tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72024228408396179952024-03-17T02:29:50.211-07:00Carol J. Amato: The Write StuffCarol J. Amatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13771517580900218771noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202422840839617995.post-77402432603531112652022-12-20T14:07:00.001-08:002023-01-21T14:32:08.772-08:00Smart Financial Tips for Writers<p><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">It's that time when we writers start thinking about our plans for the next year. This includes how to manage our finances. I am lucky enough to have a great guest blogger this time, Brittany Fisher, <span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">a
Certified Public Accountant who has spent more than 20 years working in the accounting
field. After gaining extensive knowledge of personal finance, taxes, and
financial literacy, Brittany decided to start her own site, </span><span lang="EN"><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/u/2/d/1VB6N9iHdmFdjNlAjR1AP7VFbDWxTUqDVYJXC0wSqiZ8/edit"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Financiallywell.info</span></a></span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">. Here she
hopes to help anyone who may benefit from her advice and expertise. Check it out after you read her article. </span></span></i></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span><i style="text-align: left;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzGIUsiIt2RMERTaa79POqXAofA7u8an4yQR-qcYsk1QW9gHRJF1VRIyfpbBYQYfIcDgXSwP_G43KulzaR2YjiIdMoRRAdiJFj08NTrnazmdaXkyEHi5J5U-d62gx2MQi2o1zBqvmceuoToR00DqJP8ivtnLaPkIjWUR_Tfpmko2hbPhgJ-napGgvD2w" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzGIUsiIt2RMERTaa79POqXAofA7u8an4yQR-qcYsk1QW9gHRJF1VRIyfpbBYQYfIcDgXSwP_G43KulzaR2YjiIdMoRRAdiJFj08NTrnazmdaXkyEHi5J5U-d62gx2MQi2o1zBqvmceuoToR00DqJP8ivtnLaPkIjWUR_Tfpmko2hbPhgJ-napGgvD2w=w623-h414" width="623" /></a></p><p></p></blockquote><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Managing
your finances as a writer can be tricky, especially if you do freelance work
and have several invoices and payments to keep up with. Getting organized is
essential, and you can choose from a variety of apps and online tools that will
help you stay on top of both your money and your assignments.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">If
you’re ready to turn your writing into a full-time job, it’s important to keep
your finances in order so you can build up a savings account that will give you
peace of mind as you work on turning your dream into a career.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Here
are a few things to consider when it comes to managing your finances as a
writer.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Treat Your Writing like a Business</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">There
are lots of career options available to skilled writers; you might choose to
write engaging copy for businesses to share on their websites or in ads, or you
might take on freelance jobs that allow you to do something different with each
project.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">However
you choose to start your career, it’s important to treat it like a business so
that you can </span><span lang="EN"><a href="https://www.liveabout.com/taxes-and-the-book-author-2799907"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">stay on top of your
responsibilities</span></a></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> to the IRS. Starting a business comes with several steps
that vary depending on the state you live in, so do a little reading on </span><span lang="EN"><a href="https://www.zenbusiness.com/start-a-business/"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">how to start a </span></a><a href="https://www.zenbusiness.com/start-a-business/"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">company</span></a><a href="https://www.zenbusiness.com/start-a-business/"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> with ZenBusiness</span></a></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Keep Track of Your Income</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Forming
a business structure can help you keep your personal and professional funds
separate from one another, which is an essential step, but it’s still important
to have a </span><span lang="EN"><a href="https://filthyrichwriter.com/best-way-track-freelance-income/"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">reliable way to keep
track</span></a></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
of your income, especially if you’ll be doing freelance work and sending out
invoices to multiple entities.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">You
might utilize accounting software that allows you to easily input your expenses
and income or start a filing system in your home office where you can keep
important paperwork organized and easily accessible.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">It’s
also a good idea to </span><span lang="EN"><a href="https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/how-to-use-excel-tips"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">keep a detailed
spreadsheet</span></a></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
that lists all of the paid projects you’re working on, their due dates, and
their invoice number.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Create
Multiple Income Streams</span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Whether
you want to do freelance work or ghostwrite children’s books, it’s a good idea
to keep multiple streams of income going, as most creative careers have ups and
downs. It can be challenging to manage smaller gigs while working on a big
project such as a novel, but doing so will give you peace of mind that you’ll
always have something going, even during slower times of the year.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">You
might </span><span lang="EN"><a href="https://becomeawritertoday.com/best-freelance-writing-sites/"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">set up an account</span></a></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> on a freelancer site so you can
keep an eye out for jobs or create a profile on a professional social media
site like LinkedIn so you can network and </span><span lang="EN"><a href="https://www.masterclass.com/articles/writers-networking"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">make connections with
like-minded people</span></a></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> who can benefit your job search. You can also connect with
other authors via their websites.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Create a Budget for Marketing</b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">No
matter what type of writing job you’re going to take on, it’s important to
create a budget for marketing your projects and skills. Writers often have to </span><span lang="EN"><a href="https://www.evergreenauthors.com/blog/book-marketing-budget"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">tackle advertising and
PR for themselves</span></a></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">, and the process can become costly if you don’t have a
solid plan in place first.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Do
some research on the type of marketing you’ll need to do for yourself, such as
creating book trailers and social media ads, printing promotional materials,
hosting book signings, or putting together a portfolio of your best work. This
will give you a good idea of how much you’ll need to spend in a given year.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Working
as a writer can be a very fulfilling job, but it’s important to protect
yourself by starting a business and keeping careful track of your income
streams. With a little planning, you can turn your dream job into a successful
career.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Photo
via </span><span lang="EN"><a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/content-young-businesswoman-using-laptop-while-taking-tea-cup-at-home-4050350/"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Pexels</span></a></span></p><i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></i><p></p>Carol J. Amatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13771517580900218771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202422840839617995.post-5119236800133266962020-07-06T10:49:00.001-07:002020-07-06T11:21:08.601-07:00Judged by Its CoverOver the past several decades, many authors have made a concerted
effort to be inclusive of other cultures in their books and with positive
representation. That’s why I was very disturbed to read in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Publishers’ Weekly</i> that YA author Alexandra Duncan felt it her duty
to cancel publication of her manuscript, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ember
Days</i>, because of cultural appropriation.<br />
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Duncan has been interested in the cultures where she lives in the south.
She sought to write about the folk magic traditions of the Gullah Cheechee, and
her main character is Naomi, the granddaughter of a powerful Gullah conjure
woman. <o:p></o:p></div>
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When Duncan posted the book cover on Facebook, she
received backlash from fellow writers, even though apparently none of them had
read the manuscript. She fell victim to their comments accusing her of
participating in the erasure of this group, saying to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Publishers’ Weekly</i>, “I definitely struggled with whether it was
okay for me to write about a culture outside my own and especially about the
difficult topic of passing, which Naomi does for part of the book while going
undercover in an all-white magical society….” <o:p></o:p></div>
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She added that “In my misguided attempt to write a
book that was inclusive of all cultures of Charleston and the Low Country,” she
hadn’t realized, despite her copious research and conversations about the book,
her “limited worldview as a white person” led her to think she could accurately
represent this culture.<o:p></o:p></div>
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She finished by saying, “Clearly, the fact that I
did not see the signs of the problem with my book’s premise…is evidence that I
was not the right person to write this story. I am deeply ashamed….”<o:p></o:p></div>
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I think her critics are sadly mistaken and that Alexandra Duncan should
not have been made to feel as though she committed the cultural crime of the
century. The late mystery writer Tony Hillerman, a white man, has a whole
series of books that take place on the Navajo Nation. The two main characters
are Navajo Nation police officers. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Since his death, his daughter, Anne Hillerman, has carried on the
series, having written five books to date. She has added a third Navajo main
character, the wife of one of the officers, who is a cop with the county
sheriff’s department. Neither Tony nor Anne has ever been accused of cultural
appropriation. Quite the contrary. This series, which is my favorite, has been
on the Bestseller lists, and both Anne and her father have been lauded at book
fairs throughout Arizona and New Mexico for their work.<o:p></o:p></div>
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How are authors supposed to include diverse characters in their books
if they are not of those ethnicities and risk backlash as a result? Does that
mean that a black author can write only about African-Americans? That he or she
can’t write a book with a lead character from another race? <o:p></o:p></div>
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What about an author including a person of the same race but from
another time period? Almost no one who is alive today is part of any culture
from prior to one hundred years ago. Should authors be prevented from writing
historical novels because they are not from those time periods? <o:p></o:p></div>
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Should James Michener never have published his blockbuster novels <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hawaii</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sayonara</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Bridges of Toko
Ri</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Poland</i>, or any of the others
that take place in different countries?<o:p></o:p></div>
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And consider James Clavell. Should he never have published his bestselling
novels <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shogun</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tai Pan</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Noble House</i>, or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">King Rat</i> because they were set in Asia?
Should Michener’s and Clavell’s books be banned because of “cultural
appropriation”?<o:p></o:p></div>
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Another writer colleague of mine, who is Hispanic, wrote a book with a
main character who was a little white girl living with her family in Tennessee
during the Depression. Should she be “deeply ashamed” because she is not a
little white girl from Tennessee during the Depression and therefore “not the
right person to write this book”? <o:p></o:p></div>
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These ideas can be taken to extremes. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">According to the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Oxford Dictionary</i>, cultural appropriation is “the unacknowledged or
inappropriate adoption of the customs, practices, ideas, etc., of one people or
society by members of another and typically more dominant people or society.” Shouldn’t
a</span>ccusations of cultural appropriation go to intent? Writing about a
culture to educate and inform is a far cry from a white person showing up in
blackface at a Halloween party. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Every author I know who writes about other cultures has people from
those cultures who act as advisors and review the manuscripts to ensure
accuracy. This is a needed partnership. What’s wrong with the author including
an Author’s Note to explain the research, name the advisors, and clarify why he
or she is writing about this topic?<o:p></o:p></div>
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Perhaps I am sensitive to this issue because I, too, have Navajo
characters in two of my novels. While the protagonists in both are Caucasian,
the male lead in one is a Navajo astrobiologist. This character was largely
inspired by Fred Begay (aka Clever Fox), the first Navajo nuclear physicist,
whom I interviewed decades ago and who gave me the ideas for some of the plot
concepts in the book, which I have finally written and is due out next year. <o:p></o:p></div>
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In my middle-grade series, the first book takes place on the Navajo
Nation. While, as I mentioned, the protagonist is white, the story has Navajo
characters and seeks, as do the Hillerman books, to show the culture in a
positive light and that both cultures’ viewpoints of the world are valid.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Why Navajo characters? First, I have a master’s degree in Cultural
Anthropology. Second, the Navajo culture has proven so resilient. In 1900,
because of government and religious interference, there were only 20,000 tribal
members. Today, there are over 250,000. They have kept their language,
religion, and traditions and even have a junior college on the reservation. That
they have overcome their previous oppression and trauma should be shouted from
the mountaintops.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The second book in the middle-grade series takes place in Lincoln,
England. Lincoln is my ex-husband’s home town and I lived there for a few
years. Should I have not written this novel because I am not British?<o:p></o:p></div>
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The third book takes place at Mission San Juan
Capistrano. My main character in all three books sees ghosts, and she’s going
encounter one who is a Native American girl killed in the 1830 earthquake.
Should I not write this book because I wasn’t living at Mission San Juan
Capistrano in 1830 or a Native American?<o:p></o:p></div>
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My personal view is that Alexandra Duncan’s book was
unjustly criticized and it should be published. She shouldn’t have buckled to
the criticism. It would be very educational to people like me who are not from
the south and have never heard of the Gullah culture or the white magical societies.
If the characters were portrayed in a negative light, I could understand the
opposition. But they don’t seem to be and now we are going to miss out.<o:p></o:p></div>
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What a tragedy.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Reference<o:p></o:p></div>
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PW editors. (2020, June 25). Removed: Upcoming YA novel <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ember Days</i> canceled by author. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Publishers Weekly</i>. <a href="https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-book-news/article/83691-upcoming-ya-novel-ember-days-canceled-by-author.html">https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-book-news/article/83691-upcoming-ya-novel-ember-days-canceled-by-author.html</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Carol J. Amatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13771517580900218771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202422840839617995.post-57299595534500639642020-04-11T20:08:00.000-07:002020-04-12T16:30:19.146-07:00Surviving the COVID-19 Pandemic<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The COVID-19
Virus pandemic has hit the world hard and many of us have had a taste of
quarantine for at least a few weeks. If you have kids at home, you and they are
no doubt going stir crazy. No school, no sports, no friends to see in person,
and worst of all, for you, possibly no job. </span></div>
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<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">With your
layoff, you may be experiencing a loss of purpose in addition to a loss of
income. This can definitely cause great stress and anxiety, both mentally and
financially. But this situation is not the new normal. It’s the new temporary. We’re
all in this together. Adaptability is important.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">For
those who work from home or can do so during this quarantine, the stress is
reduced. For the kids, however, especially those from warm climates, being
confined to the house is a new, different, and unwanted experience. I’m
originally from Portland, Oregon, where it rains at least eight months out of
the year, if not more. Kids spend practically the entire winter indoors. I’m
used to this.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
addition, I spent a year on an oil tanker, where my ex-husband was the chief
engineer (like Scotty on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Trek</i>).
We were at sea 36 days at a time, with a 24-hour turnaround when we reached the
Persian Gulf. With nowhere to go ashore, we were effectively at sea 72 days
before we arrived back in Europe. Talk about an isolated and confined
environment! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I had
been warned it would be easy to lose one’s mind. They call it “tankeritis.”
Since I was a writer, I warded this off by writing a book. That took the entire
year. Growing up in a horrible climate and being aboard that tanker were great
dry-runs for the circumstances we’re in today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Know
that you are not powerless. You can choose how to navigate and survive COVID-19.
Obviously, taking the recommended precautions is in order. But also, focusing
on the mindset of looking at the jelly jar half-full rather than half-empty is
a strategy that will help you get to the other side of this pandemic unscathed.
Easier said than done, you say, but stressing and worrying does no one any
good. It only makes the time pass more slowly. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Why not
maximize the opportunity. You’ve no doubt binge-watched those shows on TV that
you have wanted to catch up on, so seize the day. Get dressed in the morning to
set a tone for the day. If you’re self-employed and usually deal with clients
face-to-face, think about meeting with them online through a program like Zoom (download
for free at </span><a href="http://www.zoom.us/"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">www.zoom.us</span></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">) or Facetime. If your job can be done
remotely in any way, shape, or form, ask your boss for permission to do so. <br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Some
employees have already realized that they want to work from home permanently.
