Darlene Schacht is here plus a GIVEAWAY!

Welcome!  I am thrilled to have Darlene here sharing her thoughts on writing, motherhood, and answering your questions!  Also, she is offering a FREE book to one of our commenters, which will be picked randomly, and posted Friday, October 24th.  So, don’t forgot to leave your comments on this interview!

Tea With Tiffany asked: And as a writer, I’d be interested in reading about her writing journey. [How did you get started?]

I started online. Unless I consider the countless coil notebooks I’ve filled over the years with jots of my thoughts, but let’s not.

It started with a blog called “What Would Jesus Blog?” about four years ago, where I found myself primarily writing humor. My family and friends were a huge encouragement, which I think was the boost I needed to seriously pursue this dream.

I had wanted to write for several years already, but up to that point my writing had been rather dry–it was more technical, and matter of fact, than it was creative.

Once I had a few stories written there, I started to approach small publishers such as our local newspapers, and Christian websites. Through online friends I discovered writing opportunities, through which two articles were published by Thomas Nelson and Tyndale Publishing.

I polished and compiled the stories I had written on my blog, which is what I now have published in my own book “The Mom Complex.”

Over the past few years, I have veered off from humor writing somewhat, but I do enjoy the relaxed style I gleaned from that, and that is something I still carry in my writing at Christian Women Online. I like to have fun!

Most recently I have been hanging my hat over at Live Well, which is a monthly column I carry at Christian Women Online. Live Well takes readers on a Christ-centered journey through weight-loss to freedom.  It’s been going so well, that I’ve teamed up with actress Candace Cameron Bure to write a book on the Live Well premise. Our agent is currently seeking a publisher for us, so I’m excited about that one!

Mama Zen asked: I’d like to learn more about the online magazine. [Why did you start the magazine?  How does it get "published"?  Who is your target audience?  What types of articles are included?  How many people subscribe?]

While still writing at WWJB? I decided to venture out and get some of my humorous articles published, and so I started approaching small publications including websites. While doing so, I heard a voice telling me, “You can do this yourself. Why not just start your own site?” That voice was my husbands, who has always been the biggest supporter of Christian Women Online.

When I get an idea, I move quickly, and so within about six hours I had a small team of writers gathered and I was working on a design. I had really only expected us to have a little writing site-a team blog sort of thing-but the gears started turning and I figured, why not put in the extra time and design it like a magazine?  I didn’t know that online magazines already existed, in fact I was a little shy about calling it a magazine since the technical name is ezine, but when it’s your baby, you can call it what you want, right?

My goal has always been about content first-traffic last. I like diversity, and most of all-I like truth. I need the articles to be spiritual. Even if we’re only discussing Grilled Cheese sandwiches, I want Jesus to be in the kitchen with us.

The blogroll was quite an interesting endeavor. I needed about six bloggers to start, and ever dreamed I’d even have a hundred members, but the blogrollhas been one of the biggest parts of who we are as a website. After all, it’s a great way of uniting women of faith.

We have something like 4,000 blogroll members, maybe more now. And we have 2,600 regular subscribers.

I think that the site has had the greatest appeal to stay-at-home moms since so many of them connect through blogging.

Elizabeth said: When I saw this phrase, I knew this book would be important for me to read: It urges us to search inside ourselves, so that we may uncover the path that God has placed our feet on. 

[Can you tell us more about your book?]

The book is a collection of humorous stories that stem from my childhood through to my life as a mom. It’s about finding God’s hand through the chaos of life-the joys amidst the toys.

I think that many moms are so frazzled with life as it is today, that they are always looking to the next destination in hopes of relief. What I hope the book will show them is that peace and joy are right beneath our feet, we just need to dust off the path to see it. If only we could all enjoy the  bumpy ride while it lasts!

Elaine asked:  Can you tell us more about the self-publishing world?

I’ll start by saying that I don’t believe that an author sells a book as much as a book sells an author! Having a book in hand is a great way to promote yourself as a writer. It opens so many doors that may not have been opened before.

There are two main ways of publishing in the self-publishing world. One is print-on-demand, and the other is what our company does “short-run publishing.”

Some print-on-demand companies will offer to print your book for free, so customers order the book (at a hefty price) and it’s printed and sent out directly to them. That’s okay for someone who isn’t a serious author, but if you want to promote your writing, you need books on hand. 

With short-run publishing, you can order anywhere from 50-200 books (or more) and because you pay a low price you make a profit on each. Authors use the 200 books for book signing parties, online book tours, speaking engagements, giveaways, self-promotion, local bookstores, listings on Amazon, etc. That’s where the book sells them!

The other difference is that with print-on-demand, you get what you send. If you send a book in for print and it doesn’t have a bar code, or the cover your nephew designed doesn’t fit quite right, it comes off the press that way. Whereas a company like http://www.artbookbindery.com (our company) works alongside the author through the process and aids in the layout and design. This ensures that the books are print perfect.

You can read more about writing and self-publishing at my Writing Fundamentals website: www.writingfundamentals.com

My monthly column: http://www.christianwomenonline.net/live_well.html

My Websites:
www.christianwomenonline.net
www.darleneschacht.com
www.writingFUNdamentals.com

Thanks Darlene!  Also, thank you for the free book to one of our commenters.  Please leave your thoughts or follow-up questions for Darlene in order to enter the drawing for her inspiring book.  The winner will be posted on Friday, October 24th.

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