NaNoWriMo: Are We There Yet?

It's the final week of NaNoWriMo.org's national novel writing challenge, and eager writers are frantically tapping keys in hopes of hitting the 50k goal by the 30th!

Hitting the goal means typing an *average* of 1667 words daily, and those following that plan should cross the 40k mark today. Some will have fewer words and can catch up with a big burst of word count at the end, and others will already have made the goal. I am happy to say I crossed the goal on day 18, and completed the novel a few days later. Yippee!

So where are you at with writing for this month? 0 words, or 50k+? With 1 week left to go, I challenge YOU to write 10k words! By the end of November you could have written a short story, or 20 percent of your next (first?) novel! Happy writing...

Cast Your Vote for Best Trailer Today!

On my Tuesday Trailers segment this week, I posted the two videos that Dragonfyre Entertainment has entered in a book trailer contest over on You Gotta Read Videos' blog.

If you liked the videos we did, please hop on over there today and cast your vote! Kata Sutra's trailer is number 17, and Their Secret Paradise's trailer is number 18 on the list. There are lots of great videos up there, so take a look and vote for your fave! (Hope it's one of ours, LOL!)

Tuesday Trailers Twofer!

As promised during my week-long Good Book Trailers series, on select Tuesdays I'll be showcasing and reviewing YOUR promotional trailers!

This Week's Promo Trailer, well, it's really TWO trailers, and they're both trailers designed by my joint husband/wife venture, Dragonfyre Entertainment.

The reason I bring these up today is because both trailers have been entered into a book trailer contest over on YOU GOTTA READ VIDEOS! #1 will be featured on their blog today, and #2 tomorrow. Voting for trailers showcased this month will take place between November 21-26.

Trailer 1:



What I Love About This Video:

This was cool to make because of all the action and martial arts in the novel, which is different than the usual romance trailers I've made. My absolute favorite parts of the vid are the music by the awesome Kyoto Connection, and the jump to live action footage via the motorcycle speeding around a curve. The music segues nicely into the shift, too.

Trailer 2:



What I Love About This Video:

The island paradise scenes turned out really cool, I thought, and the music (again by the fab Kyoto Connection) really ratchets things up. I also like the tagline we came up with for this, "Satisfaction Supernaturally Guaranteed."

Want YOUR trailer featured here in a future TUESDAY TRAILERS? Post a link in the comments, or Email me and tell me where to find your trailer. Meanwhile, it's back to the writing desk!

Featured Spot on Movie Mondays!!

I'm thrilled to say that the spooky HAUNT JAUNTS blog is featuring the short horror film I helped consult/edit! Check out Courtney's awesome blog, "a travel blog for restless spirits!" http://hauntjaunts.net/blog/

Special Call for Submissions

While Eternal Press accepts fiction up to 140k, I'm putting out a special call for shorter work between 10-40k.

We accept a wide range of fiction. Current hot trends include:

*Erotic
*Paranormal
*Romance
*Sci-fi with romance/erotica elements
*M/M erotica

We are currently NOT seeking:

*Poetry
*Non fiction
*YA
*Short story collections
*Religious genre fiction. Thematic elements of spiritual beliefs are welcome, but we are not currently publishishing stories that fall into the religious category.

How to Submit to Eternal Press:

Submit a cover letter in the body of the email that contains the following:

Genre
Word Count
Brief Synopsis
A bit about you

Although we like to encourage open, free and creative expression, do let us know whether the piece contains any questionable content. For instance, we allow rape under certain circumstances, but it should not be meant to titillate. Writing about child abuse is one thing, but we aren't interested in seeing the acts described in detail.

We do put disclaimers about content if it could potentially disturb our consumers, so do let us know in advance.

Attach the following to your cover letter in .doc or .rtf format (no .docx):

For stories under 50k: The complete manuscript with your contact information, title, word count, and genre at the top.

*For novels 50k +, the first three chapters with your contact information, title, word count, and genre at the top

* Your manuscript should contain either 1-1/2 or double spacing and one inch margins. Use a 12 pt. Book Antiqua font.

Send to Eternal Press with a subject line: SUBMISSIONS_your name_book title to... ceo@eternalpress.ca

What's Your Favorite Yahoo Group?

I don't know about you, but I have belonged to a whole mess of Yahoo Groups at one time or another. In fact, I confess that I currently am subscribed to over 100 groups. Many are writing/reading/publishing-related, naturally, but I'm also part of numerous gardening, regional, spiritual, and homeschooling groups as well. Do I have time to read these? Nope. Many are just places to promo, places I joined because my publishers have arranged author chats there, or places I no longer have the interest to follow.

I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed and wanting to streamline my chat groups. I'll admit, I look at them and just cannot decide which groups I really want to sit and "chat" on, especially when it comes to author groups. While many of these have active memberships, a whole lot of others are little more than drive-by promotional stops (and I'm guilty of this as much as the rest).

What I want to know is, what is YOUR favorite recommended Yahoo Group for good, friendly, old-fashioned CHATTER? That place where Everybody Knows Your Name, Where can you put up your feet with a cuppa joe to laugh and learn with fellow authors (or readers)? Inquiring minds want to know. I may hear some groups I'm already on, and just need to focus more attention there. Others may be new to me, but deserve a shout out for everyone to see. So dig out those bookmarks and share the wealth!

A few I like for chat:

Amethst Winters and Company --a fun group for chat, also nice hosts for author chats!

Marketing for Romance Writers --Not for general chat, but a good spot to get info on author promotion--without having to sift through any author promos

Romance Junkies Readers --Nice and fun for general chat, and they host a lot of publisher/author chats where they will try to jump in and comment while the authors are "live."

NaNoWriMo: And...We're Off

Are you NaNoing? If you haven't heard of NaNoWriMo, November is officially National Novel Writing Month. In honor of this, writers (published and for the loves alike) attempt to write a 50k novel in 30 days. Hop on over to http://www.nanowrimo.org/ and sign up--there's still time!

This is my 4th NaNoWriMo. I won each of the past three years, completing a total of four projects. Three have been published or are contracted. I love the camaraderie of taking part in something where I know that so many other writers are in there chugging along with me!

