The Natural Born Salesperson – What Every Writer Wants to Be.

My oldest daughter turned eleven years old this month. It’s hard to believe how fast time flies.

Before I know it, another eleven years will past like a flash and my little girl will be a college grad seeking her own way in the world. But, as I watch her now, I see her future in sales.

As a self-proclaimed introvert, I wish I adopted half the gift she has a natural born salesperson.

I could go on and on about her personality since her birth, but you might already know the “type”. They never take “no” for an answer. They negotiate on almost everything and every situation. They debate against every opposition until they get what they want (most of the time).

Obviously, my daughter’s an extrovert who’s born to an introverted mother. Most days, I’d rather blend in with the décor than act pushy.

So, I thought my dream career must be writing. In my daydreams, I imagined writing all day, blushing over readers who crave my stories, and voilá…the money would start rolling in!

Wrong. 

I've been learning the sales and marketing game the hard way. What a rude awakening! But, thank goodness, I've learned to accept it.

As writers, if we’re not writing for recreation, sales and marketing comes with the package.

Sometimes it’s so easy to get wrapped up in the fictional world that it’s hard to escape the laptop and converse with other human beings. And, when the time comes to pitch a story, or promote a book, the writer imagination tends to run wild.  

Fear rears its ugly head and the nagging voice inside swears that you’ll come off too pushy, or the editor will laugh at the proposal you put your heart and arduous hours into completing.

Wouldn’t it be nice if the quality of work sold itself? Unfortunately, this isn’t a Hallmark movie.

Drop the fear and proceed with confidence.

If your goals include earning funds for the work you love, it means reaching deep within your soul to drop the fear and proceed with confidence.

It’s easier to talk a good line about confidence, but a book I read called, “Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway” by  Susan Jeffers,  helped boost my confidence. It guides “worry warts” into fearful scenarios offering practical examples and advice to move past the elements that rule the major doubts and insecurities that fuel every writer's worse nightmare.

After facing a fearful situation, I've learned that I magnified the event far greater than the actual experience. I worried about being a pushy salesperson and discovered through every sale that it's not about making the buyer do something they don't want to do. It's about helping them achieve their goals.

Never fear the natural born salesperson inside you. When it’s time to sell that book proposal or self-published book, there’s no need to put on a big act to make the sell. Be yourself.

Simply add the same passion you include in your story lines, and transfer it into the book proposals, queries or pitches.

Once you break past the fear, you’ll realize there’s a natural born seller that lived in you the entire time.

But, if you feel the natural sales tactics slipping away ,take a moment to regroup and visualize what you want.

Or, do what I do. Even when I’m not comfortable with my daughter's pushy style, I find myself asking…what would my daughter do?

Photo credit: Photobucket

Six ways to cross train your writer’s brain

One day, I sat in art class with my paintbrush sweeping lightly across the smooth paper. When I write, I usually lack the feeling of freedom like I experienced throughout the session. 

I lost the nervous tic associated with contemplating a chapter’s plot, or a sales letter’s persuasive phrase. I just let go.
 
What a concept. Living in the present was a liberating experience. I’m not complaining, but sometimes it’s too easy to add pack on the pressure, especially if you’re in business.
 
Like most freelance writers, we juggle writing, editing, revising, marketing, and other administrative tasks; it’s enough to squeeze the fun out of the whole process.  But, what can we do to earn and still enjoy writing without bursting like an overinflated tire?
 
Writers should “cross-train” their brains. If we don’t, we run the risk of “writer’s block”, if we’re lucky. Or, worse…we completely shut down from mental fatigue.

There are over 639 skeletal muscles in the body, and experts suggest the brain is a muscle, too. If we consider what physical education taught us about allowing periods of rest between strength training, shouldn’t we consider the same for our brain?

In essence, if writers want to avoid mental stress, there’s nothing wrong with a little play time in-between writing (or thinking about it.) And, in the process, we might find added energy and inspiration.

Take special care not to overload your brain today (or any other day), and add one or more of these ideas for your “mental” getaway.

Meditation
You can get back to your writing later with meditation. Take all day or spend a few minutes in a cross-legged position in your office. Drop the “no time” excuse.

Simply taking a five-minute escape with your eyes closed thinking about your loves and desires will boost your energy for the day.

Visit the spa
Leave your laptop and books at the office and schedule an hour or two at the spa. Guys included. There’s no reason (male or female) you have to pass up a neck massage or manicure.

When you start tapping at the keyboard with a flexible neck and freshly manicured hands, you’ll wonder why you didn’t go sooner.

Pet play
If you have a pet, it’s easy to get lost in their world. Leave the reading and writing alone for fifteen minutes. Watching your goldfish or brushing your dog’s fur can be very relaxing and inspiring. I prefer to observe my dogs wrestling and sun bathing in the backyard.

Painting
Painting with an actual brush and paint on paper gives you the perfect excuse to get away from staring at your computer screen all afternoon. This charges my inspirational juices every time.

And, you don’t have to be Gauguin or Dali sweep paint around a blank piece of paper. Remember the preschool years?

Go shopping
You don’t always need to fill up a cart when you walk through a grocery store or your local mall. Browsing around the store offers more than a chance to exercise and gather tips on the latest sale prices.

