Information in a Nutshell Writing and Publishing

Five Secrets Every Author Should Know

2012-01-26T00:58:00.003-05:00

"Secrets" is very possibly a misnomer for this piece, but as with every other blogger out there capturing your attention is important; and additionally, this may be new information to those beginning the process. Perhaps you believe I'll begin by teaching writing techniques, how to set the scene in fiction or how to wow a publisher into taking your manuscript? Sorry, that's not what this post is about. It is about the raw truth. What every author wishes he or she had known at the beginning of the journey and what every new author should glean from and take heart.

The raw truth is that there are steps to the writing process and none of them begin with a sheet of paper, unless you are a list writer and then it is important. Writing is about a story, a lesson, accomplishing a task (for those of us oriented to "do"), and about sharing something inside us that will not remain bottled up! Writing is putting that idea on a piece of paper and hoping the world will consider it as brilliant as we do. Writing is about overcoming your fears and having courage to let someone outside read your work and possibly tear it to shreds, or even worse ... ignore it!

While writing is all of these things and so many more it is also about getting the word out about you, what you write and having anyone care enough to pause long enough to listen! We've become masters at words and little else. We've honed our craft, taken classes, joined groups and listened to radio shows on the topic at length. These too are highly commendable and congratulations if you are pursing improvement of your skills.

Jump Start Your Writing Career!

But writing is about the little know angles that no book, even my Information in a Nutshell: Writing and Publishing can cover well and that is getting your book seen takes an army and that means more than one. I've worked with many authors throughout the year and the first thing I look at is their motivation.

Why? Because if they aren't excited, thrilled and elated with this project they won't last.

Similar to the sappy comedy, The Wedding Planner (sorry guys, chic flick here), and the heroine's prediction that a bride-to-be's selection of a bridesmaid's dress color or song for the wedding signified whether or not the marriage would last, I too make a prediction. My prediction is based upon years of working with lackluster, unenthusiastic authors who think they want to write a book, and then at the least little bit of a road block or obstacle, cry foul.

It is all about the presentation in food and so too in writing! Excitement and enthusiasm goes a long way. Having talent is icing on the cake. You don't believe me? Think about the last lackluster book you took off the shelf and said, "How did this author ever get published?"

I can tell you how. Someone believed in them, their message or their social media outreach. The new crop of the writing elite are bloggers with thousands of followers. Blogging is a full time job if done well and the new blogger is the new best selling author. Bloggers have been given book deals, movie deals and soon possibly cologne deals!

Perhaps your manuscript is truly the next Indiana Jones, The Lion King or Les Miserables... so what if no one knows about it! How are they going to find you? Behind your laptop or in your home?

Perhaps. We're living in a new world, the new frontier and believe me many have gone before you with great success. These are the people who recognize that the "flavor" of the month was the electronic reader for adults for Christmas. And what goes on that eReader? Thousands upon thousands of manuscripts that might have sat undiscovered and unloved.

I will be sharing about writing eVersions soon, however the reason for this piece is there are things for you to do before you write that next best seller.

So what are the five secrets every author should know?

1. Relationships Matter and so do joint ventures
2. Branding is important
3. Your Reach
4. Your Contact List
5. Podcast, Radio, Internet, TV

This topic will be the covered in an upcoming webinar I'll be presenting hosted by Nathan Kievman group owner of Linked Strategies on LinkedIn. I've learned alot from Nate as well I should. I've worked with him over the past two years as a ghost writer and now I'll share my strategies with his group.

You are all invited to attend.

Where? Online: Here http://bit.ly/yBm9P7
Time? Noon ET
Host: Nathan Kievman ~ Linked Strategies

New RELEASE!

Speaker: Felice Gerwitz ~ Five Secrets Every Author Should Know Before Writing the First Word
Speaker: Carol Topp, CPA ~ Five Secrets to Short Cut Your Record Keeping for Tax Benefits

Can't make the live presentation? I'll post a recap for you here as well as share more about my ideas for the eVersion reading craze and how you can profit in these hard and challenging times!

Felice Gerwitz is an author and publisher of the series:

Information in a Nutshell:

Author: Felice Gerwitz Writing and Publishing and
Author: Carol Topp, CPA Business Tips and Taxes for Writers
(To catch Carol's interview go to WritingandPublishingRadio.com)

You can find these books on Amazon in print and Kindle and in other versions on the publisher's website at Media Angels.com

Book Business ~ Terry Whalin

2011-12-05T06:00:00.000-05:00

Shocking News ToAuthors: The Book Business Is A Business First

By W. Terry Whalin

BeforeI began working inside a book publishing house, I had written more than 50nonfiction books, ranging from children’s to adult books. I have neverself-published a book and always worked through traditional publishers.However, I was unaware of the financial production numbers for nonfiction booksand I found it shocking—and something critical for potential authors tounderstand. The author never sees these figures for their books as thepublisher doesn’t reveal them throughout the contract negotiation process. Apublisher will produce these financial calculations as simply a part of goodbusiness practices. As an author,understanding this helped me see publishing as a business. Authors have hugeamounts of time and emotional investment in their words. When I saw theseproduction numbers, I understood that the publisher, not the author, has thelargest out-of-pocket cash investment in a book.

Inside the publisher, the editor will gathera sales projection about how many copies the sales department believes they cansell of your title the first year. That sales figure will be used tocalculate the production costs of ink, paper and binding for various amounts ofprinting (5,000, 10,000 or 15,000 copies). As the initial print number israised, the cost per book decreases. You may ask, So why not print a largevolume each time? The answer is, if the publisher prints a large number ofcopies, then he has to store those copies in their warehouse (read cost andexpense), plus make sure they actually sell those copies within a year’stimeframe. The cost of tying up financial resources in storing and warehousingbooks that aren’t selling is large. Also the federal government taxespublishers on each copy in storage. These tax rules have forced publishers tothink long and hard about how many copies of each book to print.

Insidemy former publisher, we calculated the overall printing details of the book(paperback with general publishing look or hardcover with jacket) and thenumber of books to print before offering a book contract. In short, publisherspour a great deal of work into their books and financial projections beforethey call you and offer a nonfiction book contract. Understanding this processhelps you see some of the reasons it takes such a long time for an author toreceive a publishing contract…

Often the publisher returns to an author withwhom they have already published a book. If the publisher takes a secondor third book from the same author, they are investing in that author’s careerand trying to build that author’s audience and market. If the author’s booksare selling well, then the publisher will be eager for another project. Eachweek, publishers monitor sales numbers on their books to see if particular authorsmerit another book contract.

Manywriters focus only on the creative aspects of writing a book and getting itpublished, but the executives inside a publishing house are business people whowant to sell books and turn a profit at the end of the day. It’s a delicatebalance between creating the best possible product and assuring that eachproduct has the best opportunity to sell into the market and reach the targetaudience.

________________________________________

W. Terry Whalin, a writer and publisher lives in Scottsdale, Arizona.A former acquisitions editor, former magazine editor and former literary agent,Terry has written more than 60 nonfiction books including Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams.To help writers, he has created 12-lesson online course called WriteA Book Proposal. Hiswebsite is located at: www.terrywhalin.com.

Unlocking the Writer's Block

2011-11-14T22:07:00.001-05:00

Available on Amazon

Unlocking Writer’s Block
Guest Post
by Karen Zeigler

Rarely will individuals admit to being worriers unless they are going through a really difficult time. So it’s not unusual that writers don’t recognize that the writer’s block they are experiencing is just worry in disguise.

• What if no one read what I’ve written?
• What if the publisher rejects it?
• What if I don’t connect with my audience?
• Why does it matter?
• What if I miss the deadline?

Or perhaps it’s something total unrelated to writing.
• I wonder what they will find in those tests the doctor’s office ran.
• I hope my child has the courage to discuss the problem with their teacher. Should I step in or am I helping her become a responsible adult by asking her to step up?

• I haven’t heard from my spouse, the presentation was over an hour ago. Is this a good sign that they got the business or is he lamenting at the airport bar?

Whatever the case is I can tell you from experience that there is likely a thousand thoughts running through your brain, perhaps even some on the topic you wish to write about, but the fearful, anxious and worrisome thoughts have taken over control. Your mind maybe racing but the results are zip – going nowhere, nothing happening.

When I wrote my book Freedom from Worry – Prayer of Peace for an Anxious Mind it was more about eliminating worry and connecting with God is a real and life changing way. What I didn’t realize until I began to share the practice is what can actually get accomplished when worry is out of the way. Clarity comes, courage to take action and confidence in yourself, your calling and your God are just high level things that happen over and over again. And if clarity wasn’t enough to make any writer rush online to purchase the book here are just a few more reasons you’ll want to include this book and the process that it teaches into your writing routine.

1.    The first key thing that happens in the process is the journaling. That journaling is many things but first and foremost it is a means of getting the negative thoughts out of your brain. As writers we often try to set all the positive variables in place – right time, right place, right atmosphere with little action taken to eliminate the negative thoughts rolling around in our head, which we carry with us regardless of where the writing takes place.

2.    Second we shift our mindset to that of gratitude. It is when we are in a grateful mindset that our mind delves into deeper meaning, in life and in the topic at hand. A mindset that is ultimately where most writers hope to take their audience. Even the most comedic of writers is hoping to help their audience realize through humor that which is important about the topic.

3.    And last but not least it is a connection with the Creator. A means for getting divine inspiration from the author of all creation.

Practice the steps of the prayer and journaling found in Freedom from Worry and it’s guaranteed that thoughts will flow and writing will occur. It happens by design. By the end of your journaling time you will have spent 15-30 minutes pouring out (writing) your worries, fears, gratitude and requests onto the pages of your journal. And as the peace of mind settles in, the flow continues on to the inspirational thoughts and words for which you were meant to write.

Karen Zeigler, Speaker and Life Coach, Inspiration to Change.

Karen has come full circle, after almost 20+ years of climbing corporate ladders and pursuing her career that provided the prestige and money she thought was so critical from her college days, she realized there was more to life! She discovered coaching. Although she agrees being an Investment Advisor was somewhat fulfilling it never really scratched her "itch"...longings to write and speak on topics of purpose, passion and personal development.

Fine-Tune Your Writing Vision

2011-08-15T06:00:00.001-04:00

Some time ago I shared I was struggling with leaving my vacation time attitude, and moving back into the "workplace." I seriously struggled and no matter what, lists, deadlines or looming financial disaster (okay, so that is a little stretch), I could not make myself work.

However I soon found the root cause of this "funk" ...and none too soon... it was the lack of focus and vision. I had so many projects to work on, all with pending deadlines and I couldn't make time to finish even one! Until I was able to pull back, analyze my work load and make a plan, was I able to gain clarity and tackle the project one thing at a time.

Maybe you are a ball-juggler and like to have several projects going at once. I am one of *those* types of people. However, knowing which job to pick and put down is very important. I often run many things in my head at once and until I stop and take the time to write it down, it normally remains there.

Here are five keys to finding a focus and re-gaining your vision:

1. De-Clutter:
      While a messy desk may be the sign of a creative mind it wastes so much time! I recently de-cluttered my entire office, shelves, desk drawers, table tops and more and found so many things I had lost or misplaced months ago.

2. Organize
     If you clean and declutter and go back to your old way of doing things the same thing will happen. I have so much paper and often there are piles around my office. Now I've organized each group into specific places. This system is working well for me and helps contain the paper-monster piles.

1. Something I'm not finished with, but doesn't need my attention for awhile, goes into a folder and into a small holder beside my desk.
2. Work in progress into a notebook, sometimes with hole-punch and other times paper clipped (large ones) for easy flipping through. This works great for manuscripts that I'm reviewing, for example I have a final draft of the new Information in a Nutshell Book, "Taxes and Tips for Writer's" by Carol Topp sitting in a notebook at my desk waiting for ONE (hopefully) last set of eyes. (Book is due for pre-release in September.)
3. Important: This is pinned to one of my three bulletin boards. (Did you know I was a teacher?) Sticky notes for things to take care of and then discard, and more important to-do's are pinned on the board.
4. Completed project into a file and drawer.

3. Prioritize
     I'm open to suggestions on this one. I consider just about everything a NOW job! For example I am hosting several webinars and while hosting one I am taping behind the scenes sessions and planning and scheduling the next webinar. My list of to-do grows at this time and only with help can I accomplish everything in a timely fashion. Obviously a schedule is of major importance and the event schedule takes precedence over other deadlines. Which brings us to the next point...

4. Set Deadlines
I've found that I can work best under a deadline so I try to give each project a projected finish date. This has worked well and now with some help I am finding this to be a valuable aid. Having a mid-point date to re-evaluate is my goal, and would be wonderful, however I am not at that point. At least at this writing.

5. Celebrate
    All work and no-play makes Jane dull...and even if my name isn't Jane I've become dull at times. Racing to one deadline, only to begin another is seriously a recipe for disaster. I need time to regroup with my family, take a break and turn my computer off. Hibernate does not count! Taking time to celebrate the big and little events are a great way to get your focus back.

Whatever ways work for you, I hope you will share your successes here with me. What has worked for you and how do you handle one or more of the issues that plague even the most organized writers?

Writing from the Heart

2011-07-25T06:00:00.044-04:00

Authors come to the profession in so many different ways. Some were born with the drive to write. Some never considered being an author a viable choice for a profession, still others considered writing an end to a means. What about those who write because of a passion. What about a mother with an autistic child? I have the privilege of interviewing people from all walks of life, however a mother with a love for a child is a very special guest.

My guest Annie Eskeldson is a mother of five, with a passion for understanding her child. Her fourth child was diagnosed with classic ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorders). Today, due to Annie's intervention and therapy, Ashi is high functioning and gifted. As Annie puts it, she spent "...every day, all day, over the last 7 plus years..." with Ashi, and that made the difference in her daughter's life.

Due to Annie's immersion in her daughter's world she had an understanding that those of us outside of this world can little comprehend. And, she brings this knowledge to the table within her made for children illustrated books. Ashi inspired Annie to write a series of books from her daughter's perspective. These books are a rare look into the world of an autistic child. Annie explains these books are, "specially written to bring comfort to the parent by validating their feelings of sadness, frustration, and also the joy that comes with raising a special needs child. Annie's books are full of 'self - discovery' type tips."

Giving your heart to a project, especially one that has impacted the life of a family can fall flat. I've read other "from the heart" types of books and one in particular that I can recall left me with sadness, disappointment and the feeling that I couldn't wait to put down the book. Annie's books however gave me a sense of hope that everything will be okay and an understanding of the situation within their home. I learned that having compassion may not solve all of the problems, but allow the families to cope well.

This is a book celebrating the facts and coping with the obvious, a child that needs understanding, compassion, love and attention. Really not that much different than other children who crave the same from their parents. I applaud Annie for stepping out and helping other parents and those who want to understand the life of an autistic child for writing these books. Her books show us that love, in this case does conquer all. Well done Annie and Ashi and the entire Eskeldson.

You can find more information about Annie and her books here:

Ashi's Gift website is at : http://www.authorannie.com

Ashi's Gift blog is at: http://www.ashisgift.blogspot.com

Writing Takes a Holiday

2011-07-05T06:00:00.003-04:00

It IS vacation time, and here in Sunny Florida it began long before the thermometers topped 90 degrees. However, my brain seems to have decided that after my last live speaking event it too was taking a holiday. I can't seem to get myself motivated. There is no amount of prodding, calendar session planning, deadline setting and to-do list rituals that work right now. Nothing.

I have found myself missing important meetings, setting reminders on my phone for *very* important consults and meetings I can NOT miss, and using sticky-notes to paper my computer and office desk.

All I want to do is go to the beach, enjoy sunsets such as this one shot by my daughter and enjoy other spectacular views from local restaurants and other places we frequent during the hot months. Work? Really? Must I? As a self-employed publisher, author and podcast host there are schedules I must keep year round.

As a normal schedule-holic I consult my schedule daily and usually tackle it with gusto, however due to the nature of my January through May schedule I was on overload. Possible, even for me. In my writing career spanning 19 years I have not experienced anything like this! I have discussed this phenomenon with others, especially new writers. I often hear people say "I don't have the time to write," or "I can't fit writing into my schedule."

A serious author who is goal-oriented can always fit writing into the schedule. Right? That is the ideal. However in real life the ideal doesn't always pan out.

So, what am I doing to nix this holiday monster? First of all, I did take a much needed break. I have enjoyed the beach with unplanned company, my children and grandchildren. I have purposely left my computer home and didn't even check my phone or emails there. Of course I did check my emails daily...but only to put out fires if any.

This time away has encouraged me to relax and unwind, unhindered. It has allowed my fast-paced mind a time to slow down and T*H*I*N*K... I realized I needed to re-organize, de-clutter and regroup before I began the next round of work related projects. And declutter I did! I shredded pages I no longer needed, I went through files on my desk and in my office. It feels great knowing where everything is and I am off to a fresh start when I begin my next project. This is not work in the sense of making important decisions or planning. However it has a wonderful outcome of allowing me to see that clean lovely space, like the top of my desk and it gives me a sense of happiness. I've listened to seminars and read so many books on organization in the past. The great tips on productivity only work if you have an organized space, so that is where I'm beginning.

I feel in the external de-clutter process the interior process is slowly becoming de-cluttered as well. It has been a time to think about my goals for the future. For the most part I truly enjoy working, I am passionate about what I do and feel it is led by God. While a crisis or two lately has challenged that peace I know that in the future I will emerge stronger and more Christ-focused in all that I am doing from here on out! With the de-clutter has come a time of re-evaluation and slowly that vision is unfolding.

In the next few blog posts I will discuss how you can regroup after a busy season and ways to re-evaluate your focus. Treating your writing as a business is important if you want to succeed in the sense of seeing your book in print. Treating yourself and your life away from your work with equal importance is also mandatory. The key is finding a balance and making it work in your life.

Twitter Contest Tips!

2011-06-13T13:28:00.000-04:00

Guest Blogger Post by

Tony Eldridge

Contests are a very popular way of gaining subscribers. In Twitter, you can think of followers as subscribers for your newsletter. With traditional newsletters, you can offer an "ethical bribe" or a free gift in exchange for someone to give you their e-mail address. With Twitter, a contest can be a great way to find your targeted followers.

If you decide to conduct a Twitter contest, here are some things you want to keep in mind. :

Know your purpose for the contest- What do you want to accomplish with a Twitter contest; sell a product, service or book? Are you trying to use your Twitter account to feed your website newsletter? Are you trying to build your subscriber followers? In my opinion, you will achieve the most success with your Twitter contest if you focus on building your Twitter followers. And not just any followers, but targeted followers. Anyone can get tens of thousands of followers. But which would you rather have? 10,000 followers who never read your tweets or 1,000 followers who actually follow you and your tweets? Give me enough money as a prize and I can inflate your followers significantly. Sure, you want followers; but in the long run, you want qualified followers more.
Think about your prizes- What prize will you use for your contest? That is, what will be the "ethical bribe" you use to get people to enter your contest? An i-pad? a $500 gift certificate to a five-star hotel? $1000 in cash? These prizes may sound impressive on the surface, but chances are that they will not give you the results you are looking for in your contest. Those types of prizes attract people who are only interested in one thing- the prize. They could care less about you, your book, or your services.

Ideally, you want to find prizes that will attract only the people who are interested in the products and services you offer while being passed on by everyone else. This is where you find your targeted followers that will be the most responsive to you tweets later. When I ran my Twitter contest, I gave away a library of signed book marketing books to the winner. After all, on my blog I deal with people who want to learn effective ways to market their books, products or services. If the prize package didn't appeal to someone, I wasn't necessarily looking for them as a follower. But if the person was someone who prayed to win that library, then they were the person I wanted to make sure knew about my blog.
Don't run your contest by yourself- Here is a mistake that many people make when running Twitter contests designed to increase their follower base: they give away a copy of their own book, service, or product. While this may be a great prize to have, it may not do a lot to expand your followers. The people who sign up for your contest will be mainly from your current subscriber lists. While you may have a few people re-tweeting your contests to their follower list, it will probably not be on the scale you are looking for.

In order to find new followers, the details of your contest must be placed in front of new people who are not following you. That means you must find a way to encourage people to re-tweet your contest to their followers. Two ways to do this effectively:

A. Create a prize with enough viral power to make others want to retweet it
B. Give away a prize created by other people who have a lot of Twitter followers

If you follow those two suggestions, you will have people who will use your contest to promote their own product. This is the way you create a win-win-win situation. If you can give away good, solid publicity to the creators of your prize, they will be more likely to tell their follows about your contest and encourage them to enter.

Recently, I saw the power of this point. I ran a Twitter contest and went back to the same sponsors I had used in the past. While I had great participation, the percentage of new followers for me was down. I attribute it to a couple of things, one being that my contest was in front of the same followers it was in front of in the past. It was good lesson to learn.
Choose your contest length with care- If you run your contest too long, people will lose interest very quickly. They will also not see the urgency of entering now or tweeting about it now. On the other hand, if you make it too short, it will be over before you have time for it to really ramp up and deliver the followers you are looking for. My personal preference is to run a contest for about 10 to 12 days, starting on a weekend and ending after the next weekend. This will give you the best chance to catch the business Tweople as well as the weekend Tweople.

These are a few tips that I have learned while running effective Twitter contests. I am constantly learning new things with each contest, but one thing is certain... every one of my Twitter contests has helped me find new targeted followers and they were a blast to run. Good luck with your contest!

Tony Eldridge is the author of the action/adventure book, The Samson Effect, that Clive Cussler calls a "first rate thriller brimming with intrigue and adventure" and the Twitter marketing book, Conducting Effective Twitter Contests which helps people find targeted Twitter followers. He also shares his book marketing tips with fellow authors through his blog, Marketing Tips For Authors, and through his free video marketing tips for authors. You can follow him on Twitter @TonyEldridge or find Tony here: Marketing Tips For Authors

Guest Blogger: Dorothy Cadet "Writing in the Midst of Chaos"

2011-05-20T08:15:00.001-04:00

by Dorothy Cadet

http://www.dacbooks.com

When I tell people I am a motivational speaker and writer and have published my first book, they gasp and ask how a mother of 3, (at the time and all were under 7 yrs. old) was able to complete that task. The short answer is, “sleep deprivation.” The longer answer is that it was dedication to ensuring that I wrote something every day.

