Brilliant argument for words v non-verbal language

Enjoy this fabulous animated video by Creativity Works

Agents - Publishers - Needles & Haystacks

This week I spent some time with a colleague who wanted to publish a series of children's stories. I was presented with a lovely potential product - a range of stories about an arthropod, actually a cute spider which were supported by some interesting illustrations of said spider and his friends. But as publishers don't have time to speak directly to the thousands of aspiring children's writers - and Agents are like finding a needle in a haystack [apologies for the use of  cliche], I could only offer some tips to get started and of course, my best wishes.

1.
If you want to attract the attention of an agent - it is important to show that you can market yourself.

Create a blog - this is free and easy to start up - I suggested Blogger of course as I find it easy to use and there are lots of templates, colours etc to choose from.
Load your blog with images, samples, how to's, stories about the said spider, contact information etc.

Set up a Facebook page - invite your friends - this helps build confidence.
Search out other children's authors, interact and link as friends - or ask for followers.
Link your facebook page to your blog and vice-versa



Set up a Twitter account - follow other children's authors - agents - publishers
You can make a backdrop to show your product.
When you have written a blog post - post a message on Twitter and send people to your blog site.

* Make sure there is a theme / style / colour / font that is consistent throughout your internet media.
[oops - I should pay attention to this myself]

2.
Contact local press and ask them to do a feature on you and your stories
Contact local radio
Expand this to national press and radio

3.
Join SCBWI - Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators
This is a great group to join. Meetings with other authors - critique sessions - agent meet-ups - conference - socials

4.
Network - it may not be the specific people at networking events who can help directly but most people   would have a contact for you - ie a teacher / librarian / fundraiser / agent ?


5.
Make or have made a large version of your protagonist to take to events with you


6.
Do some voluntary work - Read your stories at fundraisers

7.
Contact libraries - offer to do readings in school holidays or at creative workshops

8.
Contact schools - offer to do a book reading
Be sure to include some learning or entertainment aspect

9.
Ask a local bookshop if you can do a presentation / reading - invite the press


10.
Enter competitions


11.
Use who you know - does anyone you know, know of someone connected to the literary, education, advertising, media, agency or publishing world?



12.
If you intend to contact agents or publishers - try to get your material to the 'actual person' who is responsible for the type of material you wish to market - and your audience.


13.
If you do contact agents or publishers - know your product inside-out
Know your target audience - Look at other authors' work / target market audience
Know where your book will be placed amongst other successful authors
Have some prospective customer evidence / feedback available
Know your product well enough to describe it in two sentences
Have a clear idea of your market age-range:

[Make a brief questionnaire for young children - Ask family, friends or school if their children can read your stories and answer the questions for you - chart this information]
Make sure your language, theme content is age appropriate [Ask teachers for opinions, notes or tips]

14.
Choose your goal[s]
What are the reasons these goal[s]
Choose your main goal
List all the things you need to do to reach your goal
Focus on the most important and most realistically achievable tasks
Plot your achievable list on a 12 month diary
Follow your plan towards your goal

15.
After all these tips, we still have online marketing to consider - ebooks - upload to Lulu - sell with Amazon - add to Kindle - ads on ebay - your own website with a shop to purchase your product[s]. All these routes to market will also require promotion. Just because a product is online doesn't always mean it will fly off shelves or wire itself to another person across the globe.

And so the coda; here is where we go back to the beginning - I began with your online presence and identity - marketing you, your brand, your product - this seems statutory nowadays. Last month I enjoyed an hour or two at a wonderful [annual] craft and vintage fair. One exhibitor displayed the most amazing, unique hand-made felt flowers and similar products. This exhibitor had no blog, website or place on the internet where I could review or purchase her products. Would she be at the fair next year? Where was she based? I had only been given her first name. The moral of my story: No sale.

Keep smiling and enjoy the process of finding a needle in a haystack.

Gillian

So funny ...

Another tip from Successful Speaking Coach, Kim Chamberlain

Loaded with information and ideas, I found Kim Chamberlain's 'Better Speaking, Better Thinking' ebook a great place to find refreshing tips to brush up on and build up my confidence around presentation skills. Speaking and thinking styles including Edward do Bono's 'Six Hats' system encourages an assortment of ways to develop one's own presentation style. Including strategies, structure techniques, communication and even potential problems 'If your mind gores blank', Kim seems to have all possibilities covered. By the time I'd read the text in full, I felt much more prepared to face my forthcoming presentations. Since then, I often refer to the text to prompt and refresh my presentations. My tips: Not to be missed - Excellent value.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=kim+chamberlain+better+thinking+better+speaking+general+edition

Writing a novel with support ...

