One More Reason to Go Digital

Long ago, I made the decision to submit almost entirely via electronic channels, whether through e-mail or online submission forms. Part of my reasoning was based on convenience. A larger part, though, was based solely on the economics of submitting work. Between the purchase of envelopes, paper, ink cartridges, and most importantly stamps, it just doesn't make any sort of economic sense in the world for a poet to spend all that money with little ROI (return on investment).

Look: I'm not trying to make a living off poetry, but I don't want to max out my credit cards making submissions either. That would be like kicking a poet while he's down.

On January 2, the USPS raised rates on competitive services. Now, they're planning on raising rates on market dominant services April 17 (click here to read an article on the increase).

That will be two rate increases within months of each other. And we all know there's more to come. From where I'm sitting, the number of reasons to go all digital increases every few months as well.

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Check out my post Changes in publishing (and what it means for writers).

The Great Winter Event of 2011!

Coming from Ohio, I never thought I'd experience a week like this past week. Beginning on Sunday evening, the Atlanta area was hit with a combination of snow and ice. In fact, we received around 4 inches of fluffy snow here in Duluth with a layer of ice on top of the snow. Back in Southwest Ohio, the schools would close for a day (maybe two) for such an event. Most businesses would still be open and require employees to report to work. Such is not the case for the winter storm of 2011 in the ATL!

Many businesses were still closed today on the third day, and Reese's school has already cancelled for tomorrow. Not that I'm surprised after venturing out to Kroger today to buy some milk, eggs and hot chocolate mix. After all, the roads are still a mess--even the main ones! I guess Atlanta is used to Mother Nature melting the snow and ice in this area during the very few times that something actually sticks to the ground. The problem this time is that a significant amount of snow and ice fell before the temperatures followed suit.

It's impossible not to learn a lesson or two from such an event that I plan to apply to any future Georgia winter storms.

1. Always grab an extra gallon of milk (or two). Our Kroger was out of 2% and the 1% was more than half gone when I grabbed two gallons today. Related to this...
2. Always grab an extra carton of eggs. Unfortunately, the eggs were completely wiped out by time I got to Kroger today.
3. Purchase a sled before the storm hits. We improvised and used a laundry basket, but a sled would've been nice. (And actually, I prefer using oversized inner tubes, because they bounce.)
4. Have an activity plan ready for the troops. If the boys are occupied with something, they're not occupied (and messing) with each other.
5. Buy extra marshmallows. Because you're likely to go through a lot of hot chocolate before those roads will be safe for traveling again.

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If you're ever stuck in a snowstorm and need a good book to read, why not check out this list of timeless novels:

• Dubliners, by James Joyce. Easily the most accessible of Joyce's books, and it even has a sort of wintery feel to it. I mean, he was Irish and all.
• The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger. Not only does this novel feature one of the best narrators ever, but it's also set in New York in the winter.
• The Ice Storm, by Rick Moody. Umm...it's probably obvious why this novel fits the weather, but it's also a great contemporary novel. I liked it better than the movie.
• The Air We Breathe, by Andrea Barrett. Maybe my favorite novel of the past few years, this novel hits all the right notes with an interesting "we" narrator.
• Bridget Jones's Diary, by Helen Fielding. It's not really that literary, but it is a lot of fun. Plus, it begins and ends in the winter. I liked the movie too!

The Importance of Calls to Action for Writers

Calls to action are usually associated with commercials, sales, marketing and advertising. For instance, a television or radio commercial may cover the benefits of a product and service and finish off with a message of "call in the next five minutes to get 20% off." Or a product (such as a bottle of Mountain Dew or box of Cheez-Its) may advise customers to type a promotional code into a website to see if they win a prize. But there are many other ways writers can employ a call to action.

Why use a call to action?
It's natural to question why employing a call to action should matter for writers. After all, isn't a call to action just some slimy method salespeople use to trick consumers into spending money and giving away their e-mail addresses? Well, I don't feel that way.

People use calls to action in music, movies and literature to change minds. It's used in journalism and documentaries to change hearts. And, of course, it's also used to sell products, get votes, and create change (for better or worse).

When used with a conscience, calls to action are a service to your readers, because a call to action gives directions on what to do next, whether that's giving them a way to learn more information about a topic or making it easy for them to check out a product or service mentioned. After all, there's nothing wrong with making money off a call to action if you're straightforward about what you're doing.

How can writers use calls to action?
Any writer who wants to communicate with others will likely benefit from employing calls to action. Here are a few places writers can use them:

• Queries
• Proposals
• Newsletters
• Articles
• Choose-Your-Adventure Novels
• Blog Posts

But the possibilities are nearly endless. In fact, some fiction and poetry even includes a call to action.

Calls to action are most effective when...

