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Coach Teresa, how do I, a children’s book author, build my writer’s platform?

My answers will help writers of all genres, so, please read on.  The specifics I’m naming target buyers of children’s books.

I’ll spotlight Deborah Taylor-French.

First, what is a writer’s platform?

Definintion of a platform.  “Making your name stand for something—to attract targeted consumers—who are likely to buy what you have to sell.” (page 1 of my workbook Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days)

Deborah writes mysteries for children 8 to 13.  How does she build her fanbase? Deborah says: “Younger readers do not yet have e-readers nor will they go looking for me on the Web.  My goal this year is to find and agent/publisher for my series.  I know schools and parent-child book groups would be good to connect to, but how to do it in an effective manner?”

Deborah Taylor-French already has a fanbase–through her associations at  California Writers Club, her circle of family and friends, and her resourceful blog Dog Leader Mysteries http://dogleadermysteries.com that has posts in these categories:

• About Deborah Taylor-French
• Book Reviews on Amazon
• Books for Dog Lovers
• Books For Kids
• Give A Dog A Chance
  • Want a Dog? Go Local
• Welcome

I see that Deborah has 1,229 (and counting) fans reading her blog.

Deborah is people-person.  Let’s show her off  “in person” in the community.  I want to hear her/see her  / be entertained by  her.

What if she were to create a 15-minute show for children?  An interactive talk about “Give A Dog A Chance” ?  And a 30-minute version?  Or even a longer version?

Who would Deborah pitch her fun presentation to?

Librarians!  School librarians!  Teachers!   Pet store owners!  Pet supply store’s community relations managers!   Folks at rescue organizations!   Event coordinators at community centers!

• create a fun program
• test it out on a group of fans
• pitch it to people who are more likely to say “Yes!” (See the definition of platform in action? Making your name stand for something—to attract targeted consumers—who are likely to buy what you have to sell.)
• ask rescue organizations to help publicize your events; you’re being an advocate for them
• add a “press room” to your blog so that folks know how to invite you to deliver your interactive talk to their organizations
• collect fans’ email addresses to inform them of your appearances

Agents and publishes want authors with big fanbases.  Fans buy books written by their favorite celebrities.

Start the exercises in my workbook.  Start now. If you don’t have my workbook yet, click on the book title here to go to Amazon and do Day 1′s exercises (for free).  Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW.  When you’re at Amazon, click on the book cover that says “Click to look inside.”  The sneak preview for the print version and the e-book are identical.   Take a look at:

• WHAT is a platform? What you’ll need in order to fully benefit from this workbook
• Build Your Platform, Build Your Name, Stand Out in a Crowd
• What is the game and WHO are the players?
• How Does this Book Work?
• Day  1   Who Am I?  What I Have in Common with Super Famous People

You’ll have so much fun doing the 2 exercises from the pages for Day 1 that you’ll want to do the next exercise and the next.  Your platform is unique; there is only one YOU!

If you need one-on-one coaching, I’m here.  I help clients from west coast to east coast–in person, on Skype, via phone calls and emails.

To participate in this blog post, submit a comment by: clicking on the blue title bar of this post, scrolling down to get the boxes, filling in the boxes and click on “submit comment” button — so that thousands of my fans will see your name, URL (your website/blog address if you have one), what themes/subject matters/issues hook you, and, what themes/subject matters/issues you want to spotlight.

I wish you joy, light, and a dancing heart.

Sincerely,
Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

http://writingcoachteresa.com

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

“Reach out, not stress out, when building your writer’s platform!”

From Deborah Taylor-French via facebook:
“Wow! Thanks Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan for terrific answers to my questions. Your ideas pop and sizzle. I’m jumping on these to focus my efforts locally as I build my writer’s platform.”

Coach Teresa, do I really have to blog often to build my platform?

A gracious author emailed me a poignant question after today’s tele-roundtable discussions (sponsored by Linda Joy Myers and National Association of Memoir Writers http://www.namw.org ).

