Write Better & Get Published

5 Questions Around Self-Publishing Your Non-fiction Book

2012-01-21T12:10:00.002-05:00

Here are five provoking questions to help you begin the process of self-publishing your book!
These days everyone wants to write their book! Why not. It is easy to imagine the great feeling of seeing your book in print. It is such a tangible symbol and manifestation of success in the eyes of most people. It seems like anyone who touts themselves as an expert at anything, also has their book to validate it.
That first book has become a benchmark for many, many entrepreneurs.
However, the jump from deciding to write a book, and actually having that book completed and in print is huge. For some people it feels like an insurmountable task and it is so easy to get lost along the way, blocked by obstacles or just lose the inertia.
Here are five important questions to address, that will make the process much easier and more fruitful as well.

1. What is your purpose in writing your book?
Your business plan needs to reflect where your book will fit in to the overall picture. Why would this be important for your business? After people read your book, what do you want them to do? How will your book help your business grow?

2. Who are you writing it to?
Just like any product you are marketing, you need to know your target customer. You need to know who they are, what they need or want and the benefits they will receive. Once you can answer these questions it is easier to know what to write and how to write it.

3. What’s the style?
A non-fiction book often teaches something, as in, “How to” books. They can be motivational and inspirational as well. They can be essays on a subject. The style of your book needs to make sense to the person you want to communicate to and what you want to accomplish.

4. How to publish it?
If you want to become a household name then you might feel you need to get a conventional publisher. Many people think that getting a publisher will be cheaper. Not true if you look at the whole picture.
Unless you are already a famous person, you need to have an agent first. You have to write a book proposal, which can be more laborious than writing the book. I did this 15 years ago and it took me three months to do my proposal. I sent it to many agents and luckily someone took it. If she had managed to find a publisher, she would have taken her percentage of each book sold. The publisher will pay you possibly 6-15% of retail price.

At the end of the day you might end up with a couple dollars per book! It is also a mistake to assume they will market it for you. If you are unknown, they expect you to do your own marketing. However they will get your book in all the large bookstores via their distribution channels as long as the bookstores order it.
Self-publishing is the other option. Fifteen years ago I self-published two books. I had to print at least 1500 to make it worth it. It was a large outlay of money. These days print on demand gives you the ability to digitally print a small amount at a low price and have total control, sell them on your website, with no one taking their percentage out. And now there is also the e-book option. You still have the option to put them on other websites, in bookstores or anywhere and create your own wholesale price.
If you are going to do all the marketing yourself, why not earn more money? Now, years later, I have published my recent books and audiobooks this way.

5. Who is on your team?
It requires a skilled team to help you get your book out. Actually writing was the fun and creative part but help was needed with editing, layout, cover creation, mentoring, book naming and more. It is important to find the right people who can support you, understand the project and want to be a part of your process. Without a good team you will never make it to the finish line.

Follow these five steps, answer all the questions I have posed, and you will be much more equipped to move forward and begin your project. Just imagine your book in print and the smile on your face at the end!

____________________________________

Write Better - Get Published with your Author's Advocate
A Cappela Publishing - Celebrating our 16th Year
Leading the independent publishing revolution since its inception in 1995 www.acappela.com

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Selling Your Book to Non-Traditional Markets- 19 Strategies that will help you acquire those sales

2012-01-21T11:37:00.000-05:00

Unfortunately, those traditional book store sales aren’t always ‘sold.’ The books might be returned over and over again. That’s the sad reality of the book retail industry. Your book’s fame, however, can help you to acquire nonreturnable sales in the nontraditional market where a sale actually is a sale, where sales of 25,000 copies and more are not uncommon.

