A World of Possibilites

     

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

Take a moment and think about your life as a writer. As you look around your world, what do you see in your mind? Is the world full of opportunities or is it limited and scarce?

In this article, I want to help you have a wide mindset about your writing life and the possibilities for you. These possibilities only exist if you have the right mindset and take continued and steady action. 

Whether you are brand new to the writing world or a bestselling author with many books (like me), no one is beating on your door asking you to go here or there or to do this or that. Every one of us have to craft our emails, phone calls, text, book proposals and query letters. We have to pitch the right person for the opportunity to happen.

As I’ve often written  in these articles, who you know is as important as what you know. Only you can write and tell your story.

Maybe you want to publish a book. How can you get a connection to the right person who can help you? Maybe you exchange business cards with them at a writers conference.

Today a writer that I met at a large conference last May reached out to me with  simple email. She reminded me of our meeting (wise) and then asked the best way to get started (another wise action). I responded with those answers.

Another author that I’ve known for years reached out to me about a friend with a possible book project. She asked the best way to get started. I encouraged her to send a brief introductory email to me and to her friend. This method is another way to open the door of opportunity.

LinkedIN has millions of people and business relationships. Reach out to someone you want to know on linkedIN and send them a connection invitation. Or look at their contact information and see if you find an email address. The craft an email with your pitch or whatever you need. 

Email is often the best communication tool and method to begin the process. In general, everyone reads their email. Sometimes email has it’s own challenges. I receive a lot of email and sometimes when I do not receive a response in a few days, I will send a second email. Or sometimes through the joy of technology, my personal email terry@terrywhalin.com doesn’t always reach me. It’s weird but it happens. 

If you met someone at a conference and got their business card, then reach out to them. It doesn’t matter that you met them months (or even years) ago. In the opening paragraph remind them of where you met and then briefly ask for what you need from them. 

There is a wise verse in the book of James.”You have not because you ask not.” (James 4:2) Learn to ask in a way which gets a response. 

This week I was talking with another author. He mentioned sending his manuscript out to key leaders and asking for their endorsement. I admired his initiative in asking for these endorsements. Yet I also understand mny of these busy professionals will not have the time to read the manuscript. The easiest response for them is “no” or silence (no response).

When you make the endorsement request, craft your request in a different way so you get a positive response. Offer to write a draft endorsement or even write a couple of  them (from the endorsers perspective) then send  those sentenes with your request. It’s strange to write a couple of glowing sentences about yourself. For the recipient, it is easier for them to revise your sentence and say yes than to write their own endorsement. Your creative request will be different and potentially pay off with a yes response instead of a no.

You can use these examples in other areas like to speak at an event or to be a guest on a podcast or to write for an online publication or a magazine.

Before you pitch, take a few minutes to look at their website, listen to some of their podcasts, read their guidelines for the publication. This groudwork will help you craft your pitch into something they need or will respond positively, 

We live in one of the greatest times in human history. In your pocket through your phone, you have the ability to reach people around the world. The possibilities are endless for you and your writing—but only if you take action and keep pitching.

It’s what I’m doing every day.  I knock on new doors. I pitch podcast hosts. I propose new writing opportunities. The opportunities are there but only if you seize them.

Several Statements of Truth

The work is never finished. There is always more writing and places of opportunity.

Continue to make new connections.

Continue to explore new publications and places to publish (online and in print). 

Continue to learn and explore (and fail) with your reach.

Your persistence and consistency and commitment to not quit will be the difference maker. 

I can not do anything about the choices of others. I can try and help but each person controls their own life. There is only one person where I have any control: me.

What am I missing here? Or what opportunities are you seizing or missing? Let me know in the comments below.

Tweetable:

When you look at the writing world, do you see limitations or possibilities? This prolific author and editor sees unlimited opportunity. Get the details here.  (ClickToTweet)

A great deal of the publishing process is outside of our control as writers. When I speak with authors, I find many of these authors have unrealistic expectations. I wrote 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS to give authors practical help. You can get decades of insights in 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS for only $10, free shipping and over $200 of bonuses. 

