I'm snowbound (16 inches, still falling), and the temptation to light a fire and read all day is strong. But first I'll prep for my next online creative nonfiction writing class which begins Monday, and then I will move to that couch, though on my lap will be an editing client's memoir. Still, I'll be reading. Sort of. Meanwhile, here are a few links I liked this week.
►If you're not a writer who makes peace with, and even collects rejections, you might not understand this guy, who counts five figures worth of rejections. Oh, and he's widely, and prestigiously, published too. As Eric at Pimp My Novel points out, unless you have a similarly sizable rejection collection, that wouldn't be the sound of you complaining, would it? Didn't think so.
►Memoir writers know the drill: first finish writing the book, then polish that manuscript, write a killer book proposal which includes a well-researched marketing section, and THEN seek an agent, right? Well, not always. Here's how one woman went the opposite way and how -- and why -- it all worked out.
►So you turn in your final book manuscript to the publisher and then what? Charles Stross knows – everything from copy editing, to scheduling, to ARCS, to physical production and distribution. You know, that sounds sort of dull, but it was an eye-opening and fun read.
► If you teach a online college course (about anything), or simply want to know more about how those who do approach course design and student interaction, you may want to read this longish and informative piece at the Chronicle of Higher Education.
► Off The Bookshelf is a newly launched site which aims to help authors connect with readers, via individual "bookstores" where writers can set prices and sell their own books, converse with readers, blog and other activities.
►Interesting article at The Financial Times about the money side of ghostwriting books for famous business folks.
► This shouldn't happen to a creditable author with a dozen historic nonfiction books to his name. But it did. A source on whom Charles Pelligrino relied for recollections of substantial narrative passages in his new book, Last Train To Hiroshima, now says she lied, and experts seem to agree. A costly mistake the author and publisher are now correcting.
►And finally, Nicholas Kristof, the wonderful New York Times OpEd columnist, wrote a parody of how consumer news consumption might fare if it worked like the broken health care system.
Have a great weekend.
Showing posts with label public relations. Show all posts
Showing posts with label public relations. Show all posts
Friday, February 26, 2010
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
My Father, the Writing/Career Coach
My father liked to exaggerate, in a harmless way, in a way which would make others feel good and enjoy the conversation, in a way which seemed to telegraph the amplification and yet at the same time, make it inconceivable for anyone to call him on it.
When I was in my 20s, with my first real (non-freelance) job, I occasionally overhead him say, "My daughter is a top level public relations executive in New York City."
I wasn't.
Oh, I worked at a Manhattan public relations agency all right, and it wasn't exactly entry-level, though it wasn't anywhere near the top. Owing to a first-hand command of a specialized expertise (horses and the show jumping world) and a unique Rolodex of contacts (the equestrian media and elite rider-athletes), I filled a certain niche important to the most important client at that particular agency at that particular time: It was 1984 and the client, Purina, wanted major mileage from their sponsorship of the United States Equestrian Team (which would win Gold at the Los Angeles Olympics that summer).
As an ardent rider myself, and after spending several years post journalism school working as a freelance writer for equestrian magazines (translation: barely scraping by) -- yes, it was a dream job. But only to me. In the overall scheme of the New York public relations business, I was but a very small cog in a quite minor wheel.
But. My father didn't know all that, or at least, he never seemed to understand when I explained that there wasn't anything "top level" about what I was doing. I'd get angry sometimes when he wouldn't acknowledge my true status, and wondered if he wasn't proud of my real achievements.
Of course, I understood it all much better when I had children of my own.
Now that my father has been gone for a few years, something funny happens to me once in a while. On a day when I accomplish something professionally, and even more so on a day when it seems I'll never accomplish another thing, from somewhere deep in my brain (my heart?) I'll hear my father's voice.
"My daughter is a..."
"My daughter writes for…."
"My daughter is editing..."
"My daughter just published…."
"My daughter teaches…"
...and I fill in the blanks any old way I want.
I keep it to myself. I don't argue with the voice. I resist the urge to self-censor. We all need a way to keep going. Some days, that's mine.
When I was in my 20s, with my first real (non-freelance) job, I occasionally overhead him say, "My daughter is a top level public relations executive in New York City."
