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Burning the Midnight Oil Book Zine - a FR*E*E monthly ezine for writing parents. ******************************************************************* You are receiving this e-zine because you subscribed through e-mail. Unsubscribe information is below. ******************************************************************* TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. WELCOME NOTES 2. QUOTES FOR THE MONTH 3. EDITOR'S ARTICLE: BOOK REVIEW: THE WELL-FED WRITER: BACK FOR SECONDS by Peter Bowerman Reviewed By DAWN COLCLASURE 4. CONTEST CORNER 5. ADVERTISEMENTS 6. GUEST ARTICLE: 10 KEYS TO COPY THAT SELLS By: Alexandria K. Brown 7. BOOK EXCERPT: THE WELL-FED WRITER: BACK FOR SECONDS by Peter Bowerman 8. MARKETS 9. INDUSTRY INTERVIEW 10. BOOK GIVEAWAY??”Check out this GREAT offer!!! 11. WHAT??™S UP WITH THE BOOK??™S WRITERS 12. BOOK NEWS 13. POETRY SECTION 14. SITES SITED 15. FREEBIE CORNER 16. WRITING PARENT TIPS FOR AUGUST 17. SUBMISSION GUIDELINES 18. UNSUBSCRIBE INSTRUCTIONS ******************************************************************* Welcome Notes Hello, Everyone! Welcome to another issue of the Burning the Midnight Oil Book Zine! As always, feel free to E-mail me anytime at BurningMidnightOil@mail2world.com with comments, suggestions or just to plain chat. Once again, please accept my apologies for getting this to you so late. I??™m taking this as a sign that maybe, just maybe, running the E-zine on the 15th of every month isn??™t too much of a good idea. I may have two deadlines looming at the first of each month, but perhaps I??™d do well to take advantage of that ???must-meet-deadlines!??? mode and work on my E-zine, as well. What this means is that the next issue will be coming to you earlier in September. Ideally, that would be the first of the month, but I??™ll see if I can fit it in for a first-of-the-month deadline and, if so, that??™s the date I??™ll continue with. This issue offers you something a little different from me: A book review. I normally write book reviews for Crescent Blues E??™Magazine (http://crescentblues.com/), but somebody else over there beat me to reviewing Peter Bowerman??™s second, inspiring book, THE WELL-FED WRITER: BACK FOR SECONDS. I have read and re-read both books and they are definitely something every SERIOUS commercial writer should keep close by. And Peter was kind enough to offer two WHOPPER of a deals to my E-zine readers; be sure to check beneath the review AND his book excerpt to see what it??™s about! Also check out this month??™s book giveaway, where TWO lucky readers will have the chance to score a signed copy of Peter??™s book!! (I wouldn??™t part with MY signed copy for anything!!) You??™ll also get to read an excellent article by ???E-zine Queen??? Alexandria K. Brown. She??™ll show you ten tips on how to write great copy that sells! AND THE WINNER IS ??¦ Last time around, readers had a chance to win a FREE paperback copy of Peter Straub??™s novel, LOST BOY, LOST GIRL. Congratulations to SHAUNNA PRIVRATSKY for winning this book! It will be mailed to her ASAP! Don??™t forget to check out this month??™s giveaway!! Enjoy this issue! Hugs, Dawn Colclasure Editor and Publisher http://dmcwriter.tripod.com/ ******************************************************************* Quotes for the Month "Headlines have always been and will always be the most important section in any copy. They are the first thing to get read and have the greatest impact on whether any of the other copy gets read."--Karon Thackston, http://tinyurl.com/exn6v "Write your website copy as if you are writing a how-to booklet or a news release."--Joe Vitale, http://tinyurl.com/dxswy "You may have a great product, but your copy must be effective enough to make its case and present its offer in an irresistibly compelling way."--Michel Fortin, http://www.aceofwebs.co.uk/copywritersmistake.htm "Once you have their interest and attention you have to hold onto it. Telling short interesting or personal stories in your ad copy can hold that attention."--Elizabeth McGee, http://tinyurl.com/budc8 "Confidence in your copywriting abilities is a must. If you??™re not adamant you can produce the results the client is after, you??™ll never be able to convince the client."--Glenn Murray, http://tinyurl.com/alx65 ???Stay up-to-date on copywriting styles and learn from others who already have successful copywriting businesses.?????”Alica Seba, http://tinyurl.com/do48p ******************************************************************* EDITOR??™S ARTICLE BOOK REVIEW: THE WELL FED WRITER: BACK FOR SECONDS by Peter Bowerman Copyright 2005 by: Dawn Colclasure The Well-Fed Writer: Back For Seconds by Peter Bowerman Fanove Publishing, Softcover, 284 ppg., 2004 Reviewed by: Dawn Colclasure Serious commercial writers and wannabe commercial writers take note: Peter Bowerman has written a book that will forever change the way you see your chosen field. You can??™t put this book down without feeling a creative spark or just a little more self-confidence in your ability to succeed. Reading his book is like having a long, friendly conversation with someone who knows the ins and outs of commercial writing; he??