Thank you, artist Diana Li,

https://members.aawaa.net/artists/diana-li and https://www.dianali.art/

for sharing this announcement

Diana Li has been the wonderful director of Asian American Women’s Artists Association https://www.aawaa.net/ these past four years.

Oakland – City Festival Grant Applications Now Open!

Applications are open for the Cultural Funding Program’s 2025 Neighborhood Voices for Festivals grant opportunity. The program will award grants up to $14,000 to Oakland-based non-profit organizations conducting arts and culture festivals in Oakland in 2025.

The submission deadline for applications is Thursday August 22, 2024, at 5:00 p.m.

https://www.oaklandca.gov/resources/festivals2025

To assist applicants, Informational Webinars will be presented on July 18^th and August 6^th, 2024.

https://www.oaklandca.gov/resources/festivals2025#informational-webinars

I wish everyone peace, vibrant health and happiness!!

Teresa_Jade_LeYung_photo_by_Nan_and_MEK

The blog posts from Dystel & Goderich Literary Management www.dystel.com and Fuse Literary http://www.fuseliterary.com/blog are examples of the level of support that experts give to writers so that you can navigate this dynamic world of publishing.

So, you have a finished manuscript. Oh happy day!  Celebrate!

What next? If you want your book to be more than a personal legacy for your family and friends, there are two sets of tasks to perform on your writer’s journey.

·         Hire an editor who has experience editing your genre.

·         While your editor is busy at work, you are also busy at work taking care of the business side of being a writer. If you haven’t been building your platform, it’s time now (before pitching and sending queries to agents and acquisition editors at publishing houses).

The focus of this post is on platform-building.  What is a writer’s platform? Why do you need one? How do you get one?

The question: “What kind of platform does this author have?” (asked by agents and acquisition editors)  = “How many books can this author sell right now, on her own/his own?” At this point, your manuscript (a polished one) becomes a commodity (whether your book is fiction or nonfiction).

Of course if you are already a celebrity author or a best-selling author, the agent can pitch you to acquisition editors with ease, and in turn, acquisition editor can pitch you to the sales team and publisher with ease. The publisher will then offer you a big advance (because they know that your fans are likely to buy your book); they’ll make money, you’ll make money.

However, what if you do not have a huge fanbase? What can you do to attract the people who have the power to help you and your book go far and wide?

The answer is: Making your name stand for something—to attract target consumers— who are likely to buy what you have to sell (from page 1 of my workbook Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days).

Let’s take a look – making your name stand for something –  that “something” is the core theme in your book. If you do not know what your core theme is, hopefully members in your critique group and the editor you have hired will know. You need to know what your book is about.

Example:  the core themes in my novel Love Made of Heart are: daughter-mother relationship; mental illness; family violence.

The core theme in a book is the bait that attracts your target consumers. The target consumers are your fans.

Fact:  Your loyal fans (people who care about you) are likely to buy what you have produced.

Fact:  Your prospective fans (people who care about what you care about / the core themes in your book) also are likely to buy what you have produced.

1.    You know who your loyal fans are. However, do you know how to articulate your themes to them so that they can broadcast for you? I say: “You can ‘train’ them.”

2.    How do you find your prospective fans? I say: “Reach out, not stress out. Help them find you.”

You can accomplish both… through the appearance of your platform statement.

I reiterate: “Make your name stand for something—to attract target consumers— who are likely to buy what you have to sell.”

Example (for my fiction and narrative nonfiction): My name is Teresa LeYung-Ryan. Through my books and monologues, I encourage adult children of mentally ill parents to speak openly about the stigmas.

Another example: My name is Teresa LeYung-Ryan. Through my novel Love Made of Heart, I help survivors of family violence speak openly about the stigmas.

Example (for my how-to books):  I am Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan. Through my workbook Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days, I teach writers how to attract attention from agents, editors, publishers, media, book buyers, and readers.

Where would you showcase your platform statement?