I wasn't.
Oh, I worked at a Manhattan public relations agency all right, and it wasn't exactly entry-level, though it wasn't anywhere near the top. Owing to a first-hand command of a specialized expertise (horses and the show jumping world) and a unique Rolodex of contacts (the equestrian media and elite rider-athletes), I filled a certain niche important to the most important client at that particular agency at that particular time: It was 1984 and the client, Purina, wanted major mileage from their sponsorship of the United States Equestrian Team (which would win Gold at the Los Angeles Olympics that summer).
As an ardent rider myself, and after spending several years post journalism school working as a freelance writer for equestrian magazines (translation: barely scraping by) -- yes, it was a dream job. But only to me. In the overall scheme of the New York public relations business, I was but a very small cog in a quite minor wheel.
But. My father didn't know all that, or at least, he never seemed to understand when I explained that there wasn't anything "top level" about what I was doing. I'd get angry sometimes when he wouldn't acknowledge my true status, and wondered if he wasn't proud of my real achievements.
Of course, I understood it all much better when I had children of my own.
Now that my father has been gone for a few years, something funny happens to me once in a while. On a day when I accomplish something professionally, and even more so on a day when it seems I'll never accomplish another thing, from somewhere deep in my brain (my heart?) I'll hear my father's voice.
"My daughter is a..."
"My daughter writes for…."
"My daughter is editing..."
"My daughter just published…."
"My daughter teaches…"
...and I fill in the blanks any old way I want.
I keep it to myself. I don't argue with the voice. I resist the urge to self-censor. We all need a way to keep going. Some days, that's mine.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
No Cereals, Restaurants, or Morticians: It's a WRITING Blog !
This is a writing blog. You'd think that this would be clear from my blog's name, the standing blog description on the left margin, and the nature of each and every post. Sigh.
I worked full time in public relations for about a dozen years. I know the drill. And I'm sure that the PR folks I've heard from just so far this week are only trying to do their jobs. They are doing them poorly, however.
Or else why would a PR rep for a cereal company contact me about doing a blog post on their two new flavors? Or an event producer try to plug a conference about restaurant development? And what was the point of that mass-emailed news release for a future reality TV show about funeral directors?
Maybe these folks figure that since it doesn't cost anything to put more blog writers on their email distribution list, why not. What annoys me most is that when I worked directly in PR – and now, when I coach authors through their own book marketing & PR efforts – I was/am adamant about the importance of targeting requests to media which actually cover your client's/product's area of interest.
PR folks, this is a writing blog.
While this is amusing in an annoying kind of way, it brings up something I've wanted to address here – the subject of sponsored blog posts. As in, bloggers who write posts about a product, event or person in exchange for something – money, a gift card, merchandise, services. Some bloggers mention the exchange up front by way of disclosure. Others don't. I'm not condemning the practice; I'm sure some publicists and bloggers are completely transparent about it and that in many cases no promises of positive press are proffered. Still.
I have not yet, and don't plan to, do any sponsored blog posts here.
I do accept review copies of books from publishers and authors, but always with the understanding that it may or may not result in any blog coverage, and that any mention it does get may or may not be positive. I receive far more books than I could hope to read anyway, and those I do occasionally write about represent a small fraction. By and large, I usually only write about a book or author on the blog because I'm genuinely interested. I just feel better that way, and I want my readers to know that I'm passing something along because I find it has value, not because I got something valuable.
One of my writing-related business ventures is working one-on-one with authors (especially first-time authors) to help them develop a book marketing and publicity plan which they can implement themselves, with on-going coaching support from me. To date, I have not covered these clients or their books on the blog, and don't have any plans to do so. In future, if I do, it will be with a clear note about that relationship.
Now that I've cleared this up, please excuse me. It's lunch time, and I'm thinking of having cereal. And you won't have to hear about which one I like best. At least not here. Ever.
This is a writing blog! And I kind of figure you'd want me to keep it that way.
I worked full time in public relations for about a dozen years. I know the drill. And I'm sure that the PR folks I've heard from just so far this week are only trying to do their jobs. They are doing them poorly, however.
