The Dump
By Alex Greenwood
Photo By Tiberiu Ana
I’ve written previously about “The Bump.” Put simply:
“Your interview is important, but it has been bumped by something more newsworthy.”
It happens. Roll with it. (Read the post for more on that.)
Interestingly, there’s something related to the bump that’s just as frustrating; I call it “The Dump.”
Let’s say you pitch a reporter on a story or interview. The reporter says “Yes, I like it,” then interviews you or your client–or has you complete an email “interview.” Once complete, you wait.
And wait.
And wait. Weeks pass and no story appears online, in print or via broadcast.
Soon you realize that the story was either killed (the editor didn’t like it, a better story came up, too similar to a recent story, your interview/info wasn’t all that interesting, no room in the publication, etc.) or the reporter simply forgot about it and moved on.
Hence, “the Dump.”
Been there. Done that. It’s not a good feeling, and it’s even worse when the reporter doesn’t tell you they’ve elected to dump the story.
For example, I once invested a couple of hours on an email interview with a publication. Many weeks later, the interview remained unpublished. Beyond checking that my interview was received, I didn’t follow up with the reporter (who has a bit of a reputation for this sort of thing). It’s obvious the story isn’t going anywhere, and I’d rather not waste my time (or the reporter’s) trying to litigate the merits of the story any further.
Trust me, it’s more than an average “bad day” when you have to explain to a CEO client that the twenty minutes they spent on the phone with a reporter (whilst running to catch a plane at LAX) isn’t going to materialize–particularly if the reporter gives you the silent treatment when you follow up. I don’t like it–I think it’s common courtesy to tell an interviewee or their PR rep that the story is dumped–but reporters have no obligation to do so.
The point is, you can spend a lot of time, effort and energy pitching, interviewing–and yes, even writing–something that by all indicators looks like a sure thing, yet it never sees the light of day. It’s frustrating, but it helps to remember there are no guarantees (if you want guaranteed coverage, buy an ad). Even a good story or interview can simply end up–through no fault of your own–in the dump.
Don’t get mad. Remember, just like “the bump,” “the dump” may not be forever. Perhaps that same reporter will remember you as a source when a similar story pops up. So, no sense starting a feud about it. Brush yourself off and move on. Opportunity awaits.
(And you can recycle your interview on your blog…)
On (In)Gratitude and (Im)Maturity
By Alex Greenwood
I received an email from LinkedIn recently, suggesting I congratulate “Jane Smith” (not her real name, obviously) on a high-profile position with a respected institution. I was stunned.
Why? Because “Jane Smith” was fresh out of college, and not twelve months earlier she had implored me to help her find a job–any job.
I’d worked in proximity with “Jane” on a project for a client, and figured that though she was indeed young and a tad immature, she deserved a shot at a job–especially in this tight economy. So, I spoke on her behalf to a client, who agreed to interview “Jane” for an open position. It wasn’t a high-prestige job, and it didn’t pay the precocious “Jane” what she wanted, but it was steady work.
“Jane” agreed to the interview.
The day of the interview, my client contacted me and said “Jane” was a no-call, no-show. She never went to the interview, never emailed, called or sent so much as a tweet telling my client she was going to ditch the meeting; nor did she ever apologize. That made me look just dandy with my client, I assure you. I emailed “Jane” and asked why she didn’t go or at least let my client know she was no longer interested.
No response.
I did a little research and found out that in between agreeing to the interview and the date for which it was scheduled “Jane” had apparently scored a job that was probably a better fit than the one offered by my client. Good for her; but I was dismayed at the rudeness and immaturity she demonstrated to my client and me. I stuck my neck out for her, and she made me (and herself) look foolish. I was stunned by her immaturity and ingratitude.
So, fast forward a year and imagine my further dismay to find out “Jane” was just promoted to a job requiring strong social skills that most people ten years older than her don’t often get. Color me flabbergasted (and what her boss was thinking when making this decision is beyond me).
Certainly “Jane” is smart, but if the networking and social skills she demonstrated previously are any indication, “Jane” will eventually make a similar mistake–and do it to someone who has a longer memory than mine. I don’t wish her ill, but I do hope she grows up–a lot. God only knows how many other people she carelessly disregarded climbing the ladder. The old saying about being good to “people on your way up…” comes to mind.
