Teresa Jade LeYung's BLOG

Posts Tagged ‘Nina Amir’

What an exciting week for writers in San Francisco this week!

February 12, 13, 14, 15, 2015  http://sfwriters.org

“If you’re going to the San Francisco Writers Conference, I’ll see you there!  With smiles.”

Thursday Feb. 12, 2015   I (Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan) be on the 4:45-5:45 panel  MAKING YOUR WORK REJECTION PROOF: Advice from Freelance Editors – Nina Amir, David Colin Carr, Tanya Egan Gibson, Stuart Horwitz, David Landau, Heather Lazare,  Teresa LeYung-Ryan, Mary Rakow, Wendy Nelson Tokunaga, Annie Tucker, Ricky Weisbroth.  Moderator: Mary E. Knippel.    At the end of the session, you can sign up for a free consultation.

Friday Feb. 13 & Saturday Feb. 14    I (Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan) shall be in the Garden Room giving 8-minute consultations, so, please sign up early in front of the Garden Room on Friday or Saturday OR after the Thursday panel.

If all my 8-minute slots are filled, not to worry… If you see me sitting in the lobby or conference registration areas or near the conference bookstore, come by to ask me questions about your manuscript and how to pitch. Reach out, not stress out.

My books will be at the conference bookstore. Cheers to Bookseller Neal!

Love Made of Heart (mother-daughter love story) by Teresa LeYung-Ryan Love Made of Heart the mother-daughter novel that inspires adult children of mentally ill parents to speak openly about stigmas - use in college courses - http://writingcoachTeresa.com

Build Your Writer's Platform & Fanbase in 22 Days - workbook Ask to see Coach Teresa  for an 8-minute consultation  Fri. or Sat. in Garden Room  Go to  http://writingcoachTeresa.com to see Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan  interviewed on CBS Channel 5

And, I recommend your getting this book for a friend. Break Through the Noise is also available at conference bookstore Go to: http://breakthroughthenoise.com to watch Elisa Sasa Southard demonstrate “the talking tagline”

Author and Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan says: “Identify the themes and archetypes in your intellectual properties and articulate your platform statement, simultaneously with ease. Show up for the writing, show up for the promoting. I cheer for you.”   

Take a look at the impressive list of speakers, presenters, freelance editors, agents, acquisition editors, publishers, and publishing experts. http://sfwriters.org/2015-sfwc-speakers/

Take a look at the impressive list of volunteers http://askmepc.com/sfwc-volunteers/

And of course the superheroes:

Mike Larsen and Elizabeth Pomada, SFWC Co-directors

Barbara Santos, Marketing Director/SFWC Newsletter

Richard Santos, Registration Director/SFWC website

Frances Caballo, Social Media Manager

Joan Gelfand, Poetry Track;    Carla King, Self-Publishing Track

Linda Lee, Volunteer Director;    Jane Glendinning, Volunteer Manager

Mary E. Knippel,  “Conductor!” of One-on-One with Independent Editors

Writing Coach / Platform & Fanbase-Building Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan & Colleagues at San Francisco Writers Conference 2015

Conference bookstore will be open Friday 8:00am through Sunday midday; stop by – say hello to Neal (from Bookshop West Portal, San Francisco) – take a look at novels, memoirs, biographies, how-to books for writers, children’s books, Y/A, graphic novels, romance, historical fiction, science fiction, thrillers, mysteries, photo/gift books, and more.

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Developmental editors & story consultants Mary E. Knippel & Teresa LeYung-Ryan use classics to draw examples for their class "For Theme Sake! BE YOUR OWN EDITOR" -photo by author Margie Yee Webb

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Developmental editors & story consultants Mary E. Knippel & Teresa LeYung-Ryan use classics to draw examples for their class "For Theme Sake! BE YOUR OWN EDITOR" -photo by author Margie Yee Webb

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Cat Mulan's Mindful Musings author/photographer, editor of Not Your Mother's Book on Cats anthology, FEMME: Women Healing the World documentary movie producer Margie Yee Webb

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Plot Whisperer Martha Alderson flanked by Writing & Platform-Building Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan & Memoirist Luisa Adams

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Cyberspace Genius Linda Lee empowers writers at SFWC--photo by Platform-Building Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

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Women's National Book Association-San Francisco Chapter members-authors-presenters at past years' SFWC

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Then, on Sunday February 15, 2015, 12:00pm-2:00pm

Free and open to the public – Peacock Court, Lobby level

JOINING THE WRITING COMMUNITY: Connecting with Writers

Members of writer’s organizations, some national, will bring literature and speak about their organization and meet with attendees. Nina Amir, National Nonfiction Writing Month; Cara Black, Mystery Writers of America; Pat Brown, Goodreads; Zoe Fitzgerald Carter, San Francisco Writer’s Grotto; Stephanie Chandler, Nonfiction Authors Association; Gennifer Choldenko, Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators; Randy Dotinga, American Society of Journalists and Authors; Grant Faulkner, National Novel Writing Month (Nanowrimo); Lee Foster, Bay Area Independent Publishers Association, Bay Area Travel Writers Association; Jane Glendinning, California Writers Club; Anne Hill, Bay Area Bloggers Society; Scott James, Litquake; Linda Lee, Women’s National Book Association; Kerry Lonsdale, Women Fiction Writers Association; Kirk Russell, International Thriller Writers

Reach out, not stress out. I’m cheering for you!

Teresa LeYung-Ryan is “Platform & Fanbase-Building Coach Teresa” and Manuscript Consultant and  . . .

author of:

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

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

Coach Teresa’s Blog at http://writingcoachTeresa.com

San Francisco Writing for Change Conference 

$149 until sold out!

REGISTER NOW!

The San Francisco Writing for Change Conference will be held the Unitarian Universalist Center on Saturday, October 12, 2013 … about two weeks away!   If you write nonfiction, this is the event for you! This year’s keynote–When Woman Wake, Mountains Move–will be delivered by Dr. Jean Shinoda Bolen. Her book, Moving Toward the Millionth Circle led to her involvement with the United Nations and the 5th World Conference on Women. Equally inspirational is Jennifer Przybylo who co-authored Do Good Well which was praised by Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Muhammad Yunus as “the primer for social innovation.”

Also confirmed for the SFW4C: Charlotte Ashlock, Digital Producer and Editor at Berrett-Koehler; Nina Amir, Write Nonfiction NOW! and How to Blog a Book, Jim Azevedo, Smashwords; Kirk Boyd, author of 2048: Humanity’s Agreement to Live Together; Joel Friedlander, Marin Bookworks; Anne Hill, Bay Area Bloggers; Jan Johnson, Red Wheel/Weiser; Cathleen Miller,Champion of Choice; and literary agents Peter Beren, Andy Ross and Mike Larsen. Panels of authors, agents, editors, and marketing pros will offer you the chance to pitch your book and get free feedback on your work.

