Top Copy Guy

Mel McIntyre

2010-09-01T18:51:00.001-07:00

My Children's Books:

Flutter Bunnies
The Legend of Lumpus and Ogols

My Books on Writing:

The Ultimate Copywriter

Travel Writing Secrets

How to Write a Children's Book

My Articles:

Helium.com

Squidoo: Write With Style

Squidoo: Picture Taking Tips

Article Empire?

2010-04-25T21:59:00.001-07:00

Any article writers out there?

If you write articles, you want those articles to make you as much money as they can. One solution is to rewrite those articles quickly and submit them to other article sites.

If that's something you're interested in, why not give Triond a try? Copy and paste this link into your browser so you can sign up and start posting your articles today:

http://www.triond.com/rw/214109

P.S. Triond is not as fussy as some sites about titles. That means you can use all your skill to write titles that pull readers into your articles :)

Internationally Famous?

2010-04-21T23:01:00.000-07:00

Maybe not...

I wandered into the Kinokuniya Bookstore on Orchard Road in Singapore, typed a few details into the screen, and this entry appeared:

Okay, it's not as good as having a copy or two on the shelves. That day will come, I hope. But I was pretty impressed that it came up in their records at all.

Strangely, I couldn't find any reference to it in the Border's bookstore just up the road, despite the fact that you can order copies in any Borders branch in Canada.

Funny old world, eh?

Awesome Illustrations

2010-04-11T17:31:00.000-07:00

Artist's New Website

David MacQuillan, the artist who created the illustrations for The Legend of Lumpus and Ogols, has a brand new gorgeous website that you should check out. As well as the pictures for Lumpus, it also contains samples of some of David's paintings, ink drawings, monoprints, and more.

Visit the site at http://www.davidmcquillan.com/ to get a taste of his incredible talent.

How to write a great article headline

2010-03-24T20:41:00.000-07:00

Ready, aim, fire!

This headline is the title for an article about taking great pictures. It’s a good headline because it achieves a number of objectives:

1. It’s short and to the point

Imagine an article about taking better pictures with a title something like this:

101 techniques for taking quality pictures that are guaranteed to take your photography skills to the next level!

You might be tempted to laugh, except for the fact that there are already plenty of articles with headlines like this online. It’s almost as if the writer thought it would be a good idea to put in everything he or she could think of. Whether or not it would pass Helium’s title restrictions is not the point; the point is that it doesn’t get and hold your attention.

It’s too long. There are too many words. We don’t have the time to wade through it all in the hope that the rest of the article will be good in spite of the clumsy title. Because, deep down, we know it won’t be.

How could it be? It was likely written by the same person.

2. It arouses curiosity

An article with the title Ready, aim, fire! might be about a lot of things. Unless you find it on the front cover of a photography magazine, it’s not necessarily obvious.

That’s good news, because if you can make the reader curious about something, he or she will be forced to read on. The need to know will be overwhelming, and your article will have a better chance of being read from start to finish.

3. It’s clever without being corny

There’s nothing wrong with being clever. But titles that rely on word play, puns or similar literary devices can get boring very quickly.

The trick with “being clever” is to balance it out. For example, if you were the cinematographer that filmed a movie starring Omar Sharif, you could write an article with the title...

Go to my Helium page to read the rest of this article :)

It's A Sentence!

2010-01-26T11:32:00.000-08:00

A sentence is a group of words expressing a complete thought.

I found this information online today when I was browsing after finishing some work. It reminded me about how I was taught in school.

This is the most satisfying definition I've yet to come across. Some sources go further with simple, complex, and compound sentences, but they're all variations on the main theme, which is:

A sentence is a group of words expressing a complete thought.

I jot it down again because it seems like not everybody understands the concept. A complete thought doesn't have to be deep and meaningful. It could simply be:

Get lost!

That's a complete thought, right? Or how about:

Jesus wept.

That's a complete thought, too. All you need is a subject (or an implied subject in the case of Get lost!) and a predicate (think verb). And you're good.

Which one of these is a sentence?

A. The long and winding road

B. That road is long and winding.

If you said B, have a cookie. Example A is just an phrase. No action going on. Not a complete thought because nothing happens to the road and nobody seems to be on or near it.

Ain't words brilliant? Especially in combination...

Nearly Famous Author!

2010-01-25T12:50:00.000-08:00

On the books at Chapters!

On Saturday (Jan 23rd) I was in the Chapters book store in Moncton. I wandered over to the children's books but naturally never expected to find my books there. However...