Email signature block; business card; website; blog; YouTube channel; press releases; social media; query letters; book proposals; your bio; photo file names and photo captions . . .  Where else?

Learn more.  On Sunday, August 28, 2016, 2:00-5:00pm -

Join me (Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan– Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days) and Valerie Haynes Perry–Write the Book You Want: Be Your Own Coach   and Luan Stauss--owner of and book buyer for Laurel Book Store in a three-hour workshop -

“Where are YOU on YOUR WRITER’S JOURNEY?”

for you and your friends who identify yourselves as serious writers

at Laurel Book Store (near the 12th St. BART station in Oakland, California)

We will address the following topics:

• Build your name, platform, and fanbase to hook attention before publication
• Maintain clarity, self-confidence, and motivation to bring your own book into being
• Expand your knowledge of the moving parts that comprise the publishing industry and make savvy choices

Register online: http://www.laurelbookstore.com/event/where-are-you-your-writers-journey $25.00 SKU: EVENT828

I cheer for you!

Reach out, not stress out. I wish you a joyful writer’s journey!

Sincerely,

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan
http://WritingCoachTeresa.com
youtube.com/user/TeresaLeYung
http://LoveMadeOfHeart.com/blog

Teresa LeYung-Ryan here wishing you “Happy writing, rewriting, and building your name!” I am teaming up with Valerie Haynes Perry and Luan Stauss to deliver a new version of  my workshop “Where Are You On Your Writer’s Journey?” I remember having fun conducting my monthly class at Boadecia’s Books (I am thinking of you, angel Suzanne Corson) and I am excited now to collaborate with Valerie and Luan.

Please tell your writer-friends about:

Where are YOU on YOUR WRITER’S JOURNEY?

Sunday, August 28^th , 2016,  2:00pm-5:00pm

Laurel Book Store, 1423 Broadway, near the 12th St. BART station in Oakland

COST:  $25.00 with a capacity for 20 writers

Sign up by Wed, Aug. 24^th http://www.laurelbookstore.com/event/where-are-you-your-writers-journey

Valerie Haynes Perry, Teresa LeYung-Ryan, Luan Stauss - photo by artist Teresa Norris

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I cheer for YOU!

Sincerely,

Writers’ Fanbase-Building Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan says: “Make your name stand for something—to attract target consumers who are likely to buy what you have to sell. Reach out, not stress out. Rewrite for theme’s sake. Enjoy your writer’s journey.”

Watch Teresa’s television interview and read her blog http://WritingCoachTeresa.com

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

***

The novel:  Love Made of Heart: a Daughter Finds Herself Through Witnessing Her Mother’s Mental Illness

http://WritingCoachTeresa.com
https://www.youtube.com/user/TeresaLeYung
http://LoveMadeOfHeart.com/BLOG/

 

 

Find booksellers in your area http://www.indiebound.org and visit them!

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Author & Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan celebrates Independent Bookstore Day/California Bookstore Day

May 2, 2015, 4:30pm at Laurel Book Store

http://www.laurelbookstore.com/event/independent-bookstore-day

http://cabookstoreday.com says:  Just what does IBD celebrate?

Independent bookstores are not just stores, they’re community centers and local anchors run by passionate readers. They are entire universes of ideas that contain the possibility of real serendipity. They are lively performance spaces and quiet places where aimless perusal is a day well spent.

Cheers to booksellers and all book lovers!

Sincerely,

Teresa LeYung-Ryan

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

author of the novel Love Made of Heart: a Daughter, a Mother, a Journey Through Mental Illness (used in college courses and archived at the San Francisco History Center)

http://WritingCoachTeresa.com   

https://www.youtube.com/user/teresaleyung

Heart2Heart – this specialty Toastmasters club explores communication of all kinds.

• Tell a friend

• Saturday, October 11, 2014

  6:30 PM–to 8:30 PM

• St. Paul’s Towers

  100 Bay Place , Oakland, CA (map)

Guest speaker Mary E. Knippel says:

• Cynthia S.

