How are you approaching transition?

It is no secret that publishing is in a state of transition not unlike what many businesses were going through in the 70s and 80s as computers really began to become a part of the mainstream. Furthermore, technology is opening opportunities for increased growth and exposure.

Transitions are hard but how you approach them will determine your success.

In the book "Good to Great" the author examines a number of businesses that out performed the market and others within their specific industry. Their research focused on businesses that sustained their strong position for at least 15 years so that the overall culture of the company could be examined, not simply a single strong leader. One of their findings has important implications for today's writers.

The authors of the study found that the businesses that were able to grow and succeed-nay OUTPERFORM their competition and the stock market as a whole-had some fundamental similarities. One of them was their willingness to test changes in the market and adapt based on findings. In one example A and P was compared to Kroger. These are two grocery stores that had been around for nearly 100 years at the time of the transition. Both began to find in the 60s and 70s that people were increasingly interested in super stores. A&P saw those findings, didn't like what they found, and became obselete. Kroger on the other hand saw the findings, made adjustments and outperformed all competitors in their industry for more than 15 years. By 1999 they were the #1 grocery store chain.

How many writers are beginning to see changes from the way writing and publishing has been done for years? What have you done to adapt based on your findings?

"But I'm not published yet. I don't need to change." I would say that you likely need to change something much deeper than a marketing plan. You must change your expectations. You must recognize that publication with a royalty publishing house is not the magic that will transform your life from employee to superstar. Also, you need to learn that the mystery surrounding the industry a decade or two ago is now gone. Readers expect to connect with the authors on a much more personal level. Are you prepared for that? Do you have the discipline required to work like that.

Also, what false expectations have you held on to? What is your goal of publication? When Kroger realized their identity as a smaller grocery store would have to change fundamentally to include prescriptions, flu shots, fresh baked bread and grills they didn't have to change a single mind, they had to change a locomotive that had been plugging along for nearly a century. They had to listen to "but this is the way we've always done it". Despite that they did make the change. They brought their employees along willingly by showing real results. They brought their customers along by showing they were listening.

Would you like to be the best at what you do? Then it will involve not only building strong craft but implementing a strategy that is in tune with current market realities.

For more on this topic read the book "Good to Great".

Tiffany Colter is a writer, speaker and writing career coach who works with beginner to published writers. She can be reached through her website at www.WritingCareerCoach.com
Tiffany is a speaker and teacher. Find out about available topics for your group's next event.
Tiffany is a National Examiner. Read her articles here.
Learn more about Tiffany's Marketing techniques on her main blog.
Common-sense money management is free at The Balanced Life website. [www.TheBalancedLife.com]
Read Tiffany's award winning manuscript "A Face in the Shadow" on her fiction blog. [http://tiffanycolter.blogspot.com]
She writes a blog for the Christian writer Tuesdays at Writer's Rest.[http://writersrest.blogspot.com]

Lather, Rinse, Repeat

As I said on Friday, the key to reaching success is simply taking steps. A few of you posted in the comment section what your weekend goals were and some of you emailed me to let me know privately, but other people wrote to tell me that weekends are times when they take a break from writing.

I respect that. I don't want any "9-5" writers to feel left out so I've decided that we are going to repeat our accountability for this week, however I'm going to modify it a bit. Write down the top 3 things you want to be SURE to accomplish this week. I don't want the whole weeks to do list but simply those few things that simply must be accomplished this week to keep you on track with your writing.

I will begin:

This week I need to do some market research for my speaking.
This week I need to turn in 10 articles that are due.
This week I need to finish outlining my latest book and write the first chapter.

We won't do this every week but it is a useful exercise to give an extra push periodically. In fact, I have spent a great deal of time over these last few weeks reading books for Writing Career Coach. These books will be the foundation of some upcoming blogs. These will focus on the things that successful businesses did to create lasting success in their individual businesses. It will also look at ways to help increase your readership by learning how to connect with your main readers. There are some exciting nuggets to share. I hope you'll join us, link to us and digg us.

And feel free to share your thoughts with us. We'd love to hear from you.

And everyone that posted their goals on Friday, how did you do?

Tiffany Colter is a writer, speaker and writing career coach who works with beginner to published writers. She can be reached through her website at www.WritingCareerCoach.com
Tiffany is a speaker and teacher. Find out about available topics for your group's next event.
Tiffany is a National Examiner. Read her articles here.
Learn more about Tiffany's Marketing techniques on her main blog.
Common-sense money management is free at The Balanced Life website. [www.TheBalancedLife.com]
Read Tiffany's award winning manuscript "A Face in the Shadow" on her fiction blog. [http://tiffanycolter.blogspot.com]
She writes a blog for the Christian writer Tuesdays at Writer's Rest.[http://writersrest.blogspot.com]

A day without excuses

As a writer sometimes writing simply comes down to nothing more elaborate than BIC [Butt in Chair]. At this time of the year excuses can become extremely easy. Graduation parties, sunny days and Kids become distractions that break even the most solid of habits.

