First Word

I have now had the unfortunate encounter with two different situations where trusted people blatantly lied to me (The Queen of Crap and now the Queen of Crap JR -- two monikers well earned). Rather than be discouraged that I can't trust people who I thought I could trust -- and in one case, the person was someone I thought was a loyal friend ... well, until she was no longer. In retrospect, I considered all the duplicity and disingenuous behavior and decided rather than not trust colleagues and associates, I would instead learn from the red flags that were raised. Here are some important observations I've made that may help others learn from my mistakes: If someone conducts their personal lives in a unethical way, don't instantly believe they will separate their personal from their professional ethics . This person burned family, lied, connived and admitted it. I remember thinking at the time it was alarming. I didn't know anyone who had ever done something so low. It...

I am waiting to hear back on my outside projects. I got asked how do I exercise patience as I wait for responses? Sometimes writers get very anxious about the wait to hear back from agents, publishers, editors, producers, etc. I have written three books and dozens of magazine articles and have sold two scripts. Here is the way to become peaceful with the "waiting." First, you have to imagine that these editors, publishers and agents have piles to read on their desks. What I say is "don't bake the cake before you put it in the oven." Writers often think the worst (rejection) long before any of these professionals have had a chance to even review or consider their projects. You can't assume the worst. What you can assume is that it takes time. It takes time to read the material; time to escalate it up the decision-making chain; and time to get back to you. So, your best approach is to periodically check in and gently push. That way you are proactive withou...

Over the years, a common theme in my life is that people call me a "work horse." For some reason my mind flashes to a Clydesdale humping the farm field, dragging a heavy plow. I shake my head and return to reality now. Since I'm no fan of the idea that one must pull a heavy plow to get a lot of work done in a day, I thought I would much rather give you some tips on why it is that most people seem to associate the Clydesdale with yours truly. The real reason is that over the years I have learned some important lessons on how to get a lot done in a day. I thought you would appreciate my insight. Organization first and routine second -- when I first got into business, I set up my paperwork and got all my primary documentation stored and on-the-ready. I have central contracts, invoices and legal documents pre-written and on stand-by for when a need rises. I recently had a very unappreciative former business associate who worked with me and asked for assistance in this area...

Public relations campaigns can be tricky. We often have prospective clients show up who want us to "guarantee" results. I once had a guy shove another PR agency's one sheet under my nose and point to the "empty" promise of "guaranteed" results. He relentlessly insisted I make the same "oath of results," which I could not do. In PR you cannot promise anything when it comes to the media. If you know anything about the Public Relations Society of America code of ethics, you would know that true accredited PR professionals cannot promise media placements. It's unethical to make those kinds of promises. Why? Because (while most of us would like to believe it isn't so) we don't control the media. Have you heard of unbiased news reporting? Well, if PR pros were able to control the media, everything would be quite biased. As professionals all we can do is pitch our ideas and clients and hope the media likes what they hear. And here is one...

I hope that my staff agrees with this -- and I suspect they do; but 3L Publishing is an awesome organization to work for and to work with. What is my assumption based on? "Do you have empirical evidence?" you ask. Well, a few fun facts to help persuade you on my premise. We don't have a brick-and-mortar building. We will probably never have a building. Why? Modern business doesn't need these kind of physical establishments to be successful. When I started my company in 2006, it was to escape the constraints of corporate boundaries -- desks in offices in buildings. It was to create a way for me to lose the commute and the time wasted in the commute. My independence enabled me to spend more time with my family; be home when my kids got out of school; and to keep overhead costs down in fuel costs. As a result, I translated the needs to my team. As we've begun to grow, I don't put restraints on how people spend their time or where they spend their time working. I ...

I recently answered a questionnaire about marketing for small businesses. I thought I would share my answers with the rest of you to help other businesses.  1) How important is having an organized and successful marketing plan? What key areas should one think about when developing a marketing plan?   My personal opinion is that a marketing plan is your roadmap really toward your tactics. I think your overall strategies and goals are important but really drive what you are going to do tactically to take action to drive your marketing campaign. The strategies lay out your intention to reach what markets and why -- your goals are your milestones toward results. Your tactics, however, state what tools and techniques will you employ to reach those goals. Without a clear plan, marketing leaders will pursue their marketing campaigns in a much more haphazard and random way -- and stumble toward success or not achieve success at all. 2) What are a few easy online mark...

