Week Seven: See you in Dallas!!!

All this week, I’d like to allow readers to post their personal prayer requests for the conference. You can post a comment or email them to contest@novelinspirations.com. On Wednesday night, I’m going to print all the requests and take them with me to conference. At least once a day, I’ll pray about your request. I’ll notify a final winner after I get back (and things get back to normal) from conference. Thanks for visiting my blog during the Race to Conference promotion.

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FINAL THOUGHTS

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)

Proposal tip

I received this tip from Cheryl Wyatt about proposals:

“I just wanted to add that Chip MacGregor has some wonderful advice on his blog http://www.chipmacgregor.com/ and agency Web site http://macgregorliterary.com/ with sample proposals. He also mentions checking out the sample proposals at the Alive Literary Agency site. http://www.alivecom.com/

Those two helped me tremendously in creating a recent proposal. “

I have to admit that I checked them out yesterday and thought they were great too.

Thanks, Cheryl!

Week Six: Walk like an Egyptian

You’re on the home stretch! You’ve almost made it home from your travels across the globe – but there’s one stretch of particularly murky desert that you have to cross first.

FACING THE CONFERENCE

In this last full week before the conference, I want to give you some last minute tips to help bolster your confidence. Below you’ll find tips on dress code, what to pack and relaxation techniques you can use before your editor/agent appointments.

See you in Dallas!

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DRESS FOR SUCCESS

The ACFW conference dress code is business casual. To me, that means a nice pair of pants, sweater or blouse, and dress shoes. I have also heard many people say that the conference rooms are freezing cold, so you should bring an appropriate sweater or wear long sleeves.

REMEMBER: you want to be comfortable. Can you imagine going in for your editor or agent appointment and having to worry about your hemline or neckline because you wore something you aren’t comfortable in? Be you, but be comfortable.

Here are some examples of things I would consider business casual:

 

You can find clothes like these at:

www.landsend.com/
www.macys.com/
www.jcpenney.com

Also, check out this blog post about conference wear:

http://writingbyfaith.blogspot.com/2007/08/acfw-conference-wear.html

(Sorry – I didn’t list anything for the guys – I would expect that Docker-style pants or chinos and a polo would be just fine).

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PACKING LIST

Have you thought of these extras that might come in handy?

• Hand sanitizer – lots of people means lots of germs
• Bottled water – to wet your whistle before your appointments
• Breath mints – nuff said
• Aspirin/allergy medicine/eye drops/contact fluid
• Tissues
• Pens/paper/highlighters
• Cell phone (on silent!)
• Non-smelly lotion (remember the ACFW conference is scent-free – for details check out www.acfw.com)
• Snacks for that late night craving

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Relaxation Techniques 

 

Use one of these quick techniques for a few minutes before your appointments and get rid of some nerves!

Meditation – this can reduce stress, slow your heartbeat and relax you. 
            Technique: 1) Sit quietly and comfortably. 2) Close your eyes. 3) Start by relaxing the muscles of your feet and work up your body relaxing muscles. 4) Focus on your breathing. 5) Breathe in deeply and then let your breath out. Count your breaths, and say the number of the breath as you let it out (this helps avoid distraction).
            Optional approaches for step 5: A) Focusing on an object: Look at an object in immense detail. Examine the shape, color differences, texture, temperature and movement of the object. B) Focus on a sound: Some people like to focus on sounds they make. The classic example is the Sanskrit word “Om”, meaning “perfection”. C) Focus on a Scripture: repeat a Scripture you have memorized. Focus on what it means.

Relaxation breathing – Sort of like meditation listed above, relaxation breathing can relax your nerves and also help you find your focus.

            Technique: 1) Find a quiet place and get comfortable. Take some deep cleansing breaths. Close your eyes. Breathe in, through your nose, to a count of four. Hold it for a count of four. Then breathe out through your mouth to a count of eight. Next, take a few normal breaths and then repeat the 4-4-8 cleansing breath. 2) As you keep your eyes closed and sit calmly, try to focus on the different parts of your body. Breathe normally and focus on your head for a few minutes. Then, your neck and shoulders; your back; your chest and stomach; your arms and wrists and hands and fingers; your thighs and hips; your legs and ankles, feet and toes. As you focus on each area, you will begin to feel a tingling or “glow” – especially in the feet and hands. This feeling is calming and relaxing.

Progressive Muscular Relaxation (PMR): PMR is great for relaxing your body when you are tense. 
            Technique: 1) Tense up a group of muscles so that they are as tightly contracted as possible. Hold them in a state of extreme tension for a few seconds. Then, relax the muscles to their previous state. Finally, consciously relax the muscles even further so that you are as relaxed as possible.
By tensing your muscles first, you will probably find that you are able to relax your muscles more than would be the case if you tried to relax your muscles directly.
Experiment with PMR by forming a fist, and clenching your hand as tight as you can for a few seconds. Then relax your hand to its previous tension, and then consciously relax it again so that it is as loose as possible. You should feel deep relaxation in your hand muscles.