Here are 19 strategies that will help you acquire those sales:
1. Write your book for a very broad market. Nonfiction works best.
2. Write a book that people will be happy to give as a gift.
3. Add as many photos and illustrations as you can afford.
4. Keep the topic light. Avoid heavy social commentaries, controversial topics, scientific theories and other heavy subjects.
5. Have your book professionally designed.
6. Have your book professionally edited.
7. Give your book a catchy name. Avoid boring titles such as How to Have a Happy Fulfilling Life
8. Make sure that the cover design is appealing, appears three dimensional and can compete with all of the major publishing houses. Hire a professional designer.
9. Sell the benefits of your book on the back cover. That is where you will sell buyers on the reasons why they just can’t live without your book.
10. Price the book competitively in your genre.
11. Make your book look like it is good value for the price. It’s all about perceived value in the minds of the buyers.
12. Don’t write for yourself, write for the end buyer. Fulfill a need for them or make them feel better.
13. Think of the corporate market when you are writing. Make a list of corporations that can benefit from your book, and then contact them. Yours could end up becoming a ‘premium’ book.
14. Submit your book to the book clubs at least six months before you publish.
15. Find an agent who sells to the gift market.
16. Find an agent who sells foreign rights.
17. Find an agent who sells to the display market.
18. Don’t be afraid to offer large discounts on nonreturnable sales.
19. Seek licensing agreements: they are a great source of income for no work on your part.

A professionally designed book opens many doors while amateurish appearance closes many doors. It is vitally important that you invest in your book at the beginning to create sales in the long term. Plan for publicity and marketing before you print your books. Printing is not the final expense in your marketing plan. It is the beginning. You can have the best book in the world, but if no one knows about it, no one will buy it. Create a book that buyers just can’t resist. Get your gift shopping done online for your writer friends: www.acappela.com

Want to receive our FREE monthly newsletter for writers? Join at www.acappela.com (sign up at bottom of opening page)

Read this:

2011-04-27T19:16:00.004-04:00

http://biznik.com/articles/what-is-an-online-presence?utm_source=articles&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2011-03-17

GOT PAGE RAGE?

2010-07-23T10:23:00.000-04:00

Tired of going to information sites and having to wade through a lot of verbiage before getting to the nuggets you’re after? Like road rage, page rage slows you down, frustrates your need to move quickly.
For those who want to write but are short on time, A Cappela Publishing now offers:

Quickie classes which boil down important learning lessons into short bites that can be absorbed in just a few minutes.

Along with their 20 in-depth online classes on various aspects of writing, publishing and marketing what you write, A Cappela now offers condensed courses. These Quickie classes work best for fast learners who want ‘just the facts’ without a lot of examples and illustrations.

Quickie classes make it possible to get immediate answers to writing questions, and at a reasonable fee.

Known as the site of the world’s foremost Author’s Advocate, A Cappela is a one-stop-shop for authors. Its professional staff works with writers from the time they say, “I’ve got a great idea for a book,” through successful publication and marketing – saving you time and money.

Check out the many offerings at http://www.acappela.com/

Make 2010 the Year to DO IT!

2010-01-08T11:27:00.000-05:00

2009-12-31T14:58:00.000-05:00

The January Newsletter is ready and waiting. Check it out at the link below.
Enjoy!

http://acappela.com/c-newsletter%20hyperlinks_files/10_Jan.pdf

Newsletter!

2009-11-30T14:09:00.000-05:00

The December issue of the A Cappela Publishing Newsletter is ready!
Check it out now at: http://acappela.com/c-newsletter%20hyperlinks_files/09_Dec.pdf

Acappela Will Help You Write a Book

2009-11-30T13:45:00.000-05:00

Got the Writer's Blues?
No time? Don't know how to begin?
Stuck on plot or characterization?
Just plain Writer's Block?
Wherever you are, whatever you need...your Author's Advocate will help you!

A recent survey showed that 80% of Americans want to write a book.
Are you one of them?
I'll help you make it happen - whether you're a professional who needs a book to add credibility to your practice, someone who wants to write your own life story or your family's saga, or a wannabe writer of fiction or nonfiction.
Wherever you are in the process, whatever you need - I'll help you make this dream come true.

