How Do You Handle Different?
By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin
I suspect I'm like most of you. I am not real keen on change. I love my routines and patterns. Through the years I've worked hard at things like consistency and persistence.
Yet our world has changed with the worldwide pandemic, the isolation and sheltering in place. It is all completely outside of our control but also things each of us can control. I've watched others shun the “order” and gather on the beach or in groups. I have had some events cancelled. Others have been moved online. Last night I taught a local writers group instead of being in a home, we were on zoom. The technology worked well and we enjoyed the interaction and fellowship—even if it was a very different way for us to connect.
The good news is that long after this temporary situation has passed, books continue to be made and sold. I've continued working with new authors through my work at Morgan James to get their submissions processed and books contracted and published. In fact, our book sales are up from everything I hear from our publishing leadership.
I continue to write on books which will be published in the days ahead. I've got a couple of my books under contract with deadlines. These deadlines keep me focused on these manuscripts and moving them forward toward completion. My encouragement to you is that the work must continue and you are a key part of that writing since there are stories to be written that only you can write.
I encourage you during this time to:
1. Continue writing. Whether you make notes in a journal or write books or write ______. I encourage you to seize the day and continue writing—whether you publish it or not. I have a sense of urgency about the time we have and the need to seize it.
2. Keep creating book proposals. Even if you self-publish, you need a book proposal. Why? Because the proposal is your blueprint and business plan about your target market and how you will reach that market with your book. I know it takes lots of time and energy to put together a complete book proposal. From my experience the time will be well-spent and is encouraged.
3. Keep finding places for your work to be published. You have to be working at new connections, new pitches and new relationships to succeed. If your books aren't reaching people, can you take part of that information and repurpose it as a magazine article or an online article? There are many possibilities and yes it takes work but you can do it and find places to publish.
4. Keep trying new things, new ways to consume books and new publications. You have to take action to pursue these things but don't get discouraged and keep trying new possibilities.
Why? The world needs your words. As I've written before your stories and your words can change lives—but not if it is only in your head. So get it out of your head and on paper then out to the world.
Yes our world is different with this worldwide pandemic. Your actions and how you handle it, will be key. What steps are you taking? Let me know in the comments below.
Tweetable:
I suspect I'm like most of you. I am not real keen on change. I love my routines and patterns. Through the years I've worked hard at things like consistency and persistence.
Yet our world has changed with the worldwide pandemic, the isolation and sheltering in place. It is all completely outside of our control but also things each of us can control. I've watched others shun the “order” and gather on the beach or in groups. I have had some events cancelled. Others have been moved online. Last night I taught a local writers group instead of being in a home, we were on zoom. The technology worked well and we enjoyed the interaction and fellowship—even if it was a very different way for us to connect.
The good news is that long after this temporary situation has passed, books continue to be made and sold. I've continued working with new authors through my work at Morgan James to get their submissions processed and books contracted and published. In fact, our book sales are up from everything I hear from our publishing leadership.
I continue to write on books which will be published in the days ahead. I've got a couple of my books under contract with deadlines. These deadlines keep me focused on these manuscripts and moving them forward toward completion. My encouragement to you is that the work must continue and you are a key part of that writing since there are stories to be written that only you can write.
I encourage you during this time to:
1. Continue writing. Whether you make notes in a journal or write books or write ______. I encourage you to seize the day and continue writing—whether you publish it or not. I have a sense of urgency about the time we have and the need to seize it.
2. Keep creating book proposals. Even if you self-publish, you need a book proposal. Why? Because the proposal is your blueprint and business plan about your target market and how you will reach that market with your book. I know it takes lots of time and energy to put together a complete book proposal. From my experience the time will be well-spent and is encouraged.
3. Keep finding places for your work to be published. You have to be working at new connections, new pitches and new relationships to succeed. If your books aren't reaching people, can you take part of that information and repurpose it as a magazine article or an online article? There are many possibilities and yes it takes work but you can do it and find places to publish.
4. Keep trying new things, new ways to consume books and new publications. You have to take action to pursue these things but don't get discouraged and keep trying new possibilities.
Why? The world needs your words. As I've written before your stories and your words can change lives—but not if it is only in your head. So get it out of your head and on paper then out to the world.
Yes our world is different with this worldwide pandemic. Your actions and how you handle it, will be key. What steps are you taking? Let me know in the comments below.
Tweetable:
When the world is different how do you handle it? Get ideas from this prolific editor and author. (ClickToTweet)
Labels: book proposals, Book Proposals That Sell, books, change, control, different, magazine articles, pandemic, publishing, writing
2 Comment:
Well said sir. Every step forward, regardless of how small it might be, is a step in the right direction. Thank you for the encouragement.
J.D.,
Thank you for this feedback. It's important to keep moving no matter how small the steps and not get stalled.
Terry
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