We just had a presentation of collaborative writing. I am a fan of collaborative writing -- even though I have been sullied on business partnerships in general. While I will firmly suggest I will not partner in business again (see Buddha, I learned my lesson), I will eagerly partner in writing books or screenplays again. When you have the right collaboration, you will find it enhances the process. You can brainstorm and bounce ideas around with someone else and get feedback from a vested partner, who is much less inclined to indulge you since he/she has a stake in its success. You can be each other's fan and support club to finish the project. You have someone to enjoy the process with too. On the downside, a bad partnership or collaboration can have horrific and stressful results. So, make sure you have an agreed upon vision and compatible writing style. Do watch out for a collaboration where one partner takes advantage of the other's goodwill and generosity. Signs of abuse ...

Here is a conundrum for you. Why do people ask you for recommendations and referrals when you have never worked with them? In the last few weeks, I've had several people ask me to refer them; however, I have never worked with or even know these people. I am scratching my head. Aren't you supposed to put your good name behind someone or something you had a positive experience with? How can I give a reference to someone I don't know ... or better yet barely recognize their face? I would imagine if I splatter my name all over the place and provide references for people I've never even met it might dilute the effectiveness of my recommendation. Am I right? So next time you ask someone to put their name behind your own name, maybe you ought to actually know the person. I'm just sayin'.

Pitching to the media is an art form. When you're promoting a book or product or person, you pitch their stories to the media. Your aim -- to get as much media attention as possible. The more promotion out there, the more visibility, and the more sales generated. Pitching, though, cannot take the form of a monosyllabic: check out my press release ... or I have a new book on Vegas out ... or I have a new book for you. As a magazine editor in another life, I have seen it all, and I can tell you the worst failures and best successes. When publicists sent me lame product pitches that consisted of nothing more than a line or two in the pitch, I wasn't impressed. You have to get the editor to stop for a moment. Editors, producers or writers are busy. They have often daily deadlines. They have little time to stop and read what can often be hundreds of pitches per day; so make your pitch powerful. Give it a strong hook. Make it interesting. Ensure it's about a story behind somethin...

A good friend of mine dove into the screenwriting field with complete commitment to become a screenwriter. He put it well when he said, "What else can I do?" These words are the comments of a true writer. When writing is your art and represents your passion -- and you commit to your art and passion with 150 percent of your soul, it will work out. I wanted to become a writer when I was 10 years old. Some people marvel that a 10-year-old knew what she wanted, but it's true. I've committed my life to my craft. I've never wavered from the complete desire to go forward. And with that absolute commitment, I've always succeeded and became professionally published at age 22, and the journey doesn't end. Like my friend, "What else can I do?" And with that commitment comes the persistence to go forward. You cannot allow roadblocks, naysayers, critics or anyone else to put barriers in your way. You go forward and you keep going forward. You knock on doors -...

I read on the airplane the book "Built to Last," which inspired me to reinforce some of our core business values. I've been beating the internal drum at 3L Publishing that everything we do results in high-quality products and customers beyond satisfied. What this book showed me is that companies that look beyond the bottom line toward a greater organizational value endure through the years as great institutions. I want my company to grow and endure through great vision and innovation. So, I got to thinking about our core value and those three thoughts -- excellence, high quality products and services and superior customer service -- resonated with me. I shared my thoughts today with Malia, our account and operations manager, and inspired her to think about it too. So as we as a full-service team build on those values and grow, I hope to leave a legacy of endurance -- and one we can all be proud to be a part of.

Public relations -- often referred to as the "airy-fairy" stuff can be hard to measure results, which is why concrete pick up with the media is the only clear outcome that seems meaningful to most people. What we've tried to do at 3L Publishing with our public relations programs is create complete transparency so the client knows exactly how much work truly goes into moving their campaigns forward. Without complete transparency, the client only sees that maybe they got one request for a book review. Our methods keep our clients involved and aware of our process so that there is no question of the time and resources invested in moving their projects forward with the media. Our key campaigns under way right now are showing those results. Each week on each project, we pitch and receive requests to review the books pitched. So for example, this week the book Daughter of the Caribbean received three requests to see the book, and two requests to discuss an interview with the ...