Or else why would a PR rep for a cereal company contact me about doing a blog post on their two new flavors? Or an event producer try to plug a conference about restaurant development? And what was the point of that mass-emailed news release for a future reality TV show about funeral directors?
Maybe these folks figure that since it doesn't cost anything to put more blog writers on their email distribution list, why not. What annoys me most is that when I worked directly in PR – and now, when I coach authors through their own book marketing & PR efforts – I was/am adamant about the importance of targeting requests to media which actually cover your client's/product's area of interest.
PR folks, this is a writing blog.
While this is amusing in an annoying kind of way, it brings up something I've wanted to address here – the subject of sponsored blog posts. As in, bloggers who write posts about a product, event or person in exchange for something – money, a gift card, merchandise, services. Some bloggers mention the exchange up front by way of disclosure. Others don't. I'm not condemning the practice; I'm sure some publicists and bloggers are completely transparent about it and that in many cases no promises of positive press are proffered. Still.
I have not yet, and don't plan to, do any sponsored blog posts here.
I do accept review copies of books from publishers and authors, but always with the understanding that it may or may not result in any blog coverage, and that any mention it does get may or may not be positive. I receive far more books than I could hope to read anyway, and those I do occasionally write about represent a small fraction. By and large, I usually only write about a book or author on the blog because I'm genuinely interested. I just feel better that way, and I want my readers to know that I'm passing something along because I find it has value, not because I got something valuable.
One of my writing-related business ventures is working one-on-one with authors (especially first-time authors) to help them develop a book marketing and publicity plan which they can implement themselves, with on-going coaching support from me. To date, I have not covered these clients or their books on the blog, and don't have any plans to do so. In future, if I do, it will be with a clear note about that relationship.
Now that I've cleared this up, please excuse me. It's lunch time, and I'm thinking of having cereal. And you won't have to hear about which one I like best. At least not here. Ever.
This is a writing blog! And I kind of figure you'd want me to keep it that way.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Guest Blogger Linda K. Sienkiewicz on Self-Promotion for Writers: Make it Shameless Please!
While an MFA student, I met many different types of fellow student writers, and when it came to how they talked about being published, most fell into two extreme categories – born self-promoters who confidently pointed out their many publications, and incredibly modest types who hardly ever mentioned their published pieces.
Linda K. Sienkiewicz was mostly in the second group, but belongs in the first. From the first, she struck me as a writer intensely interested in improving her craft, across several genres and in many areas of interest. You wanted to be in her workshop, she always asked great questions following a faculty presentation. Yet Linda rarely mentioned her accomplishments, and unless you were lucky enough to spend a quiet one-on-one lunch together (as I was), you might conclude there wasn't much to tell. You'd be wrong. Linda is a Puschart Prize nominee, has authored a poetry chapbook, been published in dozens of quality literary journals, and is a frequently published humor and erotica essayist. More people should know about Linda's work. That's why I'm so pleased that for her guest post today, she's summarizing a panel from last week's AWP Writers Conference about…self-promotion.
Please welcome Linda K. Sienkiewicz.
When you have published a book, the notion of self promotion as being shameful is flat-out wrong. Publicity is an act of generosity. Promotion should be a joy. It is a writer’s duty and right.
This is what poet Todd Boss, novelist Marisha Chamberlain, nonfiction author Jon Spayde and poet Margaret Hasse said in one of the most exciting and well presented of the AWP conference seminars -- Shameless Promotion: Get the Book to the Readers. It was also one of the best attended, with writers sitting on the floor in the aisles and standing in the back. Their subject is an important issue because it is very hard for some humble writers to embrace "selling" themselves.
Boss, Spayde, Hasse and Chamberlain say authors need to deep-six the underlying assumption that if one has to put effort into marketing themselves, it might indicate there isn’t enough talent to carry the work. It’s foolish to believe that your talent should be recognizable to all and therefore, that there should be no need to promote your work.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way, and with marketing budgets at publishing houses being slashed, you don’t want to have a box full of new books and no plan. This was something echoed in other presentations I attended, given by editors and book publishers from small presses and to trade houses.
