Surviving the 30-Second "Elevator" Pitch

Acquaintance:  "I hear you wrote a book," says the acquaintance more to fill time than out of interest.

You: smile in anticipation of a positive response, a meeting of minds - author and reader locked in mutual admiration for the written word . . . your word!

"I did," you say and think (as your stomach does a roll), well, isn't that a dynamic opening!

Acquaintance: "What's it about?" asked with mild curiosity.

You: "Well, uh. There's a family . . ." And this is where it falls apart!

Writing a two hundred, eighty-six  paged book is easy compared to pitching a condensed 30-second "elevator" message. Most authors are tossed into panic; myself included. The defining moment for a beautifully written and well thought out plot begins with a throat clearing, a shuffle, and a stammer in a high pitched squeak. What would the hero or heroine in the book do? Not this, obviously.

With a little practice and forethought, the right words form through the sputters before the lone reader imparts and before the fight/flight response becomes palpable in the room and the acquaintance bulls his or her way into the crowd and vanishes.

For myself . . . if I think of telling the story as relaying a family classic (about the time Dad set fire to the . . .) then key words and phrases become natural and usually elicits a favorable response or chuckle from the person who naively asked, "So, what's it about."

There are three key elements to think about when preparing:

KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE - You may start by asking the interested reader if they enjoy (whatever the topic or genre is). If you engage them first and learn a little about their interests, you may be able to refer to a page or chapter in the book that will hit a personal note with them. Find five adjectives that best describes your story and use them or cite excerpts from one or two of your best quotes or reviews.

KNOW YOURSELF - Hand them a card. Invite them to visit your website and FaceBook Fan Page. If they exchange cards with you, ask if they'd like to be notified of upcoming events or blogs. Make them feel a part of the experience, because they are.

KNOW YOUR BOOK - Where is it available? Do you have any special events coming up? Offer to autograph their copy. Give them a snippet of back story that not many people know. Most people love trivia. Do you have tie-in sales items, such as: bookmarks, pens, etc.? We all love gifts.

It's amazing how much information you can fit into 30 seconds. Is it possible for you to "brand" yourself in that little time? You betcha! With a little practice, and trial and error, you'll find yourself, your style and your audience.

I'd love to hear your success stories.

Teachable Moments

There are so many reasons why people write and the reasons are as varied as the noses on each face. With that being said, there are common denominators: the author has a message to share, a story to tell, a point to make, a yearning to entertain.

If we follow the most popular genres at the moment: paranormal, romance, murder/mysteries, and memoirs, it begs me to wonder out loud where do authors find real heroes to write about? 

It used to be a family could look up to professional athletes, actors/singers/artists, and politicians, and point with pride at what they'd accomplished. They were the emissaries from small town America, the embodiment of making it against all odds. Now, because of an entitlement mindset, these same "heroes" would rather sue than admit their failings (and feet of clay) which  leaves us weeding through the cheats, and swindlers, and murderers, to explain to our kids, "Why the fall from grace?" These may be the most teachable moments of all but my question to authors still remains . . . where do we find real heroes to write about? Everyday heroes for our children to emulate?

According to Webster's Collegiate Dictionary: acts of heroism are accomplished by those who show extreme self-sacrificing courage in fulfilling a high purpose or attaining a noble end. Maybe we need to reflect on the deeds of  the heroes first, then search for the common in the life of the hero with which our young can identify. There are excellent fantasy heroes (such as those in the Hunger Games or The Justice League) but where are the real life, flesh and blood, "just like me" heroes?

#Brad_Meltzer, Author and Comic Book Writer brought the answer in his new series of children's books Ordinary People Save the World. The first two books in the series, "#Amelia_Earhart" and "#Abraham_Lincoln" became available this week; there are more to come, including "Rosa Parks."

His premise is to instill in the young reader that even though these people are famous, now, they're still ordinary people. He relates stories of their childhoods when they took a stand or did something brave way before they became famous. Young readers can dream and realize that these famous people are just like you and me. We can all wear a cloak of bravery and save the world. Yay, Brad . . . you are on to something!

