How to Write & Publish Your Inspirational Short Story - Softcover

Clark, Kristen; Clark PhD, Lawrence J.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0976459159 ISBN 13: 9780976459156

Publisher: American Mutt press, 2014

Synopsis

Join Kristen Clark, award winning author and frequent contributor for Chicken Soup for the Soul, and her husband, Dr. Lawrence J. Clark, author, speaker, and university writing professor, as they share their experience writing and publishing inspirational short stories, and reveal their insider's view of the publishing industry.

Discover:

• The benefits of getting published in compilation books
• How to write inspirational short stories worthy of publication
• How to find compilation projects
• How to write a powerful and compelling closing
• How to market and monetize your stories

About this title

From the Author:

As a professional speaker, I understood the role writing played in my marketing strategy and began putting pen to paper a number of years ago in an effort to build my platform (a publishing business term that means a loyal base of fans who are potentials buyers of your book).  Professional speaking is my first love and real talent. It is in this area I excel and it's one of the activities I love most.  Unfortunately, my experience as a writer began less successfully.     
 
At the advice of a colleague, I started out writing "how to" Ezine articles to build my credibility and expand my reach, but I found the process too formulaic for my taste.  I wanted my writing to flow naturally but I was distracted by keywords, resource boxes, anchor text, and having enough affiliate links to make the submission worth my while.  I wanted more freedom to express myself than I found allowable through this vehicle, and since my writing felt forced, I lost interest.
 
It was also suggested that I write a book, but I wasn't quite sure I had the patience or focus for a project of that magnitude.  While I felt more comfortable using my natural writing style, the stress of creating hundreds of pages of real content was overwhelming and the practice of submitting query letters and book proposals was painful.  This route was equally daunting and dissatisfying.
 
I submitted works for magazines, association newsletters, and various trade journals, and although I had some success with publications, writing had become more of a chore than the spiritual delight I heard others speak about.
 
I also felt defeated because the business of writing as part of my marketing mix just wasn't panning out.  As a result, my confidence as a speaker also started to deteriorate. After all, I had heard on more than one occasion that speaking and writing fit together like a hand and a glove.
 
"Why don't you think about writing inspirational stories for compilation books?" a friend proposed.  "You might enjoy that kind of writing and you could write about the same experiences you speak about."
 
That suggestion resonated deeply in me.  I liked the potentially larger audience reach compilation books could create, and the thought of writing about my own personal life lessons was extremely appealing. 
 
I took the time to investigate opportunities and discovered a number of publishers in search of well-written inspirational stories. Finding the publishers was fairly easy, thanks to the Internet, and it didn't take long to identify a few projects nicely suited for my areas of interest.  I looked them over, narrowed the choices to one, and sat down to write.
 
Surprisingly, writing my first inspirational story was everything I dreamt writing could be.  I felt newly inspired to share my experience, strength, and hope for the purpose of encouraging others, and I wrote with more passion and intention than ever before. My personal message flowed easily from my heart to the paper, and I knew immediately that this kind of writing was something I could actually do well.  I wrote and wrote, and I submitted to dozens of publishers.
 
As you can imagine, butterflies of excitement soared through my body when I read my first story in a compilation book; I was so proud and felt validated and encouraged. 
 
That day marked the turning point in my writing adventure, and I now consider myself a professional speaker and published author.  After having published numerous print and online articles, blog posts, inspirational short stories, and even an award winning book, writing is no longer a chore. It remains a key ingredient in my overall marketing strategy and a primary vehicle for my message.  
 
I hope this book will encourage and enable you to begin (or continue) your own journey of writing inspirational short stories; writing in this genre has given me a "new lease" on my (writing) life, and it is my hope and prayer that it will do the same for you.

About the Author:

Kristen Clark is a professional speaker and published author. She is a frequent story contributor for Chicken Soup for the Soul, and her book, Becoming a Woman of Worth: Creating a More Confident You, won the Gold Medal in Christian Biblical Counseling in the 2014 Readers' Favorite Intl' Book Contest. She has published numerous print and online articles, blog posts, and inspirational short stories.

Dr. Lawrence J. Clark has delivered hundreds of speeches, seminars, webinars, and live workshops in the past thirty years in a variety of venues, including businesses, civic groups, churches, libraries, public schools, universities, conventions and trade shows, community events, senior centers, and cruise ships.

He has also spent over twenty-five years teaching professional writing and communication courses, as well as creative writing and literature courses, at the university level, and supports the local community through his gifts and talents to help young people discover the value of reading and writing.

Additionally, he shares his personal story of dropping out of high school, then returning to eventually earn a doctorate, with at-risk-teens in an effort to show them that it's never too late to turn one's life around.

About this edition

• Publisher: American Mutt press
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 0976459159
• ISBN 13: 9780976459156
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 130