I will reveal her name if she wishes. For now, I’ll respond to Gracious Author’s concerns in a way that will hopefully help her and other hardworking writers to “reach out, not stress out, while building your platform.”

I’ll paraphrase  Gracious Author’s dilemma:

“Coach Teresa, you said we are experts of our experiences and to make our names synonymous with the themes/subject matters/issues we write about.  I don’t want to blog about my traumatic experiences; and, I’m writing a genre that makes me happy. What to do?”

Remember my closing statement at the tele-roundtable discussions?

“You deserve to make your dearest dreams come true. Wear your 2 hats:  polish the craft; building your platform to help your fans find you.”

If a task doesn’t give you joy, do something else.

Who was the author on the tele-roundtable discussions who said she has written a happy story (growing up in the 1950s)? This author could be blogging about other books, movies, music, art, world events from that decade. Or focusing on that city/town/neighborhood.  Be the expert. Be the resource.

You love writing screenplays or plays?

Who are the screenwriters and playwrights you respect?

What are the themes in their projects?

What are the themes in your project?

What if I blogged about these writers who inspire me and about their protagonists?

What if I blogged about the writers who inspired the writers who inspire me?

Blog about the music or the setting or the historical figures in your work and the works similar to yours.

Example:  I have many books in my library that I want to read. Bastard Out of Carolina (by Dorothy Allison) is one of them. Last year I was a presenter at San Francisco Writers Conference.   A month before the event, I found out that Dorothy Allison was going to be a keynote speaker. So, I started reading her novel. What a page-turner!

At the conference I ran into Dorothy in the hallway and I told her what page I was on. I saw her again when she was on a panel about banned books (moderated by Barbara Santos). Dorothy Allison is someone I wanted to blog about.

In my blog post What to Do Before Hiring an Editor for My Manuscript? under the section “Paying Attention to Language and Rules,” this is what I said about Dorothy.

In Bastard Out of Carolina, Dorothy Allison’s protagonist Bone is a girl.  Bone’s voice is convincing in dialogue and in internal monologue. Brilliant use of dialect.

Then, when author Vicki Hudson told me that she created “I Sent Bastard to School” Fund, I blogged to show support.

Your blog posts, book reviews, movie reviews, stage play reviews, comments on other people’s blogs . . . can be short.  Talk about how the themes hooked you or what you learned from the characters; then sign off with your full name and your mission statement (by Day 9 in my workbook, you’ll have your brilliant mission statement)

A blog is just one of the “venues” for your fans to experience you. Fans can interact with you through your blog (the way you can interact with me with this blog–by submitting a comment). A blog keeps count of number of visitors.

What other venues keep count of number of visitors/viewers?

Websites (a blog is an interactive website)

YouTube !  facebook!   Twitter!  Here’s my YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/teresaleyung

Name some more venues. . .

Gracious Author who is writing screenplays–perhaps instead of blogging, you’ll invest time creating one-minute videos of your articulating the themes in the screenplays that hook you; write a description for each video. Write reviews on Amazon; publish the same reviews on your blog or YouTube channel. You become a resource center.

More examples – why you want to help your fans find you:

Two years ago I went to see Carol Sheldon’s 15-minute play at Fringe of Marin One Act Plays. I invited friends. Carol’s play was delightful. I blogged about my theatre experience. Two weeks later, I received an email from a theatre goer who couldn’t find Fringe of Marin’s website but she found information about the theatre company from my blog!  She couldn’t find their website because there wasn’t one.  I am happy to say that Fringe of Marin has a lovely website now.

A week after beloved Effie Lee Morris (retired children’s librarian/visionary/advocate/author) died, I received an email from a reporter half-way across the country who wanted to talk to a family member of Effie Lee.   He said that even though he found many websites showing Effie Lee’s biographies and interviews, he couldn’t find anyone who knew how to contact her relatives. He found some of the information he needed through my blog posts; so, he emailed me to get more.  I was a resource.  I knew Effie Lee as the founder-president of Women’s National Book Association-San Francisco Chapter. She inspired the Friends of SFPL to create the annual Effie Lee Morris Lecture–to honor a children’s book author.