You'll find more about Brad Meltzer and his books on www.FaceBook.com or at www.BradMeltzer.com


Jo Ann V. Glim is a 40 veteran of freelance writing and author of the book BEGOTTEN: With Love

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Indie Authors Are Here to Stay

There were 391,000 self published titles introduced into the marketplace in 2012 according to Bowker's Self Publishing Report: 2012 by Laura Dawson (reported in November 2013). That's an impressive increase of fifty-nine percent compared to new titles in 2011.

For a newbie writer/author this news may be staggering. How do you get noticed in a pool of literally thousands?  It's not done through karma, crystals, or a friend of a friend who knows this guy . . . The most successful authors I know have a business plan and author's platform in place.

Business Plan
It's important to set goals and budgets for everyday living. The same is true for publishing a book. The following suggestions may help you organize and focus your thoughts and needs:

• Set a realistic budget: 1) everyday expenses; 2) publishing and; 3) publicity. 
• Choose a support team of professionals to assist you in presenting the best product possible. 
• Continue to educate yourself to keep fresh on new trends and equipment. 
• Network with like-minded, goal oriented, positive individuals. 

Author's Platform
Publishers, agents, and readers want to know who you are and what your book is all about. Practice a 30-second encapsulation of the story that can be voiced in any given situation. Difficult to do if you don't first know who you are and more importantly who your audience is. My suggestions are to:

• Select the top two niches in which your book will draw the most attention.
• Identify those audiences according to age and interests. 
• Build you publicity and marketing around those findings  
• Study the competition: What do you have in common? What sets you apart? 

The good news is, indie authors are here to stay. The market place supports their work. Readers vote for favorite authors and titles with their kindles and androids. Recommendations spread in nano-seconds through social media. With forethought and planning, a new author may gain confidence in presentations and develop a loyal following.

Jo Ann V. Glim is a 40-year veteran of freelance writing and author of "Begotten: With Love"  available in print and soon to be available in eBook format. To learn more . . .
visit: www.BEGOTTENtheBook.com
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6 Ways to Make 2014 the Best Yet!

January is a month filled with obscure celebrations and events, such as: Someday We'll Laugh About This week (2-8); or the No Name Calling week (20-24). January 2nd is I'm Not Going to Take It Anymore day; the 24th is Belly Laugh day; and the 29th is Free Thinkers day. January is also Book Buzz and National Mentoring month.

But the biggie for January is, drum roll please . . . making (breaking) resolutions. I have to be honest with you, I've never fully supported the idea. Personally, I believe denial only leads to craving and failure. If I want to be successful in a resolution, it must be something positive that I can add to my life. Something that will make me more productive, more nurturing, more loving. With that thought in mind, I've written a list of 6 suggestions. I asked two of my author mentor/friends for their input with this question: "What's the best resolution you ever made that helped your writing career?" You'll find those answers in items 2 and 6. It may surprise you.

Have you made any resolutions for this year? If not, maybe one of these ideas will help:
1.  VOLUNTEER - Share your talent with others. Offer to write whatever the organization/school/company needs (it keeps your skills sharp). Host a book fair. Help your library. Mentor a child. Most of us acquired a love for books because someone shared their love of the written word with us. Pass it on!

2.    MAKE A DECISION - Writers are used to facing hurdles and rejection slips. It comes with the territory. Harder still is making choices after you've experienced a modicum of success especially when one path is stability and the other uncertainty.

"I don't make New Year's resolutions," said #Alan_Brennert, award-winning author, producer and screenwriter. "But I made a kind of resolution back in 2000 when I committed myself to finishing my novel "MOLOKA'I" rather than pursue a staff job as a writer on Law & Order, with whose producers I had met while I was still partway into writing "#MOLOKA'I." The latter turned out to be my first, bestselling book and a major turning point in my career;  had I taken the former, all I would have had to show for it (other than money) would have been just another bunch of episodic television scripts based on other people's characters."

A major decision like the one Brennert made is one only you and your family or support team can make. Do you take the road less traveled or do you merge with traffic? Nobody can answer for you, however, as the legendary Yogi Bera once said, "when you see a fork in the road, take it."

