Leigh Anne Lindsey, founder of SeaStorm Press (an ‘author-centric, indie epublisher & emarketer), publishes ebooks, establishes and manages social media accounts and creates websites and marketing materials.

Leigh Anne is a mover-and-shaker with a kind heart; I’m fortunate to know her through Women’s National Book Association.

Leigh Anne Lindsey was interviewed by California Writers Club–Redwood Branch

Member in the Spotlight : Leigh Anne Lindsey

Sci-fi/fantasy writer Leigh Anne Lindsey is also the founder of SeaStorm Press, an epublishing and emarketing company whose very first ebook was picked up by a traditional publisher just after its release. As you’ll see from this interview, her success is the result of effort, cooperation, skill, and much determination.

What led to your smashing success with SeaStorm?

It’s due to the great partnership I have with my brother, Jim T. Lindsey, the author of SeaStorm’s first ebook, The Flaw in the Fabric – Book 1 of A Traveller’s Guide for Lost Souls. He had a manuscript ready to go that he’d worked on for the past six years and had edited by professionals for the past year.

To read the entire interview, please visit http://redwoodwriters.org/newsletter/member-in-the-spotlight/ in August.

Cheers to you, Leigh Anne Lindsey!

Sincerely,

Writing Career Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan who says: “Reach out, not stress out, when pursuing your dreams!”

Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days

Creativity & Writing Mentor Mary E. Knippel & I (Writing Career Coach Teresa LeYung Ryan) had pledged to show up on the first Thursday of each month to help WNBA members build their platforms.

Mary couldn’t meet on July 7  and we were going to skip this month. But, at BookShop West Portal, Birgit Soyka’s friend Jacqueline E. Boone expressed interest in attending our Meet Ups, so, we kept our date at the San Francisco Public Library-Main Branch.

I am so happy that we did!  Those who show up create magic for each other; that’s my motto.   I was the first to arrive; a gal came in to ask if she could use the outlet to re-charge her camera battery. Cecilia is her name; she said she speaks only a little English; I told her about Project Read (right here at the San Francisco Public Library).

Then my dear colleague Birgit Soyka, Jing Li, Samantha Roberts and Birgit’s dear friend Jacqueline E. Boone showed up and the fun began . . .

So, Birgit, Samantha, Jing, Jacqueline, to get mileage on cyberspace promoting, tell our fans what you’re working on by posting comments on these blogs.

Teresa LeYung-Ryan’s blog &   Mary E. Knippel’s blog

Birgit Soyka’s blog &   Jacqueline E. Boone’s blog

WNBA-SF Chapter’s blog

To submit your comment to any post (article) in this blog, click on the blue header (title bar) of the post and fill in the boxes (you don’t need to fill in your website address if you don’t have a website; if  you have a website, do provide your web address so that our fans can visit you there); then be sure to click “submit comment” otherwise I won’t get to see your comment. I’d like to hear from you.

Barbara Santos! Thank you for sending out the SFWC newsletter – that’s how Jing found out about tonight’s meet-up.

AUGUST – DECEMBER 2011 WNBA-San Francisco Chapter MEET UPS

First Thursday of the month 6:00-7:30pm at San Francisco Public Library, Main Branch, Latino/Hispanic Meeting Room (lower level) where food is allowed.

Near BART Civic Center Station. 2 entrances for the library: 100 Larkin St. (and 30 Grove St.), S.F., CA 94102

Meet-Ups are WNBA membership benefits; non-members can attend one meet-up a year. To become a member: http://wnba-sfchapter.org/ WNBA-SF Meet Ups are orchestrated by Teresa LeYung Ryan and Mary E. Knippel.

Coach Teresa says: “Reach out not stress out when building your readership/platform/fanbase!”

Tuesday night, my sister and I dined at Squat & Gobble Cafe & Crepery before going to my gig with fellow Women’s National Book Association member Birgit Soyka at BookShop West Portal.

At first I thought the eatery was called Squab & Gobble, but, the name is Squat & Gobble. Why “Squat” ?  Chickens squat. People squat.  Squatting is done with the lower half of our body. Why “Gobble” ? Gobbling is done with our mouths.

What’s the lore behind the phrase squat and gobble?

Here’s a story about the Chinese word for “heart”:   The word “heart” is inside the words “grace,” “forgiveness,” “perseverance,” “compassion.” The word “heart” is inside the word “love” thus love made of heart.