So you see how blogs connect people and serve as resource centers? Make your blog whatever you want it to be.  Julie Powell cooked one Julia Child recipe each day–that in itself was already an accomplishment.  Guess what? Julie blogged about cooking a Julia recipe each day.  Publishers found her.  She received a big advance to write the memoir.

Your platform-building style is unique. Developing a new habit though, does require effort/consistency.  That is why I designed a workbook with exercises for at least  21 consecutive days. The 22nd day is celebrations.

To participate in this blog post, submit a comment by: clicking on the blue title bar of this post, scrolling down to get the boxes, filling in the boxes and click on “submit comment” button — so that thousands of my fans will see your name, URL (your website/blog address if you have one), what themes/subject matters/issues hook you, and, what themes/subject matters/issues you want to spotlight.

I wish you joy, light, and a dancing heart.

Sincerely,
Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

http://writingcoachteresa.com

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

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan here, with a big smile on my face.

If you participated . . . even if you missed this event (and what an exciting tele-roundtable session about what a platform is and why you want one!)  . . . promote yourself by submitting a comment to this blog post (article). [To submit a comment: click on the blue title bar of this post, scroll down to get the boxes, fill in boxes and click on “submit comment” button so that thousands of  my fans will see your name, URL, and what themes/subject matters/issues you write about.]

Build Your Writer’s Platform in 2012!

Linda Joy Myers of NAMW.org had invited me to help writers define a platform.  “Making your name stand for something—to attract targeted consumers—who are likely to buy what you have to sell.” (page 1 of my workbook Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days)

Tell us what you learned today at the tele-roundtable session.

You learned the definition of a writer’s platform.

You learned how and where to show off your name and y0ur themes. Next you’ll need a “home base” so that when your fans find you on the Internet and want to read more from you . . . how would they find you?  Your home base is your website / blog.  My workbook guides you, step by step, on how to get a free blog (no web-hosting fees) if your budget is zero.  Get your home base now.

Reach out, not stress out, when building your writer’s platform!”

Your platform is unique; there is only one YOU!

You deserve a brilliant writer’s life (wear your 2 hats: the hat that works on the craft of writing; the hat that builds your name to help your fans find you NOW)

Thank you, Linda Joy Myers and Everyone who participated today!

Sincerely,
Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

http://writingcoachteresa.com

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

Teresa LeYung-Ryan‘s editing – specializes in mainstream fiction, women’s fiction, thrillers, narrative non-fiction, memoirs, children’s fiction, and short stories – Coach Teresa’s editing services include editorial memo (recommendations on plotline and sub-plotlines, character development, pace, thematic connections) and copy editing.  Coach Teresa loves feisty protagonists and quirky characters and can help you identify themes and archetypes. http://writingcoachTeresa.com

Some events where you’ll see or hear Coach Teresa:

Jan. 12, 2012 4:00pm PST / 5:00pm MST / 6:00pm CST / 7:00pm EST

After you click here: http://www.namw.org/workshops-classes/build-your-writers-platform-in-2012/ sign up on the right sidebar for today’s  NAMW Roundtable discussions and receive a downloadable audio of the event!

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January 29, 2012 10:00am–5:00pm Half Moon Bay, CA  “Create Your Success Story from the Inside Out” with Mary E. Knippel, founder of Your Writing Mentor, sponsored by Women’s National Book Assn-San Francisco Chapter $35 for WNBA member; $55 non-member

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February 2 (Thurs.) 2012  6:15-7:30pm Women’s National Book Association members and prospective members welcomed to “Authors Exchange Solutions” forums with authors/mentors/coaches Teresa LeYung-Ryan,  Mary E. Knippel and Birgit Soyka, at San Francisco Main Library, Latino/Hispanic Room -A http://wnba-sfchapter.org/

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Feb. 17-19, 2012 San Francisco Writers Confernce  http://www.sfwriters.org/ Teresa LeYung-Ryan will present 2 sessions.