  I agree Patricia! Mary is a great story teller and writing mentor and I’m excited to hear her speak at our club.

  See you soon (^_^)

• Patricia F.

  Mary Knippel is an amazing story teller and writing mentor. I’ve enjoyed working with her professionally.

• Emily W.

  Sounds like an amazing speaker! Looking forward to seeing everyone!

   

Cheers to Mary E. Knippel http://yourwritingmentor.com and Everyone at Heart2Heart Toastmasters club !

Sincerely,

Coach Teresa

http://writingcoachTeresa.com

Fanbase-Building Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan helps writers transform email signature blocks, photos, website descriptions, and YouTube videos into platform statements . . . before and after publication.

Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW. Click here for print edition. Click here for Kindle edition. “Reach out, not stress out.”

Author Teresa LeYung-Ryan celebrates 12th anniversary of  Love Made of Heart – the novel she uses to encourage adult children of mentally ill parents to speak openly about the stigmas.

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

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New Ways to Read: eMaterials, Libraries, and the Digital Divide

 Saturday, August 2nd, 2014,  2:00–4:00 pm

at Rockridge Branch Library, 5366 College Avenue, Oakland
Speaker: Sharon McKellar, Librarian

Are you curious to know how libraries add eBooks to their collections? Have you heard of OVERDRIVE? Do you wonder which readers are digital and which aren’t? Come to our kick-off meeting of the program year and find out! Mix and mingle after the talk, snacks provided. FREE to members and guests. Please RSVP at http://wnba-sfchapter.org/new-ways-read-ematerials-libraries-digital-divide/

Sharon McKellar, Oakland Public Librarian will speak about new ways to read, including eBooks, downloadable audiobooks, and online reading and will give insight into what types of books (genre, age range etc.) get more use digitally. She will also address impacts these new “reading technologies” have on libraries, librarians, and a population with uneven access to digital resources and will shed light on how libraries are facing these impacts, both good and bad.  Following the talk there will be time for questions.

Sharon McKellar has been a librarian with the Oakland Public Library since 2003, serving as a children’s librarian, a branch manager, and currently as the Community Relations Librarian.  She is a reader, a writer, and an excited member of the 2015 Caldecott Selection Committee.

Rockridge Branch Library, 5366 College Avenue, Oakland, CA  94618 (510) 597-5017
(Close to BART, AC Transit, metered and free parking)

WNBA-SF Chapter Invites Librarian Sharon McKellar to speak about the Digital Divide -new ways to read, including eBooks, downloadable audiobooks, and online reading

Author and 22-Day Fanbase-Building Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan
http://writingcoachTeresa.com

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Saturday, April 5, 2014, 2:00-400pm Environmental Poetry for the Soul -   Oakland, CA

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Cheers to Joan Gelfand, all poets, National Poetry Month, our Environment, and our souls!

Sincerely,

22-Day Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

http://writingcoachTeresa.com 

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

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

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

Writing Coach Teresa says: “2 events to celebrate the environment, our souls and National Poetry Month!”

Saturday, April 5, 2014, 2:00-400pm Environmental Poetry for the Soul -   Oakland, CA

April 9, 2014, 7:00pm Less Stress and More Success – Climbing the Sacred Ladder!    San Rafael, CA

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  http://www.penoakland.com/

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Less Stress and More Success

learn how by Climbing the Sacred Ladder!

April 9, 2014 , 7:00 PM

OPEN SECRET Book Store

923 C Street  (between 3rd & 4th)

San Rafael, CA 94901

Shulamit Sofia MSW, social entrepreneur, college professor, artist and writer is dedicated to support you to have more Love, Joy, Peace and Purpose in your life. After  establishing a program to help over 250,000 children in orphanages and war zones find more safety and security, she founded Soul Strength Seminars to teach the same principles to people wanting to reach their soul goals.

http://www.soulstrengthseminars.com/ or call (415) 448-6041

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Cheers to Everyone, National Poetry Month, our Environment, and our souls!

