Customer Reviews

WriterSpeaker.com: Internet Research and Marketing for Writers and Speakers

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With this book, writing books just became faster, easier, cheaper and a lot more fun. Carmen Leal reveals where to find what you need in the world's largest library: the Web. This book is a treasury of resources for writers and speakers.

Carmen Leal is a successful author who has made use of the Web to research her books. In WriterSpeaker.com, she opens her files, replicates her notes and shares what she has found. She shows you how and where to find what you need.

As the author of 113 books (including revisions and foreign-language editions) and over 500 magazine articles, I highly recommend this volume to writers, speakers and anyone who needs information resources for their work. DanPoynter@ParaPublishing.com.

Hurry, add this book to your shopping cart! Carmen Leal wrangled thousands of details on access to the Information Superhighway and compiled them in one easy-to-use book. Never again wade through hundreds or thousands of entries when researching. Find the definitions, specific dates, quote attributions, and more with one or two mouse clicks. You'll have the search refined, and a guide to specific sites likely to have the information you need. WriterSpeaker.com is a wonderful resource for professionals, but also for students, and parents of students. Leal answers questions you didn't even know you had, until you saw the answer in her book. I can't recommend this book highly enough. And, when the next edition is published, I'll buy it too. The Internet is a constantly changing entity, and WriterSpeaker.com helps me use my research time more efficiently.

WriterSpeaker.com is a highly readable and understandable aid to net navigation and where to find what you're looking for. It steers us baby 'netters straight to the tool cabinet for our most needed helpers and to learning opportunities. If you are new to the net, new to writing or speaking- I suggest you take this book with you on your jounrey. You'll appreciate every nugget of information.

The world of the Internet is constantly changing. Without a bunch of ever-changing computer jargon, Carmen Leal has provided a set of tools and techniques for writers and speakers to learn how to research and market online. While there are many websites listed throughout this book, Carmen provides the updated links with something called Living Links.

No one can know everything about this topic of research and marketing but Carmen gives each writer and speaker a running start at the topic with this well-crafted book. It's a resource to get, read, then schedule time to periodically re-read and keep learning about this important area.

Carmen Leal is not just a very smart lady; she's very nice, too. Both traits come across loud and clear in this book. Reading her easy, straightforward, advice-rich prose is like having a conversation with the wise, affectionate aunt you never had. And, without a doubt, her collection of helpful sites for writers and speakers is unparalleled. She had pretty much every link in my own Internet bookmark folder, plus about 25-30% more than I had -- and mine were considerable, being the result of more than six years as a writer. Without a doubt, this book will stay next to my computer and become dogeared from all the love and attention it gets from me.

That said, I do have a slight issue with the marketing of this book as pure Internet reference, because that's not exactly what it is. Ms. Leal's target audience is actually NOT the seasoned writer or speaker who just needs to rev up his or her personal research engine. She's writing for, and to, beginning writers and aspiring professional speakers. Much of her book (some entire chapters and several partial chapters) is devoted to introducing neophytes to the craft and the business of writing or speaking. Thus, considering my six years of experience as a writer, I found myself skimming great swaths of text, with my eyes pausing only when I glimpsed the italic print with which all those juicy internet links are helpfully set apart.

Bottom line: This book is most definitely worth the $10 Amazon will charge you for it, and more. However, its scope is, in my opinion, a bit broad. It would be more useful to professional writers and speakers if it came in a separate, streamlined edition -- one without all the newbie advice we've already heard and benefited from long ago.

Carmen Leal has done a massive amount of research to write this book. She's done the work, and we reap the benefits. Two things endear me to Carmen:

1. She can remember when she didn't know about the internet, and can remember how she learned.

2. She writes in a easy-to-follow style that leads me on the path to understanding.

If only every book on computer topics were written this well!

Carmen Leal has inspired us again! This time her wisdom reveals the keys to success in writing and public speaking. Her new book, WriterSpeaker.com, comfortably guides us step by step in using the internet to transition from aspiring writer to successful author and speaker. Filled with specific URL's, Carmen details how many internet resources can easily and quickly jettison any writer's plans for a good idea to commercial publishing sales. Like a seasoned Grandmother, she lovingly and humorously explains all there is to know about how writers can use chat groups, ezines, online learning, online databases, etc. to catalyze careers. Since Pneuma Books is in the business of helping writers publish, we always recommend four specific classic books to our clients on varying aspects of writing and publishing -- this will be the fifth classic. Even if you think you are an internet pro, you must have this book -- a vital internet marketing primer for every writer, speaker, publisher, and service provider in the publishing and public speaking industries. Thank you Carmen for making my life easier.

If you don't have a copy of this guide, you're missing one of the best tools a writer can have. This guide to the Internet is, I believe, as much a necessary part of every writers library as a good dictionary, thesaurus and the Writers Market guide. Carmen shares tips and resources she has gathered through her own online experiences, and has presented it in a very user-friendly format. Packed with good information for beginner or professional, you will find yourself reaching for it over and over. I know I have.

This book is simply a treasure trove of rich information for both writers and speakers. Leal has certainly done her homework and the reader benefits. The web resources are listed in each chapter and then listed under captions in the back of the book making them easily accessible. The resources themselves are worth their weight in gold. Leal has a captivating writing style that makes the information interesting. Excellent!

At last! A reference work that even the computer-challenged can understand. Carmen Leal explains how the online world works then gives hundreds of valuable links to search engines, reference sites, association sites, and more. All in a friendly style with a touch of humor that's a joy to read. For less than $15, I bought a gold mine!