Tips on Publishing and Promoting Books

So you've spent a lot of time writing that interesting novel or a batch of short stories or perhaps those moving poems and lyrics, now what? Sure you can join a writing site or start a blog and post your work there but it is better to publish your collection of writing and/or your novel in a book. That is a huge achievement, gives you something to brag about and be proud of, and it can potentially bring you some income (regardless of how big or small it may be).

Two Ways to Get Your Book Published

There are two ways you can go about getting your book published. You can get an agent and have him/her submit your manuscript to traditional publishers until one of them finally decides to publish your book. You can try to submit your manuscript to traditional publishers without an agent too, but these days more of these kinds of publishers won't even look at your work unless you have an agent.

The downside to trying to get your book published with a traditional publisher is that you will most likely face rejection and lots of it. That doesn't mean that the book you have written is crap or of bad quality. It just means your book is not what the publishers are looking for at the moment, or perhaps they just fail to see how great it really is. In the end, all they care about is making money and if they feel that your book won't sell out, they won't bother with you.

Trying to get your book published with a traditional publisher is a very stressful and downing process and is something that you can avoid if you go the self-publishing route.

Going the self-publishing route will mean that your book will less likely get rejected, if at all. Your book will be published faster and available as POD (print on demand). POD books are printed only when they are ordered, which means you never have to worry about where to store your book and how many copies to order, and you never waste any money. If you want to order copies for yourself and your friends you do so whenever you want and as many times as you want and you only have to pay what it costs to manufacture the book.

When you do go the self-publishing route you have to be careful though. There are enough publishers ("vanity press" and such) who will offer to publish your book and they will charge a hefty fee for the service. And they may not even give you a hard copy of your book without charging you the full retail price for it.

You should not have to pay to publish your book. If anything, they should be the ones to pay you for having them publish your book. If it weren't for you they wouldn't have a new client or a new book to potentially earn from.

There are many self-publishing companies out there and those that are actually "vanity press" publishers. Some of these are Lulu, Kindle Direct Publishing (formerly Create Space), Xlibris, Publish America, Author House, and so on. I am not familiar with the publishing requirements and rules of any of them but Kindle Direct Publishing and Lulu are the only publishers that don't charge you a fee for publishing a book with them. It's great that it costs you nothing to publish a book with these two companies. And the fact that both are POD is a huge benefit.

How Do You Actually Get Paid For Your Books?

Traditional publishers pay you an advance. It can be in hundreds of dollars, or thousands, or even millions. Then once your book sales have reached the amount they paid you as an advance you will get a % of the book sales.

With self-publishing there is usually no advance (unless perhaps it is a "vanity press") and you get paid a percentage of each book sale. For example, with Lulu you get 80% for each book sale. So, if your book sells for $20 then you will get 80% of that when someone buys it. Others pay different percentages, so you have to check with them before you publish your book.

Can Your Self-Published Book Be Sold on Amazon and Other Online Retailers?

If you want your book available online on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other sites you can still self-publish your book. Your book will be distributed to these retailers if all the distribution requirements are met. Your book may even be submitted to a place from which physical bookstores can order your book if they so choose. The self-publishing company may charge a fee to have your book distributed outside of their website but it should not be a very high fee. If the fee is very high go for another publisher.

I have published my books with Lulu and distribution is free.

Is It Best to Self-Publish a Book or Go with a Traditional Publisher?

If you publish your book with a traditional publisher marketing and promotion for your book is done by them and at no cost to you. If you self-publish your book then all the marketing and promotion for your book falls on your shoulders. You can hire a marketing/book promotion expert (which will cost you probably hundreds of dollars) or you can do it yourself for free, or at the very least for a cheaper cost. 

In my opinion it doesn't matter how you publish your book (publish with a traditional publisher or by self-publishing). What matters is how you market and promote it across the web and in the real world.

Just because a book is published by a traditional publisher doesn't mean it will sell out and just because a book is self-published doesn't mean it won't sell out. With the right marketing and book promotion plan and techniques any book can sell and sell well.

What Book Formats Should You Publish?

When you write and publish a book it is best to try to cater to everyone. Therefore, the best thing to do is to publish a paperback, a hardcover and an e-book version of your book. You can even try publishing a Large Print book if you'd like. The more formats your book is available in the better chances of increasing your sales.

If some people prefer to read only e-books and your book is only available as a physical book most likely they will not buy it and you will therefore miss out on new fans and new sales. The same thing goes for people that only read physical books. If your book is only available as an e-book you will again miss out on new fans and new sales.

You don't necessarily have to release all the formats at the exact same time, but best to have all of them available at some point.

It's a little bit trickier with e-books as there are kindle e-books, nook e-books, e-books that are just PDFs, etc. One format may not support another so you may have to have more than one e-book format of the same book.

Ways To Promote Your Book Online and Off

There are many ways to promote your book online and off. And you don't even have to lash out lots of money to do it.

Create a website for yourself where you will talk about yourself, your writing, your book and where to buy it. If you are not sure how to make a website no problem. You can create a Google blog and use that as your website. And there are probably sites that let you create a website for free and without the need to know HTML or any other programming languages.

Join social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and TikTok. Create profiles there with a link to your website and provide info on your books and where they can be bought.  

Post links to your social networking pages on your website. Also post links on each of the social networking sites to the other social networking sites. For example on your Facebook page post links to your Twitter, Pinterest, TikTok and do the same with the other ones.

Start a blog and in your profile info let people know about your book and all its relevant info you want them to know. You can even add a signature to all your blog posts that will have the link to your books. 

If you start a blog be sure to provide the link to your blog both on your website and on the social networking sites.