What was our gig? http://lovemadeofheart.com/blog/how-do-authors-teresa-leyung-ryan-and-birgit-soyka-celebrate-rebuild-your-life-month-in-june/

Sincerely,

Teresa LeYung-Ryan

Manuscript Consultant

author of Love Made of Heart

Writing Career Coach

author of Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW

” What are you selling? Your literary products—articles, columns, stories, poems, essays, speeches, scripts, books.”

“Making your name stand for something–the something being the subject matters, issues, and themes in your writings.”

“Targeted consumers? They are the readers who read the subject matters that you write about.”

My clients ask me: “Coach Teresa, How long does it take to build my writer’s platform?”

My answer: “When you stick to something for 21 days, you develop a new habit.  Do the exercises in my workbook for at least 21 days. On the 22nd day, you graduate with the tools to build your writer’s platform.”

So, how long does it take to build your writer’s platform? Only 22 days!

May 5, 2011:

Author Joan Gelfand asked me today: “Teresa, what happens after you build your platform?”

My response: “After I build my platform, I fortify it, then I retrofit it.  Building my platform and then abandoning it doesn’t serve me.”

Margaret Davis, author of Straight Down the Middle, says: “Instead of the usual pep talks, Coach Teresa’s workbook consists of a series of exercises which are thought-provoking, and always fun.”

Speaking of fun, I had a fun day fortifying my own platform and helping fellow members of WNBA.

Thanks to my pal Mary E. Knippel‘s lending me her Flip camera, I produced 4 short videos today–to share my expertise about platform-building for writers. I’ll post the videos on YouTube next week.

Then, I packed the Women’s National Book Association-San Francisco Chapter (WNBA) membership roster, name badges, name tents, the thank-you gift for our chapter president (Lynn Henriksen),  and went cake-shopping for tonight’s celebration. The event was at the San Francisco Public Library-Main Branch.

What an exciting meeting!  Established members (guiding lights) showed up; talented new members showed up:

Lynn Henriksen will mentor the new incoming chapter president or co-presidents

Kate Britton wishes to stay on as Membership Chair

Christopher Payne wishes to stay on as Treasurer

Teresa LeYung-Ryan wishes to stay on as Secretary, mentor committee chairs, and continue to show members how to build their own platforms with the help of the WNBA platform.

Mary E. Knippel wishes to stay on to mentor committee chairs and help them coax their creativity.

Birgit Soyka wishes to be WNBA Liaison to BookShop West Portal

Elizabeth Pomada, former chapter president, will continue to be a guiding light for WNBA, promoting our chapter through San Francisco Writers Conference, ASJA, and other affiliations.

Michael Larsen, former chapter president, will continue to be a guiding light for WNBA, promoting our chapter through San Francisco Writers Conference, ASJA,and other affiliations.

Leon Veal will continue being our liaison at San Francisco Public Library and San Francisco Project Read

Jane Glendinning is also affiliated with California Writers Club-Berkeley Branch

Patricia Tsang, M.D. is also affiliated with California Writers Club-San Francisco Peninsula Branch (and the Asian Heritage Street Celebration this year)

Janine Kovac is also affiliated with LitQuake (San Francisco’s Literary Festival)

Apala Egan is also affiliated with California Writers Club-South Bay Branch

Claudia Boutote is also affiliated with Harper One, publisher in San Francisco

Joan Gelfand is immediate-past president on national board of WNBA; she recommends our chapter sponsoring smaller events, and more of them, so that members get to co-chair one event in their region. This distribution of duties would benefit all members.

Linda Joy Myers, founder of National Association of Memoir Writers (NAMW), offered to share her expertise in teleseminars.

Linda Lee, our webmaster and cyberspace guru, offered to share her expertise in webinars and make webinars a benefit to members and a revenue tool when we sell the products to non-members.

* * * * * * * * *

We honored Lynn Henriksen; she made the past 2 years fun for us. Thank you, Lynn!

Vicki, Leigh Anne, Kaye, Barbara, Judith, Ricky, Elisa, we missed you at this meeting/party. See you soon!

Cyberspace Guru Linda Lee and I had a chance to chat after the meeting.

Cheers from Writing Coach Teresa!