As a stay-at-home-mother, life can get hectic with children, school, house, and working to stay sane. We are the great vacation-less class of society, but it’s one of the most important jobs in the world! It’s not always fun and easy, but the rewards are limitless. In December 2009, I made the decision that I would finally write a practical book full of tips that would encourage women to establish goals dedicated to making memories and prioritizing relationships.

I set myself on a timeline of five months. Five months was important for me, to minimize the additional work that came along with the children being out of school for the summer, possibly having to relocate for my husband’s job, and oh, by the way, I found out I was pregnant as well.

I drew up an outline with defining points and when complete, I would have my book in rough draft form. It began as an hour to an hour and a half daily, however the closer it got to completion, it stretched to nearly three hours. Regardless of whether it was good or not, I wrote. I could always edit out, but if there was no content to edit, “Houston, we have a problem.”

It may seem like such a simple thought, but that is how it happens. Taking what many see as a massive undertaking and blocking time out to get it done, little by little. I gave up my favorite TV programs and limited internet surfing to about 30 minutes. I had to get serious about reorganizing my time if I was to complete my project. Once complete, my husband and I went on a celebratory mini-vacation. This was crucial because I had poured so much of myself into this project; he and I had to take time to recoup and reconnect.

It was tips like this that I included in the book and a host of others that enable women, whether an expectant mom or veteran, to not let go of their dreams. The goal of “Laundry Can Wait” is to become a resource for women with practical information that is relevant and immediately implementable. I encourage all women to pick up a copy at my website, www.dacbooks.com, or they can order it at www.Amazon.com, or fine retailers. Dorothy also writes columns for Examiner.com, an online magazine.

Career Change or Updated Look?

2011-05-17T00:37:00.000-04:00

I can't decide if I've had a career change or just updated my look. I've been an author since 1994 and have the typical ups and downs of any author. Some books sell well, others not as well. Some books have made it into the library and others...well, let's just say the libraries aren't interested. Sometimes I've been asked to speak and other times asked to rotate a turn with another speaker. For an author being a conference speaker helps to sell books.

If you have the best book in the world and no one knows about it, how can it sell? So how do you get a speakers platform. For many it takes years of relentless hard work.

However, I have recently taken over the helm of a webinar platform that started with a friend of mine, Cindy Rushton. She had the wonderful idea of creating a conference from the comfort of her own home and inviting speakers from all over the US and participants from all over the world! She decided to turn her energy elsewhere and asked if I was interested in running these expos. I jumped at the chance.

Jumping is what I do best, thinking things all the way through, well that is a story for another time. I tend to be impulsive and while I had been praying about what direction I should take, this webinar platform was not something that was within my radar at the time. Yet, I have loved every minute of hosting the series of webinars and let me tell you the work can be overwhelming.

I found that speakers were excited about picking up the phone to present, using handouts or power-point slides to walk the guests through the presentations. The participants were equally excited about having handouts and listening from the comfort of their own homes. And, the best part? Cell phones did not have to be turned off, crying children were allowed and eating and drinking were permissible. Even time could be moved, if the participant could not make the scheduled live talk they had the option of "buying" the set to listen to another time.

What could be better? For both the speaker and the guests there was no expensive hotels, meals out, gas bills and travel expenses or other costly expenses. They could relax, listen to the presentations at their leisure and enjoy the live sessions they chose to attend. Overall the conference experience is one with a lasting impact for all.

I never considered I'd be a host running a series of interviews, or speaker sessions. I thought I'd go on to write book after book without ever thinking of any other option for my life. Yet, I have been pleasantly surprised at how wonderfully I've fit into this role and how hosting has brought me considerable pleasure. While I enjoy my radio show for authors it is one day a week. Webinars allow me to interact with the guests, get to know the speakers on a more personal level and allow my marketing ideas to take route, like hosting Twitter Parties (follow #UltimateWomensExpo) or Facebook parties on my new site for Ultimate Women here: http://on.fb.me/UWEFacebook

With opportunities coming from different venues, such as Tony Eldridge's marketing tips for authors there are other ways for authors to get exposure. Today, an article of mine was posted on "Finding Your Voice." This article was about finding your vision and your voice and being heard above the crowd. Not only have I found my voice but other's have heard it as well. I will be interviewed on another radio show on Wednesday May 18 at 9:30 EDT. Can't make it? Well you can listen to the archives of course!

You will not want to miss my upcoming webinar... the Ultimate Women's Expo in May for women who want to write, market, organize, find out tax and bookkeeping info or legal information pertaining to writing and business. I hope to help others to fine tune their vision. How about you?

How are you fine-tuning your vision? Or have you had a career change? Share with us!

Christian Fiction Author: Penny Zeller

2011-04-18T19:40:00.001-04:00

Christian Authors That Get It!

Can I say I love what I do?

Well, I do!

I finished a wonderful interview with Christian author, Penny Zeller. She has a series of books that make me want to head to the beach and just spend the day reading. Under the shade of an umbrella of course, because I know I'd get lost in the story! I was an avid romance reader back in the day. Those days began and ended in a short few years.

I left my job as an educator upon the birth of my first child. Changing the world through the life of my students didn't quite go the way I'd hope--a story for another time. But in those years that I read, I consumed hundreds of books. As a teen they were action, adventure and mystery. Raise your hand if you have read the entire series of Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys and Trixie Beldon (a lesser known series but I've met so many people who love those books in the early teen years and my own daughter is currently reading them.) Then I began my love of romance books. I had married my prince charming now I wanted to see how other women lived their lives with ideal mates. I subscribed to a book club, at least two that delivered 12 books a month to my doorstep. Not to mention those I'd purchase at a book store. Yes, remember those? Online book stores were not around a mere 30 years ago. I read throughout my pregnancy, and when my children were infants. By the birth of my second child and with a busy toddler under foot I ran out of creative ways to keep my children entertained while I read romance novels!

There is still a huge market for romance novels and Penny is providing a wonderful alternative to secular stream with those that focus on Christian truths.

Penny Zeller's story began typically with the love of writing beginning at a young age. Yet, taking the leap away from a day job to one that is sporatic to say the least, was a leap of faith. And faith is what has been Zeller's mainstay. She often referred to her faith in God in her work and her books. She began by self-publishing her first book for children with food allergies. It has since found a home with a publisher.

Part of the joy of interviewing Penny was to use her as a "poster child," if you will, on what to do right. (No, she didn't know that was the angle of the interview.) First, she sent everything in one email not a series of pieces. There is nothing that bogs me down more, than a guest sending me upwards of ten emails a day. It has happened. High maintenance guests are not invited back.

What did she send? First, her tag line contained everything I needed to know about her and more importantly, where to find her. After all part of the reason to be interviewed is for exposure, right?

Here is a sample of her tag line:

Penny A. Zeller

Christian Author

Impacting Lives for Christ Through the Written Word

For more information about my books and ministry http://www.pennyzeller.com

Come blog with me http://www.pennyzeller.wordpress.com

Let's connect on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Penny-A-Zeller/96391560959

Follow me on Twitter www.twitter.com/pennyzeller

Perfect!

So, what else did she send?

Covers of the books she wanted to promote

Her bio

Synopsis of each of her books!

This last feature lights up the face of any busy radio show host, and is much appreciated. More than you know. No really.

One thing she did not do was send in a list of questions for me to ask. She had no way of knowing I prefer *not* to receive a list.

After all, no one is perfect this side of heaven--and we discussed this in the interview in regard to the characters in her book. Her characters are memorable, real and not perfect. While many radio show hosts ask you to send them a list of questions--and this may be important if you are promoting a particular book that is launching, I very rarely stick with the questions. I've been doing this for two years and I'd be bored to tears at this point if I did. Penny's interview came about three weeks after her book debut. **You can obtain her books via all the normal online channels such as Christian Book Distributors or Amazon as well as you local book store, if they don't have it they can get it!

But, back to the lists...while I don't mind a list, I am pretty, well, list impaired. I don't color in the lines, and I like to think outside of the box. Does that mean I sometimes ramble on my show, sure, but at least I won't have a canned interview with the perfect guest in the perfect box! I prefer to ask my own questions which means it takes more work. I must do my homework. I must look at the guest's blog. I must find out about them, and about the book they've written, if they are an author.

Because Penny sent me her bio I know:
She has authored several books and numerous magazine articles in national & regional publications

She has a blog

She volunteers in her community and runs a Bible study

Her passion is to use the gift of the written word that God has given her to glorify Him and to benefit His Kingdom

Her new book is a continuation of the series of the Montana Skies, Kaydie

Her publisher crafted a very well written "blurb" for her book and here it is:

Kaydie

For the first time in years, Kaydie Worthington Kraemer can breathe easily. Although she is still haunted by memories of her abusive husband, Darius, she takes comfort in knowing the man is dead. Staying with her sister McKenzie and brother-in-law, Zach Sawyer, at their ranch, Kaydie is still wary of men, especially now that she has another life inside of her to protect. As she looks forward to her baby's birth, she builds a protective wall around herself that won't be easy to tear down.

Ranch hand Jonah Dickenson views his boss, Zach, like a brother. He does not, however, envy Zach's new role as a husband. Deserted by his mother at a young age and forever despised and rejected by his own father, Jonah has few close relationships. But there's something about Kaydie that draws him to her and makes him question his decision to remain a bachelor.

When Cedric Van Aulst, an old friend of Kaydie's, comes to town, an unforeseen prospect of marriage arises. Cedric is someone Kaydie trusts. Will she settle for a safe union with him, or can she trust God to guard her heart and her life in the arms of Jonah?

Okay, I admit it I love the happily-every-after-girl-meets-guy-falls in love and has a family! I know we can't all live fairy tale lives which is why romance fiction has such a big market. Take note of Mrs. Penny Zeller. She did a great job with this interview, bet she did a great job with her books! I'll let you know, she's sending me a set. Want to head to the beach?

P.S.: Yes, there's more. Don't forget to check out her interview on my radio show for authors, "Information in a Nutshell" and if you are reading this way after the fact, subscribe to my podcast. I promise you won't be bored!

On the Other Side of the Mic

2011-04-01T23:23:00.001-04:00

I love hosting podcast and webinars. I am approaching my second anniversary of hosting my featured podcast, "Information in a Nutshell: Writing and Publishing Radio Show" for authors. My show has been featured on Blog Talk Radio for the day, week and even week-end. I've interviewed over one hundred people and have thousands of listeners over the years. You would think I'd be relaxed on the air. However when the mic is not in my "control" and I'm being hosted by someone else it is a bit unnerving. In fact it is *very* unnerving...downright scary.

So, when an invitation came from Krista Dunk to interview me on her show, Koinonia Business Women Radio, I said yes, but not without those nagging, not-in-control thoughts. The questions began to run through my mind.

What if I say something stupid?

What if I don't know the answer?

What if no one comes to listen to the show?

What if she has nothing to say to me?

What if she never invites me back?

Of course none of those things happened...well I don't know if I'll ever be invited back, but I'll keep you posted on that one! However I do know that when hosting my own shows I am relaxed. I really enjoy the experience of talking to strangers many who I will never meet this side of heaven, and I have a blast. My job as the host is to make my guest relaxed, interject a few thoughts or comments and jump in to save the day in the case of a guest who is at a loss for words.

Krista Dunk, the host of the Koinonia Business Women Radio began the show with an incidental comment, setting the tone of an excited but relaxed host and making me feel totally at ease. Once the countdown (behind the scenes) took place before we went "live" I felt the normal adrenalin spike. I listened while Krista began her introduction and could sit back until she introduced me. I wasn't in charge I reminded myself, I could relax! She was the expert host.

So how do you prepare for an interview? How do you sound relaxed, excited and oh, so knowledgeable? Believe me for some it is a gift and for others it takes work! Here are a few keys to making it work:

1. Know your topic.

2. List key information such as numbers or other points you may not remember.

3. Make sure you drink plenty of water.

4. Be passionate about your topic.

5. Thank the host.

Knowing your topic is a given. You are being interviewed because you have something to contribute. Yet nerves can get the best of us, even the most knowledgeable person. Jotting down notes can be a big help. Additionally list statistics or key points you want to mention. In case your interviewer doesn't remember to ask for your web address or, for example, the title of your book, writing it down will remind you to interject that information where appropriate. While some may consider it silly to list "drink" plenty of water, know that I have interviewed guests who clear their throats often. This is annoying in listening to replays. And, it has happened to me especially when I am sick. Drinking plenty of fluids (non-caffeine) is beneficial.

If you want to instill an element of enthusiasm to what can otherwise be a dull talk being passionate about a tropic can really help. Interjecting humor (if not forced) can also add an element of fun. Laughing at yourself is fine if you don't over do it. There needs to be a balance to humor and enthusiasm. Don't forget to end by using your manners. Thank your host and when the show is over and send an email or thank-you note by snail mail. In my years of interviews I've received several snail mail thank-yous and those adorn my office wall.

In case you are wondering about protocol it's okay to offer yourself as an interview subject. Have a ready paragraph or two about your value as a guest and above all, research. Be sure you are a good fit for your radio host's purpose. If so, go for it! You may enjoy being on the other side of the mic and who knows---someday you may host your own show.

American Christian Fiction Writers

2011-03-14T16:44:00.001-04:00

Enjoy this guest blog from Margaret Daley a recent guest on my radio show for authors, Information in a Nutshell. Margaret is an award winning author and the current president of the ACFW.

By Margaret Daley

ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) is the Voice of Christian Fiction. Founded over ten years ago, it has grown to over 2200 members.

ACFW is a premier writing organization with the following mission statement: Our mission is to promote Christian Fiction through developing the skills of its authors, educating them in the market, and serving as an advocate in the traditional publishing industry.

How can ACFW help a writer toward his/her writing goals?

ACFW has many different programs to help a writer. The first one, Novel Track: Writing is offered in January, April, July, and October. It is an email loop for support and encouragement to help you meet your writing goal. Following that is Novel Track: Editing in February (also May, August, and November). This loop focuses on how to edit the words you wrote the month before. Lastly, Novel Track: Polishing is in March (then June, September, and December). This part of the Novel Track program concentrates on the little problems that can occur while writing: grammar, over use of certain words, passive vs. active voice. If you participate in the Novel Track program through the year, you can have a completed novel by the end of the year.

Another way ACFW can help you meet your writing goals in 2011 is through free online classes. Each month (except December) there is a class offered by a qualified writing instructor. Our classes cover a variety of subjects from grammar to deep point of view—and more!

A third program available through ACFW is a large Critique Group which gives writers a way to connect with others who want to critique—and have their work critiqued. Some of the members of the large Critique Group break off and form smaller ones.

There are several email loops that the members can join that offer networking and help.

1. Main Loop: Easy to use and communicate about all writing-related topics. You can glean and share amazing tidbits of information via email. This loop is an education itself.

2. Your zone loop is the loop where chitchat is welcome. It is for fellowship with your fellow writers. It is a place where at last someone understands you.

3. Prayer Loop: Many members enjoy supporting one another through prayer. This loop has been a blessing to me.

4. Genre Loops: ACFW recently added several genre loops to discuss the writing craft in a more specific way. On these loops we offer a place to discuss these subjects: Children’s Fiction, Historical, Romance, Romantic Suspense, Speculative, Suspense, Women’s Fiction and Young Adult.

ACFW’s Web site has forums where you can get detailed questions answered and visit past posts as well as enjoy genre-specific threads (conversations on one topic). This is a fun place. Some have gotten to know people from ACFW on the forum before they attended their first ACFW Annual Conference.

As a member of ACFW you receive a discount on ACFW Conference Fees. A big savings to you when it's time to register for the annual ACFW Conference. This year the conference is in St. Louis from September 22-25, 2011. At the conference the winners of the two contests that ACFW sponsor are announced. The Genesis Contest is for unpublished writers and The Carol Award is for published authors.

ACFW's very own ezine, Afictionado, is published monthly. You will find articles about the writing craft, member news, industry news, author interviews, book reviews and much, much more.

If you have an upcoming novel release from one of our recognized publishers, a member can submit the information to the ACFW’s New Release coordinator, and we will help promote it for you.

ACFW has a book club that discusses two books a month. The members vote on which books to read. You can apply to have your book, if it is from one of our recognized publishers, considered by the ACFW Book Club.

Book Reviews: If you are a reviewer or author, submit a review of an ACFW member's book to be posted on the Web site.

Author Interviews and Featured Author: Each week we post an author interview of a published ACFW member on the public side of the site.

Another important benefit for published members is the opportunity to be included in the http://www.fictionfinder.com database. Fictionfinder.com links readers, bookstores, libraries, book clubs, and authors with great Christian fiction.

As you can see there are many reasons to become a member of ACFW. Go check out our Web site at http://www.acfw.com.

About the author:

Margaret Daley is an award winning, multi-published author in the romance genre. One of her romantic suspense books, Hearts on the Line, won the American Christian Fiction Writers’ Book of the Year Contest. Recently she has won the Golden Quill Contest, FHL’s Inspirational Readers’ Choice Contest, Winter Rose Contest, Holt Medallion and the Barclay Gold Contest. She wrote for various secular publishers before the Lord led her to the Christian romance market. She currently writes inspirational romance and romantic suspense books for the Steeple Hill Love Inspired lines, romantic suspense for Abingdon Press and historical romance for Summerside Press. She has sold seventy-five books to date.

Margaret is currently the President for American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), an organization of over 2200 members. She was one of the founding members of the first ACFW local chapter, WIN in Oklahoma. She has taught numerous classes for online groups, ACFW and RWA chapters. She enjoys mentoring other authors.

Until she retired a few years ago, she was a teacher of students with special needs for twenty-seven years and volunteered with Special Olympics as a coach. She currently is on the Outreach committee at her church, working on several projects in her community.

You can visit her web site at http://www.margaretdaley.com and read excerpts from her books and learn about the ones recently released and soon to be released.

New Tax Laws in 2011 for Writers

2011-01-14T06:00:00.003-05:00

Guest Blogger
Carol Topp, CPA

Congress passed several new tax bills in 2010. Are there any tax breakers for writers? CPA and author, Carol Topp says, yes, there are some tax breaks that writers, authors and publishers need to know about including:

* a 2% raise for all workers including self-employed freelance writers
* increases on common business deductions that authors and writers should know about
* a first-time deduction to the self-employment tax
* changes in deductions for health insurance
* incentives to hire employees and buy equipment

Carol will discuss all these important tax changes for writers, but she will also discuss some laws that will affect you in the near future such as the the 1099MISC reporting requirement.

1099MISC reporting requirement.

As part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA or fondly called “Obamacare”) a 1099MISC reporting requirement was added. All business owners know that they have had to give independent contractors who provided services (such as web designers, freelance writers, editors, etc) a Form 1099MISC if they were paid more than $600 in a year. No 1099MISC forms needed to be sent to corporations or for the purchase of goods.

But this act changed that reporting requirement effective January 1, 2012. Now a small business owner must give a Form 1099MISC (and a copy to the IRS) to all vendors supplying goods or services including corporations paid more than $600 in a year.

This means for every vendor you pay more than $600 in a year you must collect their legal name and tax ID number (using a Form W-9) and send them a Form 1099MISC at the start of 2012. This includes hotels, airlines, office supply stores, computer stores, etc. This law becomes effective January 1, 2012, so you need to start collecting data during 2012 and give the 1099MISC forms in early 2013.

Imagine what this means to you, a self-employed writer. You walk into Office Depot and buy paper, ink and a new printer totaling $400. No problem you think, I'm under the $600 1099MISC limit. Later in the year you buy more supplies for $250. Now you've given Office Depot more than $600 in a year. You need to collect their legal name and tax ID number. Do you think the cashier has that information? Probably not! Your record keeping must track how much you pay each and every company so that you can send them 1099MISC forms by January 30 of 2013. If you already hate record keeping, this is going to add to that burden.

This is an unnecessary and unreasonable record keeping task for small business owners! Email your congressional representative to ask for a repeal. (Google “repel 1099 MISC reporting” to find several sample letters). Many congress men and women has vowed to overturn this potion of the PPACA. Let's hope it's sooner rather than later!

Listen as Felice Gerwitz interviews Carol Topp about these important issues facing writers.

Monday, January 17, 2011 at 3:30 pm EST.

Join us LIVE here

Carol has created a handout summarizing these tax changes for writers. Go to TaxesForWriters.com to get your copy of the handout. Take it to your tax preparer and make sure you are getting every deduction you are allowed!

Bio: Carol Topp has been married to her husband, Dave, for 26 years and they have two daughters. She lives with her family in Cincinnati, Ohio where they enjoy reading, traveling, art museums, hiking, their church and homeschooling. Carol's daughters, one in college and one in high school, were homeschooled through high school graduation.

Through homeschooling, Carol discovered her love for teaching and communicating through writing and speaking. She has written several books sharing her experience and accounting knowledge, including the Micro Business for Teens series, Homeschool Co-ops: How to Start Them, Run Them and Not Burn Out, and, as a contributing author, Home Work: Juggling Home, Work and School Without Losing Your Balance. She has also published several magazine articles in The Old Schoolhouse, Home Education, Homeschool Enrichment, Nonprofit World magazines and the National Association of Tax Professionals TaxPro.

Carol is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) as well as an author and specializes in tax preparation, small/micro business accounting, and nonprofit accounting. She has presented numerous workshops on money management, business start up, taxes, budgeting and homeschooling to various writers groups, community, church and homeschool organizations. Carol was born and raised in Wisconsin and graduated from Purdue University with a BS in Engineering. She worked for the US Navy as a cost analyst before obtaining her CPA license in 2000. She published her first book in 2008. Her websites include CarolToppCPA.com andTaxesForWriters.com.

Carol Topp, CPA

CarolToppCPA.com Author and accountant

HomeschoolCPA.com For homeschool organizations and leaders

Does your teenager owe taxes? TeensAndTaxes.com

Know a teenager who wants to start a business? MicroBusinessForTeens.com

Your Idea to Amazon in 14 Days

2011-01-10T06:00:00.006-05:00

By Guest Blogger, Marnie Swedberg

How long will you spend writing your next book? It’s a question you should ask, because minutes matter!