A few tips for NaNo:

1. You need to write an average of 1667 words each day to make 50k by November 30th. I like to start off with a bang the first week and strive for 2k+ daily, so that I have a head start for the inevitable times when life crops up and bumps my word count off. (Weeks 2 and 3 are famous for this.)

2. Consider hitting a write-in! On the NaNoWriMo forums, you can join regional boards for your local area and find out who's NaNoing near you! I do a once weekly write-in and it's a lot of fun. We actually DO get writing done, too, and it's a good way to find "sounding boards" when you're stuck for an idea, can't remember a word, etc.

3. Shut off your internal editor. It's not called NaNoEdMo (though there is one), and for this challenge, quantity is what counts, not quality. Of course, you can't cheat and write "la la dee dah" 20k times and be done, and you'll try to write a cohesive tale as you go along. But if you're one to go back and correct sentences, stop and fret over plot holes, etc., this is the time to change your ways--for a month, at least. Just let it rip, let the raw story pour out of you no matter how rough, and sort it all out during the editing phase.

How about it? Any NaNoer's here have favorite tips you'd like to pass along? I can always use more!

Good luck...

Halloween Zombie Movie!

Where the heck have I been?! You might be asking. Okay, it might not have dawned on you that I've been gone from the blog, in which case never mind. Otherwise, I've spent the past couple of months on the usual editing/writing stuff, PLUS helping film and edit a short horror film, DEATH DO US PART.

And just in time for your horrific Halloween entertainment, here it is! Rated R for ragin' zombie...

Wild Dreams Wednesday #20

Photo courtesy of Stock Xchg

Tell Me Your Wildest Dreams!
Every Wednesday I venture away from romantic/erotic fiction writing to interpret your dreams. Have a recurring or puzzling dream? Send it to writerlisalogan@verizon.net and I'll try to shed some light on Wild Dreams Wednesday!

This Week's Wildest Dream:



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"what is the meaning of dreams that make you feel as though you were falling off a cliff and sometimes you actually wake up because the feeling is so intense!"
--Maggie Dove
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cliffs represent an apex or crossroads in our lives, a point where we stand on the edge of new opportunities, career climbs, or an awareness/perspective of ourselves or situations. To dream of falling off that cliff expresses subconscious fears that we will not succeed in our quest, that we are afraid to fail at what lies ahead.


~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wild Dreams Wednesdays interpretation by romance author/editor Lisa Logan is meant to be used for education and entertainment purposes only. I hope you've found this week's post useful! Stay tuned until next Wednesday, when we again delve deep into our Wildest Dreams. Sleep Tight!

Tuesday Trailers

As promised during my week-long Good Book Trailers series, on select Tuesdays I'll be showcasing and reviewing YOUR promotional trailers!

This Week's Promo Trailer comes from paranormal author Courtney Mroch, who wrote in to say she used my free DIY Trailer Workshop to create the fun promo below for her recently unveiled Haunt Jaunts website/blog. Check this out:




What I Love About This Video:

1. Length. At just over 1 minute, it's short, sweet, and to the ghostly point. Perfect!

2. Music. This really helps set the mood for a promo, and this eerie, yet "popping" selection truly dresses up the stage.

3. Effects. It can be tough not to go overboard with too many transitions and effects (they're just too darn fun!), but Courtney uses some really strategic ones that play up the messages in her video. For instance, I love the way the text for restless spirits at 00:13 waves back and forth, as though "restless" itself...and quite reminiscent of a floating ghostly presence.

4. Motion. Though comprised of still images, Courtney gives this "video-like" animation, such as at 00:18 where the message travel dark roads is followed by a zoom effect that gives the feeling of moving along a mysterious road. The old film effect added to this clip lends an added eerie feel.

How To Make It a "Stand Out:"

I think this already has the makings of a Stand Out! About the only thing I could suggest would be lingering a bit on the web address at the end, rather than a quick scroll. While Courtney wisely mentions her URL elsewhere in the video, it's a great idea to let info linger a moment at the end, as it's the last thing people see. My favorite text animation for this is Fade, Slow Zoom, which really emphasizes text.

Something I want to touch on, too, is the use of gray and lime green titles. This color scheme happens to mimic the website she is promoting, so the decision was carefully thought out. For other projects, however, I recommend caution with gray title backdrops. They often lack sufficient "oomph" for text to pop out against, and gray is the default color in Movie Maker for the inset video/text effect seen in this promo. "Stand Out" trailers avoid default fonts and backgrounds so they don't resemble a thousand other YouTube promos. But when used deliberately in set circumstances, gray definitely has its ghostly place. :)

Want YOUR trailer featured here? Post a link in the comments, or Email me and ask. Meanwhile, it's back to the writing desk!

Wild Dreams Wednesday #19

Photo courtesy of Stock Xchg

Tell Me Your Wildest Dreams!
Every Wednesday I venture away from romantic/erotic fiction writing to interpret your dreams. Have a recurring or puzzling dream? Send it to writerlisalogan@verizon.net and I'll try to shed some light on Wild Dreams Wednesday!

This Week's Wildest Dream:



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I dreamed I was back in school again, and I had to take a test but I didn't study or have any clue what the answers were!"
--Anonymous
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dreams that take us back to school days are extremely common. This likely indicates you feel you are being "tested" or scrutinized in some aspect of your life right now, and you worry you will not measure up. You may feel you weren't properly prepared for the challenges you are facing, but are being unfairly judged for it. Or, perhaps you feel you should have been better prepared, and would have better opportunities at present if you were to have done so.


~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wild Dreams Wednesdays interpretation by romance author/editor Lisa Logan is meant to be used for education and entertainment purposes only. I hope you've found this week's post useful! Stay tuned until next Wednesday, when we again delve deep into our Wildest Dreams. Sleep Tight!

Mystery Date Monday: Bear from InkUbus Tattoo

Photo courtesy "Surely" from Stock Xchg
Note: today's excerpt contains adult themes

Every Monday I'll treat you to a Mystery Date with a character from one of my romantic or erotic fiction novels!

This Week's Mystery Date:

Who: Pagan tattoo artist "Bear"

What Book He's In: THE WICCANING, a paranormal romance

Where He Lives: the fictitious and magical town of Willowgrove, California

Why He's So Fascinating: Bear is a top tattoo artist, who puts a special flair into his artwork. He's also big with the ladies, who line up for a chance to have him brand them--both in the parlor and in bed. Though he tries to pass along his sage female advice to best friend Rion Silverhawk, in the end his friend has to follow his own path to romance.

