how do you get noticed?

Oceania 1 Response »

Mar 082012

What’s on your to do list to getting noticed…

Writers just want to write

Few of us want to promote

Or to be in the limelight

We certainly don’t want to sell

But in order to get the public to buy your book

You either have to be very lucky

Or you have to get off your butt and sell yourself

Do you have a list

A timeline

An idea of how to make you, and your work viral

Have you studied what it takes

Have you enlisted the help of a publicist or a group of friends

Or do you sit in your room

Typing madly for hours

Pounding out prose

Hearts and hurts across a digital screen and block the idea that it needs to be hawked

There are a lot of ways to get noticed

Keep a blog

Get friends to review your book

Get reviewers and website owners to review your books

Have contests

Go to book signings

Put up book trailers

Post it on social media sites

Get someone –even yourself to say something horrible about it an get another to defend it, praise it

Create controversy

Do internet radio talk interviews

Put up a podcast

Go to book readings

Put out a postcard mailing

Do a mail chimp mailing

Put up band like posters all over town

Put flyers on cars at walmart

Stage an outrageous performance act skit that drives people to a book signing

Leave torn pieces of your story – the juicy parts in bars and nightclubs with the url for people to find more

Or if you can afford it have them txt a number for the url

What ways can you come up with to get the word out??

Lmk

Keep your ass in the chair

Oceania 1 Response »

Oct 272011

discipline keeps the course when all else seems impossible.

Have you seen the movie Limitless with that sexy Bradley Cooper? in the opening scene you see him walking across the street he is unkempt, (unkempt such a lovely word), and then we hear him say “You see that guy? That was me not so long ago. What kind of guy without a drug or alcohol problem looks this way? Only a writer.”

In the opening Eddie, played by Bradley Cooper, joins friends for a drink he attempts to tell them about his book but as he puts it not even his friends can believe he has a book deal. So he decides that today is the day he is going to conquer his demons and own that book but he has writers block….

It seems that I am always talking about road blocks to the story. Unlike M Christian, Thomas Roche, Sascha Illyvich, Jean Marie Stine, Deborah Riley Magnus and the other very great names that contribute here that offer great advice on how to succeed – I am here to tell you that YES it takes talent, YES it takes a bit of luck! YES it takes all these great writers have to tell you and more to succeed. But many do succeed and you can too if you just stay in the room and write.

So today I sit in front of my computer like I do every day creating websites, creating stories.. getting carried away by the moment that leads to the next burst of creativity. But somehow this Thursday is different, after a long hiatus, I am back… but I don’t feel like I belong. What do I have to offer other than the recurring theme of perseverance? What can I say that is will impart knowledge. How do I fit in with this site’s company of such articulate, informative, talented writers….

I know many of you must face that feeling of not being good enough, not having anything to say worth writing. Your stories feel insignificant and the plots stale and yet there is still an ember that burns inside that keeps you from working at the mall or some fast food restaurant.

Eddie in Limitless knew that he needed a the bones of good work ethic to put this ideas on paper but he couldn’t keep his ass in the chair.

Because it was a movie he took drugs that helped him do all the things he wanted to do with a clear head and no self doubt. But that is real. In the real world drugs and alcohol dim our lights and handicap us.

In my world, when I feel this way I look at the quote by Robert Huges that I keep close by… “The Greater the artist, the greater the doubt. perfect confidence is given to the less talented as a consolation prize.”

it reminds me that I will have doubts but that I can work through them…

As writers, artists we will always have doubts. It has been a constant struggle through the centuries. Even Monet who was known to visit the Louve in his painters smock would fix his painting with brushes he had hidden in that smock.

So today if the words are not coming, don’t give up. Just keep your ass in the chair and type.

With love
Oceania

New Sale and a best of

Oceania, Sascha Illyvich No Responses »

Jul 072011

For those expecting our lovely Audio Goddess Oceania, she’s off this week and for one more round while she handles some personal business. There are nine of us and from time to time it’s bound to happen that things come up.

So first, I’m going to mention my recent sale to Total E-bound in hopes that A: it peaks your interest and B: It helps me drag out a blurb. That’s right, there is a lesson here and a new one at that, though only a short one.

You see, when you tell your readers you sold a book to a publisher, they undoubtedly want to know what the book is about. Is it a new genre for you? Or a different sub genre like paranormal romance when you normally write contemporary romance stories? Or are you continuing a story line from a previous series? Either way, once you tell the first reader, they’ll get excited but if you repeat the same thing to over 100 readers at 98 different times it gets pretty tiring.