They have few interruptions and so are much more productive. The savings on
wear and tear on their cars and on commuting time also contributes to what they
know will be their future psychological wellbeing. Employers are likely to be
more open to this idea as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">If you’ve
“always wanted to write a book,” now’s your chance. Go for it! And professional
writers can use this time to increase productivity. Begin a new article or
book. Edit material you have in progress. Write posts for your blog or start a
podcast. I’m in the process of adding a voiceover to a webinar I just created.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Or take
the opportunity to do all the things around your house you’ve been putting off
for months or even years because you didn’t have time. Clean out closets,
cupboards, drawers, files, and the garage. Read books (you can download free
e-books from <u><span style="color: #0066ff;">bookbub.com</span></u>). Get your
taxes organized. Catch up on your hobbies. Put photos in albums or boxes or
scan them into your computer. Take some free classes online you’ve never
thought about. Online resources are more abundant than ever.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Dig out
your puzzles and board games. Have tournaments. Expand those activities by
having a virtual game night on Zoom so your friends and relatives can play.
Here’s a link: </span><a href="https://www.bustle.com/p/how-to-have-a-zoom-game-night-22639026"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">https://www.bustle.com/p/how-to-have-a-zoom-game-night-22639026</span></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> for some online games. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">If you have kids,
help them with their homework. Exercise with them. Take them on Internet tours
of famous places related to the topics they are studying. Rather than reading
younger kids a bedtime story, tell them one from your childhood. These activities
will take your mind off your worries and provide a sense of accomplishment. If
you need help, get on the Next Door app and ask.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0np1QFP17wTt-ToPX7-qM1Iv5dZVujVQC2i8ptaOi3vkF03UCMmFzYZ4reJMODdukJYAZnMa_gspVAfNj6LtAtuXbNqmGeIKO_UASLUf0LlVsvdTsV2YSaO_kzrIy5R5OSE9lN-vpSr1q/s1600/Car+Parade+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="292" data-original-width="528" height="110" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0np1QFP17wTt-ToPX7-qM1Iv5dZVujVQC2i8ptaOi3vkF03UCMmFzYZ4reJMODdukJYAZnMa_gspVAfNj6LtAtuXbNqmGeIKO_UASLUf0LlVsvdTsV2YSaO_kzrIy5R5OSE9lN-vpSr1q/s200/Car+Parade+1.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">One mom
on Next Door in my neighborhood has a daughter who turned nine last week. She
asked the community to organize a car parade to come by her house at an
appointed time. Several people decorated their cars with posters and balloons,
and I joined in the parade. We honked our horns and yelled happy birthday. Her
daughter was thrilled and we had a great time helping her celebrate her special
day!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkh_Ivb5BXrdmCZcdEGE7WTzi5_b3H-6Wi2Yx_kNZSAZruRXoDAz5vvw9LQGKraeqG8Q2DuKNejl70u-8L1KlceRECscrDcV5UqHVtdra6qwK3LNDuSbcQpTfwarGYCA_P0S7C5O27GlBN/s1600/Rock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="316" data-original-width="478" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkh_Ivb5BXrdmCZcdEGE7WTzi5_b3H-6Wi2Yx_kNZSAZruRXoDAz5vvw9LQGKraeqG8Q2DuKNejl70u-8L1KlceRECscrDcV5UqHVtdra6qwK3LNDuSbcQpTfwarGYCA_P0S7C5O27GlBN/s200/Rock.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_mH3CR4DC8rZAHervgWHr860OM0-p_nTskr9_Cpo2QKtUCttkuKWC8z9i52AQSka9yyO0AJ1bBBeTPcDVczlqVRnb6TjNHoXomFysEz_H6MQu1yy7mS0G-BqzhXNNBYJ82ayr6neWPtcK/s1600/Girl+painting+rock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="908" data-original-width="751" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_mH3CR4DC8rZAHervgWHr860OM0-p_nTskr9_Cpo2QKtUCttkuKWC8z9i52AQSka9yyO0AJ1bBBeTPcDVczlqVRnb6TjNHoXomFysEz_H6MQu1yy7mS0G-BqzhXNNBYJ82ayr6neWPtcK/s200/Girl+painting+rock.jpg" width="165" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Others have put teddy
bears in their windows so that the kids can count them on their walks around
the neighborhood, since we are still allowed to do that. Some have put painted
rocks around the green belt that runs through our area and in their yards. This
is a great activity to keep kids occupied, both with painting the rocks and
with finding them. And others are leaving chalk art on sidewalks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Another
great idea is to carry out “Formal Friday.” It’s like date night, only with
your family or someone on Zoom or Facetime. Eat meals on good china. Have a picnic
in your living room or outside if the weather allows. Try new recipes, maybe
even some more complex ones that you might not normally have time to make. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Using
something called Morning Pages to clear your mind, improve creativity and
productivity, and for self-reflection (see </span><a href="https://www.lavendaire.com/morning-pages/"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">https://www.lavendaire.com/morning-pages/</span></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">) can help to
alleviate stress. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Establish
an evening ritual of sharing at least one “high” and one “low” of the day with
your partner or as a family. This opens up communication and allows exploration
of how you are handling the events of the day. It’s important that parents
participate to set an example and to allow their children a better
understanding that adults do have challenges. Communicating them in a
supportive environment is helpful. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Of
course, adults should be cautious not to burden their children with worries
over “lows” related to major problems. Those who live alone can accomplish this
communication with a family member or friend via Zoom, e-mail, Facetime, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Remember,
this situation is only temporary and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i>
the new normal. It may last a few months, but eventually, we’ll get back to our
old schedules. By making good use of this pause on life we have now, when you
do get back to work, your free time will really be your own. And, if you turn
this catastrophe into an opportunity to try new things, some of these
activities might stick around and enhance your life long after COVID-19 has
passed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Carol J. Amatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13771517580900218771noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202422840839617995.post-6382210053797906842020-03-02T13:45:00.000-08:002020-04-12T14:33:14.454-07:00Don't Let the Naysayers Get You Down<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .25in;">
If you’re a serious writer, you no doubt not only love
to write but you also love to read. I know I do. Has anyone criticized you for
either? And if you’re a professional writer and have a home office, has anyone
assumed that you “aren’t working”?<br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .25in;">
Regarding the former, when I was growing up, we had many
books in our house. My mother bought them for us for various occasions and also
just because.<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitpCg6sy__khYd6eFJyBL-MUwwGMdIV2xVhmaRbS59Za8PO-ITwiTY9IuFfDBoCSVBG-B8zHZegt7kVjn512Wl9LjzZqZxXI464CDyC2Qe_0Q_iHmd1vuBjADInGAuGFOg64CHvGE91shz/s1600/20200412_111956.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitpCg6sy__khYd6eFJyBL-MUwwGMdIV2xVhmaRbS59Za8PO-ITwiTY9IuFfDBoCSVBG-B8zHZegt7kVjn512Wl9LjzZqZxXI464CDyC2Qe_0Q_iHmd1vuBjADInGAuGFOg64CHvGE91shz/s320/20200412_111956.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
As an adult, I started my home library with books from
childhood, college, and grad school, and have kept accumulating them ever
since. Enough shelf space was a must in the three houses I have owned. <br />
<span style="text-indent: 0.25in;"><br /></span>
<span style="text-indent: 0.25in;"> It took me a month to pack my approximately three
thousand tomes when I moved from my previous residence to my current one. Many
of these and the hundreds I’ve acquired since are signed by the authors.</span></div>
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<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .25in;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYL3Qdf0XrhewiEAnkfa0QgrqqgV0ezdo6Rk5ExlD8zr6IcBoEPUyb-Q5FNiEnj8N4rSkt88P2qCzcNpvYbjkC2hGJlfnXXYp8DQA0EkF8h06t7pzyXQxwM3EGE-E9dZYKwp-rp8BZZdLg/s1600/20200412_112035.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYL3Qdf0XrhewiEAnkfa0QgrqqgV0ezdo6Rk5ExlD8zr6IcBoEPUyb-Q5FNiEnj8N4rSkt88P2qCzcNpvYbjkC2hGJlfnXXYp8DQA0EkF8h06t7pzyXQxwM3EGE-E9dZYKwp-rp8BZZdLg/s320/20200412_112035.jpg" width="180" /></a>My library is my pride and joy. Fiction, science
fiction, nonfiction, science, social science, and childhood treasures fill the
main one, located across the hall from my living room. Writing, publishing, and
marketing categories are in my office. Texts and other academic materials are
in a spare bedroom upstairs. Those written by friends and colleagues occupy hallowed
shelves in my master bedroom. One cabinet in the upstairs hall houses my beloved
Nancy Drew collection. <br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .25in;">
So imagine my surprise when a psychologist friend
visited me and said upon seeing the books in my main library, “Why don’t you
get rid of them?”<br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .25in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What??</i> I thought.
Who would suggest such a thing? <br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .25in;">
And what would she say if she saw all the others?<br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .25in;">
By her own admission, she doesn’t read. Yes, a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">non-reader</i> suggested I get rid of my most
precious gems!<br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .25in;">
Then I remembered that this is the same person who said,
“You don’t have a job.” This despite my having published over 200 articles in
national publications and twenty-nine (soon to be thirty) books, eleven
traditionally and the rest through my own small press. <br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .25in;">
Never mind that I market my work and do speaking
engagements, both of which provide good income. And never mind also that I publish
other people’s work and coach subject-matter experts in writing books based on
their expertise. She certainly has heard my 30-second pitch often enough on the
latter at our networking group.<br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .25in;">
“Writing, publishing, and coaching ARE my jobs,” I told
her. And no, I have no intention of getting rid of any of my prized possessions—except
marketing and grammar ones that are out-of-date<span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial; mso-symbol-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Symbol;">¾</span></span>and these I replace with new editions.<br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .25in;">
Regarding working from home, we’ve all heard of actors and
musicians being accused by family members and others of not having “real jobs,”
but I never expected this comment from someone in my networking group—all of
whom are self-employed, including the person in question. The difference is
that she goes to an office every day. But because I have a home office and
don’t go to another building to work, I “don’t have a job.”<br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .25in;">
We have to accept that some people just don’t understand
us. So what to do about them?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .25in;">
I come from a long line of entrepreneurs. Most are
business owners, but many are artists, musicians, and writers. Some are doctors
and lawyers in private practice. Mine is definitely an artsy family rather than
a science-oriented one. Never have any of my relatives accused me or anyone
else who is self-employed of “not having a job.” So I let comments like those
of my acquaintance roll off my back. <br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .25in;">
We’re writers because it’s in our blood. It’s the
essence of who we are. It’s our passion. We can’t not write. <br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .25in;">
If only people like my colleague knew how much time and
energy producing an article or chapter takes, not to mention the time and
energy involved in marketing for sales and/or new clients. And good writers
must be readers. <br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .25in;">
We work for ourselves because it provides us the
freedom to run our own lives and the ability to have unlimited income potential.
If you find people criticizing you, ignore them. Don’t let the naysayers get you
down. <br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .25in;">
Heed not only my words but also those of Kimanzi
Constable:<br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 49.7pt; margin-top: 0in; tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-indent: .25in;">
“<span style="color: #212121; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">You have to be your biggest cheerleader…. [Don’t]
depend on someone else for…for validation from people who don’t understand. …Real
strength</span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="color: #212121; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">…starts with you. <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Don't
depend on anyone else for emotional, mental, or entrepreneurial strength” (</span></span><a href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/305563">https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/305563</a>).