Join social bookmarking sites like Digg, Delicious, Reddit and mention in your profile that you are an author and that you have published a book and where people can find out more about it.

Join writing communities such as authorsden.com, and writing.com and post samples of your writing there, while also talking about your books and where they can be previewed and purchased. 

If you join authorsden.com you can also create a book ad for your book that will be displayed on their website and visible for all to see. You will need to upgrade your membership to a Silver membership or higher to be able to create a book ad. 

If you join writing.com you can add your book to the My In Print area and so whenever people visit your portfolio they will see an image of your book along with its price and when clicked on they will be taken to the book page on Amazon. When you add your book to the My In Print area you will need to know and provide the ASIN of your book for it to be displayed. ASIN is a 10/digit ISBN. You can locate it on your book's Amazon page under product details.

Join book sharing sites likes weread.com and goodreads.com, create your author page on these sites and talk about your book. If your book is not found on those websites you can manually add it to the site; that is add the title of the book and your author namer, the book cover, publishing info (year, publisher, isbn, etc.), number of pages, book description, and so on. You can even include links where to buy the book.

Print out bookmarks and flyers and hand them out to people. Be sure to include info about your book and about yourself and where the book can be bought.

Try to set up book signings/readings. If you can't do it yourself, or if you don't feel comfortable setting it up, ask a friend or someone you know who may be able to help you.

Attend book fairs and let people know about your book there. Ask if you can even set up a tent there and showcase copies of your book.

Let your friends know you have published a book and ask them to spread word about it to other people they know.

Add a signature to your email that will include links to your website and to where your books can be purchased. Every time you send an email to someone they will see the links and may go check out your book and even buy it.

Talk to your local library and see if maybe they will want to have a copy of your book. Maybe they will even allow you to have a reading or a book signing there.

Contact small bookstores and see if they may be interested in selling copies of your book. See if you can put up posters of your book anywhere around the neighborhood.

When you tell people about your book—if you self published it—don't tell them that it is self-published. When most people hear that a book is self-published they immediately think that the book is self-published because no one wanted to publish it, which means it is crap, boring, or of bad quality. They will not even want to glance at it or read a few pages. And that is a terrible thing.

Also if you self-publish a book (with a self-publishing company) be sure to include their name on the spine of the book and in the copyright page. Seeing a publisher's name will make these people think that the book may be worth browsing through or glancing at, if not reading. And chances are they won't even know that the company is a self-publishing company. Don't even tell them that it is. They don't need to know that. 

I hope these tips will help you on your book publishing journey and I hope they will help you increase your sales and expand your fan base. I wish you much success in getting your book published and selling it to the world!

Writing as a Form of Therapy

Writing can be a very useful and effective form of therapy when you are dealing with things in your life that are complex, hard to deal with, or are filled with pain and sorrow. No matter what you are going through at any given moment in time, writing it all down—whether in a journal or diary, in a blog, on a computer, or just on a piece of paper—can help you make sense of things. It can also help you cope and release all the emotion that is dying to come out. At times it can even help save your life.

Don't Just Write When Things Are Bad in Your Life

You don't have to turn to writing only when something bad happens in your life. You can also write about the positive things, the things and the moments that fill your life with joy, excitement, wonder and love. You can write about things that take you to the highest highs, that make you feel like you are on top of the world. That is also a form of therapy. It will make you realize that not everything will always be negative and filled with pain and heartbreak. It will reinforce that with the bits of negative there will always be bits of positive. That is the way the world works. That is how things are kept in balance. You can't always have the negative and you can't always have the positive. There has to be a bit of both.

Writing Is a Snapshot of Your Life

Writing is a snapshot of your life. It is a way for you to capture the things that you go through at any given moment in time, both physically and emotionally. It is a look back at everything that you've been through, both the good and the bad. It is your journey through life. You don't have to be an excellent writer to sit down and write. You don't have to be the most talented person out there or be at the top of your game when it comes to writing. All you have to do is pick up a pen and paper or sit down at a computer and let the words flow out of you. You'll be surprised at what you will bring to life.

There Is Nothing to Fear. Just Write!

You shouldn't have to be afraid to pick up a pen and write. You don't have to worry about people judging you or your writing. For the time being the only person who will get to read what you write is you. Yes, you may end up judging yourself, may end up being your own worst critic, but don't worry about that. Just pick up a pen and let your heart and mind do the talking. Don't think about anything else but what your heart and mind are filled with. Let it all out. Release everything that needs to be released.

Only when you are done writing for the moment should you even consider judging your work. If you do it while you are writing then your writing will suffer. Everything that needs to come out won't come out. And everything needs to come out because one thing will lead to another. What you write will trigger something else in your heart and mind, in your memory, and a new chain of writing will emerge. It is a never-ending process. And it is not only therapeutic but it is also creative and inspiring. It may even result in a published book or a published piece of work in some publication or even simply on a website.

It doesn't matter which style or form of writing you write in. Just write! You can write poetry, lyrics, prose, whatever it may be. It doesn't matter so long as you pick up that pen and write.

Don't Let the Negative Feedback Get You Down!

If you choose to share that which you have written with others and happen to get negative feedback don't get discouraged. Don't let the negative feedback get you down! I know it is hurtful and may cause you to stop writing, as I've been down this road, but don't let it get to you. Brush it off! It is only the opinion of a few people. Just because they give you negative feedback doesn't mean that what you wrote sucks. Your work can in fact be brilliant but those people just fail to see that.

If you do get negative feedback try to turn it into a positive. See if there is anything in the feedback that can be useful for you in your writing journey. Try to see if there is anything that can help you improve or steer you in a better direction. Don't ever tell yourself This is the end! I am done! It is not worth it. Writing is a part of you and it will be with you till your dying day.

