Blast O' Joy

The Writer's Spa is Nearly Upon Us!

I've spent the better part of this week putting together the final details of our upcoming Writer's Spa in Taos, New Mexico, which begins Saturday. Now is the time for setting up the private coaching appointments that are part of the event, finalizing plans with a few surprise speakers coming in, and making sure all the room assignments are correct, etc.

And for getting on the phone and email about a hundred times with my dear partner in crime, Jennifer Louden. This is the fifth year Jennifer and I have led the event, and let me tell you, we are excited. This year, we plan to do things differently (take note, Carla, Rachel and Dana and any other alums I might have missed.)

We'll have some of the same core programs and as ever council, a time to share about your writing. But certain rituals have been reworked and we've done a lot of brainstorming over the winter about how we could refresh the program - just brush it up some so it moves up to the next level and brings our participants along with it.

Don't want to reveal too much here about what I mean. But suffice to say, it's going to be a wonderful week on the mesa. I loaded this picture taken by Christina Solstad, a Writer's Spa alumna, at a canyon out there in the glorious Southwest. The Hopi in the picture are doing a sunrise ritual around the summer solstice.

It totally puts me in the mood for Taos … hope it inspires you, too.

Technorati Tags: Writing life, Hopi, Taos

The Real Numbers on Getting a Book Deal

Small Press publisher John Vonhof contributed the following comment from my recent post on my Get Known Now Blog, Scary Facts About Getting a Book Deal (If you want to know what you're up against for a major book deal, look here. It may help you decide if you want to self publish or not.)

"The number of books published in 2004 was 195,000. Many of those titles are Print-on-Demand (POD) which will never sell more than a few copies. The point is that authors need to study their market and have a marketing plan--after determining that, in fact, the world needs their book."

I'd second that. And that's why I slid into the work of helping people build platform. Because they really do need to let the world know what they're up to … before they launch the dream. And find out if their idea needs a major tweak .. before they fill the garage with cases of books.

Tags: Print On Demand publishing, getting a book deal, literaryagents

Why Now Is the Very Best Time of All to Sign up for The Writer's Spa

The Writer's Spa single rooms are all gone … so now the real fun begins. Those who register from here on in will have twice as remarkable experience. (And I can say this based on 4 years of prior experience leading the Spa.) Here's why:

1. No one has EVER come to me requesting a roommate change.

2. Most who share their room with a relative stranger leave with a friend for life.

3. I personally match people with their roommates based on several factors: age, sleep habits, personal preferences and any quirks I know about, and whatever I can tell about people from their writing. This is actually my favorite part of getting ready for the spa … and how I know I'm probably best employed as a Cub Scout Den Mother or maybe a dorm RA

4. Having a roommate makes it possible for you to process your experience with someone else as you go through it … kind of an out-loud analysis that can be a help to some with the tougher pieces

5. You will probably laugh more. (Jennifer and I certainly do!)

6. You will probably stay in touch after the Spa, and so keep the Spa experience alive for yourself for years to come

That, I'm proud to say, is a typical experience at our Taos Writer's Spa - Join us July 29- August 4. It's been sold out for five years running - and it's heading that way this year, too. If you think you want to come, don't he.sitate. Jump in - ready or not! Registration ends May 15

Tags: Writing, publishing, the writer's life, creativity coaching

How to Write Ideas Down Anywhere

Got ideas? Good! Now … don't let them go. These are the manna of your creative life and without 'em you're sunk.

Here are a few idea capture tools that are excellent for all kinds of thinkers.

1. The Shower Pad. My brilliant pal Lena West gets her ideas in the shower, so she keeps a Dive Pad right there next to her - stuck to her shower wall. And she writes down ideas as she gets clean. These underwater writing pads are available at scuba shops and online.

2. The instant messager. Not to be confused with software that sends messages - this is a tiny recording device (some even fit on a key ring.) No matter where you are, it records your ideas in an instant. The key then is to sit at your computer or calendar on a regular basis and transcribe them into actionable steps. Available at Radio Shack and other electronics stores.