™s seen it, done it and did it again. He will show you the world of commercial writing through testimonies from other copywriters, articles by writers such as Lisa Sparks and Mary Anne Hahn, and samples of letters and forms. With 95% new content, BACK FOR SECONDS is a true companion volume to THE WELL-FED WRITER. It builds on the original with dramatically expanded sections on sales, marketing (including by your own web site), and cold calling, demystifying subjects often terrifying to ???creative types.??? The book features dozens of firsthand accounts from commercial writers across the spectrum, sharing insights on building the business in ways and under circumstances very different than those described by the author in his first book. That includes small market and part-time business startup, along with freelance opps with not-for-profits, little-known corporate avenues, universities, the BIG small-medium-sized business segment and other unusual niches. It'll be a rare writer who can't identify with SOMEONE in the book. And it's all wrapped up with six meaty appendices (90+ pages). A successful commercial writer worth his salt, Peter took the commercial writing world by the horns in 1993, saying goodbye to a sales career that made him decent money but never made him happy. Still working from the comfort of home after 12 years, he's thoroughly enjoying the creative work mix of lucrative commercial writing projects (www.copywriter.pro) and keeping his self-publishing empire healthy and thriving (www.wellfedwriter.com). Yes, that's how he publishes his books, hence the subject of his upcoming 2006 release, THE WELL-FED SELF-PUBLISHER: HOW TO TURN ONE BOOK INTO A FULL-TIME LIVING. My favorite chapter in this book is Chapter 12, where Peter talks about how writing better brings in more money, how exactly to pull that off and the steps to writing for the Internet. But move on down a little to Chapter 13, where he writes: ???You build self-esteem by stretching yourself, by reaching beyond what??™s comfortable, by taking chances and ultimately succeeding at something. And then doing that over and over again. That??™s real. And more importantly, it??™s a foundation you can build on. Whatever you feared, you faced and overcame. That fear can never wield the same power over you again. On to the next obstacle??face it and you step up higher yet, rising up on the backs of your slain dragons. And it??™s from fears vanquished through achievements that the clouds of doubt clear and greater peaks (possibilities) come into view. And it??™s from repeating this process again and again that we build a life worth living.??? (Page 194) Further along, Peter walks you through the nuts and bolts of starting your commercial writing business, understanding taxes and how to get the health insurance that??™s right for you. While listed as a ???companion volume??? to THE WELL-FED WRITER, you don??™t need to read the first one to benefit. Given a choice, THE WELL-FED WRITER: BACK FOR SECONDS arms you with everything you need to know to take the commercial writing world by storm. For more details including sample chapter, Table of Contents, testimonials, and ordering instructions, visit. http://www.wellfedwriter.com/bfs.shtml. And Peter's offering my readers 10% off either book (the same discount offered to AWAI members) when purchased through the special links below. For all US orders, that means FREE shipping, your choice of a FREE e-book bonus, and the 10% off! And while on his site, sign up for his free monthly ezine, the critically acclaimed WELL-FED E-PUB. http://www.wellfedwriter.com/orderbfsawai.shtml (Back For Seconds) http://www.wellfedwriter.com/ordertwfwawai.shtml (The Well-Fed Writer) *** Dawn Colclasure edits and publishes the Burning the Midnight Oil Book Zine, which is a product of her book: BURNING THE MIDNIGHT OIL: How We Survive as Writing Parents (Booklocker). She is also a poetry editor for Skyline E-Magazine, contributing writer to the newspaper SIGNews and a staff writer for the Web site, The Shadowlands. She??™s been published both on and off the Web, in magazines such as Mothering and American Fitness, and Web sites such as Absolute Write, Writing Etc. and Writing World. Visit her on the Web at http://dmcwriter.tripod.com/ . ******************************************************************* CONTEST CORNER THE 2005 DANIEL SINGER PRIZE: $5,000 In keeping with Daniel Singer's thesis that the promise of socialism remains the last best hope for humanity, The Daniel Singer Prize Foundation (http://www.danielsinger.org/oldprize.html) invites submissions for the 2005 Prize, to be awarded for an original essay of not more than 5,000 words exploring the following question: In the struggle for socialism, what should be done to attain and sustain equality and justice? What should we mean by equality and justice? Essays may be in any language and should be based on fresh, concrete ideas rather than on Utopian dreams. They will be judged by an international panel of distinguished scholars. The winner will be announced in December 2005 and will be invited to deliver a public lecture on the