Visualize: Another great way to reduce stress is to visualize what you want to happen in the interview. Visualize yourself being confident and excited about your work.

OTHER WAYS TO BEAT PRE-APPOINTMENT JITTERS

Write down a prayer or Scripture on a 3×5 card, before the conference. Take it out before your appointment and spend time focusing on it. This will get your focus in the right direction.

Something that always soothes my nerves is to help others. This can transfer your attentions off your own nerves and also help someone else. Try it – look for someone who is waiting for their appointment and you can see their nerves on their face. Go up to them, introduce yourself. Offer to pray with them. Listen to their pitch. Be a friend.

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APPOINTMENT DO’S AND DON’TS

Here are some general tips for your appointments:

• Change your mindset – instead of thinking that this appointment is for the editor or agent to judge you, think of it as you going in to find out if they are compatible with you and your needs.
• Be prepared – check out the previous post on research. You’ll be much calmer if you know what the editor or agent is looking for.
• Be early – that way you won’t feel rushed and on edge.
• Remember that editors and agents are human too.
• Research and prepare for some standard questions. See the next section.
• Try not to ramble on. Focus on your one-sheet or a notecard and remember your main points. Stick to them.
• DON’T be negative about yourself or your previous works. Don’t be ashamed about being unpublished. Just the fact that you are attending a conference means you are trying and finding out ways to be a better writer.
• Have a solid handshake.
• Smile/show your sense of humor.
• Be aware of non-verbal cues. Don’t slouch in your chair, sit up straight. Lean forward and respond when your interviewer is talking.
• Be flexible – if you have to go short because the person in front of you went long, be gracious. That will make an impression on an editor for sure!
• Be polite.
• Be excited about your work. You have created something that no one else could. I’d say that’s exciting!
• Take notes if you are asked to submit something – it would be incredibly silly to have to call the editor next week and ask what their email address is if they’ve already given it to you.
• Concentrate on what the editor/agent is saying, not what you want to say next. REALLY LISTEN.
• Ask questions.
• Thank the interviewer for their time.

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COMMON QUESTIONS

 Questions an editor might ask:

            Why did you decide to write this story?

            What makes you qualified to write this story?

            What kind of research did you do for this work?

            How do your characters change by the end of the story?

            What is the spiritual arc/faith message of your story?

            What makes your story different from what’s out there?

            What is your target market?

            If you are previously published, in what genres? What publications?

            Why did you choose to pitch to our publishing house?

What is the conflict (both internal and external)? What is a character’s goal or motivation?
Who is your audience?
What is the climax and resolution?
What kind of book is it?

 Questions an agent might ask:

            What genres do you write?

            Why do you write?

            How much time per week do you devote to writing?

           

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OTHER HELPS

Here are a couple of articles from Write-Righting:

http://www.right-writing.com/conference-keys.htmlhttp://www.right-writing.com/networking.html 

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FINAL THOUGHTS

 ²⁸“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? ³¹So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³²For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”  (Matt 6:28-34)

Don’t sweat the small stuff.

You may be inconvenienced at conference.

You may not get the editor or agent appointment that you wanted.

Keep your focus on God, because He’ll never fail you.

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CONTEST ENTRY

Post a comment or email contest@novelinspirations.com with an answer to one of the following questions:

If you’ve attended a conference before, what important thing have you forgotten or wished you’d thought to bring?

What do you do to relax before a big interview or appointment?

I will draw a name next Monday and email the winner. I hope you’ll come back next week and leave your conference prayer requests.

 

Week Five: Travel to Africa – Conference Binder

 

What’s a conference binder? Easy! A handy place to keep everything you’ll need for your conference, including:

Pens/highlighters
Business cards (yours and others’)
Important/emergency phone numbers
Hotel reservations
Conference registration/confirmation info
Goals for the conference
Print outs of class times/offerings
Print outs of agent and editor bios (see previous post on Research)
One sheets/proposals
Resume or author bio sheet
Conference handouts

You’ll want to be ready for anything, while also being organized. Again, we are striving for professionalism. PLUS if you have this ready before you leave for conference, you are almost guaranteed that you won’t forget anything important!

Here are some suggested supplies for your conference binder:

ONE-INCH THREE-RING BINDER (or bigger if you need it)

 

 

HOLE-PUNCH (handy for putting your handouts or other materials you’ll get at conference into the binder)

BUSINESS CARD HOLDERS

 

SHEET PROTECTORS (for your proposals/one-sheets)

DIVIDERS (to keep things organized)

 

PEN ORGANIZER

 

Put it all together in the way that makes the most sense for you. I recommend that you put the stuff you think you’ll need the most at the front for easy access. Have fun with it.

