Posts Tagged ‘San Francisco Writers Conference’

Writing Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan here to wish all writers time to write, read, and support other writers.

I wrote a review for author Mary B. French.  She had sent me the link to her YouTube and Amazon pages.

Teaching Children How to be a Good Friend, Go after Their Dreams, and Love Themselves

Mary B. French‘s children’s book about Compass (a teddy bear who has special talents) and his human friend Molly (whose parents are separated) teaches readers (young and old) how to be a good friend, go after our dreams, and love ourselves. Also, I learned a few things about English customs, and, how one would go about meeting the Queen. A sweet story!
Cheers to the author of Bear-ly There With Compass and all the protagonists in the story!
Sincerely, 22-day writing and fanbase-building coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

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 I am reading entries to “Immigrant Experience Writing Contest” which I am sponsoring for the San Mateo County Fair Literary Arts Division and California Writers Club SF Peninsula Branch. Thank you, Bardi Rosman Koodrin, CWC, and everyone who support the many writing contests. Thank you, Professor Sheryl Fairchild, for being co-judge to the contest I’m sponsoring. Bravo to all contestants, for polishing your pieces and submitting to the various contests.

Advice to writers who will be entering their works to any writing contest:  follow guidelines to increase your chance of receiving an award. If the contest’s theme is battling mental illness, write about that; if the contest’s theme is about adopting a pet, write about that.

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Last performance The Year of Magical Thinking will be Sunday April 27, 2014.

Authors Mary E. Knippel, Lynn Scott and I are going to see the play The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion (based on her memoir of the same title), directed by Craig A. Miller, starring Grace Kingsley.  Thank you, director Lennie Dean, for emailing this message:

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June 7-15, 2014 Meet California Writers Club members at Bardi Rosman Koodrin‘s Literary Arts Stage, Fine Arts Galleria, San Mateo County Fair. June 7, 2014 Writing Contests Awards Ceremony;

Tuesday June 10, 2014 Teresa LeYung-Ryan with other playwrights will deliver short works, hosted by Darlene Frank.

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Saturday, June 21, 2014 Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan will present “Build/Fortify Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase” at California Writers Club – Tri-Valley Branch in Pleasanton, California. Thank you, Paula Chinick  and Blake Heitzman, for inviting me!

 

Cheers from

22-Day Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

http://writingcoachTeresa.com

 

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan is the author of Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW. Click here for print edition. Click here for Kindle edition. “Reach out, not stress out.”

Teresa’s novel Love Made of Heart: a Mother’s Mental Illness Forges Forgiveness in Daughter Ruby is used in college courses and archived at the San Francisco History Center.

Subscribe to  “Coach Teresa’s blog” Click here to start.

For other posts in my blog, please go to: https://lovemadeofheart.com/blog

If you’re looking for my blog posts pertaining to our Beautiful Brains and Neuroplasticity… https://lovemadeofheart.com/blog  look at right side of screen, you’ll see the category “Beautiful Brains Neuroplasticity”.  Please click on that category to get those posts.

Click on underscored text in this post to get to related websites . . .

Dear Writers who attended our sessions at San Francisco Writers Conference 2014,

Thank you so much for attending:

“From Hooks to Books: Grabbing the Attention of Agents and Editors with Your Talking Tagline & Platform” with Elisa Sasa Southard & Teresa LeYung-Ryan
OR
“Be Your Own Editor: Inject the 5 Ws and Core Theme Into Your Manuscript” with Teresa LeYung-Ryan and Mary E. Knippel
OR both !

Thank you for filling out our evaluation forms!

Writing Coach Teresa Recommends Contests, Meet the Agents and Editors, Conferences, Retreats, and Resources for Writers

Please help your writer-friends by sharing these events and opportunities:

• Writing Contests   3 groups of contests – through California Writers Club-Sacramento Branch, Literary Arts Division of the San Mateo County Fair, and WriterAdvice

• Meet the Agents and Editors for Pitch-O-Rama 2014!   Saturday, March 29, 2014, 8:00 am – 12:30 pm 

sponsored by San Francisco Chapter of Women’s National Book Association -  Space is limited! Cost: $65 WNBA members, $75 non-members
Mary E. Knippel & Catharine Bramkamp will be coaches at this event

• Check out my blog post  “Coach Teresa says: Who or What is the Antagonist in Your Story?“  before you send your manuscript to agents or a writing contest

• Redwood Writers “From Pen to Published” is an all-day writers’ conference on Saturday, April 26, 2014 at the Santa Rosa Junior College, Santa Rosa, CA.  Craft, Genre, Publishing, Marketing: Select among four tracks with sixteen sessions.