They have kiosks set up at various points around the store. You can enter what you're looking for into the computerized system and it'll tell you:

If they stock it
If it's available in the store
How to order a copy if it's not in the store

I looked for both of my children's books, Flutter Bunnies and The Legend of Lumpus and Ogols. And guess what?

They were both listed!

Sure, you have to order them, but I still thought it was pretty cool. Some day I hope to see them and other books of mine on the shelves.

Lumpus Books Arrive!

2010-01-21T05:48:00.000-08:00

They're here!

I'm quite excited about this book, because my step-son David did the artwork for it. His pictures capture the mood of the story perfectly. I only wish the book was bigger so you could see them more clearly...

Still, you can see them clearly enough if you buy a copy :)

If you're interested, go to Amazon.com and search for The Legend of Lumpus and Ogols. Or simply follow this link.

Get it from Amazon.ca here, from Chapters Indigo here, from Amazon.co.uk here or from Barnes & Noble here.

It's nice when a batch of new books turns up in a delivery van. Takes some of the harshness out of these Canadian winters...

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T11:42:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

Here's hoping that 2010 brings you all that you desire in your writing career and your life in general.

Thanks for reading...

New Children's Book Available Now

2009-11-25T06:28:00.000-08:00

Lumpus & Ogols Is Out Now!

My latest children's book, The Legend of Lumpus and Ogols, is now available.

This is a very special book, because the illustrations have been done by David McQuillan, my step-son. I think they add just the right atmosphere to the story. They're also beautiful illustrations in their own right, too.

The book is on sale at Amazon.com and can be accessed via this link. If you hurry, depending on where you live, you might just be able to get a copy for Christmas.

See you again soon...

Finally: a Review!

2009-11-25T06:23:00.000-08:00

Flutter Bunnies a Hit!

Hi there. Someone has been kind enough to post this review of Flutter Bunnies at the Amazon.com page:

This beautiful book is indeed ideal for children of all ages. It works well as a read-it-to-me book; the bold drawings illustrating all the major events. Older children will love the different characters especially Funny Bunny's array of jokes.

Read the rest of the review by browsing to this page :)

New Book Due Out Soon

2009-11-13T09:04:00.000-08:00

WOW!

Two things I can't believe...

I can't believe it's been so long since I posted anything... been a hell of a summer

AND...

I can't believe my latest children's book, The Legend of Lumpus and Ogols, will be out soon.

Here's the link for a sneak preview:
http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/lumpus.htm

The pictures for this book were done by my step-son David. Great job. They add such a tremendous atmosphere to the story. We met up in the UK in May to finalize them.

This is my 2nd children's story to be published by Guardian Angel, the first being Flutter Bunnies. There's a sequel to that book due out in the Spring, so keep watching :)

All A-flutter!

2009-07-15T05:51:00.000-07:00

New Flutter Bunnies book due out!

The second Flutter Bunnies book will be out later this year. The first, simply entitled Flutter Bunnies, was published in November 2008. I've just received the contract for the second in the series, Flutter Bunnies and the Fossil of Fortune. I'll let you know when publication is imminent.

Meanwhile, I've got another children's book due out in October 2009. This one, The Legend of Lumpus & Ogols, features illustrations by my step-son David McQuillan.

Dog Blog

2009-06-02T12:04:00.000-07:00

Hi folks,

Sorry for the lack of action recently. Been back to the UK for a couple of weeks (more about that in later posts).

While I was away, Tia (my dog) was interviewed on the Pets and Their Authors blog. Here's the link to read the interview in full:

http://petsandauthors.blogspot.com/2009/05/interview-with-tia-mel-mcintyres-collie.html

Access Online Information

2009-04-28T06:23:00.000-07:00

Here's the link to my Advance Detective site:

AdvanceDetective

GAP Conquers iPhone Apps!

2009-04-24T14:30:00.000-07:00

Guardian Angel Publishing, publishers of my first children's book Flutter Bunnies, have just had their first book launched on the iKids Play™ app for the iPhone. Here's GAP's press release about it:

*************

St. Louis, MO, USA: Publisher, Lynda S. Burch has licensed and launched Guardian Angel Publishing's first picture book, Maybe We Are Flamingos to iKids Play™ for its iPhone application, which allows kids to color, paint, rub and read along on touch screen technology.

"We are excited with our newest venture," said GAP President and Publisher Lynda Burch. "Licensing our picture books with iKids Play™ will allow for worldwide English distribution by Apple iTunes Applications of our books on the newest technology to hit the market."