So you go for the quickest explanation possible. Case in point: My puma story tentatively titled Burning for Derrick has a very Burn Notice like feel but the sequel will feature Max, Derrick’s brother who IS a cross between Max Myers of ACC Cigars and Michael Westen from Burn Notice. People understand that even though most of my friends don’t know Max. Once I say Burn Notice, they’ll get a reference point and I’ll only need to mention how I’m working in Max’s love interest.

But this isn’t the story I sold. It’s in second draft mode. But it gets the wheels thinking on how to craft that blurb for the story so I can tell the publisher this will sell because of the blurb. That is the goal, after all.

The traits of the story in question are thus:

It’s a menage. Both males used to be lovers but morals divided them, yet they unknowingly share the same female lover.

It’s paranormal: Both males are wolves, the heroine is a witch.

It’s GLBT – both males are into each other and the woman, equally.

I used the big themes of the story there for sales purposes. This lets me play with the big concept. Get it? Now I can try to pull out the plot.

The wolf packs in Albuquerque NM are dying from an incurable sickness and only Iolite has the resources to research the illness. Being of human origin with wolf blood gives her an advantage but her two lovers are the ones who can really help as they are full blooded wolf shifters. If they could just settle their differences long enough…perhaps the three of them could come up with a solution to what is killing off both their packs.

Does that grab you? It’s a rough start and ignores the romantic conflict. But as I said, this is a short lesson.

As promised, a recap of recent Oceania posts as audio is an important medium. Look at the success of “Go the Fuck to Sleep” for proof.

Writing Is____

Forgive Me Father, I must have Sinned

Audio Books – Break On Through to the Other Side

Those are popular posts for a reason. Until next time…when we return with Deborah Riley Magnus’s post…

this week I am talking about personal lives in our stories

Oceania No Responses »

May 192011

This is oceania for Writesex.net
this week i am talking about personal lives in our stories

as writers
we have been told to write what we know about
we may weave stories in distant lands
with fairies and were-wolfs and zombies running amuck
with drama so thick it can be cut with a chainsaw
but when we work we work in details of our own lives
dont we
our own dramas
the love
hurt
the pain
the betrayals and conquests
the only way to be a better than good writer is to live a full life
a full life gives voice to your stories
makes them a place where in the words others can connect
if you as a writer are not willing to share
to expose yourself then you have no business being a writer
certainly not one for romance or eroticism

i have all but stopped writing
i came to a place in my life was too painful to relive
even in disguise
i did not want to retell my story
i didnt want to put my finger in the hole of deep bloody pain
i couldnt
until today
today the pain grew too great to ignore
and i realized that writing was my psychoanalysis
my therapy
it kept me sane
through
the sickness
the divorce
the hospitals
the betrayals
the wrong choices
and the mountain of work

so i found the courage and a title for my new story
it is called Without Shame

it will be about wrong choices i made
through it i hope to embrace my lost self

so that’s my story
what will you do today
to move your words forward

tell me about it
email me at [email protected]

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Do you have a digital media strategy?

Oceania 2 Responses »

Apr 072011

by oceania

I was reading a radio newsletter and they asked if stations had a digital strategy… seems the old saying if it ain’t broke don’t fix it was being mainlined and hard by the radio industry! Unfortunately they aren’t the only ones! Except for a few most authors feel that if they write it readers will come (oh my – and orgasm too perhaps)

If you subscribe to the idea of 1000 true fans, (anyone producing works of art – needs to acquire only 1,000 True Fans to make a living), a creative needs to reach out on all levels to potential readers and make them fans. Most authors know in their heart of hearts that they need to be focused more on digital media because that’s where a significant portion of their true fans will come from. So what is your strategy?

Do you have a website?
Is it mobile compliant?
Do you have video book teasers?
Do you have both a facebook and twitter account?
Do you make time to voice an opinion, write a weekly blog?
Have you gotten yourself interviewed?

Think outside the wordpressor!

There is no excuse for not having a website. Free sites can be had on wordpress and blogspot and even on some publishing houses servers. A writer cant even use the I dont know html excuse now that wordpress has made life simple with themes that just require one to type and post.

The same goes for twitter and facebook… many writers have them but most are gathering dust. Social media requires a daily commitment! Hence the name SOCIAL MEDIA – not recluse or anti-social

Radio Interviews should be an essential part of any publicity campaign a writer embarks on… Podcasters and online radiostations, like Radio Dentata offer great packages for authors from interviews to books read out loud, places like that offer more than the standard banner or video teaser display. Plus radio offers more bang for your buck in the way of connecting with a fan base… Market rearch has shown that “… online radio listeners are more than one-and-one-half times more likely to have a profile on a social networking site as compared to average Americans and that they tend to be power-users, with one-third of online radio listeners logging on to their social networking site nearly every day or even multiple times per day.” <<<<tapping into that market can make it easier to make those sales!

