JanFishler

Author ~ Writing Coach

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Learning Social Media

By Janfishler Leave a Comment

When I published my memoir, I spent a lot of time on Facebook and Twitter, building relationships with people I thought would be interested in my book, mostly parents looking to adopt and the agencies that were helping them. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed “meeting” new people and learning about their frustrations and interests, but I felt that the relationships were limited. Or, maybe I just didn’t understand what social media was all about and how to use it to create a win-win.

I know several people who have a completely different experience with social media, and rely on it heavily.

A business coach I know says that Facebook has been her primary networking tool. She’s found most of her clients that way and is even going on a 3-month promotional tour with people she has met online.  Another woman I know has a full-time job as the social media manager for a garden center.  She spends most of her day connecting with customers. At the last Nevada County Online meetup, Brenda Horton shared how she’s using Pinterest to tell people about the software, Actionplanr,  her company is about to launch.

Therein lies my concern. How to best use social media to connect with people who want to learn how to write their stories? Really understanding social media has been on my to-do list for months now, and I’ve decided to make learning it one of my goals for November — one week at a time: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest. That’s as far as I’m taking it–at least for now.

If you have any suggestions or helpful books or links, please let me know about them.

Filed Under: Commentary on Writing and Life Tagged With: FaceBook, learning social media, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter

Subcontracting Graphics, Web Design, and Editing

By Janfishler Leave a Comment

As you might have noticed, if you’re one of the people who has found this as yet unpublished site, I’m getting close to completing the remodel. The site now has structure and very soon, it will have graphic elements produced by a graphic artist.  Subcontracting graphics, web design, editing and more makes a huge difference.  Although I have created simple WordPress sites by myself, like a travel blog for last year’s trip to South Africa, even with a template, I don’t have the skills to add a shopping cart, scrolling text, fancy sidebars, subscription opt-ins, and an eye-catching, memorable header.

Of course, developing the site is just the beginning. The next step is letting people know it’s out there! Driving traffic to it requires entirely new  knowledge. Fortunately, I know quite a bit about this.  I’ve taken classes, read extensively, and I attended the monthly Nevada County Online meetup  to learn online marketing tips. Even if you don’t live in Nevada County, you can take advantage of this fantastic resource since the monthly meetings are videotaped and uploaded on their website. From panel discussions, to experts on everything from social media to installing shopping carts, the content is always relevant and there is no cost. When it comes to Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Google rankings there is always more to learn!

This process has made me realize how important collaboration and teamwork are in getting the job done. Subcontracting graphics, web design, and editing was the only way I managed to create a professional site. How wonderful it is has been to focus on my strengths, and farm out work that is beyond my area of expertise.  If you’re thinking about subcontracting, here are some people who can help you:

Cat Scholz, WordPress Guru:  www.CatsWebWeave.com

Ellen Baxter, Graphic Designer Extraordinaire:  www.baxtergraphicdesign.com

Lesley Schneider, Impeccable Copy Editor, www.hthconsulting.com

Coryon Redd, Internet Marketing Strategies Expert:  www.coryon.com

Filed Under: Commentary on Writing and Life Tagged With: editing, graphics, subcontracting, web design

eBook Publishing

By Janfishler Leave a Comment

This week, I’m determined to learn how to put an eBook together and upload it to Kindle. Learning about eBook publishing can’t be rocket science. My memoir has been on Kindle for more than a year, but I didn’t format the book myself, and I paid $100 to have someone upload it. There are plenty of resources, including Word templates on the Internet. And, there’s a free Kindle book, Building Your Book for Kindle Publishing.  All that stands between me and getting the job done, is focusing on the task at hand.

Many years ago, I attended a hypnosis workshop, and a piece of paper was handed to me that had the number 2 inside a circle followed by the word, it.  It took me several minutes to understand the meaning: get around to it! I don’t know if the message was unique to me, or if everyone in the room received the same one, but I’ve kept this message in mind ever since. Over the years I’ve come to realize that the only reason I don’t accomplish my goals is that I haven’t made them a priority–either I haven’t focused on them or I didn’t get around to it.

Like many people, I have a tendency to spread myself too thin, to put too many items on my to-do list, and become overwhelmed. Having a primary focus  for the week, as my business coach suggested, worked last week. I made great progress on my website. It’s not finished yet, but the vision is clear and the structure is there.  Now, week-by-week, I’ll be adding content and moving forward with my marketing efforts. I digress….this week is all about eBook publishing.

That concludes my 5-minutes of writing for today.  I’m always amazed at how much I can write when I get around to it!