essay. Submissions must be delivered not later than August 31, 2005, to: The Daniel Singer Millennium Prize Foundation, P.O. Box 334, Sherman, CT 06784. *** GRITLIT SHORT STORY CONTEST We are accepting submissions of original, unpublished short stories (2,500 words max). Winning entries will appear on the gritLIT website and be read at the festival. Cash prizes will also be awarded: First Place - $250 CDN Second Place - $100 CDN Third Place - $50 CDN A $20 CDN entry fee will help support the gritLIT Literary Festival. Entry fee is $20 for the first story, $5 for each additional story. Please make cheque or money order payable to gritLIT. All entries must be postmarked no later than September 15th, 2005, and addressed: GritLit Short Story Contest 310 Crerar Drive Hamilton, ON Canada L9A 5B6 For complete contest guidelines, please visit www.gritlit.ca. 2005 gritLIT Poetry Contest The gritLIT festival, in Hamilton, ON, is offering a unique and rare opportunity for poets to compete against their peers in a tiered competition. The gritLIT poetry contest has two categories: Published Poets and Unpublished Poets. The same prize money will be awarded in each category. Poems must be about the City of Hamilton, must contain the word ???grit???, and must be structured according to one of the following formats: Sonnet Rondeau Ballad Villanelle Blank Verse Sestina Ghazal Poets need not reside in Hamilton. All are welcome to enter. Entries must be postmarked no later than September 15th, 2005. Prizes are as follow: $250 for first place, $100 for second place, $50 for third place. Winning poems will also be read at the gritLIT festival in Hamilton, ON (November 4th-6th, 2005) and posted on the gritLIT website. Entry fee is $20 for the first three poems, $5 for each additional poem. Please make cheque or money order payable to gritLIT. Entries should be sent to: gritLIT Poetry Contest 310 Crerar Drive Hamilton, ON L9A 5B6 For full contest guidelines and submission format, please visit us at www.gritlit.ca *** August 31, 2005 OnceWritten.com "In the Midnight Hour" Halloween Fiction Contest - CALL FOR ENTRIES Enter your best horror/halloween short story in this annual contest designed specifically for new and emerging writers. The entry fee is $10,and the best story will win $500 as well as being published on the website, and in the monthly "Off the Press" newsletter. For more information visit, http://www.oncewritten.com/Contests/MidnightHour.htm August 31, 2005 OnceWritten.com Summer Poetry Contest - CALL FOR ENTRIES This no-limits poetry contest is seeking submissions from new and emerging authors. Enter your unpublished poetry in this small, but growing poetry contest. The entry fee is $10, and the best poem will win $500 as well as being published on the website, and in the monthly "Off the Press" newsletter. For more information visit, http://www.oncewritten.com/Contests/PoetryContest.htm ******************************************************************* ADVERTISEMENTS EDITOR??™S NOTE: You??™ll get a chance to read my inspiring interview with Michelle in Volume 2 of BURNING THE MIDNIGHT OIL: How We Survive as Writing Parents! FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For Additional Information: Michelle Dunn Never Dunn Publishing LLC 603-744-9427 michelle@michelledunn.com How to Write a Credit Policy for your Business Plymouth, NH - New book says it??™s different for every business. According to a new book by Michelle Dunn, writing a credit policy is a daunting task but if you don??™t have one, it can cost you sales. The book, ???Become the Squeaky Wheel,??? by New Hampshire author Michelle Dunn, says the different ways people use and extend credit makes or breaks your credit policy and bottom line, which could result in less or more sales and money for your business. ???Business owners all have different types of businesses but can all extend credit,??? explains Michelle Dunn. ???So it should only make sense that no two credit polices can be the same.??? Dunn explains that one major difference is if you have a service or retail business. Your credit policy should use multiple facets to cater to prospective customers but also protect the business owner. ???You are limited in what you can and can??™t ask a prospective customer in order to extend them credit,??? says Dunn. ???Business owners need to be aware of what these questions are and what the laws are before they create their credit policy.??? Your credit policy helps to filter customers so you don??