Free Marketing Insight from an Expert

It is hard to get sound advice in publishing. Yes you can easily get advice but how about counsel that is filled with experience and wisdom. In my view, obtaining that advice can be a challenge at times.

This Wednesday, you have an opportunity to obtain wise marketing insight about the Christian market from Sally E. Stuart. For the last 25 years, Sally has produced an annual book which is a necessity for almost any Christian writer called The Christian Writer's Market Guide. I've convinced Sally to let me grill her on Wednesday, January 20th for a 70-minute live teleseminar. You can sign up for free and ask a question at: www.asksallystuart.com.

In addition, to the interview, Sally is giving every registrant a free copy of her chapter on book writing from Getting Published. This 23-page resource is not available any other place because Getting Published is out-of-print. This chapter contains a wealth of insight whether you write nonfiction or fiction plus advice on how to get an agent and what to do if your publisher goes out of business. You can download this chapter on the confirmation page for the teleseminar.

On this confirmation page, you can return on Wednesday and hear the live webcast through your computer or dial into the conference on your telephone.

If you can't make the live event, no problem. Still register because the teleseminar will be recorded and everyone who registers will receive the link to the replay. Then you can download it to your computer or listen to it on your iPod.

I hope to see you at Wednesday's event. It's going to be fun to learn the latest Christian market news from Sally Stuart.

Starting Is Easy but Finishing Another Story

There is something inherently exhilarating about a new year. It's a chance for a fresh start. It's the chance to do something different and turn in a different direction.

Many people make resolutions for the new year. I gave up on resolutions many years ago because most of the time they are not lasting and only survive a few weeks.

Instead, I look at resolutions with a twist. During the end of December and the first portion of January, I take some thoughtful time to consider what was accomplished in the last year. What succeeded and what failed? If we are honest, each of us have things that we tried and were successful while other things we attempted did not succeed and fell flat. I encourage you to gravitate toward those things which succeeded and let go of the things which failed and are draining energy from other areas. It takes some thoughtful consideration about the big picture of your work to put these details together.

I've continued reading online and printed publications. For example, here's an article from Dr. Oz that is loaded with a lot of great lifestyle and health tips. Lifestyle and health is an important emphasis for each of us as communicators. If we lose our family or health because of neglect, then we've gained little through our writing work.

Through my work as a publisher at Intermedia Publishing Group, I continue to guide a series of authors to produce their books and get them into the marketplace. I've worked on a series of remarkable books in the nonfiction and fiction area which are capturing attention and selling. If you are thinking about publishing a book with Intermedia, January is a great time to begin this process--especially notice our January special where you will get a free E-Book Reader if you sign on to publish with Intermedia. Just call or email me to learn more information about this opportunity.

During the weeks ahead I will continue growing and learning as a writer and editor. I've selected a couple of different areas that I do not know much about and planned to emphasize and grow in these areas in the coming months. Are you picking out some areas for your writing life and making concrete plans to grow and learn?

Next weekend I will be in Marion, Ohio teaching an all day workshop on Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams. I'd love to see you at this event. Also recently I've been working on my speaking schedule for 2010. Not everything is firmly in place but here is where to see my speaking schedule. I encourage you to plan a conference for this year where you will learn a new skill or grow in an area of your writing. There are some terrific events in different parts of the U.S.

I continue to write about books and post customer reviews on Amazon. It's one of the ways I can support and encourage people to read good books. While there is no payment for these customer reviews, it is a way for you to gain influence over customers since many books only have a single customer review (mine) or the only have a few of these reviews. Last night I wrote an Amazon customer review for Sally E. Stuart's 25th anniversary edition of Christian Writers' Market Guide.

Also throughout 2010, I will continue hosting teleseminar events. If you are interested in the Christian market and would like to ask Sally a question, then I encourage you to check out www.asksallystuart.com. Even if you can't attend, register for the event because it will be recorded and you will receive the replay link to listen on your iPod or computer. Also if you register, you will receive a free chapter about writing books from Sally's out-of-print book, Getting Published. This chapter is loaded with wisdom for every writer about getting their book published, getting a literary agent and even what to do when your book goes out of print. Cruise over to the website, ask a question and get your copy of this chapter.

Every day I continue to look for balance in my life--health, lifestyle, exercise, family, work and writing. It's a challenge but I'm up for the task. Are you? Which projects have you started yet not finished? Commit to finishing those projects in the weeks ahead. The days ahead are filled with opportunity and hope.