You may think that writing is not your thing. You may even think that you hate writing! But if you get into it your perceptions and assumptions will change, if not right away then with time.

There Is a Writer in Each and Every One of Us

There is a writer deep within each and every one us that is dying to come out of hiding. It is up to you to decide whether you want that writer to come out or to stay hidden within you for the rest of your life. It is really up to you.

The best thing to do is to let that writer out. It will open up so many doors for you—doors to your emotional healing, to your physical well-being, to your spiritual journey, to the expansion of your thoughts, to the creation of new ideas and new discoveries. Writing can do so much, even when it seems like nothing can come out of it. Writing is and always will be a form of therapy, whether you realize it or not.

My Experiences Singing and Performing

While I was in college I joined Chorus, which is similar to a Choir or a Glee Club. We spent the semester learning songs and then at the end of it we put on a show. It was the one "class" that I looked forward to the most. And it gave me an easy A. But I didn't join the Chorus for the grade or the boost in my GPA for the semester. I joined because singing is a huge passion of mine and I love every minute of it.

It was a thrill being up on that stage, singing my heart out with the rest of my Chorus members. We only got to perform about 4 or 5 songs (with the exception of a solo or two) so my time on stage sadly was very short. Still, it was an experience I will never forget. Unfortunately, I only got to take Chorus for four semesters - my junior and seniors years - as I didn't know about it the first two years of my college career. But at least I got to be a part of it for a short while, which to me is a blessing.

Me singing at a cruise talen show

Me behind the piano (wasn't actually playing)

Dancing, Singing, Performing

I love singing and I love performing. Besides, being part of Chorus I have performed a few times in talent shows on cruise ships and have done karaoke too. It was a lot of fun and definitely created lasting memories.

I also love dancing. And when I hit the dance floor at parties and dance the night away I always sing at the same time. When I do this I feel like I am performing, like I am putting on a show for people, especially when there aren't that many people on the dance floor at the moment. I don't mind people watching me. I actually welcome it. And it feeds me with energy to keep on doing it.

Once I get on the dance floor it is hard for me to stop dancing and leave the dance floor. I am that passionate. I am that hooked. Usually the only thing that will get me off the dance floor is if a slow song comes on and no one offers to dance with me, or I am so tired that I feel like I will collapse at any moment.

Dancing makes me so energized and full of life. It also sets me free and lifts my spirits. Not that long ago, I had joined a Latin dance class (Latin Dances: Joyful, Healing and Empowering) that deals with energy. Whenever I had left that class I always felt so energized. Sadly it was only a five session class. I had enjoyed this class so much that it was bittersweet when the last class came to an end. I would love to have an on-going class like this, sadly the place where I took it doesn't have classes like this anymore.

I wish I could dance every day... And maybe I can. I don't need a dance class to dance. I can do it at home... So what if am dancing alone? I will still enjoy it a lot. And it would make for great exercise and will leave me energized too.

Singing and Writing Songs

Singing is a huge part of my life. I sing every day whether aloud or to myself, sometimes without even realizing it. Sometimes I sing songs written and recorded by others, but sometimes I sing the songs I've written myself.

Sometimes I may burst into song out of the blue, singing whatever pops into my head. When that happens a new song will come to emerge. I have written many songs in this way and they turned out great in the end.

That's probably the most fun thing to do. Not to sit at the computer and think about what song to write... but to actually start singing whatever comes into my head at the moment and have a song emerge from it...

I wish the songs I have written actually had music set to them. Unfortunately, I don't play any musical instruments for that to happen. But I do have melodies in my head for these songs and sing them whenever I feel like it. I have written over 350 songs to-date. With so many songs written I decided to publish them in a book. So now I have three lyric books published (Soundtrack of My Life: Volume 1, Soundtrack of My Life: Volume 2, and Melodies of the Heart). I am very proud of these accomplishments and it would be a huge honor if some of the songs would get recorded by others and made into hits. That would really be a dream come true.

My Trip to Fallingwater

 

Fallingwater

This summer my aunt and uncle took me and my parents to see Fallingwater. It is an experience that I will never forget. Since driving to Fallingwater takes many hours we dedicated two whole days to the trip. On the first day we went to see the famous city of Bethlehem, located in Pennsylvania. Then we stopped to have some fun at the nearby casino, after which we headed to our motel.

Our drive to the motel was quite an adventure and one that I will never forget. We were driving there in the evening and the weather was fine but then all of a sudden things changed. It started raining very hard, the thunder began to roar, and flashes of lighting covered the sky. It was very hard to see and I was praying that nothing would happen to us on the way to the motel. The weather was that brutal.

The highway we drove on (somewhere in Pennsylvania) had three long tunnels going through it and it was amazing how we would leave the rain and thunder behind when ducking into the tunnel and then it would all return once we exited the tunnel. And it happened three times as there were three tunnels that we had to pass through.

I was on the edge of my seat the whole ride to the motel. When we finally got to our destination for the night I gave a sigh of relief. We had made it safely to our destination. We went to get some food and then got together in my motel room to have supper and watch the women's gymnastics Olympics qualifying round. It was also my dad's birthday so we made a few toasts to him. Then we headed off to bed as we had to get up early the next day to head to Fallingwater - our main destination.

We went there in the morning and spend a few hours sightseeing, after which we headed on home. The weather behaved itself this time and the trip wasn't stressful for me at all.

What is Fallingwater?

Fallingwater is a house that was built for the Kaufmann family by a famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright. This house - which was meant to be a summer home for the family - is considered to be one of the best architectural creations of the 20th century and is Wright's finest work.