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Since 2004, I have blogged about The Writing Life over 1,700 entries and one of the top 27 content writers. With this simple form, each week you can get my new articles, encouragement and insights at: https://t.co/W6uU64u6aA

The Necessity of Asking for Help

    

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

As writers, I’ve learned that almost nothing successful happens on our own. I understand and also have the desire to accomplish something on my own. Maybe it is the value we give to self reliance and independence which is a prized value in the culture. It’s easier and often more straight forward just to handle something myself instead of asking someone else to be involved and get their assistance. 

Thoughout my decades in the publishing world, I’ve learned that we need the help of others to succeed. To get help, you have to understand your need, then have the personal courage to reach out and ask others. If you don’t ask, then that other person doesn’t know you need their assistance.

In this article, I want to use my new book, Pivot Driven Devotions as an example of what authors can do to get help from others.  I wrote this book on a fast-tracked deadline and it had a quiet launch without a launch team or any book reviews. 

Book reviews are important for every author. In this article (follow the link), I mentioned author and psychologist Robert Cialdini (Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion), 98% of people who purchase a product (not just a book) online have read a review before they buy it. I hope this statistic motivates you to have reviews for your books--and not just on Amazon but on different online websites. 

As an author of Pivot Driven Devotions, I received some author copies per my contract. Instead of leaving these copies inside a box in my garage, I decided to take action and ask several family members and friends to write an honest review on several different websites. After these individuals agreed to read and review my book, I pulled a book, printed a short form to help them write a review (follow the link). I tucked this form into the printed book. Also I signed and personalized each book as I packed and put it into the mail. 

From my past work on reviews for books, I understand that not everyone who agrees to review the book, will actually get it done. Often it is only about 50% of the committed people who read the book then write an honest review. I know from personal experience that I receive way more printed books from authors and publishers that I can possibly read and write reviews--even if I did it fulltime (and I only do it in my off time and without charge). 

For several people, I wrote emails and asked them directly. For others, I posted online (including last week in these Writing Life articles). In each case, I got some people responding to my requests. Also in my asking, I created some limitations saying I only needed 10 people and they had to be in the United States. With this limitation, I avoided mailing books overseas and placed some boundaries on the number I needed. From my perspective, it is better to get the books into people’s hands for reading and reviews instead of the books sitting in a box in my garage. When someone agrees to read the book and review it, I sent them a note of appreciation but in this email I included specific links to the three sites where I need a review. Hopefully with these links, I made it easy for each person to write their review then post it on these locations. 

Each day, thousands of new books enter the marketplace and are published. As authors, it is our responsibility to use courage and ask others for help, then give them the tools to accomplish what you need. The process is not easy for any of us and involves taking action and asking for others to help you.

What steps do you take to get help? Let me know in the comments below.

Tweetable:

According to this prolific author and editor, every writer needs help from others to succeed with their books. Read this article, to learn the details to get others to help you.  (ClickToTweet)

Let’s Meet In Person

As I often say in these articles, who you know is as important as what you know. 

Over the next three months, I’m going to be traveling to three conferences. On April 26th, I will be in Frankfort, Kentucky (follow the link for details). In late May, I will be teaching at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference a continuing class on how to sell books and also giving a keynote at the event. (follow the link for details). Finally in late June, I will be in Canby, Oregon for the Cascade Christian Writers Conference (follow the link for details). I will be teaching a continuing workshop and meeting with authors. I hope you will invest in your writing life and we can meet in person at one of these events.

As I’ve worked in the publishing world for years, I’ve spoken with many authors about their expectations and dreams for their books. I’ve found many of these authors have  unrealistic expectations about what will happen with their published book. Many aspects of the publishing process are outside of anything an author can control. I wrote 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS to give authors practical help and take actions no matter what the publisher does for your book. You can get decades of insights in 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS for only $10, free shipping and over $200 of bonuses. 

Get these articles on your email: 

Since 2004, I have blogged about The Writing Life over 1,700 entries and one of the top 27 content writers. With this simple form, each week you can get my new articles, encouragement and insights at: https://t.co/W6uU64u6aA