Sincerely,

Teresa LeYung-Ryan, board member, San Francisco Chapter of Women’s National Book Association

Hope to see members in or near San Francisco on Thursday June 2, 2011,  6:00-7:30pm
Women’s National Book Association-San Francisco Chapter MEET UP
Mary E. Knippel (Creativity Mentor) & Teresa LeYung-Ryan (Writing Career Coach) will be present to mentor members and conduct “round-table MEET UP”
San Francisco Public Library, Main Branch, Latino/Hispanic Community Room (you can bring food into this room) at lower level,
100 Larkin St.(or use 30 Grove Street entrance), S.F., CA 94102
http://wnba-sfchapter.org/
RSVP by emailing:  Secretary@wnba-sfchapter.org

Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW Available through Amazon.com   Check out the reviews!   Coach Teresa created the fun workbook to help fiction and nonfiction authors gain a competitive edge.  Whether you want to be your own publisher or sell rights to another publisher, attract readers and more readers now!   After you order Coach Teresa’s workbook, email her to receive an exclusive bonus on platform-building. Teresa’s email address is on her website WritingCoachTeresa.com

Compete to Win in 10 Categories:
1. Inspirational Writing (Spiritual/Religious)
2. Memoirs/Personal Essay
3. Magazine Feature Article
4. Genre Short Story (Mystery, Romance, etc.)
5. Mainstream/Literary Short Story
6. Rhyming Poetry
7. Non-Rhyming Poetry
8. Stage Play
9. Television/Movie Script
10. Children’s/Young Adult Fiction
GRAND PRIZE: $3,000 cash and a trip to the
Writer’s Digest Conference in New York City!

Submit your manuscript by May 2, 2011 for a chance to win a trip to the WD Conference in the publishing capital of the world. While you’re there, a Writer’s Digest editor will arrange for you to share your work with four editors or agents.

Check out http://www.writersdigest.com/annual

Sincerely,

Writing Career Coach Teresa LeYung Ryan

To see my website for all my books, go to:  http://writingcoachteresa.com

Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW

Available through Amazon.com   Check out the reviews on Amazon!

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If you’re in the Santa Cruz/Capitola/Soquel/Aptos area –

Saturday, October 9, 2010, 10:00AM-3:00PM  Capitola Book Cafe, Capitola, California

PLOT PLANNER WORKSHOP for Writers — Plot at the overall story level — with International Plot Consultant Martha Alderson

Plot is a series of scenes deliberately arranged by cause and effect to create the most satisfying DRAMA/ACTION, EMOTION/CHARACTER through tension and conflict and reveal the deepest and most significant THEMATIC MEANING.  http://www.blockbusterplots.com/resc/workshop_pp.html

To reserve a spot now, please go to Capitola Book Cafe or call 831-462-4415  with a credit card. $95.00 No on-line registration at this time.

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If you’re in Marin County –

Thursday October 14, 2010 Noon  Book Passage, Corte Madera, CA — luncheon with Author Joyce Maynard.

Women’s National Book Association celebrates National Reading Group Month (NRGM) with author Joyce Maynard.

Call Book Passage, Corte Madera (415) 927-0960 ext.1, to reserve. The ticket price of $55 includes an outstanding lunch catered by Insalata’s Restaurant & an autographed copy of Joyce Maynard’s book (The Good Daughters). http://wnba-sfchapter.org/

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If you’re in the Oakland/Berkeley/Alameda/Albany/Emeryville area, CA

Sunday, October 17, 2010  California Writers Club–Berkeley Branch Meets in Oakland

Oakland Main Library, West Auditorium
125  14th Street, Oakland, CA 94612.
There is an entrance directly to the meeting room from Madison Street. Free street parking is available on Sundays. Library is a short walk from the Lake Merritt BART station.
Meetings are open to the public & without charge

• doors open at 1:05,  people come in and mingle, and there is a marketing group (anyone can sit in) meeting while club members set up the room.
• the general meeting begins at 2:00
• a club-member author will present her/his work from about 2:15 to 2:45pm
• Main Speaker (Writing Career Coach Teresa LeYung Ryan)  2:45ish to 4:00pm

CWC Berkeley Branch  presents: “Major League Tryouts with Coach Teresa LeYung Ryan to Build Your Writer’s Name”

• understand the need to build one’s name/fame in today’s publishing arena.
• identify advocates, endorsers and fans.
• gain recognition through your words and your community.