Register online today!  This highly effective and affordable event is just $149. Optional gourmet box lunch: $20. Details and Registration:  www.SFWritingforChange.org

Barbara Santos

www.Facebook.com/SanFranciscoWritersConference

Sincerely,

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan, what happened on Sunday Feb. 19, 2012 at San Francisco Writers Conference?

Here’s another example on how to help yourself by helping your loyal pals.  It’s the fourth and last day of the fabulous conference.

On the first day  of SFWC (Thursday Feb. 16, 2012) I had arrived at the Mark Hopkins by 12:30pm–saw dear friends; rehearsed with Mary E. Knippel and fine-tuned my portion of our presentation “Be Your Own Editor” (scheduled for 6:00pm that day). What happened? Here’s that post.

On the second day of SFWC (Friday Feb. 17, 2012) My presentation ” Blowing Up Your Balloon: Writing a Tagline That Will Sell You and Your Book” with Elisa Sasa Southard was scheduled for 9:00am and I put on my “Story Consultant/Platform-Building Coach” combo hat and met with over a dozen authors one on one. Here’s that post.

On the third day of SFWC (Saturday Feb. 18, 2012)  I put on my “Story Consultant/Platform-Building Coach” combo hat again and met with over 30 authors one on one.  Here’s that post.

On the fourth and last day of SFWC (Sunday Feb. 19, 2012) . . . here are some highlights:

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Sasa Southard checks details for her San Francisco Literary Tour scheduled for 11:00am Feb. 19, 2012 for SFWC registrants

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Sasa Southard (wearing blue beret) gives SFWC registrants her signature San Francisco Literary Tour 2012 Feb 19--tour begins in front of Club Fugazi

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Sasa Southard makes her SF Literary Walking Tour fun for everyone--photo by Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

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I said goodbye to Tour Director Sasa Southard, Joyce Turley and the other folks at Washington Square. Then I walked to Mason Street to catch a cable car.  While walking up Mason Street toward the Mark Hopkins, I ran into Lori Henriksen and her partner. Lori, I can’t wait to read your book! Happy platform-building!

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan so delighted to run into novelist Lori Henriksen (right) and her partner on Mason Street on last day of SFWC

I got to the Six Continents room and was delighted to see Rebecca Martin & Lori Noack assisting our pal Martha Alderson.  Mary E. Knippel was there too. Linda Lee had been with them in the morning, while I was with Sasa Southard.

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Plot Whisperer Martha Alderson presents at SFWC

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Also, I was happy to see Kenneth Ogalvie, Christopher Eng and Joanne Huspek at Plot Whisperer Martha’s enlightening session. Creating plotline is “a must” not only for fiction but also for narrative nonfiction.

Plot Whisperer Martha Alderson answers questions from fans

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master-mind members Mary Knippel, Rebecca Martin, Plot Whisperer Martha Alderson, Lori Noack, Teresa LeYung-Ryan at SFWC 2012 (Linda Lee was somewhere in the building helping other writers; Luisa Adams was with her family)

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Story Consultant & Editor Teresa LeYung-Ryan happy to see Joanne Huspek at Martha Alderson's breakout session "How to Plot"--photo by Christopher Eng

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In the hallway I ran into dear Kathi Kamen-Goldmark (so good to see Kathi!) and Sam Barry (good to see Sam too). I’ll be blogging about Kathi real soon.

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Kimberly Edwards & Nina Amir & Margie Yee Webb with Marty Castleberg at SFWC--last day of the most wonderful conference

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Practice Aloha / SuperWoman Barbara Santos gets shoulder massage from Plot Whisperer Martha Alderson

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Martha Alderson & Teresa LeYung-Ryan & Lolly Winston & Laurie Fox inspire SFWC writers--photo by Tara Farquhar thepennedartist

One of the biggest rewards was having a moment with dear Laurie Fox and Lolly Winston with my pal Martha Alderson. I was overjoyed.

Vicki Weiland and Luisa Adams, how I missed you both.  You both had emailed/called before the conference commenced. I love you gals.

Andy Jones invites Plot Whisperer Martha Alderson to his radio show--photo by Writers' Platform-Building Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

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Just when Martha and I were about to walk out of the Rooms of the Dons (a.k.a. SFWC’s Café Ferlinghetti), Leigh Anne Lindsey of SeaStorm Press entered with a “real” video camera and asked me about the 2 sessions I co-presented on Thursday night and Friday morning. Leigh Anne is a colleague through Women’s National Book Association (WNBA) and California Writers Club (CWC).  Robbi Bryant was with Leigh Anne–always fun to see them.

From reviewing the program, I know there were another 20 WNBA members who were at SFWC but I didn’t get to chat with them.  Linda Joy Myers, co-president of WNBA-SF Chapter and founder of National Association of Memoir Writers (NAMW), had orchestrated the WNBA exhibit at the conference!

Story Consultant & Writers' Platform-Building Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan & Plot Whisperer Martha Alderson at Nob Hill Cafe SF--photo by author Margie Yee Webb

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Cat Mulan's Mindful Musings Margie Yee Webb, Kimberly Edwards & Sheila McDonald meet at Nob Hill Cafe after working 4 days and inspiring writers at SFWC--photo by Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

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the end of a lovely conference--lovely food at Nob Hill Cafe--thank you, Plot Whisperer, for the delicious treat.

When the 5 of us got back to the Mark Hopkins, Elizabeth Pomada asked if we wanted the lush centerpieces (garden-in-pots).  I was already schlepping my-show-in-suitcase, so, I didn’t have room for one.  However thank you so much, Elizabeth!  Buddy Martha Alderson gave me a ride to downtown San Francisco; I  walked into Nordstrom, found a quiet spot to unwind, read some pages from Mary Jo McConahay’s Maya Roads: One Woman’s Journey Among the People of the Rainforest (cannot put down this spellbinding read) before meeting with Birgit Soyka to return her camera tripod.

Thank you, buddy Mary E. Knippel, for orchestrating the independent editors program and to all the wonderful volunteers who kept everyone on schedule on Friday and Saturday in the Garden Room!

Thank you, Elizabeth Pomada & Michael Larsen, Barbara Santos & Richard Santos, Laurie McLean, Linda Lee, every volunteer, every SFWC advisory board member and sponsor, SFWC organizational team, Patrick and his team, all fellow co-presenters, speakers, registrants, Mark Hopkins team, and everyone (online, in-person) who played a role in making the conference the most delightful event of the year!

