Hope Freelancing

First, I must preface this with explaining that genres, especially fantasy, have certain expectations that accompany them. As in, when readers read fantasy, science fiction, mystery, or romance novels, they expect something from them. Let's just cover fantasy for now, but I will come back to the others in a later post.

According to How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy by Orson Scott Card, the fantasy genre was created in the 1960's when The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien were introduced to the world. With their success, other fantasy writers started to make it big, and the genre exploded with popularity from then on; readers finally had a new kind of speculative fiction to read other than science fiction.

Fantasy is set in a universe that does not follow our rules as our world. Basically, "fantasy is about what couldn't be" (Card). Anything is possible in a fantasy -- and that's the big difference between it and every other genre -- but the author creates a new set of laws for that specific world that cannot be broken. For example, how far does magic go? What kind of animals exist and why? What powers can people have or not have? If you don't follow the rules of the realm, expect your book to tank.

So, now I come to my real purpose for writing this: the series I think is the best, hands down, of any fantasy series... except The Lord of the Rings trilogy, because Tolkien created a new genre (and no one can beat that).

The winner is The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. Before Harry Potter came Rand al'Thor, a young farmer who turned out to be the key to saving his world from utter darkness. Eventually doomed to reach insanity, he explores the world he is supposed to rule, all to keep the Dark One from ruling The Wheel -- the circle of energy and life and all that exists, creating perfect balance and harmony.

Just to tell you how awesome this series is, book 8 through book 13 have all made #1 on the New York Times Best Seller list. If that wasn't enough, it is a 14-book series that you literally feel a part of -- you travel with Rand until the end, unveiling this mysterious world full of strange rules, cultures, and power. And, the books are written so you never want to put them down. He leads off with a simple beginning, then creates loads of character development, rising action, then a huge cliff-hanger ending (sometimes literally one sentence), which leaves you salivating for the next book. However, be warned that you then must patiently wade through his new beginning, character development, etc. to get to a new huge ending. Your brain may or may not explode from good writing. 
 
But again, if you don't like fantasy, don't read it, because you won't appreciate it.

So I just finished designing a 38-page website in less than 2 months, which, needless to say, is pretty intense. All the little things that go in to designing it--the things you don't always think about--were the most important. Examples: Facebook icon & link, links to other pages, photos for each little detail, etc. Although it was tricky to get it done in that short amount of time, it taught me a lesson or two about designing websites, time management, and communication.

Designing websites lesson: Do the most important (not necessarily the easiest) thing first. Also, make sure you have all the information, and I mean alllllll of it. And most importantly, your job will never be over. There will always be updates, new information, redesigns, typos, and the list goes on...

Time management lesson: Do a little each day and it won't drive you nuts.

Communication lesson: Talk to your client! Figure out what they want on the website (each little, pain-staking detail). Make a list of every little thing you need for each page of the site. Check off each tiny item as you get it done. This way, everyone is organized and happy.

http://www.heartforhim.org

Sorry we haven't written in a while; we've been working on our website, along with mini-websites for our artists. Hope Freelancing is really taking off.

Ian Stotts has been working on a logo for an up-and-coming cookware company; Danielle Bergey has been working on a website for a missionary organization, Heartland International Ministries; Julie Knapp and Sarah Elizabeth have been added on our team.

Julie is a fantastic graphic designer who has worked on projects for a bunch of companies, including Reece & Nichols. Sarah is our craft guru--she has photos up for sale, but soon she'll display pre-made scrapbook pages and homemade greeting cards for purchase. You should also check out her "Make Your Own" feature.

Oh yes, and I want to mention that we can do book reviews on this blog now. Well, with all that being said, I think you're all caught up now. See you next time, and make sure to let us know what you think about our new look!

For writing:
     If you're having trouble writing or making time for it, set aside time for it. Chances are, you'll never have time to write, because there are so many other things on our plates, so set a goal -- either a word amount or a certain time limit -- for every day; "practice makes perfect." And read! Reading other genres, getting a feel for the vocabulary published authors use, and keeping up with current trends will improve your writing exponentially.
     As for trying to get published, look up some examples of query letters and write them as you would a chapter: draft after draft until you perfect it. Sometimes -- check that -- almost ALWAYS, publishers need to be convinced that you are worth publishing. They don't just need good writing, they need a charismatic author who will go on tour and schmooze the crowds. Show them what you have to offer.

For art:
     First, get an education where you can, either at a community college, career center, specialty school, or just taking a few classes. This will not only better your skill, but it will give you contacts in your field. Depending on what kind of art you do, you can start small by renting booths at art festivals or flea markets, or go big with your own business (website, marketing, and all). But, perhaps the most important thing to do it practice, practice, practice! Draw, paint, sew; do whatever it is you do a little bit each day. You will find that with practice, your art will get better and better.