Teresa LeYung-Ryan & Mary E. Knippel show writers how to polish their manuscripts before:
·        hiring book doctor/developmental editor
·        pitching to agents or acquisition editors
·        self-publishing

Teresa LeYung-Ryan & Elisa “Sasa” Southard
“Build Your Platform: Craft Your Talking-Tagline to Attract Agents & Publishers”

•    hook agents, acquisition editors and readers
•    have fun building your writer’s platform
•    be yourself and succeed

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March 1 (Thurs.) 2012 6:15-7:30pm Women’s National Book Association members and prospective members welcomed to “Authors Exchange Solutions” forums  with authors/mentors/coaches Teresa LeYung-Ryan,  Mary E. Knippel and Birgit Soyka, at San Francisco Main Library, Stong Conference Room http://wnba-sfchapter.org/

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Saturday, March 24, 2012 Women’s National Book Association presents “Meet the Agents/Speed Dating with Agents” Lynn Henriksen chairs; Teresa LeYung-Ryan, Mary E. Knippel and Tanya Egan Gibson will coach registrants on how to pitch.  http://wnba-sfchapter.org

RESOURCES FOR WRITERS–START HERE:

http://writingcoachteresa.com

http://www.namw.org/

Coach Teresa here.

On Sunday at California Writers Club–Redwood Branch, I met dozens of talented authors.  One author told me that because there are other folks with her name, she added her middle name.  Then, she Googled her name (with her middle name) and was surprised that there were even more people with that name than the number of people with her first and last name only.

I will reveal the name of this delightful writer soon.  She is using my workbook to create her mission statement so that her name will be synonymous with the themes/issues/subject matters that she writes about.

Your mission statement is the foundation of your platform.

Let’s dissect the definition of a platform.  “Making your name stand for something—to attract targeted consumers—who are likely to buy what you have to sell.” (page 1 of my workbook Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days)

The last part “what you have to sell” — what you’re selling is your literary works or services.

The middle part “to attract targeted consumers” — the targeted consumers are the folks who read and buy the kind of material you write about.

The first part “Making your name stand for something” — identifying and articulating the themes/subject matters/issues that you write about.

Understanding what a platform is gives you a fresh look at your writing career.

And you’ll be ready to have more fun doing the exercises in my workbook. Day I exercises:  “Who am I?” and “What I Have in Common with Super Famous People” (take a sneak peek at Amazon’s “look inside” of Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days

“Reach out, not stress out, when building your writer’s platform!”

Your Platform is Unique; There is Only One YOU!

Sincerely,
Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

http://writingcoachteresa.com

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

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan here.  Writers who write memoirs (and writers who don’t write memoirs, join us anyway)!    If  you want more readers and more fans, join Linda Joy Myers of NAMW and me.

After you click here: http://www.namw.org/workshops-classes/build-your-writers-platform-in-2012/ sign up on the right sidebar to get more information about how to call in. When you sign up for Jan. 12, 2012  NAMW Roundtable discussions, you will receive a downloadable audio of the event!

Jan. 12, 2012   4:00pm PST / 5:00pm MST / 6:00pm CST / 7:00pm EST

Whether you want to be your own publisher or sell rights to another publisher, attract readers now!

Memoir authors–You are THE expert of your experience.

Make your name synonymous with the themes/issues/subject matters in your book.  Help your fans find you!

Why Would a Memoir Writer Need a Platform? To gain a competitive edge.

What is the game and WHO are the players?

The game is the fiercely competitive arena of the publishing world. The players (writing various genres in fiction and non-fiction) are:

• Authors with wonderful projects but have been turned down by publishers because they have no platform/fanbase.

