Platform Development Tip #1: Switch Writing Hats!
Platform-Building Tip #1: Switch Writing Hats!Around eighty percent of nonfiction books today are written by "experts," that is people who have a) earned credentials in the field they're writing about, b) germinated information via articles, live presentations or other media, or c) had extraordinary, unique or memorably told life experiences relevant to their topic.For an autobiographical work, such as a memoir, an author needn't have any special expertise?she is the foremost authority on her own life. For a how-to or self-help book, however, the first thing mainstream publishers want to know is, "Does the author have a platform?"Among the multiple definitions of "platform" in Merriam Webster's 10th edition are 1) a place from which to speak, 2) a set of principles, and 3) a vehicle for carrying things. All these are important to an author's platform. The good news is, in the six to eighteen months it will take most authors to write either their book proposal or their entire book, they can develop a platform. Here are some things editors look for in a platform:
- publications in the field demonstrating your expertise
- a mailing list
- pamphlets, tapes or other media carrying messages related to those in your book
- teaching or leading experience on the topic of your book
- a column
- a unique point of view with demonstrable appeal
- regular speaking engagements
- courses taught at a local venue
- a well-designed website
Many aspiring authors I work with, at least initially, grossly underrepresent themselves in this section.SOLUTION 1: WORK WITH WHAT YOU HAVE?THEN SWITCH HATS!Assume that you probably already have more of a platform than you know. Instead of beginning by writing your bio in paragraph form, put on your Scribe hat and make a list?yes, that's right, a long, tedious, unsexy list?of everything you've done that seems even remotely related to your book.Once you've made your boring list, switch hats. You're now a Publishing Consultant looking over your client's resume. How are you going to make her shine? Simple?you're going to take everything even remotely relevant to the book and change into a language that will make publishers perk up their ears. How do you know what will make publishers perk up their ears?Switch hats again.
You're an Acquisitions Editor at a major publishing house sitting behind a desk, asking yourself, which of these 163 proposals that arrived this week is worth risking my reputation, bank account and job to publish? Then put your Publishing Consultant hat back on, and do your translation?but don't forget about that anxious editor. Here's an example:Bob Jones, who's writing a book on personal accounting and finance for the masses, picks a phrase from his Scribe list, "Instructor at Coleridge Community College for twelve years." With his Publishing Consultant hat on, he rewrites this phrase to read "translated high-level accounting concepts into laypeople's language to over 3,000 adults of various backgrounds over twelve years." Moving right along, Bob changes "facilitated students home accounting practices, enabling them to pay bills and prepare taxes with greater efficiency" to "Over these twelve years, the author developed a series of steps, called the Number Crunch Shuffle. Students consistently report that the Number Crunch Shuffle helps them overcome their fear of numbers, streamlines their home accounting process and cuts their bill and tax preparation time in half. guerilla tip: Bob didn't really call these steps the "Number Crunch Shuffle" at the time he taught them at Coleridge Community College. He got help developing this tag for the technique around which his book is built.
However, he did develop the method itself while teaching those 3,000 students.guerilla insight: There's plenty of reality to work with. Take what's there and describe it in new and exciting ways. Find a gem that makes your book special and give it an attention-grabbing name..
You are welcome to reprint this article any time, anywhere with no further permission, and no payment, provided the following is included at the end or beginning:Author Jill Nagle is founder and principal of GetPublished, http://www.GetPublished.com, which provides coaching, consulting, ghostwriting, classes and do-it-yourself products to emerging and published authors. Her most recent book is How to Find An Agent Who Can Sell Your Book for Top Dollar http://www.FindTheRightAgent.com.Jill@getpublished.comBusinessMom.com Comes To Town
Milana Leshinsky started her first home business in 1994, making cutemagnetic hats for 20 cents a piece. After two months she realized that shewasn't a work-at-home mom... more like a slave-at-home mom, making less than$5 an hour. What a disappointment. And this realization is not uncommon forwomen starting a business at home.One of the reasons this horrific experience comes to pass is that women donot realize how many incredible opportunities there are for having a homebased business via the internet.Six years after this first self-employment experience, after having hersecond child, Milana tried becoming a work-at-home mom again.
This time herbusiness has outgrown any expectations, any predictions and any hopes shehas ever had on becoming a home-based mom.She didn't just do "okay", she is completely successful.Milana's first order arrived in February 2001. In April of 2002 she quit herjob - the job that only a few years ago (after graduating from college) shecalled her "dream...
