Shorten Your Journey to Book Success with Teleclasses – Part 2 – E-Books
Shorten Your Journey to Book Success with Teleclasses - Part 2
Are you an author who wants your book to be a success? Have you read books, but still need some handholding on how best to promote your book? Are local seminars on book marketing and promotion just not available to you?Something wonderful has happened with our flattening world. We can now give and attend seminars over the phone. As a presenter, I send by email ahead of the teleclass the workbooks and how to materials. If you have joined an eNewsletter like Dan Poynter's "Publishing Poynter's" or Judy Cullins, "The Book Coach Says..." or John Kremer's "Book Marketing Tip of the Week, you probably have seen teleclasses offered in them.Part one of this article is available at www.bookcoaching.com/freearticles/article-182.shtml or article-182@bookcoaching.com.How Long are the Teleclasses?Most teleclasses offer you a 55-minute or one hour format. That is a good listening time for most. It allows for 4-5 major points and discussion.You may join a teleclass that is longer too--maybe 1 1/2 to 2 hours, depending on the format. Presenting a marathon of questions and answers can take from 1 1/2 to 2 hours with people coming and going as they want. When I offer this kind of teleclass I ask for questions via email before the phone session, and am sure to answer those on the call.You can also join a group of one-hour teleconferences spread out every two weeks for a total of five or so sessions. These are sometimes called Small Group Coaching such as "The Book Achievers Small Group Coaching" or "The Marketing Achievers Small Group Coaching." These are even more interactive, and your fellow participants on the line can talk to each other and the presenter. These groups do peer editing by email as well as getting feedback from the coach.How to RegisterLearn how to register when you visit a particular site. They give you step-by-step instructions. Then, you give them ordering information: They offer several ways to prepay for the teleclass such as a credit card or toll-free number. Once you are paid, you are registered and emailed the bridgeline and the handouts or workbooks for the conference call.The Benefits of Teleclasses Over In Person SeminarsNo dress code, travel, traffic, parking problems, computer, time wasted, or large expenses. Many top names charge $2000 for a weekend seminar--one in which you get too much information and little hands one. A teleclass is inexpensive, and is as easy as picking up your phone and talking to a friend! Get expert guidance from professional coaches and other presenters and learn from all on the call if you want to boost your book writing, book publishing or book promotion skills.Over the past five years, people attending my teleclasses have come around to loving teleclasses.. With a personable teacher, you feel you are "there." With a presenter who knows that hearing is important, you can relax and learn--with the back up of follow up email as well as email sent before the program. It's a good thing, and some times the only way you'll get to meet top people for your book writing and marketing needs.Teleclasses are the most cost-effective, quickest, and easiest way to stay on top of your book, business, and marketing skills. They don't replace one-on-one coaching, but they can shorten your learning curve before you spend money on a coach.Judy Cullins
Story Structure ? Classic Hero?s Journey – Book-Reviews
Story Structure ? Classic Hero?s Journey
The Classical Hero's Journey is one of the most detailed story structures containing 106 sequences overall and 32 in Act III alone.A descendant of Campbell's Hero with a Thousand Faces and containing references to all the normal and less usual Archetypes: Peer Brothers, the Failed Hero and more, it allows the screen or story writer to quickly map out a step outline, template or first draft screenplay.The Classical Hero's Journey follows the universal story pattern ("there is in reality only one story"); the first ten sequences are very briefly summarised here:1. An overview of the environment and context the story will take place in. Usually shots of the city, events, people interactions, events, narrative or some combination of above or similar. Sometimes an explanation is in order depending on the complexity involved.2. Antagonist captures Princess. Princess sends Heralds to find rescuer ? someone with a reputation and history of success against the antagonist; someone who may be able to assist in some way or similar. Often an Old Knight. If Heralds are more than one, they may conflict in some way. Establish evil nature of antagonist. Establish good nature of Princess. Herald(s) may be forced into the journey. Antagonist's lieutenants may, through a mistake, lack of intelligence, some sort of deception or similar allow the Herald(s) to escape. Antagonist chases Herald's in the belief (may be mistaken) that they Herald's are dangerous, are important people, have something important in their possession, cannot let word of the Princess' capture get out or similar.3. The Herald(s) journey is full of difficulties. If the Herald's are more than one, they may be separated for some reason. Some may die before finding help.4. Antagonist's lieutenants are hot on the heels of the Herald(s).5. If Herald's