• They're simple. This means it's easy to do. Like click a link or respond to an e-mail.
• They're focused. This means that the call to action makes only one request. The more options you give, the less focused the reader becomes, and the chances of complete inaction increase.
• They're clear. This means there is the call to action is not ambiguous in what should be done next. Don't insinuate that a person could find more information on your site; give them the links to make it happen.

Whatever you do, make sure you don't write a call to action that leaves readers wondering, "Now what?" If they're not sure what to do, then the call to action was not effective.

Remember: Calls to action are not just for marketers, and they're not sleazy if you're using them to give your readers meaningful direction. When used appropriately, a call to action is a win-win for both writers and the people who read them.

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Here are a few other posts of interest to writers:

• Blogging Tips for Writers post
• Twitter Cheat Sheet for Writers post
• SEO Tips for Writers post

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If you're interested in learning more about calls to action, here are a couple good resources:

• Call to Action: Secret Formulas to Improve Online Results, by Brian Eisenberg, Jeffrey Eisenberg and Lisa T. Davis
• Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, by Robert B. Cialdini

ENTER: My Poetry Collection Has a Title

My poetry collection now has a title: ENTER

The word is taken from the end of the poem "Cold Water," which was originally published in Escape Into Life.

I like ENTER as the title, because it's an invitation to read my first collection of poems. Also, the collection itself is entering into a dialogue with readers and other collected works. Plus, I like how the word "enter" works in that final line: all of us afraid to enter.

As poets (and as writers), we often have to overcome our fears of rejection or ridicule to share our work with the world. To ask others to publish or pay for our work is taking that fear to another level. Yet, only by entering--despite our fears--do we start to achieve our dreams and goals.

I want to thank everyone who's fearlessly entered into a commitment to purchase a copy of the collection (before I even had a title for the collection, no less). Your support has given me an incredible lift.

As I mentioned in my original post, there will be only 101 copies in a Limited Edition printing of this chapbook now titled ENTER. Around half of those 101 copies have been claimed already, so I encourage anyone else who's interested in reserving a copy to contact me as soon as possible. The Limited Edition printing is limited to 101 numbered and signed copies. Once I hit 101, they'll be sold out.

Copies are $10 (shipping is included in the price for U.S. orders--and we'll have to figure out foreign orders on a case-by-case basis). Just send me an e-mail at robertleebrewer@gmail.com with the subject line: I would like a copy of ENTER

I'll send along details on how to pay, what number your copy will be, and anything else that needs to be discussed. (By the way, click here to check out the line up of poems for the collection.)

Once again, thank you so much to everyone who's shown their support.

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Follow me on Twitter @robertleebrewer

Or connect with me on LinkedIn.

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What am I reading right now?
Jessie Carty's Paper House. If you haven't read her collection yet, there's a gem of a poem on every page. And you can follow her on Twitter @jessiepoet.

Top 5 Creative Writing Tips

A friend on Facebook recently asked me: What do you think are the 5 best creative writing tips/hints/prompts etc?

Of course, I think it's impossible for anyone to narrow it down to just five tips, but here's my best attempt:

1. Write first; revise later. Many writers think too much in the draft process (trying to make their first drafts perfect) when they should be writing. I believe in using outlines for fiction and nonfiction, but writers should let themselves get carried away with their writing as much as possible. Get your words on paper or on a screen, because you can make it perfect during revision.
2. Show; don't tell. This is one of those golden rules of writing. If you have a character who is mad, don't write something like this: Joe was mad. Instead, show Joe's anger through his actions and/or dialogue. Maybe something like this: Joe slammed the door, stomped over to the couch and plopped down without looking at anyone.
3. Start the story in the right place. Note: You may not know where the right place is until after you've completed the first, second, third, etc., drafts. I could give you a list of places not to start your story (such as in a dream sequence or right as someone wakes up for a normal, boring day), but then, you'll probably just try to prove me wrong. At least, that's what I'd do.
4. Get a few trusted readers. This is very important. If you're the only person reading your writing, then you are working in a complete vacuum. Having a few trusted readers can help you identify trouble areas in your manuscript and even give you new ideas to incorporate into your writing. You don't have to incorporate all feedback, but it forces you to consider how others are reading your writing.
5. Read. Whether writing fiction, nonfiction, poetry, etc., it's important to read if you want to be a good writer. Plus, you should read everything--good and bad--that you can and identify why things work or don't work for you. Incorporate techniques used in poetry in your nonfiction; use nonfiction to find ideas for your fiction; etc.

Those are my personal top 5, but I'm sure other writers have their own. Feel free to share them in the comments below.

Final Tip: Don't worry too much about the business and marketing side of things until you've spent a good deal of time writing. While the business side of things can be very important down the road, writers who want to build a career out of writing should put writing first. Your writing is your product and service; so make sure it's top notch before worrying about all that other stuff.