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 49.7pt; margin-top: 0in; tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 2; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="color: #212121; line-height: 150%;">So ignore those who don’t understand
you. Keep on reading. Build your own library. Continue your writing career. <br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 2; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="color: #212121; line-height: 150%;">And believe in yourself. No matter
what.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />Carol J. Amatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13771517580900218771noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202422840839617995.post-80268406429407691422020-02-28T13:08:00.004-08:002020-02-28T13:08:52.322-08:00Update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hi, everyone,<br /><br />I haven't posted for awhile, and that's because I've decided to change the focus of this blog slightly.<br />
<br />
I started it while I was the editor of <i>The Datagram</i>, the newsletter for the IEEE-Orange County Section's Cybersecurity special-interest group (SIG). (The IEEE is the Institute for Electrical and Electronic Engineers.) That meant I was privy to terrific information going on in the cybersecurity world.<br />
<br />
Since the SIG no longer exists, I'm going to concentrate on writing, publishing, and writing as a business. I hope you'll continue to subscribe. There is a lot of great information to come!<br />
<br />
Carol<br />
<br />Carol J. Amatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13771517580900218771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202422840839617995.post-6415241075426043802018-05-17T11:44:00.000-07:002018-05-17T11:44:15.258-07:00Help save America's Oldest Bookstore!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #363135; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 15.0pt;">Leo
Atkinson is my guest blogger today, and he has an important mission: Saving the
oldest bookstore in America, which is in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. As you will
read, the store is in danger of being turned into a Barnes and Noble College
Bookstore. Read on to see how you can help Leo save this historic site.</span></i><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdI3AxEPdJYdc-I_udQmsWV-PaFKIk0eS4fZWHwWtuoNklnKwabU8ugDY_2optHKlhNTW1g2mia5IGPztU5yt1apLpZEbgWKVvn_nrsLfyvnFBdWjZakEcynO_96gBe10rfdNXi1NyykhZ/s1600/Moravian+Bookstore.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="298" data-original-width="530" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdI3AxEPdJYdc-I_udQmsWV-PaFKIk0eS4fZWHwWtuoNklnKwabU8ugDY_2optHKlhNTW1g2mia5IGPztU5yt1apLpZEbgWKVvn_nrsLfyvnFBdWjZakEcynO_96gBe10rfdNXi1NyykhZ/s320/Moravian+Bookstore.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #363135; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 15.0pt;">Moravian College recently
bought the independent Moravian Book Shop with plans to turn it into a Barnes
& Noble college bookstore, which will end the 273-year-old business. Please
stand with us in telling them "NO!"</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .25in; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #363135; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 15.0pt;">The Moravian Book Shop has anchored Bethlehem’s historic
downtown for generations and has built itself into the premier location for
books, gifts and Christmas decorations in downtown Bethlehem. Despite what some
people have said in the news, after a few up and down years, the Moravian Book
Shop is in a good position in terms of its core business.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .25in; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #363135; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 15.0pt;">In the last year we have streamlined our operations and
modernized the store’s back-end systems. We had almost $2 million in sales last
year and we are on pace for an even better 2018. In fact, any financial
difficulty stems from the Moravian Church’s Provincial Elders’ Conference (PEC)
and the Moravian Book Shop’s Board of Directors decision, over the protest of
lower management and employees, to take out bad loans to open a location in
Allentown in 2015. The Allentown store lost money for two years and when it
closed last year the bad loans became due. Despite the Bethlehem location’s
strengthening position we were not able to absorb the entire cost of the bad loans
and so the PEC decided to negotiate in secret to sell the store.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .25in; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #363135; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 15.0pt;">As it currently stands, the Moravian Book Shop will be taken
over by Barnes & Noble (the national bookstore chain) and Sodexo (a
multinational food services company) to provide a college bookstore for
Moravian College. All of our staff will be laid off, though we were told we
could interview for jobs at the new store, and the mission of the Moravian Book
Shop will be lost forever. Moravian College is a great school, indeed, my
brother and many of my close friends are alumni. And, the Moravian College
students deserve a place to buy their textbooks, but that need does not have to
erase 273 years of Bethlehem’s history.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .25in; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #363135; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 15.0pt;">I think there are other avenues worth exploring, but if the sale
from the Moravian Church to Moravian college is inevitable, the college has a
choice as to who will operate the bookstore, including giving the current
management a chance to show what we are capable of. I ask you to please tell
the college that local small businesses are important for the health of our
historic downtown and the entire city.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .25in; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #363135; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 15.0pt;">We need you to sign the petition on Change.org and contact
Moravian College (information below) to tell we do not want huge national and
multinational corporations controlling our downtown!<br />
<br />
Send your objections to the sale of this historic site to:</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .25in; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #363135; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 15.0pt;">Bryon L. Grigsby<br />
President, Moravian College<br />
610-861-1364<br />
grigsbyb@moravian.edu</span></div>
Carol J. Amatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13771517580900218771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202422840839617995.post-3876918070481027582018-05-13T13:23:00.000-07:002020-02-28T13:11:45.506-08:00Spare Me…My Problem with So-called “Women’s Fiction”<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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I have decided that I don’t like “women’s
fiction.” That may seem odd coming from a female, but I joined a book club and
have read several novels that fall into this category. While the cover copy for
these books was intriguing, which is why we selected them, the stories failed
to live up to expectations. They shared a number of common elements:</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWVh8o_Mk3GvDmQxAg6ZNY9U9Oh5773Uz3xg_Ms_lHHvwtdiygYpcqW4UuSdwdVD8AHIy7Ix_OwBpgKl8f5rShEeDSM2bzC9VAQYbjdqwzBxwxgh07XFwnNdIoFt6YuG-LV4PR1grBPJYB/s1600/Confused+woman+reading+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="660" data-original-width="1023" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWVh8o_Mk3GvDmQxAg6ZNY9U9Oh5773Uz3xg_Ms_lHHvwtdiygYpcqW4UuSdwdVD8AHIy7Ix_OwBpgKl8f5rShEeDSM2bzC9VAQYbjdqwzBxwxgh07XFwnNdIoFt6YuG-LV4PR1grBPJYB/s320/Confused+woman+reading+1.jpg" width="320" /></a>1. Unsympathetic, shallow, and
boring characters </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
2. Nonsensical and/or slow
plotting</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
3. Deviations into long passages
of unnecessary backstory </div>
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4. Author intrusion</div>
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<br /></div>
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The astonishing part is that they
were traditionally published and all made it to the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">New York Times</i> Bestseller List <span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial; mso-symbol-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Symbol;"></span></span>and a few of them have been sold to movie studios. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
“HOW???<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>WHY???”</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
Where were the editors when these
manuscripts were being considered. Who would approve them as written? What
happened to novels with compelling characters that the readers care about, with
plots that keep them turning the pages and get them lost in their worlds? </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
Legal thriller author and writing
instructor William Bernhard (the Ben Kincaid series) has numerous guidelines
for creating a blockbuster. One, he says, is <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">readability</b>—creating a narrative that is “unputdownable.” With
these books, I had to force myself to plod on through boring paragraph after
boring paragraph. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-pagination: none;">
And what
about character arcs? The characters should go through some change by the end
of the book. These did not. Things happened <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">despite</i>
them, not because of them. They didn’t solve their own problems. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
I’m going to be revealing the
plots of two of the books I read, so be forewarned. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
The novel our club originally
chose was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Great Alone</i>, by Kristin
Hannah, a prolific author. This one made me so angry that had I not been
reading it for the group, I would have quit after the first chapter. The main
female lead is a wimp, and nothing turns me off more than a weak woman.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
Around page 250, I was surprised
to see the plot finally kick in. Those first 250 pages could have been
condensed into 25-50 to keep the story moving. The problem with the last 200,
though, is that the real plot is rushed. What was in these pages should have
been the entire book but stretched out and expanded. I’m not sure why the
editors at St. Martin’s Press didn’t see this and do something about it. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
And what about adding tension and
introducing intrigue? </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
In <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Husband’s Secret</i>, by Liane Moriarty, there <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">was</i> a secret, but it was presented amid endless pages of backstory.
The wife, Cecelia, found a letter her husband had written years before that was
to be opened only in the event of his death. But John Paul was still very much
alive. Holding the letter in her hands was the first line of the first chapter.
Then the rest of the 15-page chapter was backstory, with only the last line
once again addressing the letter and what Cecelia should do with it. The next
two chapters left this plotline altogether and introduced two new characters
along with much more backstory. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
Eventually, we find out that the
letter is John Paul’s confession that when he was a teenager, he murdered a
girl. Cecelia is horrified, but instead of realizing that she had just become
an accessory after the fact, she rips the letter into tiny pieces and decides
to say nothing. After all, she reasons, John Paul is a wonderful father. How
can she turn him in, even if he is a murderer? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
She has now committed a second
crime--destroying evidence.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There is also no depth of character. As a reader, I didn’t care about
any of the people in the story except for the dead girl, Janie. This made
reading the book even more torturous.</div>
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<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As for conflict and controversy, this book had none. The characters
take the easy way out and do so in a boring way. Rachel is Janie’s mother, and
she hates Connor, a coworker at the school where she is employed, thinking he
is the killer. She dreams of this man’s demise. Yet, when Cecelia breaks down
and tells her that John Paul is the real killer, does Rachel transfer her
hatred to him? No. She decides she can’t hate him because he’s handsome. She
thinks that she should invite him over for tea and find out what her daughter’s
last moments were like. Then the author intrudes, explaining that it doesn’t
matter that John Paul doesn’t go to prison because Janie died of an aneurysm
anyway.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
None of these characters face any consequences. Rachel deliberately tries to
run down Connor with her car but hits Cecelia’s young daughter instead. Even
though the daughter survives, she loses half her leg, but everyone believes it
was an accident, so Rachel is not held accountable. John Paul doesn’t go to
prison, and Cecelia doesn’t get in trouble for destroying evidence. Where is the
justice for Janie?</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
Apparently some of these authors’ other works are of higher quality, but they
certainly missed the boat with these two. But again, because I made the
commitment to the club to read through this drivel, I should get some credit in
purgatory. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
I have enjoyed plenty of terrific
women writers, such as Amy Tan, Jodi Picoult, Maeve Binchy, Anne Hillerman—the
list goes on—who deserve to be on the bestseller list. But it seems that
quality writing has nothing to do with being a bestseller. This does a terrible
disservice to those great women—and men—who share that spotlight. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
I know I won’t be reading any
more “women’s fiction,” and I’m not the only one in the book club who feels
this way. A few of us intend to suggest that we read other genres, such as
murder mysteries, historicals, spy novels, sci-fi—anything! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
I wish these novels had been as
well-written as their cover copy. Perhaps screenwriters believe they can take
these weak plots and turn them into something better for the silver screen. Since
actors can put in the depth of character the books lack, perhaps they can keep
these movies from becoming box-office flops. </div>
Carol J. Amatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13771517580900218771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202422840839617995.post-24744342577812479702018-05-09T13:26:00.000-07:002018-05-09T13:26:06.845-07:00How to Get Started with Social Media for the 50-60-Something Entrepreneur<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeJvB9-nQlo9jzYWI1FMv_ZufXBlecgiY-QL5vmbsWopdt2vHENIh85lP-6uB8LkLgGgQk2RRZkGB_WBUd1V-A9KyKhhUVfi4LSBsOnTtvzS4-leHdGZa6c1B4OFL4IyE92_g7LUGkxXmX/s1600/P-Lorraine-Wigglesworth_897895.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="150" data-original-width="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeJvB9-nQlo9jzYWI1FMv_ZufXBlecgiY-QL5vmbsWopdt2vHENIh85lP-6uB8LkLgGgQk2RRZkGB_WBUd1V-A9KyKhhUVfi4LSBsOnTtvzS4-leHdGZa6c1B4OFL4IyE92_g7LUGkxXmX/s1600/P-Lorraine-Wigglesworth_897895.jpg" /></a>Guest blogger P. Lorraine Wigglesworth, CSP, is an international
entrepreneurship and marketing consultant and Managing Director of
Experiential Hands-on Learning. She is also the author of<i> The 50-60-Something Start-up Entrepreneur: How to Quickly Start and Run a Successful Small Business. </i>In this second installment of her three-article series, she discusses why entrepreneurs age 50+ have a high success rate.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
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<div style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;">When you see the title of this
article, some of you may be saying, 'what do you mean, how do I get started
with social media, like it's some big secret?' To some, it might sound like a
silly question as most people just dive into a platform and begin making posts.</span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;">Now imagine if you will, that
you're a 50 or 60-something new entrepreneur. Most of your posts have been on
Facebook or and you might have contributed to the company LinkedIn page, but
you never had to bother with setting these social media accounts for your
business.</span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;">With dozens of multi-million
networks and big companies pouring millions of dollars into it, social media
may seem daunting for any small business entrepreneur, even more so for
fifty-somethings who haven't grown up with the Internet. But the amount of
exposure social media can bring your business, and the opportunity it offers
you to connect with your target audience and spread the word about your
products or services cannot be ignored.</span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;">Your competitors are already on
Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and other social networks. In a world
full of mobile devices and apps, having only a website and blog is no longer
enough.</span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;">Here are some tips to get you
started for the #FiftySomethingEntrepreneur.</span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;">The Right Approach to Social
Media</span></b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;"></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;">Before getting started, you
have to remember that social media is first and foremost social. While brands
do use it to market themselves, sometimes using paid ads, the main benefit of
being social is interacting with your audience. What's more, Google takes into
account the buzz you generate on social networks when determining your search
engine ranking, or how high you show up in the Google search results.</span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;">Start Small</span></b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;"></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;">There are many social networks,
including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, Instagram, Pinterest, WhatsApp,
YouTube, and Tumblr. As a startup or small business, you may not have the time
or the resources to be active on all of them, nor should you.</span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;">An effective strategy is to
start small. Most businesses start with #Facebook, #Twitter, #LinkedIn, and
optionally, #YouTube. Depending on your target customers, some of networks will
offer you better returns on your time spent on them than others.</span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;">Create a SM Marketing Strategy</span></b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;"></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;">It's important to have a social
media marketing strategy in place. Without one, social media can become a
time-sink. Considering your audience, their needs, and what you can offer them.
Decide what content would work best for them, whether it's articles, images,
videos, short updates, how-to guides, and so on. Social media is very flexible,
so you mix it up to keep things interesting.</span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;">Creating an Engaging Social
Business Page</span></b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;"></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;">After creating your accounts,
you have to personalize them. Keep personal and professional accounts separate.
For your business, make sure to create a business page, rather than a standard
profile. This will enable you to customize your page with a logo, business
address and other details, as well as access a wealth of data about your fans
and followers. Add a custom header and background to your business page, and
try to keep all pages consistent in terms of design.</span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;">Content: Creation, Curation,
and Timing</span></b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;"></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;">You also have to determine how
often you will post fresh content on social media - at least two or three times
a week is a must, and ideally you want to post something new every day.
Fortunately, you don't have to create all the content yourself. You can always
curate or share content from experts in your industry, news sites, and other
relevant sources, so long as you give credit to the creator and don't infringe
any usage rights.</span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;">The Key to Success - Being
Active and Involved</span></b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;"></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;">The hard work begins after
you've set up your accounts. Posting is not enough. You have to interact with
your audience by answering their questions, starting discussions, organizing
contests, and rewarding loyal followers with mentions, and possibly for
ecommerce businesses with coupons, or freebies. You have to follow others,
share their content, and join groups and discussions. On social media, if you
are not active, you are invisible.</span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;">Social media can also open up
the door to new professional connections. Actively connect with your existing
connections and also seek influencers, experts, and other notable people in
your industry. Share their content and you may catch their eye.</span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;">Be Social</span></b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;"></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;">Last but not least, it's
important to keep in mind that being on social media is no longer optional for
a small business. If you are not "social," people won't be able to
find your business as easily, and many will go to your competitors instead.
That's why if you don't have the time to manage your social media marketing
efforts yourself, it's better to delegate someone within your company to do it
for you, or hire someone to help you with this.</span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;">The key is to get started and
not to shy away from engaging in social media. Trust me when I say it gets
easier the more time you spend in doing some type of post. Now go and have some
fun.</span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;"></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;">Article Source: <a href="http://ezinearticles.com/expert/P_Lorraine_Wigglesworth/969794"><span style="color: #610000;">http://EzineArticles.com/expert/P_Lorraine_Wigglesworth/969794</span></a></span></div>
Carol J. Amatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13771517580900218771noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202422840839617995.post-23455824067468426802018-05-05T13:22:00.000-07:002018-05-05T13:22:04.095-07:00Why Entrepreneurs Starting at 50+ Have a High Success Rate<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeJvB9-nQlo9jzYWI1FMv_ZufXBlecgiY-QL5vmbsWopdt2vHENIh85lP-6uB8LkLgGgQk2RRZkGB_WBUd1V-A9KyKhhUVfi4LSBsOnTtvzS4-leHdGZa6c1B4OFL4IyE92_g7LUGkxXmX/s1600/P-Lorraine-Wigglesworth_897895.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="150" data-original-width="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeJvB9-nQlo9jzYWI1FMv_ZufXBlecgiY-QL5vmbsWopdt2vHENIh85lP-6uB8LkLgGgQk2RRZkGB_WBUd1V-A9KyKhhUVfi4LSBsOnTtvzS4-leHdGZa6c1B4OFL4IyE92_g7LUGkxXmX/s1600/P-Lorraine-Wigglesworth_897895.jpg" style="cursor: move;" /></a>Guest blogger P. Lorraine Wigglesworth, CSP, is an international
entrepreneurship and marketing consultant and Managing Director of
Experiential Hands-on Learning. She is also the author of<i> The 50-60-Something Start-up Entrepreneur: How to Quickly Start and Run a Successful Small Business. </i>In this second installment of her three-article series, she discusses why entrepreneurs age 50+ have a high success rate.<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 14.5pt;">It may seem like starting young is
the best way to build a successful business, today more than ever. After all,
when you're young you have nothing to lose and a lot of energy to spend, and
since your whole life is ahead of you, you can afford to make mistakes and
learn from them. But starting older isn't bad either. In fact, it turns out
that for many people, starting at 50+ years is even better than starting young.