My first book took four years from idea to publication. It was published by St. Martin’s Press, enjoyed three printings and major media. I wouldn’t trade a minute of that investment.

I have gone on to write several books, my most recent taking four months from idea to publication. Again, that time was well spent.

In January of 2010, the director of a regional library system asked me to pinch hit for a trainer who was not able to fulfill his 3-day, 7-city speaking tour on the topic, “How to Write an eBook.” The events were scheduled to begin 16 days after the call and during those two weeks I pulled a team together, researched, wrote and published a book entitled, “eBooks: Idea to Amazon in 14 Days.” The book is the journal of every step I took in order to achieve that goal.

Now anyone can do it, including you.

I’ll be sharing more of my process during my interview with Felice on Information in a Nutshell, but here are a few tips:

1.    Write for Two Audiences. Write your manuscript for your target (niche) audience, but also write it with a publisher in mind. If you can answer the questions an acquisition’s editor will ask, you will be well on your way to having a marketable book. At that point, you can decide whether to self-publish or seek a publisher.

2.    Surround Yourself with Talent. If you plan to publish a book fast, you’ll need a team. Mine included researchers, editors, formatters and a graphic artist. I mostly rely on outsourcers, which is a new concept for many people, but saves me thousands of dollars each year.

3.    Turn on a Dime. As soon as you identify a roadblock to progress, shift, take a hard right or eliminate that element completely. The key is to keep writing.

4.    Get Unstuck Fast. When I get stuck, I hire a coach for 5-15 minutes to help me see what I am missing. My book, eBooks: Idea to Amazon in 14 Days, is like having me sitting next to you, coaching you through many steps of writing, including getting your ISBN, using waivers and obtaining a www.YourName.com website. If you need additional help, hire a coach. Arrange to receive “laser coaching” versus ongoing service. You are on a deadline: You need quick answers instead of weeks of hand-holding.

5.    Prepare to be famous. OK, you might not get famous, but it’s important to think ahead toward what it would be like if you were. Just today I completed 20 questions for a Celebrity Interview website. I love it when they send me questions and give me time to “wordsmith” my answers and have it all edited. More often you will have to answer questions on the spot – on TV, radio or for a print interview. Taking time to ask yourself the questions first is really helpful. (The book includes all the questions I was asked during my blog tour for its release.)

Publishing an eBook or book in 14 days may sound outrageous, but the shortcuts I used to accomplish that feat may be the catalyst you need to finish your book this year rather than next year or than never.

Learn more of my stress-busting strategies for authors, speakers and other super busy women at www.Marnie.com.

JumpStart Your Publishing Dreams

2011-01-09T10:57:00.000-05:00


W. Terry Whalin Author

When I hosted W. Terry Whalin on my radio show for authors it was as if I was having a nice chat, over coffee, with an old friend. You see, I've known Terry for years. Not "known" him in the sense of the real world, but known him in the sense of the Internet World: I-know-him-because-I-follow-him. Terry wrote what I consider a famous ebook on writing a book proposal. I purchased and downloaded mine long ago before eBooks were even in vogue. He now has an excellent book, "Book Proposals that Sell". Book proposals can open up the seemingly sky-high, iron gates of the publishing world if one knows how to do so correctly...and Terry does. [Busy acquisitions editors don't have the time to read a manuscript but they will read a well crafted proposal!]

So, where does Terry get his level of expertise? From being a former literary agent and an acquisitions editor for a major publishing house. He has been published in over 50 magazines and written more than 60 books.

Yes, the "e" in word Expert is extra large in Terry's case. What I really enjoyed about the conversation was the way Terry was happy to share his knowledge and level of expertise so willingly. Most accomplished authors are happy with the knowledge that they've touched lives no matter how minimally. You know the adadage, it was worth writing the book if even one person's life is changed. Terry has touched the lives of countless people, with his work and now with his ability to help other authors. Terry is now a publisher at Intermedia Publishing Group, where for a fee he will help an author see their dreams fulfilled. I'm not a fan of most pay-as-you-go print on demands and this group is far from that type of venture. You see, Terry brings real printing and publishing experience to his company and you will see that the authors who use Intermedia Publishing are very happy with this arrangement.

Terry gives busy authors, many who are professionals real help. He realizes that authors are often experts in their jobs and the idea of a book is often as a vehicle to open up speaking engagements. That is where having an expert in the field is so important.

The Internet has opened up a world of information to the reader and while I enjoy the speed at which I can obtain real information, I am always cautious as to the source of the information. You can be sure that people like W. Terry Whalin have the publishing clout and experience that new authors need. Be sure to obtain recommendations from people who have used the service you are considering.

Let me tell you something else about Terry. He is a true professional in every sense of the word. You could say Terry and I are competitors if you are in that outside, cut-throat world of publishing. While I am an Author Consultant, I'm honest enough to know my services are not a fit for someone wanting their book printed and published using a service, such as Terry's. I consider Terry a colleague and will definitely recommend people to use his one-stop-shop services at Intermedia.

When we exchanged books before the radio interview I found he had given me a wonderful book review (Information in a Nutshell: Writing and Publishing) on Amazon. (I'm great at telling other people to ask for these reviews, but often fall short asking for them myself!) Terry is such a kindly gentleman, he did so without me asking. You can read it here.

I am pleased to call Terry a friend and I am sure you will soon find he is your friend once you read his book, follow him via his social media profiles and get to know him better.

You can find W. Terry Whalin:

Website
Facebook
Twitter

Read my review of his book here

What is in a Saying?

2011-01-06T15:49:00.001-05:00

It's all about words...

Better late than never...

It's the thought that counts...

Never count your chickens before they are hatched

and of course

Great things come in small packages.

So what does this eclectic collection of words have to do with this post? The first is I've neglected my poor blog over the Christmas Holidays wanting to post about a great interview with my guest Terry Whalin the author of a wonderful book I am half-way through, "Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams: Insider Secrets to Skyrocket Your Success" and it is coming...this week! (Better late than never)

And additionally I want to let you know about about an upcoming guest, if you are reading this prior to January 10th at 3:30 EST when I will interview Marnie Swedberg. Marnie has the largest collection of women speakers available in a group online. She will discuss her services as well as speaking platforms and much more (It's the thought that counts.)

and ....

I've been working with several authors who have seen a rapid decline in their sales and some who have new products and are considering various market blasts but sold so little books their money is tied up in inventory. They were hoping to have surplus of cash but invested in books first. (Don't count your chickens before they are hatched). We will be handling information about this in subsequent radio interviews and blog posts.

and last but not least...

I have been working furiously behind the scenes in fact harder than I've ever worked in my life and I have many surprises coming up for those faithful readers as well as those who drop by on occasion. My only hint to you is (can you guess?) Great things come in small packages.

I am extending you an invitation, let's join together to make 2011 the best year ever. Are you with me? I hope so. Let me know how you are planning to make this the best yet.

Guerilla Marketing Goes Green with Shel Horowitz

2010-12-06T06:00:00.004-05:00

Shel Horowitz is an author I met long ago via social media and now have become reacquainted with him through the wonders of technology. Years ago, I ran across Shel and his innovative idea, setting up a Business Ethics Pledge online. Of course this piqued my interest and I signed the pledge. After all who doesn't want to pledge to run a business fairly?

Then, Shel popped up here and there and I ordered and read his book, "Grass Roots Marketing for Authors and Publishers." This book had a wealth of information about innovative ways to market without breaking the bank. Next I signed up for his newsletter and received updates from time to time. This and other information that Shel shared via emails, newsletters and his website soon earned him the nick-name the frugal marketer. His ideas included many ways to market on a shoe-string budget. As a new author it was a wonderful way to learn from someone who was an expert.

And then, Shel popped up again. This time via the social network LinkedIn. I invited him on my show for aspiring authors and his answer was a resounding yes. You see, Shel enjoys media in all forms and he is very comfortable in the front and center. Getting comfortable takes practice and Shel has had an abundance of this through the years. Shel's story begins as a 15 year old when he was already into marketing and environmental issues. His latest book "Guerrilla Marketing Goes Green: Winning Strategies to Improve Your Profits and Your Planet" (John Wiley & Sons), is co-authored with Jay Conrad Levinson the author of the original Guerrilla Marketing book. Shel is also the author of many other books and has recently started a new column, Want to Be Green and Profitable.

Shel has successfully joined his passion, environmental and "going green" with his love of writing. As an author meshing a passion with your profession is not always possible. Yet, this is exactly what Shel has manged to do with this new book. He hopes to encourage businesses to turn green while increasing their profits, and subsequently helping the planet as a result.

He has worked very hard to gain success. As a world-renowned marketing consultant and multiple award-winning this eight-time author is the Founder of the International Association of Earth-Conscious Marketers and the author of the Green and Profitable syndicated column. Never a dull moment, interviewing Shel was an adventure. He shared great tips for aspiring authors and those considering launching into the writing process.

If you are an author and need ideas on ways to market your upcoming book, take a look at Shel's great ideas. One is the way he is marketing his latest book. With each book purchase he is distributing over $2000.00 worth of products from a few of his friends. He has gathered partners who are willing to donate a download to the buyers of this book. What's in it for them? Free marketing. Their information is added on Shel's website front and center on his sign in page. In that way even if you have not yet purchased the book you can look at those who are contributing to make Shel's book a success. These types of innovative ideas are becoming more popular as authors couple with joint venture partners in book promotions. It goes without saying that Shel's book was printed on recycled paper and is available in eBook format. Learning from the masters is always a treat and I was not disappointed with the interview, I invite you to listen to the session here. Blog Talk Radio show with Shel Horowitz

Author: Angela Bisignano

2010-11-28T21:35:00.001-05:00

Author Angela Bisignano was the special guest on my show for authors Blog Talk Radio Information in a Nutshell.

She is the author of the soon to be released book,Beautifully Gifted: Equipping Today’s Women for the High Calling of God.

Angela has her Ph.D in Clinical Psychology and a masters degree in ministry. While she is talented she is humble as well, asking me to address her as "Angela" instead of Dr. Bisignano (pronounced"Bis--in--yan--o")

I loved the title of the book and Angela share it was a collaborative effort between her friends and her husband. Happily for her the publisher and her editor liked it as well. Deciding to write a book is different for everyone and without exception it can be a very personal decision. Being a Clinical Psychologist, this might not be the type of book you'd imagine Dr. Bisignano writing. Yet, write it she did and with an amazing purpose. The book is about empowering and equipping women--which is her passion and her gift.

Women today are challenged in many ways. Those who are in the work force are often in a man's world. Those who decide to stay home and raise children are challenged whether they left the work force to stay at home or are ridiculed for not having a "real job." And, those who have have children and work must deal with their dual roles. For the single woman there are challenges as well.

Having a book that encourages women to rise above their daily challenges is one of the goals of this book. The purpose is to lead women on a journey to understand their unique giftedness and what God is calling them to do. They can use the book alone or in a group setting. There is also a guide available for one day seminars, retreats and conferences.

Angela also speaks on the topic of encouraging women to hear God's calling for their lives. She shared that she took the last 5 years off to raise her boys and work on the book. This must not have been easy given her commitments, especially in today's world. This did not stop Angela and she successfully completed her book which is due for release early in December.

Opportunities abound for her which include speaking engagements in Southern California (where she lives) and she is accepting speaking opportunities as they arise. It is an exciting time to be an author and with the opportunities provided via social media and using it correctly are a great boon to getting the news of the book out to those who would otherwise not know. Angels is working with Terry Whalin at Intermedia Publishing in a co-publishing venture. [Note: I will be interviewing Terry Whalin in an upcoming episode on my radio show.] As a new author it is often difficult to obtain a publishing contract and this is a viable option for some. While Angela has written articles for peer reviewed journals in her chosen field of psychology, book publishing is a venture outside of her area of expertise.

As a new author she is excited to be approaching the release date of her book. The book will be released in early December and available at that time in book stores and online stores such as Amazon. Be sure to check out her book and tell her I sent you!

More about Angela:

Angela Bisignano has a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and a Masters degree in Ministry. She is author of “Beautifully Gifted: Equipping Today’s Women for the High Calling of God” being released in December 2010. She is in private practice in Southern California. She is interested in the intersection of leadership, psychology, and faith. Connect with her via Twitter: @angelabisignano or Facebook: Angela Gozzi Bisignano

What I Learned from Dan Poynter

2010-11-01T06:15:00.005-04:00

And so I interviewed Dan Poynter, on my Blog Talk Radio show for aspiring authors, Information in a Nutshell.

Here is what I have to say about the interview,

It was fabulous!

Dan answered the questions very thoroughly, with great wisdom and with patience. Just think. He has done this for so many years and I'm sure been asked the same questions over and over again. Even though I tried to think outside of the box I still wanted to ask him some of the traditional questions that people often ask.

Dan had so many great things to say, but here are a few:

1. If you don't already have a blog, don't start one and try to get people to follow your blog.
2. Instead, do a keyword search or set a keyword alert with Google Alerts and visit blogs that already have a large subscription base and post on their blogs.
3. If you don't already have Google Alerts set for your name, do so immediately. In that way you can follow what is being said about you and respond as needed.
4. Dan talked about how writing and publishing has changed since he wrote his first book and the importance of keeping up with the times.
5. Dan shared the amazing resources found on his websites for authors who desire to self-publish

And, as an added bonus (for me as well) the show was chosen as one of the day's Top Picks!

http://www.WritingandPublishingRadio.com

And that is not all... it turns out that having Dan Poynter as a guest is cause for many people, including agents to email me, and ask if their clients can have a chance at an interview. That was an unexpected benefit, although I am booked through the coming year, it will help for next year's bookings.

And there is more... The show was featured during the week end as a highlighted show. I was pleasantly surprised and realized this, when once again I began receiving emails via Blog Talk Radio in-Mail, from authors interested in having me interview them and talk about their books. Many marked my show as a "Favorite."

The show's behind the scenes manual invites hosts to encourage their listeners to mark the show as a favorite or at the very least to "Follow" the show. I'm too shy (yes, shy with a capital "S") to self promote in this manner. In fact, I've had to overcome much of my shyness in order to host this show and promote my own books!

Really, one of the important factors that separates a veteran author and professional such as Dan Poynter and someone with no speaking and interview experience is that Dan is prepared for whatever questions might come his way. The focus of my show is on the writing and publishing process. Yes, we discuss the author, their life and their book. But, we really delve into one or two aspects that are their area of expertise. For example, if the author has a background that makes them an expert in their field and it took them twenty years to write the book. We explore the reasons why and hopefully this will help another aspiring author to overcome these same types of issues.

Dan's has a wide area of expertise, but I think his specialty is the niche market. He was able to sell his early books on Parachuting to specialty markets. Hence the name of his publishing company, ParaPublishing. Get it?

If you missed the interview, be sure to catch the archived version. And, it is thanks to my famous guest that the show was highlighted, and for that I say, "Thanks Dan Poynter for spending time with me and my listeners, we all benefited from your experience and wisdom."

Radio Interview with Dan Poynter

2010-10-18T06:00:00.000-04:00

How exciting! You have a book, and you've had it for years. You reference this book almost daily when you first get it. Then, it lies around and you loan it out, wish you had it again, can't remember who you gave it to, and buy another copy of this beloved book.

What book am I talking about? Dan Poynters "Self-Publishing Manual." For many years, Dan was a sole proprietor and ran his company alone. You know, like many of us starting out in the publishing world. He did everything himself and learned along the way. He has traveled the world in order to talk about his books and enjoy his hobby of skydiving. He is reported to have skydived into the north pole.

His work has received much recognition and you can read about him on his website here: Para Publishing (short for parachute!)

I've blogged about Dan Poynter before, when I had the pleasure of meeting him at a conference in Tampa, Florida last winter. I listened as he told us that as authors we should be bold! We should ask the hard questions, and we should get out of our comfort zone. So... I did, I asked Dan to review my book: "Information in a Nutshell: Writing and Publishing."

Gulp! are you kidding me? Ask Dan Poynter to review your book when he is the expert on writing and publishing? Well, I did and this is what he said:

"A concise introduction to writing and publishing books by an author who has been there.

What I especially like is that Felice gets to the point; no fluff. She does not waste your (reading) time."

--Dan Poynter, The Self-Publishing Manual, http://ParaPub.com

Short and to the point... I like it!

And, this week I will be able to ask Dan many questions. Yes, I asked again, and this time to interview him on my Blog Talk Radio show for aspiring authors!

I will ask him the hard questions and you are invited to join me for the live session and ask your questions as well. It isn't everyday that a famous author, the man who helped me to become a better self-publisher joins me on my radio show for aspiring authors. And, he must have done his job very well since I've been self-publishing since 1994.

Kim Jones: Newly Published Author

2010-10-11T15:50:00.001-04:00

Kim Jones has worn many hats. Once a National Park Ranger, a State Park Ranger, a curriculum specialist, she has now added author to her resume. She has penned, Mystery Rangers, "The Case of the Missing Mountain," which was spurred on after her trip to Mt. St. Helens, many years after the explosive eruption which caused catastrophic damage.

This book which is geared for the middle elementary grades uses the hook of a "mystery" to lure children into the study of earth science. This is a wonderful concept to me, both from the perspective of an author and publisher which I am, but also my background as an educator. Children learn best with an investigative approach rather than having the dry facts reiterated.

Kim recently received her pre-release copy of the book and explained her fear to open the package from the publisher, waiting to do this with her family present. I understand her trepidation. As an author you have a sense or a vision of what you expect the book to look like and it is very rare that the author is pleased. Yet, in Kim's case, I am happy to report she was ecstatic with the work of her publisher, Master Books and the team at New Leaf Publishing.

This was a wonderful interview because she spoke of her publishing company and the pivotal role they played in the formation of the book. I was privileged to meet Mr. Tim Dudley, the president of New Leaf Publishing, a few years prior at a national convention and have spoken with several key people at New Leaf including Laura Welch an acquisitions editor at the company, and Don Enz in sales. Finding the perfect fit, especially as a new author is often difficult. Yet, this team produced a book that Kim is proud to discuss.

Kim shared her future ventures including teaching, working with kids during summer adventure camps and a host of outdoor related activities. To learn more about Kim, I recommend you stop by her blog at http://thenaturetour.com

Kim also mentioned the importance of social media and how this was instrumental in meeting her husband.(She explained she met her husband through a social-matchmaking company!) For an author social media is very important and understanding ways to utilize this for the benefit of the author is something that should be in an authors-101 course.

Kim Jones' publisher, New Leaf Publishing is giving away 3 copies of her book to anyone who leaves a comment on this blog and please email me at felice@mediaangels.com with your email so that I may respond. When the criteria is met, I will post the contest is closed at the end of this blog. The first three people to email me correctly with the following information will win.

To win:
1. Leave a comment on this blog
2. Please email me with "Win Kim's Book" in the reference section

While not part of the contest, I hope you will listen to the interview with Kim on my show for aspiring authors, "Information in a Nutshell" Radio for Authors: http://www.WritingandPublishingRadio.com

About the author:

Adventure called Kim answered National Park Ranger Kim Jones lived adventure as a park ranger in the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area in Washington Interpreting the mysteries of science and history to park visitors Kim's love of nature and adventure met a perfect match With this perfect match of science and adventure however there was hidden challenge Join this new author as she discusses her upcoming book soon to be released any second and the adventure that come with being a published author. Oct 11 2010

Tips, Hints and Ideas for Marketing YOUR next Book

2010-09-27T14:22:00.001-04:00

Writing is more than getting the book written. I know, you've heard me say this before. But did you know that I am constantly learning about certain techniques that are tried---true---and proven? Recently I received an email from a past client who shared he sold out of his first print run of a little under 150 books. While that may not seem like much to you, he did this in the first week just through word of mouth.

He shared the title of the book as well as the back copy are two things that he believed helped to sell the book. These are the two most important things that I have taught for years and I love it when it works! A title can make or break a book as well as the idea portrayed on the back cover. For adult titles the cover art, while important at first glance, will not make the reader pay for the item if they are not convinced it will be a good read.

Today I will be interviewing a writing coach with a specialty in marketing. What is enjoyable to me in these taped sessions is the fact that I learn something new each time. Even those who are experts in the business and marketing field have shared that marketing an author is a bit different.

I remember thinking I would have no problem homeschooling my children because I had an education degree with certifications that took me through the span of K-12. I could conquer two children of my own especially in light of the fact that I managed upwards of 30 unrelated children in a classroom. While I had the educational skills to teach, I did not have the knowledge necessary to bring the school into the home. Recreating the public school within the home rarely works.

I share this to prove the point that marketing for authors is different in the sense that it takes tenacity, an understanding of the reader and their purchase sense, as well as the personality of the author. Are you one to pound the pavement or to sit behind a computer terminal and type away on a blog many miles away from your reading audience? There needs to be a balance between both.

I enjoy my privacy and am basically a shy person (no one who knows me believe this), and for me the idea of sharing all about me is rarely a joy. In fact, I've been told by some well meaning friends (and you know who you are), that my Facebook posts are "sterile"... so, even I have to reevaluate from time to time.

Being an author means moving outside of your comfort zone and out into the public at large. It means taking the criticism from well-meaning friends, and even adversaries and turning them into a positive force that will propel you and your book out into the public eye. No matter what your goals--if you are an author, sales of a book are important. So let's move forward, learn, and sell some books!

Do You Have a Writing Cave?

2010-09-13T06:15:00.001-04:00

As I was compiling a quick online event to highlight a new venue for my business, I received an email from a dear friend and colleague. She asked if she could throw her hat into the arena as an upcoming speaker, but she couldn't talk, she was in her "writing cave."

This lady has a great sense of humor and her speaking sessions are highlighted with pithy remarks which often have the audience rolling in laughter. I remember sitting at her feet, literally (the packed room had no more chairs and we were seated on the floor, up against a wall in a convention center) listening to her seminar on teaching children language arts through literature. As she began (without the projector and screen that had not yet been delivered to the room), she was insightful, captivating and fun. Once the audio-visual guys finally showed up and began setting up in the midst of her talk, the screen barely missed her head. She didn't falter and somehow managed to incorporate this event as if it was a planned part of her oration.