A Memorable Moment with Bear:

Bear finally came out of his daze. Boots clicked on the floor with a resounding thump thump, then a sharp smack clipped the side of Rion's head. “Ouch! What the hell was that for?”

“You knocked Justine up, then did magick on her without her permission? What's wrong with you, Man?”

“Can't you understand? It's my child at stake. I acted to protect it from a woman who doesn't believe in our powers, let alone has the power to save the baby herself. Why is that wrong?”

Several long moments of thick silence followed. Then another slap on the side of his head sent hair flying into his face.

“Damnit, Bear! Stop already!”

“You got her pregnant?”

“I used a condom. And she claimed she couldn't even have kids.”

Bear chuffed. “That's what a lot of 'em say, pal. I can't believe she caught you.”

“It wasn't like that. I told you, as soon as she heard the word 'pagan' she wanted nothing to do with me.”

“Yeah, until she came crawling to your doorstep with the Big News, waitin' for a handout.”

Rion stalked over to the garage door and yanked down with excessive force. It came down with a grinding metallic scrape. “Wrong again. She never came to me about it at all. Never told me any Big News.”

“Okay, now you're confusing your best friend. If she didn't even tell you...”

“I overheard her talking about it. Twice.”

Bear waved giant arms as though diverting a ship on a crash vector. “So? That doesn't prove the kid is your problem.”

“Kids aren't problems, thanks. And I know for certain this baby is mine.”

“What, did it crawl up and say 'dada?'”

“No, the universe did.” He walked over and snapped up the spare tarot deck laying on the finishing table. “Over and over, the same cards. Remember?”

Recognition dawned in weathered, yet sharp blue eyes. “That's what all the tarot freakiness was about on fourth of July?” The manic guffaw he let out was promptly replaced by a scowl. “And you never once thought to mention any of this to your good old friend Bear?”

The man leaned across the worktable as his paw came up yet again. This time, Rion grabbed his wrist before he could make contact with his skull. “Enough with the slapping. I need some brain cells to run this business, you know.”

“You're obviously already a few short, considering your track record with women.”

“Hilarious. It's not my fault she turned out to be anti-pagan.”

He retracted his hand, pointing it in Rion's face instead. “Are you kidding? It's totally your fault. You're a trouble magnet, friend. That's why I keep trying to take you under my wing, show you how to escape the claws of the unforgiving female.”

Rion rolled his eyes. “What, with your laudable conquer-and-flee technique?”

“No, with my brilliant find-the-players technique. I only bed women who can handle a ride on the Bear Express without the need to use a barbed lasso on me when the deed's done.” He shot Rion a pointed glare. “And I don't leave behind any surprises scheduled to arrive nine months later.”

He growled. “I told you...”

“Yeah, yeah. It wasn't your fault.” Bear clucked his tongue. “Careless, Man. Real careless. And then you shtupped her with magick?”

“I shielded her to protect the baby.” A memory of their night together flashed.

“Twice.”