• Authors with proven track record / platform / fan base / celebrity status.

• Authors who are also seasoned publishers or promoters.

• Authors with no budget, limited budgets, and big budgets.

• Authors who know a little bit about the publishing industry.

• Authors who are looking for agents to represent them.

• Authors who choose to publish their own work.

• Authors who have sold rights-to-publish to another publisher.

• You and your colleagues who fit one or more of the above profiles.

WHAT is a platform?

Let’s dissect Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan’s definition of platform. “Making your name stand for something—to attract targeted consumers—who are likely to buy what you have to sell.” (from page 1 of Coach Teresa’s workbook Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days)

·         The last part of definition is easy:  “what you have to sell” — what you’re selling is your literary works or services.

·         The middle part “to attract targeted consumers” — the targeted consumers are the folks who read and buy the kind of materials you write about.

·         The first part “Making your name stand for something” — that is the heart of building your platform–identify the themes/subject matters/issues that you write about.

Understanding what a platform is gives you a fresh look at your writing career.

CoachTeresa says: “Reach out, not stress out, when building your platform.”

http://writingcoachTeresa.com

Click here: http://www.namw.org/workshops-classes/build-your-writers-platform-in-2012/ and sign up on the right sidebar to get more information about how to call in. When you sign up for Jan. 12, 2012  NAMW Roundtable discussions, you will receive a downloadable audio of the event!

Jan. 12, 2012   4:00pm PST / 5:00pm MST / 6:00pm CST / 7:00pm EST

Coach Teresa here to tell you about how, once again, writers brighten my day.

I had redesigned one of my signature presentations for California Writers Club-Redwood Branch and created a new template for Writing Career Make-Over with Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan.

I so wanted to help every writer in the audience see how simple building one’s platform could be.  To get familiar with my audience, I read every word of Redwood Writers’ January 2012 newsletter and looked at the names of the entire membership roster on the branch’s website.  The exciting programs created by the members are synonymous with Redwood Writers. I spent weeks preparing for my presentation.

But I goofed!   Even though my definition of platform was on the template, I didn’t say it!  And, because I didn’t say: “A platform is making your name stand for something—to attract targeted consumers who are likely to buy what you have to sell,”  my talk was missing  structure.

Whether you write fiction, narrative nonfiction or prescriptive nonfiction (how to books) or poetry or plays or anthologies. . . whether you want to land an agent or acquisition editor at a publishing house . . . whether you want to be your own publisher . . . you’re going to need a platform.

Let’s dissect the definition of a platform.  “Making your name stand for something—to attract targeted consumers who are likely to buy what you have to sell.” (page 1 of my workbook Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days)

The last part “what you have to sell” — what you’re selling is your literary works or services.

The middle part “to attract targeted consumers” — the targeted consumers are the folks who read and buy the kind of material you write about.

The first part “Making your name stand for something” — that was the heart of my presentation–to help each writer identify the themes/subject matters/issues that he/she writes about. For my template, I had found on Google Images the perfect hard hat  to illustrate my point that the hardest job in platform-building is asking yourself and answering these questions: What is it that I write about? What are my themes/subject matters/issues? What will readers gain from reading my work?

So, there I was, asking 7 delightful authors (Marcia Naomi Berger, Deborah Taylor-French, Amanda McTigue, Robbi Sommers Bryant, Paul Greenberg,  Ana Manwaring, Heidi Roth) to come up to the stage to speak their full names. I guided them on how to identify: her/his picture of success; the themes/subject matters/issues that he/she writes about;  his/her motivators & modus operandi; her/his fans and where to find them.

Making one’s name synonymous with the themes/subject matters/issues one writes about.

If I had prepared everyone with the “why” for doing the exercises, then more writers in the audience would have gained their “aha moments” too.