I was “high” going home. It’s two weeks later, I’m still high.  How I love being the Story Consultant & Writers’ Platform-Building Coach.

Sincerely,

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

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

http://writingcoachteresa.com

to sneak preview the exercises for Day 1 & Day 2, go to Amazon books

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

As editor/story consultant, Coach Teresa helps her clients polish their manuscripts by identifying their themes, universal archetypes, front-story and back-story.  http://writingcoachteresa.com

Her novel Love Made of Heart is used in college composition classes. Thank you, Teachers & Students!

Coach Teresa, what happened on Saturday Feb. 18, 2012 at San Francisco Writers Conference?

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan here . . . this is what happened from my POV. Please tell me and my colleagues your point of view by submitting comments to this blog post.  How? Click on the blue title bar of this post, scroll down to get the boxes, fill in boxes and click on “submit comment” button.

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Story Consultant & Writers' Platform-Building Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan and Elisa Sasa Southard of Go-With-Sasa at Lori's Diner on Powell Street in San Francisco to fuel up before Day III of helping SFWC attendees

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authors & independent editors Kate Farrell, Mary E Knippel and Wendy Nelson Tokunaga--photo by author & independent editor Teresa LeYung-Ryan

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historical novelist Liz Newman receives cheers and advice from Story Consultant & Writers-Platform-Building Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

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Mary E. Knippel answers questions with smiles at SFWC Independent Editors Central

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Shannon Johnson receives cheers and advice from Story Consultant Teresa LeYung-Ryan at SFWC Independent Editors Central--photo by Tara Farquhar

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At lunchtime, we heard announcements of scholarship winners! Congratulations to winners!  Cheers to generous benefactors!

Martin Yan said lovely words about vibrant Shirley Fong-Torres, about how she smiled, how she enjoyed meeting her fans.  Martin reminded us to smile when we’re autographing books.  Smile.

Elizabeth Pomada introduced Laurie Fox (famous literary agent who also writes novels)–more about Laurie in another post (she is another super kind soul).  Laurie introduced Lolly Winston. Lolly delivered a heartfelt speech about her encouraging teachers and her perseverance. She is funny, sweet, and serious.

What a memorable hour–from picturing Shirley’s smile through Martin’s tribute; hearing Elizabeth speak fondly of Laurie; Laurie speaking fondly of Lolly; Lolly expressing her appreciation for relationships and the craft. So beautiful.

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Marty Castleberg & Linda Lee & Richard Santos inspire writers at SFWC

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presenters-authors-teachers Tanya Egan Gibson & Holly Payne meet up at SFWC and shine!

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Danine Manette shine at SFWC--photo by Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

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author / presenter / SFWC Marketing Director Barbara Santos with presenter / SFWC Volunteer Director / cyberspace genius Linda Lee

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Lynn Henriksen and Shulamit Sofia at SFWC (look who are sitting in back row! Sheldon Siegel, Elisa Sasa Southard and Kate Farrell!)--photo by Writers' Platform-Building Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

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Historical novelist Daniel Roddick receives Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan's editing advice on first 2 pages of his manuscript

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Lisa Marie Pontier receives encouragement on her story from Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

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Nina Amir gives advice to author at SFWC--photo by Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

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memoirist and novelist Ann Tashi Slater with independent editors Mary E. Knippel and Gabrielle Harbowy--photo by Story Consultant Teresa LeYung-Ryan

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Agent Gordon Warnock answers questions from author while Mark Hopkins rep and Elizabeth Pomada go over details for autograph party--photo by Coach Teresa

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Andrew Rose chats with Kimberly Edwards & Sheila McDonald--photo by Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

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Margie Yee Webb & Michael Larsen & Harvey Pawl & Kimberly Edwards & Elisa Sasa Southard inspire writers--photo by Writers' Platform-Building Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

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Teresa LeYung-Ryan & Martha Alderson & Elisa Sasa Southard & Lynn Henriksen & Nina Amir all love to encourage writers at SFWC

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Women's National Book Association-San Francisco Chapter members-authors-presenters (back row: Margie Yee Webb, Lynn Henriksen, Tanya Egan Gibson, Verna Dreisbach; center Mary E. Knippel, Nina Amir, Apala Egan, Jane Omerod; front row: Elizabeth Pomada behind Barbara Santos, Teresa LeYung-Ryan, Linda Lee, Elisa "Sasa" Southard, Joan Gelfand) at SFWC --photo by Don Hudson who says Western Women Save the World

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authors Joan Gelfand & Teresa LeYung-Ryan & Cara Black having fun at SFWC autograph party--photo by Adam Hertz

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Teresa LeYung-Ryan & Elisa Sasa Southard & Shari Dunn & Margie Yee Webb at Thai dinner on Powell Street in SF after inspiring registrants at SFWC Day III

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Sincerely

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

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

http://writingcoachteresa.com

to preview the exercises for Day 1 & Day 2, go to Amazon books

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

As editor/story consultant, Coach Teresa helps her clients polish their manuscripts by identifying their themes, universal archetypes, front-story and back-story.  http://writingcoachteresa.com

Her novel Love Made of Heart is used in college composition classes. Thank you, Teachers & Students!

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Coach Teresa, what happened on Friday Feb. 17, 2012 at San Francisco Writers Conference?

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan here . . . this is what happened from my POV. Please tell me and my colleagues your point of view by submitting comments to this blog post.  How? Click on the blue title bar of this post, scroll down to get the boxes, fill in boxes and click on “submit comment” button.

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Elisa Sasa Southard arrived at my home before 7:00am and off we went.  I had packed chicken meatball/naan breakfast roll-ups for us. We were inside the Mark Hopkins before 8:00am. Thank you, author Birgit Soyka and Tessa Bertoldi, for helping us distribute session hand-out material and keep track of time at our 9:00am-9:45am presentation “Blowing Up Your Balloon: Writing a Tagline That Will Sell You and Your Book”

Writers' Platform-Building Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan and Elisa Sasa Southard promote SFWC everywhere--even on Go-With-Sasa's automobile

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Audrey Fairchild & Julaina Kleist & Jordan Bernal gracious reps at SFWC--photo by presenter & Writers' Platform-Building Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

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SFWC Heroes make conference a huge success--photo by Story Consultant & Writers-Platform-Building Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

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Elisa “Sasa” Southard & Teresa LeYung-Ryan 

Blowing Up Your Balloon: Writing a Tagline That Will Sell You and Your Book

Attend this session if you want to:
•    hook agents, acquisition editors, readers, media attention
•    make your name synonymous with the themes you write about
•    have fun building your writer’s platform

YOUR NAME: _________________________________________________________

Before Talking Tagline: _{_______________________________________________________________________________________}

AFTER crafting your personalized “talking tagline” from this workshop: ____________________

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Elisa “Sasa”’s definition of talking-tagline: “A one-sentence pitch that transforms every encounter into a marketing moment.”