Yep, you read that correctly.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<b><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 14.5pt;">A Few Illustrious Examples</span></b><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 14.5pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 14.5pt;">Some of the world's best-known and
most profitable businesses were started by entrepreneurs past 50. Raymond Kroc
was 52 and driving around the US selling milkshake machines when he started
McDonald's. Pharmacist and physician John Pemberton was 55 when, in an effort
to create an alternative to morphine, removed the "French Wine" from
his French Wine Coca recipe and founded the famous Cola company. Colonel
Harland David Sanders was 65 when he opened a small service station and started
working with franchises, establishing what would later become one of the
world's best-known brands: KFC.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 14.5pt;">You could say "that was then,
but things have changed." To some extent things have changed, in that it's
now easier than ever for anyone to become an entrepreneur and start a business,
which is why so many entrepreneurs are starting young. But here are some
present-day facts that can inspire anyone past 50 to start a business.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 14.5pt;">Entrepreneurs over
55 are almost twice as likely to build successful businesses than entrepreneurs
aged 20 to 34. This is true even for the highly competitive tech industry,
where young entrepreneurs are thought to have a head start because they grew up
with the Internet and 21st century technology.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 14.5pt;">The highest rate of
entrepreneurial activity in the United States in the last 10 years was
dominated by entrepreneurs aged 55 to 64. There are many reasons for this,
including a new approach to retirement that technology and modern life makes
possible, strong professional connections, and the ease with each almost anyone
can start a business.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 14.5pt;">Startups that
survive are more likely to be led by owners over 45 years of age, according to
a 2004 to 2008 study based on 5,000 startups carried out by the Kauffman Ewing
Institute. No less than 64% of the surviving startups were headed by older
entrepreneurs.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 14.5pt;">People over 50
years of age have a greater potential to create innovative companies, products,
and solutions. This may sound a bit surprising, but innovators do get better
with age. Whether you want to create a startup in an industry you've worked in
before or start afresh pursuing a passion in a new industry, the experience
that comes with being 50+ can be a big advantage.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 14.5pt;">People over 55
years are more likely to launch a high-growth startup than those under 35.
What's more, this doesn't seem to be localized to specific industries, but can
be noticed across the board. Older entrepreneurs have the experience, skills,
and insight necessary for them to guide their venture to success. They can
better manage fears and expectations and have the balance and determinate to
persist in spite of obstacles.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 14.5pt;">When 50 Is Just
Right</span></b><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 14.5pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 14.5pt;">Put together all these interesting
findings and the message is simple: age is not only not an obstacle to becoming
an entrepreneur, but being 50 or older increases your chances of meeting with
success. While this insight won't make the creation of your startup any less
easy, nor will it eliminate challenges, it can be a wonderful incentive for you
to finally create the business you always wanted to have.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 14.5pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 14.5pt;">Article Source: <a href="http://ezinearticles.com/expert/P_Lorraine_Wigglesworth/969794"><span style="color: #610000;">http://EzineArticles.com/expert/P_Lorraine_Wigglesworth/969794</span></a></span></div>
</div>
Carol J. Amatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13771517580900218771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202422840839617995.post-55011349384715881802018-05-01T13:27:00.000-07:002018-05-01T13:27:52.150-07:00How to Get Started with Social Media for the 50-60-Something EntrepreneurCarol J. Amatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13771517580900218771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202422840839617995.post-9025808499616306932018-05-01T13:16:00.000-07:002018-05-01T13:23:17.555-07:00The Advantages of the 50-60-Something Entrepreneur<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwkS-Ci-6slBWFUSL_mEfPT9nuRXmBajO2LUaHw-BxSiEExSOJPPtPSYsSFRROiaD7OfZfUa-4UPj5-Eg4zkUT9gYnpm8YrDcvsfdcukA1SzLB9xEsB8EZfdYD-T9wf_o-jfoj4Xcl-nBk/s1600/P-Lorraine-Wigglesworth_897895.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="150" data-original-width="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwkS-Ci-6slBWFUSL_mEfPT9nuRXmBajO2LUaHw-BxSiEExSOJPPtPSYsSFRROiaD7OfZfUa-4UPj5-Eg4zkUT9gYnpm8YrDcvsfdcukA1SzLB9xEsB8EZfdYD-T9wf_o-jfoj4Xcl-nBk/s1600/P-Lorraine-Wigglesworth_897895.jpg" /></a>Guest blogger P. Lorraine Wigglesworth, CSP, is an international entrepreneurship and marketing consultant and Managing Director of Experiential Hands-on Learning. She is also the author of <br />
<div class="K3JSBVB-i-v">
<i>The 50-60-Something Start-up Entrepreneur: How to Quickly Start and Run a Successful Small Business. </i>This 3-article series focuses on older entrepreneurs who want to start a business. </div>
<div class="K3JSBVB-i-v">
<br /></div>
<div class="K3JSBVB-i-v">
<br /></div>
<div class="K3JSBVB-i-v">
<br /></div>
<div class="K3JSBVB-i-v">
<div style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;">Today, when younger
entrepreneurs get so much media attention, it may seem that they have a head
start, but in fact, there are twice as many successful entrepreneurs over 50 as
under 25 (yeah baby). Apart from life experience, a 50 or 60-something entrepreneur
has a couple of other advantages over a young entrepreneur, even if he or she
is only starting their first venture. Listed below are just a few reasons why
50+ is a great age for anyone to make his or her dream of being an entrepreneur
come true.</span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;">Richer Network Connections</span></b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;"></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;">By the time you reach 50 or 60,
you've probably built at least a few strong professional connections, some of
them perhaps even reinforced by strong friendships and other ties. This is
especially true if you've been working in the corporate world. Knowing other
people in an industry you are interested in, whether they are on the management
ladder or not, can be a treasure trove of insight, advice, business
opportunities, and perhaps even partners and staffing resources.</span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;">Stability and Endurance</span></b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;"></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;">Being an entrepreneur is
rewarding, but it can also be demanding, especially with your time and money.
By the time they turn 50, many aspiring entrepreneurs have a family, own a
house, and are more secure financially than they were in their 20s or 30s. Many
are even likely to be grandparents. Having a strong and stable personal and
financial foundation gives entrepreneurs in their 50s and 60s the stability and
endurance needed to steer a business on the path to success.</span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;">Clarity and Focus</span></b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;"></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;">Entrepreneurs over the age of
50 are more likely to invest their time in projects that have a social,
cultural, or environmental impact that matters for future generations. By the
time you're 50, time has likely helped you filter your passions and embrace
those which are not only the most important for you, but which have the power
to do good. From this understanding springs the clarity and focus of applying
all your energy and resources on building something that matters, not just for
you, but for others, too.</span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;">Patience</span></b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;"></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;">Patience is a virtue in the
world of business. There are plenty of young entrepreneurs who have it, but
it's one of those virtues that the years tend to polish and refine. An
entrepreneur in his 50 or 60 has seen enough in his or her life to know that
rushing things, making impulsive decisions, or acting on the spur of the moment
is often bad for business.</span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;">With 50 or 60 of years of life
experience behind you, you will be less likely to force the growth of your
company, quit when the going gets tough, or go to market too early. You have
the patience of experience.</span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;">Empathy</span></b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;"></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;">As we grow older, we tend to
become increasingly aware of the problems and challenges those around us are
facing. The same is true for entrepreneurs. After 50 or 60, entrepreneurs tend to
have deeper reservoirs of empathy for those around them. This can translate
into a more considerate approach to management that creates a pleasant
workplace environment which naturally attracts people.</span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;">Better Fear Management Skills</span></b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;"></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;">Fear of failure, fear of
stagnation, or fear of competitors getting ahead are only three of the fears
entrepreneurs have to manage. All too often, these are background fears that
can surge at any moment during challenging times. The 50 or 60-something
entrepreneur knows fear and, like most people, has likely battled with his or
her own fears during his life. He or she has developed a natural fear
management and response mechanism that minimizes fear as a factor for their
decisions.</span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;">As C.S. Lewis said, "You
are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." Being 50
or 60 years old is not only a great age for being a successful entrepreneur
today, but it's actually good for business.</span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;">Article Source: <a href="http://ezinearticles.com/expert/P_Lorraine_Wigglesworth/969794"><span style="color: #610000;">http://EzineArticles.com/expert/P_Lorraine_Wigglesworth/969794</span></a></span></div>
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Carol J. Amatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13771517580900218771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202422840839617995.post-40417227342146313382018-03-26T14:44:00.001-07:002018-03-26T14:50:26.202-07:00Book Review - The Great Alone<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<i>The Great Alone , </i>by bestselling author Kristin Hannah, was the first
selection in our new neighborhood book club. The Great Alone is a nickname for Alaska, and the novel's description intrigued me, so
I eagerly started reading. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
Almost immediately, I had a hard
time getting into the story. While the main character, Leni, a 13-year-old
girl, is engaging, her parents are not. The dad, Ernt, scarred from being a POW
during the Vietnam War, is abusive and anti-social and hates anyone with money.<br />
<br />
His problems started before the
war, though; at 25, he got involved with Leni’s mother, Cora, who was only 16.
She got pregnant, and he should have been put in prison for statutory rape.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
Cora is a simpering weakling who
takes her abusive husband back time after time, naively believing his promises
that he “will never do it again.” While this is an accurate portrayal of
battered woman syndrome and younger readers will definitely be shocked by the
lack of help the law offered women in the 1970s, it’s hard to have sympathy for
Cora when her daughter suffers the consequences of her poor role modeling and
this violent man.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
When Ernt inherits a homestead in
Alaska from a war buddy who was killed, he decides he wants to leave
civilization and live off the grid. He drags his wife and daughter to a dilapidated
cabin with no running water, heat, or electricity, and where Cora and Leni have
to be constantly vigilant against attacks from bears and wolves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
The nearby “town” has few people and a
one-room schoolhouse. In Ernt’s zeal to be far <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
from society, the idea of there
being a school for Leni to attend didn’t even cross his mind. Neither of these
adults is likeable. While they can do what they want, they seem oblivious to
the fact that they are condemning their child to live in a place where she has
no opportunity or future.<br />
<br /></div>
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If I hadn’t been reading this
book for the book club, I would have quit after Chapter One. I had to force
myself to plod on. Around page 250, I was surprised to see the plot finally
kick in. Then I couldn’t put the book down. The first 250 pages could have been
condensed into 50-75 to keep the story moving. The problem with the last 200,
though, is that the real plot is rushed. What was in these pages should have
been the entire book but stretched out and expanded. I’m not sure why the
editors at St. Martin’s Press didn’t see this.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-pagination: none;">
While the author’s
writing is very visual, the descriptions of Alaska’s desolation are well done, and
the state certainly seems to have unparalleled beauty, Hannah’s constant
intrusion into the story was annoying. Her frequent asides in parentheses to
the readers should have been edited out. Example: “Leni got out of the plane
carefully (nothing was more dangerous up here than getting wet in the winter).”<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-pagination: none;">
Also, when
reading the narrative portions, it often seemed we were in the author’s head
and not in a character’s. The viewpoint of Leni as a 13-year-old is that of an
adult—again, the author. Leni knows names of trees, plants, and places that are
not yet part of her experience, and she can tell the ages of adults (that one
looks 40 and that one looks 50), which no child that young could do. These
adults would just be “old.”<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-pagination: none;">
Also, there was
repeated dialogue—one character saying the exact same unusual phrasing of words
that a previous character had said (again an editing problem)—and changes of
viewpoint that appeared very late in the story and weren’t really necessary.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
I do have to say that the ending
is satisfying and worth getting to, but as I mentioned, the story moves in a
slow, boring, and aggravating manner for those first 250 pages and then speeds
through the real meat. If you are looking for a story that hooks you from the
first page, this one falls far short of the mark. </div>
Carol J. Amatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13771517580900218771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202422840839617995.post-83511551079908679782018-01-28T11:30:00.000-08:002018-01-28T11:49:30.154-08:00Young Fashion Designer Achieves Great Success<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.0pt; mso-pagination: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">When we think of entrepreneurs, most of us picture adults
or college-age people like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and Mark Zuckerberg when
they first started their companies. The Internet, however, has offered the
opportunity for very young people to run companies and start their careers
early in life. This article is the first in a new series on this blog featuring
young entrepreneurs. </span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1eGwbVa5nStbu-dE4TxGvSjMbng8i9i9OJJ0w8uRukKbU8_I3JA6aQindhxQ_n91BHCkCuc4CVz2jBS_eXRCP91pGSsMNnUpDSp0aS8D2xDtABCfM1kenGF1OTzi46SEisp21ZgKKZqTJ/s1600/Mo+-+caption.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="561" data-original-width="625" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1eGwbVa5nStbu-dE4TxGvSjMbng8i9i9OJJ0w8uRukKbU8_I3JA6aQindhxQ_n91BHCkCuc4CVz2jBS_eXRCP91pGSsMNnUpDSp0aS8D2xDtABCfM1kenGF1OTzi46SEisp21ZgKKZqTJ/s200/Mo+-+caption.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Moziah Bridges, 15,
the President and Creative Director of Mo’s Bows (mosbowsmemphis.com) is a real
inspiration to kids who have dreams of running their own businesses. Several
years ago, Mo wanted an accessory that would make him look sharp but couldn’t
find anything that suited him. His grandmother helped him make bowties and Mo’s
Bows was born. </span></div>
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<![endif]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In 2014, when Mo was 12, he and his mother, Tramica, appeared on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shark Tank</i>. Reminded of himself and his
mother and his early endeavors and impressed by Mo’s diligence, fashion mogul
and entrepreneur Daymond John invested in the fledgling Memphis,
Tennessee-based company.</span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">With
John’s help and guidance, Mo’s Bows were soon on the shelves of stores like Bloomingdale's and Neiman Marcus. In 2025, Mo found himself on TIME Magazine's</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Most Influential Teen List and invited to meet with
President Obama at the White House.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">When
“ESPN hired Mo as a fashion correspondent for their NBA Draft telecast, …his
company hand-made bow ties for all of the draft picks” (Belzer, 2017). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The partnership with the NBA has launched Mo's Bows to a new level and may earn the company over $6 billion this year. In addition to bowties, the company now offers neckties, pocket squares, and t-shirts. Says Mo, who is well on the way of achieving his dream of being a fashion mogul himself and who hopes to have a full line of clothing by the time he graduates from college, "I never imagined the baby business I started at my grandmother's kitchen table would one day be an internationally recognized brand."</span><span style="height: 169px; margin-left: 815px; margin-top: 116px; mso-ignore: vglayout; position: absolute; width: 41px; z-index: 251660288;"><img alt="Text Box: mosbowsmemphis.com" height="169" src="file:///C:\Users\owner\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image003.png" width="41" /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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www.mosbowsmemphis.com</span></i></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Belzer, Jason.