--from THE WICCANING
~~~~~~~~~

When Bear is Available: THE WICCANING is a work-in-progress.

How You Can Get His Story: Stay tuned!

Good Book Trailers, Part 5

Feng Shui Friday is pre-empted this week as we finish up my week-long series on making good book trailers...

Last time we talked about using the Key Point and 1-2-3 Rule to conceptualize a script and storyboard. For the final post in our series, I want to talk a bit about the order in which you present elements of your video, or the "geometry" of a Stand Out trailer.

Let's look at a standard, triangular style of presenting information:




Here the presenter starts off slow, builds gradually, and offers a big finish. This is great for a musical score, maybe for keeping people awake during a boring lecture (nudge!), but this does NOT work so great for an advertisement. Or even in writing. We learn as authors to "hook the reader" within the first page--or even sentence--of a story, or we'll lose them. The same theory applies to a book trailer.



Here's how a Stand Out trailer is organized:


Note the "hook" is RIGHT up front, grabbing the audience within the opening seconds of a trailer. This is especially important for trailers that clock in at the upper end of the 90-second limit, because if you don't get their attention right away they might click off. I'll admit, I watch a LOT of trailers. If it doesn't hook me in the first 5-10 seconds and the timer tells me the trailer is much longer than a minute, I'll shut if off and go to the next one. So wake that audience up!

Some people see this inverse triangle and worry about the bottom. Note that this point does not mean "leave them bored and sleeping." It means "leave them needing more information." Information they'll get by reading the book.

Now, this does not mean it is impossible to make an effective trailer using the regular triangle concept. It can occasionally be useful when done right. Most of the time, however, the inverse is what you want.

That said, there is another interesting way to work this I want to show you:



This is the double hook. Get the viewer hooked with an interesting aspect of your book, then WHAMMY them with an even more exciting plot point. Remember I said you can use one or "two" Key Points in a trailer? Here's a neat way to do it.

There is a great deal more to making trailers, and I confess that I've become so enamored with the art of video creation I could go on a good deal longer. For this series I've tried to offer tips I have not seen in other book trailer tutorials, which are generally step-by-step guides for getting images and music and putting them together in your software program. If you are interested in this, I have a DIY workshop on Windows Movie Maker that you might want to check out.

I hope you enjoyed this series. I will be featuring YOUR Stand Out videos and offering (nice!) "critiques" of your trailers upon request during upcoming segements of Tuesday Trailers. I'll throw in some other tips along the way, too. So stay tuned, and feel free to comment here or email me at writerlisalogan@verizon.net with links to your trailers!

Good Book Trailers, Part 4

Part 4 of my week-long series on making good book trailers...

Last time we talked about the Key Point of a trailer and how to find it. Today I will tell you how to conceptualize a script and storyboard using the Key Point and the 1-2-3 Rule.




Key Point to Concept
I'll use one of my Works in Progress as an example. TWELVE STEPS TO MURDER is a 1st person POV, amateur sleuth mystery with a romantic subplot. Let's say I've decided I want the Key Point for this trailer to be:

I was telling the truth this time, but nobody trusts an alcoholic. So more people died.

This was taken in part from the opening line of my book, and is a theme that thwarts the heroine throughout the tale. Just like any 1-liner tag line, Key Points don't need to be told from the viewpoint of a character. But since this book is 1st person POV I thought it was a nice touch.

This Key Point offers me some good text titling options, but I need to flesh it out.

--Using Rule 2, I won't be trying to "tell the story" here. I'll just want to show some compelling imagery and text that conveys the Key Point theme.

--Since Rule 1 is to keep this to an average of 1 minute, I won't need a ton of imagery. I just need some with the right punch.

--Rule 3 involves motion. There's a tense foot chase in this book that could add to the danger element in my Key Point. I'll try to find stock video for that, and will incorporate other motion during editing by using still image effects.

Next I open up WordPad and jot a few notes that will become my concept:

Cassie believes her friends' deaths were no accident, but no one trusts the word of an alcoholic. More women die, and Cassie is captured by a murderer.

Note this is simple and by no means covers the entire tale, but you get the gist (and are hopefully intrigued). Now I can map this out in our next step...

Concept to Storyboard

Now I can write up a script/story board showing what I want to happen in each frame of my movie. I'll go back to my Word Pad file and write out the script like this:

Opening Title: "I Was Telling The Truth This Time."

Images representing Cassie-- mood pensive, desperate.
Quickly flashed images hinting at danger: caution tape, a male's eyes with a predatory, dark expression, etc.

2nd Title: "But nobody trusts an alcoholic."

Brief shots depicting alcohol/party lifestyle. (Since this has a romantic subplot, I might even "hide" that element in here by including one or more somewhat flirty, suggestive party shots.)

3rd Title: "So the murders continued." (I decided this had more "punch" than my original Key Point.)

Images conveying murder--toe tags, chalk outlines, a partial shot with just an arm lying on the ground.
Footage of foot chase
Footage cuts to black with sound effect of a woman's gasp. (as though he's caught her.)

Book Title/Author with shot of cover and purchase/site info
Credits

While I normally find "voice over" narratives cheesy and prefer text overs, this particular script might lend itself well to a female voice over. Might give it a couple test runs, see which way offers more "oomph."

Now that I have my script, this gives me something to shoot for when I hit the stock photo/video archives. This saves TONS of time, rather than sifting through thousands of images trying to find things that fit the book (much of which I end up not using). Also, this script gives me a pretty good idea of the dramatic music I want.

In my final post tomorrow, I'll be covering the "geometry" of a good trailer, or rather, the inverse pyramid style of advertising your concept.

Good Book Trailers, Part 3

Wild Dreams Wednesday is pre-empted this week as we continue with Part 3 of my week-long series on making good book trailers...

Last time we talked about the 1-2-3 Rule of Good Book Trailers. Today I want to talk about Key Points, and why you need this to develop a Stand Out Concept.

The Trailer Key Point
Don't let terms like Key Point and Concept confuse you. These are simple blocks you build your trailer from. Concept may sound a lot like the PURPOSE of your trailer, but it's not. We assume the purpose is to sell the title in question, which factors into decisions like the length, style, and format of your video.

The CONCEPT of your trailer is, simply put, your overall script. Which, for many trailers, is where authors try to synopsize their entire book. Since we learned not to do this in the 1-2-3 Rule, a Stand Out script will revolve around a smaller factor. That's where the KEY POINT comes in, which is what I call the aspect of the story you want to emphasize.

How do you find the Key Point for your trailer? Typically in one of three ways:

1. Start with your jazzy one-liner blurbs. This (these) are generally your best bet, as they are already made, quick, grabby ideas that hooks the reader and sets up interest for your book. If you have a good one, build your trailer around it.

2. Reread your favorite Stand Out scene for inspiration. No one-liner yet? What scene/sentence/dialogue grabbed you the most during writing? Reread it and see if you can build an interesting trailer around that concept. You can also ask your critique group or test readers this question, and see what the consensus has to say.

3. Figure It Out As You Go. Basically, this means surfing around for random images and music that seems to fit your book, play around with them in your movie making program, and see what springs to mind. My least favorite approach, as it tends to be longer and more frustrating. Still, I've used this trick on a few trailers when I couldn't decide on A Key Point.

