Your Most Effective Communication Tool

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

Writers, editors, agents and other professionals are in the communication business. Because of the slow pace or nonexistent pace of communication, often this aspect is forgotten. What is the most effective communication tool? Depending on your age, some people would answer text. Others say the telephone. In this article, I want to contend it is your email.

Through my work at Morgan James Publishing, I’m connected with many authors who have my direct dial phone number. We speak from time to time on the phone. Last week one of my authors called me. From a glance at my phone, I could see who was calling and I sent the call to voicemail. This author didn’t leave a message and is likely hoping I will return the missed call. It is a call I will not be making. Why? My last conversation with this author was a pitch for a type of book that Morgan James does not publish. During the conversation, I recommended this author write a book proposal or a business plan with the book that was pitched. It’s a lot of work to create such a business plan. I know firsthand because I’ve written two book proposals which received six-figure advances from publishers. I encouraged this author to write a proposal not for a six-figure advance but because I know it will help this author crystalize and define the idea. Instead of following the seasoned advice from my last phone conversation, this author wanted to spend more time on a call. It’s a timewaster for me and simply not going to happen. 

When it comes to the telephone, you want to be wise how you use this communication tool and not waste time for the other person. Think about your last call before you dial in their number to dial it again. My advice is that straightforward when you think about calling an editor or agent on the phone.

Boundaries on Your Email

Some of my professional friends have drawn specific boundaries on their email. For example, they don’t answer work emails on the weekend (except rarely). I got an automatic responder from one of my Morgan James colleagues and it included how she handles her email--that she only reads it twice a day in the morning and evening and that is during the week. On the weekend, she reads it on Sunday afternoon. I applaud how she has helped define expectations for anyone who sends her an email.

I do not have such boundaries (but maybe I should learn from this colleague). As my authors and others I work with know firsthand, I’m likely to answer my email almost any time and any day. Those answers can come early in the morning or late at night. I probably need to draw a few email boundaries.

A Process for Submissions

Email is where I receive and process submissions for Morgan James Publishing. Often writers and literary agents through email will send their pitch or proposal (often as an attachment). Also to make sure I get what I need for a submission, I will often email authors asking for their submission. If I need additional information (which happens fairly frequently), I will email for this data. 

As a part of the submission process, I set up a conference call with each author to explore the background on their submission, their connections as a writer and also to explain about the unique ways Morgan James operates in the marketplace. This conference call is recorded and via email, I sent the author a link to the recording. After this call, I fill out some internal paperwork to possibly get the author a contract--and this filled out form comes to me on email. 

When our publication board meets and makes a publishing decision about offering a contract, through email I’m notified their contract package is ready to send. As an editor, I prepare this package and email it to the author (and I also call them to alert them that I’ve sent this material so it does not get stuck in their spam or some other place). Often they ask questions (on email) and receive answers on email. Then when they sign their contract, they will scan it and email it to me. You can see with these details the essential nature of email throughout this process.

Read But Not Answered

Some of my professional friends have large volumes of email in their computer which they have never opened. I read or at least open all of my emails and have none which are unopened. If you email me, you can count on the fact I will open it. I may not read all of it but will open it. Also the fact that I open it does not mean I answer it. I have two primary email addresses (personal and work). In each email, I have a large number of emails which are in my draft folder. These emails are likely ones I will answer but on my timeframe. Many of them do not have a specific deadline or timeframe for an answer. 

Email Newsletters

In my article last week, I told you about my newletter change over after 20 years. It is still in process. I’m learning how to use my new system and committed to continuing the consistent communication pattern that I’ve set up in the past months. Behind the scenes, my newsletter numbers have dramatically dropped. I’m redoubling my efforts to proactively increase those numbers and get more subscribers. Essentially I’m continuing to send my newsletter on a consistent schedule, providing value and reminding them of our connection. 

In case, you missed it last week, here’s where you can quickly subscribe and will receive a FREE 87-page ebook loaded with lots of valuable writing insights.

Other Communication Tools

In the opening for this article, I mentioned the telephone and texting. I use both of these tools but advise you to be limited in your use of the telephone with editors and agents--until you have established your relationship. Some authors want to call me and make their pitch on the phone--which is the least effective way to pitch in my view. You may have a great oral pitch on the phone but what you pitch for the printed page is critical and much more important than what you do on the phone. Some authors love to text and will send me long texts--which I skim but do not reply in kind. Text is a great way to reach someone at the last minute.

Do you agree with me that email is your most effective communicaion tool? Or what do you see that I am missing? Let me know in the comments below.

Tweetable:

Are you using the most effective communication tool for writers? This prolific author and editor believes it is not texting nor the telephone. Get the details here.  (ClickToTweet)

My Writing In Other Places:

With these articles, I encourage you to publish your work beyond your blog in other places. Below are two articles which were published in other online locations than this blog. 

The Value of Getting Published is far beyond writing a book. You can read the detailed action points in this article. 

Some people believe Authors Have a “Magical Life.” Authors do have some unusual experiences and I give the details in this article of those few exceptions. The bulk of what authors do is simply persistent and hard work.