(2017, May 9). The Little Black Book of Billionaire Secrets: 15-year-old Mo’s
Bows Founder Hustles His Way into NBA Partnership. Forbes. Retrieved from <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">https://www.forbes.com/</span>sites/jasonbelzer/2017/05/09<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">/15-year-old-mos-bows-founder-hustles-his-way-into-nba-</span>partnership/#54ed19104e87</span></i></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">
</span></i>Carol J. Amatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13771517580900218771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202422840839617995.post-57304099684842790152018-01-08T13:13:00.004-08:002018-01-09T12:10:54.036-08:00The Importance of Good Editing<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDh7cZjiMbPCyr9nPhMwq4VoRvy28ojoxH8kOea42CebSfNt8neipOBF4HSYXU2A4Fq-6F2u-_tDexP8YUQ-i883IRA12pc_svoKSCAXtt4rf6mO3BXAaiGg9zMZJuf4aGiIS7VM4Vkvgd/s1600/Edited+document+with+red+pen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1023" data-original-width="1536" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDh7cZjiMbPCyr9nPhMwq4VoRvy28ojoxH8kOea42CebSfNt8neipOBF4HSYXU2A4Fq-6F2u-_tDexP8YUQ-i883IRA12pc_svoKSCAXtt4rf6mO3BXAaiGg9zMZJuf4aGiIS7VM4Vkvgd/s320/Edited+document+with+red+pen.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 125%;">I’m a big fan of e-books.
Nothing is more convenient when I’m traveling or sitting in a waiting room than
having my Amazon Fire handy with all my downloaded reading material. I’ve read
many novels and nonfiction books over the past year on this device. One thing
has stood out in many of them—one thing that is frustrating for a professional
writer: poor editing.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 125%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 125%;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 125%;">I won’t name specific
titles, but I have posted reviews on this blog regarding some of them. These
works contain comma splices and run-on sentences; dangling and misplaced
modifiers; paragraph breaks at the wrong places; missing, repeated, misspelled,
and misused words; and punctuation errors of all types. I’m not talking about
an instance here or there. These errors were consistent, occurring throughout. Most
of these books are self-published, but some came from traditional houses, and
while many had terrific plots and characters or great information, the poor
editing got in the way of an enjoyable read. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 125%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 125%; mso-pagination: none;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 125%;">There
is no excuse for any author not to put his or her best work forward. One’s
reputation depends on it. If you are an indie author, that means taking the
time to have the manuscript professionally edited and proofread. If you intend
to seek out a traditional publisher—whether large or small—and this lack of professionalism
plagues your manuscript, pay to have these tasks accomplished before you
submit your work and risk a rejection slip. Yes, it costs, unless you can
barter with someone who has the required expertise. Hire a person who edits
books for a living—not a friend or a spouse who doesn’t. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 125%; mso-pagination: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 125%; mso-pagination: none;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 125%;">I
won’t bother reading any more books by the people whose unedited and
unproofread works wasted my precious time. No author who is serious about his
or her writing future would want this reaction from a reader. It’s sad, because
these writers’ reputations have been ruined at the beginnings of their careers.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 125%; mso-pagination: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 125%;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 125%;">Don’t let your manuscript be
one that gets a bad review over mistakes that are easily rectified with the
proper effort. Keep your reputation intact and the future of your career
bright. Take the time and spend the money to have your book professionally
edited and proofread to increase your chances of getting glowing reviews.</span></div>
Carol J. Amatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13771517580900218771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202422840839617995.post-23408698106127292732017-10-23T20:03:00.002-07:002017-10-23T20:06:47.206-07:00Make Lots of Money with Free Presentations!<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If you're like
most entrepreneurs, you're feeling the pinch of lots of people claiming to be
experts who target the same market as you. The problem is, to the consumer, you
may be one among many. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It's all about
market perception. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Those who rise to
the top are the experts who have visibility and market influence. One of the
best ways to do this is with presentations. But ... like everything else, the
number of experts who want to get on the platform is outrageously high. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What's an expert
to do? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Enter FREE
presentations. That's right. You can host your own online and offline events.
One person who has been very successful using this formula is my colleague and
friend, Kathleen Gage. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Kathleen is a
marketing strategist and business consultant who works with consciously aware
entrepreneurs who are experts in their fields. She used this strategy early on
in her business (back in 1994) and still uses it today. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Want to find out
what she does? If you said yes, then download her free report - <b>Step by step
guide for how I make over $100,000 a year with FREE Presentations.</b> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Simply go to <a href="https://iz106.infusionsoft.com/app/linkClick/30282/59f2553e675652cc/12048702/509200f40b019237"><span style="color: #0645ad;">https://iz106.infusionsoft.com/go/100k/cjamato/</span></a>
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<span style="color: black; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">You'll be glad
you did. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></div>
Carol J. Amatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13771517580900218771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202422840839617995.post-37475152394872876232017-09-11T15:06:00.000-07:002017-10-23T20:04:07.923-07:00Four Myths and Realities of Self-Publishing<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Over the
past several years, the publishing industry has changed radically, and it
continues to do so. Unfortunately, bookstores are scaling back their inventory
or going out of business. There are only six large houses left, and writers’ contracts
are becoming less and less attractive. </span>
<br />
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">As a
result, many well-known writers, including J. K. Rowling and Steven King, have
put e-book versions of their work up on the Internet themselves. In addition, some,
like Rowling, have started their own companies, thereby cutting the agents and
publishers out of the loop. Should unknown writers do the same? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: -13.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Why might a
writer choose to produce their own books? There may be many reasons, such as <br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">1) the book
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market). <br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">2) the
writer feels that there is a built-in audience that he or she can reach and can
therefore make money without selling through a major publisher.<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
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<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">4) writers are
responsible for marketing their books, anyway, so they might as well keep
control of pricing and receive all the profit.<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Traditionally,
whether large or small press, if all goes ideally, a writer submits a query to
an agent or editor and he or she responded favorably and asks to see the
manuscript. A contract is issued and the book begins the editorial process. With
a large company, a year or two later, the book is published. This lengthy
process is far from ideal for many writers, especially those with time-critical
information. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">So, if a
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Let’s
consider the four main myths and realities that apply to both print books and
e-books:</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial rounded mt bold" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial rounded mt bold" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Myth
or Reality? <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Self-publishing any book is
worthwhile.</span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: -27.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">While it is technically true that anyone
can publish anything these days, especially on the Internet, this is a myth
when it comes to something that is salable and will develop a positive
reputation for the author. <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">If </span>you
value what your readers think of you, self-publish <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">only books that are well-written and have quality content—the same level
that a New York house would produce</span>. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: -27.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: -27.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Consider
your professional image. It is fatal to your career to put out a book that
lacks compelling content, exhibits poor typesetting, has an amateurishly
designed cover, and is full of grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors. You will
be hard-pressed to turn this negative reputation around, even if your writing
improves over time.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: -27.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: -22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">For
physical books, sales of which are on the rise, Bookscan reported that for the
first quarter of 2017, adult nonfiction comprised 42.3% of the market, adult
fiction 25.2% (this includes Young Adult fiction, since 80% of Y/A books are
read by people over 25), juvenile/children’s fiction and nonfiction 7%, and
“other,” such as calendars, audio, and journals 25.5%. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: -22.5pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: -22.3pt; mso-pagination: none;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">For
e-books, adult fiction is 80% of the market (and most of those books are
romance and bought by females), adult nonfiction is 20%, and juvenile books are
1%, but this latter is bound to increase as time goes on. Some reference and
children’s titles are difficult to make into e-books because of the complex page
formatting and illustrations. This may change as the technology improves. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: -22.3pt; mso-pagination: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">If your
book is nonfiction, remember the first rule of marketing: Find a need and fill
it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: -22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">After
publishing 10 books through traditional publishers, I had an idea for a book
that was needed in the college market</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">—a user-friendly edition of a required style manual
for formatting research papers.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> The educational houses offered only a token advance
and virtually no royalties. They felt I should be happy with the fact that my
book would be out. I knew there were new students every semester who would need
it </span><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial; mso-symbol-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Symbol;">¾</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">that there
would be an evergreen market</span><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial; mso-symbol-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Symbol;">¾</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">so I
decided to start my own publishing company. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: -22.5pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: -22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">So far </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The World’s Easiest Guide to Using the APA</span></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">has sold over
75,000 copies to college bookstores, college and public libraries, and students.
</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">My
other title for college students is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
World’s Easiest Guide to Using the MLA. </i></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Ideal nonfiction books are
those that can have a long product lifespan by being updated as new editions. For
example, </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The World’s Easiest Guide to
Using the APA </span></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">is now going into its sixth edition and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The World’s Easiest Guide to Using the MLA</i>
is going into its second edition. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">My company has since expanded not only my own list
but has also taken on other authors. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: -22.5pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: -22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Another
example is best-selling author Amanda Hocking, who started self-publishing her
young-adult romance novels as e-books in April of 2010. By March of 2011, she
had sold over a million copies of nine books and averaged 9,000 sales a day.
She has earned millions to date and is now with St. Martin’s Press. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: -27.0pt; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: -27.35pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">You CAN be successful self-publishing your book if
you put in the effort. The caveat is to do so only with books that:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: .75in; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo1; tab-stops: list .75in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">are high quality.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: .75in; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo1; tab-stops: list .75in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">are in demand.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: .75in; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">have been professionally edited and proofread.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: .75in; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">have a professional page layout and cover.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: .75in; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">include an ISBN and Library of Congress Control Number
(LCCN), and Library of Congress Publication Data (so your book can be sold to
libraries)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .75in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: none;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">There is
another element, however, a critical one. Your book must be marketed properly. Marketing
is a topic in itself and requires a lot of research and study. A terrific
resource is <i>1001 Ways to Market Your Book</i> by John Kremer (Kindle Edition</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">, $7.97</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;">)</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">. <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo5; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial rounded mt bold" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial rounded mt bold" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Myth
or Reality? Self-publishing is the same as vanity press.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Self-publishing is definitely not the same thing as
vanity press. Vanity presses charge hundreds or thousands of dollars and will
print anything you send them—as is. You will get a pile of books that you then
don’t know what to do with. The vanity press generally has control of the cover
design and the page layout. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">When you self-publish, you retain control. You have
the book typeset and the cover designed. While this process will definitely require
money if you don’t know how to do them yourself, it will be very inexpensive if
you use someone listed on a site like www.fiverr.com. The person may be located
out of the country, but, as a result, he or she will work for a low fee. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Once your book is typeset and the cover has been
designed, you can upload it onto CreateSpace, which is Amazon’s self-publishing
platform. Small presses also use this service. This has tremendous advantages
in that your book will have its own page on Amazon. In addition, the books are
print-on-demand (POD). This means that as someone orders one, Createspace will
print it and ship it out. They will also track your sales and send you a check
each month for any copies sold. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">While you won’t have a box loads of books to deal
with or have to turn your house into a fulfillment center, you will still have
to market your work so that people know it’s available. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">You can also create e-books through Amazon’s Kindle
programs. These, in addition to audio versions, can be listed on your Amazon
page. Your work should be in at least these three formats (print, e-book, and
audio) in order to reach all audiences. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo5; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial rounded mt bold" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial rounded mt bold" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Myth
or Reality? Books can be sold only through bookstores.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Myth! There are significant costs to traditional houses
associated with printing and storing books. Once the publisher has inventory in
the distributor’s warehouse, they sell copies to wholesalers who ship to
bookstores. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Books are easily damaged in this process, and those
are returned. Titles may sit on the bookstore shelves for only 2-3 months,
after which they are shipped back to the publisher and may soon go out of print.