Once you've got your Key Point, you can expand that into your script Concept.

"Wait! I've got a lot of Key Points I want to use!"

Especially with cross-genre or complicated plots, you may well find several real juicy Key Points or tag lines to build from. Happy dilemma! But stick with one or two for your trailer, as more than this is tough to get across in the average 60 second format.

If you want, you can make more than one trailer that emphasizes a different aspect--for instance, targeting a different reading audience for a cross-genre book. But keep your Key Points clean and simple, or the next step will be a real bear.

"I've tried all this and still can't figure out a Key Point. What Should I Do?"

There's one other trick I like to use, and that's MUSIC. Often I start with a trailer key point, then write a script and storyboard the concept, then I choose music and imagery that fits the mood. However, there are occasions when I have to work backwards, and sometimes when I don't know where to start, I hit the music archives. If I know the genre of the book (and I'd better!) that gives me some sense of the mood of music I want, so I'll sit and listen to clips until one inspires me. I'll see a key point appear on stage, and BANG! Next thing I know, I've got my script concept. So play around with the order of things a bit if you're having trouble. You may find your muse hiding somewhere you didn't expect!

Tomorrow I will cover scripting/storyboarding a concept based on the 1-2-3 Rule.

Good Book Trailers, Part 2

Part 2 of my week-long series on making good book trailers...

In Part 1 I talked about my background and asked a few questions about your opinions on book trailers. Today I'll be giving away my big secret formula for a winning book trailer--the 1-2-3 Rule of Good Book Trailers. Obviously a lot more goes into an ideal trailer than just three rules, but these are the top things I've found that keep trailers from Standing Out.

The 1-2-3 Rule of Good Book Trailers:

1. Keep it SHORT.

A very common problem with book trailers is they are toooo looong. Think about your typical TV ad or movie trailer. A "sneak" trailer may be 30 seconds; a typical ad runs 1 minute. Some go 90 seconds. Yet many book previews top out over 2 minutes--some more than 4. That's not a preview ad; that's a featurette! Someone clicking on a trailer "ad" expects a certain format and length. Go much beyond that and you risk losing your audience.

Writing analogy for Rule 1: If your preview trailer drags, your readers may get the idea your book does, too. Get in, grab 'em, and get out.


2. Do NOT "Synopsize." I Repeat...

I heard some jaws hit the keyboard. "But Lisa, how will readers know what my book is about if the trailer doesn't tell them?"

How indeed? Let's take a look. By the time you are marketing your title, you probably have the following:

1. The quick 1-page "pitch" you used to query the publisher
2. A several-page, in-depth synopsis the publisher requested when the query hooked them
3. A jacket-style blurb synopsizing the book in a few paragraphs
4. A two-or-three sentence blurb you use on web groups and in conversation when people ask "So what's your book about?"
5. Your quickie "tag line" that you use on your Email signature, promotional bookmarks and items, etc.

Why so many? Because each fits a different situation. #1 or 2 as your Email signature will not make you popular on groups. #5 will get you a form reject if the pub asked for #2. A whole lot of trailers use 1,3, or 4, but this isn't grabby advertising. Effective text title is quick, short, and adds dramatic impact. Use style #5, or a brief #4 split up over the course of the video, for a Stand Out trailer.

Writing analogy for Rule 2: Less is more. Hook trailer audiences with an "oomphy" hint, then leave 'em wanting--no, HAVING--to know more.

3. Don't Forget Movement.

With rules 1 and 2 in mind, you've got 30-90 seconds and few words to grab your audience. Beyond making those words count, how are you going to do it? Compelling, eye catching media. There's several levels to this I will discuss later, but the key factor is motion.

Lots of trailers are a series of still photos set to music with text titling in between. With clever editing this can be extremely effective. But with thousands out there just like this, to make yours Stand Out you'll want to use motion.

That doesn't mean grab a camera or hire a company to shoot scenes from your book. (Though it IS really cool and "next level.") This means either editing so still photos appear to be in motion (most movie editing software has pan and zoom effects for this), add animated gifs like our ticking clock here, or stock video elements. A video ad implies motion pictures. Give people what they expect.

You can definitely go overboard here. Don't do twirly-loops, zoom-fades, and zig-zags with every image or you'll give your viewers vertigo. Enhance, don't distract.

Writing analogy for Rule 3: Add layers to your video the same way you do your books, to allow the audience a fuller, more in-depth experience.

Tomorrow I will talk about finding the key point and concept for your trailer, and when it can be useful to go out and get your music first.

Good Book Trailers, Part 1

While we're on a break from meeting all my characters, I thought I'd do a mini series about a subject I've been seeing a lot on my groups lately: making book trailers.

Book trailers aren't exactly the "hip new" thing on the scene; they've been around several years now and just about everyone has one up on YouTube--even bestselling NY folks. Still, I see writers asking on groups every week how to make trailers, and even more who are asking how to make trailers that STAND OUT. So I've decided to start a week-long series about what goes into effective book trailers, then I will be launching a new segment: Tuesday Trailers and Trailer Shark. I will be featuring some of YOUR great book trailers, as well as offering helpful tips and techniques. In addition, if you send me a trailer you would like critiqued (along the lines of blogs like Query Shark), I will feature you here.

A bit about my background:
I did my first trailer in 2006 for my then-unreleased novel, VISIONS. It was short and simple with zero frills...and was nominated for an award a few month later. I've won awards for other trailer work, produced a number of trailers for other authors, wrote an online how-to workshop, and work with my husband's new production company that, among other things, creates live-action sequences for book trailers and author promotion. (Like my recently released eBook ad on MyeBookCommercial.com.) Meanwhile, I've taken time to study some things about my software programs, sound/video/photo editing, aftermarket add on effects, and am slowly progressing toward low budget special effects.


All that said, it isn't necessary to learn fancy film techniques or spend weeks doing computer training to make an eye-catching book trailer!
ANYONE WITH A COMPUTER CAN MAKE A BOOK TRAILER THAT LOOKS PROFESSIONAL AND EYE CATCHING.
It's easy and fun--so fun you may find that once you make one, it's hard to stop!

Tomorrow I will cover my 1-2-3 Rule of Book Trailers, three of the biggest factors in what makes a trailer concept stand out and grab, or sit back and yawn. In the meantime, I want to open this up to you with the following questions:

Readers: Do you view book trailers? Have they ever given you that "ooh!" factor that made you want to go out and buy the book? Are there styles of trailers that DON'T work for you?

Writers: Have you tried making book trailers, or had one made for you? What was the biggest problem you faced? If you don't have a trailer, is there a particular reason, or have you just never gotten around to it?

Don't forget to come back tomorrow for the 1-2-3 rule for good book trailers.

Organize with Streamy

Streamy Welcome from Streamy on Vimeo.

I'm sorry I've been off all this week; I took some bereavement time as my husband's grandfather passed on. Meanwhile, in lieu of our usual Feng Shui Friday I thought I'd leave you with this awesome new social networking tool, Streamy.

What's social networking got to do with Feng Shui? Hey, if this helps you clear social clutter, organize, and streamline your online experience, it definitely qualifies. I saw this over on Ask Angela/Market My Novel blog, and I just HAD to share this neat video intro to Streamy with you all.