Needless to say, I did not congratulate her on LinkedIn.
On Free Work
By Alex Greenwood
It gets down to time and money.
We often get requests from local organizations, churches and non-profits asking us to perform free work. The first impulse is usually “you betcha!” but that’s not always the most realistic answer to the request.
We’re proud of our long record of helping non-profit organizations by providing free (pro bono) services. We try to perform a set amount of community service hours every year. To that end, AlexanderG PR has helped several non-profits improve their image or promote fundraisers and special events over the years. We do the work with a happy heart: it’s an honor and privilege to serve our community.
However, the realities of the economy, time/scheduling and just plain “paying the bills” prevent us from helping every non-profit organization on a pro bono basis. Don’t get me wrong–we’re happy to discuss an organization’s needs–and if it’s a good fit for everyone, we’re glad to help out. Unfortunately, it’s not always feasible for us to work gratis on a project. However, we do try to recommend another firm or PR pro who might be able to help.
When we do agree to work on a pro bono basis, we’re careful there is a clear scope of work–a list of what we will and will not be able to do. We also make certain the non-profit we’re working for understands their role and deliverables in the process. As a former non-profit board member, I know it’s easy to forget that the company doing free work needs your help in supplying information, personnel and resources to ensure a successful project.
Pro bono work recipients have to make it a two-way street to help the donating firm be as efficient and successful as possible. That’s why the scope of work (hours, deliverables, timelines, etc.) is set in advance and must be respected by the client organization–it prevents misunderstandings, unrealistic expectations and (yup) even recriminations later.
Keep that in mind if you’re the non-profit looking for pro bono help: assurances to the prospective donor firm that a point person will mind the scope of work is a huge help in winning that firm’s assistance.
We also recommend you thank the firm often. In a program, on posters, online, invite them to post-event celebrations–wherever you can. Many firms won’t ask, but they will readily accept some credit and publicly-expressed gratitude for their work.
Being a business that’s sought after for pro bono work is indeed an honor, and we highly recommend all businesses help out their community organizations when possible. The trick to it is balancing the needs of paying the bills while being an energetic community booster.
“Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”
By Alex Greenwood
The cruel, tragic events in Boston put Americans in that uneasy, hateful place we have visited far too often over the past few years: the realm of fear. Cowards build bombs or fire guns or brandish knives that kill children and innocents. These cowards maim the ordinary–yet uniquely extraordinary–people who are just living their lives, harming no one.
In the coward’s wake, every public place is eyed with heightened suspicion. The urge to be even more secure is palpable. Terrorists seek to dim the light of liberty, to wound the greatest virtue of the American Republic: the spirit of its people.
I submit that though terrible events past, present and future will edge us closer to permanent residency in the dark realm of fear, we must rage against it. As Dylan Thomas said about the inexorable dimming of the light of life into the darkness of death, we as a nation must “rage against the dying of the light.” We must mourn, certainly. We must be vigilant and sensible about security, to be sure; but it’s paramount we not let the cowards win by giving in to fear. Security, yes–but most importantly, liberty must be protected.
I’ve seen a domestic terrorist attack at close range. I’ve seen broken bodies of children and the haunted look in the eyes of first responders. I know the impotent anger of the bystander; I’ve felt the anguish and fear in the aftermath of a terrorist act. I chose then–as I do now–to channel that anger, anguish and fear into a firm resolve not to let cowards change who I am and how I live.
Liberty is a light, and we as citizens must rage against its dying.
What Sets You Apart?
Photo by Deborah Fitchett
By Alex Greenwood
I spoke with a former accountant and business consultant (who asked to remain anonymous in interests of sharing details of this story) recently who was attempting to (free of charge) help a friend get his small tax prep business off the ground. The friend and his wife shared their business plan with my colleague. In a nutshell, the plan was:
- Do certain types of simple personal taxes.
- Do a lot of that certain types of taxes.
- Make money.
- Rinse. Repeat.
That “plan” gave my colleague pause–mostly because the guy is trying to compete directly with TurboTax and H&R Block–but he pushed forward and inquired about marketing. The tax guy was going to let word of mouth and occasional flyers at church and around town do the job.