BusinessMom.com Comes To Town
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Leading AEC Experts Join Advisory Board for Ecobuild and AEC Science & Technology Conferences
Centerville, MA (ContentDesk) June 29, 2006 -- The Ecobuild and AEC Science & Technology (AEC-ST) events have announced their new advisory board. More than a dozen luminaries in the design and construction industry have already signed on to lend their expertise in the development of future conference programs.Conference Manager, Carol Konecny explains, Advisory board members were selected based on their outstanding accomplishments and high standing in the AEC community. Specialists in each of our 10 educational tracks will play a key role in helping us present the most timely content for our conference attendees. We are honored to be working with the best of the best in a diverse array of niches from Sustainable Design to Green Construction & Homebuilding to Information Technology, BIM & Interoperability and more. Advisory board members will provide guidance on must have conference topics, speakers, and share advice to help Ecobuild and AEC-ST conferences remain pertinent, unbiased,...
Leading AEC Experts Join Advisory Board for Ecobuild and AEC Science & Technology Conferences
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UKIPHome Blog Interview Reveals Campbell Bannerman’s Small Government Vision for the UK Independence Party and Opposition to State Funding of Political Parties
(ContentDesk) July 24, 2006 -- In an interview with UKIPHome, the independent blog seeking to promote progressive reform within the UK Independence Party, Party Chairman and leadership candidate David Campbell Bannerman has detailed a clear, positive, small government, and perhaps small c conservative manifesto that could transform UKIPs fortunes.With the campaign to elect a new leader of the UK Independence Party in full swing, there has been much focus on UKIPs two most politically experienced and high profile members, Nigel Farage and David Campbell Bannerman, who have both thrown their hats into the ring in a bid to replace Roger Knapman, who steps down as leader in September.Two other candidates have joined Farage and Campbell Bannerman in the leadership election but
it is widely acknowledged that the victor will be one of these two as a result of their high level political experience, relative electoral success and wide recognition amongst the partys membership.In...
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Sidney's Closet Helps Pioneer the 'Mommy Rep' Program
(ContentDesk) May 16, 2006 -- So you are a Momprenuer . You have a great idea or product and a solid business plan, but you lack the sales and networking skills to market it. Or maybe you're just so busy developing your product, you have no time to sell it. Sounds like you need a Mommy Rep.Both reasons led Sidney's Closet, an online business selling handmade fashion accessories for moms and babies, to start a Mommy Rep program. Also, Ashlee Cooper, President of Sidneys Closet, says she was frustrated by traditional market reps.
I would give free samples to reps and get little result says Cooper. Market reps are selling to stores at wholesale price and then taking a percentage. I was left with only 35% of my retail price in revenue. These numbers just didnt work for a small company selling handmade items. So, in late 2005 Sidneys Closet began thinking of ways to solve this problem. And the...
Sidney's Closet Helps Pioneer the 'Mommy Rep' Program
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Fashions from the Soul: Donna Vinci Couture Spotlights Elegant Outfits for the African American Plus-Size Woman
(ContentDesk) April 4, 2004--The intuition and remarkable creativity of fashion designer Donna Vinci has garnered him a devoted following amongst African American churchgoing and professional women. Imagine stunning elegance that comes from the soul: Classy gospel couture for women of all sizes featuring magnificent hats and flawless workmanship. The slimming shapes, novel designs, quality fabric and ubiquitous color all combine to create a style that is as transcendent as the spoken word.Donna Vinci fashions are easily appropriate for every special occasion from weddings, Easter or Mother's day, to giving entirely new meaning to your "Sunday Best." To view all the latest collections visit www.donnavinci.com. "Women should celebrate their curves, and I thank the Lord that a designer has finally realized the needs of today's women," said Grammy-nominated ? and notoriously fashionable ? gospel diva Dottie Peoples, the...
Fashions from the Soul: Donna Vinci Couture Spotlights Elegant Outfits for the African American Plus-Size Woman
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If You Want To Be Successful in Trading, There's Only One Thing You Need to Do..
Copyright 2006 New Ireland Ventures, LLC
I've got good news for you. If you've been struggling to get the results from your trading that you expected, then you've probably dismissed the most important thing, and it's such a common mistake that struggling traders make and the pros don't: treating your trading as a business you own, not simply something you do.
If it's so simple, then What does that actually mean?
Let's take a closer look and see.
While most people know the difference between a hobby and a business, most who aren't profiting from trading fail to see that they are approaching their trading in the same way they would a hobby, instead of a business.