Why not comment and let me know how you’re maximizing your visibility!

That Dead from the Neck Up Feeling

Oceania No Responses »

Feb 172011

by oceania monroe

this is my week to contribute to Writesex.net
and even though i am writing this on valentine’s day
there isn’t a sexy anywhere in my tired old body

it is 2 1/2months since i had running water in my kitchen
over 4 weeks with limited electricity

do you know what running extension cords from all over the house just to make a cup of coffee
or washing dishes in the bathroom sink

but editors
publishers
agents
they dont want to hear it
really! i meant hear it in my case (audio you know)

and more importantly Sascha Illyvich
doesnt want to hear it
… put away the bullwhip Sascha
i ambeing a good girl really

this weeks installment presents 10 tricks to getting past that i am dead from the neck up feeling

if you are a writer
you write
not for the money
we all hope we can make a living off our words
but you write because you have to
you jones if you dont
and the withdrawal isnt pretty

still deadlines and quotas still need to be met
and if you’re running on empty and you just cant find another sentence in you what do you…

here are some of my favorites
1. cut up a bag of onions- it gives you a reason to cry and a good cry will release up the pent up feelings of frustration
2. take along walk and talk to your characters you may look odd talking to yourself walking down the street but hey who cares it’s not like your taking a california sanity test for a gun permit
3. write a list of dirty words then shout them out loud.This is best done in the shower
4. pull out your favorite sex toys and have some fun
5. call up your favorite sex “toy” and tell him or her what you’d like to do to them
6. stack up a bunch of pillows and beat the hell out of them
7. pull out a copy of vogue and draw double chins, thick fat thighs and love handles on all the skinny models
8. rent a silent movie and make up captions- cant find one – watch an old movie with the sound off and make up a new story line.Doing this with a friend can be fun
9. write gibberish – yep- fill a page with pure gibberish I DARE YOU it’s harder than you think!
10. go soak in the tub – while you’re neck deep in hot water call a friend and play word association games

All this may seem silly but really what you’re doing is giving your tired brain a little down time.

So what tricks do you use to get back on track and meet a deadline? I would love to hear yours! Just email me at [email protected]

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Happy Holidays on behalf of WriteSEX!

Oceania, Sascha Illyvich No Responses »

Dec 172010

It’s that time and normally this is Oceania’s spot but she asked me to step in for her due to us being swamped with work commitments through the end of the year. I’d like to take this time to do two things.

First, I’d like to check in on you, the readers, to find out how you’ve been liking the blog so far and what you think we should cover in future topics. Tell us what’s been your favorite part of WriteSEX. Leave comments, subscribe, share with friends, have a party! LOL!

Second, I’d like to wish you all happy holidays and promise that our regular rotation will start up again on January 6th, exactly one year from when we launched this blog. Coming in 2011, we have more on the way in adding value to your writing so stay tuned here every Thursday!

Sascha and WriteSEX

audio erotica is?

Oceania 5 Responses »

Oct 282010

Todays post is exceedingly short
frankly i forgot this was my week
i have been busy with narrators
and reviewing the back log of audio i have on my desktop

but that doesnt help you any does it?

Todays topic is audio erotica

the one thing i find as a repeated theme is this
even narrators aren’t really sure what audio erotica is

and authors arent sure how to write for it

so here is a little question for you
if the spoken word is story telling
then audio erotica is ________________go ahead fill in the blank

when polling people i got a lot of different answers
there are a few

some said it was porn for your ears
orgasms and words
several said it was sex stories
soft core sex stories as if making a difference
some took it seriously and said its just for women or gay men (a few even went so far as to say that straight men dont like, listen to or buy audio erotic stories)

that last part made me laugh because most of my clients are straight men with some pretty heavy audio erotic fantasies

but even if you jumbled them up and put them all together none of these answers actually is right
because audio erotica like the spoken word is ALSO story telling

i know
it makes life easier to take if we put things into specific little cubicles
if we take something we dont know very much about and stick it somewhere were we dont have to be challenged by it then it is easier to forget or discount
but then if i let you do that then i wouldnt be doing my job
see i truly believe i am here to help you break down those compartmental walls

consider this
a well told story
can be told in pictures, audio and text
a well told story holds the reader/listener/viewer and makes them experience emotion

it doesnt matter if it is history, romance, erotica, fiction or non-fiction a well told story transcends

i know a great many of you will NEVER EVER record your work or even consider it
but maybe you might consider this

when i was in art school
one of my favorite professors remarked that a well made piece of art could be turned upside down or sideways and still be a well made and appreciated

now apply that to your story
if it is read with the eyes and captures the reader
how well will it stand up to being read aloud
is it still as powerful
if you answered yes
then you’re one of the fortunate few

so go ahead try it – and let me know how it reads – text and audio

links are appreciated!

this has been oceania for writesex.net

you can find more of me, oceania on radioactivesex.com; sensualwords.com and the new up and coming pureobsessions.com

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Oh Come on IT’S AUDIO for Crying out loud!