Millions of people come from all over the country (and maybe even the world) to see this architectural masterpiece. And that is not surprising in the least.

Fallingwater is built on a waterfall and is in perfect harmony with nature as it's surrounded by it on all its sides. Lush greenery, rich trees, and beautiful flowers grace the surroundings of Fallingwater and its territory.

Even inside the house you can feel the presence of nature as it's incorporated in the interior design of the house. And the view from the house is breathtaking.

Imagine waking up in the morning and looking out the window... You are surrounded by trees stretching far and wide, the skies are a clear blue, the birds are chirping away beautiful melodies, you see a waterfall down below and its sound along with the gentle breeze blowing through the open window soothes you all over. It is nature paradise, nature heaven. I am sure that is what the Kaufmanns experienced every morning, and even throughout the day.

I love nature and wish I could experience all this every morning that I wake up, every night before I head to bed, and every time I look out the window or head out the door. That would be a dream come true.

Pictures of Fallingwater

Below you will find some pictures that I took while visiting Fallingwater.

I really wanted to take some pictures from inside the house so I could capture its interior but sadly photography inside the home was not allowed. You will have to visit Fallingwater yourself to see what wonders lie inside. So the next time you are thinking of having a sightseeing adventure consider going to Fallingwater. I am glad that my aunt and uncle took us there. It was an experience I will never forget.

Location of Fallingwater

Fallingwater is located in the Laurel Highlands of southwest Pennsylvania, on PA Route 381, between the Mill Run and Ohiopyle villages. It is only ninety minutes from downtown Pittsburgh. Since millions of people visit Fallingwater you should purchase your tickets before heading out to this magnificent place. That is what my uncle did. This will ensure that you will be able to come and see the house and its surrounding territory and that the place actually will be open for visiting.

You can find out more about Fallingwater, how to get there, and how to purchase tickets by visiting their website - fallingwater.org.

How to Write an Unforgettable Song Without a Musical Instrument

You don't need to know how to write music or how to play a musical instrument for you to write an unforgettable song. All you need is a pen and paper (or a computer) and your voice.

Here is a breakdown of how to write an unforgettable song that will hopefully get stuck in your head and in the heads of others.

Coming Up With a Topic

Before you start writing a song make sure that there are no distractions around you and that the atmosphere is not chaotic - be it a television or a radio turned on high volume, kids running around, arguments among people, appliances turned on, etc. Make sure there is nothing to distract from your song writing project. When you've found yourself some peace and quiet you can begin to craft that unforgettable song.

Before you start writing think about the things you have gone through or witnessed with your very own eyes. Writing from your own personal experiences will make you more connected to the song and will make it connect with others as chances are they have gone through similar things or can picture themselves going through similar things. Think about what it is that you want to express in your song, what story you want to tell. Try to be as specific as possible as being too general can throw you off track.

For example, don't just say you want to write a love song, as that's too general...Think about what aspect of love you want to dive into and what scenario you want to bring to life. Maybe you want to talk about the first time you fell in love with someone and how hard it was for you to let that person know how you felt. Maybe you were scared that if you spilled out your feelings to the person that you would find out he doesn't feel the same and you would lose that person forever.

Coming Up With an Initial Melody/Beat

Once you have come up with the specific topic you plan to write about, spend some time coming up with a melody or a beat or both. If you don't play a musical instrument or own one, or if you don't know how to write music just use your voice. Hum a melody aloud or in your head. And for the beat simply bang your hands (or a pencil or chopsticks) against your legs, a kitchen counter, a shelf, a book, a pot/pan, a glass, etc. Anything that you can hit against will do the trick.

When you have a sense of a potential beat and melody for your song, writing the actual lyrics will become a bit easier.

Feel free hum or sing songs that you've listened to on the radio to give you ideas on potential melodies and beats. Remember, the final melodies and beats may change after you've written your lyrics.

Writing the Lyrics

As you write the lyrics don't worry about getting the words perfect. Focus on spilling your emotions and your experiences onto the paper. Bring that story that you want to share with the world to life. You will get the chance to edit it once you've finished telling the story.

As you are writing keep in mind of the format of a song. Usually a song has two verses and a bridge with a repeating chorus in between each one - verse 1, chorus, verse 2, chorus, bridge, chorus. But there are many other formats to use. You can start out with a chorus, or instead with a few spoken or maybe even sung lines before diving into the actual verse. The chorus can be slightly different after each verse but with the same melody. There can be a pre-chorus before the chorus. The bridge can be turned into a rap verse rather than one that will be sung. The possibilities are endless.

When writing the lyrics you don't have to rhyme the verses, chorus, or bridge. When you do use rhyme, however, especially in the chorus, it makes the song catchier and easier to remember. I love using rhyme in my songs (lyrics). They are more fun to write and actually get stuck in my head faster.

Here's an example of a (song) lyric that I wrote...

Won't Stop (Till I Rise to the Top)

[Verse 1]

I want to reach that door

I want to grab that key

I want to walk right through

Rewrite my history

I know it can be done

And so I'll never stop

Oh no I'll never stop

Until I reach the top

[Chorus]

I'm gonna shine like the stars in the sky

I'm gonna soar like a bird flying high

I'm gonna climb to the mountain top

And I won't stop till I rise to the top

[Verse 2]

There is so much that I

Have yet to bring to life

So much in store for me

So much I've yet to write

I know it can be done

And so I'll never stop

Oh no I'll never stop

Until I reach the top

[Chorus]

I'm gonna shine like the stars in the sky

I'm gonna soar like a bird flying high

I'm gonna climb to the mountain top

And I won't stop till I rise to the top

[Bridge]

There's so much that I want accomplish

There's so much that I've yet to do here

And no matter what happens I'm not gonna stop

Till I reach to the top

[Chorus]

I'm gonna shine like the stars in the sky

I'm gonna soar like a bird flying high

I'm gonna climb to the mountain top

And I won't stop till I rise to the top

Tips on Writing the Lyrics

I would start the lyric writing process by first writing the chorus. The chorus is very important as that is the part of the song that keeps repeating and is one that people remember and are attracted to the most. Make sure people won't be able to get it out of their heads and want to sing it over and over. Once you come up with a great chorus then you can build the rest of the song around it. Write the verses next and then the bridge. Remember the bridge should have a slightly different feel and melody than the verses.

