National Association of Independent Writers & Editors
You’ll want to start with Make the Most of Your Membership: A Quick-Start Guide to NAIWE. This handy guide provides a brief overview of the benefits you receive, along with step-by-step instructions for accessing everything. You’ll be off and running in no time!
Visit the NAIWE website to see all of the member benefits.
We wanted to get to know Claudia Suzanne (NAIWE’s Ghostwriting Expert) better, so last month we sat down with her. Here is what she shared with us.
What is a certified ghostwriter?
There are two types of certified ghostwriters. The first is offered by Certified Professional Ghostwriter, which covers the “dedication, competency, and ethics of ghostwriters.” I know little about this course.
The second kind of certified ghostwriter has completed a rigorous, award-winning 13-month training program that covers the specific skills, industry knowledge, and ghostwriting psychology and mindset transitions necessary to command (not hunt for) high-end professional clients and fees. Their certification comes from California State University, Long Beach. They are industry insiders and solopreneurs, not freelancers.
What can a ghostwriter do that I as the author cannot do?
Honestly, nothing—if the author can disassociate from their own work; has the time to learn the realities of the book industry, its supply-chain needs, and standards; and can find a counterpoint who understands musical line editing. All that not only takes a lot of time, it runs counter to the author’s true purpose, which is to share their knowledge, insights, or story. Think of it this way: authors create art . . . ghostwriters massage, tweak, and polish it.
Are ghostwriters limited to certain genres?
Not at all. They can specialize if they want—I know a lot of ghosts who only do business books or memoirs or self-help titles or fiction—or they can do it all. Depends on the individual.
———-
Join Claudia Suzanne, the Ghostwriting Expert, as she reveals insider truths about the book industry, and how a Certified Ghostwriter can give your title a better chance in the marketplace. Learn:
You can join in this conversation on October 22, at 3 pm eastern, when NAIWE will host a discussion on ghostwriters assisting in the publishing process. The cost for NAIWE members is only $10! Non-members can join for $30. Register today!
October: National Book Month. Curl up on the couch with a good book.
October: National Reading Group Month. Gather a group of friends, and meet weekly to discuss a great book!
October: National Work and Family Month. Focus on one way to improve your work/life balance. The Be a Better Freelancer conference can help with this: “Freelancing 101: Launching and Managing Your Freelance Business” with Meghan Pinson.
October: Self-Promotion Month. Promote your skills to gain some new clients. The Be a Better Freelancer conference has a session to help with this: “You Oughta be in Visuals: Make Your Social Sizzle to Fire Up Your Freelancing” with Walt Jaschek.
October 1: National Fruit at Work Day. Take a break today to enjoy a piece of seasonal fruit at work.
October 5: National Do Something Nice Day. Do something nice for one of your clients today!
October 6-12: Mystery Series Week.
October 6-12: National Newspaper Week.
October 6-12: Customer Service Week.
October 9: National Bring Your Teddy Bear to Work Day. Spend a day with a cuddly friend to make you smile. 🙂
October 13-19: National Work at Home Week.
October 18-24: National Business Women’s Week.
October 18-24: National Friends of Libraries Week.
October 24: National Make a Difference Day. Do something to make a difference in the life of someone else.
The posts you share on your member website are eligible to be promoted on NAIWE’s social media pages. The NAIWE Member Activity Feed is scanned each week on Member Monday, and many post titles and links are posted on social media to increase your readership. Member posts that are tagged with the #NAIWE hashtag can also be reposted on NAIWE’s social media pages for you.
Visit the NAIWE website to see all of the member benefits.
We wanted to get to know Tina Glasneck (NAIWE’s Book Promotions Expert) better, so last month we sat down with her. Here is what she shared with us.
What is one thing that you learned about your craft the hard way, and what benefits have you received from it? Can these benefits be broadened to include book promotions?
The most important thing to recognize for one’s craft is that of identifying the target audience, as a book is not written for everyone. It must have a specific audience in mind. Genres, of course, are there to assist readers in locating books that they like. Often, there are specific tropes that are used in the genre.
For example, romance requires a happy for now or happily-ever-after ending. If it does not meet that standard, then it cannot be classified as a romance. If it will be advertised as a romance, the genre tropes and requirements are something to keep in mind when it comes to crafting the novel, as well as the later marketing of it.
What has been your most rewarding book promotions avenue, and how was it rewarding? Self? Monetary? Clients?
I believe that the best thing an author can do is grow their newsletter, and that growth is from where most of my success continues to come.
It is through my newsletter that I can create relationships with my readers, who frequently will then share news of my books with their circle of friends. All other promotion has its uses, but for long-term growth, the newsletter is the best way to continue to grow it.
What do you associate with book promotions?
Book promotion is when the goal is to promote or make an audience aware of a particular book. This can include, but is not limited to
Paying for expensive book promotion only makes sense if one has more than one book in a series, or other books available that a reader can purchase. Book promotion is to advertise and to make readers aware of a product. It is best to use cheaper options, all within one’s author budget before one launches the more advanced ad campaigns.