Check out my web site and decide where we can begin: http://www.acappela..com/

What We Can Do For You

2009-11-05T14:39:00.000-05:00

I know from experience that it is not easy to write a book and even harder to get published.

I also know that once you’ve achieved publication, it gets easier and easier to get published again.

This happens for two reasons:
First, you will have honed your skills and be writing up to publishable standards by the time this happens..

Second, agents and editors recognize your skill through your published credits.

So the big questions are, how can you know when you’ve arrived at a publishable level, and how do you then determine the best publishing route for your works?

A critique of your work by a knowledgeable professional in publishing will answer your questions. A good critique will tell you if your work is up to publishable standards, and will even inform you about the size of the market for your work -which will, in turn, point you to either a large publishing company, a midsize to small niche publisher, or self-publishing. This information will save you immeasurable time, expense and heartache. It will help you avoid pointless submissions and the pain and discouragement of rejection letters.

We at A Cappela Publishing aim at helping you over all these hurdles - through books, CDs and classes to hone your skills; through professional critiques, and through book packaging (designing, printing and marketing of your work)----------------------------Where are you in your efforts to get published? Check out our website (www.acappela.com) and learn more about how we can help.

Want To Be A Published Author?

2009-11-05T14:38:00.000-05:00

Writing well enough to get published is a skill, an art – something that requires perseverance hard work. Saying that everyone is good enough is like saying that everyone can compete in the Olympics. Those that get published have reached a skill level that is derived from taking classes; many many hours of writing and then submitting their writings to a qualified person for a critique. This doesn’t mean that those friendly folks in your writing group are qualified
A qualified person will be someone within the publishing industry who understands what editors (and ultimately readers) are looking for. This someone will understand the current tastes of the market as well as the size of the market for your particular offering.

Getting such a critique can inform you of your chances of being accepted by a publishing house and whether your best bet is one of the larger houses or a midsize to small house. A qualified assessor of your works can also tell you if your material is good but only for a niche market - in which case your best option is to self-publish.

In today’s publishing world, self-publishing is no longer the same as vanity publishing, which ignores quality of writing in favor of getting your work out there, between the covers of a printed book . And it makes sense, since publishing houses now expect authors to provide much of the marketing for their books. Self-publishers also have the advantage of being able to keep 80% of their books’ profits, as opposed to the typical 10% advance on royalties of the first printing offered by publishing houses. There are many roads to being a published author, and it makes good sense to get an expert opinion on your work to move you in the right direction with your works.

Our goal at A Cappela Publishing is to help authors achieve successful publication. We can work with you at any stage of the writing process to steer you in the right direction. Get in touch.

New Services

2009-10-01T13:54:00.001-04:00

Publisher Adds Ghostwriting Services

Publishing success today depends on a sophisticated meshing of writing skills, publishing know-how, and an awareness of today’s marketing realities – a combination few self-publishing authors possess. "The success of our book packaging has led to the expansion of our arsenal of book and manuscript development services for self-publishing authors," announces Patrika Vaughn, CEO of A Cappela Publishing.

Ghostwriting is finding a new niche in the growing self-publishing market . For self-publishing authors, ghostwriting can fulfill the role of acquisition editor, content developer and partner. Unlike traditional publishing, the self-publishing author will remain in the driver’s seat through the process with the ghostwriter working to develop direction, based on the best interest of the author.

Ghostwriting functions as a collaborative effort between the self-publishing author and an experienced professional ghostwriter. Ghostwriting services run the gamut from preliminary conceptualization to complete manuscript composition, to helping overcome writer’s block and putting the finishing touches on a nearly finished manuscript.
A Cappela’s ghostwriting services begin with the signing of the publishing contract, following an initial consultation between the author and ghostwriter to determine the project’s direction, timeframe and scope. Final cost estimation of ghostwriting services follow.

"Ghostwriting is just one of our initiatives to help authors become as successful as possible," says Vaughn. "Whether the book is a memoir or one that proves expertise in your profession, it needs the services of a publishing group that knows its way around today’s publishing realities.".
To learn how A Cappela Publishing can help make your book a reality, go to www.acappela.com/ah.htm

Now is the time, writers!