Thought this writing course looked cool and felt I should pass the information on ...

I really, really, really fancy trying this:

http://www.faberacademy.co.uk/CourseInstances/Writing-A-Novel-Online-January-2013-in-Online-with-Kris-Kenway-on-9-1-2013?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Faber%20-%20Brand%20-%20Women&utm_content=Writing%20a%20Novel%20-%20Apply

Unfortunately and fortunately, I'm busy with this ...

Interactive Activity Pages for Support workers to help identify broader needs of 

children, young people and adults

Personal Memory Joggers ~ to help prompt memory and social interaction

Activity Pages for Care and Dementia Homes, Carers and Care Coordinators

School Student Support Services ~ Early intervention ~ Identify difficulties and needs 

Carers Centres & Schools

Good Afternoon everyone,
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to display Happy Days Interactive Activity Pages and associated products to members of the caring services who support young carers. Chief Officer, Michelle Smith of The Blackpool Carers Centre, presented the 'Children Who Care' one day conference at the Hilton Hotel, Blackpool.

After two hours sleep, I loaded the car up with Happy Days books, samples and pro to-type products and found myself at 7.30am prompt for what turned out to be an interesting, exciting and fruitful day.

Professor Saul Becker; University of Nottingham, presented his MACA findings and explained the 'how to' and 'how not to' to an absorbed audience which included myself.

I'd like to thank Michelle Smith for the opportunity to share my early intervention resources and to the many people who took the time to view, enquire and consider my resources which help to identify the broader needs of children, young people and adults.

It was truly wonderful to meet everyone and discuss the benefits of the Happy Days Pages, how the simple-to use interactive pages can complement assessment frameworks; how the Happy Days Pages can help to identify broader needs, how the easy-to-follow system can be designed to suit your Care Centre, school or community requirements:

All About Me
My Caring Day
Identify Needs
Identify Feelings
Change and Reconstruction
Motivation and Goals
Achievement
Self Care

* Also available: Bullying / Cyber-bullying / Exam tips / Social issues plus more.
* Pages can be made to suit your request, sensitive issue or social topic.
* Activity Pages and Life Story Jotter for Care Homes.

Please contact me by phone or email if you wish to discuss anything in detail, specific requirements, place an order or book a visit,
Gillian
Gillian Hesketh MA
Happy Days Publishing
www.happydayspublishing.co.uk for contact details.

Schools NEED Libraries ...

Couldn't agree more ...

http://www.slideshare.net/candygourlay/schools-need-libraries

Word Palette

Saw this and thought of you

Short simple writing exercise to help when describing settings.

I think Lee Howell's idea speeds up the process at a time when describing something alludes you ...

http://budbin.wordpress.com/2012/11/03/the-use-of-a-word-paletteword-hoard/

Check it out  ...  What do you think ?

Gillian

Writing with Rhythm ...

Try these cool writing tips about rhythm ...

http://www.dailywritingtips.com/5-tips-about-writing-with-rhythm/

Gillian

To Focus or not to Focus ...

FOCUS

FOCUS

FOCUS

If there's one thing I've learned from my 'mature' children, it's to FOCUS. 

Every writing project I begin, I drift ... I want to expand - usually before a key thought is fully considered or a core product is fully designed and completed. Possibly because of my need to 'grow' something but more probably because of my lack of concentration and my craving for change and search for something new. Of course, expanding too soon could be detrimental to the quality of an initial story, series, concept, product, goal etc. 

So now, the minute I feel myself drifting, I just remind myself to FOCUS - I bring myself back to the main point of what I'm actually writing/doing/creating/developing/, where I'm up to, what's supposed to happen next in the development process, keep the end result in mind - Basically, I remind myself to take one key idea to fruition rather than going off at a tangent with other thoughts, designs or products.

I've banned myself from entering writing competitions. I'm not allowing myself to search the internet for writerly workshops but have attended a couple of start-up business seminars. I don't drift into random poetry scribblings or short stories ... I am ... dare I say it ... more focussed ! Finally, I'm getting further with my writing process.

Of course, you might argue that focussing intently on one thing might limit creativity ... limit all those random ideas flitting about in my head, limit the chances of bringing something else new to the ... market ... hmmm ... 

Back to the drawing board ...

Gillian

Hotting up the imagination ...

I find there's nothing better to stir up imagination than a trip to a different location, a holiday; maybe a visit to friends in a part of the country you've never seen before or a specifically made plan to go somewhere new to you ...