• Click on Handout material from sessions or look inside your 2014 SFWC bag – PDFs of handouts are on the Smashwords flashdrive

• If a friend would like a CD or MP3 of sessions at SFWC – Go to VWTapes

• Women Writing in the Redwoods (retreat in the Santa Cruz Mountains)–April 3-6, 2014

• Plotting workshops and retreats with Plot Whisperer Martha Alderson

• Elisa Sasa Southard interviewed on Good Day Sacramento “What is a talking-tagline?”  http://BreakThroughTheNoise.com

• Mary E. Knippel’s online classes and blog  http://yourwritingmentor.com

• Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan interviewed on Channel 5 “What is a writer’s platform?”  http://WritingCoachTeresa.com   Subscribe to Coach Teresa’s Blog which attracts thousands of writers who want to gain new connections while building their own fanbases.

I’m cheering for you!

22-Day Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

http://writingcoachTeresa.com 

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan is the author of Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW,  She helps clients identify their themes and archetypes   “Reach out, not stress out.”

Teresa’s novel Love Made of Heart: a Mother’s Mental Illness Forges Forgiveness in Daughter Ruby is used in college courses and archived at the San Francisco History Center.

Subscribe to  “Coach Teresa’s blog”  Click here to start.

Mary E. Knippel and I (Teresa LeYung-Ryan) presented a 45-minute session “Be Your Own Editor: Inject Your Manuscript with the 5 Ws and Core Themes” at last weekend’s San Francisco Writers Conference.

The first W (“Who”) – as in “Who is the Protagonist?”  And, “Who or what is the Antagonist?”

Who or What is the Antagonist in Your Story / Novel / Memoir / Book ?

For every Protagonist, there’s an Antagonist!

Antagonist is a character or a set of circumstances that threatens the Protagonist’s well-being OR the well-being of someone the Protagonist cares about.

Other powerful Antagonists are:

• the Protagonist’s reaction to circumstances
• the Protagonist’s own character flaw
• something that threatens the status quo
• illness or grief (including loss of an aspect of One’s self)

This is how screenwriter/screenwriting teacher Terrel Seltzer defines “what” is a great story.  She says:  “Someone we care about … wants something badly…  and is having a terrible time getting it.”

Coach Teresa here . . . “The Antagonist is the one who/which is causing ‘a terrible time’ for the Protagonist.”

Go through your manuscript; are you showing at least one of the antagonists within the first 5 pages?

Happy re-writing!

Teresa LeYung-Ryan   aka  22-Day Coach Teresa helps clients identify their themes and archetypes; she is the author of:

Love Made of Heart: a Mother’s Mental Illness Forges Forgiveness in Daughter Ruby (novel used in college courses)

Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW (workbook for all genres),

“Talking to My Dead Mom” monologues

Coach Teresa’s website http://writingcoachTeresa.com

To subscribe to Coach Teresa’s Blog , please click here.

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**  Here’s a short-short video of Teresa LeYung-Ryan & Elisa Sasa Southard inviting you to the San Francisco Writers Conference!  **

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What will be happening? Four days of 90+ sessions with major presenters, agents and editors; copious networking with the people who can advance your writing career, a glorious opening gala; evening Open Mic, poetry happenings, and pitch sessions…plus a SFWC writer’s bag, 2 keynote luncheons and 2 breakfasts are included.   Late Registration until February 12th, 2014 is $745.00. Walk-up price will be $795.00 if there is still room.

San Francisco Writers Conference

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So many sweet memories of friends and colleagues each year at San Francisco Writers Conference . . .