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

My next steps:
•    Go to http://BreakThroughTheNoise.com and watch Elisa’s TV clip about talking-taglines.
•    Go to http://WritingCoachTeresa.com click on “Coach Teresa’s Blog” and bookmark it.
•    I shall ____________________________________________________________

Elisa Sasa Southard & Teresa LeYung-Ryan’s session—crafting your talking-tagline & building writer’s platform & fanbase

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Elisa Sasa Southard & Teresa LeYung-Ryan show how using talking-taglines & building writer's platform are as fun as keeping balloons in the air--photo by Tessa Bertoldi

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Elisa Sasa Southard & Teresa LeYung-Ryan attract writers who want to create their talking taglines and build their platforms and fanbases--photo by Tessa Bertoldi

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Elisa “Sasa” Southard wears 2 hats:

•    As author of Break Through the Noise, 9 Tools to Propel Your Marketing Message, she helps writers turn personal skills into marketing talent http://BreakThroughTheNoise.com

•    As creator of Big City Travel Skills Project, Sasa helps young travelers turn into smart and savvy adventurers

http://elisaonassignment.com/

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Teresa LeYung-Ryan also wears 2 hats:

•    As author of Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW, she coaches writers on making their names synonymous with the themes/subject matters/issues they write about.

•    As editor/story consultant, she helps writers polish their manuscripts by identifying their themes and archetypes

Her novel Love Made of Heart is used in college composition classes.

http://writingcoachteresa.com

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testimonials from Elisa Sasa Southard & Teresa LeYung-Ryan's USE Your Talking Tagline to Build Your Writer's Platform session at SFWC

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story consultant & writers' platform-building coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan and Birgit Sokya (author of To Drink the Wild Air) are colleagues at Women's National Book Association

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Author & SFWC Marketing Director Barbara Santos works out details with Mark Hopkins staff

presenters Elisa Sasa Southard and Teresa LeYung-Ryan and historical novelist Pamela Tartaglio

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At lunchtime, the room’s energy fell to deep sadness when Elizabeth Pomada told us that Shirley Fong-Torres (who delighted us last year at SFWC) died a few months after the 2011 conference. Shirley was only 64. I am so sad for her family. Blossom branches in a huge vase on the SFWC stage reminded us of Shirley’s vibrance.

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Lisa See’s keynote speech was most inspiring.  Lisa said when she reads a book she reads the beginning, then the ending, then back and forth until she reaches the middle; then she’ll read the ending again. Coach Teresa here . . . to remind my clients . . . Before you rework the beginning of your novel or memoir, review your ending.  Lisa’s reading m.o. is a helpful trick for writers. As Plot Whisperer Martha Alderson says: “The beginning foreshadows the ending.” “The ending dictates the beginning.”

Read fabulous story-teller Lisa Lee’s books!

Julaina Kleist with Lisa See (author of Peony in Love, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, On Gold Mountain, Dreams of Joy) and BookShop West Portal Neal Sofman at SFWC -- photo by story consultant & writers' platform-building coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan (presenter, author)

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Cyberspace Genius Linda Lee empowers writers at SFWC--photo by Platform-Building Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

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Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan advises prescriptive nonfiction author Jodi Lobozzo Aman of New York to buy domain names that are synonymous with her themes

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author Margie Yee Webb chats with SFWC advisory board member Harvey Pawl while Barbara Santos works out details with Mark Hopkins rep-- photo by Coach Teresa

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Alexis Masters and Margie Yee Webb author of Cat Mulan's Mindful Musings spread joy at SFWC--photo by Writers' Platform-Building Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

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Alan Rinzler’s keynote speech at 5:00pm gave us a glimpse into 50 years of the publishing world. Fascinating!  Alan was the acquisition editor who believed in Claude Brown’s 1,400-page manuscript when no one else at the publishing house did. Alan helped Claude edit the book to 400 pages  Manchild in the Promised Land: A Modern Classic of the Black Experience.

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SFWC presenters Teresa LeYung-Ryan & Nina Amir & Mary E. Knippel

Stephanie Carroll & Anna-Marie McLemore & author-- scholarship benefactor Victoria Hudson & Lisa Mattson--photo by Platform-Building Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

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I saw Scott James aka Kemble Scott!  Scott is an inspiration and generous mentor in the publishing arena.

actor Will Southard & Elisa Sasa Southard of GO-with-Sasa celebrate SFWC--photo by Writers' Platform-Building Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

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actor Will Southard & author Elisa Sasa Southard 2012 Feb 17 photo by Story Consultant Teresa LeYung-Ryan

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Sincerely

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

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

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

As editor/story consultant, Coach Teresa helps her clients polish their manuscripts by identifying themes and archetypes.

Her novel Love Made of Heart is used in college composition classes. Thank you, Teachers & Students!

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Coach Teresa, what happened on Feb. 16, 2012 at San Francisco Writers Conference?

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan here . . . this is what happened from my point of view. Tell me and my colleagues your point of view by submitting comments to this blog post.  How? Click on the blue title bar of this post, scroll down to get the boxes, fill in boxes and click on “submit comment” button.

I took BART into The City and then MUNI #1 to meet co-presenter & colleague Mary E. Knippel.  At 6:00pm we were to deliver BE YOUR OWN EDITOR at the San Francisco Writers Conference at the Mark Hopkins Hotel at top of Nob Hill.

Authentic details for writers who want to get to the top of Nob Hill: If you off-board BART at Embarcadero station, come up to street level that is closest to Drumm Street. Walk northward on Drumm, then westward on Sacramento Street (a one-way street). At Sacramento St. (near Davis St.), you’d catch the MUNI #1 bus that travels westward on Sacramento Street. $2 fare (driver gives  y0u a transfer that’s good for 4 hours).

The ride is about 10 blocks or .7 mile (through Financial District and Chinatown, and up the hills).  If you’re concerned about not knowing how to push the bell or pull the cord to request your stop, ask the bus driver or fellow passengers to look out for you. Off-board at Mason; walk a block southward on Mason to get to California St. (California St. is parallel to Sacramento St.).  Wait for signals to cross the street.  There you are–at the International Mark Hopkins.

As soon as you step onto the bricked courtyard, courteous hotel employees will greet you.