2009-07-21T13:42:00.000-04:00

This is the time to be thinking long term for publicity that will fit in with holiday themes. Most monthly magazines work four to six months or more out so if your title has an angle that fits with Thanksgiving or Christmas, now is the right time to send out your queries

Getting booked to talk about your book on TV doesn't have to be as difficult as some authors make it. Here are some tips for becoming a guest:
1) Be Timely. Study the news and if your book ties in with any of it, send out your proposal/query.
2) Choose the right show. Watch the show;do they interview authors? Feature books? Don't pick up the phone or send a news release to the producer until you know.
3) Be charming and brief. Producers are busy. Don't waste their time.
4) Write a headline for your news releases that reads like a newspaper headline. then give the who-what-where-when.
5) Wait for a slow news day. The holidays are the slowest news times of year, when reporters are scrambling to find something to cover. Pitch even an average story on a day when the media is starving for news and you're much more likely to get coverage.Get more information at http://www.acappela.com/

WRITING TIP The best way to write effectively, regardless of your purpose, is to write economically. Every word that doesn't suit your purpose must go away. For me, that translates into a savings of between 16,000 and 20,000 words between the first and second drafts of a novel. Every time you use a big word and a smaller word will do, you're better off with the smaller word. Simpler is better.

Hi

2009-06-09T12:58:00.000-04:00

My mission statement is to help new voices achieve publication. To do that, I've created the one-stop-shop for authors that can make it happen.

Getting published is getting more and more complicated. It's also getting more competitive, and that's why it's critical that you (or someone on your team) understands all parts of the business. I can help you do that --
1) through my free newsletter for writers (sign up at http://www.acappub@aol.com/).
2) through online classes aimed at those aspects you need help with
3) through consults or critiques that tell you if your work is ready for publication or, if not, what it needs
4) and finally, once you have a publishable manuscript, we can turn it into a published book and do the promoting and marketing on it.

You choose the help you need. We provide it. Check us out at http://www.acappela.com/.
My best,
Patrika Vaughn

I'm a wordsmith so I'm always interested in our changing, evolving language.

2009-05-12T12:47:00.000-04:00

--Subprime (1995) 1: having or being an interest rate that is higher than a prime rate and is extended especially to low-income borrowers; 2: extending or obtaining a subprime loan.

--Supercross (1983): motorcycle race held in a stadium on a dirt track having hairpin turns and high jumps.

--Texas Hold 'em (1995): Poker in which each player is dealt two cards face down and all players share five cards dealt face-up.

--Webinar (1998): live, online educational presentation during which participating viewers can submit questions and comments.

--Wing nut (circa 1900): Slang: one who advocates extreme measures or changes; radical.

