Dr. Fairy Hayes-Scott Featured on "The Podcast Business News Network "

Why is it important to have a book publishing company that's willing to work with new authors? Is it important for authors to have their work reviewed by an editor? 

The Podcast Business News Network interviewed Dr. Fairy Hayes-Scott, owner of MarketingNewAuthors.com (MANA), and Robbie Dean Press discussed these and other issues involving the subject of book publishing. 

Dr. Hayes-Scott also discusses the importance of the publisher-author relationship and the services that MANA provides. 

Are you interested in publishing a book? Then contact MANA at info@marketingnewauthors.com.

Meanwhile, listen to Dr. Hayes-Scott's interview below. 

5 Practical Tips For Pacing Your Story

If there’s one thing that writers don’t think about much is pacing their story. Pacing strategically controls the speed at which information and events flow in a story. 

What many storytellers struggle to understand is that poor pacing can cause your story to come off as drawn out or hurried. Readers typically get bored or feel lost when they sense the pacing is off.

Something that will help you with pacing is the plot of your story. So, before diving into writing, outline the plot. Determine the beginning, middle, and end, as well as key plot and subplot points and character arcs. Don’t forget to refer to your outline as you’re writing your story.

As a way to maintain pacing throughout your story, consider taking these 5 approaches:

1. Layer your story by adding multi-dimensional characters with a range of emotions, thoughts, behaviors, struggles, and complexities. In other words, readers should be able to connect or relate to the characters in your story. You may also want to consider creating events that help your characters grow and change throughout the story.

2. Steadily increase the emotional and psychological tension between characters to move the story forward and keep the readers’ attention. One way of building tension raising the stakes so that certain characters would gain or lose something important to them. This will also keep readers invested in the outcome.

3. Create interesting dialogue that brings your characters to life. This can include making each character's voice unique. For example, give characters distinct speech patterns, vocabularies, and mannerisms. Consider their background, education, and personality when crafting their dialogue. You can also use dialogue to reveal your characters' motivations, fears, and desires through what they say (and don't say) Let dialogue highlight your characters’ growth and changes over time. Make every line of dialogue move the story forward or reveal something important.

4. Make sure to include interesting or exciting moments in the middle part of the story. You can do this by allowing the characters to start disagreeing, competing, or misunderstanding each other. This will also help to build tension. If the midpoint of your story is simply a continuation of the beginning chapter with no new characters, conflict, or events introduced, readers may lose interest and put the book down. It’s hard to win back disinterested readers.

5. The story should continue building up so that it leads to a satisfying conclusion. Take the time to research the best practices for ending a story. To quote well-known crime novelist, Mickey Spillane, "The first page sells this book. The last page sells your next book."

Think of pacing in your story as a rollercoaster ride. Just like a rollercoaster doesn't immediately start with a big drop and then coast, it gradually builds up to the climax before delivering the thrilling moment.

If you reveal all the exciting parts too early, the rest of the story will be dull. On the other hand, if you save all the excitement for the end, readers will lose interest early on in the story.

Once you learn how to pace your story, basically by escalating suspense, your readers will remain engaged because you will have roped them into the story.

By maintaining intrigue in your story from start to finish, your readers may become loyal followers and look forward to your next best seller.

How to Propel Your Creativity Into the Spotlight

BY CHRISTOPHER HAYMON
of ADULTING DIGEST
GUEST WRITER

Image by karlyukav on Freepik

In an era where creativity flourishes in every digital nook, standing out as a creator is a formidable challenge and a profound art form. This journey transcends mere talent; it's about strategically presenting that talent to the world to make sure it not only emerges from the shadows but also captures the spotlight it so rightfully deserves.

The quest for recognition is nuanced, requiring not just fervor but a meticulously crafted strategy to prevent your work from fading into obscurity. This article delves into the myriad strategies that authors and other creators can employ to illuminate their work so it receives the acclaim and admiration it warrants.

Crafting a Captivating Portfolio

For creators, the foundation of recognition lies in a carefully curated portfolio. This portfolio serves as a visual narrative, a collection that highlights the zenith of your work and traces the evolution and breadth of your creative journey. A portfolio, especially for authors, is more than a compilation of works; it invites viewers to delve into your unique artistic realm. It must be impactful, resonating with the audience and leaving an indelible mark.

Nurturing Financial Partnerships

The realization of visionary projects often depends on acquiring essential funding. This step extends beyond merely attracting investors; it involves cultivating partnerships with entities that align with and support your creative philosophy. These partnerships are vital, providing the resources necessary to elevate projects from mere concepts to tangible creations. It’s about finding a synergy with backers who can transform stagnation into dynamic growth.