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And, I shall be with these friends and colleagues again, soon.  My heart is heavy though (as many other hearts are) missing Kathi Kamen Goldmark’s smile; perhaps she’ll be smiling on us at the conference.

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San Francisco Writers Conference

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Top Ten Reasons for Writers to Attend the 2014 San Francisco Writers Conference

• Launch your writing career–or take it to a more professional level–with direction from bestselling authors and publishing experts.
• Choose from a schedule of workshops, panels and sessions that fit your specific writing needs and goals.
• Get your questions answered at the Ask-a-Pro session featuring New York and California editors…included in your registration fee.
• Go to Speed Dating for Agents – Pitch your book ideas one-on-one in a room full of literary agents ($50 option for registered attendees)
• Receive free feedback on your work from freelance book editors.
• Kick back in Cafe Ferlinghetti with writers from all over the country…and foreign countries, too.
• Talk with exhibitors and find out what’s new for writers.
• Browse our onsite bookstore (produced by BookShop West Portal) and you can get the books you purchase autographed by the presenters.
• Jump into pitch contests, “Open Mic” readings, and socialize at our Gala Welcome party. This is just a sampling of SFWC’s over-the-top networking opportunities during the event.
• Stay awhile longer with our optional in-depth Pre Conference classes on Thursday, February 13th and Post Conference classes on Monday, February 17th to increase the value of the conference even more.

CONFERENCE registration fee includes four days of sessions & keynotes, two breakfasts/two lunches, a Welcome Gala, unlimited networking, and more!   CLICK HERE to register now.

Optional Pre & Post Event In-Depth Writing Classes on Thursday, February 13th in the evening and all day Monday, February 17th taught by some of the presenters. CLICK HERE

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Yours truly will be co-presenting 2 sessions

Friday, Feb. 14, 2014,  3:00-3:45pm at SFWC

Elisa “Sasa” Southard & Teresa LeYung-Ryan

present their interactive session

FROM HOOKS TO BOOKS: Grabbing the Attention of Agents and Editors with Your Talking Tagline & Platform

• create your talking-tagline (for query letter, book proposal, press releases) to hook agents, acquisition editors, readers, and the media
  

• make your name synonymous with the themes you write about
  

• have fun building your platform (for fiction and nonfiction writers)

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Saturday, Feb. 15, 2014, 11:00-11:45am

Mary E. Knippel & Teresa LeYung-Ryan

present:

“BE YOUR OWN EDITOR:  Ensuring Agents and Editors Love Your Work”

Learn how to inject the “5 Ws & Core Theme” and take your fiction, narrative nonfiction or prescriptive-nonfiction manuscript to the next phase.

• even if you are in a critique group or preparing to hire an editor or a book doctor
• whether you are planning to be your own publisher or pitch to agents and acquisition editors
• save money and avoid headaches

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For full schedule:  http://sfwriters.org/conference-schedule/

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Sincerely,

Teresa LeYung-Ryan

Teresa’s novel Love Made of Heart: a Mother’s Mental Illness Forges Forgiveness in Daughter Ruby is used in college courses and archived at the San Francisco History Center.

As author of Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW, Coach Teresa helps clients identify their themes and archetypes.

http://writingcoachTeresa.com   Subscribe to  “Coach Teresa’s blog”

22-Day Writers’ Platform & Fanbase-Building Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan says:  San Francisco Writers Conference is a 4-day event – February 13-16, 2014. Attending a conference of this caliber leads to happiness. http://sfwriters.org

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan has been invited again to co-present 2 sessions (one with Mary E. Knippel; one with Elisa Sasa Southard); esteemed members from a master-mind group that Teresa LeYung-Ryan and Mary E. Knippel belonged to (Martha Alderson, Linda Lee)  will be presenting too.  These experts look forward to seeing their colleagues (especially Margie Yee Webb and Lori Noack) at SFWC!

Cheers to SFWC SuperTeam (Elizabeth Pomada, Michael Larsen,  Barbara Santos, Rich Santos, Linda Lee, Frances Caballo)!