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Linda Lee and Jane Glendinning among the first to arrive to help make SFWC THE writers conference

Story Consultant and Writers' Platform-Building Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan happy to present at SFWC again

presenters Mary E Knippel & Linda Lee solve mystery over their luggage at Mark Hopkins

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I saw Laurie McLean, Barbara Santos & Richard Santos, Nina Amir, Neal Sofman, dear mentors Michael Larsen & Elizabeth Pomada, Stephanie Chandler and other colleagues.  Our session was to begin at 6:00pm.  Among the writers who attended our session “Be Your Own Editor” were memoirist Jing Li,  journalist and novelist Don Hudson and Margie Yee Webb (author of Cat Mulan’s Mindful Musings)!

Thank you, Patrick, for setting up the microphone–the room was long–without the microphone, the writers sitting in the back would have had difficulty hearing us.

Thank you to each writer in the room!  Here’s an offer to you if you were in our session on Feb. 16, 2012 –  I’ll be happy to read and give feedback to the first 2 pages (double spaced; pages numbered; manuscript title and your full name in the header) of your manuscript.  Email me: your full name; your project’s genre; list of your themes.  Then I’ll let you know when would be the best time to email me your first 2 pages. I’ll arrange my schedule so that I can focus on one writer a day.  My email address is at gmail.com  My User Name is:  WritingCoachTeresa

Session hand-out for Mary E. Knippel & Teresa LeYung-Ryan’s presentation BE YOUR OWN EDITOR

Mary E. Knippel & Teresa LeYung-Ryan
Being Your Own Editor
Ensure Your Manuscript 100% Ready For the Next Step
•    hire a book doctor/developmental editor OR
•     pitch to agents or acquisition editors OR
•     be  your own publisher

fiction / narrative nonfiction / prescriptive nonfiction (“how-to” books)

YOUR NAME: ______________________________ Your Project: ________________________________

Tool #1   Grounding Reader with the three Ws (Who? When? Where?)
Tool #2   Hooking Reader from first page to last with core theme and “What does Protagonist want?” (in prescriptive nonfiction “What does Reader need?”)
Tool #3     In Fiction & Narrative Nonfiction (both genres are forms of  “story-telling”) Who are your protagonist, antagonist, and other archetypes?
Tool #4    In Fiction & Narrative Nonfiction (front story / back story)
Tool #5    Foreshadows  Metaphors   Recurring Images
Tool #6    Authentic Details
Tool #7   Monologue   Dialogue   Vernacular
Tool #8   Misspelled words; misplaced modifiers; other frights

and 15 minutes for Questions & Answers

Thank you, dear mentors Michael Larsen & Elizabeth Pomada, for inviting Mary and me to deliver our signature presentation “Be Your Own Editor”!

Thank you, dear Birgit Soyka author of To Drink the Wild Air, for bringing your camera tripod!

Thank you, dear Margie Yee Webb, author of Cat Mulan’s Mindful Musings: Insight and Inspiration for a Wonderful Life, for introducing Mary and me, for taking photos, for having written the purr-fect gift book and letting me show in our session how every page of a prescriptive nonfiction book ought to contain inspiration, wisdom or a metaphor.

Thank you, Camille Thompson, columnist at SanRamonPatch.com, for your gracious help, making our session an enjoyable one.

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authors & story consultants Mary E. Knippel & Teresa LeYung-Ryan use classics to draw examples for BE YOUR OWN EDITOR at SFWC--photo by author Margie Yee Webb

authors & story consultants Mary E. Knippel & Teresa LeYung-Ryan give 8 tools at BE YOUR OWN EDITOR packed house session SFWC–photo by author Margie Yee Webb

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authors & story consultants Mary E Knippel & Teresa LeYung-Ryan attract writers at BE YOUR OWN EDITOR packed house session SFWC-photo by author Margie Yee Webb

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testimonials from Mary E Knippel & Teresa LeYung-Ryan's BE YOUR OWN EDITOR session

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Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan says: "Wearing your 2 hats as a writer---to polish your manuscript and to build your platform---can be as fun as riding a San Francisco cable car."

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Across the street at the Fairmont Hotel –  LEARNING & the BRAIN Conference–Connecting Educators to Neuroscientists and Researchers

Vehicular traffic was blocked off in the area because President Obama was to speak at the Masonic Auditorium that evening!

Coach Teresa here took the cable car to go home and pack for Day II of San Francisco Writers Conference.  Please see next post.

Sincerely

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

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

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

As editor/story consultant, Coach Teresa helps her clients polish their manuscripts by identifying themes and archetypes.

Her novel Love Made of Heart is used in college composition classes. Thank you, Teachers & Students!

Click on underscored text to jump over to referenced websites. To submit questions/comments to this article/post:

• Click on the blue header (title bar) of this post
• Scroll down until you see boxes and fill in the boxes (you do need an email address to submit questions/comments; if you have a website/blog, do promote it  by keying in the address)
• After you fill in the boxes, you might want to keep a copy of your question/comment before clicking the  “submit comment” button. Thank you!

Coach Teresa . . . starting a new format with my blog posts

Since I wear 3 hats, as writing career coach & author who helps you Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days / editor & manuscript consultant who helps you identify themes and archetypes / novelist of Love Made of Heart who encourages adult children of mentally ill parents to speak openly about the stigmas and find resources for their families, I wish to divide my post into 3 sections.

As 22-day Platform-Building Coach:

Promote yourselves by linking your names & your projects to these recognized events.  According to Chase Calendar of Events,  November is:

• Adoption Month, National
• Alzheimer’s Disease Month, National
• American Diabetes Month
• American Indian Heritage Month, National
• Aviation History Month
• Banana Pudding Lovers Month
• Diabetes Month, National
• Diabetic Eye Disease Month
• Family Caregivers Month, National
• Georgia Pecan Month, National
• Gluten-Free Diet Awareness Month
• Inspirational Role Models Month, National
• Lifewriting Month, National
• Long-Term Care Awareness Month, National
• Lung Cancer Awareness Month
• Marrow Awareness Month, National
• Peanut Butter Lovers’ Month
• Pet Cancer Awareness Month
• Pomegranate Month, National
• PTA Healthy Lifestyles Month
• Vegan Month
• Today November 16, 2011 is United Nations: International Day for Tolerance
• the fourth Thursday in November is Thanksgiving Day in the U.S.A.
• November 11, 2011 is Veterans Day

Every month is relevant to marketing your literary work. Day 19 of my workbook Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days demonstrates the beauty of linking your name to a date that is celebrated or recognized for the entire month–you’ll have a whole month to re-use one piece of writing.