“Okay, good start. What message are you sending potential clients?” my colleague asked.
“Beg pardon?”
“What is it that sets you apart from the competition?”
“Oh! Our service. We provide personal service.”
“But don’t all tax preparers provide personal service?” my colleague inquired further.
“Well, yes, but our service will be better than everyone else’s, because it’s personal.“
From there, my colleague made a fairly detailed list of things that the tax guy should consider when starting a new business, not the least of which was to stake out a less vague unique selling proposition–what sets you apart? A word on that from the folks at Entrepreneur.com:
Before you can begin to sell your product or service to anyone else, you have to sell yourself on it. This is especially important when your product or service is similar to those around you. Very few businesses are one-of-a-kind. Just look around you: How many clothing retailers, hardware stores, air conditioning installers and electricians are truly unique? The key to effective selling in this situation is what advertising and marketing professionals call a “unique selling proposition” (USP). Unless you can pinpoint what makes your business unique in a world of homogeneous competitors, you cannot target your sales efforts successfully.
To put it bluntly, “We provide personal service” is not unique. It’s lazy, unimaginative and ultimately failed branding. Every company provides personal service of some kind. “Personal service” is such a vague USP it is effectively meaningless. It’s not even “We provide the best personal service” (though how you quantify that is anybody’s guess, and therefore, useless as a USP).
I won’t equivocate: finding your USP is not as easy as it sounds. Hell, I’ve been in business three years and I’m still searching for that magic mix of what I do well and what sets me apart. My firm does a lot of things–many of them pretty well, including content marketing, product launches/store opens, strategic PR planning, crisis communications, crowdfunding consulting, training and seminars, Social Media strategies, author/book promo and media relations. But try putting that in an elevator speech.
Furthermore, not all of those services have particularly good ROI. I need to find my niche and stick to it so my company can grow more consistently. Another colleague, Andrew Nemiccolo (a very smart guy) once told me straight up that I was so all-over-the-road that it was no wonder I was having a hard time settling on client targets (I paraphrased that, but he’s right, and I’m working on streamlining my company).
Back to the tax guy. My colleague never got another step further with him–the tax guy was certain his personal service would be so outstanding that people would climb on their rooftops, waving a tax refund, shouting “I got a refund and my tax guy’s service was more personal than TurboTax!”
Okay, that guy apparently isn’t going to listen to my colleague, so I asked him what marketing tactics he recommends to others interested in setting up a low-cost tax prep business. He advises would-be tax and accounting businesspeople to find three specialties to develop their USP. For example, his were packages for starting a new business, exploiting an existing network (he has extensive healthcare industry contacts) and helping people struggling with tax problems.
So how did he market his USP?
“Word of mouth is ideal–if you’re willing to take five to ten years to build your practice,” he said. “That’s why I don’t recommend relying on it alone.”
The more immediate activities he recommended include:
- Attend social and networking events for the market niche you wish to work in (Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours, home or business association mixers, etc.)
- Distribute flyers to new homes and housing editions. “You’re trying to reach new homeowners, especially first-time homeowners, who are inevitably changing tax status by buying their first home and may have children thereafter. Establishing a good relationship with market-area Realtors is a good idea, too.”
- An established referral relationship with a banker is also helpful.
- Get out of your shell–once you have your USP, get out there and tell your niche market about it using personal contact, social media and advertising when affordable and sensible.
A final bit of advice from Entrepreneur.com:
Don’t get discouraged. Successful business ownership is not about having a unique product or service; it’s about making your product stand out–even in a market filled with similar items.
Crowdfunding Seminar Now Available!
DO YOU HAVE A CREATIVE PROJECT IN MIND BUT NO MONEY TO DO IT?
DON’T FEAR THE CROWD!
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with
J. Alexander Greenwood
PR Consultant
Publisher
Successful Kickstarter
Award-Winning and Top-Selling Author
Do you have a creative project you want to bring to market, but no rich uncle to fund it?
Have you ever considered trying your hand at crowdfunding through Kickstarter or Indiegogo?