GHOSTWRITER

2009-03-24T12:42:00.000-04:00

Everyone has a story to tell, but few have the time, patience, inclination or skill to produce a compelling script. Perhaps you've had an experience you'd like to write about? Maybe a family saga to preserve for your children or grandchildren? Writing a book has been the dream of many, but the actual labor seems daunting and the job never gets started. Organizing the material, correcting the spelling and grammar, and making it readable just seems like too much work. Perhaps I can help. I've worked closely with authors of all types, with more than 50 million copies in print, and I've been able to provide my services to a wide range of individuals with varying needs. All of my assignments have been handled with total confidentiality and care. I prefer to work from your manuscript and build from your initial efforts, even though I've worked from taped interviews in the past. I will then rewrite, edit it for flow (the words remain your own) and enhance the scenes and characters from my research and imagination. You will then be presented with a chapter by chapter rough draft, which you will check for accuracy of content. It may also spark some new memories, or ideas, which would be great! I can add them to the manuscript.
HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?
The cost of writing is difficult to estimate, as every project is unique. The price will depend, among other things, on the subject matter, the type of story required, and research material available. My fee is $60.00 an hour, and the average cost of most projects will be between $5,000 and $10,000. I also require an advance payment of $1200.00 to cover the first 20 hours of my work, and this advance also reserves a place for you on my waiting list. Providing a professional service means that I charge a fee for every piece of work undertaken. I cannot accept work unless I'm going to be paid for my time and effort. Writing projects must be paid for before the completed work is handed over to the client. It is impracticable and legally complicated for me to accept payment by way of percentage of future profits from any commercial project, and so I only work on a fee basis. Ghostwriting, which for my own reasons I undertake entirely and solely on the basis of work-for-hire, is done with absolutely no claim to copyright. You will own the final document outright, and I will in no way and at no time divulge my role in the creation of the manuscript. If you have a great idea for a novel, memoir, or nonfiction book--spend a moment thinking about the time and effort involved in preparing the piece. If you don't have the funds to cover even a deposit, then you may want to take a step back and reexamine your options.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE?
The time required depends on several factors, including the length of the book, the amount of research required and the availability of source materials. Work may be done via email, regular mail, telephone, or meeting with the client. I carry out research in libraries, archives, computerized databases and the Internet to support the theme in the project. It normally takes three to four months to edit, four to five months to rewrite, or six to seven months to ghostwrite a 250-page nonfiction book or a 350-page novel.
HOW AND WHEN DO YOU PAY FOR THE WORK?
After the deposit, you will be presented with product as each chapter (or segment) is completed. Any changes that you deem necessary will be made at this time, and you will be informed of the balance remaining from your last payment. You may cancel the work at anytime. All fees paid or due as of the "kill date" are non-refundable. I suggest you e-mail me at acappub@aol.com and we can start defining the project, and at this point I will advise if I'm interested, and when I'll be available. There is no charge for the initial consultation. We'll agree in advance whether you have the right to dictate changes of substance or style, and I'll have a reasonable chance to cure any problems. I will work with you and collaborate in every reasonable way, but I cannot guarantee that a publisher will buy any specific piece of work. At any time, if you aren't satisfied, you can remove me from the project, and I'll keep the money for the stages I've completed up to that point. I realize that the process of writing/ghostwriting a book seems complicated and confusing, most clients have many questions about the process, but I am here to answer yours at any time. I look forward to discussing your project with you soon.
Patrika Vaughn
A Cappela Publishing
www.acappela.com

TIP

2009-03-10T13:18:00.000-04:00

IS YOUR WRITING ANY GOOD?
FIND OUT WITH A PROFESSIONAL CRITIQUE

I'll let you know if your work is up to publishable standards.
If it isn't, let a publisher tell you what it needs.
www.acappela.com/critiques.com

Writing TIP: At some point in your plotting, ask yourself what is the lesson or insight - the new way of seeing things - that you want the reader to glean. This is your theme.

New Words to use this week!

2009-02-10T13:58:00.000-05:00

--Prosecco (1881): a dry Italian sparkling wine.

--Racino (1995): racetrack at which slot machines are available for gamblers.

--Soju (1978): a Korean vodka distilled from rice.

Fiction Guidelines

2009-02-03T14:14:00.000-05:00

Since it helps to know what you're offering before you actually approach markets here's a quick list of lengths for the various types of fiction. If you aren't sure what kind of fiction you've been writing, here are the word count guidelines to help you figure it out.

* Up to 1,000 words -- short-short story, flash fiction or vignette
* 1,000 to 6,000 words -- short story
* 6,000 to 15,000 words -- long story or novelette
* 45,000 to 120,000 words -- novel (though most commonly 50,000-80,000 words)

Anything more than 120,000 words will probably need to be broken up into a series of books or condensed.

Novels tend to be published by book publishers originally, though excerpts can be sold to magazines. Short-shorts, flash fiction, vignettes, and short stories are usually sold first in magazines--with the possibility of releasing a collection in book form after several have been published.

Long stories, novelettes, and novellas can be tougher to place, but the norm is for them to originally appear in magazines or collections of short fiction.