Writing Mentor Mary E. Knippel and Manuscript Consultant Teresa LeYung-Ryan

Talking-Tagline Teacher Elisa Sasa Southard and 22-Day Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan say: "Help your own platform by helping other writers"--photo by Tessa Bertoldi

San Francisco Writers Conference

Coach Teresa here.  At the San Francisco Writers Conference, Elisa Sasa Southard and I presented “GETTING TO FIRST BASE BY BUILDING YOUR FANBASE”

In our interactive session, Talking-Tagline Guru Sasa asked me: “Coach Teresa…What is a platform?”

I responded: “Before I define ‘platform,’ let’s talk about fans and what fans do for you.  Fans tell their friends about you.  Fans will pay to see you; they will buy what you have produced; they listen when you speak.  Your name hooks their attention.

“So, how does one build a fanbase?  By making your platform consistent. A platform is not something you step on, it is what you stand for.  Help your fans find you by articulating the themes and issues you care about/write about.”

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I am a fan of many fine writers, with last names starting with A to Z.  From Chinua Achebe, Luisa Adams, Martha Alderson, Jane Austen . . .  to Margie Yee Webb, E. B. White, Anzia Yezierska, and two hundred other authors, including Scott James (fellow presenter at San Francisco Writers Conference).

Scott James writes novels under the name of Kemble Scott; I heard about Kemble when his first novel SoMa was published by Kensington Publishing Corporation New York (also my publisher for my first novel). Scott James, the journalist, writes about San Francisco, including contributions to the New York Times.

I am a fan because Scott James speaks/writes eloquently. His latest article is enlightening and compelling.

Scott says:  The latest of my new columns on Medium is now up. This one is on gay marriage, and gets a bit personal.  It’s called “My Big Gay Shotgun Wedding.”

Since I am a fan, I shall tell my friends about Scott’s columns.

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan cheering for you!

Writing Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan cares about helping fiction and nonfiction writers build their platforms and work on their craft simultaneously with ease.  She says: “Wear the dual hats as promoter and writer and be happily published. Reach out, not stress out, to materialize your dearest dreams.”

http://writingcoachTeresa.com

 Who will be teaching and entertaining at the San Francisco Writers Conference February 14-17, 2013?

Writing Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan here . . .  honored to be invited to present at the San Francisco Writers Conference again.   I will get to work with talented colleagues and friends, ten years in a row!

Friday Feb. 15, 2013  9:00-9:45am

“GETTING TO FIRST BASE BY BUILDING YOUR FANBASE”

presented by:  Writing Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan, Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase in 22 Days  and  Advisory Board Member Elisa “Sasa” Southard, Break Through the Noise: 9 Tools to Propel Your Marketing Message (free balloons in this interactive session)

Sunday Feb. 17, 2013  10:00-10:45am

“BE YOUR OWN EDITOR:  Ensuring Agents and Editors Love Your Work”

presented by:  Writing Coach/Manuscript Consultant Teresa LeYung-Ryan, Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase in 22 Days;  Love Made of Heart  and Your-Writing-Mentor Mary E. Knippel, The Secret Artist: Give Yourself Permission to Let Your Creativity Shine!

Also, I will be one of the independent editors, giving one-on-one consultation, on:

Friday  11:00am — 11:50am; Friday   2:00pm  –  3:30 or 3:40pm

Saturday  11:00am — 11:50am

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  The 10th Anniversary SFWC February 14-17 (Thursday through Sunday), 2013 !

Goosebumps author R.L. Stine offers a free talk for his young fans

on February 16^th at the 2013 San Francisco Writers Conference

While he is in town as a keynoter for the 2013 San Francisco Writers Conference, the shadowy R.L. Stine will offer a frightfully delightful session for his young fans. We promise there is nothing to fear from the master of horror. It all begins promptly at 10 a.m. on February 16^th at the Mark Hopkins Hotel. His talk is free, but rules must be followed! (See below.)

            Mr. Stine is best known as the author of the popular Goosebumps series of books for young readers. He has sold over 350 million books, making him one of the best-selling children’s authors in history. In fact, he was named the #1 best-selling author in America by USA Today for three straight years outselling John Grisham, Stephen King and Tom Clancy.