One good thing you can do, while keeping in mind the melody and beat you came up with earlier, is to just start singing whatever comes into your head related to what you want to write about. Make sure to record yourself so the words don't vanish from memory after you are done singing, so you can later transcribe them on paper. Don't worry about the notes and whether you are on correct pitch. Just focus on getting those words out. If you don't want to do that you can just let the words flow onto that piece of paper, keeping in mind the melody, and not worrying about typos or flow. You can fix that later.

After you have written your song be sure to sing every line to make sure there are no flow issues. The flow has to be smooth throughout. Once you start singing the words you may find that the melody you originally came up with is a bit different. That is okay and is common as words bring a vibe and a melody all their own. You may even find that you want to change some words or lines in the lyric. That is okay as well.

When you write a song it may not be perfect from the first try. Don't get discouraged. Keep on working on it until you feel it is the best it can be. Don't be afraid to show your lyrics to others to get their opinion as there can be something in the song that you've missed that should be altered. You can even sing the song to those people and see what they think.

How to Record the Song You've Written

With the lyric written, the story told in the best possible way, and a melody for the lyrics (a way to sing them) brought to life it's time to record the song. You can use the sound recorder that comes installed on your computer or you can download software that lets you record. I have used audacity for recording my songs, but there are plenty of others. When recording make sure that it's very quiet in the room as any unwanted noise will also appear in the recording. You may want to close the door and the windows in the room before proceeding.

We all know that having music to go along with those lyrics is much better than just singing a capella. What can you do about the music if you don't play any musical instruments? Well, you don't actually need musical instruments to make music or to accompany your vocals. You can use objects around you to create a musical accompaniment. One thing you can do is just bang a beat using either your hands, or chopsticks, etc. like I've talked about before. For different sounding beats you can use pots and pans, wine glasses, cutting boards, cheese graters, etc. You may even tap your feet against the floor or snap your fingers. You can even make the faucet drip a little or a lot and keep turning it on and off as needed. Or you can just run the faucet or the shower without turning it off. This will create a great special effect. Be as creative as you want to be when creating musical accompaniment and you'll invent something fun and original to go along with your vocals.

Be sure to practice all the beats and sounds (and their patterns and rhythms) before recording the actual song to make sure you are getting it right and that it sounds good to the ear and actually goes along with the lyrics you've written. You may want to first record yourself "drumming" and creating "musical" sounds and giving the recording a listen before doing the actual song recording. This way you will see if anything needs to be improved in any way.

My Songwriting Experiences

I started writing lyrics back in 2001 while I was waiting for the laundry cycle to come to an end. I wrote my first song "Don't Tell Me" with the washing machine spinning in the background. Since then I have written hundreds of lyrics and have published and released three lyric books: Soundtrack of My Life: Volume 1, Soundtrack of My Life: Volume 2, and Melodies of the Heart. I have definitely evolved as a lyricist or as a songwriter, as I call myself. One doesn't have to play actual instruments to be a songwriter. Coming up with a melody, a way to sing the lyric is a songwriter in my book.

I have always wanted to turn my lyrics (the words I've written) into actual songs and record them. I've done that with a few of my lyrics and while I am not a pro I am still proud of what I've been able to accomplish, especially since I don't own or know how to play any musical instruments, and my voice is the only instrument I use. No matter what happens in my life, I will never stop writing lyrics or singing them. That is my ultimate passion and something I can't live without.

How to Write Shape Poetry

Writing Poetry and Turning It into Shapes

Writing poetry allows you to spill your emotions on paper, to capture moments in your life that you will want to remember always. It is a creative medium for dealing with and recording all the happenings in your life whether they are external or internal. Why not take this to the next level by turning your poetry into shape poetry?

Shape poetry is poetry whose words and lines take the shape of a certain thing or object. For example: an apple, a house, a tree, etc. Usually, the poetry itself is either completely about that thing or object it takes shape of, or is at least in some way related to it.

Writing shape poetry can be easy but it can prove to be challenging as well. It all depends on the kind of shape you intend for your poem to have. Also, there are different ways to write shape poetry and I go into detail about this in this hub.

How to Write Shape Poetry

There are different ways to write shape poetry... One is to simply draw an image of an object or insert it into MS Word (if on the computer) and then write the poem about that object inside the drawn image (using a text box if in MS Word).

For example, insert an image of a sun into MS Word and then write a poem about the sun inside the image by right clicking on that image, selecting the Add Text option and pasting the poem into it. If your version of MS Word doesn't have that option simply insert a text box over the image and then make the border of the text box have no color so it is invisible to the eye and doesn't cover the image of the sun. Insert the poem into the text box (making sure the text doesn't go outside the border of the image) and you are done. You may of course need to adjust the size of the image of the sun, the text box and the text itself to make it fit inside the image, but this is fairly simple to do.