So I recently had a super-secret mission to consult an author on his mystery book. I can't say anything other than that because of a contract, but I will say it was a great learning experience. See, each author has their own style, drive, and way of speaking. This author used the present tense, which I had never really encountered with adult literature (it is most often in children's literature because they haven't learned tenses well yet). I will say that though it was jarring at first, I didn't mind it because the plot was good. Maybe this is the beginning to a new writing style...

Also, over Labor Day weekend, I saw a woman in the airport reading Naked Heat by "Richard Castle" from the show Castle on ABC. I think the idea to create books from a show about an author is genius (again, this usually only occurs in children's lit.). Will this also be a new trend? I hope so.

Check out these great resources sites for how to market yourself or your book:

http://www.author-promotion.com/tips.html
http://bookmarketingmaven.typepad.com/

Just remember, marketing is part of the game. I know some of you may just like to sit and write and not be disturbed, but if you market your book, you'll be able to do just that: sit and write and not be disturbed.

One thing I learned in the publishing industry is that there are a lot of different types of editors:

Acquisitions Editor - Usually used within the textbook realm, this person finds an author to write a book. They are basically the agent of the textbook world.

Copyeditor - Someone who is obsessed with perfection, a copyeditor focuses on the little things such as punctuation, sentence structure, and grammar.

Developmental Editor - This person helps the book develop; he or she aides the author in writing the book sometimes (like a ghostwriter), does research so that the book is accurate, and occasionally rewrites the manuscript for another age level.

Editor - Editing is reading the manuscript for content and organization, such as changing a character or rewriting a chapter.

Fact Checker - This is pretty self-explanatory; they verify information given to them.

Managing Editor - This term is most often found in newspaper publishing. This person manages the other employees (sometimes editors) to complete the work; in newspapers, this person may be in charge of getting stories from all departments.

Production Editor - This editor is essentially the middleman between the editorial department and production (art, printing press, etc.). He or she copyedits the manuscript one last time, gives it to an artist to design, and reads the proof. "Production editing is often considered the most interesting and varied job in publishing." (Karen Judd, Copyediting)

Proofreader - A proofreader looks over the manuscript after it has been designed, formatted, and paged. Basically, if you don't absolutely have to make a change in this stage, don't, because it's expensive and time-consuming.

You would be surprised how many people don't know how to write a decent academic paper. This may be because they weren't taught, didn't care, or were just not good at it. Here are a few rules to follow while writing academic papers:

1. The simple structure of the paper as a whole should be introductory paragraph with a hook, body paragraphs, then a conclusion paragraph that restates the introductory paragraph.
2. Start with a simple thesis statement that should go at the end of the introductory paragraph. A thesis statement looks like this: This is this way because of one, two, and three. For example, Pride and Prejudice is a feminist piece of writing because of its strong female protagonist, its idea of women no longer depending on men, and the inadequacy of male characters. (Not that that statement is true; it's just a structural example.) Or to put it another way: Cheese is fantastic because it has a creamy texture, it is healthy for you, and the variety of ways it can be eaten.
3. Make sure each body paragraph keeps in line with the thesis statement; don't go off topic. For example, the first one or two paragraphs after your introduction should be devoted to the first point of your thesis statement (it has a creamy texture), the next two paragraphs should deal with the second point, and so on.

There is perhaps one distinct difference between the art world and graphic design realm: relation to clients.

See, in college, artists are taught to explore everything, try new things, expand horizons; the client pays for new, raw creativity. Graphic design students are taught to stick to what the client wants; so what if you don't like those colors together--that's what the client wants, even if it's a terrible design.

Check out this article about graphic design and the creative p: http://www.alistapart.com/articles/design-criticism-creative-process/

1. On your social media sites, don't just try to sell your product; engage your audience by giving relevant information on the topic and keeping up with current events.

2. You have a voice, but remember to keep it consistant. If your book is funny, make your quick facts sheet, postcards, and bookmarks funny (don't suddenly change to super staunchy professional).

3. Depending on what you're selling and how low the price is already, discounts are a must! Even for a week at a time. The fact is, numbers (especially discounts) sell.

4. Get endorsements. Seek out big companies in your field, newspapers (even local ones), magazines, university professors, etc. to say something nice about your product.

5. Blog tours and local tours are a good tool. Find some blogs on your topic and get them to interview you, review your product, or get a behind-the-scenes look at different times spaced within a month. As for local tours-- walk around to bookstores (or other companies) to see if they want to buy your product (don't forget your quick facts sheet!).