The FREE session for students during the SFWC is made possible by the San Francisco Writers Conference which is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, the InterContinental Mark Hopkins and the many companies and individuals who are sponsors of the 2013 San Francisco Writers Conference.

RULES for the R.L. STINE session during the 2013 San Francisco Writers Conference:

The event starts PROMPTLY at 10 a.m. at the Mark Hopkins Hotel on Saturday, February 16^th, 2013. The session is open to students in 3rd to 8th grade and is limited to the first 200 confirmed RSVPs.

You MUST RSVP following these rules or something bad may happen (perhaps you won’t get in!)   Go to www.SFWriters.org.  Click on ‘Register Here for R.L. Stine’ option on the right side of the homepage.  Fill out the form.  List all the students who will be attending in the box provided. Submit the form.  A thank you page will appear.  We suggest you bring a copy of the thank you page with you.

Mandatory:  If you are bringing a group, there must be 1 adult per 10 children.

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Who else will be helping writers at the 2013 San Francisco Writers Conference?

Published authors and publishing experts who generously volunteer their time! Click here to see who they are!

Members from Women’s National Book Association!

Members from California Writers Club!

Sincerely,

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

“Reach out, not stress out, to materialize your dearest dreams.”   http://writingcoachteresa.com

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan on CBS Bay Sunday with Host Frank Mallicoat
Writers’ Platform & Fanbase-Building Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryansays:

Click here to read the interview with Coach Teresa for StepByStepPublishing

As coach and author of Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW,  she says: “Whether you are writing fiction or nonfiction, make your name synonymous with the issues you write about.”

Teresa has built her own platform happily. Her first novel Love Made of Heart  is used in college composition classes; available at public libraries; recommended by the CA School Library Association and the CA Reading Association; and archived at the San Francisco History Center. Love Made of Heart and her short play Answer Me Now carry the themes closest to her heart:  mother-daughter relationship; Chinese-American immigrant experience; helping adult-children (of mentally-ill parents) speak openly about the stigmas and find resources for their loved ones.

• Please visit Coach Teresa’s Events Page

• http://WritingCoachTeresa.com  Click on “Coach Teresa’s Blog”
• http://www.facebook.com/Teresa.LeYung.Ryan
• http://www.youtube.com/teresaleyung

(Clicking on underscored text in this post will open a new window to get to referenced site.)

Meet Teresa LeYung-Ryan, Book Marketing Coach!

1. Why don’t you tell us a little bit about your background in the industry?
My name is Teresa LeYung-Ryan and my clients call me Writing-and-Platform-Building Coach Teresa. I wish to thank Christy Pinheiro-Silva of www.StepByStepSelfPublishing.net for this interview, and, I encourage everyone to look for the core messages in my responses—which are:  Reach out, not stress out, to material your dreams;  and, wear your two hats as a writer and be happy (whether you’re writing fiction, narrative nonfiction, or prescription nonfiction also known as “how to” books/articles).

This is what happened to me, over ten years ago, and the choices I’ve made.

I had a dream—a dream of connecting with readers the way Maxine Hong Kingston touched me with her memoir The Woman Warrior.  My writer’s journey started with learning the components of a story in a ten-week course Writing Children’s Literature at the community center and forming a critique group with three classmates after the course ended.

Fast forward.  After seven years of writing and rewriting, showing up at critique meetings twice a month,  I received a gift from a friend—a brochure for the Jack London Writers’ Conference with an entry form for their writing contest.   Two months later, at the conference, I met members from California Writers’ Club and I received “Second Prize” in the Novel Category in the writing contest. I thought that by being a winner in a contest, surely I would attract mentors and be “discovered” by an agent the following week.  (Are you laughing?)

Fast forward.  After sending query letters and the first two chapters of my novel to dozens of agents over a year, and, receiving “rejection letters” and getting very depressed, I took a friend’s advice and registered for a workshop “How to Get Published.” Also, I got together with two other contest-winners (Luisa Adams and Martha Alderson) and we pledged to help each other on our writers’ journeys.

I took a six-week leave of absence from my job to perform the last big rewrite of my manuscript.  (Note: Surround yourself with people who really support your dreams. My husband and my friends were cheering for me.)