Of course, doing all this doesn't technically make this shape poetry, as the poem is simply placed onto the image without actually taking shape of that image. Also, it's something a kid in elementary school would do. Still, doing this does make the poem more presentable, which is always a plus. Below is an example of this.

If you want to challenge yourself and have more fun while being more creative then consider a different approach of writing and creating shape poetry. Write your poem about a house, for example, and then format the lines so they take the shape of a house.

To make it easier, first insert the image of a house into MS Word (best thing would be to insert a triangle shape and then a rectangle shape underneath), then insert a text box over it and paste the poem text inside it. Then format the text (via tabbing, spacing or changing of font size) so that it looks like a house. Make sure to delete the image of the house afterwards and you are all set.

Below is an example of this shape poem along with another example of a different shape... On the left side you see the shape and on the right you see the poem that resembles that shape. If the poem were to be published in a book or even online the image of the shape would of course not be shown. I just presented it here for better understanding of shape poetry and how to go about writing it.

The content of the poem somewhat if not fully relates to the shape depicted. The content of the poem and its message become more effective here than if I were to just left or center align the poem on a page.

More on How to Write Shape Poetry

Most likely, you won't think of an object (shape) first and then write about it. Instead you will spill your emotions onto the paper or the computer screen without holding back, not focusing on what the topic you are writing about really is. So how do you turn those types of poems into shapes?

Start off by reading the poem and see what it is about and if there are any words or phrases in the poem that resemble shapes or moods or themes. Then format your lines either by using tabs, the space bar, font sizing or by copying and pasting and arrange them on the page in such a way that they resemble that particular shape or mood or theme. Your poem doesn't have to depict a particular shape 100%. The lines can be aligned in such a way as to create a theme of some sort. For example, torn lines, holes, chaos, etc.

Let's say your poem is about being torn apart. You can format your stanzas to resemble a checkerboard or to make it seem as if something is being torn. Below is an example of this in two variations; same poem but two different layouts.

Poets and Authors Who Write Shape Poetry

There are poets and authors who write shape poetry. I've done this for my poetry books but I am unfortunately not a famous poet and author (yet).

A widely known famous author who writes shape poetry is Ellen Hopkins. She writes novels in verse and many of her verses resemble some sort of a shape. The shape always relates in some way to what the topic or theme of the verse is. This makes the verses stand out more in my opinion. I am not sure if she is the one that actually formats her poetry into shapes, or she has someone do it for her, but nevertheless it is a clever thing and something to think about if you are planning to publish a poetry book.

Every poem in your book doesn't need to be a shape poem but having a bunch of them presented in that way would be great. It would make you a more talented and creative poet and may gain you more readers and fans. You may even inspire others to follow your lead and create their own shape poetry...You never know.

How I Overcame Obstacles of Learning English

Back in Minsk, Belarus, where I was born, I used to go to a school that was considered an English school. While all the classes were taught in Russian and everyone spoke Russian as well, we were given a class where we learned English. I had no idea why I would need English in a Russian speaking country, but I did not have a choice, so I went to the class.

A year or so later, I found out that I would be leaving my homeland behind to move to America. I was not thrilled that I was leaving to an unknown new place, but it seemed that now what I learned in English class would come in handy. Of course when I came to America, I realized that whatever I learned back in Belarus had vanished and the only word I remembered was no. Yes no does come in handy but clearly that is not enough to communicate with other people.

When it was time to go to school I was old age-wise to go to 4th grade so I was placed into 5th. I was only in 5th grade for a few months, however, since I enrolled there toward the second part of the year. I was unsure how I would communicate with other people, but it turned out that I was placed into a Russian class. Everyone there was Russian, even the teacher. I thought that would make it easier to communicate and even understand the lessons being taught, but it turned out that everyone spoke English amongst themselves, and that the classes were taught in English as well. It was clearly a challenge for me, but I was fortunate enough to make friends with a few classmates who were nice enough to help me translate and fill me in on what was happening in class and what we were learning.

While attending 5th grade, I excelled in some classes, like math, where I didn’t really need to know much English, and struggled in those where knowledge of English was a necessity. I remember on graduation day I got an award for being so well behaved in class, and while I am usually a well behaved person, the reason I was so well behaved and quiet during class was because I didn’t know English. I could not really participate in class discussions as such because of my lack of English.

I was unsure how I would be able to master English, and if I would even be able to accomplish this task at all, but that is something that had to be done. In 6th grade my grades were still not high due to my lack of English. I would take time doing my homework assignments, and often enough had to use the dictionary so that I could do the homework correctly. Using the dictionary was not something that thrilled me but I had no choice. I had to learn English, even if it meant not going outside to play with my friends. So, I spent my afternoons after school not only doing my homework but also doing other things, like watching TV programs, and reading easy English books and English study guides, that would help me learn English once and for all.

Little by little I began to get accustomed to the English language and was able to read, write, speak, and understand it. While I wasn’t a master yet, it was enough to get by at the moment. It took a number of years to get really good, and, while I have a full grasp of the language now, there are still things left to learn…

Having nailed a new language like English, I ended up falling in love with writing. I remember taking ESL (English as a Second Language) classes, where the second part of regular class exams was an essay. I would always be the last one to leave the class on those days. I was not struggling with the essay. I loved writing so much and was so into it that I found it hard to stop writing. My ESL teacher was very proud of me, and told my mom and me, at a Thanksgiving Dinner gathering at the school, that I should go into journalism. I did take a journalism class in junior high school and even wrote an article for the school paper but for some reason I did not pursue journalism later in life. I did not stop writing, however, and have not stopped since.

While I do not have a career in journalism, I have a lot of writing under my belt—poetry, lyrics, prose, short stories, and other writing. On top of that I have published twelve books, and two poetry anthologies, which I put together featuring poets from around the world.