3. Good old note pads. That's what I use. Lots of cool little mini notepads. My favorites are those I find at indie stationers in Manhattan that have a plaid or polka dotted cover - a French company, I believe. I buy several each time I go to the city. I keep a few big ones, too, for bigger projects.

4. The black sketchbook. This was a staple of my youth, and I see lots of kids still poring over them in coffee bars in places like Boston. Think black hard cover with lots of nice white paper inside so you can make all kinds of notes, illustrations, collage paste ins, tuck ins, and generally whatever you want. Cool! I feel like an artist with my black sketchbook.

5. The binder with pocket dividers. OK, this is for really big projects. And I set it up just like I would have in school. Pocket dividers collect pieces of paper from my small notebooks. Three hole lined paper collects more ideas and gets tucked into the right chapters in the binder.

Where do you capture your ideas?

Sure Signs That You Need A Retreat

Do any of these sound familiar? If so, chances are you need a retreat soon or even, like … NOW. You be the judge. And remember - a retreat is actually just what most of us overscheduled souls actively need.

Check those that apply:

1. You snarl at family members a little too easily.
2. You keep fantasizing about mindless activities, like folding socks, just so you'll have some down time.
3. You find yourself forgetting important details, getting lost, or mixed up over how to do things.
4. You are overwhelmed with tiredness.
5. Things that used to be fun seem more like a burden now.
6. You're missing something in life, but you're not sure what.
7. You need to make large changes but you're not sure where to start.
8. You have a pressing need to be alone.
9. You're having trouble meditating.
10. You craving natural beauty and fresh air.
11. Your life seems boring and somewhat hopeless.
12. You've lost touch with friends and have no idea how to make reconnection again.
13. You know you need to leave for a while, but you're not sure how or why.
14. You feel a need to celebrate the onset of a new season, the equinox, or just plain life.
15. You want to make plans, set goals, and visualize your future, but you know you need to take a break to do it.

If your soul is begging for a break, may I recommend my Women Writer’s Spa, a glorious week in Taos NM in late July. Boy … do we have fun! And we'd love to have you.

When, Why, and How to Disappear For a While, Part II

On the other hand, you may crave an escape to a commercial space for retreats, whether it is a monastic community or a New Age spa with whirlpools, massages and evening satsang. The selection of retreat possibilities is endless, ranging from Zen monastaries which require silence of visitors to yoga camps to healing spas that offer biofeedback, crainiosacral therapy, and Ayurvedic doctors. One guide listed below even lists 'Mind' spas, in which you can use entrainment mind machines and behavior modification software that helps reprogram negative mental patterns. Ultimately, all retreats are oriented around one thing: to return balance to your body, mind and soul. It's up to you and your intuition to decide where to go and what to do.

Jennifer Louden, who I lead a retreat with called the Women Writer’s Spa suggests that all retreats must start with one key question: 'Why am I going on retreat?' The rest of the why's and how's are built from this answer, especially such questions as 'How can I spend money on myself like this?' and 'How can I make the time?' Answer the question of why honestly, and the rest takes care of yourself. For instance, if you need to retreat because you're fed up with your life, then time and money need not be an issue. On the other hand, if you're retreating because you need a break from the kids, a mini-retreat for an afternoon or a weekend getaway might do the trick nicely.

The question of where to go can be answered similarly. If you are going on retreat to soothe your soul and treat yourself with love and care for a while, you might want to pick a place that feels like the ultimate pampering. On the other hand, if you're going on retreat to plan out your vision for your business, you could pick a time and place that helps you think more creatively. My husband and I did exactly that on a recent retreat to a beautiful little college town in Vermont about an hour from where we live. We hung out in a cafe in the morning and went over what we'd accomplished in the last year. Then we took a walk, had lunch at an inn, and spent the balance of the day in front of their fireplace making plans for the new year. The cost of our retreat was practically nothing, and it got the job done quite nicely.

Please note that going on retreat may mean finding a yoga retreat with a particular kind of practice, or going to a Benedictine monastery and living like the monks do. Your retreat may have a particular spiritual practice that will enhance your time away. If you call the Episcopalian or Roman Catholic Diocese where you want to go, they will put you in touch with monasteries and retreat centers where you can stay -- or you can use the directories listed below. As you cruise the possibilities, see what your intuition pulls you towards. Then allow yourself to go there, unencumbered.