The Profitable Pen: Navigating Your Writing Career to Financial Success

BY CHRISTOPHER HAYMON

of ADULTING DIGEST
GUEST WRITER

Turning your writing passion into a profitable enterprise is both exhilarating and demanding. Hopefully, this post will provide some practical tips to help you blend your creative fervor with commercial success, equipping you with the necessary tools to flourish in the competitive world of professional writing. 

Embracing the Slow and Steady Approach

The quality of a writer's work is paramount. So, start with small, deliberate steps. This gradual approach allows you to adjust to the business world while preserving the essence of your writing. By doing so, you maintain the integrity and quality that define your craft. 

Tailoring an Effective Marketing Strategy

Develop a marketing plan that resonates with your unique writing style. Understanding your target audience is key. Create engaging content on platforms like blogs, social media, and newsletters to connect with your readers. A targeted marketing strategy not only showcases your work but also builds a loyal readership.

Creating a Brochure 

Using a brochure to market your writing business offers several benefits. For starters, you can use a brochure to showcase your business in detail, allowing potential clients to easily grasp the scope of your expertise. Brochures can be distributed at networking events, and conferences, or mailed directly to target audiences, increasing your outreach. Also, by using free online tools, brochures can be easily customized to suit specific needs and trends, ensuring your marketing materials stay relevant and impactful. 

Author Jeanette Toomer Displays Resilence in New Memoir On Overcoming Her Struggles

MarketingNewAuthors.com (MANA) welcomes Jeanette Toomer to the MANA Family of Authors. In her debut memoir, Precious Struggles: The Making Of A 21st Century Woman, Ms. Toomer takes readers on a journey of the challenging times in her life, including her marriage and her decision to have children. 

Ms. Toomer shows readers how she discovered her strength and inspired changes through her activism during the Civil Rights era, her challenges as an educator, as well as navigating through September 11, 2001, in New York City, and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

In an interview with "The Authors Show," Ms. Toomer gave an inspiring response to the question: "What is a 21st-century woman?"  Ms. Toomer answered:

"A 21st-century woman is a woman who endures cultural and societal conflicts and finds a way to overcome even personal difficulties to rediscover and refine her strengths."

During her interview, Ms. Toomer offered more insight into the process of developing her book. To listen to her full interview on "The Author's Show," use the audio player below:

Prior to her interview on the popular radio program that highlights new and seasoned authors, Ms. Toomer had a question-and-answer (Q&A) session with MANA, the company through which she self-published her memoir, Precious Struggles: The Making Of A 21st Century Woman: 

MANA: What inspired you to write your book?

Jeanette Toomer (JT): I felt that after turning 50 I wanted to leave my memoir behind for my children and other women to know. It may look normal, but many incidents (including birth) in the life of a Black woman in America are not. Yet, we tend to survive, live and even raise children in a racist, and sometimes, sexist culture. If I share my story, perhaps I can inspire someone else to share theirs. We have so much to learn from each other.

MANA: Is this your first book?
JT: Yes, this is my first book.

MANA: How did you find time for writing, particularly if you were working while writing your manuscript?
JT: It was a long time coming. I had to fit writing into weekends and summer vacations. My children are adults, so I was no longer raising children. But, teaching high school English can require long hours of planning lessons and grading papers. I started by attending a small memoir writing workshop held by African Voices. We would bring our drafts to the workshop and receive feedback from each other. That was over six years ago. I decided to keep writing it with chapters on 9/11 and later surviving cancer.

MANA: What was the easiest part of the writing process for you?
JT: I guess the easy part was knowing what I wanted to focus on in each chapter. At least that's how it began and other memories would rise and I'd have to add to it.

MANA: Please describe what your book, Precious Struggles: The Making Of A 21st Century Woman is about?
JT: My book is about the personal, cultural, and political struggles that I experienced in my life and overcame. Most of them I did not foresee, which was the disturbing part about it. I also realized that many of these struggles were racial and sexist signs of our times.

MANA: How did you come up with the title, Precious Struggles: The Making Of A 21st Century Woman?
JT: "Precious" means that it was crucial for me to face these challenges, which related closely to who I am as a Black woman, a professional, and a mother. So the struggles are difficult but also precious and allow me to grow beyond my expectations.

The Art of Storytelling: How to Avoid Five Common Pitfalls

Image by Alexandra_Koch from Pixabay

Storytelling is the most engaging form of communication for writers. Why? Because everyone loves a good story. Additionally, authors of well-written stories are more than likely to gain loyal readers. However, writers should be mindful of the mistakes that can detract from the overall quality and impact of their stories. 

