4/17/2009

Mission Statement


Let's not forget what we're here for, folks - time for a revisit of our mission statement:


The Lost Genre Guild

For Christian Speculative Fiction

One Tiny Cell In the Body of Christ

Mission Statement & Purpose

The Lost Genre Guild's mission is to raise the awareness and respect for Biblical speculative fiction, and to encourage, educate and support the writers of such fiction.

Our Vision . . .

Welcome to the literary home for artists, editors, agents, promoters, and fans of Christian sci-fi, fantasy, and supernatural thrillers. Spec-fic is the best selling secular genre, but few Christian authors have been connecting with fans. Demographics show that many Christian genre fans are online. The Lost Genre Guild's been laying infrastructure for Viral Marketing, or, word-of-mouth buzz to promote our lost genre.

We're a tiny cell in the Body of Christ for other writers or groups to plug-into, for networking and teamwork for the Boss' glory.

We've been privately developing some hi-tech toys, like podcasting audio files & shows, virtual-reality meetings in secondlife.com at:

Terri Marathon's Town Square: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_world

The Lost Genre Guild has also been publicly promoting through the Latest in Spec newsletter, CFBA, CSSF, CFRB, Speculative Faith, and the Lost Genre Guild blog. Check out the discussion boards & forums at arjaybb.com, wherethemapends.com, doubleedgedpublishing.com's project page, and http://www.christianscififantasycentral.com/

Some links and places of interest related to the Lost Genre Guild

First is our private Yahoo group. If you'd like to join this list, let me know and I can send you an invite. The list can be crazy-busy with great email discussions and at other times slow. You can receive the emails in one of two ways: individual emails or the daily digest. Choose the best option for you at the Yahoo group page once you've been added.

Lost Genre Guild official website at lostgenreguild.com where you'll find links to LGG members' books (Bookshelves), the most recent LGG catalogue of fiction and resources, etc.

The Guild Review: an editorial review site for Christian and Biblical speculative fiction only.

The guild mentor and critique forums at lostgenreguild.com/phpBB3

The LGG blog at blog.lostgenreguild.com where industry news is posted several times per week, with the focus on guild members. You can signup to receive updates in your email box.

We have groups at both Shoutlife.com and MySpace.com

You may also like to signup for Frank Creed's Underground newsletter/ ezine (6 times per year): got to Frankcreed.com and there is a link on the front page (you can read the archived issues). It is filled with industry information, articles, writing tips, etc.

Marketing

The number-one reason people buy books is because they're recommended by family or friends. Publishers know the market is out there, which is why publishers have now been throwing the dice on spec-fic. Publisher's traditional shotgun marketing isn't hitting the target market.

Why?

Christian genre fans gave-up on Christian bookstore shelves. Shotgun marketing aims inside the box, and our readership isn't in the box. Nobody home. According to the 80-20 rule of marketing, 80% of sales comes from 20% of efforts. The trick is identifying and focusing on that 20%.

If we work as the Body of Christ, each contributing with our talents, His will shall be done for our genre.

Faith,

Frank Creed

novelist, manuscript critique, and founder of the Lost Genre Guild

thefinishers.biz

lostgenreguild.com

frankcreed.com/

afrankreview.blogspot.com/

War of Attrition: Book Two of the Underground

Into the Underground: The Role Playing Game


4/15/2009

Writers' Toolkit

In a change of pace for this blog, I've devoted this whole post to useful links for writers. Please let me know if there's anything you think should be added! You might want to bookmark this page and come back often, because I'll keep adding cool stuff as I find it.


The Single Most Helpful Site:

Write or Die
- Effective seat glue and production incentive!


Reading - Free Fiction Downloads

List of free sci-fi download sites
- 21 different listings

Science Fiction Bookshelf - Project Gutenberg classics

Feedbooks -
A universal e-reading platform compatible with all mobile devices where you can download thousands of free e-books, publish and share your own content

Suvudu Free Book Library - Complete sci-fi and fantasy novels


Writing Craft Tips

Tip of the Week at WhereTheMapEnds.com
- by Jeff Gerke - highly recommended!

