Look For Balance by W. Terry Whalin

I am excited to have today's guest writer, W. Terry Whalin. Terry has been a magazine editor, a book editor, author and a literary agent. He is also in high demand as a speaker. Today's post is an excerpt from his book, Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams: Insider Secrets to Skyrocket Your Success, and gives some great advice to writer and marketers.

Before we get into the post today, I have a quick announcement. After a few weeks with no new video tips due to major computer issues, I am pleased to announce that with new computer in hand, the new Video Marketing Tips For Authors is ready to view by subscribers. If you have not signed up for the free video marketing tips, you can sign up today. You can view a sample video and you will get access to over 45 minutes of free video tips as my way of saying thanks for signing up for these free videos.

Now, now to Terry's advice to writers.


Look For Balance
By Terry Whalin

Kevin dreamed about writing and getting some of his work into print. While he naturally thought about that printed work in a book format, he also was willing to learn about printed magazines. At the library, he checked out a book, read it and located a couple of potential markets. Then he sent his material to the publisher and waited. In a matter of only a few weeks, he received form rejections from both places and decided that writing wasn’t for him. He tucked his manuscript and pitch letter away in a file and turned to other things.

On the other side of the country, Bill loved to be involved in book publishing and even had a contract with a major publisher. Yet he was months late on meeting his deadline. Every time he talked with his editor about an extension, she noticed that Bill managed to notify his large Twitter audience about the blow-by-blow details of his day and also blog several times a day. His social marketing skills were admirable yet he continued to delay his obligation to his publisher.

These two men have approached the issue of marketing from polar opposite perspectives. Kevin doesn’t want to have anything to do with marketing or selling or getting his work out to editors or the public. He loves to write but hates to do anything with “marketing.” In sharp contrast, Bill grabs on to anything new in the marketing area and spends hours on it to learn all of the nuances of it.

I’ve heard it said repeatedly about writing that people love to have written. They love to talk about their books and how they wrote something—but they don’t love the actual writing. Why? For many people, the actual writing is hard work. Clear communication and crafting the word on the page take a lot of effort.

The publishing marketplace is constantly changing. For example, the Internet is much more prominent in the plans of authors and publishers than it was even a few years ago. The majority of people in the U.S. have high speed Internet connections and it leads to a growing use of video for teaching and book promotion. It seems like almost monthly some brand new marketing concept springs on the scene.

How do you determine which new marketing concepts to embrace and which to ignore? Each person only has a limited amount of writing time and a limited amount of time to give to marketing. Where do you find the balance?

There are several keys when it comes to marketing and these new tools. First, follow the principle of consistency. If you are going to start a blog, then blog consistently several times a week. Also tell everyone you contact about your blog and build your audience of readers for it. A second key principle is counting the cost in terms of time and what will be eliminated from your life. Will you have to cut back on your reading or your time watching television or with your family or what? A third key is to look for shortcuts. Often there are free or inexpensive tools which can help you be more effective with your use of some marketing tools. Constantly be looking for these tools and use them. a final key is to create goals for each marketing tool and make sure that tool is helping you move toward your larger goals. If the tool isn’t helping you reach your larger goals then it is a distraction and something to eliminate. Often a new tool has time associated with it as a learning curve--as expected. Yet after a period of time, it’s good to evaluate each tool and see if it is moving you toward your larger publishing goals. Overall my encouragement is for you to engage in the ever-changing marketplace and use new these new tools to grow your audience and readers.


You can learn much more in my book, Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams. Check out my Book Trailer for the book on YouTube.
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W. Terry Whalin has been a magazine editor, a book editor and a literary agent. He is the author of more than 60 books including his latest book for every writer: Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams: Insider Secrets to Skyrocket Your Success (www.tinyurl.com/jumpstrt) and a Publisher at Intermedia Publishing Group. Terry has over 18,000 followers on Twitter: www.twitter.com/terrywhalin.