™t have to spend your time chasing your money. Your best policy will be short, easy and to the point, it will avoid long-winded statements and a lot of legal or big words. Always create your forms with the reader in mind, the easier and clearer the better. Michelle Dunn has over 17 years experience in credit and debt collection. She is the founder of Never Dunn Publishing, LLC, is a writer, consultant and the Editorial Advisor for Eli Financial Debt Collection Compliance Alert Newsletter. Michelle started M.A.D. Collection Agency and ran is successfully for 7 years. She also owns and runs Credit & Collections.com, an online community for credit and business professionals. She has written 5 books in her Collecting Money Series She is currently writing a book for the Streetwise Series, part of the Adams Media Corporation. In addition to writing and marketing her books, Michelle moderates and runs Credit & Collections.com and was a member of The American Collectors Association for 9 years. ### All the best, Michelle Dunn http://www.michelledunn.com & http://www.credit-and-collections.com Author of: "How to Make Money Collecting Money, Starting a Collection Agency", "Become the Squeaky Wheel, A Credit and Collections Guide for Everyone" and more books in the Collecting Money Series. http://tinyurl.com/8vcnx *** Marathon Teleclass: "Use your Speaking and Writing to Take your Book and Business from OK to Booming" Wed. August 31, 2005 Time: 11AM-12:30PM pacific time Investment: no charge Join myself and Sandra Schrift, speech coach, for one and a half hours of fully-packed, useful information! How to Register: Just go to my Web site www.bookcoaching.com/teleclasses.shtml. Here's some sample questions you can bring to this complimentary 85-minute teleclass, of course you can bring your own too: -What is the best way to market my business? -How can I create steady cash flow each month? -Is Internet marketing better than traditional? -What are the primary benefits of writing and submitting articles? -What are the first steps in promoting my business online? -How much time will it take to learn Internet marketing? -I don't have time-who can do it for me? -How much money will it take to do profitable marketing? -What do you mean by the big 3 marketing machine? -Are key words important for upleveling my search engine placement? -What about free information? What to give, what to sell? -How can I brand myself as the expert in my field? Note: You will be sent teleclass bridge number 3 days before we meet. Long distance fees are less than $5 ====YOUR BENEFITS - Get targeted traffic to your Web site so you can sell your products or services - Brand yourself and your business as the expert - Establish trust and credibility online - Get listed on 100's of others' Web sites to boost your search engine placement - Learn which key words to include to optimize your search engine position - Learn the #1 internet marketing method without spending a penny - Increase your ezine subscribers dramatically - Increase product sales - Give your customers what they want - free information! P.S. If you email me your questions this week I'll be sure they get answered.. ====Bring your own questions or these to the teleclass to motivate, inform, and provide clarity on your next step to marketing your product or service. OPTIONS: NO TIME TO COME? GET JUDY'S SECRETS IN HER EBOOKS Two Books ($40.95) for only $30--Offer good until Sept 30, 04. Get my discounted EBook "The Fast & Cheap Way to Explode Targeted Web Traffic" $30.00 normally. I'll include at the back of the book a bonus eBook "How to Submit Articles to Top Web Sites--Step by Step--sells for$10.95. Both Books full of ePublisher's email addresses (Judy did 80 hrs. research on these) - Receive 80+ article resource ezines to post your articles. - Receive 80+ plus Web sites to post your articles Plus directions how to take advantage of the #1 way to Market--Writing and Submitting Articles. ===== Why Spend Time or Money with Judy? ====Follow Judy's 4-Year Success: -Raised Web book sales from $75 to $3000 (8 mo) over $4500 in 2004.Over $5000 in 2005. -Increased book and Internet coaching clients from 7 to 17 in two months. -Increased search engine placement to # 1 in Google, Yahoo and 35 others . Still number 1 in 2005 with "bookcoaching." -Increased ezine subscribers 15-25 a day (total 4000) -Increased contacts from email (on email list-.now over 4000) -Published articles and tips-over 185 articles and 200 tips in over 31,000 web sites -Listed on 31,000 Web sites with a hyperlink back to my Web site where I sell my services and products ===PRAISE FROM OTHERS What really impressed me about this teleclass "Quadruple Online Sales inFour Months with Free Articles" is that I can make $3000 plus a month if I follow Judy's advice. -Craig Jennings -cjenning@optonline.net Judy, even though I have submitted many articles online you taught me how to make them more concise and sparkling. While on the teleconference call, I found 11 "ands" in just one of my articles. A big thanks! -Wayne Perkins - www.wayneperkins.net Taking your class, reading your e-books, and coaching with you have really lita fire under me. I put my fanny on the chair, my hands on the keys, Pizza Hut on speed dial and the family on notice not to bug me, and Ihave written four special reports to sell at the conference! Thanks for your inspiration and guidance. - Judy H. Wright - www.ArtichokePress.com Hope to see you there, you will get two coaches on the call, myself and Sandra Schrift, speech coach. =============== Judy Cullins, 20-year Book and Internet Marketing Coach works with small business people who want to make a difference in people's lives, build their credibility and clients, and make a consistent life-long income. Judy is author of 10 eBooks including Write your eBook or Other Short Book