Fast forward.  My first novel Love Made of Heart (a mother-daughter love story) is used in college composition classes; available at public libraries; recommended by the CA School Library Association and the CA Reading Association; and archived at the San Francisco History Center.   October 2012 marks the tenth anniversary of Love Made of Heart.  The book is still in print, and, I continue to meet new fans.

For the past nine years, through my coaching  and my workbook Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days, I have been helping writers reach out, not stress out, to attract agents, editors, publishers, readers, and media attention.

2. What is your opinion on self-publishing vs. traditional publishing and represented by an agent?

The advantage of identifying the right agent who will pitch your intellectual property to the right publishers— agents have their specialties and their relationships with acquisition editors at publishing houses; established publishers have relationships with book distributors.

Note: An agent gets 15% of what the author receives from the publisher (similar to a finder’s fee). Agents are not publicists, marketing managers or promoters.  The publisher, not the agent, offers you the contract (to buy the rights to publish your book).

Note: Hire a literary attorney to interpret and negotiate the contract for you if your agent doesn’t have access to legal counsel. Know what rights you are selling to the publisher.

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The advantage of being your own publisher—you have full control regarding:

• rights to publish and re-print
• how to promote your book, when, and to whom
• publication date and publication format
• book layout, cover design, jacket copy
• cover price; discounts to booksellers
• budget and profits

Consider Your and Other People’s Timetables:
It might take years to find your agent; it might take years before your agent finds the publisher.  By the way, my super-agent Stacey Glick tells me that only 2% of her clients would receive contracts from publishers.  When Stacey negotiated the deal with acquisition editor John Scognamiglio at Kensington Publishing Corp. New York (a publisher who releases 500+ new titles each year) for my  mother-daughter novel Love Made of Heart, my book title got onto the “conveyor belt” (it would take 18 months from when I sign the contract to when the book would show up in bookstores).

Note: A publisher could “fast track” a new title,  releasing the book within months or even weeks.  An example of releasing a book within weeks would be when a super-famous person dies and big publishers would forego some of the stops in the conveyor belt process.

How much attention are you going to get and give?
The bigger the publisher, the more new titles they release each year, the less attention each author gets.  Their best-selling authors, celebrity-authors, and new authors to whom they have given huge advances would get the most attention of course.

A decade ago when John Scognamiglio told me “You have six weeks to get on the radar”  I thought I knew what that meant.  You see, I was one of the lucky authors.  Kensington had bought “front of the store” shelf space at chain-stores for Love Made of Heart.  Chain-stores would rotate inventory every six weeks.  If a book sells during those six weeks, then the store would order more copies through their distributor.  Independent sales representatives (especially Nancy Suib and Anne Shulenberger) introduced Love Made of Heart to their accounts (independent booksellers).  “Indies” also had to rotate their inventory every few weeks.  What does this mean?  Unsold books are returned to the distributors (warehouses).  Publishers have to pay taxes on inventory—it is a costly business—selling printed books.

To stay on that “radar” meant making one’s name and the subject matter/issues/themes in one’s book visible in media attention over those precious six weeks. Which also meant having lined up interviews—in print, radio, television.  You’re probably saying . . . Wouldn’t the publisher handle all that?  Yes, if you are one of their best-selling authors, a celebrity, or a new author who has been given a huge advance.

Note:  Cyberspace magic provides opportunities galore for authors to broadcast ourselves (build our platforms and fanbases). What is a platform?  The definition is on page 1 from my workbook  Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: “Making your name stand for something—to attract targeted consumers—who are likely to buy what you have to sell.”

3. What do you feel is the most important thing that authors can do to promote their books?
The simple yet powerful tool is:  Making your name synonymous with the  themes/subject matter/issues in your literary works.

In my interview on CBS Channel 5, I talked about:  “What I care about … leads to my writing about those themes/subject matters/issues.  What I write about …   attracts my fans because they also care about what I care about.  Help your fans find you.”