New authors are often shocked when they discover that the final proofing process is often the hardest part of the publishing experience. You have to keep in mind that you sometimes have between 50,000 and 100,000 words and phrases -- and these words all have to be correct. Let's break that down: that's 100,000 words spelled right and grammatically correct. Oh! And don't forget the right style needs to be applied. Are you suddenly cringing? Copy editors are often the lowest paid editor on the rung. A truly gifted copy editor is priceless. A thorough copy editor not only knows her grammar rules backwards and forwards, she also knows something super critical. She knows when she doesn't know -- and she looks it up. I've now worked with several authors who have come up for air after the final proofing process to admit it was harder than writing the actual book. So, next time you spot a minor error in a book, give the poor copy editor a break before you decide to pull ou...

Why are people standing out on piers to watch the tsunami roll in? Are you that curious? Really? You think it's a great idea to "walk" the beach right now? Really? Do you think it's wise to stand on the dock too? Really? Didn't you see what just happened in Japan -- and that wasn't enough of a message that perhaps tsunami watching isn't a good hobby. Really? And when I'm saying really ... I mean REALLY? Here is a piece of sound advice, go inland. Watch the news. Stay away from the beach. No, now is not the time to go fishing. No, now is not the time to gawk at the ocean from a pier either! I'm just sayin'!

This statement came from my operations manager -- and I was so tickled by it, I thought I would blog about it. Cheating on your homework or asking your buddy if you can use her homework to copy is the same as asking an associate for her contract, forms and spreadsheets for your business. The answer should always be, "No, you can't have my homework," and that answer also applies to school-yard politics too. Friends should not allow friends to cheat. Business associates should not allow business associates to cheat either. It's also called taking advantage of someone -- and that's not nice either. You should never be disrespectful to another person's hard word and ask to "borrow" their "stuff" -- and you should most assuredly not be asking to take their stuff without paying them either -- that's called slavery. And in case you had not heard, that was abolished in 1865. So for the record if you're asking to use/borrow or steal (that if...

I am often asked how I manage to focus with so many distractions -- two children, loads of laundry crying to be cleaned, husband hanging around, and two barking dogs chewing their squeaky toys. When my children now ages 7 and 13 were smaller, believe it or not, it was easier in some respects. The nanny would come and scoop up the little one and distract them with a toy. When they got older, I resorted to locking my office door. What I teach people who want what appears to them to be the ideal work-at-home setup is to create a space and boundaries within the space. So, here are some tips to help other at-home workers. Boundaries -- there is nothing wrong with locking your office door. A lock is the best clear boundary you can use. And don't feel guilty that you've locked it and unlock it the minute you hear junior knocking for attention. Junior can wait. Also, if junior routinely takes up the habit of pounding on the locked door, teach your wee one not to do that. "When ...

Some actions, questions or comments just require the perfect tone of "Boo!" My dear friend and financial advisor Cindy Fuzie taught me this. You don't like something, just say "boo." So for your entertainment, here are some boo-worthy moments. Asking me the obvious . This one just seemed kind of off-the-wall to me. A gal asked me if Daughter of the Caribbean , which is clearly a pleasure book, was a non-fiction business book. What about a beautiful cover of a young girl, strolling on a Jamaican beach looks like a business book? When I pointed out what seemed like it should be pretty obvious, she relented that she would read it on the airplane. I was completely lost. The branding on the book is sublime, but it just goes to show that in marketing some hurdles (as is my dog ate my brain) just can’t be overcome. For asking what is probably the most absurd question of the year (if not decade), major-league “boo.” “Yes, Drill Sergeant!” I always give people the ...

Writing a book is more than having a book to sell. A book can create a wealth of opportunities by creating a platform for your business to grow. Most authors often make the mistake of focusing exclusively on book sales as a measure of a book's success. While book sales definitely matter, it's not the individual unit sales you should focus on. The real question is what kind of doors did the book's existence open for you? A book is a powerful tool to open the door for speaking invitations or to attract interest in your business in general. Even the existence of one book can beget another book. 3L Publishing as publisher last year invested in the book A Feast at the Beach . Why? It defied our traditional model. We did so, because we felt the title would add value to our overall catalog. It would help attract and grow that segment of market interest. In other words, while we want Feast to sell, whether it becomes a number one best seller doesn't measure its performance in t...