Ever since I fell in love with writing, I have dreamed of being a published author one day and have my books be read by people all over the world. I am very proud to be a published author and am very grateful to have been presented with the opportunity to share my gift with the world and to be able to touch people’s lives with the written creations I bring to life. My dream has become a reality, to a degree, and I am very proud of myself for it. English was an obstacle for me for a while, but with determination and hard work I have mastered it. This goes to show that anything is possible, so long as we have the drive to achieve it.

Being a published author is not a career but a side project at the moment. In focusing on a career, I hope to be able to put my writing talents to use somehow. But no matter which career path I am taken on, and no matter where life takes me, I will never stop writing. So long as I can write and publish books I will. And who knows, maybe someday I will be a famous author, known and read, all over the world.

How to Write a Villanelle

There are different poetic forms and styles that you can write in. One of them is a villanelle.

What is a Villanelle?

A villanelle is a poetic form may hold some similarities to a sonnet, but it is much more difficult to master, and may be confusing when learning this poetic form for the first time.

A villanelle is usually written in iambic pentameter though trimeter and tetrameter have also been used. It is comprised of six stanzas – the first five of which are made up of three lines, while the last is made up of four lines.

Breakdown of a Villanelle

The first and third lines (refrains) of the first stanza are repeated throughout the poem in the five stanzas. But they are not just repeated any which way. The first refrain is repeated in last line of the 2nd and 4th stanzas, while the second refrain is repeated in the last line of the 3rd and 5th stanzas. In the sixth stanza the two refrains are together again, except that now they make up the last two lines of the poem, with the first refrain being in line 3 and the second refrain being in line 4.

Rhyme Scheme of a Villanelle

A villanelle has a rhyme scheme that needs to be followed. In the first five stanzas the first and third lines must have the same rhyme, while the second line has its own rhyme throughout each of the first five stanzas. In the last stanza the second line has the same rhyme as the second line of the other five stanzas, while lines 1, 3, and 4 have the same rhyme as the first and third lines of the other stanzas.

Breakdown of a Villanelle by Stanza, Line, and Rhyme Scheme

Here is a simpler breakdown of the villanelle structure:

Stanza 1:

Line 1 (Refrain1) – rhyme a1
Line 2 – rhyme b
Line 3 (Refrain 2) – rhyme a2

Stanza 2:

Line 1 – rhyme a
Line 2 – rhyme b
Line 3 (Refrain 1) – rhyme a1

Stanza 3:

Line 1 – rhyme a
Line 2 – rhyme b
Line 3 (Refrain 2) – rhyme a2

Stanza 4:
Line 1 – rhyme a
Line 2 – rhyme b
Line 3 (Refrain 1) – rhyme a1

Stanza 5:

Line 1 – rhyme a
Line 2 – rhyme b
Line 3 (Refrain 2) – rhyme a2

Stanza 6:

Line 1 – rhyme a
Line 2 – rhyme b
Line 3 (Refrain 1) – rhyme a1
Line 4 (Refrain 2) – rhyme a 2

A Sample Villanelle

Here is a sample poem of a villanelle. I wrote it for my poetry class years ago and it is my first and only villanelle. Perhaps reading it will make it even clearer as to how this poetic form is structured and needs to be written.

“SPRING”

Spring has awakened and opened its wings.
Streets once blanketed with snow are now bare.
The birds’ sweet echoing melody rings.

Naked branches are covered with seedlings.
Green grass slowly peeks, scent wafts in midair.
Spring has awakened and opened its wings.

The cool breeze sifts and serenity lingers,
The threads of music serenade the air.
The birds’ sweet echoing melody rings.

Burning sun warms bodies and hearts’ cravings,
From winter that has left us in despair.
Spring has awakened and opened its wings.

On shores, waves smash against the rocks like springs.
The boats, whose bells ring in the morning air.
The birds’ sweet echoing melody rings.

Flowers’ rich aroma crafts us greetings,
For months to come and savor this affair.
Spring has awakened and opened its wings.
The birds’ sweet echoing melody rings.

How to Write a Shakespearean Sonnet

Writing poetry is easy when you don't have to follow any rules, structures, patterns, rhyme schemes, etc. But when you tackle writing a traditional form of poetry such as a Shakespearean sonnet it becomes more of a challenge, especially when you start out on this creative endeavor for the very first time.

There are different types of sonnets that exist out there: Shakespearean (English), Spenserian, Petrarchan (Italian), Occitan, Urdu sonnet and others. Each is slightly different than the other though there are similarities between them all. All the sonnets use iambic pentameter and have some kind of a rhyme scheme that needs to be followed. They also have the same number of lines - fourteen.

What is iambic pentameter?

Iambic pentameter is a measure of a line in a traditional verse poem. It describes the rhythm of that particular line that is created by the words you write. The rhythm is measured in syllables, which are referred to as "feet". In iambic pentameter there are five of these "feet" in each line of the poem and each "foot" consists of an unstressed syllable and a stressed syllable.

It's not that easy to understand this the first time around but it gets easier as you write more and more poetry in iambic pentameter.

To make things a bit easier you can think of each line in an iambic pentameter poem sounding like this: DA-DUM, DA-DUM, DA-DUM, DA-DUM, DA-DUM. When you write your lines read them in the DA-DUM style and if your line has five DA-DUMs that means your line is written in iambic pentameter.

How to Write a Shakespearean Sonnet?

Before you write a Shakespearean sonnet you have to become familiar with its structure and form.