This term, "writing cave" struck a cord with me. What is a writing cave and why is this so important to an author? I believe a cave, den, office or any area where you do write should be free of interruption and definitely not contain any distractions! When I enter my cave I open an internet screen and do not turn on my email or social media accounts. I write with a focus and love the "sticky note" feature on my computer that keeps a small, vital list of to-do's handy in case I flounder without direction.

This cave is a place where I enter to work and work hard. Many of you may not know that I am a homeschool parent, and have been for many years. In my years at home with my children I find that by noon we have completed the majority of our schooling and the children spend the afternoon with projects such as art, music, listening to audio presentations or finishing subjects such as reading assignments. The five hours required each day of schooling is easily accomplished in the morning. We don't have any fillers such as changing classes or interruptions such as fire drills.

The same is true with my writing. What I can accomplish when I set out with a clear focus is much greater when I enter my cave free from clutter or distraction. I can look with determination at the project at hand and crank out page after page that might take me twice as long if I am snatching a few minutes here and there. I understand some busy people can't take the hours needed to do this in the midst of their careers. Yet, I know if you set aside time each day as your "writing cave time" you will be surprised at how much you do accomplish.

As a businesswoman, CEO, mom and wife, my loyalties are divided. But, I am driven. I am focused. When I work on a project no matter what it is, I give it my one-hundred percent undivided attention. Whether it is baking (my stress outlet) or pounding away at the computer keyboard I'm all there. This cave mentality is not innate, it is something I've cultivated through the years.

For a business to be successful it must contain the "right" ingredients, otherwise you are spinning your wheels and will eventually become burnt out and decide the effort is not worth the trials associated with the endeavor. Many consider writing a hobby and while I began my writing with a "hobby" mentality it changed fairly quickly. How often I say I wish I had known *then* what I know *now*!

Take time to plan out your writing strategy, find a cave, wherever that may be, and begin today to get those thoughts down onto paper (or word processor file). Know that you are not alone and many of us suffer from distractions from the task at hand. You will accomplish much more, I guarantee it, if you have a system and stick with a plan.

Writing Fiction, Non-Fiction or Both?

2010-08-31T06:22:00.000-04:00

Are you a fiction author?

Are you a non-fiction author?

Are you both?

Several of my recent guests on the Information in a Nutshell Radio for Authors write both fiction and non-fiction. One enjoyable interview was with author Cara Putman. This interview revealed that Cara was an author of a series of novels with titles such as "Trial by Fire", "Canteen Dreams", and "Stars in the Night." Upon further research I learned she was also the author of "A Complete Idiot's Guide to Business Law"! Cara was an attorney and now is equally successful at writing romance and mystery novels. Versatility for an author as in this case is key.

Another guest penned several romance novels and is currently a free lance newspaper reporter. She was a wealth of information regarding how she managed to get her current job. An author is not necessarily tethered to a computer and with some imagination you can use your skills to land a job, while waiting for that book contract to come along.

In all cases it is a matter of using your talents and mapping out a focus or goal. Not every non-fiction author can or desires to pen a fiction, and vice-versa. Yet, if your gift lies in both areas the field is much wider for you and your chances of becoming published. In all cases research is important, not only as it pertains to your work, and your competition, but also the necessary steps to take to see your work becomes published.

Another interesting interview with a guest, fillmaker, screen-writer and author, Jon Steven Nappa, explained his experience as a speaker at writing conferences. He shared that often, aspiring-author-attendees ask basic questions that can easily be found on the library or book store shelves. Obviously this is not the best use of the expert's time. You should do your research before attending this type of conference and be prepared to ask the questions the books omit.

Jon is another example of an author with versatility. His novel, "Storm Warriors," based upon a true story, created an alliance with a wonderful ministry, "Storm Warriors International." This organization works with those who are in need by letting others with means know of their plight and bring aid by matching needs with donors. One-hundred percent of the profits from his book go to the ministry. Using a book for this purpose whatever your charitable focus is a great idea.

Writing today with the technology available knows no limit. Blogs, Tweets, websites, eReaders, and various forms of transferring media electronically can bring the written word to the ends of the earth, all in a nano-second. Look at your skill set, look at your options and get that written idea off your computer and into the hands of an eager reader...today!

Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone

2010-08-23T06:12:00.060-04:00

Publicity makes an author smile. In fact good publicity is a bonus and a sought after commodity by anyone in the public eye. Some authors are very good public speakers, can excel at book readings, or explain their book succinctly to anyone standing still long enough to listen.

Yet, no matter who you are there are different levels of your comfort zone. I know where I'm very comfortable and that is behind a keyboard, preferably attached to a computer screen. I am comfortable in front of an audience, especially if it is a topic I am passionate (or knowledgeable) about...and no, those are not synonymous! I am also comfortable before a group of students, I enjoy teaching.

The place I am the least comfortable is before a movie camera or still camera for that matter. At that point I think of all the places I'd rather be and it takes an extreme amount of effort to hold my thoughts captive. I'd rather be taking the picture or the movie, and this is something I enjoy. It is self preservation, if you are behind the camera it is difficult to be in front of it! I always marvel at those who love having their picture taken, and unfortunately my children have picked up my phobia.

Photo-ops are a must for any author, even those who feel that the years and the pounds are creeping up (at least my fingers get a very good, daily work out!). It is an important part of the profession and something that is a must for any author trying to sell their product. While the camera isn't always kind, a good photographer and photo enhancing computer software can definitely be a benefit.

Conversely, video does not lie! It is you and those lenses, sometimes many video camera lenses pointing and following you unrelentingly as you move upon the stage wishing you could climb off or hide under the nearest bush. As an author I know the importance of a speaking platform, so when I came up with the idea of Scholar Square and found a programmer who could bring my idea to fruition, I considered it the best of both worlds. A video website with a twist. A place that an author, an educator, or a business person could put up a video, teach a topic, charge for it . . . and sell their books, products or services.

I still think it is a great idea, but I have yet to watch any of my video presentations all the way through. When the DVDs of my taped events arrived at my home, they sat unopened until my daughter came to watch them with me, in fact she insisted. We laughed at the number of times I blinked my eyes, and how the "Italian" in me came out as I often gestured with my hands. At least my voice didn't shake!

And, then came another opportunity. To be interviewed using streaming video online that was thankfully pre-recorded using Skpe. I had to smile while looking into the tiny hole in my computer screen, containing the webcam, as my kind host introduced me. Once the introduction was over it was much easier to handle the interview. I couldn't see her at all and I definitely CAN wait for that video to post on the website. I am sure I'll blog about that when it is launched.

In order to accomplish we often need to climb out from behind the computer and into the limelight. And, I've come up with a list of ways to do this. It began as a list of excuses for why I could not (or should not) venture out of my comfort-zone and quickly took on a life of its own. This happens often to the words I pen.

Reasons to step out of your comfort zone:

1. If you don't who will.
2. You can't take a picture of your cat and expect people to think it is you.
3. I want to sell books.
4. I can't hire anyone else to do it for me.
5. The time will pass quickly.

And who knows, you may actually enjoy the venture and find that it becomes your comfort zone! It is easier to accomplish a little in a day than nothing at all. Take a chance and try to stretch your reach, the worse that can happen is you may sell a few books!

Are you Married to Your Words?

2010-08-16T06:22:00.003-04:00

You have an idea. A brilliant idea. And so the story begins. You jot down some of these ideas, perhaps you are more organized than most and you begin folders. You compile, research, gather and eventually after many hours of toil you hold in your hand the finished product. A manuscript for the entire world to behold... here are your words, your heart, your thoughts.

For many that is the end. The carefully crafted words never see the light of day. Yet, for others it is just the beginning. One of my daughter's college friends was a self-proclaimed closet author. She had worked on a manuscript in private, a love story that no one was allowed to read. No family, no friends, not even her friend’s mom who was an author (me). Even though this dear, young lady worked as my assistant. Finally after much trepidation, she shared her story with me. I was allowed to read her private work. When I asked her if she wanted any input she said, “Not really.” She never planned to let anyone read it. This was her work, and in her thoughts a part of herself.

This young lady is not alone. Thousands of other would-be authors do not allow their work to see daylight due to insecurity of what others will say. She could not bear the thought that someone would hack her carefully crafted words. And so, her story remains hidden. She wrote a fiction work and therefore it is an area where more creativity is called upon and perhaps the author feels more vulnerable.

What happens when you do let other people read your manuscript and finally send it to a professional editor? Your work will be critiqued, analyzed and cleaned up. This is not to say you can’t self-edit your own work. I read and reread my work many times. However, I always use editors when I’m finished with the first draft, and have ever since the very beginning of my career.

Being an author takes tough skin. I have worked on manuscripts on both sides of the spectrum. As an author, publisher and content editor executing major rewrites, and as a ghost writer as well. I’ve been paid to read manuscript for both brief and thorough analysis. The latter consists of giving my opinion on what it will take to get a work ready for publication. In each case the information comes from experience, clothed as much in consideration for the author’s ego as possible.

Still, when I look at the computer screen after implementing the grammatical tracking system on my word processing program, the paper appears to bleed from all the red ink. If it is of any consolation, I've had my work "bleed" in the past from my editors. In fact anytime I write and send my work to an editor it comes back marked, some places more than others. I can conveniently click “accept changes” or “reject changes.” Ultimately I am the author and I can decide.

Truthfully? I'm not married to my words. If there is a better way to say something then I want to know. I'd rather have someone slash my carefully crafted sentence then go to print with something sub-par. The results have been stunning.

You are in good company. No one likes criticism, yet critique with a purpose can make the difference between an author whose work remains mediocre and one whose work reaches great heights. Here is to reaching for the stars!

Co-Authors: Writing with Two

2010-07-26T06:28:00.001-04:00

My first book was a solo affair and then the idea hit me for a great new series of curriculum study guides. There was one little problem. I did not possess the expertise to write the books on my own, but I knew the perfect candidate to join me in the endeavor. When she agreed I was excited about the prospect and we began our work in earnest. So far so good.

We quickly penned the book, had an editor, her husband read the manuscript and with a few more pairs of eyes and one other professional taking a look we were ready to go. I had speaking engagements lined up and had even contacted another author who was speaking at the same conference to "plug" our book after her seminar, by holding up a newly minted copy. Everything was humming along, or so I thought until reality struck my co-author. Cold feet.

She had a bad experience in the professional work place years ago when another co-worker took her presentation and with a few tweaks called it his own, presenting it to the board of directors and landing a raise. She was concerned that this would happen to her. I assured her that her name was prominently on the cover and I considered her the "brains" behind the science-based curriculum series for children. As the owner of the company, my job as her publisher was to inspire and instill confidence and we went on to write four books in the series and created many hours of hands-on fun workshops across the nation for school aged children.

Flash forward a few years later and I found myself with another co-author. This one was a bit closer to home and happened to be my teen-aged daughter. She had an idea for a book and between the two of us many hours of brainstorming later we had a series in mind. With the first book written in a little under six months (and another 18 months of reviews by readers and professionals) we were ready to go to print! Our first book signing was set up and we both were speaking, jointly at a conference. It was an exciting time for us and her books outsold my curriculum 2-1. Three books in the series later we had thousands of books in print and the books are in their third printing at this point.

You could say I have experience with self-publishing, co-authoring, and publishing other authors. The above two authors were not under contract, both were verbal agreements. I had a great experience with them and still do, even though my friend is deceased. Her heirs now receive her royalties. I quickly learned this was not the way to do business and I have legally contracted with other authors every since. My attorney (Susan L. Spann) does a wonderful job in providing a fair contract that meets all of my needs and those of my authors.

I was extremely blessed to live through those two co-authorships unscathed. I would highly recommend a clearly delineated contract. Here is a quick check list in the event you consider working with a co-author:

1. Plan on splitting the royalty evenly.
2. Clearly explain each person's job.
3. Decide who will handle the tasks of publishing if you are self-publishing.
4. Decide who will handle obtaining an agent or publisher if looking for a royalty publisher.
5. Decide who will obtain speaking engagements.
6. Sign a contract before you begin that clearly states your royalty split if you plan to do #3 or #4.
7. Split any type of costs such as an editor, mailings or printing.
8. If one of you decides to be the publisher, make sure you receive at least 10% more for the subsequent expense and work (this is optional but highly recommended).
9. Decide who will handle publicity, or contacting or hiring a publicist.
10. Set time-lines and deadlines for all of the above.

One thing I've learned if there is a squabble over whose name goes first on the cover I'd be cautious. The rule of thumb is alphabetically, but it really is up to the two of you to decide. Beware if one author's name goes first the publisher will want to keep it this way through subsequent works even if you are the one doing most of the work. Co-authorships have been called marriages without love and that is possibly true. My experiences have been positive but then my personality is such that I tend to get along with the majority of the people, and I don't sweat the "little stuff"...

I will be interviewing co-authors, Donna McCrary and Sherri Holbert, both professional life coaches who have joined to write the book DIVA's of the Divine. They will share their experiences with the audience and much more about the writing and publishing process. I hope you'll join me live, if not the archives are here.

You Can Make Money by Writing Articles

2010-07-19T06:12:00.000-04:00

Oh sure, authors are known to make upwards of one dollar per word or more for magazine articles. But, don't take out the calculator just yet. There are many ways to cash in on your writing ability. While it is true you can market and re-market your work to various periodicals, create sales, and make this your new career, for those looking for residual income or perhaps a full time job, this will take hard work.

Why write magazine articles? For the experience. I was published long before I wrote my first book. In fact I was a "regular" in the editorial page at our local newspaper. Once one of my "pieces" was the editorial of the week. When the newspaper employee called asking for a picture to include with my article (and I declined), I knew my words were able to convey feelings and make my point.

In order to write good articles, you must read and research. What magazine do you want to write for? What type of articles do they publish? Do they publish freelance authors? Knowing how and where to begin, will go a long way to formulating your plan.

Lists always help me. Especially when I take the time to read them! They help me stay in focus and make difficult decisions. There is not only "one" right-way to market your articles. And even if there were, following any plan perfectly is difficult. Understanding what is and what is not acceptable will help you land that article assignment. The goal of becoming a published author is well within your reach.

So here is a list of the do's, don'ts. The insider tips. The real scoop for creating articles that will help jump start your sales!

Do's
1. Research very clearly what a magazine wants in terms of articles. Read many issues (not just one) and get a feel for the editorial needs of the publication. Make sure they accept articles from non-staff writers. Note the length of the articles, and the tone of voice. First person or third?
2. Some magazines ask for queries (a pitch of your idea) first, others want the full article. Give them what they want.
3. Think outside the box. How is your article better, different, insightful and or use interviews with quotes to support your information within the body of the text.
4. Write down the date that you submitted your article if you haven't received a confirmation in 6 weeks, send an polite email query as to the status of your work.
4. An article is not necessarily a one time sale. Some magazines ask for first rights, others allow reprints with the correct notation. Don't waste the time of the editorial staff by shopping an already published piece unless it is significantly different or updated with new information.
6. If you article has not been accepted within at least six months shop it somewhere else.
7. If you are submitting to an editor, make sure it is the correct person. Newspapers? It is better to call the newsroom and ask who takes submissions. Websites sometime include information on how to submit an article.

Don't
1. Submit an article that is riddled with typos.
2. Submit an article to more than one publication at once (unless multiple submissions are acceptable).
3. Submit the wrong kind of article that is off in style, tone or topic for a specific publication.
4. Constantly bombard the acquisitions editor with emails asking for confirmation the article was received or whether or not it has been accepted.
5. Use a poor submission service (especially for online services) that take inferior articles.
6. Place poorly concealed ads in order to sell other services and products.
7. Don't rewrite someone elses articles and call it your own. Yes, many people may teach similar concepts but there have been submissions that have smacked of plagiarism.
8. Don't Address your article to the incorrect person, or misspell the editor's name!
9. Don't expect the "big bucks." Sometimes the payment is free magazine copies, or a very small stipend. Chalk it up to experience and something to put on the resume.

Make sure you have a compelling pitch (this is a topic I will write about another time) and the explain your ideas for the possibility of a two or even three part article series. Magazines are looking for quality cohesive pieces and who knows... it could land you a full time job as a feature writer! The best of both worlds is to be a participant on a freelance authors group. Discover these listings on Yahoo by searching under "groups". I'm on a group with a specific periodical I write for on occasion. The editor of the magazine uses this as a way to throw out last minute assignments or requests for a particular magazine piece. Another editor I know has used an email group to ask for a particular "themed" piece for the magazine.

Two of my recent submissions have been chosen as feature articles. This was unplanned on my part. So how did this happen? My article was timely, exactly what the editor envisioned and while needing editing (yes, for you punctuation gurus I know, my blog posts need work in this area), the editing needed was minimal. The second article was a filler for someone else who had dropped the ball and turned out to be something the editor wanted to highlight in the upcoming edition.

If you know a friend who is an editor, have them read over your work before submission. You want to be known as the writer that needs little editing. Do your homework and do it well. You will be happy with the results in the long run!

Being a Quitter Feels Great!

2010-07-15T10:24:00.000-04:00

Why do the words "I quit." have such a negative connotation? Perhaps it is due to the finality of the statement or perhaps the emotions tied into the line. There is almost a sense of doom, a foreboding like some poorly scripted movie. You know something dire is outdoors. If you didn't the music would give it away. And, everyone in their right mind knows NOT to go OUT there! The threat is real, yet the actor ignores it and in real life, I did as well.

In some ways, I consider all of these reasons real threats to the word, and for those of us who are loyal to the end . . . I'm guilty of that . . . Quitting = Defeat . . . and I am not a loser!

Yet, I am quitting and in the process of quitting more and more as I kick back and reanalyze my life.

Being a high achiever, pushing myself to the limit, self-imposing deadlines--I either make, or I stay up to the wee hours to accomplish the task have finally taken their toll. My hobby, passion, joy has become a druggery and now I'm rethinking my life. For the lack of a better term, it is a defining moment and what I realized is that I *can* do everything but I *choose* not to!

I began "working" my business seriously a little over one year ago. It was a great hobby, a pass-time really, that was profitable. When I jumped in to bring in some real income I did so squarely, with two feet and I have not stopped running. I accomplished.

What?

1. Finished managing my fledging website for educators to monetize their seminars and added tracks for business people and entrepreneurs.
2. Finished my online membership mentor-training course for authors. 1. For authors on how-to books and (soon to launch) 2. For authors wanting to write fiction. Currently active
3. Taught over thirty webinar classes with interactive slide presentations to hundreds of people including students and adults.
4. Wrote and maintained this blog, one for a woman's networking group, and my own publishers blog
5. Began to be more active on FaceBook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
6. Began and maintained a weekly broadcast for authors.
7. Took on a select group of paying clients to mentor with their book or publishing projects.
8. Launched two new books.
9. Worked with publicists as a copy editor.
10. Ghost writing for an entrepreneur.
11. Took on another publishing company with 100+ titles and am in the transition of transferring those books into Media Angels titles.
12. Rewriting and Updating my book, Information in a Nutshell: Writing and Publishing
13. Signing on another author for the series
14. There is more (yes really) and now you get the picture.

I became a member of a local networking group that only required two meetings per month. That looked doable, I enjoyed the group, made great friends and found I could contribute. I wrote a weekly blog on social media and networking. I helped others with their blog posts, taught social media classes for the women in person (three classes in Naples, Cape Coral and in Ft. Myers), was asked to teach a class on LinkedIn to the NAWBO (National Association of Women Business Owners) and did. . . and then came the one-on-one. You meet and learn about other women, their businesses and decide if you like them and their companies enough to promote them when you meet others who are in need of their services. With me so far?

My twice a week turned into many hours per month on top of a very full and busy schedule. My passion was being shoved to the bottom of my to-do list while I took on this very real life social-networking time. I participated in about 1/8 of the activities offered, yet the time involved took it's toll. Do I regret the time? Absolutely not. In fact, here is what I gained:

1. Some wonderful relationships with smart business women.
2. A new book keeper (go Dena, she is awesome!)
3. A new graphic artist (go Sandi, what talent!)
4. A new web master (go Shelly, you rock!)
5. A new life coach (go, Karen Z., you inspire!)
6. A new beauty consultant (go Karen, you're a gem!)
7. A new photographer (go Stacy, you're amazing!)

I also learned I can not do anything half-way. I am a 200% driven person. It is my nature to be passionate about a topic (or not) and if I am passionate, watch out... I give it everything. Add loyalty to the equation and you have a person who can self-implode. Thankfully I have a wonderful family, loving husband, Jeff (it will be 31 years this August), and great friends.

When I began my coaching sessions with Karen she asked me what I do. That is such a loaded question that she kept asking (and rightly so) for clarification. Her parting line was, and I paraphrase...When you find what you are passionate about, and give it your focus, you will find the success will follow. I can not be passionate about everything, or so you would think. While not a cheerleader in my younger days, I am definitely a cheerleader in real life.

I cheer on other authors and clients.
I cheer on other entrepreneurs.
I cheer on my family...children, husband, extended family.
I cheer on my friends.
I cheer on the children of my friends.

I motivate, I excite, I am fired-up and ready to go!

And, here comes the punch line. When you do everything, and do it consistently well, you *think* you are handling everything and when you find you are *not* it is time to stop blogging about it and time to take action. Here are the indicators that your life needs change. Your list may be different than mine... but this is what really happened to me.

1. You won't look at your to-do list.
2. You won't write your to-do's on the list because it looks overwhelming.
3. You decide not to go into your office anymore and work from you laptop from anywhere but your office.
4. You take your laptop to kids sporting events.
5. You answer emails, read facebook, post to LinkedIn groups rather than get your work done.
6. You stay up late to finish projects that must get done.
7. YOUR ARE NOT HAPPY AND DREAD WORK

So, I realized things had to change. I began adding "fun time" in my schedule.

Work in the morning. Swimming with kids 1:00 today
Friday: Sister-in-law Jodie, visiting with the girls, Sanibel, beach...fun, lunch. Check. Scheduled.
Etc.

Work is now tempered with family, break time and fun. I can accomplish but feel that I can take a break and still be productive. Another great thing happened. I began finishing projects and they were squarely crossed off the to-do list. And... the hardest? The one I've been thinking about for months, but could NOT do? I began quitting.

I had the opportunity to join three more local networking groups. No, not happening.