When I coach my clients  . . .prescriptive nonfiction (how to books) authors usually answer those questions with ease. It’s not so easy for fiction and narrative nonfiction authors. I’d say: “Instead of telling me the plotline or the character sketch, think about the issues and the themes.  What does your protagonist have to deal with?  What will your protagonist learn in story world?  What your main character learns, your readers will also learn!”  The answers will help you form your mission statement.

So, Coach Teresa, define a writer’s platform!  “Making your name stand for something—to attract targeted consumers who are likely to buy what you have to sell.”

Understanding what a platform is gives you a fresh look at your writing career.

And you’ll be ready to have more fun doing the exercises in my workbook. Day I exercises:  “Who am I?” and “What I Have in Common with Super Famous People” (take a sneak peek at Amazon’s “look inside” of Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days

I wish to thank these folks again:

Linda C. McCabe for inviting me to present

The entire Redwood Writers Board

Everyone in the audience yesterday

Kate Farrell for helping me format my template on her MAC and being a loving friend

Everyone who gave me their comments on the evaluation sheet.

Everyone who told me about their themes before and after the presentation.

Everyone who bought Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days and will start Day I exercises:  “Who am I?” and “What I Have in Common with Super Famous People”

Everyone who bought Love Made of Heart (my novel to inspire adult children of mentally ill parents to speak openly about the stigmas and find resources for their families)

Kate Farrell made my day by showing me Lindsay Pasdera Marquez’s email to Redwood Writers’ listserver.

Mon, Jan 9, 2012 at 8:57 AM

Re: [RWmembers] glad to have found RWC

I joined RWC a few months back, and was able to attend my first meeting yesterday.  Wow!  I feel very fortunate to have access to such a vibrant community of passionate writers in my own backyard.

I appreciated Teresa LeYung-Ryan’s perspective and am thrilled to have a written mission statement (Dream) for my work. Mine is: to dramatically increase the percentage of Americans who are aware that humans have a rich history of cooperation, egalitarianism, and non-violence. Writing that statement helped me see the coherence between my two current writing projects: one, a historical fiction set in sixth century Scotland among a matrilineal tribal people, and two, my blog (www.ancientabundance.blogspot.com) on the true nature of pre-agricultural humanity.  I have chosen a pen name for both the novel and the blog.

I look forward to taking advantage of all the wonderful growth opportunities that RWC has to offer and to getting to know each of you over time.

Happy New Year!

Lindsay Pasdera Marquez

Here’s my response:

Mon, Jan 9, 2012 at 8:57 AM

Good Day Fabulous Redwood Writers!

Thank you for your participation yesterday for my “Writing Career Make-Over with Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan” presentation.
Thank you for your comments on the evaluation sheets.

Lindsay, I am jumping for joy seeing your mission statement; it speaks with clarity. Be sure to add your mission statement to your signature block in emails (even emails to personal friends). Why? You want all your fans to see what you are passionate about. Fans talk about passionate people.

I will write a follow-up to yesterday’s session and submit it to Robin Moore and/or Lynn Millar for those who could not make it yesterday.

“Reach out, not stress out, when building your writer’s platform!”
Sincerely,
Coach Teresa 

http://writingcoachteresa.com

Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW (in print edition and E-book)

More rewards:

I’m going to submit my 10-minute play to 2012 Redwood Writers 2nd Playwriting Contest. Thank you, Linda Loveland Reid, for creating the contest!

Today, after Kate Farrell fed me breakfast and got me to Golden Gate Transit Mall in plenty of time (Thank you, Kate!), I met up with another dear friend–author Lynn Scott. I told Lynn about my goof-up yesterday; she laughed at me, lovingly. Thank you, Lynn! “Focus on the positive,” reminded Lynn.  Once again, writers brighten my day. I am a happy and thankful coach/author/friend.

To participate in this blog post (article), submit a comment by: clicking on the blue title bar of this post, scrolling down to get the boxes, filling in the boxes and click on “submit comment” button — so that thousands of my fans will see your name, URL (your website/blog address if you have one), and what themes/subject matters/issues you write about.