100 degrees - hot enough yet ? It was, and it wasn't the scenery that propelled me into writing a short story but remembering a college friend who was writing a novel about the Mojave Desert [just around the back of that medium sized boulder].

I couldn't understand her connection to the Mojave - until I visited it recently - It's high-coloured bleakness was thought provoking in itself - and somehow gave me idea after idea for stories. I considered writing about my friend - what she was trying to achieve [I'm not sure whether she'd actually visited the desert] and the difficulties she came across. Of course I'd have to check with her before I put pen to paper or finger to keyboard.

So, go somewhere new - even if it's only a bus ride away - and watch yourself itching to get back and start writing !

Gillian

How to hot up your Linkedin profile page ...

Good morning everyone,

I assume you are social media converts as you've found this ~ so thought this might be of interest ...

The Linkedin business-ey networking site seems to be the place to go if you're seeking employment, promoting and making business contacts and showcasing start-up businesses.

Linkedin to businesses wanting to network is like Facebook to friends. Not at all showy like twitter, there seems to be a kind-of secret set of guidelines as to how to present yourself.

It's important to say who you are and what you do in a smart and interesting way without bragging. Don't be shy. Don't boast. Just be cool. And be true to you.

Obviously two of the most important things on your home page is your profile photo [preferably not one on holiday in Ayia Napa] and your personal summary ...

So here's a few tips to hot up your Linkedin summary ...

Consider:

Your Photo

Personal Branding

Semi personal summary to reflect your personality

Use key words that belong to you or you want to own

Express Professional experience

Build trust

Be precise & concise

Define:

Who you are

What you do / want to do

Why you’re unique

Choose some key words:

passionate about / interested in / specifically / presence / focus primarily on / goals / objectives / strategy / winning tactics / opportunity / driving force / interaction / effective / fast learner / good listener / asset / driven / goals / accomplishments / skills

Make your paragraphs short and precise:

Paragraph 1

Why you are there - use powerful key words

Paragraph 2

What you are currently doing

How previous positions relate to the present

What you specialise in - discuss here what you do 

[Consultant/Graphic Designer/Educator/Illustrator/Writer]

Paragraph 3

Self promotion - Why you should you be chosen above someone else

Why should a new employer or client phone you first?

Paragraph 4

Your specialities - Use Your industry buzz words - they’ll match search enquiries / queries 

Paragraph 5

Be sure to put your contact details here ....

You might even find something new about yourself!

Enjoy the process, Gillian

Social Media Marketing ...

Hi there daughters, mums, uncles, dads, aunties, grandmas, sons, brothers, sisters, grandads, friends ...

I suppose I'm now considered one of the 'olds' and expected to have non-existent technical skills of any sort. My sons won't help with pdf formatting, iTunes or acronyms ... 'You'll just have to learn it for yourself Mum' is what they say, throwing the front door into its casing. 'Thanks a lot', I grunt, slamming the kitchen door and stamping upstairs as I wedge the second earphone into place before leaping onto my bed to check my text messages ... Oh was that me? No, of course not, I have been glued to my lap top for 12 months now, writing, designing a series of interactive books - and networking - yes, at my age. And it's been quite fun. A massive learning arrow rather than curve. I have formed friends, been to meetings and a number of SEO presentations which were brilliant!

So Mums, Dads, Aunties, Uncles, Grandmas and Grandads and Great relatives, I urge you to move with the times [even ahead of them] - get yourself on the net; blog, look for new interests, find old friends, socially interact, find like minded hobby pals, find local courses and activities to join ... and most of all ... look up all acronyms if you're very time wealthy and make a full and comprehensive list of them. Learn off my heart. Eat the paper. [Apologies - your list will be on screen no doubt]. Put the pathetic three lettered acronym into practise. Most of the 'youngs' don't know what many of the acronyms stand for anyway. Drop them into conversations. Ask them in front of their friends what HTTP, PDF, RSS, IMAP, URL, SEO really stand for ...

That's when they'll tell you ... 'You'll have to just learn it for yourself Mum'

So here's a short list to get you going [if you've absolutely nothing else to do]

URL     Universal Resource Locator

RSS      Really Simple Syndication

PDF      Portable Document Format

Jpeg      Joint Photographics Experts Group

WIFI     Wireless Fidelity

TIFF     Tagged Image File Format

HTTP    Hyper Text Transfer Protocol

IMAP    Internet Message Access Protocol

SEO  -  Search Engine Optimisation

So, my note to everyone ... SEO is really what we need to be thinking about. We all have favourites and opinions of facebook, twitter, linkedin, google etc. but to be honest the recent Social Media Presentations I've attended have been the most motivational prompts I've come across for some time [other than realising my cholesterol contained too many bad fats].

