  Noticing Newbies
This week: Boston Baked Beans Edited by: esprit  
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Welcome to the Noticing Newbies Newsletter! Our goal is to showcase some of our newest Writing.Com Authors and their items. From poetry and stories to creative polls and interactives, we'll bring you a wide variety of items to enjoy. We will also feature "how to" advice and items that will help to jump start the creation process on Writing.com
We hope all members of the site will take the time to read, rate, review and welcome our new authors. By introducing ourselves, reviewing items and reaching out, we will not only make them feel at home within our community, we just might make new friends! |
| ASIN: B004PICKDS |
Product Type: Toys & Games
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Amazon's Price: Price N/A
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Boston Baked Beans - AKA: Brief Descriptions & Titles
Hello everyone.
I notice items being listed with descriptions that say, 'I hate descriptions!' Good descriptions are the way I choose to buy my books. We certainly can't read a chapter before we buy, so we must depend on the descriptions.
Picture a box of Boston Baked Beans. Pretend you've never heard of them. What are they? Pick up the box and read the Brief Description. If it says, 'We didn't know how to describe these, just try them for yourself', without telling you anything about them, would you? They must be beans, baked in Boston, covered in chocolate, right? I don't want to try them.
But, if the description says, 'chocolate coated peanuts', wow! That sounds better. Maybe I will try them.
How do you choose something to read? Do you look at the picture on the cover to give you an idea of what the book's about? Is the title enough information for you; or do you read the Brief Description printed on the back? For me, it's all three, but the most important is the description.
You want to make the brief description the hook to pull the reader in. Make it sharp, interesting and make sure it and the title both match the story. If the reader is expecting 'Danger in the Snow!', it better be snowing.
If the description tells the reader, I can't describe this, it isn't very good why would a reader even want to read it? Like it or not, you have described it. You've told the prospective readers not to waste their time because it isn't very good.
Writers have no time for humbleness. If you or I put it out there for someone to read we are ready for feedback. Of course it's not finished and it needs work, but if you, the writer, likes it, it is good.
No misspelled words are allowed in the Brief Description. Be very careful here. If the first thing seen is a misspelled word, it may not get read.
If you truly have trouble with descriptions, just copy and paste a good action sentence to hook the reader.
Don't forget about that title, either. 'Untitled' is liable to remain 'unread'.
esprit
** Image ID #1528029 Unavailable **
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These items were picked by their great brief descriptions.
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| ASIN: B07YJZZGW4 |
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Comments on "Invalid Entry"
"Noticing Newbies Newsletter (June 30, 2010)"
By: ~A.J. Lyle~
Comment: I really liked the suggestions in this newsletter on learning to create an opening to capture the reader. I will definitely make use of them!
AJ
Thanks, I'm glad they helped!
By: atwhatcost
Comment: Despite loving James Michener's chapters on how the earth was formed before getting to the story itself, I did figure out that nowadays, we have to hook our readers quicker. I just couldn't figure out how, until I read a great book, that inspired me in so many other ways, too - "Hooked: Write Fiction That Grabs the Reader on Page One and Never Let's Them Go" by Les Edgerton.
James Michener has hooked many readers with his grand sagas, and he made setting one of the main characters. The opening hook doesn't have to be loud and dramatic--it should promise something interesting. It should awaken the reader's imagination. He knew how to do that well. Thanks for reminding us of that!
I really like this quote of his. "I'm not a very good writer, but I'm an excellent rewriter."
— James A. Michener
By: Steve adding writing to ntbk.
Comment: Thank you esprit for editing this edition. I was impressed with your choices and found one that merited a blue ribbon. I utilize the newsletters as fodder to do reviews and I found some good material today.
You are appreciated for what you do. Copenator out!
Thanks, Steve, for being a loyal reader and using the newsletters so positively.
By: BIG BAD WOLF Feeling Thankful 
Comment: Writing a story is easy. Planning it out is difficult. Me, I just write them and plan as I go. It's always a pleasure reading other peoples' efforts.
 Thanks, me too.
We always appreciate the feedback, thanks!
Editors:
Cubby 
Your host this week is esprit
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| ASIN: B07YXBT9JT |
Product Type: Kindle Store
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Amazon's Price: $ 4.99
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Noticing Newbies: July 28, 2010 Issue [#3882]
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