Currently I’m working with my third publisher as an acquisitions editor. During these years, I’ve spoken with many authors about their expectations, dreams and desires for their books. I find many unrealistic expectations. Many aspects of the publishing process are outside of anything an author can control. 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. 

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

When You Can't Locate an Individual's Phone Number...

With the proliferation of smartphones, most of us carry one of the most powerful communication devices in our pockets—our phone. As an acquisitions editor, I get a lot of email—and I regularly send a lot of email. While I love the convenience of email, I also know email is easy to ignore and not answer. You can put it off for another time and another day.

The phone is a completely different communication device. It is immediate and if we reach the person, we can have a short conversation with them. We can leave messages into their voicemail (something I do a great deal as an editor). Each time I leave a message, I try to think about the person getting that message—so I leave something upbeat and to the point with my phone number and email so they can respond.

The Internet has given us tools where we can guard and protect our actual phone number. For example, I've got a New York phone number through my work at Morgan James. When I call authors or literary agents related to my work, I use this tool and it shows up on their phone as a New York phone number—even though I live in Colorado and work remote. Sometimes authors will answer because it is a New York phone number. 

What if you can't locate the phone number for someone? The other day I wanted to have a short conversation with an author. I looked in my contact information. I had his email and mailing address but not his phone number. I checked the author's website to see if it contained a phone number—and it did not. It had a contact form but no email and no phone number. See how this author is limiting the people who have his number?  How was I supposed to find it?

To find a phone number, one of the tools I often use is Godaddy WhoIS Database.  You can use Google to look up “WhoIs” and see there are a number of these databases. As the first place I turn, I use this one from Godaddy. With the author's website, you put that into the search engine and in a matter of seconds, you get the contact information for that author—including their phone number.  I wrote down the number then called it. Immediately I was speaking with the author I needed to reach—on his cell phone. Also I saved the cell phone number I had located for if I need to use it in the future. This system is not perfect. Sometimes authors have paid for an extra service called Domain Privacy Protection—and their real phone number is not in this WhoIs record—but from my experience, many times you can locate their phone number.

Maybe you have other tools and websites that you use to gather this information. Please let me know in the comments section. I look forward to learning from your experiences. 
 
Tweetable:

Missing someone's phone number? How do you find it? Get some new tools here.  (ClickToTweet)
 

Why I "Fish" Every Day

It takes great practiced skill to fish successfully. While some people fish for a hobby, the seasoned fisherman knows he has to fish many times to gain skill and also to catch fish.

To be honest, it has been years since I've been fishing but I “fish” every day. A fisherman puts his line into the water and is positioned to catch a fish. I put quotations around the word “fish” in the headline since I'm using fish for the word networking or connections. You have to be in the market talking and connecting with others every day to make a difference with your writing. Yes you need to craft an excellent book and good storytelling. I always encourage writers to learn that skill but you need something more than good writing. You need the right connection.

Much of publishing (and any business) is a matter of making the right connection with the right person at the right time at the right place. You can't make that connection working alone in your office at your computer or curled up with your legal pad writing your story.

What steps are you taking today to “fish” or network with others? It begins with your goals for your writing. Do you want to sell more books? Do you want a traditional publishing deal or are you going to self-publish? Do you want to build your platform or group of readers? Do you want more people to know who you are and what you ar doing? Then you have to make a conscious effort every day to reach out and touch other people.

Some of us reach out to others through Twitter. I've mentioned how I follow 800 new people every day—people within my target market of publishing. It does not consume lots of time but the consistent effort is important to my constant expansion of this tool.

Also I dig into my network of friends and connections. I pick up the phone and call people leaving little messages or connecting with them for a few minutes. Yesterday I spoke with several literary agent friends. Why? Because these agents represent numerous authors who they want to get published.  Those agents need to be reminded that I'm constantly looking for great authors to publish through Morgan James. Our publishing program will not be right for every one of their authors. Yet it will be perfect for some of them. I'm looking for the right author—every day.

I have authors who have submitted their manuscripts and I'm scheduling calls with them to see if Morgan James is the right fit for these authors. I spend a great deal of time on the phone and answering my email but it's part of my daily work. Your daily work will be different but are you working every day at expanding your connections? I hope so.

I think about activity in the past which has been productive for me. For example, I've made terrific connections speaking at conferences. I'd like to do more speaking next year. It will not happen if I don't take any action. Instead, I'm making a list of conferences where I'd like to speak and conscious of who runs these conferences. Can I fill a need for this event with a workshop or keynote? There are numerous conferences and events where I can help others—but I have to be proactive to get on their radar.

I'm eager to continue to promote my Billy Graham and Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams books (as well as other books that I've written or been involved with). Can I book a radio show or podcast or do a guest blog post or some other event to get in front of a new audience? The answer is yes but from my experience it does not happen without my initiative (sometimes but rarely). Most of the time these opportunities come through proactive pitching and follow-up work. Are you building this type of fishing into your daily schedule?

Throughout today I will be emailing and calling people. You have to have a line in the water to catch fish. What steps are you taking?