I Did It!! Free Promo for YOU

I interrupt our regularly scheduled Feng Shui Friday for some big news!

It's been a labor of love, but for all of you who are seeking fun, unique content for your related site, blog, or social network, I've created a 1-minute video to promote the idea of reading eBooks.

Check out the final product, starring Yours Truly in all six female roles:



Give your readers something to talk about! Grab this promo to use wherever you wish.

If you enjoyed this "ad," would you do me a favor and please give it a high rating on YouTube? I'd also love to hear your comments here--and whether/where you will re-post this promo. Also, for any interested the "commercial" has its own official website at http://myebookcommercial.com.

Wild Dreams Wednesday #18

Photo courtesy of Stock Xchg

Tell Me Your Wildest Dreams!
Every Wednesday I venture away from romantic/erotic fiction writing to interpret your dreams. Have a recurring or puzzling dream? Send it to writerlisalogan@verizon.net and I'll try to shed some light on Wild Dreams Wednesday!

This Week's Wildest Dream:



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"There was a little boy and girl in a parking lot. I see this white van speeding,and she runs over the little boy then stops. I'm yelling at the top of my lungs 'oh my God' and running towards the van and boy."
--Liz on Twitter
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This seems like a very disturbing and violent dream, what with the death of an innocent child, but there is some mercifully simple symbolism behind it.

Vans represent things we "haul" in life, the load we bear as we move along on our path. Children, regardless of sex, represent childlike aspects of ourselves, or else childhood memories or traits. Death often does not mean literal death, but losing a part of ourselves, changes or transitions.

Here, perhaps life's burdens have struck down some of the childlike fun you experienced in the past. In this dream there was both a boy and one girl, and it is the boy who is killed. Perhaps you perceive the more active rough/tumble/athletic aspect of your youth has been lost. Maybe you were a tomboy or always "one of the guys," and this has been compromised. A woman driving the burdens of life smashes this aspect, as the demands of womanhood robs you of the pleasure of a carefree, "one of the guys" existence. The girl is left behind, but bereaved by the loss. Another interpretation of this is that you may feel opportunities are denied you because of your gender.


~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wild Dreams Wednesdays interpretation by romance author/editor Lisa Logan is meant to be used for education and entertainment purposes only. I hope you've found this week's post useful! Stay tuned until next Wednesday, when we again delve deep into our Wildest Dreams. Sleep Tight!

Mystery Date Monday: Seeking Guest Dates!

Photo courtesy "Bixo" from Stock Xchg
Every Monday I have been introducing a character from one of my romantic or erotic fiction novels. Now I'd like to open this up to other authors as well! Send me a request, along with the info below, to me at writerlisalogan@verizon.net. I'll feature YOUR character on a Mystery Date Monday! I do prefer romance or erotic titles, please, though mixed genre is fine. (i.e. romantic mystery, sci-fi, or paranormal)

What To Send:

Your info: Your name, brief bio, and website or blog address.

Who: What the character's name is and what they do for a living, or "who" they are as a person.

What Book They're In: The title and genre of the work.

Where They Live: The location, fictional or real, of your character's setting

Why They Are So Fascinating: Give me a quick paragraph explaining what the character's driving factors are in your book, or something unique about their personality.

A Memorable Moment with Your Character:Provide an intriguing excerpt/scene featuring your character.

When Your Character is Available: Whether this is a current or upcoming release. (No work in progress please)

How You Can Get Their Story: Sales links for purchase.

I'm looking forward to meeting some of your characters for a Mystery Date!

Feng Shui Friday: Balance

Octagon graphic, Bartett Designs
Every week I take a break from romance/erotic fiction writing and explore simple tricks to bring positive energy to YOUR writing...and life!

Last week I talked about the last of the feng shui elements, The Fire Element. I've spent several weeks splitting the zones and elements up individually, so now I'd like to talk about a little thing called...

Balance in Feng Shui

graphic courtesy hvaldez1, Stock Xchg
A lot of folks I talk to who are getting involved in feng shui make a common mistake I myself was guilty of in the beginning--focusing all energy in one area. Perhaps they want to beef up romance, and saw some Love Area cures to help. Or who couldn't use some extra cash? Perhaps someone goes all out on their Wealth Area to attract money. But as with all things in life, shifting one area affects others. Rock a boat sideways and you may find yourself seasick and capsized, rather than arriving happily at your destination. So it's important not only to know what elements work best in what areas of the home, but how they must all exist in a careful balance in order to truly flourish.

The Balancing Act of Feng Shui

Life spinning out of control? Have you feng-shui'd your heart out in one or more zones but aren't noticing an appreciable difference? Overall lack of balance in your home may be the culprit.

Take a look at your home as a whole for a moment, eyeballing each of the following elements:

1. Earth (clay/ceramics, natural stone, square shapes, "harvest" earth tones)

2. Metal (Metal furnishings, decor, stair railings, circle/spherical shapes, gray/white colors)

3. Fire (candles/fireplaces, lighting, red colors, triangle/pyramidal shapes, sun-themed decor)

4. Water (fountains, snow globes, fish tanks, water themed decor, ponds, water-filled lamps or furnishings, wavy shapes, blue/black colors)

5. Wood (indoor trees/plants, wood furnishings/decor, wood chimes, rectangular/column shapes, green colors)

Chances are good you will find your home leans toward one or two of these elements. If there is a significant lack of proportion, however, this can create imbalance and "lopsidedness" in your life. The good news is, this can be corrected without bringing in a decorator.

Stacking the Balance

Photo courtesy satty4u, Stock Xchg

There are three main ways to bring obvious discrepancies back into balance.

1.Opposing Elements
Have all wood furniture and too little of other things? No money/desire to ditch the current arrangement? Bring in the opposite element, Metal, to level the playing field. Gray/white toss pillows, carefully positioned metal decor, etc. can help counteract the effects of too much Wood in a space. Same thing with bringing in Water to counteract too much Fire, Earth to dam up too much Water, Fire to soften the effects of too much Metal, and Wood to penetrate the effects of too much Earth.

2. The Thousand Mirror Effect This is what I call the act of reinforcing feng shui zones on multiple levels. Meaning you apply the octagon not only to the house, but to each room and even to a surface in a room (like a desk) to assign feng shui zones to each area of that space. I'll be talking about "micro" feng shui later in the series, but for now let's look at it like this. Say you've got a modern home with metal light fixtures, furnishings, and gray/white/silver color tones throughout. To counteract the barrier effects of all that Metal, make sure the counter element, Fire, is strongly represented in its natural area, the Fame area. Place Fire elements in your home's Fame area, then go to each room of the home and use the octagon to find the Fame wall in that room, and place Fire elements there as well. This reinforces the neutralizing effects of Fire to help minimize the disproportionate amount of Metal.

3. Total Equilibrium
If your life is steeped in Dramaville and you can't seem to get things leveled out, or just really want to amp up the harmony in your existence (boy, that seems like an oxymoron), Make sure all five elements are represented and in balance in all nine feng shui zones. These "echoes of balance" can help reduce those inexplicable hiccups that occur no matter what you do.


Have fun exploring the ways balance can enhance your chi!