Sincerely,

22-Day Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

http://writingcoachTeresa.com 

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

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

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

**

Kim McMillon’s “Writers On Writing” event energizes, inspires, delights panelists and audience!

• Playwright and Arts In the Valley radio host Kim McMillon

• Award-winning Australian author and journalist Stephanie Dale will help authors find their inner voice as writers

• Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan will define “writer’s platform” and guide audience in an exercise to identify their fans, brands, and write their platform-statements (for authors of fiction and nonfiction, before and after publication ).
  

• Author and columnist Yolande Barial will demonstrate the importance of finding your passion

• Author and educator Joan Gelfand will deconstruct the process of getting published

• Poet and composer Judith Cody will discuss how to write for and publish an anthology

What else do Joan Gelfand, Yolande Barial and Teresa LeYung-Ryan have in common?  They are proud members of Women’s National Book Association-San Francisco Chapter!

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writers' platform-building coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan says: "Reach out, not stress out, to materialize your dearest dreams!"

Writers’ Platform-Building Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan . . . energized from being with writers today at Rockridge Library, Oakland, CA.

"Writers On Writing" panelists Teresa LeYung-Ryan, Joan Gelfand, producer Kim McMillon, Judith Cody, Stephanie Dale and Yolande Barial -- photo by Dave Peterson

Writers' Platform-Building Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan asks "What do fans do for you?"

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.”

Start with:  “I care about . . . ”

Example: (as a writer of fiction, narrative nonfiction, including memoirs )

I am Teresa LeYung-Ryan, author of Love Made of Heart.  I care about helping adult-children (of mentally-ill parents) speak openly about the stigmas and find resources for their loved ones.

Example: (as a writer of prescriptive nonfiction  a.k.a. “how to” )

I am Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan, author of Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days.  I care about helping writers thrive in today’s publishing arena.

Your Turn:

Click on the blue title bar of this post so that you see the full post and empty boxes.
Please broadcast to my fans what you care about (themes you write about) by filling in the boxes:
•    your name; email address (you must have an email address in order to submit comments to a blog post)
•    your website address (you don’t have to have a website address to submit comments, but, do get one if you don’t already have one…my workbook shows you how to get a free site and what to do with it);
•    compose your comment ( copy your comment and save it for future use)
•    when you’re satisfied with your composition, click the “submit comment” button. Voila!
I will receive a notification that there’s a new comment waiting for me to moderate and publish.

Playwright and Arts In the Valley radio host Kim McMillon with Pat Lichter, Rockridge Branch Manager, Oakland Public Library

A room full of courageous writers at "Writers on Writing" (produced by Kim McMillon) at Oakland Library, Rockridge Branch, on 14 July 2012--photo by Writing Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

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Dear Kim McMillon, thank you so much for having orchestrated the “Writers On Writing” panel.  Thank you, Rockridge Branch Manager Pat Lichter & Reggie!

Yours truly (Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan) had sooo much fun with Kim and fellow-panelists Yolande Barial, Joan Gelfand, Judith Cody, Stephanie Dale (from Australia!).  Seeing talented friends in the audience– Lori Overgaard Noack, Laurel Anne Hill, Sally, Rosie, D.C., Lakshmi Kerner, and all the brave writers in the room– made my heart sing!

Poet & Columnist Yolande Barial, Writers' Platform-Building Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan, and "My Video Talk" Rep. Lakshmi Kerner

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Teresa LeYung-Ryan, Kim McMillon, Sally Faubion, Rosie, Yolande Barial, Linda Messick, Judith Cody cheer for writers and readers --photo by Paradise

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Award-winning Australian author and journalist Stephanie Dale (My Pilgrim's Heart) chats with artist Wanda Sabir at "Writers On Writing"

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Writing Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan with Cynthia Johnson-Colston (children's stories) at "Writers on Writing"

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Author Laurel Anne Hill (Heroes Arise) and Sally cheer for writers and readers at "Writers on Writing" July 14, 2012

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Author and educator Joan Gelfand inspires writers by deconstructing the process of getting published with the 4 Cs: craft; commitment; community; confidence -- photo by Dave Peterson