Learn valuable secrets to success in this seminar by J. Alexander Greenwood, a first-time Kickstarter who raised 106% funding for his project. Alex is author of the Top-Selling (#1 on the Kindle Business Shopping & ECommerce Chart) Kickstarter Success Secrets.
In this 90-minute seminar, Alex gives your non-profit group, club, organization, company or class helpful tips, tactics and “do’s and don’t’s” based on his experience and research as a successful crowdfunder. He offers practical advice, anecdotes and ideas that are easily digestible and ready to be put to use on your campaign. Alex is a dynamic speaker who imbues his talk with great visuals and sound, common sense and humor. He has been interviewed about crowdfunding and his writing on numerous blogs as well as recently on radio and TV stations nationwide, including KSHB-TV and Audio Dust Jacket Radio.
Selected previous speaking engagements:
Philanthropy Midwest Conference
United Way of Wyandotte County
Topeka Community Foundation
KC Ad Club
The Greater KC Chamber of Commerce
The Kauffman Foundation
Praise for J. Alexander Greenwood’s Kickstarter Success Secrets:
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“Nice, succinct, to-the-point analysis by J. Alexander Greenwood. He covers his successful (and modest) campaign to fund a paperback issuance of his third novel, Pilate’s Ghost. On a 21-Day Kickstarter campaign timeline, he successfully raised over $1600 (hence the ‘modest’ reference).”
“Very good coverage of the successful factors he measured, as well as those that he would have changed. Most valuable was the social media marketing metrics he presents, and his take on the “tribal” outreach necessary to crowdsource funding successfully for at least minimal virality. Many thanks to the author!”
Now scheduling seminars for March through November 2013!
Available in person or via Skype and other online meeting applications.
Contact Alex at Alex(at)AlexGPR.com or 913-907-4426 for rate and scheduling information.
Is There Life After A Layoff? Ask Tami.
Author Tami Cannizzaro
By Alex Greenwood
As part of our continuing series of interviews with authors, songwriters and other outspoken creative people, we’re happy to introduce you to author Tami Cannizzaro. Tami’s experiences as a veteran business professional getting laid off started out as fodder for her popular blog, then grew into a book, Tales of the Terminated® A Humorous Look at Life after a Layoff (2012 Pink Dog Press).
Stress, heartache, happiness, anger, sadness, boredom, loneliness and feeling less-than-successful are all emotions that follow the recently unemployed or underemployed around like a shadow. Nevertheless, Tami discovered there is another side to the story, a humorous side. Yes, funny things happen when you’ve been laid off.
We talked with Tami about her writing, career and life after a layoff.
AlexanderG Whiz: Tell us a little about yourself.
Tami Cannizzaro: I’m a marketing and PR professional, author, motivational speaker and mentor. A retail veteran, my career includes working for big brands: Neiman Marcus, Zale, Nokia, Blockbuster and 7-Eleven. My work has ranged from retail buying (I bought men’s underwear, among other things), store operations, sponsorships and promotions, sports marketing, strategic marketing and public relations. Currently I work as Account Director for a PR agency.
I’m an almost-native Texan, a die-hard Aggie and wife to the best husband anywhere. I’m also a writer who loves to see the humorous side of things. I’m an avid traveler and need only one medium suitcase for a two-week trip. I love all dogs, especially my beautiful 85 lb. four-legged daughter.
Aside from writing, my passion is mentoring college students and providing them insight into the work world, sharing things that I wish someone had told me when I was preparing for my career.
And I’m a huge IndyCar fan. I’ve even taken a ride in an IndyCar at the Indianpolis Motor Speedway.
AlexanderG Whiz: Cool. Why did you write your book–what was the “eureka” moment?
Tami Cannizzaro: I wish I had a really fun “eureka” moment to share with you! The decision to write my book, Tales of the Terminated, was more of a gut feeling or inner voice telling me to do this. Sometimes I ignore my “inner voice”, although this time she was pretty persistent. It just seemed like the logical next step based on the positive response to my blog, and an opportunity to provide humor to others who might find themselves in a similar situation.
What I found during my journey is that most books and articles about layoffs talk in “how-to” language; they are about resume writing, preparing a job search, networking tips, etc. I wanted to write Tales of the Terminated to show others that there is more to a layoff than simply losing your job; it’s an emotional journey that few, if any, are truly prepared for.