Fast, Ten Non-Techie Ways to Market Your Book Online, The Fast and Cheap Way to Explode Your Targeted Web Traffic, and Power Writing for Web Sites That Sell. She offers free help through her 2 monthly ezines, "The BookCoach Says...," "Business Tip of the Month," blog Q & A at www.bookcoaching.com and over 185 free articles. =============== Email her at Judy@bookcoaching.com. Phone: 619/466-0622 -- Orders: 866/200-9743 ******************************************************************* GUEST ARTICLE 10 Keys to Copy That Sells! by Alexandria K. Brown, "The E-zine Queen" Whether you're selling a product or service, the 10 tips below are your keys to writing great copy that communicates and persuades ... to get results! These guidelines can apply to Web copy, e-mail, sales letters, brochures, direct mail, and more. As long as your goal is to elicit a reaction from your reader, you've come to the right place. 1. Be reader-centered, not writer-centered. Many ads, brochures, and Web sites talk endlessly on and on about how great Headlines have always been and will always be the most important section in any copy. They are the first thing to get read and have the greatest impact on whether any of the other copy gets read.their products and companies are. Hello? Customer, anyone? Think of your reader thinking, "What's in it for me?" If you can, talk with some of your current customers and ask them 1) why they chose you, and 2) what they get out of your product or service. TIP: To instantly make your copy more reader-focused, insert the word "you" often. 2. Focus on the benefits -- not just the features. The fact that your product or service offers a lot of neat features is great, but what do they DO for your customer? Do they save her time or money? Give her peace of mind? Raise her image to a certain status? Here's an example: If you go buy a pair of Gucci sunglasses, you're not just looking for good UV protection. You're buying the sleek, stylish Gucci look. So that's what Gucci sells. You don't see their ads talk about how well made their sunglasses are. Think about what your customers are REALLY looking for. Now, what does an insurance broker sell? Policies? Nope -- peace of mind. (See? You've got it.) 3. Draw them in with a killer headline. The first thing your reader sees can mean the difference between success and failure. Today's ads are chock full of clever headlines that play on words. They're cute, but most of them aren't effective. There are many ways to get attention in a headline, but it's safest to appeal to your reader's interests and concerns. And again, remember to make it reader centered -- no one gives a hoot about your company. Bad: "SuccessCorp Creates Amazing New Financial Program" Better: "Turn Your Finances Around in 30 Days!" 4. Use engaging subheads. Like mini-headlines, subheads help readers quickly understand your main points by making the copy "skimmable." Because subheads catch readers" eyes, you should use them to your benefit! Read through your copy for your main promotional points, then summarize the ideas as subheads. To make your subheads engaging, it's important to include action or selling elements. Bad: "Our Department's Successes." Better: "Meet Five Clients Who Saved $10K With Us." 5. Be conversational. Write to your customers like you'd talk to them. Don't be afraid of using conversational phrases such as "So what's next?" or "Here's how do we do this." Avoid formality and use short, easy words. Why? Even if you think it can't possibly be misunderstood, a few people will still be confused. Plus, being conversational helps prospects feel like they can trust you more. 6. Nix the jargon. Avoid industry jargon and buzzwords -- stick to the facts and the benefits. An easy way to weed out jargon is to think of dear old Mom reading your copy. Would she get it? If not, clarify and simplify. (This rule, of course, varies, depending on who your target audience is. For a business audience, you should upscale your words to what they're used to. In some industries, buzzwords are crucial. Just make sure your points don't get muddled in them!) 7. Keep it brief and digestible. No one has time to weed through lengthy prose these days. The faster you convey your product or service's benefits to the reader, the more likely you'll keep her reading. Fire your "biggest gun" first by beginning with your biggest benefit -- if you put it toward the end of your copy, you risk losing the reader before she gets to it. Aim for sentence lengths of less than 20 words. When possible, break up copy with subheads (see no. 4), bullets, numbers, or em dashes (like the one following this phrase) -- these make your points easy to digest. 8. Use testimonials when possible. Let your prospects know they won't be the first to try you. Give results-oriented testimonials from customers who have benefited immensely from your product or service. Oh, and never give people's initials only -- it reminds me of those ads in the back of magazines with headlines like "L0se 50 P0unds in 3 Days!" Give people's full names with their titles and companies (or towns and states of residence) -- and be sure to get their permission first. 