Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Press Release—the Virtual Event

It's just a sheet of paper. Well, it's not even paper any more is it? Just a collection of symbols on a screen, really. But it's only marginally less crazy than, say, doing a wedding. I'm not kidding!

There's the planning, who reviews it, who writes it, rewrites it, needs to review it again, rewrites it, needs to review it again, rewrites it, needs to review it again, (you get the picture), hey, I've got a great idea, let's put in.... (insert champagne pyramid and/or live links), who is it going to? Oh did you update the mailing lists? Could you do that for me sweetie? Let's see what it looks like if we... Oh, not so good, let's go back to...You know, I think I liked it the first time...no not that first time, the other first time. Yes, that one, but with the bit at the end from the eighth draft. Loved that bit. You know, maybe it should go through proofreading again. Legal already checked it & will have to check it again? You're kidding. Now we've changed it so much everybone that approved it before have to approve it again? Really? And everyone's on vacation right now? Oh, they just changed the order of everything? The logos have been modified? You'll be sending me the new ones shortly. Right away? Please? Everything is being checked to make sure it works when we go live. There's a problem? None of the buttons work? Someone's looking into it? They'll let me know what's happening? No one knows anything so you're just going to make it up? That sounds good. OK. Let's go! Push the button to launch. Oh, it doesn't seem to be working. There is goes! Yes, it launched for sure because I just got an irate email from a vendor complaining we mispelled their name in our release.

Thank you for a lovely party!

According to Malle, who knows these things, there is an Estonian custom that I have to share. Malle says it is a customary practice when you have attended an Estonian event and are thanking your hostess and saying your goodbyes, you also share any helpful comments you might have on shortcomings and how she might improve the event in the future (i.e. dinner was lovely, but very slow and started far too late. And next time, stir the soup before serving it). Pretty special, eh? Wikipedia is missing these bits of color. Malle will need to add them in.

So as you create your event—virtual or otherwise—watch out for those helpful Estonians. They are looking for continuous improvement!

We're delighted to have the eBook site up & running on eHarlequin, to have the adorable Minis available for sale and to be able to offer the Mini Round Robins for a FREE download. I think we have discovered five authors for Harlequin (and counting!) with the Writing Round Robin program—one of them, Mia Zachary—is launching the Mini Round Robin line.

Putting a press release together is as crazy as throwing a major event, but there's no food! Still, it is fun to see all the 'guests' arriving & chatting about your event.

Y'all come on over!

6 comments:

Mia Zachary said...

Hi, Isabel

I do so enjoy your blog- and all the more for being mentioned on it! LOL

Night Magic is a story that I truly loved writing and I'm so proud of the many readers who won the competition to have their chapters continue the plot.

I've kept a link to eHQ's online read library on my website, but could not be more pleased to see this story 'front and center' once again.

I hope you'll all give it a try and that you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!

Isabel Swift said...

Mia: Thank you for posting! It has been very exciting for us all to be part of making the eHarlequin's Writing Round Robin titles avaible with the launch of our eBook site--having NIGHT MAGIC has been pretty magical too! I hadn't even realized how powerful the Writing Round Robin contest has been for Harlequin as a way of finding new authors! Wow! It's all about making dreams come true, and I do so love a happy ending!

Kate Walker said...

Hi Isabel

I've been reading your blog for a while now, but like Mia it was the mention of my own name that pushed me to stop lurking and say hello from UK Blogland.

I was thrilled when I discoverered that the Round Robins were being turned into ebooks and the one I was involved in - Stolen by The Sheikh was going to be one of ther first titles. I had so much fun working with all the 'Hoods' and everyone else who wrote chapters for the story - winning or otherwise.

I know that the other Round Robin members who wrote winning chapters are so happy to see their names on the Mini ebook - and you've really helped me with this as my next USA release is linked to the Mini - the characters from Stolen By The Sheikh make a brief appearence at the end. I've already had so many enquiries about the story they appeared in and now I can direct those enquiries to the ebooks page.

Wishing the ebooks - mini or otherwise - every success in the future

Kate

Isabel Swift said...

Kate:
That is so cool that your next release is linked! I am going to tell the Writing Round Robin & eBook team to come check out your comments and find out some of the intricate plotting going on behind the scenes. Though the eBook market is still small, what is really exciting is there are real romance fans out there. I read mine right on my phone, so I am never without a book...but now I don't always have to have a giant purse to accommodate my "habit." It is really thrilling to have this finally make it's debut! And you ladies look lovely!

Barbara Bretton said...

Isabel! This is terrific! I was reading a back issue of RT and saw that you're a knitter too. Please come and visit us at Romancing the Yarn (on blogspot)--you'll be among friends. (I think half of us or more are currently writing for Harlequin or wrote for H. in the past.) Great blog, btw; love the legwear . . .

Deidre Knight said...

I'm so glad to have discovered your blog, Isabel! I think you'll be getting a lot of traffic because All About Romance has linked to you in their industry blog section. :) Deidre Knight