The users can order print book copies directly from their phones. Children can interact with the stories and artwork and entertain themselves while waiting with parents in countless situations. These applications provide an alternative to gaming by introducing educational opportunities for children with books on the go for busy lifestyles.

"Keeping up with rapidly changing book marketplace has been a rewarding experience and we look forward to successful launches of many more GAP books in other new applications for iPhones and iPods with iKids Read™ and iKids Story™, too." Burch continued.

Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc. was launched in late 2004 featuring a unique series of musical eBook download books — Angelic Harmony. Their books expanded from picture books to storybooks, fiction and nonfiction, and chapter books for older beginning readers.

Guardian Angel publishes exceptional and educational books for children 0-12 years of age. They expanded with Academic Wings — with a wealth of teaching aids for teachers. Angel to Angel where kids write and illustrate for kids, Littlest Angels, Guardian Angel Animals and Pets, Guardian Angel Chapbooks for Tweens and Wings of Faith — faith-based stories, which are available as eBook downloads, CDs, print paperback, and video books for TV or mobiles.

More information on Guardian Angel Publishing can be found at http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/

Make Money Writing Online

2009-04-20T04:31:00.000-07:00

Become a Wealthy Writer!

Here's a brand new course that'll give you the potential to earn up to $100k a year writing for the Internet.

It's been jointly written by Nick Daws and Ruth Barringham who together have made a fortune writing online material.

Nick is the best-selling author of How To Write ANY Book in 28 Days, while Ruth is the author of many books and the founder of Australian company Cheriton House Publishing.

You've probably heard about other products that claim to be able to show you how to ear money writing online. I know I've seen dozens of them myself. So what makes this one different?

The main difference is that Nick & Ruth are both successful writers. They recommend tips and tricks that they use. They know how to get started making money quickly, because they're experienced, professional writers themselves.

And everything is covered in depth:

article writing to affiliate marketing;
blogging to copywriting;
e-books to self-publishing;
auction websites to sales copy;

and more.

As they say on the site, if you work quickly enough, it's possible you could earn your first paycheck as early as TONIGHT!

I was fortunate enough to be asked to edit the course, and I can tell you that it's truly excellent. I've even started using some of their tips myself.

Want your own copy? You can pick it up RIGHT NOW at a discounted introductory price. Just click on the link below to get started earning:

Order The Wealthy Writer NOW!

The Ode Less Travelled!

2009-02-24T12:25:00.000-08:00

My wife and I are reading through Stephen Fry's new book, The Ode Less Travelled.

Subtitled "Unlocking the Poet Within" it attempts to teach everyday folks how to write their own poems. So, we're having a go.

Here's one I came up with using iambic pentameter. The rules are that it has to be 20 lines long without any rhymes. I cheated on the last two lines, but nobody's perfect :)

I Am Bic Pentameter

I do not have a poet in my breast;
No metaphors or trochees pouring forth.
The world is not poetical to me,
All dirt and shame and empty toilet rolls

That get recycled, burned or thrown from cars
By people unconcerned to keep things clean.
I could not coin a phrase to save my life,
Or pick the choicest word from lists of three;

Well read am I, and clever, to be sure,
But not intent on wasting precious time.
Poetic licences cannot be bought
Or won as raffle prizes at a fair...

You can read the rest of the poem by going to my Helium page here.

If you like writing poetry, you could do a lot worse than get your hands on a copy of Fry's book.

How To Write With Style

2009-02-12T04:02:00.000-08:00

Here’s an article I wrote for my Squidoo lens called Style: A Tricky Concept. The basis for the article came from a section in The Ultimate Copywriter.

The concept of writing with a particular style is a difficult one for many writers to grasp.

That might be because they're not sure what it means, or because style is something they think of as being personal and individual. But even so, there are things you can do to help build style into your writing.

Needless to say, you could write a book or two on the topic of style alone. This article is not meant to be the definitive statement on the subject: its aim is to get you started writing in a manner that will make it easier for your own style to shine through. And for that we'll turn to one of the stylistic masters of the twentieth century, Ernest Hemingway.

Hemingway began his writing career at the age of 18 as a junior reporter for The Kansas City Star. He only worked there for 6 months, but that was enough. He used the Star's style guide as the basis for almost everything he wrote after that:

1. Use short sentences.
2. Use short first paragraphs.
3. Use vigorous English.
4. Be positive, not negative.

That's all you need to know to inject style into your writing. And here's why...

1. Short sentences are easier to read. They get the information across quickly. They break up paragraphs into digestible chunks. And they stop you from constructing complex sentences full of commas and semicolons.