I’m cheering for you!

2012 Contests – Poster; Poetry; Short Story; Memoir; Prose; Playwriting; Conference contests

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POSTER CONTEST DEADLINE EXTENDED!
Submit by Tuesday, January 17, 2012, 5:00pm to win $500 and fame!

The Asian Heritage Street Celebration (AHSC) is hosting its annual poster contest in partnership with the Asian American Women Artists Association, Asian Art Museum, Center for Asian American Media, and Kearny Street Workshop. Graphic artists are sought to create an exciting image to become part of the personality for the 8th Annual Asian Heritage Street Celebration to be held on Saturday, May 19, 2012 in front of the Asian Art Museum, leading up to the Little Saigon District.

Entries should be submitted online here:
http://asianfairsf.com/2012-poster-contest-entry-form/
For rules visit:
http://asianfairsf.com/features/poster-design-contest/

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Contests sponsored by Redwood Writers — California Writers Club “CWC” Redwood Branch   http://redwoodwriters.org/contests/

Redwood Writers currently sponsors:

* Poetry contests
* Short story contests
* Memoir contests
* Conference contests for poetry and prose writers
* Playwriting contests
http://redwoodwriters.org

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19 branches of California Writers Club “CWC” http://calwriters.org

Sincerely,

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

http://writingcoachTeresa.com

Teresa is author of Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW (in print edition and E-book)

January 2012 Events for Writers, Authors, Business Owners

Happy New Year to You!

January 5, 2012 6:00-7:30pm Women’s National Book Association SF Chapter members and prospective members welcomed to “Authors Exchange Solutions” discussions with Birgit Soyka, Teresa LeYung-Ryan and Mary E. Knippel at San Francisco Main Library, Latino/Hispanic Room A – free event

January 8, 2012 “Writing Career Make-Over with Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan” at California Writers Club Redwood Branch in Santa Rosa, CA  $5 for CWC member; $8 non-member

January 12, 2012 roundtable discussion “Building Your Writer’s Platform with Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan“  free Internet event. Sign up at National Assn. of Memoir Writers

January 29, 2012 10:00am–5:00pm Half Moon Bay, CA  “Create Your Success Story from the Inside Out” with Mary E. Knippel, founder of Your Writing Mentor, sponsored by Women’s National Book Assn-San Francisco Chapter $35 for WNBA member; $55 non-member

February 2, 2012 6:00-7:30pm Women’s National Book Association SF Chapter members and prospective members welcomed to “Authors Exchange Solutions” discussions with Birgit Soyka, Teresa LeYung-Ryan and Mary E. Knippel at San Francisco Main Library, Latino/Hispanic Room A — free event

Arts in the Valley is hosted by Kim McMillon on 1480 KYOS in Merced, CA. Merced County has a vibrant arts community that Arts in the Valley showcases along with local and national authors. Arts in the Valley often has theme shows where topics of health, healing, women’s issues, and topics of interest to our listeners are discussed.  http://artsinthevalley.wordpress.com/

California Writers Club CWC http://calwriters.org/ 10 branches in northern California and 9 branches in southern California. CWC shall foster professionalism in writing, promote networking of writers with the writing community, mentor new writers, and provide literary support for writers and the writing community as is appropriate through education and leadership.

Sincerely,

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

http://writingcoachTeresa.com

Teresa is author of Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW (in print edition and E-book)

Coach Teresa’s This Reminder and That Reminder for Writers / Authors

Happy New Year !

I Wish You . . . Work that Makes Your Heart Sing

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Back-up your electronic files–on a flashdrive or use an online service. Sometimes I email files to myself and then move those emails into folders.

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Make 2012 writing career goals, starting with January.  If you’re not in northern California . . . to look for similar events or organizations that I associate with, go to Google and key in the words: events for writers  OR writers organizations . . . and the name of your city and state. ShawGuides is another resource.