I am an "at large" member of the Networking Group I was previously a member of (okay, I know... but, slowly, okay?)

I resigned from the networking group's blog posts on a regular basis, and I'm not giving the last two presentations I was slated for...all with the blessings of the leader, Joanne, (thanks girl! You rock!) She knows and understand my heart.

Now is the time to put the list into priorities! And get rid of the baggage.

I Quit. And, I have never felt better!

Magazines begin with the Idea

2010-07-12T08:36:00.000-04:00

I've written my share of magazine articles and newsletters. In fact my first newsletter was over fifteen years ago, printed on large paper at the printers and folded at my home with a crew of people for our hundreds of subscribers. What a chore and what an expense. Of course we sold products but basically we broke even for many years until I ended the subscription process and began giving it away for free.

The free model worked for me and the publication went down to four issues a year. Then came the Internet and email. Wow. Now we could email newsletters. But, there was a problem. Not everyone had email and if they did rarely did they know how to access a newsletter.

Full speed ahead into the present day and we find newsletter overload, everyone has email even young children, and access to the internet is as close as your cell phone. Therefore, the information overload has come and no one wants to subscribe to a newsletter. What about magazines? While there are still periodicals being shipped via mail these are big companies for the most part. And, by the number of magazines on the shelf at the book stores and libraries I can see they are still alive and well. Or are they?

Recently I answered an offer to receive free magazines for one year. The ploy? Get you hooked on a magazine in order to subscribe to it in the future, and show the advertisers the tremendous "growth" in readership. Therefore, I am sure, charging a premium for the ad space. It works in terms of obtaining new subscribers. . . to an extent. Out of four magazines received we will subscribe to one. In analyzing the magazine models I've noted a common thread.

Magazine Models:

1. Multi-Ads and Articles and Photos
2. Some Ads and Articles and Photos
3. No Ads Only Articles and Photos

One successfully popular magazine I follow has an abundance of ads. When this company began the stapled copy, printed on cream colored paper with black and white photos and text, was delivered to my home for free in a manila envelope. Accompanying the magazine were many fliers and brochures for companies that fit the demographic interests of the readership. I was invited to send a flier to the editor for inclusion in their next publication. The flier I was told needed to include a discount offer. Training the customer to expect discounts is the major push of this publication. While I am not a fan of this type of marketing it was widely successful for the editors and they now have full color cover, ads and many other products that tie into the overall theme of the magazine topic.

In the next several weeks I will interview two magazine editors. They have specific goals in mind for the authors who submit articles as well as the goals to grow their audience and subscribers. Both of these magazines are niche specific. It will be interesting to hear how and why they began their endeavors and learn of their success.

Do you have a success story? Perhaps you submitted an article for publication that was accepted. Please share your information or frustrations with me. Perhaps I can help!

What is Your Claim to Fame?

2010-07-06T06:00:00.002-04:00

I never aspired to be a famous author.

Although my goal as an educator was much more lofty. It was to become principal of a school, inspire teachers and students and change the world through the educational system for the better. In reality I taught in the "system" for two years, found my renegade teaching practices landed me in hot water and several trips to the Principal and Assistant Principals office (I kid you not.) where I was told a file was being kept on me. I quickly quipped, I too was keeping a file on them.

My not so illustrious career ended after two years and with the wonderful news that I was expecting a child. My husband's career was skyrocketing so it was a good time to stay-at-home, hang up my teaching shingles and turn my interests to my passion, reading. Life's twists and turns always land us on our feet if we remain positive, focused and take a while to kick back and refocus, when there is a need. This is a time as a Christian to seek the Lord, but I was too young, brash and "knew it all" back then. While I prayed I figured that was "bothering" God.

I found I enjoyed writing, took several mail-order courses (this was pre-Internet days) and enjoyed the time with my baby and my writing imagination. Once the rejection letters rolled in I decided it was time to once again regroup and study to learn more about writing.
Currently I find myself in the instructor mode. While I have seventeen books to my credit I enjoy finding ways to improve my skills. In my quest to learn from experts I've networked locally, online and read my share of blogs. After seeking, I decided I wanted to talk to those "in the know" and those with a "claim to fame" and even those who are aspiring and those related in some capacity to the writing and publishing world.

I began my RADIO SHOW FOR AUTHORS as a way to inspire and educate. I have not been disappointed other than a few interviews that did not turn out very well. In order to be invited as a guest for an interview, I ask the author to teach the audience something of value. Either from their experiences of finding a publisher or agent, self-publishing, or perhaps about their writing experiences in general. And as an added bonus, some authors happen to be wonderful teachers of the elements of style, characterization, setting or plot. One author shared how she researched to find deep-secret information that even the CIA questioned her about, for her novel. These interviews and more are archived on the Writing and Publishing Site.

Everyone's claim to fame is different. Not that anyone consciously thinks this through, but I've had some wonderful guests that I believe are on the "Hall of Fame" list. One was Turner Publisher the top Independent Publisher featured in Publishers Weekly Magazine or perhaps an author with over 100+ books... Some books are best sellers, some have sold 10,000+ copies. Many authors are humble, and then there are "THE AUTHORS" those with one book wonders or the "attitude". . . "I've written a book."

I'm not that kind of author and if I ever become one, please let me know. Please. While humility is a virtue I don't have to work on it for the most part. I'm a klutz, even my "tennis pro" teacher, and aging lady who had long ago played at Wimbledon, once asked me to NOT tell anyone she was my instructor. Maybe it was because I told her I played because I liked the clothes. When it comes to writing I think I know my stuff. It has taken years to hone my craft. Some are naturals and perhaps you are one and your learning curve will be shorter. Whatever your passion, keep at it and keep learning. Then you can email me and share your claim to fame with me, and perhaps we can plan an interview.

How Do You Spell O-V-E-R-W-H-E-L-M-E-D?

2010-06-29T06:00:00.002-04:00

That's it. I've had it. Enough.

I would say that I quit, but being self-employed poses a quandary. It isn't so much the work load, the overflowing desk with everything screaming, "Me First!" at the same time, or the to-do list that would be buried if I hadn't automated it with those annoying reminders. The problem stems from saying yes to many projects and having them require my attention all at once.

So what is a harried person to do when quitting is not an option? Well, blog about it of course and then when it is out there for the world to see changes must be made. Seeing where the fault lies or understanding the cause does not help when you are in a bind. What is called for are the big-guns. You know the kind you pull out when you are sick of the mess and the troops (a.k.a the kids for those of us with them) or the cleaning service is marched in and ordered to come to the rescue. Since the word overwhelmed is the theme of the day, I decided to see what the acronym could garnish in the way of help for me, and perhaps for you as you carry on with you life.

O ...Obstacles

The first order of the day was deciding I had too many objects on my to-do list for a normal mortal and I decided to find an assistant. After I found one (and a great one at that) I obtained a company (tish-tish we are not discussing this right now...all in good time...another time....after the ink dries). Therefore I found I had relieved my work load in one area and added to it in another.

V ...Virtual Assistant

I decided to hand the new business to the virtual assistant and she has been an amazing asset and things are purring along somewhat. Other than a few hiccups and an overload of emails to my already overloaded in-box things are moving along well, except I'm back to Square One.

E ...Eager

When I am busy my brain goes into overload and somehow with the adrenalin rush, my brain cells are in full gear and I have an outpouring of many ideas and projects I'd like to tackle, but all I can muster is a reminder line in my "Ideas" folder. If you do not have one begin today.

R ...Restoration

Last week, by providence I had a migraine and subsequent headaches. Life happens. After a nice vacation of restoration...for a few days, and after many hours of sleep I had the rest my body craved and I found I lost more hours that I could not afford.

W ...Weaknesses

I am NOT a perfectionist but I am true to my word and many of my words have remained unfulfilled which brings me to the next word...

E ...Energy

In a burst of energy to get all things done today, I have made a small dent in my IN Box and my To Do List. I'm feeling better already

L ...Lessons

I've learned I can not be so hard on myself. I ask as much or more of myself as I do of others. In fact, I am far more patient with other people. Therefore if a project will be delayed, so be it. I am not going to stress about it...today.

M ...Management

I am on a new path, that of a person who is healed of being overwhelmed. I can not and will not let the to-do list overflow again. Currently there are many changes being made behind the scenes and time planned for those big projects that will take my full attention not a few minutes here and there. Managing my time and getting the work load lessened is the fix of the day.

For me the vision is clear and finding a clear path where I can step one foot before the other moving forward and not back is the goal. I'm finding relief in the little things. I "make" myself go swimming each day, I stop and enjoy the sunset, I eat dinner while the food is still warm and other things that most people take for granted.

When a twitter post was answered it really hit home. My post said something like, "It's Saturday evening, the family is watching a movie and I'm working!" and I had several messages asking me about the movie title. I had no idea. I was upstairs in my office working and they were downstairs!

Authors sometimes live a lonely life, but there is good news! I still have my sense of humor and I enjoyed blogging about it. When all is said and done, there is no other profession I'd rather have than that of being author.

Writing Fiction: Dreaming with My Eyes Open

2010-06-21T10:33:00.000-04:00

by Mary Beth

When we were at the beach a week and a half ago, my husband Curt had two of our kids outside swinging. "Daddy," my youngest said as she soared high on her swing, "I can dream with my eyes open!"

Curt thought he knew what she meant so he probed a bit to find out if he was guessing right. "Are you dreaming right now?" he asked her.

"Oh yes!" she said.

"What are you dreaming?" he asked.

She proceeded to tell him an elaborate tale about knights and kings and princesses and dragons. And, she pointed out, it was all happening in front of her eyes even though she wasn't asleep. Curt later told me this story and smiled as he said, "She's just like her mama!"

I admit. I dream with my eyes open a lot. While I am running. While I am driving. While I am washing dishes or sitting still. As I told someone recently: I am never idle and never bored. I get to go places, meet people and live adventures. Who cares if the places, people and adventures aren't actually happening? They are to me.

Novel writing has been a great extension of the dreams I dream with my eyes open. I get to tell the stories that entertain me and hope they entertain others as well. I love the possibilities that lie in front of me as I spend time this summer investigating ideas and fleshing out characters, determining what my next steps will be, my next novel-writing adventure will be. The world of storytelling is filled with potential. New ideas wait around every corner, hiding within the "What if?" question most writers are very good at asking.

I love dreaming with my eyes open. My life is all the richer for it.

MaryBeth Whalen is passionate about her Lord, her family and her writing. She is an author of fiction and non-fiction titles. Her first novel, "The Mailbox" has been released and she is working on her next two titles.

You can find more information about her here as well as her ministries page: http://www.marybethwhalen.com

MaryBeth's is a Proverbs 31 Ministries speaker.

Taste Testing: A Forum for Fiction Authors

2010-06-14T06:00:00.000-04:00

by Brenda Layman

I don’t write a lot of fiction, but I enjoy it immensely. Fiction lifts us out of our daily life and transports us to any place or time that an author can imagine and create. My writing is usually short, direct, and if I have done my research well, useful. The kind of writing I am usually paid to do is like the ham sandwich in the lunch bag. Fiction is the cream-filled cupcake.

A good ham sandwich is a valuable thing. It’s filling, and it provides the protein and carbohydrates that enable us to tackle an afternoon’s activities. A good cupcake isn’t strictly necessary, but it sure does make lunch more enjoyable. That, I think, is the role of fiction. It makes intellectual life more enjoyable.

That said, it is clear that I admire the pastry chefs of writing, those cupcake bakers, the writers of fiction. I love their mysteries, their comedies, and even their tales of terror and woe. They create new worlds of wonder; they entertain; they entice; they enthrall. They deserve our admiration and our support. Theirs is often a lonely existence, as they sit before their keyboards, deep in the narratives they wrest from their imaginations and render, characters still wriggling, into print for readers to enjoy.

The purpose of Fiction Writers’ Platform is to give writers another place to communicate. It is a place to share, and to elicit comments and suggestions for improvement. It is a place where those cupcakes, so delicious and still warm from the oven, are offered for tasting. Is the crumb delicate, the filling rich and satisfying, the frosting smooth and appealing? Is the recipe right, or does it need a bit more or less of some ingredient? FWP is a safe, free place to try out literary concoctions. I love to sample them, and I thank the authors for sharing them.

About Brenda:

Brenda Layman is a free lance outdoor writer who lives in Ohio with her husband and photographer, Mark. She is the Feature Writer for Hunting & Fishing at online magazine Suite101, and is a regular contributor to Ohio Valley Outdoors and Pickerington Community magazines. Brenda is a member of The Ohio Smallmouth Alliance, and she edits the organization’s newsletter. She is a member of The Outdoor Writers of Ohio and The Ohio Writers Guild. She published several articles over the years, but began writing in earnest after the death of her daughter, Carol. As a writer, her response to the tragic event was to put her emotional struggle into words. Her journal became a book, Song of Joy, a Guide to Recovery from Sorrow (AuthorHouse, 2006). The book is available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and can also be purchased as an e-book. Writing and publishing her book led Brenda to join The Ohio Writers Guild, where colleagues encouraged her to pursue writing about her passion for the outdoors. This led to her present career as an outdoor writer. Brenda is also an experienced public speaker.

What to Do When Life Doesn't Go According to Plan

2010-06-07T06:00:00.001-04:00

by Debbie Taylor Williams
www.debbietaylorwilliams.com

Author of: The Plan A Woman in a Plan B World; Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion; If God is In Control, Why Am I a Basket Case; If God is In Control, Why Do I Have a Headache?; Prayers of My Heart, and others.

Do you have a great idea for a book? Has God stirred your heart about a topic on which to write? Do you have the perfect title? If so, congratulations! You may be on your way to writing the next best seller. But what if you walk in a bookstore and see the title already on the shelf? What if you have the book, but not the “speaking platform” required by many publishers? What if another author steals your idea and sells the book you thought God had given you to write?

Let me assure you, all of the above can happen. Our best Plan A can quickly fall through a crack. When that happens, what can we do? What should we avoid?

1.    Recognize that our worst nightmare may be the crucible from which our most inspired writing comes forth.
2.    Fall on your knees before God. Praise Him as Sovereign God. Praise Him that He knows the plans He has for you and that they are good. Confess your trust in Him and His best for your life.
3.    Seek God’s will and how He wants you to move forward.
4.    Acknowledge that God’s ways are higher than yours. Trust Him.
5.    Defuse any “land mine” thoughts that could maim you and your relationships with others.

Land Mines to Defuse
1.    Bitterness. The number one cause for depression is anger. God teaches us, “Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity,” Eph 4:26. If anyone had a right to be angry for being wrongfully treated it is God the Father and Son. When our plans as writers fall apart, it is not the time for us to fall apart. Rather, it an opportunity for us to work out what God has worked within us: Christ in the Holy Spirit. Carefully and cautiously we must take hold of the bitterness in our heart and hold it from us, as we would a poisonous snake. “Do not give the devil an opportunity.”

2. Fixations on the Past. As writers, we can forlornly look at what “should’ve been, could’ve been.” Rather, we must fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy before Him endured the cross, despising the shame,…” Heb 12:2. In others words, we must recognize how looking back can be a land mine. Certainly, Lot’s wife would warn us, “Don’t fixate on the past.” You may not turn to salt if you keep looking back, but your heart will certainly become hardened if you don’t keep your eyes fixed on Jesus.

Are there disappointments when plans don’t go as we expected? Of course! However, God still has A+ plans for your life. Seek His face. Defuse dangerous land mines in your mind that can harm you, others, and the cause of Christ. Experience the good works and plans God has for you.

Authors at Work No Matter What the Occassion

2010-05-31T12:24:00.000-04:00

As an educator I loved to proclaim, "You can take the teacher out of the classroom, but you can't take the classroom out of the teacher." This case was reinforced the other evening at my son's championship playoff game, by one of the other player's mom, a teacher. (In case you wonder, their team, the Diamond Backs came in No. 1 in the Rutenberg League playoffs).

In the stands, a little boy who was wearing one of the newest arm band fads, was challenging his mother. (Baseball can be boring when they keep replacing pitchers.) There was a dispute about what the arm band represented. He said it was a cat and she said it was something else. My friend quickly raised her hand and shouted in an authoritative voice, "Oh! Oh! Kindergarten teacher here! I'm an expert at this," and she definitively proclaimed the arm band in question was a skunk.

There was no dispute.
She knew.
She was a teacher.
She was the expert.

I laughed so hard over this exchange. My friend, with her New York accent, has such personality! In this same way, we authors are vigilant always keeping our eyes and ears open for a story, a line in a story, or perhaps a character, you can be sure my friend, the kindergarten teacher may appear in a future novel of mine. And we either store the information away for another time, or if wise we jot it down somewhere it can be found. I keep a mini-notebook with me at all times for just such an occasion.

I've noticed successful authors have a plan that works for their specific needs. I recall an interview with one author who wrote a book, taught a writing class, took a writing class and then the cycle began once again. In my case I find that once I take a break I tend to have a hard time going back. I took a one year break after my last series of novel with my daughter and it was three years before I penned, the Information in a Nutshell: "Writing and Publishing." I've taken another writing break to work with other authors but the three year mark will soon approach and I'm planning my next series of fiction and non-fiction books.

Do you have a plan? Do you have a goal? If not your writing career is sure to become stagnate or even worse never get off the ground. By keeping a focus you may find yourself deviating from the set plan but a least you have an end in sight. Taking a break for some may work but for others, myself included I find the years can quickly slip away. I can easily justify the break in my writing career by explaining my focus at the time was marketing. Currently, I am on the track back to the path of writing.

Even when taking a break, an occasion may present itself that will ignite my writing brain cells. Know your goals, your limitations and by all means, keep writing!

Getting Publicity on Radio Shows

2010-05-24T06:00:00.003-04:00

Guest Post by Author Francine Silverman

We all want publicity. It’s free and often results in a positive outcome.

As an on-line publicist for about 180 authors, I focus on getting my clients radio spots so that they can publicize their books and expertise on the air. Radio hosts need guests and are more receptive to pitches than newspaper editors – of which there are fewer and fewer these days.

However, with the dearth of information on radio websites – especially regarding show theme and guest criteria – it’s anyone’s guess what kind of guests hosts want. For this reason, I decided to write my book, Talk Radio Wants You: An Intimate Guide to 700 Shows and How to Get Invited (McFarland & Co. 2009), which retails for $75 and contains everything a potential guest needs to know before contacting a host.

To make the information more affordable, I followed the format of the book to create ebooks in business, health, self-help, sports, entertainment, politics, parenting, food and travel, men and women, and relationships selling at $12 to $20. These are shows I discovered after my book went into production, include both Internet and on-air programs, and feature show theme, name of host, guest criteria, email, phone (optional), website, best method of contact, and where aired.

When I started my on-line publicity service, I began by pitching newspapers, and while I did get two clients into national newspapers, it was an uphill battle. But when I began pitching radio hosts, I was astounded at the responses. Only then did I realize how desperately hosts need guests. If this doesn’t convince you, how about the thousands of hosts who responded to my questionnaire to be in my book and ebooks? They completed the form because they want guests to learn about their shows.

The jury is out on whether radio interviews help sell books. On the one hand, you read about how, before they became household names, Wayne Dyer and Scott Peck started out as authors. When Dyer’s first book was published, he filled his station wagon with copies and headed west to do as many radio shows as possible. The book ultimately became a best seller.

Peck also began by doing three radio shows a day to help sell his first book, The Road Less Traveled, which was on the best seller list for 12 years.

On the other hand, unknown authors express a mixed bag regarding their radio interviews. Some report that they sell copies with every show they do, while others complain that radio interviews fail to move the audience.

I always respond that we don’t know who is listening and if nothing else it gives us a chance to talk and answer questions about our books. Moreover, the host will often tout the book and author’s website several times during the interview. They want to present their guests in a good light and are happy to promote them.

For information on my publicity service, book and ebooks, please visit

http://www.talkradioadvocate.comTalk Radio Advocate

Using a Tag Line

2010-05-16T06:00:00.009-04:00

The importance of a tag line can not be underestimated. This was brought home recently at my son's Little League baseball game. These games can drag on. Only if you've sat on the sidelines do you understand. In order to keep the team spirit going, the kids tend to chant some type of encouragement to their buddies up at bat. Sometimes it makes me laugh, smile, and other times I would be very happy if they would sit in silence.

The game was going, and going, and going...as usual. The coach had decided to trade out the pitcher once again, and we were all waiting for the warm-up to end so the game could commence. Once the batter was up in the box, the team players began their chant. It went something like this... "When I say Hillshire, you say 'Farms'... Hillshire..." (The team yells) "Farms!" and then the entire team yelled, "Go Meat!" This refrain continued . . . "When I say Hillshire, you say Farms, Hillshire!" "Farms!" "Go Meat!" Over, and over again the kids yelled. Sitting in the stands the parents looked at each other, smiled in recognition at the commercial tag-line. My younger children began giggling at the silliness.

What does a cold-cut commercial have to do with Little League baseball? Apparently the kids thought "Go Team" is similar to "Go Meat." I guess. The point is kids are sponges. I'm sure most of us watching the commercial (if you watch television) remember things we wish we wouldn't. The commercial industry knows this about our psyche. They have spent thousands of dollars on research and while we may consider a commercial an irritation, these little kids proved the money was well spent.

Let's look at this commercial's effectiveness:
1. Use of a simple tag line.
2. A chant that was easy to remember.
3. A "cheer" for a company product, in this case, "meat."
4. Tag line doesn't make sense, therefore we tend to remember it.

When I first heard the commercial it bothered me, because "meat" can't "go." And, you cheer for people, not meat! In fact each time I heard it I would think of it as illogical. The entire tag-line was being embedded deeper into my mind. When the children chanted this everyone in the stands, on both sides of the team heard this, and whether or not they were familiar with the commercial they would be more aware of it the next time.

Tag lines are very important.

"Can you hear me now?"

What do you think when you hear a tag line? If you think of the company or how it is different than the competitor, that is the key. How about this tag line? "Using Words to Enlighten, Uplift and Inspire." No, it's not mine, it belongs to Stacy Hawkins Adams. She is a prolific author of fiction and non-fiction. Her tag line fits her mission. Her work. It is clear, strong and does what any good tag line should, nudges you to learn more. I have the privilege of interviewing Stacy on my Radio Show for Authors.