Lock This Marketing Tool

With last night's teleseminar with Sally Stuart, we had more than 200 writers send in questions. I had a wealth of material to cover in the session. If you missed it, you can still catch it at http://www.asksallystuart.com/ This teleseminar is in "replay" mode. When you sign up or ask a question, instead of going to the confirmation page with the information about calling in or listening to it on your computer, you will be taken to the "replay" page. You can instantly download the complete and edited recording or listen to just parts of it online. Plus you can download the free chapter on marketing from Sally Stuart's Guide to Getting Published.

If you go to the replay page, you will notice a large button at the bottom saying, "Order your copy of the 2008 Christian Writers' Market Guide." The button takes you to Sally Stuart's website. For years, Sally has offered writers the opportunity to "lock in" the price of the market guide and receive it automatically each year. She mentioned that some writers have dropped this service. If you order immediately, Sally is putting writers in less expensive categories of $24.99 and $29.99 a year. You can lock in this price for the years ahead and you can guarantee that the price of this guide is not getting any cheaper. Here's the critical bit of information which Sally gave us last night -- why you need one each year. She said about 90% of the entries have some change. That's why. You do not make the right impression when you submit your material with the wrong editor's name or wrong material for the publication or publisher. Instead you waste valuable time and energy.

Each year, Sally Stuart teaches at about five to seven different writer's conferences. If you've never heard her teaching, you can get her insight free through this teleseminar. Also make a regular habit of reading Sally's blog to catch the latest details.

Don't hesitate to go over to the teleseminar website and download this information to your computer or iPod. There might be some nugget of information or encouragement that will propel your writing career to the next level.

Get Registered Now

These entries about The Writing Life have been a bit thin over the last week. My wife and I traveled to Frankfort, Kentucky to celebrate my mother's 80th birthday last Sunday. The trip provided a vivid reminder why I don't go through Chicago in the winter. Our flights were canceled both directions. On the way out, we spent an extra nine hours waiting around in the O'Hare airport until we reached our destination. Then on the way home, the airline re-routed us through Dallas. If you watched the weather, it was snowing in Dallas on Monday. Our plane was two hours late taking off because of de-icing in the snow. I'm grateful to have gone (and returned) but it did not allow any time for blogging.

One of the greatest challenges for most writers is marketing your work. How do you find the right connection for your creation so it appears in print? The marketplace is constantly shifting as publications start-up and others go out of business. While the "danger point" for many magazines is the first five years of business, even long-term publications have stopped publication. I've seen a number of print publications which will win awards for excellence one year and disappear from the market almost before the award is announced.

Tonight I'm providing you with a rare opportunity ask marketing expert Sally E. Stuart a marketing question. I'm going to grill Sally with your questions during a live telewebcast at 7 p.m. Eastern or 4 p.m. Pacific. You can register and ask your question at: http://www.asksallystuart.com/ And if you can't make the live event, go ahead and register because the call will be recorded and every registrant will receive the links to the recording. Then you can download it to your computer or iPod and gain from the unique content. Also for registering you will receive a chapter On Marketing from Sally's excellent book, Getting Published. You will be able to download this chapter immediately when you reach the confirmation page. You will be able to either listen to the teleseminar on your computer or call in through the telephone. Don't miss this opportunity so get registered now.

For Your Marketing Questions

Where do you go when you have marketing questions about the Christian market? It's hard to know where to turn and get a direct, straightforward answer.

If you have one of these questions, I've got the perfect resource for you--but you can't wait around and have to take advantage of it immediately. Next Wednesday, March 5th, I will be grilling Sally E. Stuart with marketing questions from the Christian writer. For the last 23 years, Sally has been compiling and publishing marketing information about the Christian market in the Christian Writers' Market Guide. In the last few weeks, the 2008 edition was released.

I'd encourage you to take your best shot and put in your burning marketing questions at http://www.asksallystuart.com/. You can either call into the teleseminar and listen on your telephone or you can listen to it on your computer. If you have a conflict and can't make the teleseminar, you are still covered because the teleseminar will be recorded. Everyone who registers for the teleseminar will receive the replay links.

Beyond the valuable teleseminar with Sally E. Stuart, I've got an extra special offering for you. Several years ago, Sally wrote an excellent book called Getting Published. I believe this book is no longer in print but it has a terrific marketing chapter. I asked Sally (and she agreed) to give a FREE copy of this chapter to everyone who registers for this teleseminar.

Don't delay but while you are thinking about it, go to http://www.asksallystuart.com/ and sign up for this teleseminar. On the confirmation page (where you will hear my voice) you can immediately download this marketing chapter. I look forward to talking with you next week during this live teleseminar with Sally Stuart.