Sometimes we need to overcome our realities with consistent effort.

Sometimes we simply need a "push".

So here is your push. This is an excuse free zone! It's accountability time. In the comments put down the ONE or TWO writing related goals you want to accomplish this weekend. Then Monday come back and let us know that you did them.

I know it's scary. And don't feel you need to be specific. It is fine to say "Add 5,000 to WIP" or "Contact woman about that speaking opportunity". The point is to let the world know what you're going to accomplish and get it done. Remember, post today and them post again Monday. Let everyone know what you'll do, do it and then let us know again.

For me, I am going to do the editing for my clients this weekend that I have written down.
Finish outlining the plot and characters for my WIP
Meeting on that speaking oppty coming in June
Finish PP for June's Webinars

Okay, your turn. Let the hundreds of daily Writing Career Coach readers know that you are serious about your writing goals.

Tiffany Colter is a writer, speaker and writing career coach who works with beginner to published writers. She can be reached through her website at www.WritingCareerCoach.com
Tiffany is a speaker and teacher. Find out about available topics for your group's next event.
Tiffany is a National Examiner. Read her articles here.
Learn more about Tiffany's Marketing techniques on her main blog.
Common-sense money management is free at The Balanced Life website. [www.TheBalancedLife.com]
Read Tiffany's award winning manuscript "A Face in the Shadow" on her fiction blog. [http://tiffanycolter.blogspot.com]
She writes a blog for the Christian writer Tuesdays at Writer's Rest.[http://writersrest.blogspot.com]

And then you find success

With the down economy so prominent in the news it can be easy to assume that everything in the world is wrong. There is no sense of upward mobility. No expectations of progress.

However, there are things continuing to happen to those who work hard at their craft. I'm very pleased to announce that one of my clients, Jody Hedlund, was not only a double finalist in the ACFW Genesis competition [winners will be announced at the conference in September] but also was offered representation!

There are hundreds of you reading this every week and I wanted to pause for a minute to "toot our own horns". I want you to share in the comments section a victory you've recently had in your writing. Whether you pushed past the fear of rejection and sent off a manuscript or you have something being published, let us know.

I'll start: I was named the National Writing Examiner at Examiner.com and I've already received a large number of hits, and some subscribers, after only a week. Also, I spoke to the NWOCW group this past Friday [May 22] and they had a great turnout-especially considering it was the Friday of Memorial Day weekend. [A special welcome to NWOCW readers!!]

I hope that 50 or 60 [or more] of you will come over and let us see all the success that is actually going on out there. If the article is online, link to it. We want to celebrate together.

Understanding your gatekeeper

Last week I told you about my meeting at PVN and the great speaker we had. I wanted to get a link to tell you about but I didn't write down his last name.

He said something at the meeting that really struck me. He was talking about insurance sales and said "You need to understand the gatekeeper you need to work with."

Typically a gatekeeper is someone who screens calls or contacts to keep top executives from being constantly contacted by sales people. However, in publishing, there are other gatekeepers. These people are a door way in to the world of publication and if you want to be a professional writer it is imperative that you understand how to work with them.

What are you doing to learn more about these people? Do you know what they are looking for. Below I've listed a few blogs to help you begin to learn more of the inside of the industry. I would love it if you'd share some of your favorite blogs written by EDITORS and AGENTS. Here are my favorites:

Chip MacGregor, Agent
Michael Hyatt, CEO of Thomas Nelson
Rachelle Gardner, Agent

Tiffany Colter is a writer, speaker and writing career coach who works with beginner to published writers. She can be reached through her website at www.WritingCareerCoach.com
Tiffany is a speaker and teacher. Find out about available topics for your group's next event.
Tiffany is a National Examiner. Read her articles here.
Learn more about Tiffany's Marketing techniques on her main blog.
Common-sense money management is free at The Balanced Life website. [www.TheBalancedLife.com]
Read Tiffany's award winning manuscript "A Face in the Shadow" on her fiction blog. [http://tiffanycolter.blogspot.com]
She writes a blog for the Christian writer Tuesdays at Writer's Rest.[http://writersrest.blogspot.com]

Tiffany is speaking live

I will be speaking for the NWOCW on Friday, May 22, 2009 at 10am in Bowling Green, OH. Details and directions at www.nwocw.org There is no cost to attend this event.