Choose the right social group for your work - your book - your business - for instance, on Linkedin, its a great place to promote yourself and your product or your skills - find employment, freelance writing opportunities, research your possible audience, meet colleagues, clients, business links, people in the publishing industry, join like-minded groups, forums ... make contacts for your genre, link to your website or blog. This is quite a grown-up place, so text speak is pretty much frowned on - save that for your phone or twitter. [Oops - is texting out of date now ??] No-one wants to know if you've been to a party - so post that to your Facebook friends. Linkedin is a place to meet business contacts, promote business and check out your competition.

My advice - get on a social media marketing course if you can ... Try local or county councils, community centres, libraries, search the internet for business re-generation projects and you'll probably find the 'beyond websites' type social media presentations.

The courses are usually funded and therefore Free to attend.

[often including breakfast, lunch or snacks ! - such a bonus]

Enjoy, I did, Gillian

Mystery Package ...

How many thoughts are in this decorated box tied with a ribbon?

... or surround the box ...

What keepsake might be so lovingly stored inside?

Who owns the box?

Who has decorated the box?

Is there a photograph inside it?

A cameo?

Does it have a handwritten message inside it?

Or a key?

Is the box empty?

Who would spend time, decorating a box to keep nothing inside it?

Just a thought ...

Gillian

Writer Wanted ...

By Teri Terry:

Wanted: Writer. Must live in own world and listen to voices in head, be able to work in PJ’s, and enjoy Pringles or jammy doughnuts for lunch. Dealing with irregular income and a complete absence of job security required. Dreamers may apply.


Read more at: http://notesfromtheslushpile.blogspot.com

Journaling to Clear Your Mind ...

Journaling ~ Ideas and ways to clear you mind ~ Chill out ~ Press that creative button ...

You can't get to sleep at night?

You keep waking up every hour? ... Your mind's too active?

You're stressed about an / event / exam / interview / deadline ?

It's time to get Journaling .........

Clearing your mind so you can concentrate on the main goal whether it be exams / work / relationships / other [don't you just love that option?]

Choose a small blank book, cheap and blaring with faint blue lines if you wish, torn and tatty from the bottom of a drawer or filing cabinet will suffice, hard back - using up a present, colourful [you may have bought it for your kids and borrowed it back], beautifully hand-decorated ... [ receceived it as a present] ... any sort of book will be fine if it feels right to you. Also, a pen, roller-ball, fountain, biro or pencil would be useful ...

Write for five minutes before bed / sleep ... or choose a time to suit you

Write non-stop about any topic that comes into your mind

Let your mind wander ... Don't stop writing

Write with big letters, small letters, shout! be messy ... but don't stop until the time is up ...

If you can't think what to write, write just that! Repeat yourself if necessary

This is Not a diary but Yes, write everyday

You don't have to read what you have written :)

You dont have to share what you have written :)

Your writing may seem like ramblings ... It doesn't matter :)

Now that all the spare information milling round in your head is on paper ~ you may even feel more free :) :)

Later, you may want to go back and read some of your literary ramblings ~ they may make sense ~ they may not. Either way, let's hope you can sleep longer, concentrate harder, feel better and enjoy a sense of freedom from over-thinking.

Gillian

Organisation is priority ... is it?

I Just Love this Bookshop ...

I do love this bookshop ...

You don't get overheated.

[Waterstones]

You don't get pushed about.

[WH Smith]

You don't feel rushed.

[Airport]

You're not overloaded with lights and titles.

[Sorry Borders, are you still there?]

Your eyes don't throb in their sockets.

[Amazon]

You can take your time browsing, make a stress-free choice; best-sellers, events, writing workshops, book groups.

The only problem might be travel. It is, of course, in London.

Shop online ... http://www.bricklanebookshop.com/

Gillian

Women: Love & Frivolity ... hot on the press ...

Things are getting hotter ...



Women: Love & Frivolity is getting warmer ... the laptop is over-heating ... the ink is evaporating ... the cover, racing through the printing system ...



We're just waiting for the ribbon ... yes ribbon ...


Watch this space ... I will be ...

Gillian

Write Girl ...

WriteGirl is a nonprofit organization for high school girls centered on the craft of creative writing and empowerment through self-expression. Through one-on-one mentoring and monthly workshops, girls are given techniques, insights and hot tips for great writing in all genres from professional women writers.



Check it out :  http://www.writegirl.org/

Gillian