Authors must start their own pre-book buzz, plan their readings and signings, launch a website, and basically sell themselves. There’s no need, however, to dole out thousands of dollars to hire a publicist. Create your own shameless marketing plan and fund it. And do it in the spirit of sharing yourself with the world. This is your right and your duty.
To demonstrate, attendees were given a nifty card with the four authors' color photos and bios (with, of course, their books and publishers listed) on one side and 10 “Shameless Book Publicity Tips” on the other:
1. Schlepp your books. You never know when a conversation might lead someone to say “Hey, where can I buy your book?” and when they do, you better have a copy on hand. Don’t feel guilty either. Feel good about promoting the reading of good literature. Look the person in the eye and say thanks.
2. Embrace your “authority” as an author and an expert. Spayde says it’s not inflating yourself. As a writer, you know things; you’ve done research, honed a craft, worked with editors, and undoubtedly have expertise to offer others as a speaker. Speak, teach, and interact.
3. Become a local laureate. Boss offered to be the laureate of a local coffee shop. It’s true that the coffee shop didn’t know what that meant, but it sounded good, and now he’s hosting a monthly poetry series there with 40 or so attendees. Everyone in his town knows who he is, a copy of his book is in the coffee shop where patrons can read it, and he got a feature article in the city’s newspaper’s arts section.
4. Write to your heroes. I remember reading this in Carolyn See’s book Making a Literary Life. Write fan letters to those writers or publishers you admire, and do it without expectations. When you give yourself to other writers, you never know it what ways it might come back to you. Because writing is a solitary act, we need to remember to let other writers know that what they’re doing matters to someone.
5. Blog, but blog deep. The value in this is, simply, human connection. Think about making connections and inviting response.
6. Do a little publicity daily (365 days a year). Who can’t devote 15 minutes a day toward publicity? Make a list of ideas and adjust your schedule to fit in a daily task, like a publicity multi-vitamin.
7. Snag private commissions. This was Boss’s idea. He says creating a poem for someone for a special occasion is a joy that has given back to him many times in many ways.
8. Map your fans, and travel. Collect emails and keep records of people you meet and are/were affiliated with. Contact them. Stage a themed reading with a few other writers. Go to book clubs. Cross promote. Collaborate.
9. Court opinion leaders. Think about who your ideal readers are and what organizations they might belong to. Think non-profit, leisure groups, hobbies and politics. Find the names of those who run and attend these groups and get them a copy of your book.
10. Memorize and record your work. Yes… think performance! Writers are communicators and the world is expanding in many ways. Launch a virtual tour. Get on YouTube. Record a CD, DVD, or podcast.
The message I took home is that promotion is more than self-service. Writers have an obligation to share their work with the world. We build a better world by our literary presence. As Boss states, his work is a reflection of his true spirit as a human being; “therefore, its celebration is blameless.”
The four enthusiastic authors maintain a website where you can read more.
Linda K. Sienkiewicz was mostly in the second group, but belongs in the first. From the first, she struck me as a writer intensely interested in improving her craft, across several genres and in many areas of interest. You wanted to be in her workshop, she always asked great questions following a faculty presentation. Yet Linda rarely mentioned her accomplishments, and unless you were lucky enough to spend a quiet one-on-one lunch together (as I was), you might conclude there wasn't much to tell. You'd be wrong. Linda is a Puschart Prize nominee, has authored a poetry chapbook, been published in dozens of quality literary journals, and is a frequently published humor and erotica essayist. More people should know about Linda's work. That's why I'm so pleased that for her guest post today, she's summarizing a panel from last week's AWP Writers Conference about…self-promotion.
Please welcome Linda K. Sienkiewicz.
When you have published a book, the notion of self promotion as being shameful is flat-out wrong. Publicity is an act of generosity. Promotion should be a joy. It is a writer’s duty and right.
This is what poet Todd Boss, novelist Marisha Chamberlain, nonfiction author Jon Spayde and poet Margaret Hasse said in one of the most exciting and well presented of the AWP conference seminars -- Shameless Promotion: Get the Book to the Readers. It was also one of the best attended, with writers sitting on the floor in the aisles and standing in the back. Their subject is an important issue because it is very hard for some humble writers to embrace "selling" themselves.