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TIP

Myra Johnson, a friend and Genesis finalist, suggests creating a schedule (she does hers in excel) with your specific workshops/tracks and putting it in the front flap of your binder. That way you can see at a glance where you are scheduled to be.

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Resources

Writer… Interrupted has an informational post on conference notebooks here.

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FINAL THOUGHTS

Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.  (Proverbs 19:21)

Don’t let all your planning go to your head. Remember that God’s purpose is what is important. Put a little down time in your conference schedule, so you can remember to go to Him in prayer and keep your focus on Him.

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CONTEST

 

Post an answer to one of the following questions (either post a comment or send an email to contest@novelinspirations.com:

 

Have you used a conference binder in the past? What worked/didn’t work for you?

 

Do you have a suggestion for something I’ve left off the list above. Let’s hear it!

 

Winner will be notified by email. Check back next week for tips on relaxing during conference!

 

Ever been to India? – Polishing Your Proposal

Should I take a proposal to conference? you ask.

Maybe.

Here are some things an editor might ask you in your appointment:

A sample of your writing (sample chapters)
Your marketing strategies
Your platform
Your novel’s wordcount
Your credentials
What other books are similar to yours (market analysis)

What handy document has all of these things? Your proposal. So get that baby ready!

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TIP

Carla Stewart, a friend and finalist in ACFW’s Genesis contest, makes a folder for each editor agent appointment. She uses a regular, non-flashy pocket folder:

and includes her business card (in flap), a one-sheet on the left side and her proposal + sample chapters on the right side. This is a great tool that gives her easy access to the important information she needs for her appointment.

AND, if the editor asks for it, all of her important information is already in a neat and professional package.

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Parts of a proposal  

What should be included in a great proposal? It could differ from publishing house to publishing house and might be different depending on what agent you’re targeting. Your research (see previous post) should tell you what your target editors and agents are looking for.

Here are some basic necessities for your proposal:

Cover page – this should include your title, your name, your physical address, email address, the genre of your novel, and your novel’s wordcount. If you are represented by an agent, include the following: Represented by: Agent’s name, Agency, Agent’s address, phone and email.

Table of contents – include the page number so the editor/agent can easily flip to the item they want.

One-sheet – see previous post. Your one-sheet should include a short story blurb, your credentials and a hook.

Author bio – this is where you list your writing experience, education, writing-related achievements, and prior publishing history. If you have a lot of articles or short stories published, only put what’s relevant (i.e. if the story you’re proposing for is a historical romance, include your published short stories that are historical and/or romance, but not your sci-fi).

Synopsis (1-3 pages) – if you’ve written your pitch, you probably already have this, or at least a good start. Your synopsis should be the basic plot, but should also include elements about what happens in the story. How do the characters change? What is the point you’re trying to make to the reader (i.e. forgiveness, redemption, the power of love)? The Story Sensei blog has some great posts on writing your synopsis.

Sample chapters – for a fiction proposal, this is your first three chapters. Some houses/agents request this by the number of pages, so be aware of the guidelines.

Market analysis/target audience – Editors and agents want to know who your book will appeal to. Don’t be generic (i.e. “My book appeals to everyone!”), be specific. The easiest way to do this is to say something similar to this: “My book appeals to readers who enjoy [name of author] and [name of author].” BE CAREFUL not to say that you write like another published author – this will instantly make the editor or agent compare your writing against them. Your goal is to let the editor know which market your book appeals to. In this section you should also describe your platform, if you have one. Can you sell books to the Coalition of Dog Lovers, because of your connections with them (and because your novel features a veterinarian)?

Competitive Analysis – this is where you list several published novels (published with the last five years) and the ways your book similar/different/better. The Story Sensei blog has some great tips on this (see link below). I use Randy Ingermanson’s snowflake to help me get the listed novels down to a 1-sentence summary before I list the differences.

Marketing Strategies – agents and editors want to know what you plan to do to market your book(s). If you have a website or blog, the section is where it would be listed. If you have speaking engagements or other marketing opportunities, list them too. Also, any other marketing ideas you might have. A caution: be realistic in your marketing plan. Editors know what it costs to print postcards and give away books, and they’ll have a budget they have to stick to.

History of the manuscript – agents and editors want to know the history of where the manuscript has been to get an idea of how marketable it is. If every other publisher but them has seen it and rejected it, they know there’s probably not anything they can do with it either.