As Editor & Manuscript Consultant:

Give yourself reasons to plot & write and replot & rewrite!

November is National Novel Writing Month (founder is Chris Baty)

Write Nonfiction In November (founder is Nina Amir)

December is International Plot Writing Month (founder is Martha Alderson, The Plot Whisperer)

Read or reread a book – I’m reading Nothing Can Scare Me Now: Managing Breast Cancer So It Doesn’t Manage You by Juliane Cortino (a colleague at Women’s National Book Association)

As author of Love Made of Heart:

I found “Veterans and Mental Health: We Owe Them Better”  blog post by Mike Fitzpatrick, NAMI Executive Director

Last year, more than 1.2 million veterans were treated by the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) health care system, about a third for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). That is an increase of about 25 percent from four years before, as troops return home from Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Washington Post reports that approximately 18 veterans die from suicide every day. Yet in survey released in September, the VA reported that 70 percent of its doctors, nurses and social workers believe the system lacks the staff and space to provide adequate mental health care. More than 37 percent said they cannot schedule an appointment for a new patient within 14-days.

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Mr. Fitzpatrick,

Thank you for writing this post to shed light on what we can do to advocate for better care of our veterans and their families. I linked your post to mine dated November 16, 2011 http://lovemadeofheart.com/blog/ so that my blog fans can get resources for their loved ones. My beautiful mom (not a Veteran but was an orphan during World War II) suffered mental illness all her life and I use my writings to honor her. In September I met NAMI Sonoma County board member Ron Shaw at the Sonoma County Book Festival.  Rosemary Milbrath, Executive Director at NAMI Sonoma County, has contacted me and I hope to deliver my Heroes, Tricksters & Villains interactive workshop to the Sonoma County community in California in 2012. Sincerely, Teresa LeYung-Ryan, author of Love Made of Heart; mental health advocate

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I hope to see you when I’m at these forums:

• Thursday December 1, 2011 at Women’s National Book Association get-together at San Francisco Public Library Main Branch
• Sunday January 8, 2012 at California Writers Club–Redwood Branch “Writing-Career-Make-Over with Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan”

Please click here for details.

“Reach out, not stress out, when pursuing your dreams!”

Sincerely,

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

To comment on any of my columns (blog posts) or to contact me, just click on the blue title bar of the post, fill in the boxes and press “submit.”

What to do before hiring an editor for your manuscript?

My advice for narrative non-fiction writers is the same for fiction writers.

“Look at Your Manuscript with an Editor’s Lens”

by Teresa LeYung Ryan–Developmental Editor/Manuscript Consultant/Writing Career Coach

Since writing a story with the intent to engage the reader is so much like meeting a stranger and wanting him/her to be interested in us, I will focus on “how to make the first quarter of your story a compelling read.”

I love working with diligent writers who want to transform their manuscripts into page-turners. However, there are things you can do before you give your work to an editor. Let me show you how you can help yourself.

Does your manuscript pass these tests?

• Planting hook(s) or story-question(s);
• Grounding the reader with the three Ws and the big C (Who?  When?  Where? Circumstances);
• Showing (not telling) what the protagonist wants;
• Paying attention to language and rules

Let’s learn from the pros.

Planting Hook or Story-Question:

In The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts, Maxine Hong Kingston hooks us with the first line: “You must not tell anyone,” my mother said, “what I am about to tell you…”   Then, Ms. Kingston transitions into her story with:  “Whenever she had to warn us about life, my mother told stories that ran like this one . . .”

Grounding the Reader with the Three Ws and the big C:

In Woven of Water, while the story timeline spans from 1957 to 2005, Californian author Luisa Adams brilliantly shows us who she was as a girl (not with a year-by-year narrative, but with a single exquisite chapter).  Because she grounded us with “who, when, where” and the “circumstances” as to why she had left her love affair with water, we eagerly follow as she takes us into her enchanted world of a “cottage in the forest.”  Another device to ground the reader is the employment of sensory details (not long descriptions).  Sensory details put the reader in the scene/story world.  Re-read one of your favorite author’s books. Study from the masters.

Showing What the Protagonist Wants:

In The Other Mother, young Carol Schaefer wants to ask questions:  “Was there any way to keep my baby?  Was there anyone who would help me find a way to do that?”

In Eat, Pray, Love, Elisabeth Gilbert says: I wish Giovanni would kiss me.

In Love Made of Heart, my protagonist Ruby Lin prays: Please don’t end up like Grandmother (while witnessing police officers escorting her own mother out of her apartment).

Paying Attention to Language and Rules:

Read the first five pages of Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt and you will see how this wordsmith plays with language and rules. (You can “bend” the rules to create flow, but you must not ignore them.)

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.

Sentences Deserve Your Attention:

Remember Groucho Marx’s line “One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas…”? That sentence got a lot of laughs.  But, what if you didn’t want to be funny (ambiguous in this case)?

How would you rewrite these sentences?  See the misplaced modifiers?

• He likes to fish near the Farallon Islands, they jump when they’re hungry at dawn or dusk. (the islands jump?)
• She insists on knowing when I come home and leave, not to be nosy, but for safety reasons. (who is not nosy?)
• Being cautious as not to step on the dog’s tail, the children tip-toed away from him while sleeping. (who’s sleeping?)

To improve your sentence structure and other skills, I recommend these books:

• The Elements of Style by William Strunk, Jr. and E.B. White
• Woe is I: Grammarphobe’s Guide to Better English in Plain English by Patricia T. O’Conner

More Advice:

• In all the stories I referenced above, the authors present memorable experiences by employing authentic details, unusual story-worlds though real, and poetic language. You want to do the same for your story.
• Also, these stories have another vital component–all the plotlines have what Martha Alderson, author of Blockbuster Plots Pure and Simple, calls “Cause and Effect” linked scenes.  Another must-read blog:  http://plotwhisperer.blogspot.com/search?q=first+quarter
• When you’re writing non-fiction and you do not have the luxury of rearranging the sequence of events to create a page-turning plotline, you can engage the reader by using concise expositions to leap over blocks of time in order to focus on the core themes and fast-forward to the next scene.  A helpful website for memoir writers: http://www.memoriesandmemoirs.com
• You the author must show the reader what the protagonist wants, even if the protagonist doesn’t know at first.
• We don’t have to “like” a protagonist, but, we do need to connect with him/her on an emotional level. Perhaps what he/she wants is also what we want.
• Story-telling is a skill learned, practiced, and mastered. May you practice with joy.