Boss, Spayde, Hasse and Chamberlain say authors need to deep-six the underlying assumption that if one has to put effort into marketing themselves, it might indicate there isn’t enough talent to carry the work. It’s foolish to believe that your talent should be recognizable to all and therefore, that there should be no need to promote your work.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way, and with marketing budgets at publishing houses being slashed, you don’t want to have a box full of new books and no plan. This was something echoed in other presentations I attended, given by editors and book publishers from small presses and to trade houses.
Authors must start their own pre-book buzz, plan their readings and signings, launch a website, and basically sell themselves. There’s no need, however, to dole out thousands of dollars to hire a publicist. Create your own shameless marketing plan and fund it. And do it in the spirit of sharing yourself with the world. This is your right and your duty.
To demonstrate, attendees were given a nifty card with the four authors' color photos and bios (with, of course, their books and publishers listed) on one side and 10 “Shameless Book Publicity Tips” on the other:
1. Schlepp your books. You never know when a conversation might lead someone to say “Hey, where can I buy your book?” and when they do, you better have a copy on hand. Don’t feel guilty either. Feel good about promoting the reading of good literature. Look the person in the eye and say thanks.
2. Embrace your “authority” as an author and an expert. Spayde says it’s not inflating yourself. As a writer, you know things; you’ve done research, honed a craft, worked with editors, and undoubtedly have expertise to offer others as a speaker. Speak, teach, and interact.
3. Become a local laureate. Boss offered to be the laureate of a local coffee shop. It’s true that the coffee shop didn’t know what that meant, but it sounded good, and now he’s hosting a monthly poetry series there with 40 or so attendees. Everyone in his town knows who he is, a copy of his book is in the coffee shop where patrons can read it, and he got a feature article in the city’s newspaper’s arts section.
4. Write to your heroes. I remember reading this in Carolyn See’s book Making a Literary Life. Write fan letters to those writers or publishers you admire, and do it without expectations. When you give yourself to other writers, you never know it what ways it might come back to you. Because writing is a solitary act, we need to remember to let other writers know that what they’re doing matters to someone.
5. Blog, but blog deep. The value in this is, simply, human connection. Think about making connections and inviting response.
6. Do a little publicity daily (365 days a year). Who can’t devote 15 minutes a day toward publicity? Make a list of ideas and adjust your schedule to fit in a daily task, like a publicity multi-vitamin.
7. Snag private commissions. This was Boss’s idea. He says creating a poem for someone for a special occasion is a joy that has given back to him many times in many ways.
8. Map your fans, and travel. Collect emails and keep records of people you meet and are/were affiliated with. Contact them. Stage a themed reading with a few other writers. Go to book clubs. Cross promote. Collaborate.
9. Court opinion leaders. Think about who your ideal readers are and what organizations they might belong to. Think non-profit, leisure groups, hobbies and politics. Find the names of those who run and attend these groups and get them a copy of your book.
10. Memorize and record your work. Yes… think performance! Writers are communicators and the world is expanding in many ways. Launch a virtual tour. Get on YouTube. Record a CD, DVD, or podcast.
The message I took home is that promotion is more than self-service. Writers have an obligation to share their work with the world. We build a better world by our literary presence. As Boss states, his work is a reflection of his true spirit as a human being; “therefore, its celebration is blameless.”
The four enthusiastic authors maintain a website where you can read more.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Writer Q & A: Tables Turned
I like doing question-and-answer interviews here on this blog and as a freelance assignment when I'm asked to interview an interesting person. The other day, the tables were turned.
I was interviewed yesterday over at Freelancedom.
Steph Auteri's questions had me remembering (mostly happily, if a bit nostalgically) some of the earlier, more unusual, stages of my career. They also made me think about what's going on now and where I might go in the future -- all signs of a good interviewer. Even if I did get a little squirmy when I had to answer.
I was interviewed yesterday over at Freelancedom.
Steph Auteri's questions had me remembering (mostly happily, if a bit nostalgically) some of the earlier, more unusual, stages of my career. They also made me think about what's going on now and where I might go in the future -- all signs of a good interviewer. Even if I did get a little squirmy when I had to answer.
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