Introduce yourself with your full name.  Then use these three words:  “I care about . . . ”

Example: (as a writer of fiction, narrative nonfiction, including memoirs )
I am Teresa LeYung-Ryan, author of Love Made of Heart (a mother-daughter love story).   I care about helping adult-children (of mentally-ill parents) speak openly about the stigmas and find resources for their loved ones.
Example: (as a writer of prescriptive nonfiction  a.k.a. “how to” )
I am Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan, author of Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW.   I care about helping writers thrive in today’s publishing arena.

I call these self-introductions my platform-statement.
Where to “show” your platform-statement? 

• Your email signature-block! 
• Your letterhead! 
• Your website and blog slogan/tagline/description! 
• Your bio! 
• Your business cards! 
• The caption for your photographs! 
• Headline for press releases!
• Social media pages! 
• And, let’s hear it on your voicemail!

Even when I’m emailing my loved ones (my biggest fans), I show them my platform-statement in my signature block.  Help your fans brag about you with ease.

4. What are your feelings on Social Media? (Facebook, Google+, Twitter, etc)
I thank creators and users of social media.  How else could our fans from faraway places find us?  Be consistent.  Update your bio in all these forums to reflect your current platform-statement. A picture speaks a thousand words; be sure to rename photo-files (show your full name and book title, and even keywords from your platform-statement)

5. Do you feel that book marketing for fiction is different than book marketing for non-fiction?
No difference in today’s markets.
How do I choose books as a consumer?
As Teresa-the-consumer, I pay attention when:

• friends recommend a book
• I read about or hear or meet the author and I appreciate what the author has to say
• I need information on a particular subject, so  I use a search engine (like Google.com) to find those books or I ask my favorite booksellers and librarians.

How would I help these consumers find me if I am an author?
Please see the answers to Question # 3—“What do you feel is the most important thing that authors can do to promote their books?”

6. What are some of the biggest mistakes that authors make when trying to promote their books?

• One big mistake is misdirecting your energy pitching to book reviewers or radio or television producers who are not interested in the subject matter /issues/ themes that you are promoting.  Do your homework; seek advice from mentors, colleagues, and yours truly Coach Teresa; use The Book Reviewer Yellow Pages; listen and watch shows you’d like to be invited to, and, please study their format
• Another common mistake is what my colleague Elisa Sasa Southard calls “killing a marketing moment.”   Her book Break Through the Noise shows you the 9 tools to propel your marketing message.
• The third common mistake is tiring yourself out when promoting at events where there is traveling, schlepping, and setting up involved. I have lots of fun with colleagues/co-presenters at writers’ conferences, book festivals, and community events. Recently I shared a booth with Margie Yee Webb and Rita Lakin at the Sonoma County Book Festival.  Every year I join forces with co-presenters Sasa Southard and Mary E. Knippel at the San Francisco Writers Conference.  On December 15, 2012 I’ll be sharing a table with Margie Yee Webb (she’s the author of the gift-book Cat Mulan’s Mindful Musings) at a Local Authors event.  Please check my events page.

7. Do you have any other useful advice for beginning authors?

• Get yourself a calendar (month at a glance) with big squares to write in, and, schedule time to work on your craft and your platform.
• Get to know members in writers’ organizations (my favorite ones are California Writers Club and Women’s National Book Association)
• Please read my blog post:  Wear Two Hats as a Writer and Be Happy

8. How can authors contact you if they have any questions?
I encourage you to ask me question by posting a comment on any of my blog posts. That way, my fans will see your name and questions (so, promote yourself).  To submit a comment: click on the headline/blue title bar of the post, scroll down to the end of the post, fill in the boxes, and press the [submit comment] button.

Here’s a blog post you might like to submit a comment/question:  Who Really Is the Most Qualified Person to Build the Author’s Platform and Fanbase?

My email address:   WritingCoachTeresag   at    gmail.com

You will find links to the organizations referenced in this interview on my “Writers’ Resources” page at  http://writingcoachteresa.com

In closing, I wish to reiterate my thanks to Christy Pinheiro and to say “I cheer for all writers!”

Reach out, not stress out!
Sincerely,

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

http://writingcoachTeresa.com

Christy Pinheiro-Silva of www.StepByStepSelfPublishing.net  says:

“Thanks, Teresa, for a great interview!!!”

