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WHAT CAN YOUR BOOK TEACH?

 WHAT CAN YOUR BOOK TEACH?



Blog on at Meaningful Books for more.

http://meaningfulbooks.blogspot.com/2012/05/writing-wrongsteaching-activism.html


 Excerpt:
More than a cautionary tale, my intention has always been that IBIS STEW? Oh, No! would enliven an awareness of how each of us can creatively respond to the problems we encounter in the world. The book's epilogue attests to that goal. It is presented as Captain Bad's  log or scrapbook,  after he has been converted from pirate to watchman and guardian of the ibis. In these pages, readers will find a letter from Molly Gaskin and Karilyn Sheppard, (Pointe-a-Pierre Wild Fowl Trust, Trinidad) and real live champions of the scarlet ibis; and finally, tips on how to start a SAVE THE IBIS CLUB!



Consider this: Ways to keep the intellectual property of your published work alive...

The internet is all about quantity. The opportunity to get a hit increases every time you publish a new article on your blog(s) and that means a chance to earn the interest in your published work. It can appear daunting. "What will I write about?" you may feel stumped. But it can be really helpful to keep earning a loving (not a typo), where your book is concerned. We are simply sharing our love not only for our work, but through it. Most of us have very sincere intentions when we sit  to craft and share a story, and risk sharing it with others. A book synopsis doesn't have time for all of that, and yet most of us are keenly interested in what goes on in the writer's world.
1. You can maximize the potential of that book by blogging about it from different points of view. e.g. Connect it to current events, news and other relevant products or projects as I did in my blog post at Meaningful Books today inspired by a TIME World article on the illegally hunter scarlet ibis in Trinidad.

2. Your book has themes worth studying. Define and elaborate on each of those themes in separate blog posts. 

3. Highlight a paragraph or scene and reference other relevant work with a similar theme or scene.

4.  Working through schools and libraries is a great way to connect directly with the audience. Ask beforehand what the group is studying and find links to something in your book. Rather than just reading for entertainment and as a sales strategy, consider how your work can support the teaching and learning taking place in today's syllabus.

5. Reflect on WHY you wrote your story or created a certain character. There is sure to be a wealth of back story that can stimulate ongoing releases of information from you, the author. 

6. We are all interested in what inspires creativity. Share moments of inspiration so that you too can inspire others.

Parents and teachers are very supportive of writers. They appreciate when we do a little background work that helps theirs. Highlighting themes and suggesting ways your book can be used is always met with appreciation. Even, take a little time to find  or create relevant and supporting materials and teaching resources.

The keys are:
- Relevance - look for natural links, it should not feel forced, or like it's a stretch.
- Genuine -  come out from behind the writer's desk and dreams; really align with your audience the kids and their interested adults.

Above all,

Happy Writing! 
JJ




Comments

Helen said…
Good points, Joanne. Thank you for reminding me that I need to do some more research on caves and bats in Jamaica, which featured prominently in Delroy in the Marog Kingdom.
May 10, 2012 at 7:16 PM
Diane Browne said…
Thanks for these, Joanne. I had been thinking about blogging about the themes, as you suggested, for my book "Island Princess in Brooklyn", but haven't done anything about it. I think part of it is shyness about continuing to promote my own book. However in this technolgy/communication age, I have to get over this. So hopefully your blog will get me going again.
May 11, 2012 at 7:27 AM
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