9. Ask for the order! Tell your reader what you want her to do -- don't leave her hanging. Do you want her to call you or e-mail you for more information? 0rder n0w? Call to schedule a free consultation? Complete a brief survey? Think about what you'd most like her to do, and then ask her. It's amazing how many marketing materials I come across every day that don't make it clear what the reader should do. If you wrote interesting copy, your reader may forget you're trying to sell something. Tell her what to do, and she'll be more likely to do it. 10. Have your copy proofread! Good. Now have it proofread again. Don't risk printing any typos, misspellings, or grammatical mistakes that will represent your company as amateurs. Hire a professional editor or proofreader to clean up your work. Remember, you only get one chance to make a first impession! Oops -- impression. ?© 2001-2005 Alexandria K. Brown Online entrepreneur Alexandria K. Brown, "The E-zine Queen," is creator of the award-winning 'Boost Business With Your Own E-zine' system. To learn more about this step-by-step program, and to sign up for her FREE how-to articles and FREE audio class, visit http://www.EzineQueen.com ******************************************************************* BOOK EXCERPT The Well-Fed Writer: Back For Seconds A Second Helping of How-To For Any Writer Dreaming of Great Bucks and Exceptional Quality of Life Fanove Publishing (2005) ISBN: 09670598-5-2 www.wellfedwriter.com http://www.wellfedwriter.com/books.shtml Muzzling the Menacing ???Marketing??? Monster Tame Your Marketing Fears and Build Your Business! By Peter Bowerman (Excerpted from The Well-Fed Writer: Back For Seconds; Fanove 2005). Whenever I give talks to ???creative??? types, I love watching the reaction when I initiate the ???marketing??? discussion. Dozens of sets of eyes all calculating the distance between their seats and the door. Brows furrow. Throats gulp. Teeth practically chatter. Okay, enough already. It??™s just not that bad. Let??™s establish what marketing is, and just as importantly, what it isn??™t. I humbly offer up my simple definition of marketing: Successful marketing of a freelance commercial writing business is simply letting prospective clients know you??™re out there ??“ on a consistent basis, in a variety of ways, and with a message they can hear through the clutter. If you can effectively reach enough of the people who can hire you, and you do that until you have as much work as you want, and then repeat the process (with good results) whenever you don??™t have work, I say you??™re a successful marketer. More good news: Once you??™re in the game, it??™s simply a matter of employing the same proven strategies over and over again. Simple. Not necessarily easy, but simple. And none of it is beyond the capability of any reasonably intelligent human. Now, add in the power of the Internet. This single technological marvel can so dramatically streamline and simplify your marketing efforts, it??™ll take your breath away. What Marketing ISN??™T Marketing on this level isn??™t some arcane, wildly esoteric and obscure puzzle that only reveals itself to Harvard or Wharton graduates after exhaustive, mind-numbing research and analysis. Sure, that kind of marketing does exist, replete with all the vernacular: demographics, psychographics, market share, etc. And for all intents and purposes, it only comes into play with much larger companies, not one-person freelance shops. That??™s that. This is this. And ne??™er the twain need ever meet. So relax. You??™re Driving National catastrophes notwithstanding, sales and marketing aren??™t things that are out of your control. In fact, there are plenty of components of the marketing process that you have complete control over, and they??™re more than enough to ensure your success. This is important to get, so let??™s say it again: There are enough components of the marketing process that you have complete control over, and they??™re more than enough to ensure your success. Do a few simple things, and do them enough, and you??™ll have plenty of work. And once you master the process, you can put it into action anytime and anywhere, with predictable results. You control the number of calls you make (both initial and follow-up), the number of e-mails you send and the number of postcards you mail. Provided you??™re targeting the right audiences, if you do all those things regularly and consistently, you??™ll be successful. That??™s powerful stuff. Teaching-yourself-to-fish stuff. Dare to Be Seen As a single guy, I occasionally surf over to one of the online dating sites. The clich?©s there are rampant. Here are zillions of people, looking for the most important relationship of their lives, and barely one in a hundred takes the time to craft a message that is even remotely creative and original. Virtually every ad lists such unique gems as I love moonlight walks on the beach??¦(FYI, that??™s ???moonlit???) romantic, candlelight dinners??¦(FYI, that??™s ???candlelit???), snuggling in front of a fire??¦ and, my favorite one to hate, a man who??™s as comfortable in a tux as blue jeans??¦ just like EVERYONE else??