Hobbies are activities where a person has an interest and they enjoy the activity itself.
It's fun, exciting, enjoyable, and occupying.
A hobby is part-time, do-it- yourself and a learn-as-you-go activity.
Unfortunately this is good...
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Make Mine to Grow: Building Your Solo Business to Outgrow You!
Many solo entrepreneurs choose to curtail their businesses growth for the purpose of lifestyle. Others have visions of expansion right from the start. Being the only person in a business, wearing all of the hats, is just a stepping stone to increased prosperity. What steps can you take if you plan to expand your business some day?
Right from the beginning, develop a business plan and marketing plan. Think of them as road maps to where you want to go with the business and directions on how to get there.
They provide the foundation for the future success of your business. Although it may seem like a daunting process before you start, creating snapshots of the most important elements of your business is priceless.
The critical component in preparing your business to grow is to make a habit of developing documented and well organized systems. If you use the same documents regularly, turn them into templates to use repeatedly. Better yet, have them turned into...
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Leading AEC Experts Join Advisory Board for Ecobuild and AEC Science & Technology Conferences
Centerville, MA (ContentDesk) June 29, 2006 -- The Ecobuild and AEC Science & Technology (AEC-ST) events have announced their new advisory board. More than a dozen luminaries in the design and construction industry have already signed on to lend their expertise in the development of future conference programs.Conference Manager, Carol Konecny explains, Advisory board members were selected based on their outstanding accomplishments and high standing in the AEC community. Specialists in each of our 10 educational tracks will play a key role in helping us present the most timely content for our conference attendees. We are honored to be working with the best of the best in a diverse array of niches from Sustainable Design to Green Construction & Homebuilding to Information Technology, BIM & Interoperability and more. Advisory board members will provide guidance on must have conference topics, speakers, and share advice to help Ecobuild and AEC-ST conferences remain pertinent, unbiased,...
Leading AEC Experts Join Advisory Board for Ecobuild and AEC Science & Technology Conferences
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Will Your Real Estate Rental Property Survive The Real Estate Bubble Bust?
(ContentDesk) July 21, 2006 -- This free online Real Estate Property Analyzer includes the 7 major reports that you need to determine how financially strong your real estate rental property really is, including: Amortization Table, Yearly Income Versus Expenses, Yearly Cash Flow, Property Appreciation Versus Debt, Cash on Cash Return, Net Operating Income (NOI), and Debt Coverage Ratio. In addition, when calculating these reports, the analyzer will take into consideration user inputted variables...
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Discover the Organic Difference: New Website Offers Healthy Alternative to Conventional With Organic Baby Clothing and More
Melbourne, FL (ContentDesk) August 23, 2005 -- Before you invest your time and money in choosing the clothing and bedding to surround your little angels, consider organic. Dr. Barbara Hodal recently launched her online baby store (www.crystalbabyorganics.com) offering you clothing and bedding made using 100% organically grown cotton and wool from organically raised sheep. Going organic is gaining in popularity, whether your child...
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Adware Spyware
Spyware Adware - Now we'll tell you the secret to stopping Adware Spyware: Restrict users from installing this malicious software, forever. Tips for identifying, removing and preventing spyware from being installed on your computer.
Detecting Spyware
Like anti-virus software, anti-spyware software relies on databases of known rogue programs that must be updated weekly to be effective. Detecting spyware files works in much the same way as your anti-virus software by...
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COMMON.net Demos MORCA? at Microsoft Symposium
COMMON.net was invited to demonstrate MORCA?, its second product, at the Microsoft Research Social Computing Symposium in Redmond, WA. MORCA? is the Mobile Relationship Capital Application. MORCA? acts as an "icebreaker," allowing two people to spontaneously and discreetly see just what they have in common, using a wide variety of Internet access devices.MORCA? is used during conference breaks, at networking events, at the beginning of sales calls, and in virtually any social or business venue....
Hats Platform Development Tip #1: Switch Writing Hats! projection tv COMMON.net Demos MORCA? at Microsoft Symposium
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Things to Consider When Selecting a VoIP Phone Provider
Things to Consider When Selecting a VoIP Phone Provider The following are very important factors to consider when you are selecting a VoIP/Broadband phone provider. Educate yourself and be informed before you choose.Monthly costs: A VoIP provider can save you up to 75% or more on your telephone/long distance expenses. There are many VoIP providers out there so it will benefit you from shopping around. Unlimited flat rate calling packages can range from $19.95/month to as high as $54.95/month ...
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