The Art of Adaptation – Can Your Book Really Go to Film or TV?
February 23rd, 2010
By Guest Blogger, Lane Shefter Bishop, Producer & Principle, Vast Entertainment
www.Vast-Entertainment.com
(310) 288-3535
Click Here to listen to Lane’s interview with Jennifer at 9:00 am EST on the WomensRadio
The number one question I am asked by authors is “Can my book be adapted for television and/or film?” The answer to this question relies on a couple of things.
First: does your book have a great “hook”? Whereas publishing is all about the writing, adaptation potential is really all about the concept, so it’s vital that your material has a strong one.
Second: is your story unique? Does it stand out from the multitude of other books out there in the exact same genre? This is key because the number one reason projects get rejected is because they aren’t fresh and new, because it feels like we’ve “seen it before.”
Third: does it appeal to a wide audience? This is the most important element because the wider your reading audience, the wider the viewing audience and the more appeal it has to studios, networks and production companies.
Personal expression novels and art house films are great, but they rarely see a large return, big audiences or adaptation to other mediums.
If the answer to all three of the questions above is a resounding “yes” then there is strong potential that your novel could be sold for adaptation to a film or television project.
So the next question arises “where do I start?” The best way to start is to find the right Producer for your material so that they can try and make a deal for your book with the appropriate distributor. Finding the right Producer is just as important as finding the right Publisher, so do your homework. Find out what type of material a Producer typically produces before getting in touch with them and make sure that your material is a good fit for what that person normally gravitates towards.
Also, understand that most Producers don’t have time to read, so don’t approach them with the idea that they are going to read your entire book right away. That’s why your “hook” is so important. Be prepared with a logline – a one sentence TV Guide-like summary – of your book, and have a one-page summary of the story available as well. And remember, these are selling tools, not simply a dry summary of the action, so be creative and make sure both write-ups sound interesting.
Believe me, if both the logline and the one-pager intrigue the Producer, you can be assured they will ultimately request a copy of the book to read in its entirety.
Lastly, be realistic, don’t expect to write your own screenplay from your book, nor act in the production, nor receive any creative control over the project. If you do, you’ll be disappointed and may even be the cause of your own deal falling through.
Click Here to listen to Lane’s interview with Jennifer at 9:00 am EST on the WomensRadio
Writing Your Story
February 23rd, 2010
By Guest Blogger, Melissa Foster, Fiction Novelist
www.MegansWay.com
Click Here to listen to Megan’s interview with Jennifer at 9:00 am EST on the WomensRadio
It’s often said that everyone has one good story in them. That may or may not be true. I’m not going to be the one to decide, however, I do think that if you feel as though you have a story to be told, then you should pursue it.
For fifteen years I scribbled story ideas down on notebooks, on my laptop, on sticky papers—anywhere I was able. With six children under foot, it was impossible to find ten minutes, much less a few hours, to concentrate. I knew that one day, far in the future, I’d be able to take those tidbits and concentrate on making them into books.
There’s no right or wrong way to write. Some people use outlines, others fly by the seat of their pants. You will find your style—try them all if you’d like, until one feels comfortable.
And never, never be afraid of what people will say about your writing.
I have always said that writing is the scariest thing I’ve ever done, and I meant it. It is like standing on the street corner naked; you don’t know if people will whistle or throw eggs at you.
Here’s my best advice. If you want to write, then do it! Make the time. Carry around a notebook and pencil. Write while your children are on the playground, while your family is sleeping, or when you are supposed to be having “me” time. Don’t discard any ideas. Hold onto the ideas. Who knows when they’ll fit perfectly into a story?
Writing is a very fun, and sometimes frustrating, endeavor. The writing process itself takes oodles of time and creativity.
The editing process takes very thick skin, and even more time, and the publishing process, well, let’s just say… and you thought writing the book was difficult?
Follow your heart. You cannot succeed if you never try. I wish you all many successful stories!
Click Here to listen to Megan’s interview with Jennifer at 9:00 am EST on the WomensRadio
How To Get More Views On YouTube – My Top 5 Tips
February 15th, 2010
Learn How To Promote Your Book Using LinkedIn
February 8th, 2010
By Guest Blogger, Lewis Howes
www.LewisHowes.com
Click Here to listen to Lewis’ interview with Jennifer at 9:00 am EST on the WomensRadio
If you haven’t figured it out yet, LinkedIn is one of the most powerful business related social networking sites. It allows you to grow a beneficial network, has more than 55 million professionals worldwide, and gives you a great platform to promote and sell your book.
There is an entire strategy you should follow in order to sell more books using LinkedIn, but for today I want to cover the five main areas you should focus on.