2. Short first paragraphs help get your story or article underway quickly. They give readers the crux of what you're saying and make them want to read on. They're the hooks that lure readers into the story line.

3. Vigorous English pulls, moves, races, propels readers into your text. It's packed with energy. Words aren't wasted or used unnecessarily. Anything that saps energy should be removed, including flowery adverbs and adjectives.

For example, look at this sentence:

"The young boy had picked up a shiny blue stone and tossed it unceremoniously at the cur."

That's a rather long-winded and clumsy way of saying: "The boy threw a rock at the dog."

If it's a boy, it must be young. If he threw the rock, he must have picked it up. If it's a dog, call it a dog. And forget the ceremony: it's just an action.

4. Finally, there's the notion of positive v. negative. What Hemingway means is that you should state what something is as opposed to what it isn't. Rather than saying the sky isn't blue, say it's dull, grey or cloudy. That new dress isn't inexpensive; it's affordable.

There are lots of other techniques you can learn to help give your writing style. If you write often, you'll pick up many of these naturally. You can also find information online and in good books by authors and editors.

In the meantime, these four tips from Hemingway should be enough to set you on the right path.

Banish Writer's Block

2009-01-31T07:17:00.000-08:00

Ever suffer from writer's block?

I don't.

Over the years I've developed a bunch of strategies to keep writing no matter what. These include techniques for changing direction, ideas for injecting life into text, and just simply taking a quick break.

I put these ideas together in a little book called Knock the Socks off Writer's Block. It's available from Lulu.com by following this link.

I know lots of writers who tell me they never suffer from writer's block, or that they don't need any external motivation to overcome it. That's fine with me. But not everybody's so lucky.

If you're one of those people for whom a blank page can be daunting at times, then I think you'll find some of these techniques useful. If so, please be sure and let me know.

A Load Of Nonsense!

2009-01-23T07:13:00.000-08:00

Introducing the How To Be Funny course...

Ever wanted to write jokes, gags, one-liners?

Every time you see a comedian on stage, you can bet there's another person behind every clever word that comes out of his or her mouth.

We sometimes forget that joke tellers need people to sit down and write those jokes for them. And that includes one of my favourites types of joke, the limerick.

Limericks are easy to write once you get the hang of it. Typically they're five lines long with a rhyme scheme a,a,b,b,a. Here's a famous example by Dixon Merritt:

A wonderful bird is the pelican
His bill can hold more than his belican
He can take in his beak
Food enough for a week
But I’m damned if I see how the helican

Part of the fun with limericks involves playing with language, and even sometimes corrupting the rhyme scheme altogether, such as this corker by W.S. Gilbert:

There was an old man of St. Bees
Who was horribly stung by a wasp
When they said, “does it hurt?”
He replied, “no, it doesn’t –
It’s a good job it wasn’t a hornet”

Or this well-know anonymous sample that pokes fun at the structure of limericks:

There was a young man from Japan
Whose limericks never would scan.
When asked why this was,
He answered "because
I always try to fit as many syllables into the last line as ever possibly I can."

Limericks are lots of fun, for sure. But they're also quite creative. Finding words that rhyme (or don't!) and still managing to write something interesting can tax the best of us.

This is just one of the techniques you'll find in the How To Be Funny course. There's also information on Spoonerisms, tongue twisters, and puns; tips on comedy timing and creating jokes out of thin air; and techniques for incorporating comedy into your social life.

It's a great book, full of useful tips for budding comics, writers or otherwise. I've read it myself, and it tickled my funny bone.

Hopefully it'll do the same for you :)

Famous At Last!

2009-01-18T08:02:00.000-08:00

Flutter Bunnies causing a stir!

I've just done an interview for my local paper, The Citizen.

The interview has also been posted online, and you can read it by following the link below:

http://www.citizenweekly.com/index.cfm?sid=211292&sc=139

Colour Some Bunnies!

2009-01-06T05:11:00.000-08:00

Read & Colour In!

Have you read my children's book Flutter Bunnies yet?

Well, thanks to illustrator Kit Grady, now you can go all interactive...

Kit's produced some colouring pages to accompany the book, which you can download below. There are two pages in total, extracted from the pictures in the book itself. It's a chance to get even more familiar with some of the characters in the story while exercising a bit of creativity in the process.

To download the pictures, simply right click on the images below and select "Save Picture As..."

If you haven't read the book yet and want to give it a try, you'll find it on Amazon by following this link.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy!

P.S. Kit's added another page for you to colour in on her blog, which you can get to by following this link. :)

Write Jokes & Laugh All The Way To the Bank!