Teresa’s books will be available for purchase:

Build My Writer’s Name, Beat the Game:  How Do I Create a Platform to Attract Agents, Acquisition Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention? (the 22 minutes for 22 days workbook)  $22

Love Made of Heart (archived in the San Francisco History Center; recommended by the CA School Library Assn. and the CA Reading Assn.) — inspires adult-children of mentally-ill parents to speak openly about the stigmas that their parents suffer.  http://LoveMadeOfHeart.com

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

If you’re in Sonoma County OR if you’re interested in going to a wonderful one-day writers’ conference:

Friday night October 29, 2010 Poetry Evening $35

Saturday October 30, 2010 Redwood Writers Conference $155 for CWC members; $175 for non-members

I (Writing Career Coach Teresa) will be presenting my workshop and exhibiting my books at the Redwood Writers Conference.  Elisa Southard will be the morning keynote speaker. Friends from CWC, WNBA, BAIPA, NCPA and other writers’ organizations will all be there to help writers further their careers.  Cheers to Marlene Cullen & everyone on the conference-planning team.

Register now:     http://redwoodwriters.org/redwood-conference/

Conference Schedule: October 30, 2010 7:30 am to 6:30 pm

7:30 – 8:15 am – Check-in

8:30 – 9:15 am – Morning Keynote Address by Elisa Southard

9:30 – 4:15 pm – Twelve Sessions available

12:30 – 1:15 pm – Luncheon Keynote Address by Sheldon Siegel

Recognition: Winners of the Prose contest

5:00 – 6:30 pm – Networking Session, hosted by your CWC – Redwood Branch Board

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

If  you’re in the mid-peninsula (Belmont, Redwood City, San Carlos, San Mateo, Burlingame), CA

Saturday October 30, 2010 California Writers Club–SF Peninsula Branch

Author Geri Spieler will present her signature-workshop:

Super Sleuthing: Internet Research Secrets

• How to safely conduct Internet research
• Discover 100 tools that cut Internet research time by 80%
• Don’t  get caught with unintentional plagiarism

Takeaway: This workshop is best delivered using a PowerPoint presentation in addition to my handouts. Attendees will gain a high level of understanding on how to effectively research information using a long list of research tools, Internet search strings and skills to recognize bogus Websites.

More info:    www.cwc-peninsula.org/ and  Geri Spieler

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Are There Especially Fun Events for Writers in October in San Francisco Bay Area California? If you have others to add to the above listings, please submit a comment to this post by clicking on the title-bar of this post to get the comment box.

Thank you!

Sincerely,
Teresa LeYung Ryan, author, writing-career coach, founder of GraceArt Publishing

Build My Writer’s Name and Platform: Attract Agents, Acquisition Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention is the 22 minutes for 22 days workbook.
“Reach out, not stress out, when building your writer’s name/platform.”

http://lovemadeofheart.com/blog/

Click on the title bar of this post so that you can see the boxes to enter your comments.

Thank you, Linda Joy Myers, for being a magnificent resource center for memoir writers!

I created this post just for you–members of NAMW.  After the June 18, 2010 Members-Only Teleseminar, let me know what steps you’ll take to further build your name to attract more fans (before or after publication). More fans lead to bigger platform/fame . . . which attracts agents / acquisition editors & publishers / advocates /endorsers / media attention . . . which leads to even more fans . . .

Remember to click “submit comment” after you have composed yours. When I receive your comment, I will add your name to this post and “tag” you (you’ll know what this means after the teleseminar).

“USE WHAT YOU KNOW TO BUILD FAME:  Fun & Simple Steps for Memoir Writers”

• Understand the need to build one’s name/fame in today’s publishing arena.
• Identify your advocates, endorsers and fans.
• Gain recognition through your words and your community.

How do you thrive in the fiercely competitive industry?  You hold the power to beat the game.

Sincerely,

Writing Career Coach Teresa LeYung Ryan

“Reach out, not stress out, to build your name.”

“When you make your name synonymous with the themes/subject matters/issues in your writing, you are building your fame/career/platform.”