New Words!

2009-01-27T12:44:00.000-05:00

New Year's Resolution: Write That Book!
You can do it. I can help.
Sharpen your skills with online classes, consulting,
critiques to let you know how you're doing,
editing, publishing, marketing --
whatever you need, I'll help.

Check it out at http://www.acappela.com/

NEW WORDS!

--Phytonutrient (1994): bioactive, plant-derived compound (as resveratrol) associated with positive health effects.

--Pretexting (1992): presenting oneself as someone else to obtain private information.

--Pescatarian (1993): vegetarian whose diet includes fish.

Award

2009-01-08T14:29:00.000-05:00

You have been named to a peer award.

Premio Dardos Award Gets Passed to Others
Holly Jahangiri honored publisher Vivian Zabel with the Prémio Dardos (Darts Prize). And Vivian passed it to me. Thank you to both of you. Peer honored awards are always especially nice.The Prémio Dardos is given for recognition of cultural, ethical, literary, and personal values transmitted in the form of creative and original writing. These stamps were created with the intention of promoting fraternization between bloggers, a way of showing affection and gratitude for work that adds value to the Web.And, of course, those motives are supreme in any great public relations campaign whether you're promoting a book or a business.The origin of the Prémio Dardos seems now to lie somewhere in obscurity. Still, Holly believes it began in Portugal or Brazil and this is the closest rendition of the original intent available: 1) Accept the award by posting it on your blog along with the name of the person that has granted the award and a link to his/her blog.2) Pass the award to another 15 blogs that are worthy of this acknowledgment, remembering to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been selected for this award. So, I am passing the torch to:http://www.allynevans.blogspot.com http://defyinggravitynow.blogspot.com http://pennylockwoodehrenkranz.blogspot.com http://stepofaith.blogspot.com http://www.amazon.com/gp/blog/A21V32M89BJ4ZD/ref=cm_blog_blog http://www.forshriekingoutloud.blogspot.com http://Conniegotsch.blogspot.com http://myfavouritebooks.blogspot.com http://jozettesnotes.blogspot.com http://www.lindalarue.blogspot.com http://writebettergetpublished.blogspot.com http://itsmycrisisandillcryifineedto.blogspot.com
=]

On-Line Classes Seminars/Workshops/Tutorials

2008-12-09T13:01:00.000-05:00

Here’s your chance to take interactive classes or sit in on seminars without leaving home.
These events have been presented from Florida to Finland for writers at various skill levels. For beginners, they introduce you to the skills needed to write good, publishable manuscripts. For more advanced writers, they help to identify your writing problems and show you how to solve them.

Here’s how they work:

CLASSES: Once you sign up for a class, you’ll be e-mailed the first week's text. Exercises to help you apply the skills discussed will be included in each week's text Read the text early; do the exercises and email them to your instructor, who will critique them and get back to you with an emailed report.

SEMINARS & TUTORIALS: If you want the information but aren’t interested in critiques of you work, sign up for these.

Seminars: All the up-to-the-minute pertinent information you need to be effective in today's globally competitive market

Tutorials: Up-to-the-minute information on how to get your writings into print.

One-on-One TUTORING: Please note: The tutoring and the writing classes are entirely separate: you don't need to take a class to register for tutoring, and you don't need to pay for a tutor to participate in a class.

VISIT WWW.ACAPPELA.COM FOR MORE INFO !

WORDS YOU SHOULD LEARN;

--Malware (1990): software designed to interfere with a computer's normal functioning.

--Netroots (2003): grassroots political activists who communicate via the Internet, especially by blogs.

--Norovirus (2002): any of a genus of small round single-stranded RNA viruses; specifically, Norwalk virus.

--Mondegreen (1954): word or phrase that results from a mishearing of something said or sung. From the mishearing in a Scottish ballad of "laid him on the green" as "Lady Mondegreen."

For those of us over 30

2008-10-21T13:44:00.000-04:00

What are they talking about? 50 words That Kids Think You Don’t Know.

