It started with chick-lit

First there was chick-lit, segmenting the popular fiction category into a subgroup of lighter novels, fun to read and easy, Most importantly, it was aimed at the target audience of book-reading females. Those who like the genre and found it relevant helped spread the popularity of chick-lit titles.

Then we saw the proliferation of YA (young adult), gothic and the recent steamy books turning people 50 shades of red.

Where have we come today? Writer's Relief suggests we're up against "new adult fiction" (NA) as the hot new thing. A USA Today article suggests this sub-genre appeals to readers between adolescence and adulthood, mostly those in college

Think 'young love' but without the happy ending readers desired in the past.


Writer's Relief helps you decide if your next novel fits the NA category with a brief checklist. Read their full post and the checklist here.

Yes, writers must work at promotion...

Quoting here from an ASJA's 2013 conference speaker, Brian Feinblum.

"Take matters of PR and marketing into your own hands.  Few people are solely writers – most writers also must promote and market their work, or hire others to assist.  But if you just have wild expectations, hopes or misguided beliefs about your role and what publishers do for you, you’ll find yourself frustrated.  You are a writer, and you are a promoter, and marketer, even if your business card doesn’t say so."

Source: Brian Feinblum, the creator and author of BookMarketingBuzzBlog, is the chief marketing officer for the nation's largest book promotions firm, Media Connect (www.Media-Connect.com), formerly Planned Television Arts

A little advice on succssful pitches

Thanks to Book Marketing Buzz for their timely tips on their blog. If I was going to BEA this year, I'd definitely nest in their corner and absorb more of their top marketing ideas.  With Spring in full swing, those of us who want to get articles published this year better step up. Knowing the long cycle from query to assignment, your pitch in May might be in print by November.

A recent post on their blog discusses the best ways to pitch the media when most of them are understaffed. The answer ,of course, is to make their job easier.

The way to appeal to the news media is:

<    * Localize your story when possible

<     * Have a truly timely and news-worthy hook

<     * Present a story that is easy to cover, with well-packaged materials such as written content, videos, or visuals

<     * Let them know you have a large platform, such as a big number of Twitter followers or YouTube viewers –
  this will move them to cover you because they hope your social media fans will follow them

<     * Say something new or something old in a new way

<     * Don’t make the media have to think, do research, or download 50 things – make your pitch short, simple and catchy.

Santa Fe photo shoot-out

Part of the travel writing workshop with Travel Writing on Location was our photo shoot-out yesterday.

What better American city than Santa Fe to take great photos. From the amazing LaFonda Hotel filled with art and history to "The City Different" in glorious color.

LaFonda Terrace Concierge

La Fonda La Plazula hand painted art throughout

La Fonda Terrace courtyard gardens

La Fonda hot tub

St. Francis of Assisi Cathedral

Santa Fe street musicians

Balloon fun