I encourage you to give yourself permission to just get away, find a little peace and quiet, and let your thoughts flow. You may be surprised at what you uncover, but you will most definitely be refreshed by this necessary, uncommon gift to yourself.

Why not join us at the Women’s Writer’s Spa in July in Taos? Here's a pic of last year's group … and I must say, they DO look relaxed and nourished (and this was only Day 3!)

Jump in - whatever retreat you choose!

When, Why, and How to Disappear For a While, Part I

This is an article about retreating, whether it be for an afternoon, a week, or a year. Retreats are for those times when you've reached a personal plateau from which you just don't seem to be able to budge. Maybe you're very tired from weeks or months of hard work. Maybe you need to grieve a loss but you just can't seem to find the time. Maybe you're surrounded by people and demands all day long and you just plain need to get away. Maybe God is calling you, so you need to stop and listen for a while. Maybe all you know is that you need to move forward, but you don't know how or why. A retreat is time you give to yourself to allow you to quiet down, tune in, and really listen to your soul.

A retreat can be anything that takes you away from you routine and gives your brain a little space to breath. By no means do you have to do months of research to find the perfect place, or even get a grant and go on sabbatical. Retreating is simply closing the door on the everyday world you inhabit, and filling your lungs, soul, heart and mind with something new and refreshing.

In her excellent book, The Woman's Retreat Book, Jennifer Louden suggests it is possible to take a retreat at home. (I happen to lead a retreat with Jennifer - the Women's Writer's Spa in Taos NM.) One key component is to remove all the stressors in your home -- put on the answering machine, ask neighbors not to drop by, remove the family by sending them to a friend or relative, and close the door on the messiest rooms. Then you need to prepare the rooms you will retreat in.

Louden suggests space clearing by burning sage, spritzing water, or clapping hands as you walk around each room you will occupy. Change sheets, freshen towels, vacuum, dust, clean up in the first hour of your retreat -- then create a sacred ceremony for yourself that really marks your entry into the retreat mode. One reader in Louden's book drove her car to a nearby arboretum where it could stay parked for a few days. She had purposefully taken a long, hot bath, pampered herself, and put on favorite clothing for the moment of retreat to begin. Then she crossed a brook on a small bridge, and walking back across it, declaring her retreat begun. The woman then strolled home to the clean, restful silence of her home for the remainder of the weekend.

Stay tuned for more on this tomorrow …

How to Get a Literary Agent, Part II

Once you get your short list of agents, and you have all of your literary ducks in a row … it will serve you well to know how to approach these folks. Here are some more tips.

• Do not send your manuscript! Send a one page letter describing your project and why you are the person to write it, plus your proposal (non-fiction only) or a few sample chapters of your manuscript (fiction.) Offer to send the rest right away if they are interested. Make sure everything is spell-checked, double spaced, with correct margins, etc.

• Hand pick the agents you submit to. DO NOT SEND MASS MAILINGS TO AGENTS. It won’t work, and is a waste of time and mo.ney. Instead, research who to approach and pick the 5, 10, 20 or so who actually sell your type of work. Agents stick to niches themselves, and one way to find that niche is in various resource guides like Writer’s Market, the LMP (Literary Market Place … in all big libraries), or the Writer’s Digest 2002 Guide to Literary Agents. (I have several other techniques I share in my Self Help Author’s Crash Course, which is on sale at the moment. See below.)

• Make your letter great. Your pitch will be placed in a pile with the other cold submissions that arrived that day (maybe 25 –50) and an assistant will thumb through them, spending about 10 seconds on each one. This means if you have a personal contact, you mention it in the first sentence. Trim your description of your book into a meaty, mouth-watering paragraph. Add a bit on why you are the person to write it. And BE SURE to let them know you hand picked them, out of all the agents out there, because of the great work they’ve done for authors X, Y and Z. In fact, you predict they will have similar success with your property, as they did with Book X they just sold to Q Publisher, etc. In other words, make it personal, a little witty, and smart

• Don’t use old contact info … and call to see that the agent you’re contacting is still at the address you have before you send anything

• Don’t ever pay an agent to evaluate your book. This is not how standard agents work, and is illegal.

