Your Plot Thickens Writing Workshops Los Angeles and the South Bay Announces Its Foray Into Internet Radio With the Writers' Radio Resource

LOS ANGELES, CA, May 05, 2011

The Writers' Radio Resource, which is Your Plot Thickens Writing Workshops Los Angeles and the South Bay's latest project, seeks to be an online "space" to offer valuable support and motivation for those seeking to publish their novel or memoir or get their screenplay produced. Lara Sterling, the founder and head instructor at Your Plot Thickens, aims to explore through the show's platform such topics as: the writing process, how to get an agent, and how to get published. Sterling spearheaded the idea for the Writers' Radio Resource, which is co-written and produced by NPR producer, Julia Flucht. Flucht is a freelance public-radio news producer at the nationally-syndicated public-radio news program To the Point (KCRW, Santa Monica) and Southern California Public Radio's show Air Talk (KPCC, Pasadena).

For the Writers' Radio Resource's first show, Sterling interviews indie author, William H. Johnson, who wrote the self-published book, "The Dark Province: Son of Duprin". The focus of the interview was the process of self-publishing, and, namely, how to market and distribute one's self-published work. Unlike many indie authors, who solely publish their books in download form on Smashwords, Johnson actually published a physical copy of his novel.

In regards to the process of getting the word out about his book, Johnson replied: "It's not a sprint, it's a marathon. I have a small circle of followers, but that's growing all the time." Namely, Johnson participates in the thrice-weekly chat, #LitChat, on Tweetchat, where he connects with other writers, many of them self-published.

Johnson shares that, while utilizing Facebook and tweeting regularly, he also blogs. But Sterling wanted to know if that's enough? "Like I said, it's a sprint, not a marathon," emphasizes Johnson, nodding to some of the difficulties that have presented themselves in terms of publicizing his book. Nevertheless, as anyone knows who has actually published with a large publishing company, there is a finite amount of time that any experienced PR Department will dedicate to the marketing of your book; that is, if you're not a Stephanie Meyer, et al. In the end, any writer is going to have to do a good deal of his or her own marketing, which is not to mention the fact that, today, many publishing companies are now requiring that authors come to the table with an already built-in following.

One thing that has helped Johnson with the marketing of his novel is that the story is founded on a very interesting concept: "The Dark Province" is a fantasy adventure that explores the discrepancy between pure faith and organized religion. In this story, Johnson has created a "forbidden land" called Tyil. Calvin Gooding, the book's main character, must travel from Durpin, his native land, to this land of iniquity in order to save his sister's life. Of course, Calvin comes from a fantasy land that is steeped in religion. Tyil, on the other hand, is a vice-filled place, brimming with sex and other lust-filled pleasures. Calvin is ultimately forced to question the rightful place of morality in land devoid of religion and filled with raw, human sexuality.

"The Dark Province" in an interesting read in itself, but is made even more interesting when one considers Johnson's background: He is the grandson of a Pentecostal Apostolic preacher. Johnson left his native Virginia to migrate to Los Angeles ten years ago. Today, Johnson directs Comedy Improv Theater and is firmly entrenched in the city's arts community.

For more information, please contact Lara Sterling at lara@yourplotthickens.com. Phone: (424) 209-8521.