A Shakespearean sonnet uses iambic pentameter. It consists of fourteen lines and follows a specific rhyme scheme. The first twelve lines in a Shakespearean sonnet have a rhyme scheme where every other line rhymes - abab, cdcd...etc. The last two lines are a couplet and therefore rhyme with each other - gg.

Line 1 - rhyme a
Line 2 - rhyme b
Line 3 - rhyme a
Line 4 - rhyme b
Line 5 - rhyme c
Line 6 - rhyme d
Line 7 - rhyme c
Line 8 - rhyme d
Line 9 - rhyme e
Line 10 - rhyme f
Line 11 - rhyme e
Line 12 - rhyme f
Line 13 - rhyme g
Line 14 - rhyme g

Now if your first four lines have a rhyme scheme of abab doesn't mean that you can't use that rhyme sound in other lines of the poem. Just make sure that every other line rhymes, with the exception of the last two lines that have their own rhyme scheme. Of course, if your poem started with a first rhyme sound of cat for example doesn't mean you can't use that same sound in the last two lines of the poem. You can... But you don't have to! Doing all this however may not classify your poem as a full Shakespearean sonnet .But I think there is nothing wrong with that as there are many variations of a sonnet.

An example of a Shakespearean Sonnet

Below is a Shakespearean sonnet that I wrote for my poetry class back when I was in college. It may not be the best sonnet I could have written but it will help you to better visualize and understand how to write a Shakespearean Sonnet.

"Photos" 

A sea of photos scrambled on the floor,
Pieces of life once lived in distant past.
Flashing before my eyes an open door,
It’s like a movie that is being cast
About me when I was only a child,
Going to camp, wandering through the forest,
Picking mushrooms and berries, free and wild,
Running, in flight my body will not rest.
The tape has STOPPED, and now this life is gone.
Wish I could PAUSE it and just press REWIND.
Life’s full of work, no time to have much fun.
Can’t fall asleep with nightmares so unkind.
Glad the photos are in my possession.
They’re a memory of past expression.

How to Write an Acrostic Poem

Before you find out how to write an acrostic poem let's take a look at what it is.

What is an Acrostic Poem?

An acrostic poem is a poem with a hidden word, phrase, or name spelled out by either letters, syllables, or words in each line of them poem.

The most common variation of this poem is when the first letter or first syllable of the first word of each line in the poem, or the first word itself, spells out a word, a phrase, or a name. There are other variations of this poetic style however.

 

Variations of an Acrostic Poem

Here are the variations of an acrostic poem:

1. Have last letter, last syllable, or last word of each line spell something out.

2. Have a combination of first and last letter, syllable or word spell something out.

3. Have the first letter of a middle word in each line spell something out.

4. Have the middle word of each line spell something out.

5. Have something spelled out diagonally. For example, start from the first letter of the first word in the first line followed by the first letter of the second word in the second line followed by the first letter of the third word in the third line, and so on...

Line 1 - Word 1 - First letter

Line 2 - Word 2 - First letter

Line 3 - Word 3 - First letter

....

Line n - Word n - First letter

6. Have a variation of the format described in 4th bullet but instead of the first letter make it the first word.

Line 1 - Word 1

Line 2 - Word 2

Line 3 - Word 3

....

Line n - Word n

7. There are many more variations you can create here. Get as creative and as complex as you'd like.

 

How to Write an Acrostic Poem

Writing an acrostic poem is simple but can be a challenge. The easiest acrostic poem to write is one where the first letter of each line spells something out - be it a word, a phrase, or a name.

When writing this easiest type of acrostic poem simply first write out the word, phrase, or name by having each letter on its own line and making it bold. Then write your poem so that each line begins with the letters you have laid out on the page.

For example: if you were to write a poem that will spell out the word APPLE you will first write each letter of the word APPLE on its own line, in bold:

A
P
P
L
E

And then you will write your poem so that the first word of the first line starts with the letter A, the first word of the second line with the letter P ... and the first word of the fifth line with the letter E.

Now you can also have the word APPLE spelled out by last letter of each line, by the first letter of a middle word in each line, or diagonally.

Look at the picture below for better understanding.

Tips on Writing an Acrostic Poem

When writing an acrostic poem, no matter what variation it is, it is better to first spell out that word, phrase, or name and bold it before you start writing the poem. This will ensure that you will not make a mistake and leave out a letter or letters from whatever it is you want to spell out. And you will be able to check yourself once the poem is finished because each required letter will be in bold and easily found.

Also, when writing an acrostic poem it is better to have the poem be about that specific word, phrase, or name that you are spelling out. Of course you don't have to do that, if you don't want to.

Having said that, you can use an acrostic poem to write a hidden message that you only want certain people to know. In that case, you may decide not to bold the letters that spell out that special message and ask those certain people to figure out the message you want to relay to them.

An example of an Acrostic Poem

“ACROSTIC POEM”

(2005)

Across

Countries

Running

Over

Spheres

This

Inspiring

Concept

Penetrates

Our

Emotional

Minds

An example of an Acrostic Poem

“LIFE JOURNEY”

(Spring 2005)

Listen to the song

Inside your playful heart

Find nothing wrong

Enjoy life from the start


Journey to a place

Of beauty and of peace

Unlock your jailed face

Release yourself to bliss

Never let bad take over

Even when it’s near

You can make it sober

So make it disappear

An acrostic poem is a fun and creative poem that can also challenge your brain when you decide to spell something out in a complicated way.

If you haven't tried writing this type of poem I urge you to give it a try. You will enjoy this poetic form and will grow to love it over time, if not right away.

If you find yourself struggling with writing your first acrostic, don't worry and most importantly don't give up and surrender. It gets easier with time. The more acrostics you write the better at it you'll get...