• Give the agent one month to evaluate your work. Then follow up by p.hone or email. Many will tell you how they like to be contacted in guides such as The Writer’s Market and those listed above. Continue to follow up, until such actions are ridiculous. You’ll probably get some kind of response, especially if you’re letter is great

• Follow up and ask for referrals. If you’re lucky, you’ll get the intended agent on the phone. They may seem interested, but just won’t commit. (A standard line is “I’m not taking on any new clients right now.”) So ask if they know any agents they might recommend, or someone who is expanding their operation. Then send a thank you note if their info has been helpful. Agenting is a small world, and many people stay in it for life. They’ll remember when you reappear at their door years later. And this time it may open

• Be persistent. You may have to go through several lists of hand-picked agents, before you get the bite you need.

• Work your personal connections. Be exhaustive, thinking of anyone you know who might connect you with other agents, or even authors. Most authors will want to see the project you’re pitching, and may not feel comfortable sharing their contact with you… but many may.

By the way, have you got a literary project that’s just sitting on the shelf? Do you long to take a little time off just to reconnect to your project. Sounds like a trip to our Writer’s Spa in Taos, NM, in July might just do the trick.

How to Get a Literary Agent, Part I

If you’re interested in publishing a book and gaining a market presence and income from it, you’ll need a literary agent. They are the grease that keeps the oft-rusty wheels of publishing moving. Every day, they eat lunch or talk to editors and acquisition people in publishing houses all over the world, all the while pitching them on the new hot ‘properties’, as your manuscript will be called.

Generally speaking, you need an agent (though there are literary lawyers and others out there who would disagree with me.) I’ve had four agents, some fine, one useless, and one downright criminal (though eminently likeable.)

Here are some tips I can pass along that will help your search for this important part of your team. This first part focuses on what you need to have in hand before you contact the agent:

• Make sure you’re selling something marketable. It could be you’re the only person out there who wants to read about your Aunt Tillie’s days as a pickle packer. Before you approach an agent, find out what problem your book solves and who it will appeal to. Research similar titles on Amazon.com and look for gaps in the marketplace. Go to bookstores and see what’s hot (and what’s not.) What’s not is on the remainder shelf; what’s hot is placed up front and center, with massive piles of the book in sight. Give an agent a good reason UP FRONT to get excited (before they even read your mss)

• Make sure your book idea or manuscript is in top shape. There is no substitute for excellence… it helps! You’ve got to have an awesome concept, and an even better title.

• Make your book proposal as professional possible. (Book proposals are only for non-fiction books, those other than novels.) You’ll want to include a lot more than just what the book’s about. You’ll need to include any market research you’ve done on who’d buy the book, ideas for unusual places the books could be sold, or ways to tie it in with ‘special sales’ (that’s pub-speak for big wholesale orders) to certain industries, or connections with your workshops, speaking gigs, web site, etc.. You’ll also want to include an impressive bio, merchandising ideas, a sketch of the competitive marketplace and publicity ideas. (If this sounds daunting, worry not. See my blurb at the bottom.)

• Establish your credibility. If you’re writing fiction, let them know you’ve either had unique life experiences that will make your book especially interesting to the media. (If you’re writing about your white water rafting exploits, did you have a great experience related to this you could spin on air?) If you’re writing non-fiction, are you a PhD or do you have a masters, or lots of great professional experience? It’s tougher to sell a great book written by someone who’s got no credentials in the field to back them up … but it can be done.

• Hook up with a star. Can you get a celebrity endorsement, or a testimonial or foreword from a highly placed industry star? This will help an agent feel they can sell your work.

• Find the niche no one has explored. They’re out there, even in your chosen field. This is especially true for non-fiction, though niches apply to both genres. The best niche comes from your own passions and interests… what’s really You?

By the way, I have a 12-hour audio program that will steer you towards delivering a better self-help or non-fiction book proposal. If you come in with a piece that makes you look like you know what you’re doing … it’s A LOT easier to sell your book. Check out the Self Help Author’s Crash Course.