~~~~~
Romance writer duties call!! I hope you've enjoyed Feng Shui Friday. Have a tip or dilemma to share? Please post in the comments! Until next time, may you find the magic within that brings perfect balance and harmony your way!

One Lovely Blog Awards!

No one wrote in for a dream interpretation during my week off, so I thought I'd share this great smile-booster I received!

Imagine my surprise when I came back from vacation to discover I'd been given this award by the oh-so-awesome J.A. Saare! You rock in so many ways I can't begin to count...and your upcoming DEAD, UNDEAD, OR SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN is a faboo read!

Here are my three choices for a ONE LOVELY BLOG award:

1. Kealie Shay over at Menagerie Authors. This blog has loads of great book preview commercials, and if nothing else, you MUST scroll down halfway to get a load of the lovely eye candy on this blog! ;)

2.Susan Albert with her Lifescapes blog.Susan's got one of the loveliest blogs around, and with her knowledge of all things garden she helps her readers find more than great books, but the beauty in their outdoor realm as well.

3.Martha Cheves over at A Book and a Dish. Because you have GOT to love a blog that offers you not only a great read, but a great recipe to enjoy while you're taking it in!

All are truly lovely, and I hope you'll check them out!

Mystery Date Monday: Justine St. Clair

Photo courtesy "Bixo" from Stock Xchg
Every Monday I'll treat you to a Mystery Date with a character from one of my romantic or erotic fiction novels!

This Week's Mystery Date:

Who: Budding candle shop entrepreneur and soon-to-become Wiccan Justine St. Clair

What Book She's In: THE WICCANING, a paranormal romance in progress

Where She Lives: fictional town of Greenview in Northern California

Why She's So Fascinating: Justine is struggling to put her life in order after the string of miscarriages that not only ended her dream of being a mother, but her marriage as well. The last thing she needs is a romantic entanglement, yet a chance encounter opens her body and soul to the meaning of true passion. Rion seems like everything she ever dreamed...until she discovers he is allied with witchcraft.

Her night of misguided passion leads to the shocking news of another ill-advised pregnancy. When a series of mysterious messages leads her to the conclusion a curse may be responsible for her prior losses, her best hope of saving her unborn child is to become the last thing a "good" girl ever dared.

A Memorable Moment with Justine St. Clair:

Two weeks had come and gone since the day she'd been rushed to the hospital. Two weeks of occasional cramping but as of yet, no more bleeding. Something horribly wonderful had happened to her that day, or wonderfully horrible. Either way, whatever was going on wasn't natural. And it had saved her from her usual fate―temporarily, at least.

She sat cross-legged atop her down duvet and pulled the towel from her head, a third thought swirling just overhead.Rion.

That day as she'd crumpled on the sidewalk, doubled over with the pain she knew meant another pregnancy was over, she'd been surrounded by the most incredible feeling. A woodsy, pure smell wafted to her, followed by a tingling warmth that outshone even the bright, hot summer day. A shimmer surrounded her, like a mirage of welcome water in the midst of a molten desert. The sensation infused her with a sense of well being, permeating down to a molecular level. All the way through to her child. The same feeling she'd had the night she and Rion had created that child.

Though she knew it was just her imagination, she could almost sense Rion's presence with her. In any case, by the time she'd reached the hospital the stabbing pains had subsided, and when they'd put the doppler over her abdomen she'd had the biggest shock of her life and broke down in sobs.

The baby still lived.

Are you cursed? Suffering the heartache?

Ironic, finding that message right as she'd been wracked with an all-too-familiar pain. Though the pain had faded, the message stuck. A curse.

Something about that word resonated in her spirit. Her miscarried babies had not shown any obvious malformation, and both she and David passed the usual battery of medical tests. Her mother would call her ridiculous for thinking such things, but the idea of a curse made a kind of wild sense.

Regardless, Justine had pushed aside the weird message to juggle the needs of her pregnancy and business. The doctor had ordered strict bed rest for ten days, and she'd reluctantly closed Candlescapes for two. Miresa was a life saver, taking paid leave to run the store. Her mother might have helped, but Justine wasn't ready to explain why she was suddenly bedridden. Still, when Miresa's paid days were up Justine had to retake the reins earlier than the doc's mandate. She'd sat in the shop in a rocker with her feet propped up, giving customers a vague story about a bad ankle.

All thoughts of that message had been forgotten until she'd stopped for groceries on the way home her first day back, when a flyer sticking to the windshield caught her eye as she drove away.

Only You Can Save Your Child.

--from THE WICCANING
~~~~~~~~~

When Justine is Available: THE WICCANING is my current work-in-progress.

How You Can Get Her Story: Stay tuned!

Vay-Kay-Shun

Photo courtesy of StockXchgI'm on vacation until August 3, but I may be popping in from time to time to check on my favorite blogs!

In the meantime, I invite you to check out the new book trailer I just did up for a great, funny mystery author and good friend, Kit Sloane. Her latest in the Margot and Max series, THE FAT LADY SINGS, is coming in September. Check out this preview below:

Feng Shui Friday: Fire

Octagon graphic, Bartett Designs
Every week I take a break from romance/erotic fiction writing and explore simple tricks to bring positive energy to YOUR writing...and life!

Last week I talked about The Wood Element in feng shui. Continuing on with the rest of the five feng shui elements, this week I'll be covering...

Fire Element in Feng Shui

graphic courtesy Stock Xchg
Fire. Passionate, Dangerous, Rapidly consuming and changing. Fire heats our planet and allows life to grow. In Feng Shui, fire is energy and activity, transformation and enthusiasm.

What Does Fire Do In Feng Shui?

Fire governs the following:

1. Transformation

As fire consumes, it transforms. This cycle can be destructive, yes, but can also be life giving. Fire consuming wood in our homes gives warmth or cooks food. Fire burning down a forest will aid in enriching the soil and bringing later new growth.

2. Expansion

As fire licks out and seeks to expand its borders, so does Feng Shui Fire seek to bring an expansive growth to our lives.

3. Enthusiasm

The motion and activity of flame is energetic, mesmerizing to watch. This activity can represent the energy we wish to put to use in our own lives.


Fire is the natural element of the Fame zone in feng shui.
Image Courtesy of JadeGordon, Stock Xchg

What Items Can Be Used to Represent Fire?

Try any of the following that are practical and appeal to you:

1.Candles
2.Lighting
3.Red colors
4.Sun/solar symbols and decor
5.Triangular/pyramidal shapes
6.Fireplaces

Any of these can be utilized in Feng Shui design to bring the Fire element theme into play. Just use caution and don't go overboard.

Fixing "Fire" Problems

Just as fire is probably the most potentially destructive element in your home, the Feng Shui variety can create a negative impact on chi if used improperly or in excess. Avoid Fire elements in Water's natural location, the Wealth area, or too much in areas governing relationships (Marriage, Children, Family). This can lead to "fiery" communication and arguments. Avoid too much red in any zone of the house, even in the Fame area. This can lead to overblown fiery emotions and heated actions. The bright red can also distract from other necessary aspects of life. Replace burned out light bulbs to avoid dulling your energy and enthusiasm. And of course, exercise proper cautions when using live flame as a Fire element.


Have fun exploring the ways this element can enhance your chi!