The Finishers Writing Tips
- by Frank Creed and friends

Creative Calisthenics
- A Workout for the Writer's Imagination, by Terri Main

POV Boot Camp
- by Andrea Graham

AdvancedFictionWriting.com
- home of the Snowflake Method

Amy Deardon's Story Structure

"Confident writers believe in persistence. Delusional writers believe in talent." - The Newbie's Guide to Publishing

Ten Mistakes Writers Don’t See (But Can Easily Fix When They Do)

The 32 Most Commonly Misused Words and Phrases

It's All Just A Draft
- Free online writing guide by sci-fi author Tobias Buckell

Alicia Rasley' Writers' Corner - Large archive of articles on writing

Plotstorming - Cheryl Wyatt's Quick Plotting Guide

Twenty Classic Romantic Conflicts by Lyn Cote

Revision Checklist
by agent Nathan Bransford


Resources

Top 10 List of Top 10 Lists for Writers
- Lists of useful blogs, checklists, tips and more

The 10 Best Books for Writers

Text to Speech: Hear what you are writing

33 Articles on How To Write A Book

Query Fail: How Not To Land An Agent


DIY

Facts about Print On Demand
- vs. Publish on demand

The difference between self-publishing and print on demand
- Writers Digest

Facts about Promo Book Blurbs
- Publishers Weekly

30 Free Programs for Web Page and Graphic Design

The World's Biggest Post About Photoshop
- Textures, tutorials, patterns, brushes and other resources (e.g. for web design or book cover design)


Social Networking

The QuickStudy Guide to Social Networking

Social Networking Sites for Authors

Shoutlife.com Authors

Bookbuzzr - embed an interactive book preview on any site

10 Ways to build your blog community with Twitter

Top 10 Things New People to Twitter Should Know

How to Make a Custom Twitter Background

How to make your video go viral (Warning, some PG language)


Marketing


Karina Fabian's Virtual Blog Tour Primer

Terri Main's Marketing for Writers

15 DIY Tools to Promote your Book

Why slow selling is a good start for a book

Hard-Core Tactics for Authors Developing Audience - A list of lists for marketing tips

PROMO DAY - A yearly all-day event for writers to promote their latest book releases and discuss topics related to writing.

Why Offer Free E-Books? Sci-fi author Cory Doctorow speaks out for Creative Commons as a marketing strategy.

How to get free advertising on Google

How to Get Your Name in the News


Instructions for Influencers by Deb Raney - Send your supporters here to find what they can do.

Writing an Effective Book Review by Terri Main

Easy Book Reviewing by Grace Bridges


Making Book Trailers

www.animoto.com - Makes an animated slideshow out of your pics and music

www.xtranormal.com - Pick cartoon characters and text-to-speech will generate a scene.


E-Zines and other places to submit short stories

Ray Gun Revival - Space opera and golden age science fiction

Mindflights - A Magazine of the Speculative - Sci-fi and fantasy

Wayfarer's Journal - Science Fiction with a difference

Laser and Sword - Fantasy, Science Fiction, Dystopia, Adventure/Action Hero serial fiction.

Residential Aliens - Speculative Fiction from the Seven Stars

Digital Dragon magazine - Sci-fi and fantasy

Ethereal Tales - UK-based fantasy zine


Fun & Funky

Seventh Sanctum Story Generator - Quick, fun and zany writing prompts

911 Writers Block - Help in dire situations

Brain Rules - How to make your brain run better

Gender Genie - Find out if your POV character sounds male or female

Fantasy Character Generator
- A thorough process for creating unique characters

Autocrit Editing Wizard - A bot that highlights some common writing errors

Internet Anagram Server - Input your name, your book title or character name!

The 100 Most Beautiful Words in English


Business Advice

5 Sure-fire Ways To Know If Your Business Will Work Or Not

Website Shopping Cart Setup Etiquette

4/13/2009

Win books, download stories, read reviews!

Peter J. Grant says: I've put up the first six chapters of my current military SF novel, and
linked to it on my blog, asking my readers to take a look and comment as
they see fit. I'd be grateful for your input. Thanks in advance. You'll find the
book at this link - Introduction to Ensign Bowles.


Check out this new review by Frank Creed:
The Christian H.P. Lovecraft: Michael Vance’s Weird Horror Tales

And this one by Grace Bridges:
Feast for the Soul: Transforming Realities by R.L. Copple

And Jeremy Robinson's cranking up a huge contest with amazing book prizes:
The PULSE Viral Video Contest


Star Ship Sofa presents:
Complete podcasts of Nebula Best Short Story Nominees 2008


Mindflights Magazine presents:
Wakescape by Audrey E. Marquis
Ryan lives in a society based on three commandments: 1) Feel what is good. Subdue what is negative. 2) You may excel inasmuch as you do not displease other members. 3) Love yourself enough to be without discomfort. Then he meets someone who challenges this way of life.