AlexanderG Whiz: Did you ever quit–thinking it wasn’t for you? Something you didn’t want to finish?
Tami Cannizzaro: Oh yes – I actually quit writing Tales of the Terminated as soon as I started! The idea for Tales of the Terminated came right after the layoff, when I found myself humored by the funny things that were happening as I embarked on my journey through unemployment. So I started writing everything down, almost like keeping a journal, with the intent on sharing with others through a blog or possibly a book. Yet I let fear or insecurity take over and I put my writing away.
My thoughts were, “Who’s going to read this? Will anyone even care?”
Plus, I did not think of myself as a writer.
Months later I was stuck inside due to an ice storm and lamenting that it had been one year since I was laid off. The cold must have given me a blast of courage because I pulled out my writing and turned one of my stories into a blog post. Just like that, Tales of the Terminated was born.
I received such positive feedback from the Tales of the Terminated blog that writing a book no longer seemed like a dream. And once I got started, I never wanted to quit – just to keep going.
AlexanderG Whiz: You’ve been a newspaper columnist as well as public relations professional. That’s a lot of writing. Are you a natural writer–I mean, does writing come easy for you?
Tami Cannizzaro: I would love to tell you that I had a secret desire to be a writer, but honestly I had never before thought of myself as a writer. Although looking back at my college days, any class that included lots of writing was a good grade for me. Even freshman English, which was basically creative writing. At work I’ve been able to write well too.
Does it come easy for me? That depends on the day, moment or assignment. If I’ve got a creative idea I can usually knock something out quickly, especially if I can get a bit of quiet time. Just like all writers, though, I get blocked. Especially when I’m too busy, making it difficult for my mind relax. It’s hard to turn creativity on like a faucet. The secret is that I truly enjoy it, and I think anything you enjoy has a bit of ease to it.
AlexanderG Whiz: What’s your writing routine–both as a blogger and when you were writing the book?
Tami Cannizzaro: Apparently I have a difficult time toggling between my work and my writing, so I dedicate Fridays to writing. This is great because it allows me some additional free time on Saturday and Sunday to review and revise anything I’ve written, or even to write some more. I have a little routine in that I have my coffee and breakfast while reading the paper and listening to the news – believe it or not this clears my mind. Then it’s off to my desk to write.
If I get stuck on a concept I’ll shift away from it for a few minutes to clear my mind, usually a game of computer solitaire or a walk into the backyard.
Another routine is that I’m always jotting down my thoughts; anything that may contribute to my tales. I keep several moleskin journals around so I can capture a thought as it hits me – in my purse, next to the bed, on my desk, everywhere. Some of my best thinking is done in my car and I’m constantly pulling over to write something down. Sometimes it takes me forever to get to my destination because I’m stopping to write thoughts.
AlexanderG Whiz: You often speak to groups, covering some of the material in your book. Where do you speak and what kind of responses do you get?
Tami Cannizzaro: I’ll speak to just about any group, including student associations, non-profits, special events, etc. My favorite, though, is working with college students. While they haven’t been in a layoff situation yet, they still benefit from the message of Tales of the Terminated: always be ready for change, figure out how to adapt and know that anything is possible if you maintain a positive attitude and put your mind to it.
The response I’ve received from speaking engagements has been very positive, beyond anything I could have imagined. All ages seem to respond favorably – again, whether the audience has been laid off or not. Ultimately, the message from Tales of the Terminated is to remain positive, see the situation for what it is – the good and the bad – and realizing that there is always a silver lining. That’s probably why my stories resonate with a variety of audiences.
AlexanderG Whiz: Would you rather give a speech or write a new book? (Or give a speech about your new book?)
Tami Cannizzaro: Do I have to choose? I enjoy both! If I must choose, I have to pick giving a speech. It’s very interactive, especially since I get to meet with the audience afterwards. I’m a very social person and writing is very solitary. And I like seeing the reactions while I’m speaking, which allows me to make adjustments to my talk if necessary.
AlexanderG Whiz: Pink Dog Press is your publisher–not a large press. What was the toughest part about writing and publishing the book with a small imprint?