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">If you have a subject that can constantly sell,
though, why should your book die an early death? Why not self-publish it and if
it’s nonfiction, update it every few years to take advantage of the recurring
market?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Because of returns, wholesalers refuse to deal
directly with authors, and most bookstores won’t, either. In addition,
wholesalers and distributors expect a 45-55% discount, and bookstores expect at
least a 30% discount.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: -31.5pt; mso-pagination: none;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">An
alternative to the printing and storing costs is POD, but bookstores usually
won’t take POD books, because there is no place to return them. The same
discount schedule applies. It seems clear that all books eventually will be
printed POD, because the old model of printing and shipping is inefficient and
expensive and also destructive to the books themselves. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: -22.5pt; mso-pagination: none;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Instead,
forget the major bookstore chains. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: -22.5pt; mso-pagination: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: -22.5pt; mso-pagination: none;">
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">1001 Ways to Market
Your Books </span></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">explains exactly that. Not one of Kremer’s suggestions is a bookstore. In
fact, bookstores are the WORST place to sell books for the reasons already
mentioned. “Special Sales” is the term used for types of sales outside the
traditional bookstore channels. Also check out Brian Jud’s book, <i>Beyond the
Bookstore: How to Sell More Books Profitably to Non-Bookstore Markets </i>(ISBN:
978-1-59429-002-2, $10.00). He discusses all aspects of Special Sales. While it
has a 2003 copyright date, the information is still relevant. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: -22.5pt; mso-pagination: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: -22.5pt; mso-pagination: none;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Another
downside if you self-publish without setting yourself up as a small press is
that your book may not be reviewed in major publications like <i>Library
Journal</i>, <i>Kirkus Reviews</i>, and <i>Publishers’ Weekly</i>. The author
cannot submit books to most of these publications. There is a specific process
involved with getting reviews. This is another area for major study.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo5; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial rounded mt bold" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial rounded mt bold" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Myth
or Reality? If you build it, they will come.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">While this
philosophy worked well for novice Iowa farmer Ray Kinsella in attracting Shoeless
Joe Jackson and the outcast members of 1919 Chicago White Sox, it works only
for famous authors with a large fan base. In that case, it’s easy to get the
media to report that a new book is available. This scenario does not apply to
new or unknown writers, so this is definitely a myth. You can have your work on
Amazon and other online bookstores, but who will see it?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: -.25in; mso-pagination: none;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">The
Internet is the best place to market any product. If you plan to self-publish,
you must build a platform—an online community. Ideally, this is in place BEFORE
your book comes out. Amanda Hocking had a terrific fan base before she
self-published hers. A platform includes the following:</span></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-top: 12.0pt; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Website</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Blog</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Social media (such as Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest,
Linked In; pick the one(s) where your audience hangs out)</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Article marketing</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Videos</span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Post comments on the blogs of people in your target
market and “friend” them on your social media accounts. Keep your profiles
professional and don’t allow anyone to post to your accounts who isn’t a colleague
or potential colleague. That is, don’t post party photos or family photos and
don’t allow others to, either. Put samples of your work on your website for
others to read. When your book comes out, you will have a nice audience to
which to market it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Traditional publishers, editors, and agents expect
you to have a platform and will look for it. If you can build a track record
with your sales, you can approach these channels from a much stronger position;
however, if your Internet presence is negative or amateurish, though, you are
almost guaranteed a rejection slip. No matter how you publish, you need a
positive online presence.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-top: 12.0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial rounded mt bold" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The
Bottom Line</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">If
you feel that in spite of the challenges involved with self-publishing that you
want to pursue this avenue, you may find it to be very lucrative if you do it
right. Let’s review the steps:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Establish a
positive online presence.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Learn
everything you can about self-publishing.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Self-publish
only quality work.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Sell outside
the traditional bookstore channels.</span></li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Good
luck and have fun!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
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Carol J. Amatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13771517580900218771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202422840839617995.post-56447085199020362572017-08-24T15:52:00.000-07:002017-08-24T15:52:00.245-07:00Book Review: Lost GirlsLast night, 16-year-old
Rachel went to bed listening to music and worrying about her geometry test. She
wakes up in a ditch, bloody and bruised, and can’t remember what happened to
her. When she is reunited with her family, she discovers she has been missing
for two weeks. The police tell Rachel that other girls have gone missing, too,
but she is the only one to return home. <br />
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To make matters
worse, she learns an entire year has passed but she has no memory of it. She is
now 17. She is shocked to see that her room is a goth haven and all her clothes
are black. This is not the person she remembers herself being.</div>
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Technically a
Young Adult novel, this debut book by Merrie Destefano is suspenseful enough to
keep adults riveted as Rachel sets out to discover what happened to her during
that missing year. The more she investigates, the more her memories return. </div>
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Destefano kept me
on the edge of my seat as Rachel’s investigations lead her into the dark and
seedy side of life. While what she discovers could get her killed, she ignores her
fear and continues to push forward. </div>
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Despite the
excellent writing, plotline, and spine-tingling suspense, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lost Girls</i> suffers from a problem that seems to plague most indie
books: the lack of a professional edit. Its numerous grammar and punctuation
errors and repetitious words detract from its quality. Still, if readers can
overlook these issues, they will be in for an exciting read. </div>
Carol J. Amatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13771517580900218771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202422840839617995.post-45671874052927327942017-08-19T15:46:00.000-07:002017-08-19T15:46:03.309-07:00Book Review: The Wrong Child<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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when you take your eleven-year-old to the doctor only to discover that she is
not your biological child?<br />
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This is the dilemma facing Abbie Bernard, and she
wrestles with the idea of contacting the other family. Once she decides that she has to
know her birth daughter, Abbie’s fate is sealed. </div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 0in;">
USA Today
best-selling author and writing teacher Patricia Kay explores the complexity of
family dynamics and the stress that results when such a tragic discovery is
made. </div>
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While the plot kept
me turning the pages, a major flaw exists at the end: There is no character arc
on the part of the person who had the most problems dealing with this
situation. The character changes from being completely oppositional to totally
accepting without explanation. Because it seemed that an entire chunk of chapters
was missing, this spoiled what is otherwise an engrossing plot. </div>
Carol J. Amatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13771517580900218771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202422840839617995.post-50913337455987522962017-08-14T15:37:00.001-07:002017-08-14T15:42:42.504-07:00Book Review: The Game You Played<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]--><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Game You Played</i> is the debut novel
of author Anni Taylor. Phoebe Baskos, a young wife, mother, and former actress,
turns her attention away from her two-year-old son for just a moment at an
inner-city playground. When she looks back, Tommy is gone. After an exhaustive
search, the authorities presume he was kidnapped. <br />
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Then,
six months later, Phoebe and her husband Luke begin receiving rhymed messages
about Tommy and suspect they are from the kidnapper. Set in Sydney, Australia,
near the author’s home, this psychological thriller takes readers on a
roller-coaster ride as Phoebe searches for the truth behind her son’s
disappearance. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who took Tommy? And why?</div>
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This gripping
novel has complex characters and spine-tingling suspense. Told from two
viewpoints, Phoebe’s and Luke’s, the story kept me on the edge of my seat as
one person, then another, was a possible suspect in the crime. </div>
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Taylor gets deep
into Phoebe’s and Luke’s psyches and motivation. While the issues of mental
illness and substance abuse play important roles, the plot was not predictable
and kept me guessing. </div>
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The book should have been given one more edit to catch nitpicker grammar
and missing punctuation errors, however. The problem is not one of British
English versus American English. I lived in England for three years and am
familiar with the differences between the two forms of the language. Perhaps
it’s my editor’s eye. These errors concern missing punctuation and words and
use of lower-case letters that should be capitals and vice-versa. </div>
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I hasten to add that these problems don’t detract from what is otherwise
a very powerful page-turner. I look forward to reading—and
reviewing—Taylor’s second novel, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Six</i>.</div>
Carol J. Amatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13771517580900218771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202422840839617995.post-74475202172746248622017-05-23T12:24:00.000-07:002017-05-23T17:39:45.085-07:00Books Don't Matter, Authors Do: How to Attract the Media<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Most writers want
publicity for their books. Getting on TV is one of the dreams for accomplishing this, but many believe that being on a national TV show is beyond their reach. According to Emmy-nominated television producer and New York Times best-selling publisher, Jacquie Jordan, this is a totally realistic goal if the proper process is followed. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Jordan spoke at the May meeting of the
Publishers Association of Los Angeles. She stated that one of the mistakes that
writers make is waiting until their books are published before pursuing the
media when the reality is that the producers need a six-month lead time. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br />Another mistake is pitching the book when
they should be pitching themselves. Major publishers also make this mistake,
she said, which leaves their authors out of the TV show promotional loop. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">She made these 5
major points to cover for a quality pitch:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">What is your story?</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
TV producers want the author’s story. What is going on in the news that relates
to that? The story-telling aspect should be multi-dimensional and everlasting
and should fit several areas. Develop 5-6 speaking points.<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Develop a hook around your expertise<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Current events</span></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
Perhaps your book has to do with a foreign country or a situation that is
currently taking place.<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
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<!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Holidays<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">If
you have written a book that has to do with relationships, think about pitching
a topic for a show that will air around Valentine’s Day. <br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Anniversaries<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">A book with a
military setting or about the military, for example, would be perfect for a
topic around Veterans’ Day or Pearl Harbor Day.<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Birthdays<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Interesting tidbits
about an historical figure would be a great pitch for a booking around this
person’s birthday. <br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
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<!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Celebrities<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Maybe your book is
about safety, and a recent celebrity suffered from a robbery or other crime. A
pitch on safety tips to avoid these issues would work well. <br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Perhaps your book is
about the celebrity him- or herself. Pitch interesting facts that people don’t
already know. <br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Develop a solid platform</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">This
includes:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "symbol";"> ·</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Website</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Blog</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Social media accounts</span></div>
<br />
All three must have a uniform look. Include any media coverage of you or your work in all your social media and on your website. Jordan cited the example of one author who got 500 Twitter followers from one radio show.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">One
important point, she says, is that any material that is dated in content
should be removed since relevancy is very important. <br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Have a professional headshot taken <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">This should be used
on all your media and in your media kit. <br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Be prepared for several interview styles</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">There are several
types of interviews:<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
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<!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Sit-down Interview<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">This type is live or
live-to-tape. No one will edit what you say. You must be on your toes!<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Reality-Show Style<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The interview is
conducted in your home.<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Demo Segment<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Objects are used to
illustrate points.<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Satellite Interview<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">You can’t see the
person or people who are interviewing you. You are looking at a wall. You have
to be good at this so that it isn’t obvious.<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Skype Style<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">This is usually done
as a pre-interview. Most producers won’t put you on the air until they know you
are able to deliver what you promised. People have lost interviews based on not
looking at the camera but at themselves instead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">While
self-published books are often difficult to get on TV because the works are not
vetted, indie authors can get around this by promoting themselves as
subject-matter experts with stories that are relevant to the show. Then they
can mention the book. <br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Jordan
stated that authors should do three things when on TV:
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<!--[endif]--></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo5; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Come to the show
hair-and-make-up- ready</span></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">. <br /><br />
This not only saves time, but some shows don’t offer these services. The author
should not be caught short.
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><br /> 2.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Bring two outfits</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The outfit you have
on may not be suitable for TV. Bring two changes of clothes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in -0.25in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo5; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Hire a video
monitoring service</span></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
The author must pay to get the show recorded so that he/she has it forever.
Otherwise, the link that he/she receives for the show will be to the show site
only. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_LGGXYV3ksyveIMxbNlNs54i07qymO8SxDy9pX1hNaPEu7x-EeAAT40uSjywEbmHESEZnvfHmGQLMW_tzCPbNabCfzPtJE12s51wWTuWXwufaDNKld6DaUTe7zcDaEUkmKk4-oTYANm3b/s1600/Get+on+TV+Book+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">In order to build momentum, Jordan advised authors to say yes to all
media large or small. The content narrative has changed since
the election. Producers know what answers they want. Authors should be chockful
of ideas so the producers are impressed and will call you back. <br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Radio producers will ask for 20 questions. TV
producers at the national level do not usually ask for any.<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">While it is possible for authors to get on
national TV, it does take effort. The opportunity will not be handed to them. Jordan
said they must follow the rule of 10%: 100 pitches for every 10 bookings. Authors
should start with local markets and make a demo tape to use with larger ones. <br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Authors should send
their book with their pitch to producers via FedEx, then call to see if it was
received. If not, they should send it again and keep sending it until it gets
noticed. <br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Be tenacious. Perseverance pays off!</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHy_sQbhsKiv4Ql5ZszhIbA7-oGjE7E52urPAyZD5P8Y3pccNN57Js2-xhTm7MxkGe3VCWLW3R3fK7fU7uTR-D8MzjG1UeerMaCed4u2wnr9JGDtRK48x3AeROhK0LPxlLVM2FXIPzG3ur/s1600/Get+on+TV+Book+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHy_sQbhsKiv4Ql5ZszhIbA7-oGjE7E52urPAyZD5P8Y3pccNN57Js2-xhTm7MxkGe3VCWLW3R3fK7fU7uTR-D8MzjG1UeerMaCed4u2wnr9JGDtRK48x3AeROhK0LPxlLVM2FXIPzG3ur/s200/Get+on+TV+Book+Cover.jpg" width="151" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Jordan has written a
book called Get On TV!: The Insider’s Guide to Pitching<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the Producers and Promoting Yourself. (ISBN:
978-1-4002-0591-0, print edition, $15.99), which provides all the details for
pitching to the media. A Kindle edition is also available for $9.99. </span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"></span><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
Carol J. Amatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13771517580900218771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202422840839617995.post-25569973095048688862017-05-14T14:33:00.000-07:002017-05-14T14:38:50.794-07:00New Writers Beware!<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">A few days ago, I
received a call from Andrew Cramer at Litfire Publishing, wondering if I was
interested in getting my book in front of major publishers and bookstores. I
informed Mr. Cramer that my books (I have published 28, with two coming out
soon) are already with major wholesalers and bookstores so, no, I was not
interested. <br />
<br />
My curiosity was piqued, however. I had never heard of Litfire and wanted to
know exactly what the story was. When I did a search on the Internet, I came
across this article by Victoria Strauss, originally published on the Writer
Beware blog (<a href="http://accrispin.blogspot.com/2014/11/solicitation-alert-litfire-publishing.html">http://accrispin.blogspot.com/2014/11/solicitation-alert-litfire-publishing.html</a>) on November 7, 2014. When I contacted her, Ms. Strauss generously
allowed me to reprint it. I am happy to do so. Heed her advice!</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 18pt;"> Solicitation
Alert: Litfire Publishing</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">A few weeks ago, I began hearing
from writers who'd been solicited, out of the blue, by a company called <a href="https://litfirepublishing.com/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">LitFire Publishing</span></a>
(www.litfirepublishing.com). In some cases by phone, in others by email, a
LitFire "consultant" claimed to have received or seen information
about the writers' books (<a href="http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showpost.php?p=9156429&postcount=1"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">or even to
have read them</span></a>), and wanted to offer a wonderful marketing
opportunity--for, of course, a four-figure fee.<br />
<br />
Here's how LitFire <a href="https://litfirepublishing.com/about-us/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">describes
itself and its services</span></a>:</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Founded in 2008, LitFire allows authors to skip
the hassles of traditional publishing. The company started out as a publisher
of digital books. With hundreds of published titles and more than 50 publishing
partners, we have learned how to succeed and soar in the eBook market. In 2014,
LitFire expanded its horizon by offering self-publishing. Today, we offer all
the services you would expect from a traditional publishing house – from
editorial to design to promotion. Our goal is to help independent authors and
self-publishers bring their book production and marketing goals to fruition</span></i><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">In other words, LitFire
is one of those outfits that offers publishing packages, but makes much of its
profit from hawking </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://litfirepublishing.com/services/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">adjunct services such as marketing</span></a><span style="color: black;">.<br />
<br />
Cold-call solicitations, hard-sell sales tactics (writers report receiving
repeated phone calls and emails), </span><a href="https://litfirepublishing.com/services/publishing-packages/full-color-publishing/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">expensive
publishing packages with silly names</span></a>, <a href="https://litfirepublishing.com/services/marketing/author-brand-management/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">absurdly
overpriced "marketing" services</span></a>: <span style="color: black;">are
you detecting more than a whiff of Author Solutions, the </span><a href="http://accrispin.blogspot.com/2013/05/class-action-lawsuit-filed-against.html"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">much-criticized</span></a> <span style="color: black;">self-publishing service conglomerate that owns AuthorHouse,
iUniverse, Xlibris, and Trafford, among others?<br />
<br />
In fact, at least four of LitFire's "consultants"--</span><a href="http://au.linkedin.com/pub/portia-peterson/4b/aab/b28"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Portia
Peterson</span></a>, <a href="http://www.zoominfo.com/p/Tori-Mesh/1729294367"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Tori Mesh</span></a>, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pub/kc-normanns/70/b15/742"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">KC Normanns</span></a>,
and <a href="http://www.zoominfo.com/p/Mark-Advent/-1980968736"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Mark Advent</span></a> <span style="color: black;">(also see the screenshots at the bottom of this post)--are
or were employees of Author Solutions imprints. And LitFire's </span><a href="http://litfirepublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Black-and-White-Publishing-Order-Form.docx"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">publishing
agreement </span></a><span style="color: black;">bears many similarities
to </span><a href="http://www.authorhouse.com/uploadedFiles/AuthorHouse_US/Packages/Agreement_Order_Forms/Terms%20and%20Conditions_03012012.pdf"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">an older
AuthorHouse agreement</span></a> <span style="color: black;">(from 2012; the
most recent agreement, which is much more complicated, was revised in 2014).
