Upcoming literary events
Dayton Book Expo: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Sinclair Community College's Ponitz Center, 444 W. Third St., Dayton. Panel discussions, readings, book signings and activities for children. For information, call (937) 265-9412 or visit www.daytonbookexpo.com.
Book signing event: 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday at Barnes and Noble, 2619 Miamisburg-Centerville Road, Dayton. Miamisburg resident Sue Schomburg, author of "A Day with Baby Sue," will sign her children's book, which illustrates a day filled with family fun at a birthday party and then an amusement park, where Baby Sue rides the carousel, climbs to the top of the Ferris wheel and has a high-flying adventure on a roller coaster. Baby Sue's day underscores the importance of spending quality time with family.
"Options in the Changing World of Publishing," a free workshop: 2 to 4 p.m. May 7 at the Springboro Library, 125 Park Lane, Springboro. Presenter is Jane Friedman, former publisher and editorial director of Writer's Digest and a visiting professor of e-media at the University of Cincinnati. For information, call (937) 748-3200 or visit www.fspl.org.
26th annual Antioch Writers' Workshop: July 9-15 in Yellow Springs. Nancy Pickard, author of "The Scent of Rain and Lightning," "The Virgin of Small Plains" and "Seven Steps on the Writer's Path," will be the keynote speaker and morning fiction instructor. Other faculty include Rakesh Satyal, Martha Moody, Lucrecia Guerrero, Matthew Goodman, Jim Daniels, Jamey Dunham, Joyce Dyer, Rebecca Morean, Katrina Kittle, visiting agent Suzie Townsend (FinePrint Literary Management), visiting editor Kevin Watson (Press 53), and AWW alumni First Book Speaker Kristina McBride. The 15th annual Dayton Daily News Creative Writing Contest is in partnership with the AWW. Winners will be notified in May. For more information, visit www.antiochwritersworkshop.com.
Word's Worth Writing Connections: Offers ongoing writing workshops by Darren McGarvey, an English and drama teacher at Fairmont High School in Kettering, and local author Katrina Kittle. Information at www.wordsworthdayton.com.
Self-publishing tips
There was a time when self-publishing was essentially considered vanity press, but that notion is outdated.
“Self-publishing doesn’t have the stigma it used to have. We’re beginning to see traditional authors move to self-publishing models (strictly ebook distribution models) because they see more profit in it—because they can earn a much higher royalty,” said Jane Friedman, a visiting professor of e-media at the University of Cincinnati.
A.J. McDonald, the director of public relations for lulu.com, a self-publishing website, confirmed the ebook phenomenon.
“Ebooks are enabling authors to be much more competitive in the market and it’s astonishing,” said McDonald.
At lulu.com, people can create customized books, in print or ebook format, by uploading their manuscript, photos or digital files. Formatting tools to set up any thing from binding to cover art, as well as social-networking tools for creators, are also provided.
He said the self-publishing avenue also gives writers creative freedom.
“The big motivator here is no one here is going to say chapter 10 should be chapter 7 or change the narrative,” he said.
Valerie J. Lewis Coleman, a local author and founder of www.penofthewriter.com, added the beauty of being self-published is you will have more leverage with traditional publishers.
She recently guided Sarah Acton’s English class at the Trotwood-Madison High School through the process of publishing “A Kingdom Waiting: Loss, Triumph and the Young Spirit,” a collection of stories the students had written about loss. It will be released Saturday at the Dayton Book Expo.
For Stephen L. Baker, publishing his science-fiction novel, “United Worlds Authority: Wrong Time and Place” on his own was a task in time and finances, but well worth it. Baker, who retired from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in 2007, said he has enjoyed moderate success thus far.
“The key words in this activity are 'self’ and 'persistence,’” he said. “You are everything from the writer-author, the publisher, the marketer, the website designer, and everything in between.”
And success in the self-publishing world requires self-promotion.
“The world wide web has allowed us to promote our books with the push of a button,” added Karen M.R. Townsend. “While I would love to go on a national book tour, if time or resources were to make that impossible, through the use of Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc., I have the power to promote my book to the world.”
The literary landscape in the Dayton area is in full bloom this spring, with writers’ workshops and book club dates filling calenders.
It’s also a time for local authors to tweak their latest works.
Although the Miami Valley is far from the storied publishing empire of New York City, local authors say location isn’t the factor it used to be in getting a book published.
Dayton is a comfortable and affordable place to live and write says Katrina Kittle, author of four novels and a book for tweens, “Reasons to be Happy,” that will be published this fall.
Dr. Martha Moody, who has three novels out and is working on “Sharp and Dangerous Virtues,” a tale set in a futuristic war-time Dayton, agrees.