Filed Under: Commentary on Writing and Life Tagged With: writing tips, writting eBooks

Audacity, New Technology, and Angry Birds

By Janfishler Leave a Comment

Yesterday, I asked my twenty-two year old son what software I needed to record the guided visualizations I use in my Write YOUR Story workshops. He said I should download Audacity. It’s open source, which means it’s free, a price-point that always works for me. He assured me that it was very intuitive and I’d have no problem using it. I believed him. I just downloaded it this morning and now I’m staring at the window I’ll be using to begin my project. I am hoping there is a tutorial.

There was a time when I embraced new technology like Audacity.  I could hardly wait to dig in and figure it out. At one point during my meandering career, I even beta tested video software, but that was at least 10 years ago, and I’m out of practice. I’d be okay if this was the only new software I needed to learn, but in the process of developing my website, I’m faced with learning the WordPress template I’ve chosen as well as learning: how to produce eBooks, record audio interviews with content experts, and record and upload videos of myself and others. I’m sure there’s more. In today’s technological world, there’s always something new, something better, something you just gotta have–like “Angry Birds” on your smartphone.

Now, there’s new technology I can understand!

 

 

Filed Under: Commentary on Writing and Life Tagged With: Angry Birds, new technology

TEDx Grass Valley

By Janfishler Leave a Comment

My friend, Sandra Rockman, a director and acting coach extraordinaire, recently sent me an email about TEDx Grass Valley.  At the top of the email she wrote, “You should apply.” I love speaking to people about my passion for getting their stories out of their head and down on paper, but I can’t help but wonder if my passion and work is TEDx worthy, especially given the focus of this year’s theme,

…how women and girls are changing the world we live in. Speakers are asked to provide bold, unique new insights into emerging research and innovations that may fundamentally shape the course of things to come – both in their disciplines and for all of society. Our audience needs to be engaged and offered a glimpse of the paradigm-shifting thoughts that will shape tomorrow.

A few weeks ago, I attended See Jane Do’s  Passion Into Action women’s conference where I was astonished and inspired by the everyday women who are changing the world, like Jensine Larsen, founder of World Pulse, an organization that is “connecting women’s voices to transform our world.”  Among other things, Jensine’s organization is bringing women a global voice and magnifying the power of her voice.  In other words, teaching women to speak their truth and share their stories, which makes me think that my work could change the world we live in — by giving women the tools to write about their lives, especially the shadow side.  Check out www.worldpulse.com.

For those of you who don’t know about TEDx, I copied the following from their website:

What is TEDx Grass Valley?
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TED has created a program called TEDx. TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. Our event is called TEDxGrassValley, where x = independently organized TED event. At our TEDxGrassValley event, TEDTalks video and live speakers will combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events, including ours, are self-organized. For more info on TEDx Grass Valley go to www.ted.com/tedxE

The deadline to apply is November 2.  I’m thinking about it.

p.s. The deadline came and went and all I did was think about it…maybe next year!

Filed Under: Commentary on Writing and Life Tagged With: Public Speaking, TEDx Grass Valley

A Morning Writer at Night

By Janfishler Leave a Comment

Usually, I do my five minutes of writing first thing in the morning, but some mornings get away from me. I am definitely a morning writer. This morning, for instance, I grabbed my coffee and started working on my website, which is taking me a long time to create.  Learning WordPress has been a bit of a challenge, even with the help I’m receiving from Cat, my Web guru.  This morning, for instance, I added 100 Writing Tips that I will be giving away to people who subscribe to my blog. They weren’t supposed to show up, but there they were. I gave up trying to figure it out and went to the gym.

This afternoon, I met with a woman entrepreneur who encouraged me to move my workshop online. I do like the idea of bringing the process to more people–even businesses, especially entrepreneurs, who all have a story to tell.  I’m going to look into what exactly is involved. For me to be successful, I know I need to create a plan and then work on it slowly.

Because I’m a morning writer, it’s difficult to write at night. My brain doesn’t seem to engage. Finding the right words is a struggle, which is why I’m going to sign off now and  see what tomorrow morning brings. I’m definitely not my best at night!

 

Filed Under: Commentary on Writing and Life Tagged With: Five-minute writing, writing

Getting Organized

By Janfishler Leave a Comment

I’m on my second cup of coffee and I’ve just set my kitchen timer for five minutes. On my mind this morning is getting organized. I’ve been a slave to my task lists and it’s been driving me crazy. I look at all of the things I have to do and it makes my head spin. I feel overwhelmed, and when that happens, I often end up doing nothing. I brought this subject up with a business coach I’ve been working with. She said that this happens to many of her clients.  Good news — there is another way. She suggested I pick one or two major things (maybe three) I want to accomplish in a particular week and focus on that.  I took her advice and felt immediate relief.

My goals for this week:

1. Complete the revision of my website.  I doubt that I’ll get it done, completely, but I will have the structure in place.

2. Help my son promote his November 24, 2012, “An Evening of Magic” event.  Mostly, this involves hanging up flyers around town, which I don’t mind doing except that it’s been raining like crazy and I don’t want the flyers to get wet.