Compare, for instance, AuthorHouse's Clause 18, Termination by Service
Provider, to the last paragraph of LitFire's Clause 14, Refunds and Work
Termination.<br />
<br />
But there are reasons other than possible Author Solutions connections to be
wary of this company.<br />
<br />
- <b>False or conflicting claims.</b> Of the "hundreds of
published titles" and "more than 50 publishing partners" claimed
in LitFire's description of itself, there is no trace.<br />
<br />
Eight books appear on Litfire's website, only one of which seems actually to
have been published by LitFire. That one shows up on Amazon, </span><a href="http://tinyurl.com/p2hqpm5"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">along with just two others</span></a>. <a href="http://books.google.com/books/about/Don_t_Forget_Your_Keys.html?id=qrzKoQEACAAJ"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">A</span></a> <a href="http://books.google.com/books/about/Confessions_of_a_Substitute_Teacher.html?id=hI3RoQEACAAJ"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">few</span></a> <a href="http://books.google.com/books/about/A_Survey_of_the_New_Testament.html?id=E6faoQEACAAJ"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">more</span></a> <a href="http://books.google.com/books/about/The_Poe_Consequence.html?id=B9rKoQEACAAJ"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">surface</span></a><span style="color: black;"> with a websearch (interestingly, these also show
up--with different ISBNs--as having been published by Author Solutions
imprints). All in all, that's seven titles. Total.<br />
<br />
LitFire also appears to be confused about how long it's been in business. Its
website claims a 2008 founding date, </span>but <a href="http://www.networksolutions.com/whois/results.jsp?domain=litfirepublishing.com"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">its URL was
only registered in June of this year</span></a><span style="color: black;">. On
the other hand, according to one of its email communications, it's been around
for 8 years, which would push its founding date back to 2006.<br />
<br />
<b>- Illiterate written materials.</b> Most of LitFire's website, while it
won't win any prizes for business communication, doesn't read too badly. But
the LitFire correspondence I've seen...yikes. For example, an email from
"Senior Publishing and Marketing Consultant" Tori Mesh was full of
grammar errors. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The most charitable
thing I can say is that it reads as if it were written by someone for whom
English is not a first language. Tori's resume includes a current or former
stint at AuthorHouse UK; we do know that a big portion of Author Solutions
business is outsourced to the Philippines, </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">and
that Philippine staff use American or British-sounding aliases, presumably to
make it seem as if they actually work at AS headquarters in Bloomington,
Indiana, but actually resulting in some very odd-sounding names. <br />
<br />
Also check out <a href="http://tinyurl.com/ou6x43n"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">this blog
post</span></a> on, er, craft, from <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/litfire"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Jill Bennett, LitFire's Book
Marketing Specialist</span></a>. Here's a sample:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">When can one’s writing writhen out a reader’s metaphysical
standpoint?<br />
<br />
How about this: Somebody wrote a book saying that the laws the world is
following today: spiritual, political, logical are but a rehash of the Primo
genial world that the Primo genial human beings have cleaved to and everything
everyone believed in that world turned out to be flawed and destructive,
thereby the First Apocalypse. He doesn’t claim himself a Messiah or a prophet
or whatnot but proves his evidences authentic, like the codex of that first
world, every inch of it intact.</span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">
I did not make that up.<br />
<br />
<b>- Plagiarism. </b>A solicitation email from "Senior Marketing and
Publishing Consultant" Mark Advent (formerly of Trafford) is a peculiar
mix of the kinds of ESL mistakes found in Tori Mesh's email and relatively
fluent passages. There's a reason for this: Mark has borrowed the good bits
from others, without bothering with attribution. His paragraphs were plagiarized
from an article by marketing expert Penny C. Sansevieri and from speaker and
consultant Al Lautenslager.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Tsk, tsk.<br />
<br />
So what is LitFire? Despite the many Author Solutions connections and
similarities, I don't suspect that LitFire actually has anything to do with
Author Solutions itself. AS is a big company, and it has no need to be coy
about what it does. If LitFire were a new AS imprint, we'd know it. I think
it's far more likely that LitFire is an Author Solutions clone, created by
former or current AS workers in hopes of siphoning off a share of their
employer's business.<br />
<br />
Either way, one thing is clear. If you hear from LitFire, just say no.<br />
<br />
<b>UPDATE 11/11/14</b>: Either as a result of this post or of the accompanying
discussion at Absolute Write (which includes a lot more speculation and
information about possible LitFire staff names and aliases), changes have begun
to appear on the LitFire website. I've therefore appended a bunch of
screenshots at the very bottom of this post.<br />
<br />
<b>UPDATE 1/17/17: </b>As the comments below will attest, LitFire is still
at it. And it seems like they're not even trying all that that hard. Today I
got this:</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Good day Mark,<br />
<br />
How are you ? I hope you are doing great. I am Kate Avila, Senior Consultant
with LitFire Publishing. I have been trying to get in touch with you in regard
to your Book Project. I’m hoping you could get in touch with me as soon as you
can. We’d like to know if you are still pursuing the book because we would like
to help you.<br />
<br />
Feel free to visit our website to know more information about us
https://litfirepublishing.com/<br />
<br />
Please feel free to contact me at 1 800 511 9787 ext. 8125 or send me an email
at kateavila@litfirepublishing.com.<br />
<br />
I am looking forward for your response.</span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
Mark, whoever you are, I'm glad to take the bullet for ya.<br />
<br />
<b>UPDATE 2/22/17:</b> LitFire is reportedly soliciting former Tate
Publishing authors (</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://accrispin.blogspot.com/2016/06/tate-publishing-enterprises-slapped.html"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Tate went out
of business earlier this year</span></a><span style="color: black;"> amid
lawsuits and a massive number of complaints).<br />
<br />
<b>UPDATE 2/23/17: </b>I received this lengthy complaint today from
someone who made the mistake of buying one of LitFire's marketing packages. It
explains exactly why LitFire and its ilk are a ripoff.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<i><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Writers beware LitFire
Publishing. Please share this post to protect fledgling authors, as many people
have called BookExpo to complain about this company already and have tried to
warn writers on the internet. This is my personal experience.</span></i><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<i><br />
This publishing house which seems legitimate, inconspicuous, and appears to
have evidence backing up such claims, is nothing more than a ploy to take
advantage of new authors. Litfire promises a marketing campaign of either
Deluxe or Ultimate for $2,000 or $2,300. The original promise of these packages
was a booth at Book Expo America in NYC, where major publishing houses and
200,000 attendees (as well as authors such as Scott Kelly and Stephen King)
would be present and where an author thus, through them, could begin to fortify
his or her portfolio, and the ability for the author to come and help man that
booth if desired (although not necessary). </i><br />
<i><br />
If purchasing the Ultimate package, LitFire promised an ad in the author
catalog given out to all attendees as well as a full spread in "Wayfairer
magazine" and 100 "gift cards" to give away to people at the
fair and encourage them to buy the book. For the Deluxe, there were no
"Gift cards" promised nor author catalog, but the author would
receive a quarter spread in "Wayfairer magazine." With both packages,
a 15 minute web internet radio interview over the phone was promised and a
press release would be sent out for over 5,000 media outlets.</i><br />
<i><br />
These promises, however, are no more than bait. </i><br />
</span><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
</span></i><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">At the last moment, my
LitFire representative claimed "misunderstanding" and said that I
would have to separately procure a pass to attend the event, even to go to that
booth (where I specifically got a very different answer before, an answer which
claimed that my badge was included in the total cost). In a previous follow up
before my representative claimed "misunderstanding," he specifically
said that I would not have to pay ANY admission or undergo the application to
attend the Book Expo, that it was all set, and that once I paid I would be
assigned a financial marketing assistant who would tell me where to procure my
pass and where to meet up. </span></i><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<i><br />
Further, once I asked how much money was on the "gift cards," it was
revealed that they aren't gift cards at all, but advertising cards with QR
codes to better direct people to buy the author's book from Amazon or another
major site. The name "gift card" was misleading. </i><br />
<i><br />
Another change was in the "press release to 5,000 media outlets." At
first, a "full marketing campaign" was promised. Upon further
questioning, it turns out that this "full marketing campaign" is just
bait, and they are simply referring to the booth at the Expo, advertising the
book by genre to passersby, and the press release. Even worse, at the last
minute, although the phrase "over 5,000" was used multiple times, my
representative changed the number to "over 100 media outlets." No
specific media outlets were specified, but that question was dodged.</i><br />
<i><br />
The worst crime, however, is the exploitation of the name "Wayfairer
Magazine." Since these baits are sent over the phone, if one were to look
up </i>Wayfarer Magazine<i> (different spelling), one would find a
reputable literary magazine. I called this magazine and found out that a full
color spread costs $3,600, a B&W full spread costs $2,900, and that even
the quarter spreads in color exceeded $1,000 and in B&W neared $1,000.
LitFire's promise sounded like a fantastic deal.</i><br />
</span><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
</span></i><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">At the last minute, upon
request, I was sent PDF photos of "WayFairer Magazine." It is not a
real magazine at all. In fact, it can't be found on google anywhere--only in
the email, and is created by LitFire publishing themselves. The magazine itself
is fake. Litfire banks on authors looking up Wayfarer Magazine when hearing the
name over the phone since it isn't spelled anywhere except in what I was
sent. </span></i><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<i><br />
In fact, when I asked my representative to spell the magazine name specifically
since there are multiple magazines with similar names (like Wayfare, Wayfair,
etc.), and I wanted to be sure, he completely dodged the question. He banked on
me being more entranced by the color photos of the full book spreads, which
look very visually appealing and seem to market the books very well, and not
noticing the tiny spelling difference between "WayFairer" and
"WayFarer"</i><br />
<i><br />
LitFire publishing is a scam--no more than bait to exploit the aspirations of
new authors. Although they seem to check out at first, the true colors will
bleed through upon deeper investigation and numerous calls to different corporations.</i><br />
<i><br />
Although there are many "Beware LitFire!" cries on the internet, none
actually explain why to do so, and make it sound more like an overpriced
service than the complete illusory bait that it is. Do not trust LitFire, and
do not pay them attention at the Book Expo America.</i></span><o:p><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></o:p>Carol J. Amatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13771517580900218771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202422840839617995.post-60960604089616874822017-01-29T12:48:00.001-08:002017-01-29T13:54:00.108-08:00Set Your Writing Goals for 2017<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Here we are
at the start of a new year. January is nearly gone, and we have only 11 months
to go before another year will have passed us by. It’s time to set your writing
goals for 2017.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Myrko Thum,
the personal development expert, states, “A goal is a thought with commitment
to make it real.”<sup>1</sup> He is right on. The key word here is
“commitment.” A goal isn’t reachable unless it’s carried out. A goal without
commitment is a dream. By joining this writing program, you’ve made the
decision to turn your dream into reality.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Why
set writing goals? They give you long-term vision and short-term motivation.<sup>
</sup>Reaching short-term benchmarks gives you a feeling of success along the
journey toward a long-term target.<sup>2</sup><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -13.5pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">To
set reachable goals, however, one must:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -13.5pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in -13.5pt 0in 39pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">understand
the difference between short-term and long-term goals<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in -13.5pt 0in 39pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">set
S.M.A.R.T. goals<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in -13.5pt 0in 39pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">create
a writing schedule<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "arial rounded mt bold" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">Short-term vs. Long-term Goals<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Short-term
goals are the ones set for the actual writing of your book. They may include
the number of hours spent writing per day or week or the number of pages
produced at each session. Your long-term objective is to finish your book. But
be careful. That objective should not be the end in itself. Once you have finished
writing, then what? <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Astronauts
ran into this problem. Their long-term objectives were to go to the moon or to
do a mission on the space shuttle. Those took years to achieve. Once they were accomplished,
the astronauts felt their lives were over. Been there, done that. Some resorted
to drinking because they felt so lost. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -9pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -9pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">There
must be targets beyond that of writing your book. Your next one is to publish. After
that, it’s to market your work, and then it’s to keep promoting and selling. And
your goal after that should be to create ancillary products. Beyond that it
should be to write another book and start the journey all over again. In other
words, goals comprise a process, not just an end.<sup>3</sup> Long-term ones
concern <i>why</i> you are writing your
book. To get more clients? To become a
well-known expert in your field? To sell enough copies to expand your business
or buy a new house? These are the objectives beyond writing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Napoleon Hill, author of the classic book <i>Think and Grow Rich</i>, quotes George Herbert, a 17<sup>th</sup>
century British poet, when he says: “Do not wait; the time will never be ‘just
right.’ Start where you stand, and work with whatever tools you may have at
your command, and better tools will be found as you go along.”<sup> 4</sup></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "arial rounded mt bold" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">2 Set S.M.A.R.T. Goals<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">In
<i>The Seven Habits of Highly Successful
People</i>, Steven Covey states that habit number two is to “begin with the end in mind<b>.”</b><sup>
5</sup><b> </b>While you don’t want to put undue pressure on your- self, set S.M.A.R.T.<sup>6</sup>
writing goals for each of your work sessions. They should be <b>Specific</b>, <b>Measurable</b>, <b>Attainable</b>, <b>Realistic</b>, and <b>Time-Bound. <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Let’s
consider the first word: <b>Specific</b>.
That means “clear.” For example, the goal “to finish writing the book” is too
obscure. When will you finish? How much will you write at any particular time
to reach that goal? We can’t tell from “to finish writing a book” because of
its vagueness. Vagueness invites failure. A specific goal is “To write five
double-spaced pages at the next two weekly four-hour writing sessions.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">The
“S” can just as easily stand for <b>Simple</b>.
Three to five writing goals is a good number. Having too many amid other
obligations will also set you up for defeat. The rest of your life, including
your business, needs attention, so don’t overlook or neglect it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">The goal of
writing five double-spaced pages at the next two writing sessions is an example
of one that is <b>Specific</b>, <b>Simple</b>, <b>Measurable</b>, and <b>Time-bound</b>.
You’ll know each week whether or not you have achieved it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -9pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Your
goals also have to be <b>Realistic</b>. For
example, putting your book ahead of clients or food on the table won’t work.
Goals must also be <b>Attainable</b>. If
you intend to write twenty pages each writing session but can generate only
five comfortably, your goal is not realistic or attainable. Be honest with
yourself about what you can produce.</span><span style="font-family: "arial rounded mt bold" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Don’t
think of creating the entire book. Instead, set small goals for one specific
chapter at a time. State each as a positive statement. For example, “Write five
pages of Chapter 1 of my parenting book this week.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">If you find
that your goals are not realistic, revise them. Nothing is cast in concrete.