are separated, they are united. Else they approach the place where help may be at hand and the story reverts to being that of the Hero and not theirs.6. The Hero is introduced. Along with the Interdictor, Hawks, Doves and perhaps others. The interaction between the characters illustrates their roles.7. Heralds are not recognised by the Hero. It may be by pure chance that the Hero and Heralds meet. Others may have an interest in blocking the meeting.8. Hero and Heralds interact in a safe, quiet place. Usually a place where the Hero feels comfortable. Herald's inform the Hero of their backstory, the World of the Ordeal. There are references to a Mentor. The Heralds present the Hero with a Call to Adventure.9. The Interdictor presents an interdiction that prevents the Hero from embarking on the adventure. The interdictive nature of the Interdictor is expanded upon. There are references to the Peer Brother - that the Interdictor is preventing the Hero from growing to the level of the Peer Brother. References to the Hero's mysterious birth, his lack of knowledge of his parenthood and descendents. References to the Mentor. Hawks, Doves and Interdictor may debate the pros and cons of issuing the Interdiction. The secret desire of the Hero to embark on the adventure is illustrated.10. Through some outside event, the Hero is forced into the adventure. He leaves in the dead of night, aware that he is violating the interdiction and aware of the danger. The danger of breaking the interdiction is expanded.The Classical Hero's Journey Story and Screenplay Structure can be found at http://www.managing-creativity.com.You can also receive a regular, free newsletter by entering your email address at this site.Kal Bishop, MBA**********************************You are free to reproduce this article as long as no changes are made and the author's name and site URL are retained.Kal Bishop is a management consultant based in London, UK. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can be reached on http://www.managing-creativity.com
A Freelancers Journey, Part One
A Freelancers Journey, Part One
Today it begins.I have always known I was a freelancer. The phrase my family uses to describe me is "not a nine-to-five-er." That said, nine-to-five does carry some not-so-romantic but comforting benefits. Health insurance. Travel reimbursement. Gas mileage. A regular paycheck.But alas, I'm the daughter and granddaughter of entrepreneurs, and I'm also of the "ownership society."I love to write. No such thing as retirement--writing is who I am. But with that ideal and that passion comes every writer's downfall. Running a business. Getting paid.We right-brained people with our horrendous filing cabinets and hard drives/Zip drives full of e-mails have to spend time organizing, like any businessperson. I had a conversation with a fellow writer/content provider in which we both confessed neither of us knew how to charge for our services. Although University of Southern California master of Professional Writing Program does give great training in the business side, most writing programs in my experience don't teach marketing, recordkeeping, fee-charging, and work-for-hire contracts, let alone publishing contracts.Today while tracking two possible freelance jobs (I'd like to give a plug to David Copeland's Freelance Daily, http://freelancewriters.blogspot.com/, a terrific daily newsgroup with tons of freelance leads, also PayingWriterJobs, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PayingWriterJobs/, AbsoluteWriter, http://www.absolutewrite.com, Writers Weekly, http://www.writersweekly.com, and of course, my local paper, http://www.thedesertsun.com/), I found my e-mail inbox inundated with back and forth e-mails. While I admit my e-mail organization system resembles my filing system at times, I finally wised up.On my computer, in Windows, I have a folder with subfolders for e-mail. I created a separate directory, "freelance". Then I assigned every potential or actual freelance job its own folder with a client identifier number where appropriate and otherwise the name of the client/publication.I also created a Work For Hire agreement today. My own--usually when I work with a publication I'm required to submit an invoice. However, a publication you have a relationship with is different from a client that doesn't know you and vice versa. This is new ground for me. I've signed three book contracts, entered into three royalty agreements and two bona fide collaboration agreements, signed screenplay, magazine, fiction, and poetry release forms, sent more contest applications than I can count...but my own Work For Hire agreement...now I feel I've passed the "novice" mark and can proudly call myself a full-time freelancer. Freelance entrepreneur.No.Writer always works. To quote Harlan Ellison's business card, "I write."But will I stay organized?Continued next week...Kristin Johnson is co-author of the "highly recommended" Midwest Book Review pick, Christmas Cookies Are For Giving: Stories, Recipes and Tips for Making Heartwarming Gifts (ISBN: 0-9723473-9-9). A downloadable media kit is available at our Web site, http://www.christmascookiesareforgiving.com, or e-mail the publisher (info@tyrpublishing.com) to receive a printed media kit and sample copy of the book. More articles available at http://www.bakingchristmascookies.com