Creative Outlets

Yes, even as a creative person, I too need a creative outlet: something that is different from work that gets the brain to relax. If you don't currently have a creative outlet, here are some examples of what you can do. Enjoy!

1. Cook: try a new recipe you haven't tried before, or one you haven't done in a long time. (To receive a recipe every week in your email, check-out splendidtable.publicradio.org)

2. Ikebana: The art of Japanese flower arranging. Or, try traditional flower arranging.

3. Painting: Water color, acrylic, or oil-they're all fun, and if you don't know how there is a multitude of ways you can learn: Community College, Community Classes (just to name a couple).

4. Write: Poetry, short stories, screen play, or try your hand at a novel. You can do it online through a Blog or in a journal!

5. Sing: join a choir, or learn how-to sing with a voice coach.

6. Garden: a vegetable garden or a beautiful flower-bed, or just a lawn to make your neighbors jealous :)

7. Build: my Father's favorite pass-time is building furniture-he's created some amazing peices for my parent's home.

8. Act: join the local community theatre, or join a drama class.

So, why am I telling you all this? To have a successful business, everyone needs a little time for themselves, to totally let-go of their stresses and enjoy life. Creativity, in my humble opinion, has helped me to do just that.

To Your Success!
Rachel

Book-Signing Success!

I was in Barnes and Noble yesterday, and was compelled to pick-up the Writer's Digest, a monthly magazine for writers.

In it I found several different articles that all life coaches and business coaches would find interesting when marketing and promoting your book! One I found really intriguing was about "Book-Signing Success". Although I can't re-publish the entire article, I'll paraphrase the "Drive-by Signing" by J.A. Konrath (I do suggest you buy the magazine: it's only $6!) The idea: you drive up, go into the store, and sign the stock of your books, then leave.

1. Find the Stores in the area that you will be visiting or are in your area by going online: www.bookweb.org and www.booksense.com and entering in your zip code to find local bookstores.

2. Call the stores you want to drop-in. Call and find-out when their open, when they close, and if they have your book: but don't tell them your the author.

3. Map Out Your Route. I like www.maps.google.com or mapquest.com

4. Find Your Books. This will help the bookstore clerks with their time, and they will be more open to the idea. When you're done signing the books, ask if they have "Signed by Author" stickers for the books, then return them neatly to the shelves.

5. Meet all the Employees of the Store. If an employee meets you, then reads your book, they will recommend it and promote you like crazy.

6. If you're at an Independent Bookstore, Don't Leave without buying something. You scratch my back.....

7. Keep a list or log of where you went, and how much you signed. This will impress your publisher and agent.

8. Return to Stores. After a few months a bookstore may have a fresh stock of your books (because they sold the others) as well as new employees.

9. Don't wait. If you wait 6 months after your book is published, it may be too late.

For more awesome tips on Book-Signing Success, buy the June 2007 edition of the Writer's Digest.

To Your Success!
Rachel

Writers: You need this!

This is a sample of websites that I believe will be helpful for life and business coaches that want to publish:

misssnark.blogspot.com
This blog gives an "interesting" funny insights into the publishing world by answering questions and critiquing queries.

pubrants.blogspot.com
This blog has a great store of resources for writers, plus "rants about queries, writers and the publishing industry."

raleva31.livejournal.com
Rachel Vater, former Guide to Literary Agents, editor and lit agent blogs about the inner workings of the publishing industry. If you are looking for an agent, Rachel will also give you advice and tips on finding the right one.

book-in-a-week.com
Need to write a book, right now! Check-out this site to find out how you can get it done in 7 days straight.

www.askoxford.com/betterwriting/classicerrors
Not great at grammar? The portion of this website is dedicated to answering classic grammar questions.

bartleby.com
Great for research and quotes.

m-w.com
Thesaurus and Dictionary online.

absolutewrite.com
Want to write an article, or be a free-lance writer? This site not only has "Writers Wanted" section, but it also has an eNewsletter full of agents looking for writers.

autocrit.com
Supposedly, this site can automatically give you feed-back on your book. I haven't tried this myself, but if you have, please leave a comment about it.

bookpromotionnewsletter.com
Have a book, but don't know how to get it sold? Free eNewsletter will help you market your masterpiece.

publicityhound.com
Self-promotion on a budget, or on a non-budget.

copyright.gov
You wrote it, now protect it!

sfwa.org/beware
Please make sure you check-out this site before signing up with any company. If you can't find the company on their website, you can email and they will respond quickly.

whitepapersource.com
Don't know how to write White Papers? This site is full of tips!

Have other sites you want to add, leave a comment!

To Your Success!
Rachel

Funky to Fabulous

As someone that visits the local library every Friday, and then Barnes & Noble every Sunday, I tend to read a lot. I read many "self-help" books so that I'm up-to-date with the latest life and business coaching trends, as well as continual learning. Many of the books that I'm currently reading, are, well...a little dry. Sure, they're full of information, but they don't deliver in a fun and personal way that Eli Davidson's book, Funky to Fabulous does. When I brought the bright pink, blue, yellow and green book home, my husband automatically thought it was another "Take time for yourself and have more fun!" books. And, true, in a way it is, but Eli actually gives us ways to do that. She helps us to find out who we are, teaches us how to listen to our body, and does it in a full-on, fun experience. So, if you are a coach, speaker, or seminar leader, and you feel you have a book inside you, I highly recommend going to www.funkytofabulous.com and buying her book. Notice she doesn't drag-on with how to do certain techniques, that she sprinkles the book with her own experiences, and that her chapters are quick and easy to read, understand and do.

I also had the wonderful opportunity to see her speak in person at the eWomen Network meeting in Irvine. She was engaging, and had us up and out of our seats actually doing some of the practices so that we felt that we had a coaching session by the end of her "talk" instead of just being talked at. So, if you want to be a life or business coach that's know as a great speaker, then go to her calender and see when she's coming to your town, take notes, then market yourself as an engaging speaker that has the ability to turn a speech into a coaching session!