Coach Teresa here with mine:

• edit a section of a client’s novel

• provide Chinese-ism for a colleague’s short story in an anthology

• attend January 5th 2012  6:00-7:30pm Women’s National Book Association get-together at SFPL Click here

• prepare for my January 8th 2012 presentation Writing-Career-Make-Over with Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan at California Writers Club Redwood Branch in Santa Rosa, CA Click here for details.

• meeting with colleague Elisa Sasa Southard for our monthly writing date

• prepare to serve as roundtable discussion leader for Linda Joy Myers’s National Assn. of Memoir Writers to talk about building a writer’s platform — Thurs. January 8th 2012  (4:00pm California time). Free on the Internet. Please sign up.

• attend planning meeting for Women’s National Book Assn-SF Chapter

• meet with mastermind members Linda Lee, Mary E. Knippel and Lori Noack

• attend “Create Your Success Story from the Inside Out” workshop facilitated by Mary E. Knippel for Women’s National Book Assn-SF Chapter on January 29, 2011 Click here

• continue promoting San Francisco Writers Conference. I will be presenting with Elisa Sasa Southard; I will be presenting with Mary E. Knippel

• continue helping clients with my workbook Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW click here

• schedule editing clients

• continue writing my next novel!

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Authors (whether or not you’re self-publishing), remember to register your work with the Copyright Office. http://www.copyright.gov

eCO Online System

Before using the service, we recommend you first read eCO Acceptable File Types, eCO Tips, eCO FAQs, or eCO Tutorial (PowerPoint) eCO Tutorial (PDF). For recently added features, see eCO Updates.

Advantages include:

• Lower filing fee of $35 for a basic claim (for online filings only)
• Fastest processing time
• Online status tracking
• Secure payment by credit or debit card, electronic check, or Copyright Office deposit account
• The ability to upload certain categories of deposits directly into eCO as electronic files
• Available 24 hours a day, except for routine maintenance every Sunday from 12:00 midnight to 6:00 AM Eastern Time

Processing Time: The time the Copyright Office requires to process an application varies, depending on the number of applications the Office is receiving and clearing at the time of submission and the extent of questions associated with the application.

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Happy New Year!

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

http://writingcoachTeresa.com

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

Teresa is author of Love Made of Heart (to inspire adult children of mentally ill parents to speak openly about the stigmas and find resources for their families)

Coach Teresa edits manuscripts (contemporary novels; thrillers; children’s novels; memoirs; short stories; anthologies) for authors who want to attract agents  & publishers  OR  want to be their own publishers.

Coach Teresa, what’s your advice on using flashbacks in a children’s novel?

Here’s my response.  Ask yourself these questions?

• What age group am I writing for?
• Will my audience be reading the story by herself/himself?
• Will she/he be read to?
• What is a flashback?   Leaving the front-story and going back to a past event
• Will a child (in age group I’m writing for) have the mental faculties to follow the plotline while weaving in and out of front-story?
• What is my story about?
• What do I want to teach the reader? What messages am I presenting?
• Do I want my reader to ask the question “What happens next?”?
• What if I tell my story in sequence?  Which flashback would show my protagonist confronting her/his first conflict?  What if I make that scene the beginning of my story?

Example:

If E.B. White had started his story (Charlotte’s Web) with a grown Wilbur seeking Charlotte’s help and using flashbacks to explain who Fern is, how Wilbur came to live in Zuckerman’s barn and why he needed help, that weaving back and forth in timeline would diminish the drama of Wilbur’s journey.

Happy Writing & Rewriting!

Happy New Year from

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

http://writingcoachTeresa.com

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

Teresa is author of Love Made of Heart

Coach Teresa edits manuscripts (contemporary novels; thrillers; children’s novels; memoirs; short stories; anthologies) for authors who want to attract agents  & publishers  OR  want to be their own publishers.