In the fiercely competitive arena of the publishing world, how does one stand out in a crowd?  Building relationships is one key to success in this business. Another key is to know how to translate the themes from your life to your writing and articulate those themes as community concerns.  I want to see all hardworking writers realize their dreams. My best wishes to you!

To read other posts in my blog (about writing contests, publishing opportunities, more tips on platform-building), click on [ Home ] and scroll down  OR key in words in the search box to find specific posts. Example: if you key in the words: poetry anthology 2011 into my blog’s search box and click [search], you will see my post containing info about the  Las Positas College Anthology and other contests for other genres (Thank you, Poet Laureate Deborah Grossman!) To read the entire version of a post, click on the title bar of that post.

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

Reach out, not stress out!

Sincerely,

Build-Your-Writer’s-Platform Coach Teresa

Teresa LeYung Ryan–Developmental Editor/Manuscript Consultant, Writing Career Coach, Author, Publisher

Teresa specializes in editing fiction and narrative non-fiction with themes on the human condition.

She likes spunky protagonists in thrillers, women’s novels, memoirs, and children’s literature.

Love Made of Heart is:
• recommended by the California School Library Association and the California Reading Association

• read by students at Stanford University, U.C. Berkeley, CCSF, and many other colleges and high schools.

• used in Advanced Composition English-as-a-Second-Language classes
• archived at the San Francisco History Center

Teresa says: “The more you read, the more your own writing will flow.”  
Please click here for my blog’s home page  http://lovemadeofheart.com/blog/

My fun workbook is now available through Amazon!

BUILD YOUR WRITER’S PLATFORM & FANBASE IN 22 DAYS: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW

http://www.amazon.com/Build-Your-Writers-Platform-Fanbase/dp/0983010005/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1297630400&sr=1-1

http://lovemadeofheart.com/BUILD-YOUR-WRITER%27S-PLATFORM-&-FANBASE-IN-22-DAYS.html

What Should I Do Before I Hire an Editor to Review My Manuscript?

The question is answered by Teresa LeYung Ryan–Book Doctor/Manuscript Consultant, Career Coach, Author

Nina Amir, creator of Write Nonfiction in November http://writenonfictioninnovember.com/ had invited me to be her guest-blogger in 2008, to help answer that question.  My advice for narrative non-fiction writers is the same for fiction writers.

“How to Look at Your Manuscript with an Editor’s Lens”

Since writing a story with the intent to engage the reader is so much like meeting a stranger and wanting him/her to be interested in you, I will focus on how to make the first quarter of your story a compelling read.

I love working with diligent writers who want to transform their manuscripts into page-turners. However, there are things you can do before you give your work to an editor. Let me show you how you can help yourself.

As an editor, the four biggest mistakes I encounter are manuscripts that are weak in these elements:

• Planting hook(s) or story-question(s);
• Grounding the reader with the three Ws (Who?  When?  Where?);
• Showing (not telling) what the protagonist wants;
• Paying attention to language and rules

Let’s learn from the pros.

Planting Hook or Story-Question:

In The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts, Maxine Hong Kingston hooks us with the first line: “You must not tell anyone,” my mother said, “what I am about to tell you…”   Then, Ms. Kingston transitions into her story with:  “Whenever she had to warn us about life, my mother told stories that ran like this one . . .”

Grounding the Reader with the Three Ws:

In Woven of Water, while the story timeline spans from 1957 to 2005, Californian author Luisa Adams brilliantly shows us who she was as a girl (not with a year-by-year narrative, but with a single exquisite chapter).  Because she grounded us with “who, when, where,” we eagerly follow as she takes us into her enchanted world of a “cottage in the forest.”  Another device to ground the reader is the employment of sensory details (not long descriptions).  Sensory details put the reader in the scene/story world.  Re-read one of your favorite author’s books. Study from the masters.

Showing What the Protagonist Wants:

In The Other Mother, young Carol Schaefer wants to ask questions:  “Was there any way to keep my baby?  Was there anyone who would help me find a way to do that?”

Paying Attention to Language and Rules:

Read the first five pages of Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt and you will see how this wordsmith plays with language and rules. (You can “bend” the rules to create flow, but you must not ignore them.)

Sentences Deserve Your Attention:

Nina Amir’s post on her blog  http://writenonfictioninnovember.wordpress.com/2007/11/ is a must-read.

Remember Groucho Marx’s line “One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas…”? That sentence got a lot of laughs.  But, what if you didn’t want to be funny (ambiguous in this case)?

How would you rewrite these poorly constructed sentences?

• He likes to fish near the Farallon Islands and they jump when they’re hungry at dawn or dusk.
• She insists on knowing when I come home and leave, not to be nosy, but for safety reasons.
• Being cautious as not to step on the dog’s tail, the children tip-toed away from him while sleeping.
• My husband still in bed snoring, I have always enjoyed rising before dawn and I eat my toast and drink my green tea on the terrace.

To improve your sentence structure and other skills, I recommend these books:

• The Elements of Style by William Strunk, Jr. and E.B. White
• Woe is I: Grammarphobe’s Guide to Better English in Plain English by Patricia T. O’Conner

More Advice:

• In all four stories (The Woman Warrior, Woven of Water, The Other Mother, Angela’s Ashes), the authors present memorable experiences by employing authentic details, unusual story-worlds though real, and poetic language. You want to do the same for your story.
• Also, these stories have another vital component-all four plotlines have what Martha Alderson, author of Blockbuster Plots, Pure and Simple, calls “Cause and Effect” linked scenes.  Another must-read blog:  http://plotwhisperer.blogspot.com/search?q=first+quarter
• When you’re writing non-fiction and do not have the luxury of rearranging the sequence of events to create a page-turning plotline, you can engage the reader by using concise expositions to leap over blocks of time in order to focus on the core themes and fast-forward the story. A helpful website: http://www.memoriesandmemoirs.com
• You the author must show the reader what the protagonist wants, even if the protagonist doesn’t know at first.
• We don’t have to “like” a protagonist, but, we do need to connect with him/her on an emotional level.

In the fiercely competitive arena of the publishing world, how does one stand out in a crowd?  Building relationships is one key to success in this business. Another key is to know how to translate the themes from your life to your writing and articulate those themes as community concerns.  I want to see all hardworking writers realize their dreams. My best wishes to you!

Do you know a writer who wants to go to a writers’ conference but can’t afford it? Encourage her/him to ask family and friends to chip in (what better Christmas gift or birthday gift!).