I hope to see some of you there.

Making the Cut

Last night I was at a networking meeting of local business people and learned a wonderful lesson. The person sharing is about 2 years older than me and he was sharing the story of how he was able to build a strong insurance business. He said

Understand the gatekeeper you need to work with.

This was a great lesson-and one I'm going to blog on Friday-but I really learned came in the form of a book I got at the meeting. I was helping at the sign in table and was perusing the books that were laying there. I am an avid reader and try to keep up on as much as possible in business development and marketing. I am always watching for new books to help build my business and share nuggets of wisdom with my blog readers and my Examiner.com readers.

As I was driving to the meeting yesterday I was thinking through the recent growth of Writing Career Coach, my expansion to the national level with my Examiner.com Writing page, and the growth of my speaking. Despite the success I'm having, I knew there was something I wasn't quite getting. It teased at the edge of my consciousness, but it's full understanding alluded me.

I flipped open the book and read the analogy between success and trying out for a sports team:

"Let me illustrate what I am saying in another way: Every little child in your town gets to play in the 'recreational league.' This is the sports association where nobody cares who wins and everybody gets to participate in every inning. MOst of the ladies like that. They think that is the way it is supposed to be. 'Little Johnny' always gets to play, nobody's feelings get hurt, and all the mommies are happy...

"But then there is the traveling team...

"This is the team that plays in a league where they actually play the games to win...This is the level at which skill and ability become prerequisites for acceptance to the team. However, the mommies whose children did not make the traveling team might get upset that their kids cannot go. They might suddenly switich over into thinking that 'self-esteem issues' are more important than qualifications. But the truth of the matter is that the parent of one who did not make the traveling team needs to ask himself why his child was disqualified. Did he practice as much as the others? Is the child eating right? Is he getting enough sleep? Is the child actually gifted for the sport? You see, everybody can play on the recreational league, but a child needs to meet certain criteria in order to be able to play on the traveling team." [From Divine Provision By Dan Stratton with Rich Vermillion. Pg. 161, Emphasis the Authors]

So, it's tough love time. We all want to be published authors but are we really willing to take the steps necessary to make the Traveling Team [published]. Or do we want to have the feel-good comfort of the recreational team. Are you working at your craft until you are exhausted? Are you writing again and again until the sentence is right? Are you taking the rejections and pushing through anyway? Are you writing one book and then immediately starting another? Are you willing to accept that you don't know everything? Are you spending more time explaining why your craft is great than learning how to make it better?

It is time for writers to bring their craft up a level. Some things are subjective, and writing is one of them, however that does not mean there are no standards. Aspiring writers need to begin to accept harsh realities, and the hard work that comes with them. There is NO easy way to get published. It requires countless hours of study and hard work.

In high school I knew my parent had no money to send me to college and that they couldn't afford to take out parent loans. I knew the only way I could get my degree was hard work. From 10th grade on I took the hardest classes, I studied, I earned a Varsity letter in Gymnastics for two years, I worked 20 hours a week and graduated in the top 15% of my class. I scored in the 96th percentile on the ACT.

And I worked even harder in college.

I didn't earn a full ride so each year I had to prove myself again so that I could earn new scholarships and renew those I had. Every 10 week quarter I had to prove myself all over again. When I graduated college I had a 3.903 GPA. I had worked 20+ hrs all through college, 40hours in the summer. I had taken beyond full time so I could get out in 4 years. I had been in the honors college so I had to take honors courses. I was 1 course away from having a dual minor. My days began at 5:45am and ended at 11pm. On weekends I studied from 8-5 Saturday, 1-8pm on Sunday.

I was doggedly determined to reach my goal on my time frame.

What would happen if we attacked our writing dream with the ferocity we pursue other things?

Don't make kids, committments or jobs your excuse. If we're going to make the cut as writers our pursuit of that goal has to be our singular focus. We can't relax.

That is how you make the cut.

Whether you get there or not depends solely on you.

Tiffany Colter is a writer, speaker and writing career coach who works with beginner to published writers. She can be reached through her website at www.WritingCareerCoach.com
Tiffany is a speaker and teacher. Find out about available topics for your group's next event.
Tiffany is a National Examiner. Read her articles here.
Learn more about Tiffany's Marketing techniques on her main blog.
Common-sense money management is free at The Balanced Life website. [www.TheBalancedLife.com]
Read Tiffany's award winning manuscript "A Face in the Shadow" on her fiction blog. [http://tiffanycolter.blogspot.com]
She writes a blog for the Christian writer Tuesdays at Writer's Rest.[http://writersrest.blogspot.com]