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Poet and columnist Yolande Barial uses humor and frankness to inspire writers at "Writers on Writing" produced by Kim McMillon - photo by Dave Peterson

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producer Kim McMillon introduces poet and composer Judith Cody at "Writers on Writing" photo by Dave Peterson

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Davida with poet/columnist Yolande Barial, artist Wanda Sabir and playwright/Arts In the Valley radio host Kim McMillon cheer for all writers at "Writers On Writing" -- photo by Writer's Platform-Building Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

courageous writers Kerry Messer and Molly Anne Messer show up at Kim McMillon's "Writers On Writing" -- photo by Writers' Platform-Building Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

Writers who filled out my evaluation forms (thank you!), I’ll be emailing you more writer’s platform-building coaching tips.

Please send me facebook Friend’s Request so that we can connect and you can access photos from today’s “Writers On Writing”

Sincerely,

Writers’ Platform-Building Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

http://writingcoachteresa.com

Coach Teresa says: “I love helping writers build their platforms and published authors fortify theirs with individualized coaching.”

As coach and author of Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW, she advices: “Make your name synonymous with the issues you write about.”

Teresa has built her own platform happily; her novel Love Made of Heart and her short play Answer Me Now carry the theme closest to her heart: mother-daughter relationship.

Teresa LeYung-Ryan helps clients identify themes, universal archetypes, front-story and back-story in their manuscripts.

Tomorrow, Saturday, July 14, 2012, noon to 2:00pm, while I (Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan) will be on the “Writers on Writing” panel at Oakland Public Library, Rockridge Branch, 5366 College Avenue, Oakland, CA with Kim McMillon, Yolande Barial, Joan Gelfand, Stephanie Dale, and Judith Cody . . .

Margie Yee Webb, author of Cat Mulan’s Mindful Musings, will be at California State Fair . . .

and Joanna W. Biggar, author of That Paris Year, will be speaking in Sacramento, CA. While visiting Joanna’s blog, I found her post about another  colleague – Cara Black! http://joannabiggar.org/2012/03/10/cara-black-and-my-own-paris-noir/

I met Joanna at Book Passage, Ferry Building, San Francisco on July 9, 2012 when I was interviewing Carol Sheldon, author of Mother Lode, who was being honored by Left Coast Writers.

That got me thinking about  SheWrites.com and Jodi O’Donnell-Ames, founder of Hope Loves Company and author Judith Marshall.

www.shewrites.com

Q: Who can be a member of SHE WRITES?

A: We welcome individuals who consider themselves writers!  You don’t need to be a published, professional writer, but most of our members are, or aspire to become so.  When you fill out your profile, please use a name rather than a business.  We prefer first and last names, but we understand if there’s a good reason you need to use a pseudonym.

Businesses: We will not approve businesses as members.  We do not allow unapproved vending on SHE WRITES.  If you wish to promote your services to the writers on the site, there are a few options: 1) advertise with us 2) pitch our SHE NEEDS HELP team, and we will consider promoting you on a case-by-case basis. See our terms of use for further clarification.

Men: We welcome men.  Our reasoning is twofold: 1) legal2) philosophical.  We would not want to be excluded from a site called HE WRITES because of our sex or gender.

While looking up Women On Writing, the annual conference held at Skyline College in San Bruno, CA, I came across Wild Writing Women.

Oh how I love being Coach Teresa!

I cheer for writers & readers (women and men, teens and children)!

Sincerely,

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

http://writingcoachteresa.com

Coach Teresa says: “I love helping writers build their platforms and published authors fortify theirs with individualized coaching.”

As coach and author of Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW, she advices: “Make your name synonymous with the issues you write about.”

Teresa has built her own platform happily; her novel Love Made of Heart and her short play Answer Me Now carry the theme closest to her heart: mother-daughter relationship.

Teresa LeYung-Ryan helps clients identify themes, universal archetypes, front-story and back-story in their manuscripts.