For non-fiction authors: Writing for Change Conference http://www.sfwritingforchange.org/

For both fiction and non-fiction authors:  San Francisco Writers Conference http://sfwriters.org

Sincerely,

Teresa LeYung Ryan

Book Doctor/Manuscript Consultant, Career Coach, Author, Publisher

Coach Teresa edits manuscripts for authors who want to attract agents  & publishers  OR  want to be their own publishers. She specializes in contemporary novels, thrillers, children’s & YA novels, memoirs, short stories, and anthologies. She likes spunky protagonists.

Love Made of Heart is:
• recommended by the California School Library Association and the California Reading Association

• read by students at Stanford University, U.C. Berkeley, CCSF, and many other colleges and high schools.

• used in Advanced Composition English-as-a-Second-Language classes
• archived at the San Francisco History Center

GraceArt Publishing is the publisher of Build My Name, Beat the Game: 22 Days to Identify & Develop My Writer’s Platform to Attract Agents, Acquisition Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention.

Teresa says: “Reach out, not stress out, when building your writer’s name/platform.”  

To comment on any of my columns (blog posts), just click on the blue title bar of the post, fill in the boxes and press “submit.”  Please click here for my blog http://lovemadeofheart.com/blog/

A client called to tell me he read my blog post about fun events for writers in October and asked if I would recommend his going to Martha Alderson’s plot workshop on Saturday.  He said he had pitched his novel to agents; more than one agent complimented on his narrator’s voice but they felt that the manuscript is not ready for acquisition editors’ eyes.  One agent told my client that the manuscript has “too much back story.”  “Aah,” I tell my client, “too much back story means not enough front story, and, you need front story to plot character growth.  Learning how to plot from Martha, the Master, is priceless. Go. You’ll thank yourself.”

For writers who couldn’t go to Martha’s workshop at Capitola Bookstore on Saturday, check her schedule http://www.blockbusterplots.com for future workshops.  She’s teaching a 5-day Plot Retreat in November 2010

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I’m reformatting the second edition of my workbook Build My Name, Beat the Game with the help of Perfect Pages, by Aaron Shepard.  I’ll be subscribing to Aaron’s newsletter.  www.newselfpublish.com Also, I’m using a wonderful reference book –  Indexing Books by Nancy C. Mulvany.  http://www.bayside-indexing.com

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I was at the San Francisco Public Library-Main Branch for a Women’s National Book Association board meeting when I saw the flyer for the exhibit on “Iris Chang and Her Unfinished Dream.” San Francisco Public Library exhibition documents the life of the late author and her work exposing the truth of the Nanking Massacre; on view in the Chinese Center, Main Library, October 2 – December 2, 2010.

http://sfpl.org/index.php?pg=1002855001

On Sunday October 17, 2010  1:30-3:30pm Koret Auditorium, San Francisco Main Library Film Screening: Iris Chang–The Rape of Nanking,   the full length docudrama (103 minutes, in English with Chinese subtitles, 2007) made for the 70th anniversary of the Nanking massacre, tells the compelling and courageous life story of Iris Chang, a young woman who at age 26 dedicated her life to teaching the world about the forgotten holocaust in World War II.  Followed by Q & A with Iris Chang’s parents and Dr. Peter Stanek, president of the Global Alliance for Preserving the History of World War II in Asia.

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Kim McMillon informed me that she will be teaching a playwriting workshop once a month at UC Merced (a part of the Merced Writers’ Center). http://kimmcmillon.wordpress.com/ The class is the first Monday of every month. Also, Kim asked if I would be interested in conducting “Major League Tryouts with Writing Career Coach Teresa to Build Your Writer’s Name/Platform” I would have to say “I’d love to.” Thank you, Kim!

Did you that Kim is the producer of a wonderful blog talk radio show?  http://www.blogtalkradio.com/onword and click on “Writers Sanctuary”

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

I was reading colleague Yolande Barial’s blog (I knew about her advocacy in regards to bicycle-helmet-safety for children  http://yolandebarial.wordpress.com/2010/10/01/bicycle-helmet-locks/) and was surprised and humbled by her post about my work as a writing career coach. http://yolandebarial.wordpress.com/2010/10/01/bicycle-helmet-locks/ Thank you, Yolande!

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

I critiqued colleague Elisa Southard ’s keynote speech for the Redwood Writers’ Conference http://redwoodwriters.org/redwood-conference/.  I hope you’ll be able to hear the speech yourself on Oct. 30, 2010 because Elisa is a generous teacher who helps writers turn into their best advocates.  http://breakthroughthenoise.com/

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I gave advice to author Nina Amir http://writenonfictionnow.com/ on her new book proposal.  She emailed to say: “Teresa, I can see now why everyone raves about your work… you are phenomenal and very giving.”  This writing-career coach definitely appreciates the acknowledgment.  It’s fun to help hard-working authors who want to help writers.

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

Kim McMillon asked me to help MamaCoAtl update their new blog http://16daysofartivismforthehealingofviolence.wordpress.com to commemorate United Nations’ International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.  http://www.un.org/depts/dhl/violence/

What does a typical week look like for a writer/writing career coach/publisher? That’s it.

This coming week:

• I meet with my mastermind group (Linda Lee, Mary E. Knippel, Lori Noack and me–Teresa LeYung Ryan);
• I meet with Elisa Southard http://elisaonassignment.com/ (we work together once a month)
• I prepare for my presentation at California Writers Club-Berkeley Branch (they meet at Oakland Library-Main Branch) on Sunday October 17, 2010 http://lovemadeofheart.com/Teresa-LeYung-Ryan%27s-Events.html
• Upload my publishing company’s profile on Bowker.  http://www.isbn.org/standards/home/index.asp https://www.myidentifiers.com/
• Continue helping MamaCoAtl post updates on the website http://16daysofartivismforthehealingofviolence.wordpress.com/ for United Nations’ International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
• Continue reading How to Buy a Love of Reading by Tanya Egan Gibson; The Hundred Secret Senses by Amy Tan; The Chinese Laborers of Lake Chabot (San Leandro, California) A History of Their Contributions to the Construction of Lake Chabot Dam, 1874-1892 by Jacqueline Beggs.
• I just said “Yes” to Bardi Rosman Koodrin http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000536791573 regarding my sponsoring one of the writing-contest at the 2011 San Mateo County Fair–Fine Arts Department.

Sincerely,
Teresa LeYung Ryan
Author / Writing Career Coach / Publisher

Teresa says: “Reach out, not stress out, when building your writer’s name/platform.”   http://lovemadeofheart.com/blog/

GraceArt Publishing is the publisher of 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)

To comment on any of my columns (blog posts), just click on the blue title bar of the post, fill in the boxes and press “submit.”  Please click here for my blog http://lovemadeofheart.com/blog/