A change of scenery, colors and people add a therapeutic escape from the four corners of your office. 
 
Get lost in a book
At first, I wasn’t sure about this one. But, it’s not hard for all writers to escape in a novel. Unfortunately, novelists may find it difficult to read a book cover to cover without analyzing the plot, characters or theme chosen by the author.

In this case, choose one book for analysis and escape in another without jotting down notes.

Writers need to intentionally break away from the mental and physical action of writing. When you practice rejuvenating on a regular basis, it’s not hard to ignore the muse pushing you to be a mule.

Write when you want to write. Use the other time to cull inspiration and spark imagination. As you show your brain a little love, who knows what you’ll create in the process.

What non-writing activities relax you and recharge your mental energy?


Photo credit: istockphoto

Top 10 things writers really wanted from their holiday wish list

With the holidays behind us, we’re all getting back to normal. Buying, wrapping and sharing gifts only appear like a distance memory as we look forward to a new year.

But, as you take a look back, did the writer in your life raise an eyebrow over the holiday gift you presented?

Like anyone else, finding that perfect gift has its difficulties. And, unless the storyteller friend or family member in your inner circle slipped a handy wish list into your date book, it’s possible you’d never know what to give without catching a twinge of disappointment in their face.

But, writers in any genre crave the comforts that enhance their creativity to produce free flowing content from their fingertips.

Recently, I sat down to plan my writing schedule for 2012 and it turned into the ultimate wish list for a headache-free writing life. Though, it started as my personal desires, I can't think of a reason why other writers wouldn't share similar hopes.

In this post, the top ten things on a writer’s holiday wish list begin with the least important to the greatest. Of course, other writers may have their own cherished order of importance, but I think we'd all agree with number one.

And, don't feel bad if a few items sound too far-fetched and beyond your control...they are wishes.

#10 Notebooks and pens

Creativity is fickle. Grabbing ideas at a moment’s notice means the difference between struggling over a character’s lines and producing a gripping chapter for a novel.

When inspiration strikes, a writer can never have enough paper and writing instruments to jot down ideas as they form. Not sure how many to get? Be sure there's plenty to add for their desk, to leave in their car or stick in a laptop bag.

#9 Unlimited laptop battery power

Have you ever opened your laptop miles away from your office to discover the warning message indicates a few minutes of battery power remains? It's not a problem unless you forgot to bring the power cord.

If a laptop exists with unlimited battery power, how and where do I order one?

#8 Ergonomic chair

Long writing sessions in a chair without proper back support means trouble for writers. An ergonomically-correct chair helps alleviate discomfort from sitting for extended time periods while reducing wrist strain and leg cramps.

Like other writers, I prefer writing in different locations for no longer than two hours. But, if your writer likes to stay put, a comfortable chair could work wonders for their productivity.

#7 Personal editor/proofreader

An editor is a writer’s best friend, like a dog is man’s best friend. (Not that I’m comparing an editor to a dog.) But, you know what I’m saying.

This best friend makes the writer look professional. After several hours of forming words into sentences, it's easy to get cross-eyed and make mistakes. Editors and proofreaders act like a writer's second pair of eyes tightening the weak grammar and spelling errors.

Whether you pay a proofreader, or you take the time to do it yourself…it's a generous gift.

#6 Automatic data backup

Computers die every day. Imagine losing all your hard work to a fussy or dying computer? Writers producing  regular content must have back up support to avoid doing extra work. And, we all know time lost to catch up on loss data equals less earning potential.

Automatic backup systems get writers out of trouble when they’re overwhelmed and forget to do it manually.

#5 Free time without interruption

I debated about whether this should be number one. But, it should go without saying that writers need uninterrupted concentration to produce ideas and form logical sentences. 

Taking over household chores or watching kids for a couple of hours give busy writers the power to crank out more work without the pressure of constant distractions.

#4 Unlimited storage/bookcases

With the writing and research involved in crafting original content, writers are known to collect notebooks and reference books.

It’s not uncommon to find books or CD/DVDs filled to maximum capacity with ideas and stories. So,when the stacks grow at an overwhelming pace, additional storage space starts to look appealing.

#3 Energy booster

Got caffeine? In this case, the Starbucks gift card may come in handy, but a stock of caffeinated drinks in cupboard offer immediate gratification when ideas need a quick jumpstart.

Is caffeine a “no-no”? Give your writer a gift basket filled with mind-boosting, vitamin-rich super foods like chocolate, blueberries, nuts or omega-3 rich fish.

#2 Hand masseuse

Love those “money makers”(or "hobby makers").  If the writer in your life creates content on a full-time basis, their hands, fingers and wrists run the risk of stiffness.

Do them a favor. Take five minutes to offer a good hand and wrist massage. It boosts circulation giving tender loving care to weary hands from typing or handwriting for hours.

#1 Guaranteed publishing

You had to know this would be number one. What serious writer doesn't dream about being published once, twice or several times?

If you had the power to grant this wish, I know several writers who'd like to be your friend this year.

What did you get your writer for the holidays? Or, if you’re a writer…what would you include on the wish list?

Photo credit: Piotr Brichacek/acobox.com