3. Read a book my daughter recommended so I can talk to her about it.

The timer just went off.  210 words in five minutes.  At that rate, maybe I will be able to write an entire novel during November, National Novel Writing Month http://www.nanowrimo.org. Although at this moment in time, getting organized is more important.

 

Filed Under: Commentary on Writing and Life, Writing Tips Tagged With: Getting Organized, Writing Process, writing tips

eBooks — Why You Need to Write One

By Janfishler Leave a Comment

If you think you can’t become an author, think again. Ebooks are the current trend in publishing and the fastest way to establish your expertise in a chosen field.

Let’s say you’ve owned your business for ten years and you’ve learned a few things along the way. In fact, you might say you’re at the top of your game. Why not share some of what you know? Writing your information and publishing it as an eBook is one of the best ways to boost your credibility and share important and valuable information — especially the information you repeat over and over again.

For example, a personal coach recently complained about having to repeat the same information every time she had a new client. It would take at least an hour to present this monologue, which often had to be reviewed again in future sessions. An eWorkbook was the perfect solution. By sending the eBook to new clients a few weeks before the first session, she ensured that they were already oriented when she met them, and they could immediately get to work.

When the personal coach complained that she didn’t have time to write, I suggested she record the information and have it transcribed. After reading the first draft, she was motivated to add additional content to the book. Currently, she’s working on a Kindle version that she intends to sell on Amazon. Because her process is unique and successful, it’s likely that the eBook will cause her popularity and reach to grow. Who knows, she might become the next Tony Robbins.

How to do anything is a great reason to write an eBook. Are you an accountant with tax advice that can save your clients a bundle? Write an eBook. Are you a health practitioner who has figured out a way to lower cholesterol levels without statin drugs? Write an eBook. Can you teach someone how to write or deliver a motivational speech? Do you know how to raise chickens and feed a family of four in your backyard? Are you a dog trainer who has figured out how to housebreak a puppy in a weekend? Write an eBook.

People are hungry for useful information. If you’ve got it, share it with your prospects, clients, and customers. Not only will it establish you as an expert, but it will also garner you points as someone who is generous and helpful. This builds trust, which is the foundation of any good business or professional relationship. It also lets people know that you can communicate, and — no surprise here — people want to do business with someone they can talk to.

There’s another benefit as well. Like articles, blogs, email, and other content, eBooks drive traffic — that’s prospective clients and customers — to your website, which is exactly where you want them to go.

Filed Under: Commentary on Writing and Life, Writing for SEO Tagged With: eBooks, Writing eBooks

Should the Writer You Hire Be a Subject Matter Expert?

By Janfishler Leave a Comment

When you’re looking to hire a freelance writer, how important is it for the writer to have previous experience developing content for your particular niche? It depends. How technical is your information? How motivated is the writer to learn about your topic?

In the twenty-five years that I’ve been a professional writer, I’ve written for a wide range of clients and have provided content on a variety of topics. On occasion, I’ve had to address the issue of whether my experience qualifies me to write about a particular topic. Nonfiction writers make money by providing clear, concise, and accurate content as quickly as they can. This is the reason many writers stick to a few chosen topics; once they have mastered the learning curve on a particular topic, it’s easier for them to meet the client’s needs. However, this is not true for all writers — especially those of us who like the challenge that comes along with learning something new.

I began my professional writing career as a scriptwriter for GTE Lenkurt — the largest independent telephone company in the United States during the days of the Bell System. Fresh out of grad school with a degree in Instructional Design, my job was to create training videos and other collateral designed to teach employees things like Crystal Filter Assembly and everything you ever wanted to know about microwave radios. While my formal education did provide me with a procedure for extracting information from specialists in any field, I can assure you that I knew absolutely nothing about the telecommunications industry when I landed this most coveted position.

Two years later, I left GTE to produce a telethon for United Cerebral Palsy Association. I wrote all of the segments for the five San Francisco Bay Area affiliates. At the time, I knew nothing about Cerebral Palsy, but it didn’t take me long to get up to speed. Five years later I owned my own writing business and was developing brochures, articles and videos about everything from the fastest motorboat on the planet (well, at least it was at the time) to a video series for Stanford University on Cardiac Recovery.

Because most writers are a curious lot, we are comfortable learning about a variety of subjects. Most of us do this at an astonishing pace because we know how to ask subject matter experts the right questions and craft their answers into insightful, intelligent prose. If you’re looking to hire a freelance writer, and the only thing they don’t have is experience in your particular field, then ask them if they are interested in your topic. If they are, then you probably have the beginning of a beautiful working relationship. As a bonus, keep in mind the fact that if you’re paying a flat rate per article, the burden to learn about your business is on the writer.

Filed Under: Commentary on Writing and Life, Writing for SEO Tagged With: freelance writing, working with freelance writer

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