1. Compelling Headline: Your headline is the first thing people see when they go to your profile. Make sure you include “Author of such and such book” in your headline as it will automatically give you more credibility, and promote your book when someone first comes to your profile.
2. Custom Website Links: LinkedIn gives you three places to include website links. They usually say “My Website” or “My Company.” Instead, edit that section and create a more compelling headline for those links. Instead of it reading “My Company” change it to say “Read My Book” or “Learn About My Book.” This will serve as a call to action for people, and increase clicks back to your website where you talk about your book.
3. Amazon Application: Almost every author has their books on Amazon.com. LinkedIn has an advanced application that allows you to include the cover and title of two books that you recommend others read on your LinkedIn profile. Make sure you include your own book cover, as this is another way to show people what you have published. When someone clicks on the book from your profile, it takes them to the Amazon.com page where then can purchase your book.
4. Blog Application: If you have a blog that promotes your book then the best way to drive traffic back to that blog is to add the WordPress application on LinkedIn. This will pull the most recent articles from your site and display them on your profile. When someone visits your profile this will give them another option for clicking back to your main blog to learn more about your book.
5. Groups: Start joining groups that reach your target audience related to your book. There are thousands of groups on LinkedIn. If there isn’t one that meets your niche, then make sure you start a group yourself and build your own audience of raving fans.
There are a number of ways you can start utilizing LinkedIn to promote and sell more of your books. Just make sure you take the same approach online as you would offline by adding value to your network so they begin to know, like, and trust you even more.
Click Here to listen to Lewis’ interview with Jennifer at 9:00 am EST on the WomensRadio
Six Sloppy Speech Habits
February 2nd, 2010
By Guest Blogger, Diane DiResta
www.diresta.com
Click Here to listen to Diane’s interview with Jennifer at 9:00 am EST on the WomensRadio
You may look good on paper or in your suit, but if you’re looking to nail your big interview or speech, looks aren’t everything. How you sound is often more important. But many speakers let careless speech habits sink their chances of landing that plum opportunity to communicate their message clearly and sell more books.
Here are six common language mistakes and how to keep them from sabotaging your interview:
1. Non-words: Filler words such as “um,” “ah,” “you know”, “OK” or “like” tell the interviewer you’re not prepared and make you sound like a Valley Girl (or Boy). A better strategy is to think before you speak, taking pauses and breaths when you lose your train of thought. Everybody utters an occasional “um,” but don’t let it start every sentence.
2. “Up-talk”: A singsong or rising inflection at the end of every sentence creates a tentative impression and makes it sound as though you’re asking a question instead of making a definitive statement. You need to speak with conviction when selling yourself in an interview or selling your book from the stage. Bring your intonation down when ending a sentence to avoid talking up.
3. Grammatical Errors: The interviewer may question your education when you use incorrect grammar or slang. Expressions such as “ain’t” “she don’t,” “me and my friend” and “so I goes to him” aren’t appropriate. Be sure you speak in complete sentences and that tenses agree. The interview and the platform are not the venues for regional expressions or informality.
4. Sloppy Speech: Slurring words together or dropping their endings impairs the clarity of your message. To avoid slurring and increase understanding, speak slowly during an interview. Make a list of commonly mispronounced words, and practice saying them into a tape recorder before the interview. Some common incorrect pronunciations include “aks” for “ask,” “ath a lete” for “athlete,” “wif” for “with” and “dree” for “three.”
5. Speed Talking: While everybody is a bit anxious during an interview or presentation, you don’t want your information to fly by like a speeding bullet. A rapid speaking rate is difficult to follow, and speed talkers are seen as nervous. Slow down your racing heart by doing some breathing exercises before the interview or before you go out on the stage. To avoid rushing, listen to the question, and then count two beats in your head before answering. When you finish a sentence, count two beats again before continuing. Don’t be afraid of silence. Pausing is an effective communication technique. The interviewer and audience need a few seconds to process what you just said anyway.
6. Weak Speak: Wimpy words modify or water down your conviction and in the end your position. When you pepper a conversation with “hopefully,” “perhaps,” “I feel,” “kind of” and “sort of,” the message you convey is a lack of confidence. Use power words such as “I’m confident that,” “my track record shows,” “I take the position that,” “I recommend” or “my goal is.” The language you use gives the listener an impression about your level of confidence and conviction.
The Bottom Line
You don’t have to study elocution to speak well. Simply slow down, take time to pronounce all the syllables and leave slang at home.
Copyright © Diane DiResta. All rights reserved.
Click Here to listen to Diane’s interview with Jennifer at 9:00 am EST on the WomensRadio
