stop there. Write a pitch, send a book proposal, go out networking, or all of the above. You never know where research and new connections may lead.
Explore a New Genre or Format. Just like researching new places and people to pitch, why not switch up your writing too. Are you a horror writer? Try writing something personal. A technical writer? Give poetry a try. Here’s a secret, this is for fun. You don’t have to show your work to anyone, unless of course you love it and you want to.
Learn. There is no shortage of continuing education opportunities for writers, both in person and online. Find a conference or workshop to attend. Even better, offer to volunteer at one. By working at an event, you will make even more connections, in addition to learning new things.
Do Something Creative. What – besides writing – gets your creative juices flowing? Painting? Playing or listening to music? Cooking? Gardening? Dancing? If you don’t have a go-to creative outlet beyond writing, it’s time to find one. Try new things throughout the year, and stick with the ones that resonate.
Refresh your Website or Blog. You are a professional, and your website should showcase that. Give your website a mini-makeover. Re-read and re-do your bio page, upload a new headshot, and write a new blog post. And, while you’re at it, send out a newsletter. I’m sure your readers and followers would love to hear from you.
Clean up your LinkedIn Profile. As a social network for professionals, LinkedIn is often the first place people search for you after you meet. Make sure your Summary and Experience sections are up-to-date, and that each includes one or two multimedia links or files.
Spend Time on Social Media. A social media presence is necessary in any business, and that includes writing. Even if you have not yet become known, you should have public social media pages for yourself or your business. It’s another one of those things that gives you a professional leg up and enables you to showcase your expertise by sharing your own content, as well as links your readers will find interesting.
Have Fun. Add fuel to your writing background by going on adventures. These can be close to home – or even at home – or in faraway places. The point is to have fun, enjoy experiences, and learn new things that you can bring back to your writing and in turn share with your audience.
Revisit a Passion Project. Give yourself permission to spend time on a passion project. You know the one – it’s that book, essay, or screenplay that you always wanted to write. Even if it’s an hour a week – or a few hours a month – the time adds up. Stop thinking about it and start doing it. This is your year.

As a writer, it’s important to constantly hone your craft, have new experiences, and put your best foot forward. These goals will give you a head start for a productive and writing-infused 2020.

Best of luck reaching your writing goals.

Debra Eckerling is the author of Your Goal Guide: A Roadmap for Setting, Planning, and Achieving Your Goals (Mango Publishing, January 2020), as well as the self-published Write On Blogging: 51 Tips to Create, Write & Promote Your Blog and Purple Pencil Adventures: Writing Prompts for Kids of All Ages.
A goal coach, project catalyst, and founder of the D*E*B METHOD®, Debra works with individuals and businesses to set goals and manage their projects through one-on one coaching, workshops, and online support. Note: DEB stands for Determine Your Mission, Explore Your Options, Brainstorm Your Path. She is the founder of Write On Online, a live and online community for writers, creatives, and entrepreneurs, as well as host of the #GoalChat Twitter Chat (Sundays at 7pm PT) and the Guided Goals Podcast.

It’s Complicated: 3 Rules for Writing about Difficult Relationships

By Admin

By Nita Sweeney, author of Depression Hates a Moving Target

“Love truth, but pardon error.” – Voltaire

If my mother hadn’t died, she would have been 89 on March 1st. And if she hadn’t died, I might not have written Depression Hates a Moving Target: How Running with My Dog Brought Me Back from the Brink because I’m not sure I would have taken up running. Sorry for the cliffhanger, but the book tells that story.

When I posted a photo of Mom on social media, as I do nearly every year on her birthday, friends and family commented with fond memories. They weren’t making it up. She could be kind, thoughtful, generous, creative, witty, and brilliant.

But she was the most confusing person in my life.

Mom only appears on a few pages of my running and mental health memoir, but she might be the most interesting person in the story. The year after she died, I wrote a first draft of a memoir about our relationship. I found the writing so painful that I set it aside to heal and gain perspective.

Her birthday and my reaction to the social media comments (curiosity and a bit of terror at the thought of what people who loved her might think after they read the book) led me to ponder how we can love someone so much yet also find the relationship so hard. As a writer, I reflected on how to write about difficult relationships.

Did her death grant me artistic license to tell the truth?

I’ve written before about Mary Karr’s admonition to memoirists. Karr, author of the memoir The Liar’s Club, one of the first memoirs about dysfunctional families to hit the best-seller list, has been referred to as “grande dame memoirista.” When she spoke at a nonfiction conference I attended years ago, Karr didn’t mince words. “Don’t make shit up.”

When I wrote this memoir (and the other memoir drafts sitting in files on my computer and in boxes in our basement) I heeded Karr’s words. “Don’t make shit up” was my canon, my lodestar, my guiding light. I wrote with abandon while compulsively checking journals, running logs, and datebooks to ensure accuracy.

Then came the revisions where I had to decide what I really wanted to say. How could I portray my experience without making any of the people in the book, and especially my mother, look like either monsters or saints?

