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Coronado Adult EducationSpring 2017

Establishing an Online Presence February 14, 2017

Recap of What We Covered Last Week

“The Great American Novel”

• Great or not-so-great? What you need to know getting started

• Mainstream or genre? Which way should you go?• Defining your audience and picking a point of view• Getting the sale with a publisher

This Week:Establishing an Online Presence

Establishing an Online Presence

• Review of weeks one through four– Why write – writing skills in general– Writing for and selling for publication – Writing and selling non-fiction– Writing and selling novels

• What makes your online material unique?• Beating the competition for “eyes”• Balancing content and entertainment• Doing-it-yourself…or…?

Week One: Why Write?

• History is what writers say it is• Picking your medium• A building block approach• Due diligence the easy way

“History is what the historians and writers say it is.”

Norman Polmar(Forty books – and

counting)

Recap of What We Talked Aboutin Week One

• Telling stories is what we humans do• Determining the “Five Ws” of writing• Evaluating the universe of outlets for your writing• It usually starts with what you read• Due diligence – the internet and your library • Do write that “family pass-down”

Week Two: First - and Essential - Steps

• Content-hungry media• Recycling and building content• Building relationships with editors – a win-win for

both parties• Solo or with a wingman? The pros and cons of

collaboration

“Writing has to have a purpose; it’s meant to communicate something to someone. If you’re not ready to write for the general public, then try writing for a very specific audience, one you know will be happy to hear from you.”

Robert Masello Robert’s Rules of Writing

Recap of What We Talked Aboutin Week Two

• Written and online media can’t exist without content• Above all else – write what you’re passionate about• John Boswell’s “rules of what to write”• Getting started and “building up”• Repurposing content and growing your expertise• Doing something old & familiar and new & exciting

Week Three:Non-Fiction - The Hungry Market

• Being - or becoming - the expert?• Pursuing a subject - or letting life happen?• Scratching itches - or entertaining?• How much to tell and what’s next?

“A blank piece of paper is God’s way of telling us how hard it is to be God.”

Sidney Sheldon

Recap of What We Talked Aboutin Week Three

• The majority of published books are non-fiction• The market is easier to enter than fiction• This medium returns you to John Boswell’s “rules”• Being of becoming the expert• The art and science of query letters• The full-on book proposal – your audition

Week Four: “The Great American Novel”

• Great or not-so-great? What you need to know getting started

• Mainstream or genre? Which way should you go?• Defining your audience and picking a “voice” and

point of view• Getting the sale

“For me, I gotta write, and it’s the adventure of it that’s hooked me. As the writer, I can do it all. I get to be the National Security Advisor who recommends the action to the President who must commit the forces. I’m the senior officer who sends his men into action and who feels the pain if they don’t make it back. I’m the enemy and the defender; logistician and staff planner. But most of all, I’m a young man again, that fresh lieutenant who must lead his men into battle.”

Dick Couch“So you Want to be a Writer”

Recap of What We Talked Aboutin Week Four

• Non-fiction is mostly the “what”• Fiction is primarily the “how”• There are essential elements to any work of fiction• We know what readers demand from a novel (DK)• Plot and character should be your primary focus• But you weave your style around that!

As Promised, Let’s Mine Some of What Was Presented at the SDSU

Writer’s Conference Talk a Bit More About Writing Fiction

Our Semi-Deep Dive Into Fiction

• Revisit the Freytag Pyramid• How to start your novel – Act One• What makes a reader keep reading• What makes a reader stop reading

TheFreytag

Pyramid

First Focal Point:What Should Happen in Your Novel

• Act One:• Opening image• Meet the hero or heroine• Experience the hero or heroine’s ordinary world• Learn about the hero or heroine’s inner desires• Learn about the hero or heroine’s problems• Learn about the hero or heroine’s ghosts• Learn about the hero or heroine’s special skills• Create the inciting incident – have a sequence one climax

Wait! There’s MoreWrapping Up Act One of Three Acts

• Act One (continued):• Meet the antagonist• Show the theme of what the story is about• Introduce allies• Lay pipe for later setups• Reveal hopes or fears for hero or heroine• Introduce a ticking clock• Get to the central question and the central story action• Reveal the hero or heroine’s plan

“When he finished packing, he walked out onto the third-floor porch of the barracks brushing the dust from is hands, a very neat and deceptively slim young man in summer khakis that were still early morning fresh.”