™s. I always want to ask: Do you think you??™ll attract the opposite sex by blending in with everything around you? That??™s called camouflage. People in the armed forces do this very thing when their lives depend on not being noticed or standing out in any way. If you want to be seen, you have to draw attention to yourself. As commercial writers, precious few do regular mailing, phoning or networking campaigns to elevate themselves above the din. Getting noticed isn??™t all that hard if you??™re one of the few who make the effort to stand out. Business-Building is NOT Immodesty I know ??“ you hate drawing attention to yourself. That??™s??¦immodest. Listen. There??™s not a darned thing immodest about drawing attention to yourself when you have a legitimate, high-quality contribution to make to the marketplace ??“ a professional offering that??™s in demand by every successful business under the sun. You??™re living in a certain place, driving a certain car, wearing certain clothes, dining at certain restaurants and vacationing in certain places because some company successfully marketed something to you. Or to the friend who made the recommendation to you. And you??™re probably glad it did. By the same token, there are a lot of companies in Atlanta that are glad I made it my business to let them know I was out there in the marketplace. And they acknowledge the difference I??™ve made every time they pick up the phone and call me for another job. I hate to say it, but you??™d better be willing to draw some attention to yourself or you??™ll need to find another line of work. You??™re not selling some Veg-o-Muncher on late-night TV. You??™re not some smarmy car salesman. You??™re a professional marketing a professional service to other professionals. Keep Showing Up Want to know the simple key to success in this business? Keep showing up. Assuming you??™re competent, creative, and reliable, it??™s all about multiple impressions. The small biz folks who build thriving businesses have just kept showing up in front of their clients and prospects in a variety of ways. And kept knocking on new doors. A ???last man standing??? sort of thing. It??™s that simple. Jump in ??“ the water??™s fine. ************ Peter Bowerman is the author of The Well-Fed Writer (2000), an award-winning Book-of-the-Month Club selection, and its companion volume, The Well-Fed Writer: Back For Seconds (2005). A commercial freelancer and columnist in Atlanta, Georgia since 1993, his client list includes Coca-Cola, BellSouth, IBM, UPS, Cingular Wireless, American Express, Mercedes-Benz, Junior Achievement and others. He has published over 250 columns and articles and leads seminars on writing. Sign up for his free monthly ezine at www.wellfedwriter.com. Copyright 2005 Fanove Publishing. All rights reserved. SPECIAL TO READERS: Peter's offering my readers 10% off either book (the same discount offered to AWAI members) when purchased through the special links below. For all US orders, that means FREE shipping, your choice of a FREE e-book bonus, and the 10% off! And while on his site, sign up for his free monthly ezine, the critically acclaimed WELL-FED E-PUB. http://www.wellfedwriter.com/orderbfsawai.shtml (Back For Seconds) http://www.wellfedwriter.com/ordertwfwawai.shtml (The Well-Fed Writer) ******************************************************************* MARKETS This section will return next month. ******************************************************************* INDUSTRY INTERVIEW This section has been postponed. ******************************************************************* BOOK GIVEAWAY Wanna score a FREE BOOK?? In this issue, TWO LUCKY WINNERS will get a chance to win a SIGNED copy of the book, THE WELL-FED WRITER: Back For Seconds by Peter Bowerman! You??™ve read that right: TWO PEOPLE get to win!! How to win? Simple! The FIRST TWO READERS to E-mail me with any quote from this E-zine will win! It??™s THAT simple! E-mail me at: BurningMidnightOil@mail2world.com Good luck! ******************************************************************* WHAT'S UP WITH THE BOOK'S WRITERS? The following is news of writers you can read interviews with in Volume One of the MIDNIGHT OIL book: THIS COMES FROM JIM VINES: Excuse the intrusion, but... I wanted to let you know that a new (far improved) version of the trailer for "House At the End of the Drive" is now available for viewing. Hope you'll check it out. Go to: http://www.houseattheendofthedrive.com/videoclips.html (Be sure to click on the 17mb version. And it might take a few minutes for the trailer to load, so be a bit patient.) Thanks... JV AND ANOTHER ONE FROM JIM: Dear Friends and Enemies: Here's another interview I recently did. Take a look. Or not. http://www.rottenzombie.com/archive/dylanbruce.htm *** GOT THIS FROM LIANA METAL: AUTHORS Use the Author-Promo services at http://Author-Promo.tripod.com to send your Press Releases to Greece and increase your publicity. Liana Metal, the founder of Author-Promo, will help you contact Bookstores Newspapers Magazines TV Radio In Greece, as well as Publishers. Email her at: lianametal@yahoo.com http://liamet.tripod.com ******************************************************************* BOOK NEWS What's the latest with the first volume of BURNING THE MIDNIGHT OIL: How We Survive as Writing Parents? NOW, buy a copy of the book, BURNING THE MIDNIGHT OIL: How We Survive as Writing Parents, and get the FREE Ebook containing our first TWELVE issues of this E-zine! Check the book out here http://www.booklocker.com/books/1743.html then email your receipt to me at BurningMidnightOil@mail2world.com . ******************************************************************* Poetry Section England, Wept In Memory of Diana, Princess of Wales Copyright ?? 