Build Your Name, Beat the Game: Be Happily Published (the 22 minutes for 22 days workbook)

Visit: http://www.WritingCoachTeresa.com

Linda Joy Myers, president of The National Association of Memoir Writers (NAMW), invited me to be a guest on her teleseminar for members only on Friday, June 18, 2010    Time: 11 AM PDT    12 PM MDT   1 PM CDT     2PM EDT

Staci Motherwell, the Vice President of Marketing & Business Development at NAMW, asked me to provide a title and description of my talk.

“USE WHAT YOU KNOW TO BUILD FAME:  Fun & Simple Steps for Memoir Writers”

How do writers thrive in the fiercely competitive industry?  Find out for yourself in this delightful session with Writing Career Coach Teresa LeYung Ryan who created Build Your Name, Beat the Game: Be Happily Published (the 22 minutes for 22 days workbook). Visit: http://www.WritingCoachTeresa.com

In response to Ms. Motherwell’s request to provide a list of 3-5 talking points that I plan to discuss with Linda Joy Myers during the NAMW Members-Only teleseminar:

• Why do memoir writers have to be concerned with building name/fame?
• How does a writer identify advocates, endorsers and fans?
• Would you like to know more about gaining recognition through your words and community?

Not already a member of NAMW?   Visit   http://www.namw.org

Teresa LeYung Ryan says: “When you make your name synonymous with the themes/subject matters/issues in your writing, you are building your name/career/platform. You too can be happily published.”

Here’s a question from a hard-working author:

“Dear Teresa,

One of my friends is planning to publish her book.  I want her to get the best price for her money…  The main thing I’m interested in is distribution, selling online, and creating DVDs.  I would love your comments. Thank you.”   Kim

Here’s my reply:

Hi, Kim,

Amazon has a new self-publishing program:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/seller-account/mm-summary-page.html?ie=UTF8&ld=AZFooterSelfPublish&topic=200260520
Do read up on that program.

Also, 2 organizations in the Bay Area to help authors/publishers:

http://www.baipa.org/
http://www.norcalpa.org/

Even if you find a publisher that has a huge distribution channel, the challenge “how big is the author’s platform?” still exist. That’s why I wrote my workbook –to help authors build that platform before the book is published, to beat the game.

If you send your friend to http://WritingCoachTeresa.com and also tell her about Amazon Create Space program, and Bay Area Independent Publishers Association, and Northern California Publishers & Authors, then she’ll be armed with resources.

I want you to be armed too (and have fun).

Sincerely,

Writing Career Coach Teresa LeYung Ryan

“Reach out, not stress out, when building your writer’s name.”

Build Your Name, Beat the Game: Be Happily Published is the 22 minutes for 22 days workbook

“Yes!” says Writing-Career-Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan.  Read on…

AAR is the Association of Authors’ Representatives.
http://www.aaronline.org/
Authors looking for agents can search in the AAR database by choosing genre/categories:
After you identify the agents who specialize in your genre, go to the agents’ websites and follow submission guidelines. It’s okay to
query more than one agent at a time.
Querying = asking an agent if he/she would like to read part or all of your manuscript.

When an agent asks to read your entire manuscript (“ms”) and you want this agent to do that, then you give this agent an exclusive reading time, typically 2 or 3 weeks. You cannot give exclusive reading time to more than one agent at a time since an agent would be investing her/his time in reading your entire ms. You do NOT send your entire ms. to someone who has not asked to see it.

Also, look at Jeff Herman’s Guide to Book Publishers, Editors, and Literary Agents – (available at libraries and bookstores)

Reach out, not stress out.

Sincerely,

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

I am Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan who teaches my clients (writers, artists) how to reach out, not stress out, before and after publication — identify themes in their intellectual properties and create scripts for pitches, query letters, press releases, talking-points, one-minute videos, photo slideshows, and the all-mighty blog. Please visit http://WritingCoachTeresa.com  and http://LoveMadeOfHeart.com/blog for resources.

The workbook:
Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW – available at http://www.laurelbookstore.com in Oakland, CA and on Amazon – print edition and Kindle edition!

If you’d like to email me . . .   WritingCoachTeresa  then @, then Gmail.com

• What email subject line will attract my attention?  Tell me where you’ve met me (which conference? which workshop? which community event?) or tell me who referred you.

•  In the body of your email, please include your full name and your URL (website or blog address) so that I can see what you’re already doing to build your writer’s platform and fanbase. I like concise and gracious emails. Thank you so much.