James JonesFrom Here to EternityOpening sentence

You’d be well served if, at the end of Act One, you stop and ask two questions:

What will make someone keep reading?Why would someone stop reading?

What will make someone keep reading?

• Something happens• The story is told in a strong voice• The level of craftsmanship is high• The characters make me feel something• The writer has gained my confidence• I want to know what happens next• There’s a market for this kind of story• The prose is clear, clean and concise

Why would someone stop reading?

• I’ve seen it before• Nothing happens right away• There isn’t a strong voice telling the story• I’m bored• I’m not connecting with any of the characters• I can’t tell what kind of story I’m reading• I don’t care what happens next• The plot is unbelievable or full of clichés• The dialogue doesn’t sound like real people• There are typos, spelling and grammatical errors

Whew! Finally, Now Let’s Talk AboutEstablishing an Online Presence

Establishing an Online Presence

• Review of weeks one through four– Why write – writing skills in general– Writing for and selling for publication – Writing and selling non-fiction– Writing and selling novels

• What makes your online material unique?• Beating the competition for “eyes”• Balancing content and entertainment• Doing-it-yourself…or…?

Websites of Writers We Like

• Cinders: Sarah Kay: http://www.kaysarahsera.com/• Emily: Rolf Potts: www.rolfpotts.com.• Frank: Orson Scott Card: http://www.orsonscottcard.com/• George: Stephen Coonts: http://www.coonts.com/

Let’s get into some specifics of the online “you”

But first, what are you trying to accomplish with the online “you?”

“There is only one recipe for a bestseller and it is a very simple one. If you look back on all the bestsellers you have read, you will find they all have one quality” you simply have to turn the page.”

Ian FlemingHow to Write a Thriller

The Three Elements of the “Online You”

Engagement Design

VisibilityDo all three and you are marketing

successfully

Design

What Makes Your Online Material Unique?

• Are you providing something people can’t get anywhere else or get as easily?

• Are you aiming at the right attention span of online tourists?

• Determining the right level of effort in refreshing your online content

• Balancing what you give away online and what you want to sell to visitors

Beating the Competition for Online Eyes

• Above all else, when someone “Googles” your name your website must pop up at the top

• It’s not just about getting that initial visitor – it’s about getting him or her to keep coming back

• Most online visitors are taking a break from what they have to do at work or home

• Think of your website the same way as what you write – tell people a story

Balancing Content and Entertainment

• People will tire of the monotonous “professor” telling them “like this damn you” (from Ian Fleming)

• People will tire of dancing bears, dwarfs throwing rose petals and fireworks

• Achieving the right blend and balance is your online presence style

• Press the “Easy Button” with your due diligence: Visit the websites of writers whose work you enjoy

Doing It Yourself Or Having It Done

• Your website is “you” to people you will likely never meet – but who you want to entertain

• There are cottage industries of books, seminars, tools and coaches to help you build your own website

• There are legions of people and businesses who will do it for you

• If you have the time and energy and want to use your left and right brain – try doing it yourself

We’ll talk about engagement and visibility next week

In the meantime, here is one source for advice: www.fauiziaburke.com

Let’s look at some examples of websites of people who write….

Some Writers Who Have Done It Themselves

• Fauizia Burke– http://www.fauziaburke.com/

• Jeff Edwards– http://navythriller.com

• Janice Steinberg– thetinhorse.com

Some Writers Who Have Had Someone Else Build Their Website

• Dick Couch– www.dickcouch.com

• Larry Bond– http://www.larry-bond.com

• Your guide for this course– www.georgegaldorisi.com

Some Ways to Find More Examples

• “Google” writers you enjoy• Go online for advice about online presence• Check with local businesses in Coronado• Our library has additional resources

Website Constants Regardless of Who Builds and Maintains the Site

• You will need to provide the content• You will want to add content frequently• You will want to use social media to drive people to

your website• The longer you have your website the more it will

become your “professional persona”

“You are the CEO of your own career.”David SonaNavy Transition CourseCirca 2000

Slides Posted:http://www.georgegaldorisi.com/

Next Week

Social Media-Challenges and Opportunities

• Everyone is doing it• Vote early and often• Building a following• Sustaining momentum

Questions?