You may wonder why some writers produce work that could only be described as genius versus other writers, who may have the mechanics down, but their story is either silly, melodramatic or ridiculous. I receive a lot of submissions where the story is mostly melodramatic and ridiculous. The summary of your manuscript (unless you're deliberately trying to be dramatic -- only in a ridiculous way) should not read like the last episode of the Young and the Restless . Now one caveat: maybe you want to be a soap writer, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that if that's your goal, but if you truly want to be a dramatic fiction writer, watch out. You are teetering on a fine line between melodrama and art. If you read your book's summary and it does sound like the last episode of Days of Our Lives , don't submit it. Your drama needs to have drama, of course, in it, but something along the lines of: Sally met the love of her life when she was 12, but the stars would not ali...

This mistake shocks me. When I tell you what it is, it will at the very least surprise you. It's the number one mistake new authors make. A poorly written and executed chapter one, that they also profusely apologize for when they submit their queries. Here is the best analogy: Submitting a weak chapter one is like going to a job interview wearing a dirty suit and apologizing that today is, "laundry day." What happens is writers get confounded by chapter one. They struggle with the opening of their book. And instead of figuring it out, they give up. Then they submit this less-than-perfect work with an apology and tell me it gets good on page 100. Here is the truth. I don't have time to read to page 100. I barely have time to read to page 10. And most of the time, I can tell by page one that this book is good or bad (surprising as that is). So when you submit a weak chapter one with a profuse apology, do you know what happens? Two things: a trip to my "special file...

I've said this repeatedly. The only fun thing about turning 45 is that I don't look 45. That fact warms my vain little heart. And make no mistake about it, vanity kills ... your wallet. I never thought I would be one to turn to the magic "line-erasing" elixir fondly referred to in the media as Botox, but upon inspection of ever-increasing lines in undesirable places, I succumbed. Many of you may wonder why in the world I would make such an admission. Well, I have been forever irked by those women (and men) who stroke their Botox-injected face and make the false claim that it's "good genes." One glance at the glass-smooth brows of these people and all credibility flies out the cosmetic window. If you're going to belly up to the Botox bar, you might as well admit it. And thus, the confession made with a blithe shrug. Because here is the real deal, once you've done it and see the results ... well, it's like the worst addictive substance. The tru...

Where's your passion? What motivates you? Answers to these questions applied to your business are not all sappy and sweet -- the answers are meaningful to your success. When we do things motivated by either greed or a shallow need for attention, our success doesn't always follow. I'm not saying that greedy people don't get what they're seeking. Just look at the crash of Wall Street and those greedy souls. They got what they sought all right. I am saying that when we run our business without heart, it may not go as well as expected. In my business in particular, it can be a lot of flash in the pan. You can get a lot of attention as a publisher. You get to attend parties. You can a lot of media attention. You get to meet famous people. While that all sounds interesting and good to stroke someone's ego, it's not the reason we're in business. But for those who are attracted to this business with a desire to stroke their egos, it's always going to fly in ...

No better way to learn not to do something than to see what others blunder or blooper. I've seen some really funny bloopers as of late. I've also seen some shameful and sloppy blunders. Almost all of it, though, has to do with a lack of thoughtful attention to detail. The key to business and life, for that matter, is to slow down, think about it, and then do it. Business people who don't take enough time to slow down or give something its due, make often egregious and embarrassing errors. I thought I would share some of the whoppers I've been privy to. Brochures, websites and press releases with the wrong company name . How does this one happen? you ask with complete confusion, as I did. I mean, really ? You couldn't stop long enough to get the name of the company, product or service correct on someone's brochure, website copy, press release or any other collateral piece. What does this tell the client? Here are some not-so-good choices: A. You're too hur...

Week after week, I am awed by some people's sense of entitlement. Just when I think it couldn't get anymore ridiculous it just goes to the next level. In fact, some people feel so entitled, I almost feel like I should just get it over with and hand over my ATM card with my PIN. When did this happen to our society? Or has it always been that way and I was just happily going along with my head shoved in the sand. I recently encountered a situation where even though we had already spent thousands of out-of-pocket dollars, the associate continued to press for more. Even when it was put in writing and demonstrated how much money had been poured into the project, it didn't seem to make any difference. The associate was still committed to the idea they we somehow owed her more. Here is the truth. "Give an inch take a mile" was made up because the person quoted experienced what I just described. You are not entitled to anything. Even those most privileged people are not e...