Avoid stress as much as possible when it comes to writing or you may find
yourself losing the desire to finish it. You don’t want that!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -9.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Write
your long-term goals on page 9 of your workbook. Print copies of page 10 to use
for short-term goals for the sections or chapters of your book. Review them
often. If you find that your goals turn out to be unrealistic for the time
element scheduled, revise accordingly. The overarching objective is to complete
your book. Don’t set yourself up for disappointment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -9.35pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial rounded mt bold" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;">3 Create a Writing
Schedule<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">In order to
complete your book in a timely manner, setting a writing schedule is critical. James
Clear<sup>7</sup> suggests that writers need to develop a system. For example,
your goal is to write a book. Your system is the writing schedule you devise
for yourself. It could be fifteen minutes a day, an hour a day, four hours a
week—whatever works for you and your business and personal commitments. The
person who can dedicate three hours a day to writing will finish sooner than
the person who can dedicate three hours a week. There is no right or wrong to
this process. It’s whatever fits with your schedule without adding undue
stress. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Determine
your peak productivity times. Do you function best in the morning? the
afternoon? the evening? Ideally, use
some of this time for your writing. But be careful. Scheduling yourself an hour
between <st1:time hour="23" minute="0" w:st="on">11 PM</st1:time> and <st1:time hour="0" minute="0" w:st="on">midnight</st1:time>, for example, won’t work if
you’re exhausted from a hard day. You need to be alert and able to think
clearly with no distractions. The length of each session isn’t as important as
the fact that you have a specific slot set aside. Look at your calendar and
make appointments with yourself. Record your writing schedule in your workbook.
If your schedule changes, print a fresh sheet to record the new times. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Record your
writing schedule on page 11 of your workbook. Keep these appointments the way
you would keep any with your clients or customers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Reward
yourself when you accomplish a goal. Treat yourself to whatever you like. This
will keep you motivated. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Psychotherapist
Carl Jung said this many years ago:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“You are what you do,
not what you say you’ll do.”</span></i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">8<o:p></o:p></span></sup></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial rounded mt bold" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Endnotes<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: .75in; text-indent: .5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">1.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Myrko
Thum, Goal Setting: 7 Steps to Set Your Life Goals, n. d., http://www.myrko thum.com/goal-setting/<br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: .75in; text-indent: .5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">2.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">James
Manktelow and Amy Carlson, Personal Goal Setting: Planning to Live Your Life
Your Way, n. d., http://www.mindtools.com/page6.html.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: .75in; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: .75in; text-indent: .5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">3.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Will
Meek, How to Set Goals, Notes to Self, <i>Psychology
Today</i>,
http://www. psychologytoday.com/blog/notes-self/201308/how-set-goals<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: .75in; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">4.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Napoleon
Hill, <i>Think and Grow Rich</i>, 2012,
Reprint of original 1937 edition, Napoleon Hill Foundation, Hammond, Indiana.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: .75in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: .75in; text-indent: .5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">5.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Steven
Covey, <i>The 7 Habits of Highly Successful
People</i>, 2013, New York, Simon &
Schuster, Inc.<br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in -0.25in 0in 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">6.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Duran,
G. T., Miller, A., & Cunningham, J. (1981). There’s a S.M.A.R.T. way to <br />
write management goals and objectives. <i>Management
Review (AMA Forum), 70</i>(11), 35-36.<br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in -0.25in 0in 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">7.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">James
Clear, Forget About Setting Goals: Focus on This Instead, January 21, <br />
2014, <i>Psychology Today</i>,
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/slow-gains/201401/forget-about-setting-goals-focus-instead<br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in -0.25in 0in 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">8.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Carl
Jung, n.d.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-right: -.25in; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: .75in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Carol J. Amatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13771517580900218771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202422840839617995.post-58639061919068581042016-09-15T20:22:00.000-07:002016-09-15T20:32:59.814-07:00Your Phone Can Be Easily Hacked<span style="font-family: "futura bk bt"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "futura bk bt"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "futura bk bt"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "futura bk bt"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "futura bk bt"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "futura bk bt"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Many people argue over which phone is best:
Iphone or Android. According to a report repeated on the September 4th episode
of <i>60 Minutes</i>, that argument is moot when it comes to hacking, as both
types are just as vulnerable.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">
Since some of the world’s best hackers are in Germany, Sharyn Alfonsi, a <i>60
Minutes</i> correspondent, went to Berlin to interview Dr. Karsten Nohl, the
head of Security Research Labs. During the day, the lab advises Fortune 500
companies on computer security. At night, the team looks for vulnerabilities in
the devices we use every day—smart phones USB sticks, and SIM cards—so they can
warn the public about the risks. Right now, they are concentrating on mobile
phone networks.<br />
<br />
With just a phone number, Nohl claimed he could get into Alfonsi’s phone and
retrieve all her transactions (including credit card numbers), track her
location, see where she went, which people she met and when, see who she calls
and what they say, and read her texts. <br />
<br />
To test this claim, <i>60 Minutes</i> sent an off-the-shelf iPhone to
Representative Ted Lieu of California along with the telephone number
registered to it. Lieu agreed to use the phone knowing it would be hacked.
Alfonsi called from Berlin and Nohl hacked in.<br />
<br />
How did he do it? By exploiting a security flaw in the Signaling System Seven
(SS7), the global network that connects phone carriers, though he admitted that
some were easier to hack than others. He recorded the congressman’s calls and
tracked his movements in Washington and back in California. Lieu admitted that
this was "immensely troubling."<br />
<br />
John Hering, who cofounded the mobile security company, Lookout, when he was
23, has developed a free app that scans mobile phones for malware and alerts
users when the phones are attacked. According to Hering, there are only two
types of companies and people: those who have been hacked and realize it and
those who have been hacked and don’t.<br />
<br />
He claims that most phone hacks are not via SS7 but via spoofing, explaining
that people install malicious applications and willingly give up their
passwords every day. <br />
<br />
<i>60 Minutes</i> contacted the cellular phone trade association, which claimed
that SS7 attacks could not happen on a U.S. network but are only a problem on
foreign ones. The hacking of Lieu’s <i>60 Minutes </i>phone, however, proved
exactly the opposite.<br />
<br />
The problem is that the world’s intelligence agencies don’t want this flaw
fixed. Leiu stated that the people who know about it and aren't doing anything
to rectify it should be fired. Adds Hering, "We live in a world where we
cannot trust the technology that we use."<br />
<br />
To read the full transcript of this story, please go to <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/news/60-minutes-hacking-your-phone/">http://www.cbsnews.com/news/60-minutes-hacking-your-phone/</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "futura bk bt"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "futura bk bt"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "futura bk bt"; font-size: x-small;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">
</span></span></span></span><br />
<br />Carol J. Amatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13771517580900218771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202422840839617995.post-51815418786444036572016-08-19T12:45:00.001-07:002016-09-15T20:29:42.243-07:00If You Want to Sell Your Book Traditionally, Don’t Brand Yourself an Amateur Are you considering publishing your book traditionally? If
so, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the correct process before even
attempting to contact anyone. Assuming your manuscript is of publishable
quality, that means beginning with learning to write a query letter. Before we
talk about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">how</i> to write one, let’s
talk about what <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> to do. <br />
<o:p></o:p><br />
An editor friend of mine received the following email query
from an aspiring author:<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.25in;">
Dear Editors,<o:p></o:p></div>
Please consider publishing my
book, part of which is in the attachment below.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.25in;">
Warm regards, Bob<o:p></o:p></div>
What’s wrong here? First of all, it was sent to many editors
at once, and all names appeared in the TO: field, 101 in total. In addition, there
are several things the writer needs to know before contacting a publisher:<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Does
the publisher accept query letters that are not submitted by an agent? If not,
he/she should stop here. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Does
the publisher accept books from first-time authors?<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Does
the publisher accept the type of book the author is pitching?<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Has
the publisher published a book like this already? If so, your chances are slim.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->What
does the publisher want to see? Query letter? Synopsis? Sample chapters? All of
the above? Some of the above?<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->What
is the name of the specific editor handling that type of book?<o:p></o:p></div>
A query letter is equivalent to the cover letter
accompanying a resume when applying for a job. A well-written one will get the
editor to request more material or read what was submitted. The query letter
above that Bob sent tells the editor one thing: He is an amateur who doesn’t
know what he’s doing, so the manuscript is no doubt just as poorly written. Since
Bob doesn’t know how to write a query, he has probably also not researched the
company to see what the requirements are for submission. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
Editors are busy people. They read hundreds of queries per
week. They can’t waste time on those that aren’t properly submitted. Bob’s
query was so amateurish that it wouldn’t have mattered if he’d written the
great American novel, since it wouldn’t have been read. The conclusion would
have been drawn that the manuscript was just as amateurish. <o:p></o:p></div>
They would have been right. Bob’s attached fiction
manuscript was certainly neither submitted properly nor of publishable quality.
For starters, it was in 26-point font rather than the required 12-point font
and contained not one sentence of dialogue. There is no point elaborating on
the numerous other problems.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
My editor friend took the time to write Bob and let him know
that he needed to learn to write a proper query letter, that he needed to
research <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Writer’s Market</i> for the
proper way to submit to the publishers he had in mind, and that he also needed
to learn proper manuscript format. <o:p></o:p></div>
Did Bob heed this advice? Apparently not, for six weeks
later, this editor received the identical query from him once again!<br />
<o:p></o:p><br />
Writing a proper query letter is an art. It takes study and practice.
A normal query is one page (not one sentence) and consists of four main
paragraphs:<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
Paragraph 1 – Usually one sentence and provides a hook into
the main point of the book. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
Paragaph 2 – Mini-synopsis: Write a short overview of the
plot if the book is fiction or the overall concepts if the book is non-fiction.
This could be broken into two paragraphs, if necessary.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
Paragraph 3 – Your writing credits (if you have some)<o:p></o:p></div>
Paragraph 4 – A pleasant closing<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
To learn to write a query letter, check out these websites:<o:p></o:p></div>
<a href="http://www.agentquery.com/">www.agentquery.com</a><span style="background: white;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null">/<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">write</span></a><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null">r_hq.aspx</a></span></span><o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in;">
www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/how-to-write-the-perfect-query-letter<o:p></o:p></div>
<a href="http://nybookeditors.com/2015/12/how-to-write-a-darn-good-query-letter/">http://nybookeditors.com/2015/12/how-to-write-a-darn-good-query-letter/</a><o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in;">
http://www.rachellegardner.com/how-to-write-a-query-letter/<o:p></o:p></div>
<a href="https://janefriedman.com/query-letters/">https://janefriedman.com/query-letters/</a><o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
Also, go to www.topwritingcoach.com/querylettersamples for
great sample query letters for both fiction and nonfiction.<o:p></o:p></div>
As with any field, showing yourself as a professional is the
first step to accomplishing your goals. Don’t be like Bob and brand yourself an
amateur before you even get out of the gate. Make sure your manuscript is the
best possible and then learn to write a query letter that will get the editor
to read your submission.<o:p></o:p>Carol J. Amatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13771517580900218771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202422840839617995.post-34914501411153964442016-07-24T11:25:00.002-07:002016-08-19T12:46:37.842-07:00Barnes & Noble Makes Stunning Announcement<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .25in;">
In a move
that amazed the writing/publishing industry, Barnes & Noble has announced
that it will offer self-publishers with Nook e-books the chance to get their
work into the chain’s bookshelves and to hold signings in their stores. But is
this opportunity all that it seems to be?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .25in;">
Traditional
publishers and professional writers understand B&N’s hesitation to consider
such an action in the past. There have been too many self-published books
lacking proper structure and editing uploaded onto Amazon and other platforms.
In addition, the number of titles from reputable publishers overflowed their
shelves, so B&N didn’t need to spend time reviewing self-published books to
find the gems that were essentially needles in a haystack.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .25in;">
Anyone who
has visited one of their stores lately, however, will notice that the reading
inventory is drastically down. In the past, books were always spine out to
allow the maximum to be crowded onto each shelf. Now, many are face out to take
up the empty space. In addition, much of the store is filled with other
merchandise, such as toys, games, puzzles, and music.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .25in;">
Why has the
book inventory dropped? Because most people are buying their reading material—both
e-book and print book—from Amazon and other discount online bookstores. Trying
to win back a share of the market is the motivation for B&N’s new program,
and most writers and readers don’t want to see them go out of business.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .25in;">
There are
some additional qualifications for Nook self-publishers for B&N’s new
program.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in 0.75in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "times new roman";"> </span></span></span>The
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">bookshelf plan</b> is available only for
those print-book authors who have published e-book versions for the Nook and
whose sales of a single e-book title have totaled 1000 units in the past year.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in 0.75in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "times new roman";"> </span></span></span>The
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">in-store events</b> are for those
print-book authors whose sales of a single e-book title have totaled 500 units
in the past year.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in;">
While
this is definitely a step in the right direction, Nook indie authors shouldn’t
get overexcited. While small-press publishers have been able to get their books
into B&N’s catalog by sending them to the Small Press Department for review,
there is no guarantee that any book will be accepted. This is also true with
the new program. Books must be submitted to this same department for review,
and submission does not promise a positive result.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in;">
In a
story in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Book Business Insight</i>, Thad
McIlroy raised the following questions: How many copies will be ordered? How
long will they stay on the shelves? Where will they be displayed? What about
returns? In his view, these unanswered questions are cause for concern.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in;">
He
has a valid point. Most books from major publishers are on the shelves for only
90 days before being returned. This’s why most wholesalers and bookstores pay
after 90 days. This allows them the time to return the books without having
laid out any money. The financial burden is on the publisher. The exceptions to
the 90-day practice are bestsellers and longtime sellers. Major publishers and
many small presses have warehouses in which returns can be stored.
Self-publishers usually don’t. </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in;">
Self-publishers
have to keep their eyes wide open if they get a deal with any major retailer,
whether bookstore or box store. Consider the following scenario: Let’s say
B&N—or any other retailer, for that matter—orders 1,000 copies for stores
around the country. The author, no doubt thrilled, puts up the money to print
that many copies and gleefully ships them off, no doubt at his or her own
expense.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in;">
But
what if only 50 copies sell? What will happen to the other 950? The store will
want to return them. What will the author do then? The money for printing has
been spent and no money has been received from the buyer. The author is faced
with storing those copies in his/her garage. And who pays the return shipping?</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in;">
How
will the books be sold now? This is equivalent to vanity publishing before
Print on Demand, when the copies ended up in the garage and stayed there, since
most self-publishers had no knowledge of how to market their work. The same is
true today. Authors without this knowledge will end up paying a fortune to have
someone else do it. </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in;">
When
an opportunity arises that seems really good, do your homework before taking
action. A sale like this can be dangerous for the author’s financial stability.
Research the more traditional ways of independent publishing, such as Print on
Demand. Wait and see how the B&N program works out before jumping in.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in;">
As stated, this could very well be a step in the right direction by B&N,
but <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">caveat emptor</i>. What might sound
like a good opportunity for self-publishers may not be the pot of gold at the
end of the rainbow, after all.</div>
Carol J. Amatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13771517580900218771noreply@blogger.com0