3.     MENTOR - Seek the counsel of those you respect, those who are better established in the field of publishing than you. You'll be amazed at their generosity and wisdom. I firmly believe we provide a better product to the reader when we collaborate rather than compete. There's a wonderful nursing adage that is applicable to writers as well: "See one, do one, teach one."

4.      LIMIT YOUR TIME ON SOCIAL MEDIA - Everyone has their own style of browsing. Focus on priorities. It's so easy to get caught up in chit-chat. During the day, I set time aside to add updates to my Facebook fan page or write a quick tweet. It's important to keep readers informed and to build an author's platform.

If you're struggling with a personal style, look at the fan pages of authors you admire. I also looked at the pages for sports teams, other celebrities, and food pages (the last may have been because I was hungry). After noting what I found attractive, I began to see my own style emerge.

I don't read the "news feed" until evening. That's my time with friends; a chance to relax and find out what's happening in the eSocial 'hood.  

5.     ORGANIZE

• Your thoughts - Prioritize your needs and follow through. If you're serious about your craft, make sure you have the tools needed to ply it. If you prefer writing on a typewriter (like mythical author Hayden Konig in #Mark_Schweizer's Liturgical Mystery series) because it brings you into character, that's one thing but if you're still pounding away on a Commodore 64 . . . it's time to upgrade.
• A place for everything - Next time you misplace something, look at the clock and measure how much time's been wasted on the search (Yikes! I just found my resolution for 2014).
• 24/7 is all any of us ever have - Observe how successful people use it. Set a schedule; one that's reasonable. Balance is a  key component to productivity.

6.     JUST WRITE - "My best resolution was to write 10,000 words a day for 2013 and I reached my goal!" said #Melissa_Foster, New York Times Bestselling and Award-winning Author of #The_Love_in_Bloom series (Snow sisters & Bradens).  She graciously asked if I would like her to elaborate on this but I was stunned senseless at what she had accomplished!

In answer to your question, Melissa, I would love to hear more.

                                                           (\0/)
                                                            /_\
Alan Brennert is from New Jersey and now living with his family in Los Angeles. To learn more about him and his work, click on his name.

Melissa Foster, a mother of six, lives with her family in Maryland. Click on her name to learn more about her books and the foundations she's created.

Mark Schweizer lives in Tryon, North Carolina and is author of an hilarious Liturgical Mystery series.

Jo Ann V. Glim is a 40-year veteran of freelance writing and author of BEGOTTEN: With Love (available in eBook the beginning of 2014).

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A CHRISTMAS BLESSING

May this year's celebration be filled with wonder and joy.
May love surround the family table and nourish the heart as well as the belly.
May cherished memories of Christmases past bring comfort and laughter.
And may we experience the gifts of the Christ Child tonight and always.

Merry Christmas!
From my family to yours . . .
Jo Ann V. Glim

                                

Writing a Family History

Let's face it, we baby boomers are aging! We're entering a new decade, our seventh, to be exact. This new mantle of age means only this:

1. Our careers are winding down and
2. We now have the time and flexibility to pursue our passions

Many have chosen writing. The increase in Indie Authors bears this theory out. However, not all writers are interested in publishing for the general public. According to #Ancestry.com 128,000 baby boomers are researching family genealogy. Many are compiling their findings into books, along with personal stories and pictures, and giving them away as family keepsakes. What better gift to give than that of legacy?

Earlier this year, Stemma Books LLC, the publisher for "BEGOTTEN: With Love" (my book), polled 1,000 readers who had indicated an interest in memoirs. The results were surprising. We expected to capture a female audience between fifty-five and sixty years of age; had hoped for a younger group of twenty to thirty year-olds (the number of interested young adults surpassed our expectations); and were delighted to include men sixty-five and older.