1997 By: Dawn Colclasure Diana was not England??™s princess alone; She touched our hearts here, too. She was a source of inspiration, Despite all she had gone through. England was greeted with a shock When news of her death had come. Prince William and Prince Harry Were now left without their mum. Her legacy in England showed When mourners gathered to bid farewell. Many cried and many prayed. She was now Heaven??™s bright angel. So many tears, so many prayers. So many things written and said. It was still so hard for us to believe The Princess of Wales was dead. She was a burning candle in the dark, Where misery ends and love starts. She was there for so many, young and old. She was our Queen of Hearts. A lingering wail of great sadness Kept England in its clutch. The monarchy was chastised and rebuked For not doing very much. And, yet, they mourned behind closed doors, Especially her sweet boys. Diana was a devoted mother; She was the source of all their joys. And though she was rejected by the monarchy, For what we can ask but not answer why, We were there for her at every moment As the world bid it??™s last goodbye. ???And your footsteps will always fall here along England??™s greenest hills; your candle??™s burned out long before your legend ever will.?????”Lyrics from the song, ???Goodbye England??™s Rose,??™ performed by Elton John at the funeral. Bio: Dawn Colclasure edits and publishes the Burning the Midnight Oil Book Zine, which is a product of her book: BURNING THE MIDNIGHT OIL: How We Survive as Writing Parents (Booklocker). She is also a poetry editor for Skyline E-Magazine, contributing writer to the newspaper SIGNews and a staff writer for the Web site, The Shadowlands. She??™s been published both on and off the Web, in magazines such as Mothering and American Fitness, and Web sites such as Absolute Write, Writing Etc. and Writing World. Visit her on the Web at http://dmcwriter.tripod.com/ . ******************************************************************* FREEBIE CORNER Get WRITING FOR THE WEB #1, a 35-page guide, FREE when you sign up for Excess Voice newsletter: http://www.excessvoice.com/ ******************************************************************* SITES SITED The following are interesting, helpful sites that I??™d like to pass on. Creative Marketing Solutions: http://www.yudkin.com/copywriting.htm Marketing Words: http://www.marketingwords.com/ Copywriting School: http://www.copywritingschool.com Marketing World News: http://www.marketingworldnews.com/ ******************************************************************* WRITING PARENT TIPS FOR AUGUST: No tips this month. ******************************************************************* WANNA SUBMIT TO THIS E-ZINE?? I am always open to submissions for the E-zine!! Feel free to submit any of the following: 1. An article. Any style and length. Articles must relate to writing, being a writing parent or successful business/marketing ideas. If the article is a reprint, you must own the reprint rights. 2. Tips for writing parents. 3. Advertising info, a freebie link, fan mail or, if you are included in the book, news and updates on what??™s going on in your writing life! 4. Poetry: Any style and length. All poetry used for E-zine must be appropriate for a family-friendly publication. The use of religious poetry, if at all, will be dependent on the poem??™s merit and will not reflect the beliefs and practices of the E-zine??™s publisher or readers. Se.xually explicit, violent, ra.cist and po..rnographic poetry will NOT be used and will be deleted. Please only submit poetry which is in your name and which you have rights and reprint rights to. The editor is not liable for poems used. The decision of the editor is final. PLEASE send a bio when submitting poetry. I prefer to use free reprinted articles whenever possible but I do offer payment, as well. Payment is only allotted to article and poetry submissions. You may choose any one of the following for compensation: -->$5, paid in the form of a money order, on publication, for articles of 200-500 words and poetry, any length. -->$10, on publication, for articles 501-2000 words. -->A complimentary copy of the book, BURNING THE MIDNIGHT OIL: How We Survive as Writing Parents. Book will be sent once your article is published. ******************************************************************* You are subscribed to this E-zine because you requested a subscription or signed yourself up on your own. To unsubscribe, send a blank e-mail to: 59308-unsubscribe@zinester.com |
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