Online
Crackberry: nickname for a Blackberry, the addictive phone, e-mail device and general digital gadget.
Google: to use a search engine, especially Google
Vlog: a Web log of video entries
Webisode: a video short produced specifically for internet viewing
Wikidemia: a term paper that was researched entirely on Wikipedia.org

Text Message Decoder
BFF: best friends forever
IDK: I don’t know
LOL: laugh out loud
OMG: Oh my God!
ROFL: rolling on the floor laughing
TMI: too much information

Fashion
Bling: sparkly jewelry, often gaudy
Tatted out: covered in tattoos
Tramp stamp: a tattoo on a woman’s lower back, designed for viewing between a low-riding jeans and short T-shirts
Scooby doos: good shoes
Soul patch: a small tuft of beard under a man’s lower lip, usually with the rest of the face clean-shaven

Love
Baby mama: the mother of one’s children, usually not a spouse
Boo: boyfriend or girlfriend
Cougar: an older woman who dates younger men
Cupcaking: engaging in a public display of affection
Flirtationship: a prolonged flirtation with an acquaintance, not involving physical contact

Friends
Brodown: boy’s night out
Bromance: a close but nonsexual relationship between two men
Frenemy: a friend-enemy; someone close to you who often hurts your feelings or competes
Noob: a newcomer, especially one in online gaming. Also noob, newb, newbie
Peeps: people; one’s closest friends or family

Music
Crunk: a hip-hop genre
Disco nap: a short nap before a night out clubbing
Emo: a softcore punk genre and its subcultures of angsty teen fans
Mash up: to take elements of existing pieces of music, usually of different genres, and combine them in a new song; also the resulting song.

Actions
Check vitals: to monitor one’s e-mail, cellphone, voice mail, and other electronics
Floss: to show off your wealth, often in a car
Friend: to add as a contract on a social networking website
Jump the shark: to have peaked and now be on a downward slide
Rock: to manifest greatness
Talk smack: to speak negatively or belittle a person, often in the heat of competition

Affirmations
Fo’ shizzle: certainly
Obvi: obviously
Totes: totally

Descriptors
The bomb: an ultimate favorite
Off the chain: the bomb
Ridonkulous: beyond ridiculous
Sick: extremely cool
Tight: fantastic
Wack: unjustifiable

Britishisms
Chav: derogatory term for a working-class youth
Nutter: a crazy person
Snog: to kiss
T5: disorganization, like the infamous new Terminal Five at Heathrow Airport

The End
Bodonkadonk: an attractive derrière

New words you may want to know!

2008-10-09T13:41:00.000-04:00

--Fanboy (1919): boy who is an enthusiastic devotee, such as of comics or movies.

--Infinity pool (1992): outdoor swimming pool with an edge over which water flows into a trough, but seems to flow into the horizon.

--Jukebox musical (1993): musical that features popular songs from the past.

--Kiteboarding (1996): the sport of riding on a small surfboard propelled across water by a large kite, to which the rider is harnessed.

Also: check out the October Newsletter at
http://acappela.com/c-newsletter%20hyperlinks_files/08_Oct.pdf

New Words!

2008-09-09T13:04:00.001-04:00

--Dark energy (1998): hypothetical form of energy that produces a force that opposes gravity and is thought to cause the accelerating expansion of the universe.

--Dirty bomb (1956): bomb designed to release radioactive material.

New Words

2008-07-24T15:56:00.000-04:00

I'm a wordsmith so I'm always interested in our changing, evolving language. FYI, here's a word that has officially come into use. It is one of the more than 100 new entries to the new edition of the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary. Also noted is the year in which Merriam-Webster first found the word used in an English-language publication:

--- Air quotes (1989): gesture made by raising and flexing the index and middle fingers of both hands, used to call attention to a spoken word or expression.

Stay Tuned for a NEW WORD every month!

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2008-07-22T16:58:00.000-04:00

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