What is a tag line? A tag line is also known as a slogan. The purpose is to convey a message. Whether it is about the company, a type of business or the individual. Many authors are known by their names which often appear in a larger font than even the title. A name tells you "who" but it doesn't tell you "what." If you are not as well known, what message do you want to convey? This is something you should give special consideration.

Good tag lines are:

1. Short
2. Catchy
3. Convey an idea
4. Implies more than it says
5. Will be repeated
6. Describes a value proposition
7. Includes key words
8. States your brand
9. Is clear
10. Is remembered

I think my mother had it right when she said, "Garbage in, garbage out." Think about it the next time you work on your tag line or when you are sitting at a Little League baseball game.

Writing a Book

2010-05-03T14:13:00.003-04:00

Guest Blogger: Author Mel DePaoli

Before I even considered writing a book, all I heard was “You have to write a book!” Then those same people would continue on with all of the reasons to actually write one, or reasons they think are important. To me, the reasons they gave sounded decent but were not strong enough to make me YES!
Looking back, I think my biggest reservation was that I was completely revamping my business. So putting a book together seemed like another thing I had to figure out. I felt I couldn’t write about what I hadn’t figured out for myself. So that became my hook!

I created a benchmarking process for companies to go through. They would be helping me with my research with real data to put together a process for my business and I would promote their participation. It was a win-win situation—until things started. There was a big learning curve on everything from how to gather the information, what to do with the information all the way through to presenting it. Here are a few lessons I learned and ways to make your process run smoother.

•    Clearly define your process: This will take time and be modified as you learn what does and doesn’t work for you. But make sure you clearly spell out what their required obligations are and what you will provide for them and when. When is extremely important! At first I tried giving the companies perks throughout the process, thinking I was dangling a carrot in front of them. What I learned was that they would participate until they got the perk they wanted (and it wasn’t always the most valuable one), then they would disappear. So I withheld all perks until all requirements were met.

•    Gather all information upfront: At first I simply relied on the companies saying they met my criteria. I soon learned not all of them were telling the truth and I had a hard time remembering which company was which. To solve this problem, I put together a comprehensive company profile that became a requirement. Implementing this also became a challenge. At first the companies would put this off because they didn’t have time for paper work and I would be stuck chasing them for it. After a few instances, I made it a requirement that the profile had to be filled out before we would schedule the interviews (or move onto the next step). This solved almost every problem I was having.

•    Who to interview: Before you approach interviewing someone, clearly define the information you are looking for and identify who is going to convey that to you best. For the information I was looking for, I needed personal answers from the owner or CEO, the CMO, and the HR Director. When I interviewed a smaller company that outsourced HR, they asked if a mid-level manager would do. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but this piece completed and made my process more accurate. It became the checks and balances process that I was looking for!

•    What to ask them: I started with a base of eight questions and ended with 15. Each interview I did revealed a gap that I had not seen before or one that I did not know how to fix. Adding questions was not what solved the missing information problem I was having—changing the order of the questions did. Seeing how people responded to the flow of questions allowed me to put them in an order that helped the people I was interviewing want to open up to me. Also, made sure to end every interview with “Is there something I should’ve asked but didn’t or anything you would like to elaborate on further?” This question revealed insights I never could have imagined.

•    What to do with all of that information: Knowing I would have a lot of information from the beginning, I recorded every interview. I made it known to the companies that the recording was for my use only. Making sure every person I interviewed understood that was vital, as some people were not willing to open up until after I explained what I was going to do with the recording. While I did keep everything digital, I found that for me, I needed to have my notes and the company profiles printed as well. Next time, I will invest in having the interviews transcribed, as it will make gathering quotes and finding specific information much easier.

•    Organizing the book:Honestly I ignored this part as long as I could. I suspected I would end up profiling a few companies in detail, but the economy had another idea. As the economy changed and I was no longer able to consider profiling companies in detail, I took another look at my notes and discovered that strong prevalent trends prevailed. I was aware of them before, but was not considering them as ‘topics’ or ‘chapters’. Once I thought about them like this, the book wrote itself.
I hope these lessons learned help make your process just a little smoother. There will be bumps in the road, but if you are quiet and look at what caused them, they normally reveal the solution as well. Good Luck!

Visit Mel on her website here: http://www.contractorsdoingitright.com/

Are Platforms Important for Authors Before Launching a Book?

2010-04-28T06:00:00.002-04:00

Most authors will tell you that the publishing industry has undergone a dramatic transformation over the past few decades. Like many, publishers are having to work with less, considerably less actually. Smaller staffs, online competition and the current economy all play a significant part in how publishers are interacting with authors today.

For authors and writers, this means that it’s truly up to them to harness the power of marketing and public relations in order to develop a solid platform. In essence, a platform is an author’s base of potential readers that view that author as an expert in their field, niche or subject matter. From speaking engagements and networking opportunities to traditional and online media presence, constructing a platform with these components is more important now than ever.

Today, publishers have considerably tightened up their purse strings and rely on authors to do much of the promotional legwork. As a result, publishers spend a fair amount of time examining an author’s platform to determine the type of following they have and if they’re worth taking on as a book project. Outstanding creativity and superb writing won’t do much in terms of a publishing contract if your platform is nonexistent.

Having a well-rounded platform in place is proof that an author has positioned himself/herself as the best possible candidate in a pack of thousands. However, platforms don’t happen overnight. They require time, dedication and hard work. Whether an author is sending out press kits or participating as a guest blogger, platform promotion is a major commitment that shouldn’t be taken lightly.

Some authors may decide to hire a professional to assist them in building their platform. Working with someone who’s knowledgeable and who understands your objectives is essential. An author’s platform is what showcases their accomplishments so take some time when choosing a professional to collaborate with. Ask around and do your homework to make sure that you’ve got the right person in place to cultivate an outstanding platform and help you reach your goals.

When establishing a platform, authors need to set realistic expectations and believe in themselves. The literary field is becoming increasingly more competitive, which is precisely why building a platform is central to the success of any modern author. There’s no time like the present. Putting together a platform strategy and executing it is the first step in rising to the top.

Leili McKinley s a sought-after speaker, social media coach, internet marketing expert and branding specialist. She has been interviewed by CNN and featured on Conversational Marketing. An award winning entrepreneur, Leili has built and sold two multi-million dollar companies and is currently working on a third. The Small Business Administration, The Colbert Foundation, and The Maui Chamber of Commerce have honored her and she is a SBA Entrepreneur of the Year Award winner. An in-demand speaker, Leili travels the world to address audiences on search engine optimization, online marketing, branding, pay per click, web analytics, email marketing, web design, blog design, website usability, ecommerce, social media and more. Leili's dynamic training and coaching sessions-both in groups and one-on-one-transform people, companies, and organizations. develop a solid platform. In essence, a platform is an author’s base of potential readers that view that author as an expert in their field, niche or subject matter. From speaking engagements and networking opportunities to traditional and online media presence, constructing a platform with these components is more important now than ever.

Branding: Importance for Authors

2010-04-26T06:00:00.053-04:00

I attempted to unlock my car after a grocery trip, only to find the lock would not budge. I kept pushing the unlock button. Nothing. I pushed the lock button. Nothing. Okay, a bit strange but maybe the battery died. So I went to insert my key into the driver's side and nothing happened. I then called my daughter for her help. She quickly found the same thing, no button clicking or key insertion into the door lock would unlock the stubborn car door!

I pulled out my cell phone ready to call my husband. Why didn't my key work? As I rounded the back door of the car and looked at the bumper, I quickly realized my mistake. Have you guessed the problem? If you guessed this was not my car, then you are correct. I couldn't believe it! I sheepishly looked around to see if anyone was looking and thankfully my error went unnoticed. I quickly scanned the parking lot and found my car in a parallel space, one aisle over.

The car was identical to mine except for a bumper sticker. I don't have bumper stickers on my car. That brand or logo is what saved me further embarrassment from calling my husband and having him drive the ten minutes or so away. Of course I told him the entire story upon arriving home and we all had a good laugh. Branding helps to identify a personal object or a person.

As a child whenever we traveled by plane, my mother tied a red ribbon to the handle of our suitcase. It was easy to spot as it circled the baggage carousel. Our suitcase stood out from the crowd. And, come to think of it, she tied a red ribbon to the rear view mirror of our car as well. You never know when this might be important! These little identifying marks allowed us to quickly find our suitcase and our car! Funny how I had forgotten this until today.

When an author begins the process of writing a book a seasoned author will remember his or her brand. If the book is too far off track, she may reconsider writing the book. I often pass off book ideas that won't fit with my brand. With a name like "Media Angels" the emphasis is the Christian market. Brand...Logo...Identification. The three go together.

The ideal is to develop brand loyalty and an understanding that your brand contains quality, reliability and even dependability. So, how do you develop a brand or mark? With planning and focus. There are those who specialize in creating a "brand" such as a publicist or media specialist. These people focus on the strengths you possess, your literary gifts as well as your target market or focus. In this way your brand will appeal to the market demographics you are attempting to reach.

Of course you can do this yourself. Making your brand original, eye catching and one that conveys what you do is essential and a trademark of a good brand. You can test the market, ask your existing customers for input or if you are a brand new author, think about what you want your brand to mean.

Here are a few questions to ask:

1. Will my brand pass the test of time?

2. Will my brand be for a single product or a product line?

3. Can I sell my brand or is it "me"?

4. What is my target group and will my brand reflect their needs?

5. How will I implement this brand in my work? Will it become a book imprint or perhaps the brand of the entire company?

There are many more questions to ponder, but these will get you started on the right path. Remember that your goals and emphasis may change over the years and there is nothing wrong with changing your logo or brand purpose to encompass a larger segment of the population. Keeping true to the original purpose of my company, supply quality books and curriculum to the Christian market is still my goal, yet I've expanded my market to developing a line of Information books as well as those that would focus on Parenting. Whatever your goals there is no time like the present to begin.

Publicity for Authors

2010-04-19T06:00:00.068-04:00

Many authors only want to write. They have a book idea, they finally get the book written and then the hunt to find someone to publish the book. Perhaps they decide to publish on their own, or opt to obtain an agent. Once the publisher accepts the manuscript, the author's real work begins.

There has been a shift in the way publicity is handled now that the internet is a way of life. Blogging, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn are all important facets of the marketing process. In this way you can interact with friends and their friends and the viral word about your book will begin to spread all in time for the big-book launch.

For some authors the process may seem overwhelming. In fact, they may not be able to deal with the day-to-day hastle of blogging, tweeting, facebook interaction with friends, etc. That is when a publicist becomes invaluable. These behind-the-scene advocates for the author work tirelessly to get the author in the news, set up speaking venues and handle their social media concerns. A publicist can do as much or as little as an author desires. Many offer custom packages.

My first interaction with a publicist, Kathy Carlton Willis, came when her firm found my Blog Talk Radio Show http://www.WritingandPublishingRadio.com. Kathy's very capable assistant contacted me about a group of their authors, offering several for my show. They asked me to chose the best fit for my show's purpose. In order to appear as a guest on my show, I ask that authors teach my audience something about the process of becoming an author, or something about the process of publishing. It can either be a difficult journey as an author, some area where they excel, for example writing plot, character or perhaps for a non-fiction author interview skills.

I was able to interview four authors during the same month, all with the same publicist. I had extremely high listens for the weeks when these authors appeared on my show. I was pleased with the results. There was an increase in the number of listens over my normal count by 400+ in two weeks. It was a group effort, but knowing how to publicize helps.

Not all publicists do their jobs well. If you are considering retaining a publicist I would highly recommend that you conduct your own interview, ask for referrals, and contact some previous clients. Make sure your goals mesh. For example if you are interested in obtaining a speaking platform, doing book signings and conducting interviews make sure your publicist can arrange this for you. When in doubt ask. Being on the same page is always a good thing!

John Kremer : 1001 Ways to Market Your Books

2010-04-13T11:12:00.001-04:00

Okay, I admit it I'm a fan. When I interviewed John Kremer on my blog talk radio show, for authors I confessed, and he took the complement graciously. I explained that it was due to his book that I attribute much of my success. I have successfully self-published since 1994, and now work with many authors publishing their books under the Media Angels®, Inc., imprint.

I first read the sixth edition of John's book, "1001 Ways to Market Your Books" on a family reunion in North Carolina.

Everyone else was on a trek to view the mountain falls close up, while I was very happy to view the lake, and mountain view comfortably from the deck of our hotel. There I was, with my littlest son, and my book on marketing. I had been writing and publishing for a few years at this point, in a niche market, and the thought crossed my mind to expand this market into the schools and libraries. I had no idea where to begin and this book, this great resource, was able to answer all of my questions and all the others I didn't know I had!

I am a book purest. I’m coming alongside the eBook revolution very quietly although I am kicking and screaming inside. The idea of a wonderful book in my hands brings a smile to my lips. And, I would never in one-hundred years even contemplate turning down the page corners of any books in my personal library, which easily numbers over a thousand titles. Yet, John’s book broke all my carefully laid guidelines.

In fact I had to take some pictures of his book to show you.

You can see the pages are somewhat faded with age, written upon…

And, the corners are well… I really don’t know what I was thinking at the time. Was the kite-fold really necessary?

When an author begins writing, very few have a mind for marketing. Of course there are the exceptions, such as a friend, Eric Reinhold, author of the Ryann Watters fantasy series for children. Eric is a business man, a financial planner, and knows how to market. Not only does he have three books planned for the series, he has hopes for a movie to tie in with Mount Dora's 100 year anniversary. Mount Dora is the location of the book, a real place in Florida.

For the rest of us, just getting the book written is a huge undertaking. Many of the aspiring authors I work with begin to panic when I outline an underlying marketing plan to work toward, as they finish their manuscript. There are several choices according to John, one is to hire someone to market and publicize for you and the other is to do it yourself. I opted to do it myself and found the information I needed in John's "1001 Ways to Market Your Books".

What kind of information? Let me recount what this book did for me, personally:

1. I saved over $1000.00 on the print run of my book Information in a Nutshell: "Writing and Publishing" by using the printer information in John's book and website. I was able to obtain printing proposals; comparison shopped and asked my local printer if they could match the price. In this case the print run was large enough that they said, "Yes!"

2. Learned innovative ways to market, by including specific information that helped with sales. For example, the authors of book titles I mentioned in my book, mentioned my book to others. In one case the self-published author with a typical print run of 10,000 books, mentioned me in her “Digging Deeper” section. My sales soared.

3. Learned more about niche marketing, in my case the focus was on a particular group, and using my educational skills. I offered to speak to small groups, parent groups and state conventions. I taught workshops to adults and hands-on science workshops to children.

4. Marketing seasons: I found information about the best times to release books and tying this into what his happening locally. A great example is the one by Eric, mentioned above. John gives the author many ideas about how to tie this into your overall marketing campaign.

5. A book promotion time-line that is second to none. In this list, the author knows when to market and publicize and the order that it becomes the most effective. This is worth the ticket price of the book, in my opinion.

For the rest of the points you will need to listen to the radio interview I conducted with John. I am embarrassed to say that the interview went over the prescribed one hour. We clocked in at 90 minutes of excellent information! He was unselfish and generous as he continued to answer without an eye for the clock, and explained such marketing gems as the importance of a good front cover, testing the market, and building relationships.

You can learn more about John Kremer from:
Website: http://www.bookmarket.com
Group Discussion on his “Ning”: http://bookmarket.ning.com/
He has over 5,000 members, and I am one.

Happily, Blog Talk Radio selected this show as one of Today's Top Picks!

The link for the radio show interview is: http://www.writingandpublishingradio.com.

You are always welcome to join the live event; every Monday at 3:30 ET, in order to ask the guest questions in “real time”… this interview was as much for my listening audience as it was for me. John has the experience of over 25+ years in the industry, and this interview reflected just the tip of his knowledge. Thanks John, from all of us who have profited from your research, time, energy and knowledge. I thank you for writing your book.

Seminar for Authors: Must Know Information

2010-04-06T23:27:00.002-04:00

Recently I was explaining to a friend that I couldn't make the lunch date we had tentatively scheduled since I would be hosting several webinars for authors. She asked for more information and I explained I would be teaching authors great techniques about writing and publishing in order to jump-start their book projects. Then, my friend shocked me with the following question:

"Why would you broadcast this information when you make money by "fixing" other author's books?"

Wow, very good question. I had not thought of that...

I guess I am such a "teacher" at heart that I am the happiest when teaching others the inside track of all things related to writing and publishing. It's not brain-science, nor does it take a multitude of degrees. What it does take is some organizational skills.

Can you take notes?

Can you make lists?

Can you follow directions?

Good, then you are invited to take this course. How much? Right now it is free to the first twelve people to sign up after that it will go on sale, on my video website, http://www.ScholarSquare.com

Here are some details for log in information go to the Media Angels website

Where? Webinar Live Online

When and What?

Session One: From the Editor's Desk, Thursday, April 8, 2 p.m. EST

Session Two: Before You Write: Plan! Thursday, April 8, 3:15 p.m. EST

My co-presenter will be Bethany LeBedz an author who will explain what an editor looks for when your document crosses her desk. I will present a class on taking your idea from inception to a working plan.

The next sessions will take place the following Thursday, April 15, when my guest will be communication expert, JoJo Tabares.

When and What?

Session One: Communication Skills for Authors, Thursday, April 15, 11 a.m. EST
Session Two: Ten Things Authors Must Know, Thursday, April 15, 12:30 p.m. EST

Log in information can be found on my website at Media Angels.com

Publicity and Book Marketing

2010-04-05T15:12:00.000-04:00

And so we begin April as the month of the publicists and book marketing experts. I will be interviewing four people this month who understand the publishing industry and know how to make the most out of your advertising dollar. Some of these experts are authors and others know the industry, inside and out. Getting the word out about a new book or product is very important, and the hope is that the advertising takes the form of social media viral “buzz”.

First let's look at the definitions of the terms publicity and marketing. Both appear to mean the same thing. The idea is to be noticed in order to find someone to purchase your books. Simply, publicity is local or national media coverage such as newspaper, magazine, or print reviews in the form of interviews or book reviews. It can also mean radio or television interviews. Today this definition is expanded to include media coverage via blog promotions, blog tours, or podcasts. Publicity is free exposure for you, and you gain notoriety in the form of the coverage. A press release is a good way to help shape your image and busy media outlets appreciate the help of a well worded synopsis of your book, photograph and bio.

Marketing on the other hand takes many forms. It can be paid advertising in order to present your product to the masses and is a direct approach in order to obtain sales from consumers. Marketing allows you to word the ad or hire a professional to write one for your use. This can also be the tools such as business cards, postcards, book marks, websites, pay per click ads, and other resources to use at book signings. Marketing can also take the form of author blog posts, and social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

I have interviewed many authors who have hired a publicist for their book promotions and were very happy with the results. Publicists are not cheap, yet if they obtain the contact and publicity you hope for, they are well worth the money spent. As with anything publishing related it helps to have a goal and share this with the person you hire. Do you want to travel and speak? Do you want to be paid for your speaking engagements? Do you desire bookstore book signings? Or, would you rather speak from a telephone at home and talk about your book project?

Can you successfully promote your own book? Yes, it does not matter if you are a first time self-published author or you are an author with a traditional press. You can promote your own book, all it takes is time. There are many resources and guides available and we will discuss this on the broadcasts on my radio show, this month.

Here is the upcoming line-up:

April 5, 2010 Marc Grant: Mentor Equity Press http://www.MentorEquityPress.com
April 12, 2010 John Kremer: 1001 Ways to Market Your Book: http://www.bookmarket.com
April 19, 2010 Kathy Carlton Willis: Publicist http://www.kathycarltonwillis.com/
April 26, 2010 Leili McKinley: Branding for Authors: http://www.leilimckinley.com/speaker/

Real Life: Writing What You Know

2010-03-29T06:00:00.005-04:00

You have heard the saying, "Write what you know," and I have heard entire lectures revolving around those words. Some say it is a misnomer and you can write whatever you want now that the internet allows you to research at a click of a button. Others say for a first book it is very important to be knowledgeable and your work will reflect this knowledge.

I agree that writing what you know makes it much easier to write a book for a first time authors. If you are grappling with research, test marketing chapters of your book to family and friends, and trying to write a book while juggling your normal job activities, or home, it can all be overwhelming.

In these types of discussions there is always an exception to rule. For example, a first time author writes a best selling book, and obtains an agent and publisher on the first try! Yes, these things do happen, yet for most of us writing and all that goes along with publishing takes hard work. Knowing your subject matter will allow for the learning curve to be a bit smaller.

When my daughter, Christina and I wrote our first novel, I had several failed attempts and a stack of rejection letters to show for my previous efforts, way before she was even born. I attempted my brief foray into writing a best-selling-novel (I never think small), when I was first married and at home with my new baby. After leaving the teaching profession, I was hungry for some type of brain stimulation. Babies are adorable (I've had five), still I wanted something to strive toward. A magazine article caught my eye, with an enticing well written ad piece (of course), about trying my hand at writing in the form of a home study course. (It was a Readers' Digest Course). I was immersed in education all of my life and I loved to learn. I would have been very happy taking writing classes, but at the prodding of the instructor I submitted my work.

It was inevitable that the rejects came, and I was prepared, but it did not lessen the hurt. I sent out a few more and then decided, like any other good life-long learner, that I needed to learn some more. So, began my adventure in reading anything I could get my hands on that taught additional writing skills, techniques, and success stories. Oh, and did I mention I once owned nearly every volume of the latest Writers Market?

Then came my lucky break, a speaking engagement, and then another, and another. Until, the prize speaking engagement, a state convention. I needed a book and fast! I decided to use my teaching skills and pull together a book on the topic of teaching science. It was a hit, currently is in its fifth edition, and was chosen, along with seven of my other titles, in the coveted book on 100 top picks for curriculum. Which brings me back to the original point. For this author, it helped to write what I knew. I taught science successfully in the home and was able to translate my story from complete aversion of the topic as a student, an educator and homeschool parent, to enjoying the subject immensely.

