No writer is an island; no writer is a self-made woman/man.   Our work is influenced by our role models; our work is influenced by our readers/fans.

Thank you to all my friends, colleagues, mentors, advisors, readers/fans, and all dear hearts.

According to the Chase Calendar of Events, the month of October celebrates these causes/issues. For a full list for October or other months, key in the tags [ Chase Calendar of Events ] in your favorite search engine search box.

My mother-daughter love story (Love Made of Heart), published by Kensington Publishing Corp NY, is alive and well because of the issues in the book. Love Made of Heart turns ten years old this month, embracing the issues I’ve highlighted in red.

October is:

• Antidepressant Death Awareness Month
• Depression Education and Awareness Month, Natl
• Disability Employment Awareness Month, Natl
• Domestic Violence Awareness Month
• Down Syndrome Awareness Month, Natl
• Dyslexia Awareness Month
• Emotional Intelligence Awareness Month
• Emotional Wellness Month
• Gay and Lesbian History Month
• German-American Heritage Month
• Global Diversity Awareness Month
• Health Literacy Month
• Medical Librarians Month, Natl
• Menopause Month, World
• Month of Freethought
• Photographer Appreciation Month
• Polish-American Heritage Month
• Positive Attitude Month
• Reading Group Month, Natl
• Self-Promotion Month
• Strategic Planning Month, Intl
• Work and Family Month, Natl
• Workplace Politics Awareness Month

Cheering for writers and readers and everyone who has a story in her/his heart!

Sincerely,

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

http://WritingCoachTeresa.com

http://www.facebook.com/Teresa.LeYung.Ryan
http://www.youtube.com/teresaleyung

Coach Teresa’s definition of Writer’s Platform:  “Making your name stand for something—to attract targeted consumers—who are likely to buy what you have to sell.”

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

Michael quotes Jack Canfield and fellow agent Rita Rosenkranz:

Chicken Souperman Jack Canfield says: “A book is like an iceberg: Writing is 10%; marketing is 90%.”

Rita Rosenkranz says: “… publishers aren’t buying promise, they’re buying proof.”

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan here to say: “The same demands from publishers on authors of nonfiction also apply to authors of fiction. Why? Publishing is a business. Why wouldn’t publishers prefer to invest in best-selling authors and celebrity-authors?  These authors have fanbases. Fans buy books. You too have fans–in your circle of loved ones and friends. The secret is to build your fanbase and fortify it with a platform.  WHAT is a platform? Making your name stand for something—to attract targeted consumers who are likely to buy what you have to sell. What are you selling?  Your literary work.”

You can sneak preview the 2 exercises for Day 1 from my workbook, Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days, by clicking on this link:

http://www.amazon.com/Build-Writers-Platform-Fanbase-ebook/dp/B005J9ZEIA/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2#reader_B005J9ZEIA

Sincerely,

Coach Teresa

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

Writing Career Coach/Manuscript Consultant

Author of Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW (print edition & eBook edition)
Author of the novel Love Made of Heart (inspires adult children of mentally ill parents to speak openly about the stigmas and find resources for their families)

” 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