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Follow me on Twitter @robertleebrewer

Check out my fan page on Facebook.

Connect with me on LinkedIn.

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Here are a few other posts for writers from this blog:

• SEO Tips for Writers, which covers the importance of SEO for writers, especially those who maintain a blog or website.
• Platform Building 101 for Writers, which covers the why and how of building a platform that connects with readers.
• Twitter Cheat Sheet for Writers, which covers, well, Twitter.

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Ready to get writing? Make sure you have the right tools to get the job done:

• Apple MacBook Pro - Upgrade or finally get that first laptop.
• Canon PIXMA MX870 - Wireless all-in-one printer.
• Boise OX-9001 X-9T Multipurpose Paper - To feed into your printer.
• Fellowes Powershred W-11c Cross-Cut Shredder - Just in case.
• Kindle Wireless Reading Device - For easy, portable reading.

Cooler Than Me: My Guilty Pleasure Music

I'm not going to go crazy about my age, because I'm still a young guy. But I also know that all the kids at the dance clubs and the all ages shows look like "kids" to me. I'm not old, but I'm not a teenager either. Actually, I'm at that parenting age that brands me as uncool. (Let's face it: If we let ourselves, we can feel uncool and awkward at any age, can't we?)

Anyway, I've been listening to a lot of Pop 40 music lately, and here's my Top 10 list of guilty pleasures that I can pretend I only like because my boys like them:

1. "The Time (Dirty Bit)," by Black Eyed Peas (off The Beginning album)
2. "We R Who We R," by Ke$ha (off the Cannibal album)
3. "Dynamite," by Taio Cruz (off the Rokstarr album)
4. "Only Girl (In the World)," by Rihanna (off the Loud album)
5. "Cooler Than Me," by Mike Posner (off the 31 Minutes to Takeoff album)
6. "Teenage Dream," by Katy Perry (off the Teenage Dream album)
7. "Magic," by B.o.B featuring Rivers Cuomo (off the B.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray album)
8. "Like a G6," by Far East Movement (off the Free Wired album)
9. "Club Can't Handle Me," by Flo Rida (off the Only One Flo - Part 1 album)
10. "Bottoms Up," by Trey Songz (off the Passion, Pain & Pleasure album)

Okay, these are my current guilty pleasures. Do you have any?

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Want a good way to share your guilty pleasure music with others?

Why not give them an iTunes gift card? In fact, you should probably get one for yourself.

Click to continue.

My 2011 To-Do List

Every year, I make a list of resolutions. Some things get done; others don't. That's how it's traditionally gone. This year, I'm going to see if I can get everything done. The great thing about January 1st is that about anything is still possible.

Here's my 2011 To-Do List:

• Publish a collection of poetry. A carry-over from my 2010 list, I'm currently in the process of making this happen. (Click here to learn how to pre-order a copy of the limited edition chapbook.)
• Get down to and maintain a weight of 185 pounds or less. At one point in 2010, I was down to 192 (using this diet), so I know it's possible to get down to this weight. The trick is staying disciplined enough to maintain that weight. If I do, I should be able to...
• Run a marathon. I haven't picked out a specific race yet, but some candidates include the Air Force Marathon (Dayton, OH), Chicago Marathon (run on 10/10/10), or Columbus (OH) Marathon. Training at a lower weight will help, but it'll also help if I can achieve this goal:
• Run 200 days. I've only accomplished this a few times in my life, but having a very consistent running base becomes more important the older I get if I want to avoid injury. Slow and steady finishes the race.
• Help Den 2 Tiger Cubs have a great year. I've been having a great time as a Den Leader for my Den 2 Tiger Cubs, and I want to make sure all the boys finish the year with their Tiger Cub patches and a bunch of belt loops--while having fun and gaining responsibility.
• Pay off all credit cards. Tammy and I have been collectively digging ourselves out of debt for the past few years, and this is the year we could finally pay off our credit cards. Of course, with our growing family, we'll probably off-set this financial accomplishment by taking out a loan on a minivan. So it goes.

There are other goals too, but these are the biggies that I'd really like to have crossed off when I make out my 2012 list.

Do you have any big tasks on your 2011 list? Share 'em below, and we can hold each other accountable.

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Follow me on Twitter @robertleebrewer

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Here are some of the cool gifts I received this year during the holidays:

• Flash T-shirt. My favorite super hero on an XL T-shirt.
• Pax Zhu Zhu Pet. Yes, I got my very own Zhu Zhu pet; a rock star Zhu Zhu pet, in fact.
• Cookie Monster Pajama Pants. "C" is for "cookie," and that's good enough for me.