It was five years after my success in self-publishing that my daughter asked me to teach her to write a novel. This was outside of my success scope and so I tried to put her off. Eighty or so pages of typed text reflecting no instruction on transitions, dialogue, setting or plot resulted in a crash course on teaching her to write a fiction novel. We were ultimately successful and upon her entrance to college she had completed three novels. Book number one and book three were set in Florida and in locales we knew well. [I now publish another author's workbook, Susan K. Marlow, on teaching children grades 2 though 8th fiction writing, "Reach for the Stars: Young Author's Fiction Workbook"]

Another success story are radio show guests, the Youngs. Hal and Melanie have a passel of boys. And so, they decide to write a book on bringing up boys, "Raising Real Men." Three of my five children are boys and I can attest that the Youngs know their topic well. They could have written about their daughters, but they are still very little, and the Youngs did not feel they had the experience to write a book on the topic. If you are interested in the interview, they will be featured live at 3:30 ET on Monday, March 29th. If you are reading this after the fact, you can still listen to the replay in the archives on the Blog Talk Radio website. I am looking forward to the interview, where I will ask some of the not so obvious questions, such as, "How did you write a book with a houseful of kids?" among others that are more writing specific to keep with the theme of my show, "Education for Authors, no matter what stage of their writing journey" ... sorry once a teacher always a teacher!

Here is the link for the radio show. Hope you'll join us, or subscribe to the RSS feed

and download the mp3 to listen to later.

http://www.WritingandPublishingRadio.com

Am I a Book COACH, or am I a Book CONSULTANT?

2010-03-24T06:00:00.000-04:00

Okay, so what is the difference? It is all about semantics. As an author you would think I'd be very discerning when it comes to using words. In fact, words are the engine that drive an author's ideas, without them an author would be well, not an author! So, what am I talking about when I say that I am a book consultant and not a book coach? In fact, why would I shun the word that appears to be the buzzword for those who help other people?

There are life coaches, finance coaches, book coaches, author coaches, business coaches, publicity coaches and, of course, athletic coaches, but then there are consultants. Business consultants, book consultants, author consultants... okay, I'm sure by now you get the picture. The bottom line is you use an expert (a.k.a. the "coach" or "consultant") to help you in whatever area you need help.

In my experience a coach can do marvelous things for your career. They learn about you and your needs and they work on the whole picture, allowing you to understand, via self-awareness, which direction you need to go. A knowledgeable coach can work in many areas and is not necessarily industry specific A good example of this is a life coach. I have used life coaches (and blown more than a few away with my wacky and busy life!). These fine people have set me straight and we have worked toward my goals, and here is where I believe the problem lies.

If you are a business owner, and knowledgeable, you have a definite idea of your goals, even if they may be haphazard, and that is where you can learn the value of a coach; they can think you through the process, effectively aid you in coming to decisions, and basically join with you, pointing you forward toward meeting your goals. That is where I part company from coaching.

As an author with a vested interest in "success," a term we can banter around until the end of time, the definition will be different to each of us; I have very goal-oriented ideas about what is involved in the publishing process, and the needs of an author to become published, especially if I am the one with the vested interest and the dollars to match. I consult with my clients, express my viewpoints, and make suggestions they are free to take or leave. I ask well- pointed and specific questions and garner from their responses the direction they should take to bring their book projects to completion.

So, what are your thoughts on the matter? What are the differences between coaching and consulting in your opinion? Does it really matter?

Book Author = Success

2010-03-23T06:00:00.003-04:00

What does the word, "success" mean to you? Everyone has a different interpretation. When you couple the word success with the topic of becoming a book author the word takes on a new meaning. For some, becoming an author is a lifelong dream. For others it is the complement to an already successful career. And for others, it is a passion something they had to do in their life to be complete.

Success for author, Twila (pronounced with a long "i") Belk, is anything she does in God's timing. I interviewed this amazing lady today on my radio show and it was refreshing to talk to this energetic and highly motivated woman who loves her job. She is the author of one book that she self-published, "Gotta Get 'Em Fixed," a spiritual humorous book filled with wisdom and inspirational gems. She wrote on note cards, the backs of an envelope and anyplace she could when inspiration hit, yet never found the time to actually sit down and write the book until foot surgery required her to be seated for her recovery.

It was time to clean out her purse, Twila revealed and write the book. Her journey took her to a writer's conference where she chanced to meet the legendary Christian author, Cecil Murphy. The author connected to Cecil and he asked her to stay in touch via email which she did for a short time until she began doubting her really meant it. Another two years and another chance meeting with Cecil led to a reprimand for not staying in touch and soon followed with a job offer. This offer not only saved her financially, but gave her cause for celebration. She was doing, in her words, what she was created to do!

These days Twila is the lady behind scheduling, keeping things on track, book marketing strategy plans, publishing contacts, event planner, back cover copy author, blog writer, radio and press release contacts and so much more. And, she does this with joy. We joked that before the interview the assistant needs an assistant! I spoke with Twila's very able personal assistant who set up this interview for her.

Twila is so busy with Cecil's career she does not have time to promote her own book. Yet she doesn't appear to mind. She plugs along happily telling anyone who will stop and listen about all the wonderful things the Lord has done for her, which is why she is known as the "Gotta Tell Somebody" Lady (and her website matches at http://www.gottatellsomebody.com).

Twila is also in charge of the Quad-Cities Christian Writers Conference coming up soon. http://www.qccwc.com If you happen to attend, tell Twila I said, "Hi!"

When do you Start Marketing Your Book?

2010-03-17T06:00:00.001-04:00

Guest Blogger

Carol White

When I can "have it my way" - which isn’t often - I prefer to work on the book at least 6 months ahead of the pub date – I know, “but my book is coming out next week!” - you really need that much time to get the marketing/distribution/pricing plans together.

You need to apply to distributors, get their paperwork done, get their sales team representing your book to the chains, the chains place their advance orders, you know how many to print and ship to them, they have to get them in stores - all prior to your pub date. If you aren’t going to use a trade distributor, how are people going to get your book once they know about it? You have to be able to answer that question; and the answer isn’t “from my website” – most people will not buy from an unknown website by an unknown author.

Speaking of websites, a website is another activity that should be done as early as possible - you can use it to begin creating advance buzz for your book, have a media room where the media can learn about your book (cover art, pictures from the book, pub date, etc.) and a place to post your media coverage as it comes in. You can post your Table of contents, a sample chapter, do a blog, and so on - lots you can do to start building that platform waaayyy ahead of the book.

You also need your publicist in place with your media kit to do pre-pub reviewers 3-4 months minimum before pub date (required time), get early copies out to large magazines with long lead times, and then when the time gets closer, do newspapers, blogs, websites, and short cycle magazines. If you don’t hire a publicist, then you need to do these activities.

WHEW!!! See why it takes 6 months? Oh - and YOU have to follow-up on all this to maximize the impact.

My motto: No follow-up = no results
Get your book really ready by following these steps:

1) You need a distribution strategy (whether POD or off-set - just the logistics are different) - how sad is it to create great buzz - and you don’t have your book anyplace where the trade and consumers can get it for your anxious buyers.

2) To engage a trade distributor or even a wholesaler (assuming you are doing print runs) you must have a written marketing plan for them.

3) You have to make sure that your product is top notch - or a publicist won’t take it - their reputation is on the line with every book they recommend to their media contacts. That is what you are really paying for - who they know and how effective they are at placing your book for publicity.

4) You have to make sure that your price is competitive with other books in your genre or no amount of publicity will create the sales that you expect.

5) You need a good media kit for the publicist to use as a basis for the publicity she/he will create for you - or you can pay the publicist or another marketing professional to do that work for you.

Of course all of these steps are predicated on your goals for your project, the amount of resources (time & money) you can devote to your book and any constraints that your life situation imposes on you (don’t want to do live appearances or maybe radio terrifies you, etc.).
So give your book a chance – start early and plan your marketing just as carefully as you planned your words on the page

Carol White is an author, speaker, writer, and book marketing coach. In addition to co-authoring the best selling, award-winning book, Live Your Road Trip Dream, Carol is a frequent guest speaker at conventions such as the national AARP Life @ 50+ and The Great North American RV Rally. She is also a published writer for magazines and websites and has spoken about publishing to groups including IBPA’s Publishing University, the Northwest Association of Book Publishers and the Bay Area Independent Publisher’s Assn. She has an active book marketing consulting practice that includes both domestic and international clients. www.carolwhitemarketing.com

Marketing Your Book and Yourself...Again, and Again

2010-03-15T06:00:00.002-04:00

I have the pleasure of interviewing some wonderful people, and one recurring theme I have found is they all know something about marketing. You know, I’ve often thought it would be handy to have an MBA degree. Seriously, I know of an author who went back to school to take marketing classes in order to understand how to move products more effectively.

However, I think the paradigm has shifted and the wave of the future will include more virtual marketing than ever before. The idea is to let people know about your book, what other people have to say about it, and create a book-buzz encouraging people to part with their hard earned cash and buy your book!

Most of the latest information has not made its way into a book. Books on Internet Marketing almost become obsolete before they make it to the bookstore shelf. There are many platforms on the internet and finding one that works for you is the key. The platforms I’m suggesting are Blogging, LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. I am currently assembling an eBook on this topic for authors and may post some specific ways that have worked for me in the near future. I’m still tallying the results as to what works the best and what does not!

Do you realize if you master one of the “Big 4” online formats you will have a readily available stream of targeted clients and customers waiting for your next book or eProduct. In fact, a scant five years ago, no one would consider online marketing the wave of the future. Many of us (yes, myself included) considered eBooks non-books. Today you will find many best sellers released simultaneously in Hardcover, Paperback, Trade paperback, and eBook for many different eBook readers.

While I have trained my word processing software to stop flagging the word, “eBook”, there is no need to train the public to accept this type of product. People want to read it now and convenience, in the form of an eBook reading device, is the key. As the marketing trends catapult into the next century, readers will continue to improve as will hand-held technology, such as cell phones. Readers are nothing new; three years ago, my cell phone had one. What has improved is the ease of downloading new books and browsing the internet bookstores.

Writing goes hand-in-hand with marketing and keeping up with the latest trend will make you more effective not only as an author, but as a businessperson who wants to sell more books. What online marketing tips work for you?

An Agent...Deep Undercover Just for You!

2010-03-07T18:54:00.001-05:00

For those of us with a love for the Spy novels, the word "agent" evokes a mysterious, shadowy, deep-deep, undercover character, who is bigger than life, takes chances and will work tirelessly for a good cause. Other than the "shadowy character" part, a literary agent does much of the same thing for an author with a good piece of Literature.

An agent is a intermediate between the publisher and you. This is a person you will come to know, trust and rely upon for their understanding of the market and what distinct publishers are looking to buy. An agent has the experience you may lack and can help you obtain a better contractual deal than you might have obtained on your own.

Your Agent will...

Believe in Your Work
Find the perfect publisher
Work tirelessly for you
Encouragement to you
Obtains the best contract with you in mind
Works hard for their percentage anything for ten to fifteen percent
Is the mediator between you and your publisher and will help you solve problems

I will be interviewing Literary Agent, Elizabeth Pomada from Larsen Pomada Literary Agency

Be sure to join us for the live event Monday at 3:30 ET...or listen to the archives of the show here:

Writing and Publishing Radio

Getting "Into" Your Character

2010-03-05T07:35:00.000-05:00

Getting into the head of your character is what brings them to life. Knowing them intimately, writing a back-story (where they have come from), knowing the details down to their favorite flavor of ice-cream, or considering an abusive childhood creates realism. My radio show http://www.WritingandPublishingRadio.com guest, Virginia Smith shared some of her pointers on characterization as well as other tips for authors during our interview.

What you may not know about Virginia is her tenacity to become a published author. She received 143-rejection letters before getting her first contract. Most would have given up way before then. In fact, I stopped writing for ten years due to receiving a handful. She is truly an inspiration. She explained there is no substitute for studying the writing craft, taking classes, joining support groups and constantly learning. [I offer a weekly eCourse for authors on writing fiction here: http:// writingmembership.com]

http://www.virginiasmith.org

To hear the entire radio show go to: http://www.WritingandPublishingRadio.com

Here are some of Virginia’s tips:

1.    When writing about your character 20% comes from words and 80% from expression
2.    Relay body language
3.    People have physical quirks give your character one
4.    Invest in writing courses
5.    Attend Writing Conferences
6.    Study the craft
7.    Many more elements of a good novel in the interview

She also recommended good books among them ones on career steps and business negotiations, self-editing, and plot and structure.

I hope reading about Viriginia has motivated you to persevere in the writing and publishing process. As I tend to end my broadcasts, “Keep Writing”!

Do you have any particular struggles you have difficulty overcoming? Share them here.

Marketing Your Book Now

2010-03-01T06:00:00.003-05:00

Are you tired of hearing me talk about marketing? Shouldn't an author write just for the sake of pleasure? What ever happened to purity in an art form? While I like the idea of writing well, writing to spread a message, teach an idea or rally the troops (whatever your cause). I much prefer the bottom line to be black!

As a publisher it is all about the bottom line. Much as I hate to admit it. If publishers don't make money, they don't pay the bills, and they don't publish any other books. In fact those of us who have published, unwisely (putting a book out before we lay the groundwork) have ended up with hundreds of books they can't move, sell or give away at rock-bottom prices.

I have held all types of sales and some are more successful than others. Yet, if I had marketed correctly in the first place I could have saved myself the aggravation of wracking my brain to decide how I was going to sell the book! I once read a blog in which the author was giving away 100 books to 400 readers. The first 100 read the book and passed it on to 3 other people so that there were 400 readers in all It was an honor system. What a brilliant concept and before the publication of his book, he had many, many sign ups to obtain a copy.

There are all types of innovative marketing techniques. And...I'm looking for some! If you know about a good book marketing technique share it with us. In fact, I'll make the offer a bit "sweeter".

For the month of March I will pick one person ... this month to receive your choice of a free book Information In a A Nutshell and DVD, and/or a free 30 minute consultation. The consultation can be in the form of a chapter evaluation of your manuscript, talking over a book idea, or questions you may have about the writing and publishing process.

All you have to do to win is post a comment to one of the blog posts this month, and bring along a writing friend! (latter is not are requirement, but I'd love it if you did!)

Tension, Transparency, and Trauma : The Power of Personal Narrative

2010-02-24T06:00:00.000-05:00

Tension, Transparency, and Trauma :

The Power of Personal Narrative

By Shelly Beach
Shellybeachonline.com

Award-winning author of The Silent Seduction of Self-Talk: Conforming Deadly Thought Patterns to the Word of God (Moody Publications 2009)

The day I signed the contract to write my fifth book, The Silent Seduction of Self-Talk: Conforming Deadly Thought Patterns to the Word of God, was one of the most memorable of my life. Not because I envisioned the book launching me over new authorial hurdles but because I the thought of writing it made me want to stick my head in a bucket. I knew what writing the book would require of me—stripping down to my spiritual skivvies and walking down a virtual runway so the world could take a look at the mess of me.

Walking Around in Our Spiritual Skivvies: Transparency and Authenticity
It was a book that would require transparency, and I’d run from transparency all my life. Yet in order for me to hope to effect change for anyone else, I had to first be willing to share my personal journey authentically and honestly.

And while Silent Seduction was not written to be memoir, it required me to disclose the inner struggles of my spiritual journey I hopes of stirring readers down the path to their own journey. Since the book centered on the subject of self-talk, I wrote out my own actual internal dialogues that revealed my struggles with manipulation, control, power, self-protection, and self-promotion.

I really, really wanted to write this book under the name of the girl in sixth grade who called me fat. Bev. (You know who you are, Bev.) But God said, no. We’re only real when we allow people to see our struggles. My thought was that if this was true, my huge capacity for struggle blasted open doors for God to do his work.

Knowing When to Gag the Waitress: Restraint
When we’re writing memoir and narrative, as authors we also need to skillfully filter the scenes we include. Not every experience of our lives is important, and not every detail of even our important experiences is helpful to the reader.

In one chapter of Silent Seduction I describe an inner conversation I’m battling through as Dan and I are sitting in a restaurant. I’m angry and working hard at having a godly response to my husband. The most important elements in those moments were the things I was saying to myself, even though the waitress kept interrupting my tearful pout with offerings of bread, water, and even offering nonverbal encouragement as I wept into my beverage. Her presence would have distracted my reader, so I gagged her.

As authors of memoir and personal narrative, we must practice the art of skillful editing and gagging. Just because it happened doesn’t mean there’s value in the telling.

The Point of It All: Reviving with Humor, Pointing to Hope
All of my books, in one way or another, flow out of the experiences of my life. Many of those experiences have been painful: an attack by a serial rapist, my daughter’s sexual abuse, my near-fatal brain illness, a prodigal child, chronic neurological challenges, eight years caring in my home for dying parents. But all of my books are heavily doused with humor and point to hope in Jesus Christ.

My contemporary Christian novels (Hallie’s Heart, Kregel Publications and 2008 Christy Award winner; Morningsong, 2009 Kregel Publications) deal with death, alcoholism, forgiveness, and chronic illness, yet rely on humorous characters, conversations, and interactions to relieve the weight of the topics and give readers the opportunity to laugh and experience refreshment, even as they probe difficult topics. These novels flow from my desire to write about the “big questions” most of us ask in the toughest moments of our lives: Can God be trusted? Why does He allow suffering? Why do I have to forgive evil people?

The goal of off my writing is to communicate that in even the most painful struggles of our lives, we are not alone. God offers us a hope and a future beyond the circumstances we can see. My tagline is “Illuminating truth through story” because the motivating desire of my life is to help people know the Master Storyteller who brings purpose to not only our joy, but even our deepest pain.

Writing Sensitive Topics

2010-02-22T06:00:00.003-05:00

So you have a memoir, a tell-all saga, or a topic that might make common folk uncomfortable, but will help those in the same tragic situations. My guest, Shelley Beach has survived what most would consider a very hard life, but by the grace of God she can talk about it, bring in humor and share her success as an author.

There is a fine line in writing this type of a book. The line is crossed when the work turns into a dark-self purging memoir that won't pass the desk of the junior editorial assistant. Drawing from your experiences can bring pain in the process but if it is written with a joyful conclusion, or at least one where life lessons are learned and shared, the piece can become compelling.

So, it is not surprising that Shelley's latest book is, "Silent Seduction Self-Talk" Conforming Deadly Thought Patterns to the Word of God, provides tools for dealing with inner conflicts. Who better to write such a book?

I'm looking forward to the interview and hope you will join us.

Monday 3:30 ET February 22, 2010

Questions? Email me at felice (at) mediaangels.com with your questions if you can't meet us for the live event. http://www.writingandpublishingradio.com/

BTW if any of you need a great editor, Bethany LeBedz caught my misspelling of the word sensitive and kindly emailed and pointed it out! Email me for her contact info!

Contest Time!

2010-02-21T21:20:00.000-05:00

Let's have some fun, shall we? In typical information in a nutshell style here goes:

I am giving away products...

Grand Prize Winner: Free eCourse: Writing Fiction OR Writing Non-Fiction ... one year membership More info on the eCourse here:

http://www.WritingMembership.com

and a Free 4-Hour consultation with me, includes phone and or email

In progress or completed manuscript critique

Optional invitation to become a guest on my show WritingandPublishingRadio

Second Prize Winner: DVD and
Book Information in a Nutshell: Writing and Publishing
2- Hour consultation, includes phone and or email

Third Prize Winner: Information in a Nutshell: Writing and Publishing (the book)
1-Hour consultation, includes phone and or email

So, what do you have to do to win? That's where the fun comes in, you are going to help me decide the rules.

Click Here to Take the Survey! Help Me Decide.

Authors Know How to Write, Right?

2010-02-15T09:08:00.000-05:00

Authors just write, right? Hardly.

When we pick up a book to read we rarely consider the author other than perhaps name recognition. Oh, yes this is another Shakespeare, Susan K. Marlow, Jeanette Windle, Gail Martin, Kathi Macias, Candy Arrington, Sandra Glahn, Todd Bottorf, Cara Putman, Jocelyn Green, Shelly Beach, or Virginia Smith... These are some of the traditionally published authors I've interviewed on my radio show for authors: http://bit.ly/RadioforAuthors ... okay, it goes without saying I have not interviewed Shakespeare. Just checking to see if your listening.

Rarely do we consider that at one time these accomplished authors were unpublished. They were learning to write, honing their craft, perhaps taking classes and learning by trial and error. Are these people talented? There is no question the answer is yes. Are they motivated? Again yes. Writing is hard work.

One of my guests explained that she did things in threes, she studied some aspect of writing, she taught a class to authors, and then she wrote a book. She explained this kept her on the cutting edge of her craft. Others have shared they wrote a book and then studied ways to make it shine. For some there is an innate talent and for others sweat, determination and perseverance are the hallmarks of the work.

Don’t you want to know what makes an author tick? Don’t you wish you could sit and ask them questions that delve into the reason for their success? Yes, it is exciting to talk about the published work, where they will appear at book signings and perhaps the conferences they will teach. But more than that I want to know what makes their work shine. Are they adept at writing plot, setting or characters that you think of long after the book is read?

When I considered a format for my weekly radio shows, I used the same process as deciding whether I will write a particular book or publish a particular author. Yes, some of it is gut feeling, but even so I am in the business to be profitable so many considerations must be made. As an educator, I enjoy teaching others and so I decided this format, one of education would be the focus of each show. Whether it is a printer, a publisher, editor or author, each brings information to the broadcast. Things that worked, elements of style, do’s and don’ts and above all the success they have attained.

In my weekly radio broadcast, http://bit.ly/RadioforAuthors I often take notes as the authors share their inside-information with the listeners. I’m still learning and I’m happy of the fact. I enjoy asking questions and often these are not prepared ahead of time. I’m looking forward to today’s interview with Virginia Smith and will be posting what I learned from her later this week. I invite you to send your questions ahead of time to Felice (at) mediaangels.com or comment here. What would you ask a published author if you could? What are your struggles?

Relationships: All About Friends

2010-02-10T23:09:00.001-05:00

They say social media is all about relationships and I agree. This week my guest was Frankie Sherman and as I predicted we had a blast! I met Frankie's publicist via social media. When the firm sent me Frankie's bio the information contained her accomplishments (such as writing the book, "Why we need Girlfriends") but it also contained the details that she was from the south, and loved sweet ice tea. I in turn was born in New York, now live in the south, and love unsweetened ice tea!