Here are three rules I used in both parts of the process:

BE BRUTAL. I wrote it all down. I used full names, actual places, true occupations. I wrote what everyone said and how it made me feel. I laughed, screamed, and cried. I put myself back in the scene and relived it on the page.
BE KIND. I summoned empathy. I asked myself what the other person might say if they could tell their side of the story. I asked myself if I could be wrong about what happened or why it happened and I wrote that too. While I told the story from my perspective, it’s more interesting (and honest) to see all aspects. Perhaps it’s my legal training or my “mediator” personality, but after the dust of the first draft had settled, I found great relief in asking these questions. It added depth to a story that might otherwise lie flat.
CHOP IT IN HALF. Then I cut, cut, cut. My first drafts are gargantuan creatures, unwieldy and wild. Trimming and tightening helped me see where I may have been mistaken and (I hope) allows the truth to shine through.

[This article originally appeared in Nita’s blog, Bum Glue.]

Nita Sweeney is the author of the memoir, Depression Hates a Moving Target: How Running with My Dog Brought Me Back from the Brink, which was short-listed for the William Faulkner – William Wisdom Creative Writing Competition Award and the Dog Writers Association of America Award. Her articles, essays, and poetry have appeared in magazines, journals, books, and blogs including Buddhist America, Dog World, Dog Fancy, Writer’s Journal, Country Living, Pitkin Review, The Taos News, Spring Street, Pencil Storm, WNBA-SF, It’s Not Your Journey, and in several newspapers and newsletters. She writes the blog, Bum Glue, publishes the monthly e-newsletter, Write Now Columbus, and coaches writers in Natalie Goldberg style “writing practice.” Nita has been featured widely across media outlets about writing, running, meditation, mental health, and pet care. She was nominated for an Ohio Arts Council Governor’s Award and her poem, “Memorial,” won the Dublin Arts Council Poet’s Choice Award. When she’s not writing or coaching, Nita runs and races. She has completed three full marathons, twenty-eight half marathons (in eighteen states), and more than ninety shorter races. Nita lives in central Ohio with her husband and biggest fan, Ed, and their yellow Labrador running partner, Scarlet the #ninetyninepercentgooddog.

Path to Publishing Panel: Does Social Media Really Sell Books?

By Admin

Wednesday, March 18, 2020 – 6:00pm
New Format:
Book Passage Social Media Panel is on Zoom!

Zoom Sign up Here.

Book Passage, SF Ferry Building, presents a powerful panel discussion of one of the most popular subjects generally introverted authors want to know about. WNBA-SF’s own Elise Marie Collins joins members of the Author’s Guild to clear up many of the myths and truths about social media for writers.

Presented with the Authors Guild and the Women’s National Book Association

Authors often hear that they should spend time on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and a half dozen other platforms building an audience for their writing. Handled adroitly, social media can prove to be a powerful tool. This panel discussion will cover specific examples of entranced audiences, signed deals, and careers launched from writers who have made social media work for them.

Panelists

Laird Harrison
A genre nonconforming writer, Laird Harrison has published journalism and poetry, fiction and essays for magazines, literary journals, newspapers, book publishers, and websites, and worked in radio and video as well. He teaches at the the Writers Grotto.

Nayomi Munaweera
Nayomi Munaweera’s book Island of a Thousand Mirrors won the 2013 Commonwealth Book Prize for the Asian Region. She found her agent and first publisher on Facebook.

Lyzette Wanzer
Lyzette Wanzer is a San Francisco writer, editor, and creative writing workshop instructor. Her work reflects the peri-racial, social, and economic experiences of African-Americans and others. She’s a true believer in LinkedIn, and has taught many workshops on that topic.

Elise Marie Collins
Elise Marie Collins has consulted with small businesses, authors, and alumni associations on social media marketing and believes that a social media plan should be intuitive, fun, and seamless. Helping students and clients form healthy lifestyle patterns is Elise Collins’ passion and life purpose. She has taught yoga for the past 20 years and is the author of several books on healthy living, including her latest, Super Ager: You Can Look Younger, Have More Energy, a Better Memory, and Live a Long and Healthy Life. Elise enjoys sharing yoga wisdom and current scientific research.

Nilofer Merchant
Nilofer Merchant, a tech executive of 25 years is now an author of 3 non-fiction books reshaping work to create more value by valuing each of us. Named one of the top 50 management thinkers of our time by Thinkers50, and top 10 HR thinkers by HR Magazine, Nilofer has given a TED talk that has been cited 300 million times.

Building a platform is now standard for all authors and writers. But what does this mean? Platform these days must include all forms of social media. Writers frequently and fearfully ask: Do you have to have a following to write a book? Yes and no! It NEVER hurts to develop your social media chops! The short answer: In general, social media cultivation helps you get traction, unless you’re lucky enough to have a book idea that catches on like wildfire.

Social media is like kindling for that fire. You put your ideas and see which ones light up! Social media is a great way to spread your ideas, bring fans on board, and spark conversations.

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