The following are the most common pitfalls writers should avoid, especiallly when writing fiction:

1. Overly Complicated Plotting

Have you ever read a book with multiple characters, and the story contained a plot for each character? It's easy for readers to get lost and lose interest in a complicated story. So, avoid overwhelming readers with excessive information or backstories of all the characters. Focus on your main characters and add essential details of other characters when they become relevant to the story.

2. Overuse of Adverbs and Adjectives

Writing a story that readers enjoy involves using descriptive language. However, writers frequently overuse adverbs and adjectives to describe nouns and verbs. For instance, writers commonly use an adverb to modify the verb "said," such as "he said, loudly," "she said, smiling," or "he said, laughing." The overuse of adverbs can weaken a story. Similarly, the overuse of adjectives (for instance, "the very big, scary monster) can weigh down and slow the pace of a story, causing readers to become bored and lose interest in the narrative. 

In a letter to one of his students, Mark Twain advised: 

When you catch an adjective, kill it. No, I don't mean utterly, but kill most of them—then the rest will be valuable. They weaken when they are close together. They give strength when they are wide apart.

So, opt for stronger verbs and precise nouns in your story.

Do You Want To Inspire Others? Become An Inspirational Writer

With all the negative news we hear daily, it’s easy to become discouraged and lose hope. However, if you are a writer, you have the ability to do something special to lift up someone’s spirits.  

Using your writing to inspire others can be a powerful way to make a positive impact. Think about the books that have inspired you and how you feel when reading them. Look closer at how the work is written. What words stand out to you? What was the writer’s message and how did it affect you emotionally?  

There are many examples of books that have inspired and motivated people to live their lives to the fullest. They can help us to overcome challenges, achieve our goals, and make a difference in the world. Some of the most popular time-honored inspirational books include: 

The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale

The Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

Inspirational writing can take many forms. It can be a poem, a story, an essay, or even a speech. It can be about anything that inspires you, whether it is a personal experience, a historical event, or a work of art. 

The following are 8 suggestions that may help you effectively inspire readers through your writing:

MANA's Latest Released: "Bare Essentials Bits—The Book: Providing the Puzzle Pieces of Good Grammar, Precise Punctuation, and Accurate Word Choice

When do you use:

• Collective Nouns?
• Replacer Nouns?
• Singular Indefinite Pronouns?

We often use parts of speech, contractions, and other types of grammar in our writing and daily communication with others. Let’s face it, knowing how to use grammar correctly can become puzzling: 

• “Did I use its correctly?” 
• When do I use they’re?”
• “Where do I put the comma in this sentence?” 

This can get confusing, and even embarrassing if you make a mistake and your work goes public, especially if you are a blogger, teacher, or marketer!

MarketingNewAuthors.com (MANA) featured a successful series of weekly podcasts titled, “Bare Essential Bits.” (Go HERE to listen to the podcasts.) Because there appeared to be a substantial interest in the topic, Dr. Fairy C. Hayes-Scott, owner of MANA and its parent company, Robbie Dean Press, created Bare Essentials Bits—The Book: Providing the Puzzle Pieces of Good Grammar, Precise Punctuation, and Accurate Word Choice which focuses on the mechanics and grammatical issues that challenge all writers. 

Bare Essentials Bits—The Book: Providing the Puzzle Pieces of Good Grammar, Precise Punctuation, and Accurate Word Choice is a combination of hard copy print and digital. The book features explanations on such topics as comma splices, run-ons, fragments, punctuation usage, and comma usage. There is also a comprehensive list of commonly misspelled words.

Bare Essentials Bits—The Book: Providing the Puzzle Pieces of Good Grammar, Precise Punctuation, and Accurate Word Choice is a reference that you can use again and again. Everyone who cares about solving the puzzles of grammar, punctuation, and word choice will find this book a valuable asset.

Go HERE to preview the book.

Book For Higher Education English Course Provides Writing Strategies For Student Success

Dr. Erin Laverick’s book, Learning to Write for Academic Success in Undergraduate and Graduate Schools, provides a roadmap for students to follow to achieve success in higher education English courses. 

English language instructors will find the textbook user-friendly in regards to planning their daily lessons because it includes useful activities that can easily be completed in a traditional fifty-minute class period. 

This book helps students to write a wide range of writing assignments, from article reviews and literature reviews to annotated bibliographies, and argumentative research papers.

“Using the writing process and the graphic organizers provided in the textbook, students are taken step-by-step through the process of writing different genres of essays,” Dr. Laverick says. “With a heavy research component, reading strategies are also included, so students can best learn how to read academic writing and implement it into their research writing."