———-
Are you struggling with what you can do to make your books a success? Are you overwhelmed with what you need to do to get eyes on your latest book-baby? Join USA Today bestselling author Tina Glasneck as she gives practical advice on what you can apply to your writing career to find readers and gain success. This webinar will dig into the basics and provide practical tips that you can implement right away to start you on your successful author journey.
You can join in this conversation on September 24, at 8 pm eastern, when NAIWE will host a discussion on finding readers to gain success. The cost for NAIWE members is only $10! Non-members can join for $30. Register today!
September: Self-Improvement Month. Take some time to improve yourself. What class will you take or conference will you attend to improve your business self? Think ahead and prepare to sign up for the Be a Better Freelancer conference!
September 6: National Read a Book Day. Grab a book (a fun read or even one for professional development), and spend the day reading.
September 7: Labor Day. This day recognizes the men and women who labor to build this country. As self-employed professionals, many tend to work on this day, but what will you do to celebrate?
September 10: National Swap Ideas Day. Share a creative or helpful idea with a client or colleague.
September 12: National Day of Encouragement. This day is dedicated to uplifting people around us and making a positive impact. Who can you encourage?
September 15: National Online Learning Day. This day recognizes the advantages and vast potential of online learning and the accomplishments of these students. What can you study today to improve your skills? On September 24, NAIWE will host its monthly webinars to help you improve your skills!
September 15: National IT Professionals Day. This day is set aside to honor the venerable geeks of the world we all rely on to keep us connected.
September 22: American Business Women’s Day. A day set aside to honor and reflect on the contributions and accomplishments of the millions of women in the workforce and the millions of women business owners in the United States.
September 24: National Punctuation Day. A period, a comma, a semicolon, a question mark, and an exclamation point are examples of some of the punctuation used in writing to separate sentences and their elements and to clarify meaning. National Punctuation Day commemorates these and all punctuation marks.
NAIWE members receive alerts from people looking to hire freelancers, along with specifics about the job postings. Members can then apply for the jobs by contacting the person directly.
Visit the NAIWE website to see all of the member benefits.
We wanted to get to know Dana Sitar (NAIWE’s Headline Expert) better, so last month we sat down with her. Here is what she shared with us.
What has been your most effective headline, and what platform was it for?
I don’t have data to say for sure, but this example comes to mind right away: In 2014, I wrote an article for HuffPost titled “Your Toddler Might Be Gay,” which got a ton of a attention. The biggest factor, likely, was that both LGBTQ issues and children are subjects on their own that elicit a ton of emotion in people. The headline includes hooks that are valuable regardless of the topic, though: “Your” speaks directly to the reader and suggests something “might be” something which creates curiosity that makes them want to learn more. The article is about the danger of treating straight identities as the default, but I don’t give that away in the headline.
How often are headlines changed?
This depends on the publication, the content, and the publication’s goals. When I’ve written for sites that rely heavily on advertising to attract traffic, we frequently tested and changed out headlines to give an article new life without rewriting. On sites that rely on search traffic, headlines were often more stagnant.
How do you add personality to a headline?
Writing the headline as a statement (“Do These 6 Things Every Morning If You Want to Make More Money”) is a good place to start, because it mimics how we speak. Think about who your audience is—what are they like, where do they come from, and what do they know?—and who you are in relation to them—an expert, a teacher, a peer, an entertainer, for example. Write headlines as if you’re speaking to the audience from that position.
———-
A single headline is not sufficient for most content in digital publishing. Readers access your content in a variety of contexts, and the headline that’s effective in one context is often less effective in another. This training shows you how to craft headlines that catch readers’ attention across platforms, including websites, social media, email and search.
You can join in this conversation on August 27, at 4 pm eastern, when NAIWE will host a discussion on writing headlines for a variety of platforms. The cost for NAIWE members is only $10! Non-members can join for $30. Register today!
August: National Wellness Month. This month focuses on self-care, managing stress, and promoting healthy routines.
August 1-7: Simplify Your Life Week. This week was dedicated to be an encouragement to refocus your life and declutter. A suggestion is to eliminate things that cause stress or anxiety.
August 5: National Work Like a Dog Day. This is a day to pay attention to how hard you are working.
August 8: National Happiness Happens Day. Happiness is a choice. It is not a destination, but a life-long pursuit.
August 8: National Dollar Day. This day commemorates the day Congress established the U.S. monetary system in 1786.
August 9: National Book Lovers Day. A day for those who love to read to find a favorite reading place, settling in with a good book.
August 10: National Lazy Day. Nearing the end of summer, we all need a day to just kick back and do very little.
August 15: National Relaxation Day. Take this day to slow down, unwind, and relax!
August 25-31: Be Kind to Humankind Week. This is a week when we can make a difference in someone’s life by being kind to them.
August 27: National Just Because Day. This is a day to do something unexpected for another (or even for yourself) just because!
NAIWE members are all listed in NAIWE’s free searchable database! Instead of just hoping for traffic, you can have the confidence that anyone can easily find your NAIWE website. You’ll be able to communicate with readers and potential clients through the information on your NAIWE site.
Visit the NAIWE website to see all of the member benefits.