Tami Cannizzaro: I think any author will say that the most difficult part of the process is promoting yourself and the book. Writing, publishing and the set-up required to get the raw material into book/e-book form was easy in comparison. Especially since I had an awesome editor who knew all the ins and outs to guide me through the process. The marketing is hard to do while working full-time. As a marketing and PR professional, I may know too much about what should be done for a promotion – I might be better off if I was a bit more naïve in this area!
AlexanderG Whiz: Let’s talk more about the book itself. So, you got laid off one day, right? Tell us about that experience.
Tami Cannizzaro: So you want me to relive that day, huh? Actually I knew it was coming. My company had experienced numerous layoffs during my tenure and the business was struggling. My department had been eliminated a few months earlier and I was spared, moved to another department to work on “special projects”. It doesn’t take a degree in rocket science to figure out that any time your job title says “special projects”, it’s a temporary gig and your resume should be up to date.
That didn’t make the reality of being laid off any easier when I actually received my pink slip. The layoff came on a Friday and my car was packed to leave town for the weekend. I remember calling my husband, who offered words of encouragement as I walked to the parking garage. I guess “fight or flight” took over as I instantly started networking, calling people during my drive. Reality set in the following week, and I was sort of numb as I tried to figure out my strategy.
Though I was a bit scared, somehow I just knew that everything would work out.
AlexanderG Whiz: Your book is hilarious–laugh out loud funny in places, in fact. Have you always “found the funny” in tough situations throughout your life?
Tami Cannizzaro: Not at all! I come from a long line of worriers. When I was younger I took life and my career way too seriously, always worrying about everything. Add to that my very competitive, always-want-to-be-the-best Type-A personality and you’ve got the potential to be an Olympic caliber worrier. While I’m sure my ability to find humor in situations was always there, the turning point was having very serious surgery. There is nothing that gives a person perspective faster than facing your own mortality. From that point I realized that everything else, including work, is just fluff and I make a conscious effort to put things in perspective. If I have my health and my family, everything else comes after. Not to mention that I found humor during my hospital stay – now those are funny stories!
AlexanderG Whiz: Is there a certain demographic the book is aimed at? I’m a guy in his (ahem) early forties, and I loved it.
Tami Cannizzaro: Well I’m glad that as a forty-something guy you enjoyed reading Tales of the Terminated! Hubby is in the same category and says he loves reading my book, although he knows better than to say otherwise. While Tales of the Terminated especially resonates with those who have experienced a layoff or who are simply looking for a new career opportunity, I think it’s for anyone of almost any age. The message is about finding the positive side of life and continuing to move forward after a setback – and that could apply to so many situations.
AlexanderG Whiz: If people were to sample one chapter out of your book, what would it be (tell us about what’s in the chapter)?
Tami Cannizzaro: Only one chapter? Wow – that’s like asking a parent to pick a favorite child! One of my favorite chapters is “Do You Want Fries With That?” It’s more poignant than the others, yet it best illustrates one of the by-products of being laid off, and that’s your loss of identity. This is something that I don’t think most people expect with a job loss.
Another favorite is “Vegetables; Are They Really a Necessity?” Money, or lack of money, is always a concern with a layoff. I was inspired to write this one day while I was in the car on my way to the grocery store but had the urge to head to the mall.
“Holiday Meltdown” is another fave; it’s just so me.
AlexanderG Whiz: You’re back to work now. Has your layoff experience changed the way you view being employed now?
Tami Cannizzaro: Yes, I’m happy to be working. One thing that’s changed is that I’m not afraid of a layoff. While I hope not to go through another layoff, if it does happen I know I will be able to figure something out work-wise. Even if it’s something different than I’m used to or is at a lower salary. It’s amazing what you can adjust to.
The experience also helped me refocus my priorities. I make sure there is time for family as well as my new found love of writing.
AlexanderG Whiz: Any advice for the laid off or underemployed people out there?
Tami Cannizzaro: My advice for anyone in the Land of Layoff or even those who are underemployed is to “put yourself out there”. If a layoff occurs, allow yourself a short pity-party – one week max – then move on.
Join at least one networking group; it’s a great way to get out and interact with other professionals as well as get job leads.