There is a definite interest in all things family. Here are five suggestions for those new to writing memoirs to make your  story more appealing:

1. Include traits and talents when describing your characters (sorry for calling grandpa a character). The younger generation wants to identify with family whether its by hair/eye color, a gift for music/art, or a fun-loving spirit, to name a few of the many characteristics from which to choose.
2. Talk about the passion the people you're describing had for: God, country and each other. What were the values they held dear? What was their reason for coming to America? How did they make their living? 
3. Include details about the time period in which they lived. What were the latest inventions? What type of entertainment did they have? What type of transportation did they use? Make the story come alive. Allow the reader to be in the moment.
4. Location, location. location is the first lesson in any business book. It should also be included in writing a memoir. For example, did the family live in rural America during the horrendous dust storms of the 1930s that sandblasted paint right off the buildings? Were they living in Chicago in the late 1800s when it was so bitterly cold that they were ripping the wooden roofs off the outhouses to stay warm because of a shortage of wood? Whatever your family's story, share it in detail.
5. Share the history of  heirlooms. Take pictures and include them in the book. Something as simple as grandma's knitting needles passed on to a great-granddaughter may spark an interest in the craft or at least give the young woman an appreciation for the sweaters, scarves and mittens those needles made all those years ago.

If you are overwhelmed by the idea of writing a family history, there are many companies willing to assist. My personal recommendation goes to Nancy and Biff Barnes from #Stories_To_Tell_Books who offered sage advice when BEGOTTEN was still in development. Their passion is working with family historians from inception to completion. I suggest visiting their web site at www.StoriesToTellBooks.com to see what they've done for others and feel free to call 888-577-9342 for further information.

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Jo Ann V. Glim is a forty-year veteran of freelance writing and author of "BEGOTTEN:With Love."  
Visit:  www.BEGOTTENtheBook.com
LIKE/Follow on FaceBook.com/JVGlim.author

Writer's Block

Have you ever muddled through "Writer's Block"? Yeah, me, too. That cursed bane of writers everywhere!

Why, oh why does it happen when the deadline clock is ticking? Tick, Tick, TICK! A walk to the kitchen for a glass of water doesn't help. The radio is definitely an incessant dribble of white noise.  Do you ask yourself, "where in the world did I lose my mind?" I know I do . . . at least I wonder about the portion where thoughts float freely on the wings of imagination.

Scouring the house for that elusive spark of genius, may produce spectacles, notebooks, or at least the patience lost earlier in the day (and I'm beginning to believe, there's a symbiotic relationship between patience and writer's block) which leads me to wonder if the author of "The Man In The Moon," from the beloved Mother Goose Nursery Rhyme may have suffered a bout before writing the line, "...and the cup ran away with the spoon." Hmm, there's hope in that thought:  imagination and creativity are everywhere. We just need to look beyond ourselves, maybe over the moon to find the portal of free thought.

How to Chip Away at #Writer's Block

1 - BELIEVE IN YOUR TALENTS - Negative thoughts are pure static to the voice of imagination. If we surround ourselves with a positive support team of authors and readers (those with similar talents who are interested in helping us reach our goals) then we open a channel for writing. Words soar in the right atmosphere.

2 - DEPRIVATION - In every day reality, it's to our advantage to follow the adage "H-A-L-T (never do anything when too Hungry, too Angry, too Lonely or too Tired)." As a writer, however, these moments may produce some of the best dialogue, descriptions or scenes we've ever written. Think of the poet with the broken heart, the songwriter filled with angst, a novelist reminiscing his/her childhood.

If it's a journalistic piece, it must take a neutral, objective position. If emotions are clouding the process, better to walk away and regroup. Bounce ideas off a trusted colleague. Write . . . edit . . . rewrite. . . or sleep on it. As an indie author, you may or may not have more flexibility in deadlines.

3 - WHEN "To-Do" STEALS YOUR "Ta-Dah" - Indie authors are discovering the post publishing to-dos: publicity packets, bios, press releases, query letters, public speaking addresses, social media, and blogs, to name a few. It's an often overlooked, yet, necessary part of publishing and marketing but the stress of wearing so many hats runs the risk of cutting off circulation to the brain.

What? You're not supposed to wear them all at once?  Huh. Well, that explains a lot!


Jo Ann V. Glim is a 40-year veteran of freelance writing and author of "BEGOTTEN: With Love."
Visit www.BEGOTTENtheBook.com
LIKE/FOLLOW on Facebook.com/JVGlim.author