2008-12-14T19:49:00.000-08:00

Want To Write The Funny Stuff?

It's no laughing matter. Writers can make LOADS of dosh writing gags and one-liners.

There are even companies like Reader's Digest that pay hundreds of dollars for humorous stories. And somebody has to write it all.

Why Not You?

Got a humorous side? Like to write quips, jokes, comedy sketches? Limericks?

Then the How To Be Funny course could be just the ticket!

If you enjoy making up and telling your own jokes, then you could be in for some serious money. And if that doesn't tickle your funny bone, then maybe this will...

Order your copy of How To Be Funny, and I'll make sure you receive:

A Full Ten Bucks Off!

To pick up a terrific bargain TODAY, simply click on the link below:
Click Here for How To Be Funny Discount

P.S. I can vouch for the contents of the course, too, because I was involved in doing some of the research. :)

Flutter Bunnies at Amazon!

2008-12-09T06:31:00.000-08:00

Now it feels real!

My first children's book, Flutter Bunnies, is now available at Amazon. Seeing it there amongst all the other books I've browsed over the years is a great feeling. Let's hope it sells well and gets a few decent reviews...

I've also heard from my publishers, Guardian Angel Publishing, that they'll be publishing another of my children's stories in the near future. This one is for a slightly older age group with a bit more gore and terror. But nothing too bad. :)

Please keep checking in for updates on both of these books.

My First Children's Book Published

2008-11-29T06:10:00.000-08:00

My first children's book has been published!

When I started writing full-time, I dreamed of having a book in print with my name on it. And now it's happened.

It's hard to believe, but I wrote the first draft of this story back in 1992. I sent it to a few of the big publishers, who weren't interested. Over the years I did some editing and revision, and also asked people to read it. Then, about 18 months ago, a publisher agreed that it was as good as I thought it was.

It just goes to show that you should never give up.

Flutter Bunnies is the first of several of my books for children that will be published in the forthcoming months. Check back here at my blog to find out when the others get released.

The pictures have been provided by artist Kit Grady, and they really help bring the story to life.

Copies of the picture book are available from Guardian Angel Publishing at http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/flutter-bunnies.htm

Write That Novel - in Just One Month!

2008-11-24T18:43:00.001-08:00

It's every writer's dream...

To write a novel, something good and worthy to be read, something to leave behind when you've finally shuffled off that mortal coil.

Not to mention the fame and notoriety that goes with being a novelist.

And, of course, there's always the possibility that it'll be a best-selling novel, too.

That's why I'd like to recommend WCCL's new course, Novel in a Month.

A lot of writers - myself included - have great ideas for novels that never get off the ground. There are usually plenty of good reasons for it, including:

Not enough time
Not enough organization
Not enough determination
Not knowing exactly how to go about it

I have a writer friend who's been writing a novel for the past ten years. I have no doubt it's going to be a good read, but somehow I think it must be possible to do it faster.

And it is!

The Novel in a Month course gives you the focus that's sometimes lacking. It helps you concentrate and get your thoughts down on paper. It keeps your notes organized and gives you a blueprint to work from.

In short, it HELPS you get that novel written - in only one month!

And I know it's good, because I helped with the research.

If you've ever had an idea for a novel but simply didn't know where to start, then you need to check this course out now. It does exactly what it says on the packaging. :)

Click Here to get started right away!

3-Step PSR Copy Formula

2008-11-14T05:10:00.000-08:00

Have you heard about the PSR Formula?

It's a simple method for writing copy for ANY publication.

You just identify the Problem... provide the Solution... and show the Result.

It's as easy as that. Here's an example of how it works.

Problem: Speaking in public leaves the speaker a bundle of nerves, stressed out and unable to perform.

Solution: Remove the stress, calm the nerves and learn how to take control, with (for example) Powerful Public Speaking from Instant-Hypnosis.com.

Result: Speak with confidence and authority, hold audiences spellbound, and be in control of your subject - and your body.

Easy, right? And that's just ONE of the many secrets you'll learn in The Ultimate Copywriter.

You can read a review of the book here to find out what other people are saying about it.

Till next time...

Top Copy Guy

2008-11-14T04:05:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my blog!

This is my new online writing presence, replacing my old website at topcopyguy.com. I've changed to a blog because it's easier and faster to update - and it's free!

I'll be writing short articles and publishing writing news, so check back often. Links to my books will also be dotted around the site, so watch out for those.

And thanks for reading!

Mel McIntyre,
Top Copy Guy