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As a writer, I am always searching for places online to share my thoughts, ideas and tips with others. So I am excited to share with you a conversation I had with Liz about Yudu.
Liz, welcome and please let the readers know about what makes you excited to be working with Yudu?
Hi Teresa!
I love talking about the folks at YUDU! Jonathan and Lisa have the souls of bloggers, but I guess that’s a possible hazard of being a digital publisher. They care about getting great content onto the net in ways that are easier, faster, more efficient, and greener.

Liz, I have the distinctive pleasure of working with you on creating some things on Yudu –can you first tell the readers what Yudu is all about?
YUDU is a digital publishing community that’s still in beta, but quite functional. What you’ll find at http://www.yudu.com is a combination of features I’ve not found anywhere on the net. You can upload digital publications with live hyperlinks on a beautiful presentation platform that looks like you’re delivering your document on stainless steel. YUDU has private and open groups, messaging, and even subscriptions. We can share libraries, explore, publish, sell. It’s too much to answer in one paragraph.

And please let them know about the great writing groups & opportunities we are starting to create?

Teresa, I’m really excited about the writing groups that you and I are putting together. YUDU has a unique feature that allows a member to gather a visual collection of blog home pages or blog posts. So, it seems only right to start a group that features Great Writing Blogs and a group of ebooks on How-to Write was the next idea.

What makes Yudu such a benefit to writers and authors?
Writers and YUDU seem made for each other. Most writers are looking for inspriration and connection to the work of other writers. We also want a place to keep our work featured and organized. YUDU offers a way to explore, learn, publish, sell all in one place. Very cool.

Are there other new features coming out in the future to share with the readers?
I can’t wait until the forums open in the next few weeks. Then we’ll be able to directly Q&A about the issues and obstacles that mean the most to us as writers.

Now on to a more personal note: What is coming up for you Liz?
Well, right now I’m working on SOBCon09, Biz School for Bloggers. (http://www.sobevent.com) . I’m working on more virtual classwork with the universities in the UK. http://www.successful-blog.com/1/the-trans-atlantic-class-at-the-legendary-school-of-journalism/ Then there’s some exciting client work on this side of the water.

Thanks Liz for sharing with us about Yudu and some neat things coming up for you. I am looking forward to continuing working with you on Yudu projects.

P.S. I like the mantra of Yudu—Giving experts a voice.

I will keep you posted about the happenings and updates with Yudu. In the meantime, I do hope you will take some time and check Yudu out. Please come back here and give us your opinions, ideas, comments and suggestions.

Last week I had the pleasure of attending another meeting with the St. Pete Writer’s group. This month the guest speaker was E Rose Sabin, a former English teacher and author of four science fantasy books.

Here are the tips she gave about revising and editing with you when writing:

~ During the opening of your book, be sure to grab your reader by having the character(s) doing something.
~Introduce the main character in opening pages
~Be cautious about starting with a long narrative in the beginning
~Beware of writing a flashback in the first few pages. Allow the reader to get to know the character(s) first.

The first draft is about getting the idea into written form, or as some people will call it, a brain dump. Sometime this is all you need in order to help you get over the “hump” of getting started in writing.
The first revision is about putting your writing into a form the reading can better understand.

During the 1st revision of your draft:
~Check for active verbs and solid nouns.
~Look over draft for excessive use adjectives and adverbs.
~Review your writing for over or under use of metaphors.
~Re read you have consistency in the details.
~Remember to appeal to all the senses – time of day, season, weather, light, sounds and smells.

The 2nd revision is about putting your writing into a form you understand and are comfortable with seeing on paper.

During the 2nd revision:
~Review possessives – don’t use to make a word or number plural .
~Check for misspelled words – don’t rely on the spell check on your computer, use a dictionary.
~The use of proper grammar. One thing that trips up writers are pronouns.
~Watch for dialogue format. Use a new paragraph when character who is speaking changes.
~Make sure you see plenty of white space on the page. It is easier for the reader to read the book.
~Check for punctuation. Watch for overuse of strong marks such as exclamation points.
~ Review of formatting of sentences on the paper. A hyphen should not be at the end of the line.

Here is a great list of suggested books to help with the revision process:
1) Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary
2) The Chicago Manual of Style
3) The Elements of Style
4) The Copy Editor’s Handbook by Amy Einsohn
5) Getting the Words Right: How to Rewrite, Edit and Revise by Theodore A Rees
6) Make Your Words Work by Gary Provost
7) Self-Editing for Fiction Writers – How to edit Yourself into Print by Renni Browne
The Writer’s Handbook for Editing and Revision by Rick Wilber
9) Revision by Kit Reed

Read more about E. Rose Sabin and her books

This post comes from a PR colleague of mine: Karen Pierce Gonzalez, owner of KPG Public Relations.

As a journalist, I received countless press releases. It was easy to identify the professional press releases from the ones that were prepared by someone who wasn’t sure of what they were doing. The professional ones were quickly plucked out of the stack to become the fodder for news stories. The rest often went into the circular file (divided into days of the week) just in case someone was looking for a story idea or needed a last minute item for a newsbrief. There were even a few that were quietly put into a side pile very near the garbage can.

Because press releases serve a very valuable function inside a news room, they are your organization’s (or an entrepreneur’s) greatest tool. In many cases they are the first line of contact established between a journalist or editor and you. For that reason how they look and how they read matter – a lot!

Here are three tips to help you create a timely and effective press release:

1) A press release is a hook, not a book.
• Most journalists don’t have time to read more than a one page press release. Having to wade through more than that may neutralize a journalist’s interest in the topic.
• Double space the copy. Most press releases are four to seven paragraphs long. On occasion, the text (which should always be 12 pt) can be single (or 1.5) spaced with double space between paragraphs.

2) It needs to be easy to look at and easy to read.
• Avoid colorful inks and fancy fonts. Remember that journalists and editors receive many press releases a day. While a warm and fuzzy pink ink and curly script may make you feel warm, it may only frustrate the journalist who has to quickly scan the copy for content.
• Keep the language simple. It needs to be something that can be understood by anyone. If technical terms are necessary, italicize them and include a one to three word explanation of what the word means in parentheses.

3) Think of the press release as a mini-news story.
• Take a look at some of the news stories you’ve read and notice which were the most effective. Model your release after those.
• The opening paragraph needs to be succinct and compelling; it also needs to include basic details of location (including street address), time and date.
• Include a quote from someone related to the event or news issue. For example, if the press release is about a new book, then get a quote from a reviewer or an expert in the industry the book is written about how the book is helpful or relevant or how the author’s expertise makes him or her ideal author for such a book.
• Avoid claims to fame. Words like “magnificent” or phrases like “the best in the world” should not find their way into your press release. These are subjective and more appropriate for advertising venues. Remember: news stories are objective and claims need to be substantiated.
• The final paragraph should contain public contact information (phone, website) for those wanting to know more about the topic of the press release. Include other pertinent information, such as ticket cost, purchase price for book, etc.
• On the bottom of the page add a final line (flushed right) that reads: Media contact only: name, phone and/or email.