While opposite in many ways, we are kindred spirits. She inspired me with her love for the Lord, her hard work and the attention to details. She was a choreographer for the Georgia Peach Bowl and the Florida Citrus Bowl Halftime Show. Now her stage is packed audiences waiting to hear her message that is laced with humor and truth. Just as she choreographed the half-time shows, she now works on her presentations. You can see a clip of her video on youtube from her website: www.frankiedsherman.com

Frankie has written a book that is a Bible study. This study is unique in that it focuses on the perspective of two Biblical girl-friends, Mary the mother of Christ and Elizabeth the mother of John the Baptist. Through this study you will learn that we all need someone to lean on, an ear to listen and most of all the strength that comes from the Lord to face all that we will in this life.

In receiving a copy of this book I was immediately engaged and hope to soon purchase a copy to give one of my friends in the hope that we can complete this study together. What a wonderful blessing to take a friendship, a relationship to the next-level. Closer to each other and to Christ!

In typical Frankie Sherman style here is her list of more reasons we need girlfriends...

Only our girlfriends understand-

Why we cry at weddings

Why we need 5 pairs of black shoes

Why a pack of M&M’s and a Diet coke is a balanced diet

Why hair spray is the 8th wonder of the world

And only girlfriends understand…other women.

Frankie also added these sober statistics...

1 in three marriages end in divorce

1-in four had been violently abused by a husband boyfriend-the person who told them “I love you.”

10 million diagnosed with clinical depression

1-8 have or will suffer from breast cancer.

We all need friends and sometimes friendship can be found in a book with a caring author. For those of you aspiring to be authors, think about the impact your book can have on another and write from the heart. That will surely inspire, and create a lasting impact in the lives of your readers. What a wonderful legacy you will leave the world. Thank-you Frankie Sherman for leaving your mark for future generations.

Great Book Title: Why We Need Girldfriends: Frankie Sherman

2010-02-08T14:33:00.000-05:00

A Great Book Title

by Felice Gerwitz

With the title of her new book, "Why We Need Girlfriends," Frankie Sherman has caught the attention of more than just one person. And, that my friend is the object of an attention getting title. In order to have a reader pick up your book a great looking cover and title is a must. Add to that a wonderful permise and you have the makings of a best-seller.

One of the perks if you will, of hosting a radio show for authors is receiving review copies. Frankie is my guest on the upcoming Blog Talk Radio show for authors in all stages of their writing and publishing career. If you are reading this post later, the archived version of the interview will be up for a few months. Click here to visit the site to download the mp3 or listen online: http://www.WritingandPublishingRadio.com

It helps when interviewing an author to hold the book in your hand, and as time permits to view the contents. This book drew me in not only because of the title, but because of the premise. It is a Bible study that focuses on the relationship between women and especially key women...Mary, the mother of Christ, and her cousin Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist. These are absolutely two of my favorite women in the Bible. I named one of my daughers, Anne Elizabeth (Anne was the name of Mary's mother).

When writing a book, don't let the title be dull and lackluster. Let it draw your readers in, realize this is not an easy feat. In fact, many authors labor over the issue of a title. In my own experiences of finding a good title, it either comes first...or comes last. I've also given the task to someone else, like a capable editor. My science fair book was named, "Science Fair Projects" for several years before receiving a major face-lift and another fifty pages and being title, "An Insider's Guide to Successful Science Fair Project." Which book would your rather read?

Writing...A Life of Trust

2010-02-03T06:00:00.005-05:00

by Cara Putman

The word of 2010 for me is trust.

Trusting God more in all areas of my life. And that includes writing.

Writing is a weird life...not very stable. We write from contract to contract. And sometimes the contracts overlap, like mine are right now, making life a wee bit crazy.

Other times, we're out of contract and wondering if and when the next one will come.

A perfect place to exercise trust.

Do I really believe God has a plan and will for my life that includes my writing? I say I do, but the rubber meets the road when I'm waiting for that next contract. What a great opportunity to develop more trust and faith!

So this week I'm working on two books: editing Stars in the Night for Summerside Press's new historical suspense line and writing a mystery for Guidepost's new mystery series. Both very fun projects that I've enjoyed. And the chaos continues until March.

Then I'll have time to finish a proposal, dream up new stories, and see what God has for me next.

Praying that you will find it ever easier to trust God in your life.

Learn more about Cara here...

http://www.caraputman.com

http://carasmusings.blogspot.com

http://www.facebook.com/cara.putman

http://www.twitter.com/c_putman

Blog Tours for Authors

2010-02-02T08:59:00.000-05:00

Years ago I created a Virtual-Field-Trips website for kids and parents to surf the net and learn from interactive, educational websites. Unfortunately, the site was hacked and while I was able to rebuild it in part, I ran out of time. I loved the idea of traveling virtually. No effort, no packing, no expense, no car sickness, and no kids asking the proverbial question, "When will we be there?"

Well, the idea of a Blog Tour is basically the same thing. You travel without leaving home! An author can use a blog tour as a platform to build momentum to coincide with a new book launch. It is a publicity tour for the book. What a wonderful idea! My radio show guest, Cara Putman, explained her success with running several for her newly launched books. I often take notes as I interview, and today was no different. Cara had excellent information to share. To listen to the interview go to WritingandPublishingRadio.com

How-To Find Blog Book Reviewers

Begin by searching for blog reviewers in your book genre. For example, you can search for:

"Historical Fiction Blog Book Reviewers"
"Christian Blog Book Reviewers"
"Mystery Blog Book Reviewers" etc.

Once you find the bloggers, look at their websites and read their blogs. Contact them to see if there is an interest in obtaining a free book for a review. Your blog blitz can be a one day, one week or one month tour. I had 100+ bloggers blog a review for the book, I co-authored with my daughter when she was a teen, Truth Seekers Mystery Series, "The Missing Link: Found." Some of those reviewers went to Amazon, Christian Book Distributors, etc., to post their reviews.

Ask the reviewers to contact you when the review posts. This is important for several reasons. Cara shared that when the blog is posted you should visit the blog and interact with those who post a comment. In fact letting the blog host know you will stop by to interact, is a good idea. More people may post a comment if they realize the author is coming to pay a visit. This makes sense, especially in regard to the idea of a "Blog Book Tour." In fact, not only will you be able to answer questions, comment on a post and direct them to your personal blog, you may sell some books.

Type of Review
The type of blog review can vary. It can be an interview, a guest blog post by the author or the typical, "this is what I think about the book" type of review. You may want to suggest your preference to the book reviewer, but use whatever method works best for you. Make their job as easy as possible by including as much information as you can, and if you have one include a press-release.

In fact, when I ask my radio show guests for a blog post the week the show airs I am sometimes surprised. Some guests send their posts in Notepad to remove all the "junk" associated with word files on most computers. All I need to do is copy, paste into my blog, and include a picture if they send one. Cara further surprised me by including all of the information in the body of the email including a link to her picture using HTML code. When I pasted the information into the blog post window and hit preview I was edified to see the finished product was perfect. The word "expert" comes to mind!

Follow-Up Via Email

Cara mentioned it is a good idea to follow up via email to make sure the blogger knows when the book releases, and hopefully with enough notice the Blog Book Reviewer will coincide the post within a few days of the release. This will create more "buzz" for your book. A follow up email is also a good reminder to post a review on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or CBD, or one of the other websites where you book may be for sale. Giving the blogger the list with a link of where your book resides on this website will save them time in having to search for your book, especially if you have many titles.

Will Sales Soar?
The jury is still out on whether or not you will see a major spike in sales by the Blog Review Book Tour. As authors what is important is publicity. Having name or brand recognition is the major topic of many author and publisher forums. How to become a household name is important in this industry. If you obtain this type of publicity and someone sees your book they may buy it based upon name recognition.

Either way, money can't buy positive publicity, and a Blog Book tour is one way to obtain this in a relatively inexpensive manner. Plan ahead of time, plan well and most of all be ready to send your thank-yous when the tour is over. If you keep track of those who were prompt with their posts you will have a basis for further tours in the future, with your next book!

Writing a book? It is time to get your book off the computer and into the hands of an eager reader! Felice can help you! She is the author of many books and the creator of a new series of non-fiction how-to the: Information in a Nutshell Series, "Writing and Publishing." See what author Dan Poynter says about her book here! Isn't it time you get a copy?

People Won't Read Books Anymore? Think Again

2010-01-28T00:04:00.000-05:00

And so the story goes... there was a man by the name of Steve Jobs who made a comment in the not so distant past saying that e-readers were going to fail because people were not reading anymore. When his prediction turned out the be false he did what all good business men do...if you can't beat them, join them. E-books are here to stay. In fact one source I read claimed ebook sales topped book sales for the first time ever. If I may add my own website stats, this year alone my ebook sales are 3-1.

A Hard Decision

I'm normally a computer savvy, tecky. I've owned many laptops before they were in. I own a netbook, mine is cream colored white. I have a wireless card for my computer so I can surf the net from anywhere with cell phone service. I've owned a computer since 1986 (remember the Commodore 64? For those who care 64 stands for K the amount of memory it had). Yet, I have a love-hate relationship with ebooks. I'm not entirely sure why. I like the convenience of e-books, but I also like to hold a book in my hands. Do I have an e-reader. No. I've looked at them but I'm still holding out. I'm not 100% convinced its the same, contrary to what all my friends who own them tell me.

Why e-books?

I want (need) it now.
I don't want to pay shipping.
I will save money over the cost of a soft/hard cover book

Why not e-books?

I don't like digital files
I have to print it out if I want to hold it
I like books with covers

As you can see I'm evenly divided. But then I'm in good company. Steve Jobs couldn't decide either. He's launched his iPad that includes the iReader, years after his competition. Well, Steve I guess we authors better get working. There is now another platform to turn our digital files into for your device.

I know, ebooks are here to stay. I just don't have to like it, do I?

Authors Only Write, Right?

2010-01-27T06:00:00.006-05:00

Enjoy this post by author and guest blogger, JoJo Tabares

By JoJo Tabares

I began writing when I was about nine years old. I was painfully shy and writing was an escape. In my stories there lived the witty, passionate and strong characters I wanted to become. Try as I might, in real life, I was withdrawn and unsure. I thought I might become a writer one day. After all, it was a perfect vocation for someone afraid of social communication. Authors simply write. They write their books. They write their editors and they write their fans, right? Wrong!

Writing is a business just like everything else. Authors need to discuss book deals with their publishers and details with their editors. Authors also need to promote! Yes, even if you are a traditionally published author, you are going to be sent out to do book signings and interviews. Authors who self-publish will have even more of the marketing responsibility.

You know what I found? I wasn’t the only shy author! I know several authors who chose their profession because they don’t feel comfortable in social situations. I know others who have grown accustomed to not being in the limelight and others who just aren’t sure how to handle all the speaking they have to do! Some authors know they are holding back their writing career, but they are just too afraid of speaking.

Authors don’t just write just as accountants don’t just deal with numbers. In any business, any industry, any job, you have to deal with the people you work with. The more comfortable you are in social situations, the better prepared you will be to succeed in your chosen field.

When I first started teaching communication skills, one of my students was incredibly shy. She had a difficult time even answering simple questions in class because she was so unsure of herself in social situations. She was a senior in high school then. As the semester went by, she very slowly began to become more comfortable with her fellow students, but remained quite shy. The day of the big speech came and she blew everyone out of the water! She came in, dressed to the nines, and gave the speech of a lifetime! Everyone was shocked, including me. She graduated and went off to cooking school. Several years later I received an emotional call from that student thanking me for teaching her how to speak in front of people. She related how much of cooking school and a chef’s career involved presentation. I had no earthly idea. That student learned a great deal about speaking that semester, but I learned an important lesson after that phone call.

Every job requires an interview, but everyone who sells their skill requires one too. There is a difference however. Whereas the interview to work at Joe’s Bar and Grill may only take place once, the interviews authors have take place on an ongoing basis. Each time you speak to your publisher about a new book, you are interviewing to get the job. Every time you do a book signing, you are being interviewed by your fans. Want to be a household name as an author? You have to be interviewed on radio, TV and by newspaper reporters!

So if you got into writing thinking you could live vicariously through your characters, guess again! If you are not comfortable with social skills or out in front of the camera, you should begin to work on that now or severely limit your success. It’s not as scary as it sounds and it can even be fun.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
JoJo Tabares holds a degree in Speech Communication, but it is her humorous approach to communication skills which has made her a highly sought-after Christian speaker and writer. Her articles appear in homeschool publications, such as Homeschool Enrichment Magazine and The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, which also endorses her Say What You Mean curricula, including Say What You Mean Defending the Faith. You can also find JoJo on web sites such as Crosswalk.com and Dr.Laura.com and hosting her weekly podcast, Communication Comedy Network. For more information on communication FUNdamentals and Christian-based communication skills for the whole family, please visit http://www.ArtofEloquence.com

An Author's New Years' Resolution

2010-01-24T07:15:00.003-05:00

New Year's Resolution: An Author's Plan

New Resolution:
Click the "publish post button on blog", so this will become published at the right time! Okay, I goofed. Now you know I'm only human!

Have you hoped to become an author? Are you working on a second book? Do you have a plan? The most prolific authors that I know are those who are well organized and have a plan.

If you have not considered writing one, today is the day!

Goals for 2010

Research:

If you are an author, research is your best friend whether you write fiction, non-fiction or poetry. Understanding how to write is half the battle of becoming an author. Having a well researched topic is also important. I remember researching England for a novel based in a country I had not visited. I have folders of information pertaining to the city, history and local delicacies. After my research I felt I had traveled there. Know your topic.

Education:

Do you know the essential steps for writing your book successfully? It takes much more than just placing your words on paper. Well, that does help! If you would like a course that takes you through weekly lessons, assignments and must-have information join my exclusive writer's ecourse here: http://WritingMembership.com You not only receive an ecourse you receive a private email to ask me questions, a writer's membership website full of writing and publishing information, and for a limited time, a free phone consult with me!

Hire a Consultant:

When I began writing my first book I had no where to turn. Writing consultants were not readily available and not at a price I could pay. I asked several of my friends who were published and while well meaning, their advice was spotty at best. Literary consultants come in all shapes, sizes and costs. if you are serious about getting your writing going, quickly this may be an option for you.

Felice to the Rescue: I am a consultant for those who want thirty minutes of my time or longer. It is affordable, email me at felice (at) mediaangels.com and explain your needs. I can design a customized plans depending upon your needs. I have been consulted to rewrite entire manuscripts as well as analyze a publishing company saving one customer thousands of dollars (all after a thirty minute phone call). Don't be fooled by publishing companies that appear to be legitimate publishers but in reality are vanity presses.

Read:

A good author in any genre is one who is widely read, or an expert in their field. I had the pleasure of reading an excellent manuscript by an aspiring author, who happened to be a relative. When I asked her how she was able to write so well, she shared that she had read over 200 books in her chosen genre. That is doing your homework! Her work reflected an understanding of the writing process.

Read good blog posts from authors in your genre, or those who understand the publishing process. Follow blog posts of publishers or agents. Remember to post on those blogs. Get known. I posted regularly on several blogs and when I emailed the person, they remembered my name because of blog post interaction. It helps.

Write:

This is what divides the professional author from those who are aspiring. Authors write. Aspiring authors talk about writing a book. Spend the time daily, or at least three times a week or more getting words down on paper. Schedule and give yourself a deadline. That is the only way I can accomplish my scheduled writing of blog posts, e-course lessons, or my own full length writing projects.

I did talk about writing, for about ten years. Even after I completed two full length fiction novels, I let the work sit after a few rejection letters. Even though these rejection letters included personalized comments (that is considered close, but not close enough!). Plan. Schedule, and do it!

Become Published:

Whether it is your completed book or not, you can become published. Write articles, write blog posts for your own blog or others. Get your writing known. Having a following on a blog post is a start. If you do not have a blog, it may be better to offer guest blog posts on other blogs. Do you follow any blogs? Make sure you post often, get to know the author, get to know the author's following, and contribute positively. In this way it will not come as a shock to the blog author if, at some point, you offer a literary piece as a guest blogger.

Send out our Manuscript:

As previously mentioned, you need someone to read your work. If you are writing only for yourself you have accomplished your goal. If you are writing for someone else to read your book, you have to get it off your computer and into the hands of someone whose opinion counts. This means someone other than a personal family member (unless that person happens to be a literary consultant!). Ask my daughter, a co-author on the Truth Seekers Mystery SeriesTM, if you want to know what a critique looks like! We received many of them with our first drafts, but that only encouraged the two of us to write better.

Market
Not sure how to begin? Read this blog backwards. Start with some of my earlier posts and you will learn what I call the ten most effective ways to market your book. You will find these techniques work especially well for first time authors, as well as veteran writers.

Start a Page on a Popular Site
Have you heard of Squidoo Lenses or perhaps HubPages? These are two websites and I am sure there are many others that allow you to become published. HubPages is a bit daunting as you are graded on the website based on an algorithm only known to the site creators. I was not happy with my first score so I tried harder the next time. Try you hand on writing with these sites, but don't stop there. In fact I was once tempted to post a HubPage on how so many talented authors were wasting their time putting up HubPages. (You can earn revenue with these services, but for most it's not enough to buy a meal). Why did I try these sites? Because some of those I consult asked me about them and I wanted to learn if there was value. The value I give it is getting your work in print.

Teach a Class
We are not all teachers, I know that, but if you have any ability this may be a way to get others to learn about your books. I have many non-fiction books, which easily lend themselves to teaching. If you can create slide presentations, you can teach a class. If you are interested in monetizing your class, you can here, http://www.ScholarSquare.com.

Do you have any ideas of how to begin this year? If so, please share.

Leadership the Chris Brady Way

2010-01-20T23:33:00.000-05:00

Once again, I was furiously taking notes as I interviewed yet another great guest on my Blog Talk radio show for authors. Chris Brady over-delivered. The topic was on leadership skills and particularly how these can be applied to our lives. He learned the basics of leadership from applied experiences. He has been a business owner and for over fifteen years has been building up ideas of what true leadership means. Currently he spends much of his time teaching other people what he has done to achieve success. The audio resides on the site here: http://www.writingandpublishingradio.com

He and his partner, Orrin Woodward thought this idea, on leadership training would be a field guide, just a pamphlet but it turned into a full-fledged book that resides on several best seller lists. He explained that words like "Influence, integrity, vision and goals" are what we tend to think of when we use the word leadership... Chris defines leadership as "...the influence of others in a productive vision driven direction and is accomplished through the example and character of the leader." I love that definition because it really encompasses what a leader should be.

The best part of a good interview is what the listener can take away, and I can't begin to cover all the points, there were too many good ones! I think one point he made that really made an impact is leadership qualities can equip people to lead effectively, no matter how big and how small our objectives are in our lives. Think about it.

Many times we fail to take an initiative because of a fear of failure (aspiring authors, are you listening?) and this failure may be due to a perception that everyone else is more capable. What Chris teaches in his leadership training (and his book) is that leadership is not only assigned to people in high positions. Leadership can be found no matter what your level of influence is in your life. Leadership can be found everywhere.

This topic of leadership has huge ramifications to all of us. It can change our society for the positive. What an exciting thought!

Leadership Training and Communication

2010-01-18T06:29:00.000-05:00

Communication with a Purpose

What does it take to be a leader?
How do you learn leadership skills?
Can you communicate effectively and with purpose?
How does this information help an author?

I've asked quite a few questions and will attempt to answer them using my life experience as a basis. I never considered becoming older an asset until recent years. While I've earned every gray hair on my head, I take pains to have them professionally covered up on a frequent basis! So, if you can not learn about my years of experience via my hair color, how then can I share it? On a stage or with words.

What does it take to be a leader?

A leader is someone who is commendable, trustworthy, and honorable. A leader is someone you want to follow, and you have confidence that the information imparted will be accurate. Leadership takes experience, confidence and ability. It also takes an art in communicating information accurately.

How do you learn leadership skills?

You can learn leadership skills through life experiences or formal education. In college I joined many organizations and was elected to leadership positions much to my surprise. Only as an adult with some introspection have I learned that a leader is someone who is not afraid to learn and to tackle a job, any job. A leader is not afraid to learn the menial jobs, or those beneath their skill levels. I was elected because those in the organization knew I wasn't afraid to do the job, and I would do it right.

Can you communicate effectively and with purpose?

Many of us take communication for granted. I talk too much at times and give too much information. I have learned to take the time to listen and address those questions that I am asked...only. That takes skill! Not everyone wants to know the entire account or history of printing if they ask a question about publishing. No matter how exciting I think it is! Listen, and answer the question. Or explain the information as concisely, or as briefly as possible.

How does this information help an author?

Authors who have a speaking platform will find they have a ready-made outlet for selling their books. Many of us who speak professionally find the bulk of our sales result after a speaking session. Even if the topic is different from the book authored. Being a leader in your field, a "expert" or someone of knowledge, experience and expertise will help you to find an audience eager to hear what you have to say. Do you have value? Only you can answer this question, but authors of all kinds need to give value in their work, and use it when speaking from a platform.

Leaders are not all created equal.

As much as I'd love to say you too can learn to become an wonderful leader, while the skill set might be attainable, the desire, drive and talent are often innate. Many wonderful people have leadership skills but don't do well in a public setting, or in front of an audience. I do think some people are born leaders but that doesn't mean you can't learn what it takes and aspire to lead. If not in front of a live audience, you can use the Internet in the form of blogs, social media forums or the printed word to show the ways in which you can shine in your chosen profession.

The idea here is that being an author doesn't mean that you hide behind your book. You, after all are your best sales-person. You believe in your book or you wouldn't be spending the time to put it together. You will lead people into purchasing you book if you show passion and excitement for your topic. I once met a romance author who spent much of her time teaching classes and mentoring others. She told me she wrote in threes...one part was the actual writing, one part was learning and one part was giving back, in the form of education or mentoring. That is leadership. Perhaps not in the traditional sense of the word, but in a form that others would aspire to duplicate. Analyze your skills and become a leader today!