Another good thing is to volunteer at a non-profit, especially if you can leverage your job skills to assist the organization. What better way to stay busy, give back to a good cause, add experience to your resume and possibly make a job connection.
Get over yourself. Meaning, be willing to accept a different title, a lower wage, a longer commute, etc. Unless you have unlimited cash reserves that allow you to go without a salary for a long time, your objective is to find work even if the job isn’t your first choice. This is a strategic move that provides money and provides some peace of mind while you continue to look.
Most of all, at whatever you do, make sure you exude positive energy; you’ll be surprised at the return.
AlexanderG Whiz: Any advice for writers?
Tami Cannizzaro: If you really enjoy writing, keep at it. Don’t listen to others who think you might be wasting your time. I had well-meaning friends tell me I should spend time focusing on my job search and not my writing. As long as you can financially afford to write, do it. Submit articles for neighborhood publications; they love to receive work from people who live in the area.
AlexanderG Whiz: Anything I missed?
Tami Cannizzaro: You forgot to ask me where I was born and what I wore to school on the first day of 10th grade, but other than that I think you’ve covered it.
AlexanderG Whiz: Thanks Tami!
Want to hear more from Tami? Check out her interview on the Audio Dust Jacket Radio Show–click here.
More About Tami and Tales of the Terminated
You can learn more about Tami’s book (and download a free excerpt) by clicking here. Visit her website and blog by clicking here. You can follow her on Twitter here and on Facebook here. Purchase a paperback or ebook wherever books are sold, including Amazon.com: Tales of the Terminated: A Humorous Look at Life After a Layoff
Disclosure: Ms. Cannizzaro is a client of AlexanderG Public Relations.
Author Mary Metcalfe On Writing, Editing and Adventures in Book Marketing
Mary Metcalfe
By Alex Greenwood
As part of our continuing series of interviews with authors, songwriters and other outspoken creative people, we’re happy to introduce you to author Mary Metcalfe, who talks about her writing, career as an editor and thoughts on the era of new publishing.
Alex Greenwood: Tell us a little about yourself.
Mary Metcalfe: I’m a wife, mom, recent grandmother, dog and cat lover and accidental gardener who caves in on weeding as soon as the hot summer weather hits. I love long walks in the woods with my husband and dog where neither needs to be leashed. I am a slave to my three cats 24/7 and keep a bag of catnip handy when I need them to give me a break. I reluctantly gave up chocolate a few years ago and have never recovered. I also now only have Bailey’s once a year as a true treat.
When/why did you start writing?
I’ve been a professional writer for all of my adult life but on a technical non-fiction level. Three years ago, when my daughter had her first literary non-fiction book published commercially, I realized I wanted to see my name on the cover of a book and not just in the Acknowledgements at the end as a contributor or editor.
Your work has a definite bent towards mental health and social issues. Could you elaborate on that and why you went that direction?
When I first started writing fiction I started with some detailed character outlines and a basic plot. As the books and my research for them evolved, I realized I was exploring questions about people I’ve known and why they behaved in the ways they did. My characters took on the issues that I wondered about: Alzheimer’s (a very dear neighbor), PTSD (my father), Traumatic Brain Injuries (my father and maternal aunt), spousal abuse (a topic I had analyzed extensively for clients and one seen frequently in my mother’s generation). Researching and writing my stories helped me understand what had happened to some wonderful people who became very damaged.
How do you market your work?
My background is in communications, marketing and public relations. But, I’ve quickly learned that the principles may still be the same but the practices have changed big-time. So, I’m well aware of branding but am working on how to apply that to 21st century marketing via social media. At the moment, I’m working with a couple of professional book marketing experts to fine-tune a strategy that will give me broad exposure and still let me sleep and read a good book now and then (like your Pilate’s Ghost…. J).
What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned about marketing your work so far?
Not to get so caught up in relationship building, promotion and marketing (especially Twitter) that you have no time to write. It is simply not possible to have a personal relationship with three thousand people and maintain it. And, I’ve learned the “conversion rate” from interested to becoming a buying reader is miniscule. I’m now focusing on reviews and interviews and working at finding and reaching the niche audience that is already reading and looking for books in my genre and reaching out to them. I’m done with “I don’t usually read this genre” people who got a freebie and give it three stars because they wouldn’t like the book in the first place. Let’s not waste each other’s time.