~~~~~
Romance writer duties call!! I hope you've enjoyed Feng Shui Friday. Have a tip or dilemma to share? Please post in the comments! Until next time, may you find the magic within that brings a spark of positive fire chi your way!

Wild Dreams Wednesday #17

Photo courtesy of Stock Xchg

Tell Me Your Wildest Dreams!
Every Wednesday I venture away from romantic/erotic fiction writing to interpret your dreams. Have a recurring or puzzling dream? Send it to writerlisalogan@verizon.net and I'll try to shed some light on Wild Dreams Wednesday!

This Week's Wildest Dream:


This was posted on Twitter:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I dreamed I was Britney Spears and was in white river rapids. People were chiding me for irresponsible acts."
--anonymous
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At one time or another most of us have probably had a celebrity do a cameo in our dreams, but have you ever dreamed you were the famous celebrity? (White rapids optional!)

This often represents a high, lofty goal that perhaps we think we cannot achieve, or else our status and reputation in our social setting. Back in dream post 13 we learned that water dreams involve our emotions. That you are racing down a roaring river can indicate that you fear getting literally carried off by your emotions, and that this could interfere with your social status or life goals. People are telling you in the dream not to act irresponsibly, a warning from your subconscious to allow a level head to prevail when dealing with issues related to the achievement of your goals and social standing.


~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wild Dreams Wednesdays interpretation by romance author/editor Lisa Logan is meant to be used for education and entertainment purposes only. I hope you've found this week's post useful! Stay tuned until next Wednesday, when we again delve deep into our Wildest Dreams. Sleep Tight!

Menagerie Authors Interview Today!

I'm over on the Menagerie Authors blog today doing a guest interview. Find out why I consider myself uniquely stereotypical and how I use dream programming to write at:

Menagerie Authors: Author Interview ~ Lisa Logan

BLOG BINGO--Winners!

Photo courtesy of Stock Xchg

THAT'S IT!
Blog Bingo week is over...thanks to everyone who played!



WINNERS

Winner of TWIST OF FATE anthology: Babyblue22
Winner of drawing: LORETTA CANTON

Loretta wins a free read of my newest short story, otherwise available exclusively to my Birthday Club members!

LORETTA...please email me at writerlisalogan@verizon.net so I can give you details about your prize.


I can't believe my birthday week is over already! C'est la vie! I hope everyone had a good time playing bingo. Stay tuned for future fun and contests!

BLOG BINGO #7

Photo courtesy of Stock Xchg

HERE ARE YOUR ROUND 7 BINGO CALLS:
Southern California
Editor
MysteryAuthors.com
“Visions”
“A Grand Seduction”


Mark the above off on your squares accordingly.

WHAT'S THIS ABOUT?

Every day during myBirthday Bash week July 5-12, I'll be posting bingo calls for an exclusive game of Author Bio Bingo here on my blog!
THERE'S STILL TIME TO PLAY:

1. Get a bingo card! Email me at writerlisalogan@verizon.net. Include BINGO in the subject line, and I'll send you one free. Join in at any time before July 12, 2009 for your chance to win!

When you get your card you'll note it does not contain typical bingo numbers. Each square contains a tidbit of info about me that might appear in an author bio.

2. Play the game! If you're not already, be sure to follow/subscribe to this blog so you can keep up with the posts! Every day starting July 5, I'll be choosing and posting bingo calls at random. Check my blog and mark off your squares accordingly.

3. How to win: Any straight line, be it horizontal, vertical, or diagonal wins. To shout "BINGO!" just post it in the comments, along with the card number you were assigned for verification of your win.

PRIZES!!


The FIRST player to correctly post "BINGO!" will win a pdf copy of the TWIST OF FATE anthology. ALL remaining players who post a correct "BINGO!" during the week will be entered in a drawing for a fun little conciliatory prize as well.

So get in on the party and request your game cards today. Best of luck to all players!

BLOG BINGO #6

Photo courtesy of Stock Xchg

HERE ARE YOUR ROUND 6 BINGO CALLS:
Author Promoter
Muse Conference Presenter
Video Workshop
Ice Skater
Valley Girl...Not


Mark the above off on your squares accordingly.

WHAT'S THIS ABOUT?

Every day during myBirthday Bash week July 5-12, I'll be posting bingo calls for an exclusive game of Author Bio Bingo here on my blog!
THERE'S STILL TIME TO PLAY:

1. Get a bingo card! Email me at writerlisalogan@verizon.net. Include BINGO in the subject line, and I'll send you one free. Join in at any time before July 12, 2009 for your chance to win!

When you get your card you'll note it does not contain typical bingo numbers. Each square contains a tidbit of info about me that might appear in an author bio.

2. Play the game! If you're not already, be sure to follow/subscribe to this blog so you can keep up with the posts! Every day starting July 5, I'll be choosing and posting bingo calls at random. Check my blog and mark off your squares accordingly.

3. How to win: Any straight line, be it horizontal, vertical, or diagonal wins. To shout "BINGO!" just post it in the comments, along with the card number you were assigned for verification of your win.

PRIZES!!


The FIRST player to correctly post "BINGO!" will win a pdf copy of the TWIST OF FATE anthology. ALL remaining players who post a correct "BINGO!" during the week will be entered in a drawing for a fun little conciliatory prize as well.

So get in on the party and request your game cards today. Best of luck to all players!