Oceania 17 Responses »

Sep 172010

by oceania

click here for the audio podcast

I am going to give you a tidbit….

I received a submission recently from a woman looking for help.
She wanted to narrate erotic stories.
Her voice was unusual,
but pleasing.
So i sent her a sample to read
and that is exactly what she did.
She read every single word

My first reaction was
It’s audio!
It’s for the ears!
Don’t you realize …
and that is when i stopped in mid-thought
No, she didn’t realize!
And the majority of narrators don’t realize

This isnt grade school. We don’t read every word – We project emotion
see, As a voice talent you have some artistic license in the erotic/romance realm.
For example if you had to read the following line
“I hate you!” Clare cried.

Should you read the line word for word?
HELL NO!

Remember you are not a text reader when you record an audio story. If Clare cried you bring the water works on. If she yelled and screamed then you yell, scream and throw a temper-tantrum when you deliver the lines!

It’s fairly simple!
People want to feel the words and they wont feel them if you just read it! You have to be the words, be the story and the characters and feel the emotions!

I mean really feel it and then telegraphic them to the audience in a clear voice.

Now that is harder than it sounds and does take practice!
So if Clare cried I HATE YOU! it doesn’t make one damn bit of good if the words are muffled between sobs, or if the crying is louder than the words and requires the listener to replay the scene just to know what you said.

Keep in mind that real life may be stranger than fiction, but fiction has to be believable! Well audio has to be even more so!

Here is an example from the movies:
The room is dimly lit and sparely furnished. The drapes are open and there is a sheen on the wood floors. A woman walks across the room. She is wearing high heels. You expect to hear the click clack of those heels as she crosses the room but the sound guy, as hard as he might, cant give you the sound you want to hear. It is up to the foley expert to reproduce that sound.

You’re the foley guy!
This is performance art and should be written and then performed as such!
You have to make it believable!
There are no crutches to lean on – no pictures, no video – just your voice and the imagination of the listener.

With that kind of power you flood an stadium with orgasms.

So ready for the test?
I would like you to record the line:

“Shut up and Fuck me!”, she(or he) said whispering low.
add a link to it in the comment area below!
I look forward to your read!
Oceania

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Tease me – the challenge

Oceania, Write Sex 7 Responses »

Jul 292010

Write sex the tease by oceania
Last week Thomas Roche wrote about the tease and waiting too long for the money shot
this week i want to follow with
more on the tease!

have you ever listen to a writer tell you about the story they are writing?

Did you notice the levels of enthusiasm
that nervousness
that heady thrill that only comes from a powerful idea or really good sex!

But when it came to writing it out
You found it
staler than week old bread

Yes they hit all the plot points they told you about

Yes they described it in minute details
but it just died!

Not a pleasant experience was it

Well now imagine that the words flew off the page….

It was exciting
Sexy
And It Delivered
But when it was spoken
It died
and not just died but died and was left to rot
and it smelt bad!

Words on a page
will lay flatter than a transsexual before hormone injections
but spoken words flat without emotions will kill even the best words

so here’s the skinny
the reader has to go beyond reading
they have to go to the next level
they have to be a teller

Hence the name story teller

And as a story teller
They have an active role in
enunciation
and inflection
they have to keep in mind that when telling a story
reading a story out loud
regardless if it for a group or to record for distribution
is 2 parts writing
1 part performance art

I know many actors feed off an audience
I must admit it can be helpful
I mean if youre reading to an in tune group
Or just to 1 special person
It adds to the emotions you put behind the words

but what if there is no audience
what if it is just you and the microphone

that my darlings is when you read to the microphone
that inanimate object becomes your lover
and it helps that it is shaped like a large bulbous cock
lol
just the right shape to get you in the mood

I know you’re not sure you can read your work out loud
well you better get used to it
because one form of publicity is book readings
they have been going on since the beginning of time
and they are an excellent way to build a following of the 10000 fans you should be shooting for

still not sure
talk to Beth Wydle
this past weekend i went to an authors reading organized by this author of lesbian romance
it was great fun
several authors i have been following were there
they were battle ready
in costume
books and excerpts ready

they understood that reading out loud wasn’t just reading the words on the page
they knew in order to draw you into the characters and have you really grasp the story line
they had to put themselves
wholly in ever utterance

and they did
so here’s the challenge
now it’s your turn
why don’t you send me oceania @radiodentata your excerpts
I promise to be kind but fair in my critics

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