Any favorite writers?
Oh my – so many. I am a historian by my early university studies and then through my journalism degree. I particularly like social histories and autobiographies so that list would be quite long. I would say that Barbara Walters’ autobiography really stands out for me. She rose up through the journalism ranks at a time when women were not taken seriously at all and always “needed” a male co-anchor to whom they always played second fiddle. Ms. Walters paved the way for today’s female anchors and investigative journalists. She’s as close to a legend or idol for me as anyone in the biz.
Among fiction writers I am a huge fan of Grisham, Le Carré, Nora Roberts, Barbara Delinsky, Nicholas Sparks and a growing cadre of mid-list authors who are writing wonderful books that don’t get to the bestseller lists including a certain J. Alex Greenwood, C. L. Withers, Barbara Brunner, Karen Tyrrell… that list just goes on and on.
You are too kind! What’s your take on the future of publishing?
My biggest concern at the moment is that the Amazon model for Kindle Direct is undermining book sales on a very insidious level. I’ve seen myself doing it: I wait/lurk/check around for the latest freebie/99 cent title to pop out from a known or emerging author and find myself loading up my Kindle. At the moment, I have 80 titles on my Kindle – enough for a year of reading and I didn’t spend more than perhaps $25. That compares to my pre-Kindle/Amazon era where I easily spent $500 or more per year and often paid $20 a copy for a favorite author.
My concern is that this model will either leave good mid-list authors working 2nd and 3rd jobs (do we really need to starve our artists?) to make ends meet or the whole system will implode and there will be a new normal that sees authors paid something of what their work is worth.
Personally, I’m eschewing the Amazon model (once my Kindle contracts run out) and holding out for sales rather than giveaways.
Mary, I agree about Kindle Select. I experimented with it on my third book, the aforementioned Pilate’s Ghost, and a couple of short stories, but I’m opting out as soon as the first contract period expires.
As well, I know from personal experience, that my best reviews are coming from readers who bought my novels. The worst have come from the freebies. So, never again.
What’s next for you?
Other than working on my 2nd job as a freelance editor to help pay my bills? I’m working on the fourth novel in my Look to the Future series. I’m under a lot of pressure from readers who have read the first three and are looking for their Metcalfe fiction fix.
Anything I didn’t ask that you’d like to mention?
As an editor, one thing that concerns me greatly is the number of authors who are publishing without benefit of professional editing. I’m not trying to create more business for my company but it is hard to read a book with a good storyline, great characters and then undermined by poor grammar, spelling and/or punctuation. A few typos are natural – I find them in Nora Roberts every time – but missing words and wrong words are an issue for some otherwise very good storytellers.
As my author buddy Barbara Brunner has said, “a good editor is worth her weight in gold” or words to that effect. I second that thought. Fifty Shades of Gray completely aside, you can’t write a true break-out novel without the support of an editor and a proofreader. And, I don’t think they should be the same person. Each has something different to look for.
A related issue is that I am finding Barbara Freethy (a NY Time bestselling author) schlepping her books alongside those books full of mistakes. I haven’t quite figured out what this means to publishing, but I am concerned that the publishing pool is getting very muddy and good mid-list authors are working their hearts out for little return, much as they deserve it.
Alex – thanks so much for this interview. You got me thinking. And, I hope your followers/readers will find some good nuggets to think about from my musings.
Thank you, Mary! We’ll be reading!
LINKS
Website: www.lakefrontmuse.ca
Blog: www.lakefrontmuse.blogspot.com
Twitter: @MetcalfeMary
Winds of Change video book trailer: http://bit.ly/QC3LYw
Winds of Change: http://amzn.to/PhSJt4
New Beginnings: http://amzn.to/QUESaR
Road to Tomorrow: http://amzn.to/QUESaR
All three novels are available in paperback at Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Indigo and wherever print on demand books can be ordered. I’m also on LinkedIn, Goodreads, LibraryThing and Shelfari. Please join me January 26, 2012 on live LA Talk Radio at TwoTalkBooks with Starla Faye; 11 a.m. PST and 2 p.m. EST at http://www.latalkradio.com/Starlafaye.php