“Dayton is a good place; thank God, you don’t have to go to cocktail parties and schmooze with editors and publishers,” she said with a laugh.
Jane Friedman, a visiting assistant professor at the University of Cincinnati, teaches students majoring in e-media about publishing.
“There aren’t really any advantages or disadvantages when it comes to a writer’s geography or location. Perhaps being in New York City, or in California, or in a big city, would help you more easily find other published authors, as well as publishing industry professionals. ... But any writer who looks hard enough can find a community of their own wherever they live, especially with the Web.”
So you think you can write?
It’s natural for those of us who enjoy writing to occasionally fantasize about the writing the Great American Novel.
Here is the good news: Bookstores, libraries and the Internet have afforded writers immeasurable resources. Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Blogspot are smart and inexpensive ways to get the word out — anywhere, anytime.
Karen M.R. Townsend, author of “It All Started When I Stopped Wearing Lotion: One Woman’s Journey From Chaos to Calm,” and the featured author at this year’s Dayton Book Expo on Saturday at Sinclair Community College, said we all have at least one book in us. The challenge is cranking out stories.
“I would encourage every aspiring writer to start writing,” said Townsend, a Clayton resident. “As both a recovering procrastinator and a perfectionist, my biggest challenge was getting started. I wanted to make sure that everything I wrote was perfect. Then someone said to me, ‘You don’t have to get perfect, just get started.’ ’’
Local writers’ advice to anyone aspiring to write a novel, memoir, how-to guide or cookbook: Write, revise, edit. And then do it again.
“You can always make it better, but first you have to make it exist. If you really want to write, you have to find the time,” Kittle said.
Friedman, who also is the former publisher of Writer’s Digest and an authority on all forms of publishing, traditional and emerging, said her two rules for writers are for them to read voraciously and write a lot.
“After that point, it’s about getting quality feedback from both peers and mentors who can help point out your weaknesses. As far as books I recommend, ‘Plot & Structure’ by James Scott Bell is one of the best books for any writer trying to write a successful commercial novel.”
Kittle also recommends “Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Life and Writing” by Anne Lamott and “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron.
Moody adds: “Write two paragraphs a day and get a day job,” which will help preserve your sanity and self-esteem.
A labor of love
Armed with “lots and lots of chocolate,” Kristina McBride, author of the young-adult novel “The Tension of Opposites”, said she went through the arduous process of revising her third book before her agent pitched it to 10 publishing companies.
“I probably got 150 rejections on my first two books before I got an agent. Even if you are getting rejections, you’re in the game and people are noticing. It’s worth it if you can just keep yourself going.”
Townsend said patience was a virtue when it came to writing her book.
“The process took much longer than I ever planned—it took me almost 10 years to write this book. That’s something else aspiring writers should know. It usually takes longer than you think. But it’s never too long, and it’s never too late.”
McBride’s next book, “One Moment,” will be released in the summer of 2012.
“It’s so crazy how long this process takes,” said McBride, who taught English at Springboro High School for eight years before she quit after the birth of her first child. “I am actually working on what should be close to my final draft.”
But the Centerville resident points out that hardly means the finish line is in sight. The final draft then will be copy edited, a process that will take about a year, and every comma, quote and parentheses will be scrutinized.
Worthy workshops
Most writers agree writing clubs and workshops are vital to keeping the creative spirit stoked. Again, look at what classes or courses libraries, colleges and bookstores offer.
If one doesn’t exist, consider creating a writers’ group with like-minded people.
Some advance advice from New York Times best-selling author Nancy Pickard, who lives in Merriam, Kan., and will lead the fiction session of the morning classes at the Antioch Writers’ Workshop July 9-15: “If anybody makes you feel like not writing, run like hell in the opposite direction.”
A room of your own
As a way to stay focused, the authors recommend carving out a space to focus on the craft of writing.
For Kittle, a sun-drenched room in her Kettering home overlooking her prized gardens is the best spot to be.
Townsend prefers what she calls her “third space,” usually a coffehouse, where she can unleash her imagination without chores at home nagging her.
“Your third place is not your home because you will probably be distracted by all the things that need to be done around the house,” Townsend said. “Neither should your third place be your office, because you need to work while you are at work. And even if you attempt to write after hours, there is the chance you will be distracted by that one unfinished project.”
Above all, local authors encourage anyone hoping to be published to embrace the writing process and be prepared for ever-changing technology and the whims of your audience.
Find your voice, and let it be heard.
“The future of writing, reading and literacy is bright,” Friedman noted. “But it won’t necessarily take the shape you want it to. Many people have idealized fantasies about long-form reading and the experience of deep immersion in a book. That’s not dying, but times are changing. We’re becoming a more visual, interactive culture.”
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