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan here.  Who do I coach?  Writers.  I help clients polish their manuscripts and map out their publishing journeys.

Teaching at San Francisco Writers Conference every year gives me the joy of seeing colleagues and meeting other fascinating writers, one of whom being Greg Marcus.  He hooked my attention with his mission statement: “I am a modern-day Abraham who smashes corporate idols and help the chronically overworked find a more fulfilling life.”

I checked out Greg’s http://idolbuster.com  and his May 25, 2012 post “Why Work More Than 50 Hours Per week?” got me thinking about . . .

I was delighted when Greg asked me to guest-blog.

Read more  . . .  about:

Unraveling the Mystery Of Platform

First Step – Understand Your Values and Who You Are

Sincerely,

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

Editor, Story Consultant, Platform-Building Coach

http://writingcoachteresa.com

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan has helped over 1,000 writers.

“Reach out, not stress out, to materialize your dearest dreams.”

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Greg Marcus says:

Thank you Coach Teresa for a great post. I’ve found that advice for writers is often applicable in business and life. Your post is no exception. Writers are a one-person business, and can’t separate the product from the platform.

Greg,

Thank you again for giving me the opportunity to guest-blog.  You are so right — the business of being a writer does require the balancing act of writing (producing) and platform-building (hooking attention).  Why get stressed out?  Instead, reach out.

Bethany Lee comments:

Thank you Greg for bringing Teresa to guest post here. This was a very informative post, and as a writer/blogger, I found myself soaking this up because I’m starting to think more about services I can sell via my blog. This idea about having a platform–making your name stand for something–is something I’ve been thinking about lately, and I’m trying to focus in on that. I think I’m close, but I also think there’s more to it than just discovering it yourself–that once you discover it, you have to promote the idea and get people to believe it too–right? Also, I was wondering about these two exercises. How do they help you to discover your platform? In other words, how do I take the stuff I come up with here and apply it to make it a tagline?

Hi, Bethany,

Greg is right-on — your honest responses to the 2 exercises from Day 1 of my 22-day workbook are eye-openers.

Your question:  ” . . . how do I take the stuff I come up with here and apply it to make it a tagline?
My questions to you:
What themes/subject matters compel you to write?
What themes/subject matters hook your attention when you’re the reader?

As my colleague Elisa Sasa Southard (the talking-tagline guru) would say: “Start with I CAN . . . ”
And I say: Speak your name; add the action-verb; complete the statement with how your work helps people.

From now on, introduce yourself with your full name. When someone asks you: “What do you do?”  . . . you answer with a sentence that includes an action verb.

Examples:

(as a novelist) Through my book Love Made of Heart, I can help mothers and daughters speak from the heart.
(as a narrative nonfiction writer)  Through my essays and speeches, I speak out for those who cannot speak for themselves.
(as a prescriptive nonfiction aka “how to” writer) Through my coaching and workbook, I show writers how to gain fans before and after publication.

Also, you may be asking: “Why 22 days?”
Because . . . when we stick to something for 21 consecutive days, we develop a new habit. Why not gain the wonderful habit of building our platform/name?  On the 22nd day, we celebrate. Everyday is a good day to build your name / fanbase / platform!

Sincerely,

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan
Editor, Story Consultant, Platform-Building Coach
http://writingcoachteresa.com

Bethany commented again:

Teresa and Greg, thank you for your responses here. This is excellent. Here’s my answer to the who are you question: I’m Bethany Jo Lee and I can encourage you to keep moving forward in your endeavors. That’s a start, maybe not perfect, but I like the lesson here. I need your 22 day book!

I just bought her book and tweeted it! I’m very excited to read it. Thanks Greg.

Bethany Jo Lee,
Your tagline: “I can encourage you to keep moving forward in your endeavors” is wonderful !
You’ll see how your tagline and the 5 secret keys in my workbook will lead you to bigger and bigger connections.
I’m cheering for you!
Sincerely,
Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan
“Reach out, not stress out, to materialize your dearest dreams.”
http://writingcoachteresa.com