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HOW TO MAKE YOUR PROPOSAL SPARKLE

Keep it simple – bolder ISN’T better! Your proposal should be professional. I’ve heard it said several times that people who are writing as a profession (and not a hobby) don’t have time to decorate or fancy-up their proposals. They are busy writing the next book or marketing, etc. Don’t show yourself to be an amateur by printing your proposal on pink paper or giving it a 256-color cover sheet.

Don’t make mistakes. As writers, we don’t want to make mistakes anywhere if we can help it, but be extra careful on your proposal. Watch out for spelling errors. Check and double-check the name of addressee (make sure you know whether it is a Mr. or Miss, make sure they still work at the house you’re sending your proposal to, DON’T misspell their name).

Don’t try to give a guilt trip. If the editor or agent doesn’t ask for your proposal, don’t try to change their mind by giving them a guilt trip or claiming they HAVE to see it. They don’t. Be professional about it.

Target your proposal. Use the information in the pitching post from last week to target your proposal to the publisher or agent you are trying to impress. Use the market analysis section and the marketing section to do this.

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OTHER RESOURCES

The Story Sensei blog has a lot of great information on proposals.

Check out this Amazon Short by Terry Whalin about rejection-proofing your proposal. Terry is the author of Book Proposals That Sell that’s also a great resource.

Mary DeMuth has a great article on non-fiction proposals at her website.

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FINAL THOUGHTS

From Matthew 6:25-27

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”

Don’t get so focused on your proposal (or really any part of your conference preparation) that you lose sight of what’s really important. Do the best you can and don’t worry. God will take care of the rest.

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CONTEST ENTRY

Post an answer to one of the following questions either by using the comment section of this blog or by sending an email to contest@novelinspirations.com.

What is your favorite part of the proposal to create? What is the hardest part for you?

Do you have any special hints or tips that you use when creating your proposal?

 

Weekly winner will be notified by email. Check back next week for notes on Conference Binders.

Destination: Australia/Preparing Your Pitch

 
“G’day, mate!”

Your first thought after stepping off the plane in Australia is getting to the beach. Maybe even doing some snorkeling or diving, but really, just relaxing for a bit. After all, it’s been an exhausting few days, getting ready for conference.

But you’re not done yet. Hang in there, keep your momentum going strong. Here’s your next assignment: the pitch.

What is it?

Really there are several things encompassed in a pitch (more on that later), but here’s a general definition: a short, memorable way to describe your book. It is similar to a synopsis, but more conversational, because you’re using it to TALK TO someone else about your book.

Let’s take a moment to review what needs to be included in your pitch.

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CHARACTERS

Who is your story about? Many writers would agree that characters make the story – more so than plot or setting. So you’ll definitely want to include information about your hero and your heroine.

Character Basics

Because you only have a limited amount of time for your pitch, you want to make each word count.

First step: Use strong adjectives to describe your hero and heroine.

“A tender-hearted woman” is better than “A woman”

“A rough-and-tumble man” is better than “A man”

Second step: Use their vocation if that information helps define them.

“A tender-hearted veterinarian”

“A rough-and-tumble outlaw”

I suggest making a list of all the different words that describe each character. Take one or two of the most potent words from that list and try to incorporate them into your pitch.

Try to find words that aren’t cookie-cutter. What I mean is, how many heroines have you read about on back-cover copy that are “stubborn” or “independent”? Sure, that might be a quality your heroine has, but is there a better word that might help your pitch stand out? What about… “feisty,” “forward,” “opinionated,” “rascally,” “rough-and-tumble,” or “ornery”?

Try using thesasarus.com to find more original adjectives to describe your characters.

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GMC

What are your characters’ goals, motivations and conflicts? This is an integral part of your story and the editors/agents will want to know this. Instead of making them ask about it, why don’t you share the GMC within your pitch?

Here’s a quick way to determine your characters’ GMC:

My character wants… (this is the goal – what does your character want more than anything else?)

because… (why does your character want it? – motivation usually stems from the character’s past)

but… (what happens to keep your character from their goal? – many times the conflict comes from another character whose goal is opposite – example: your hero wants the promotion promised him but your heroine is the boss’s daughter and she’s trying to get the job too)

For the purpose of making your pitch, you can also add another piece:

so… (what does the character do to overcome the conflicts present)
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Here is a completed example for you:

[My character][wants][because][but]

[Sharp-witted freelance reporter Joe Smith] [wants to spend a relaxing weekend camping with his son] [to reconnect with the boy he has pushed away since his wife’s death] [but when someone starts sabotaging the fishing tournament that shares their campground, Joe must choose between his son and his job.]
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At a recent ACFW chapter meeting, author Kim Vogel Sawyer shared how she completes three sentences for each character: one for the internal GMC, one for the external GMC, and one for the spiritual GMC. Try it and see if you don’t end up with a well-rounded character.
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3-Act/Disaster Structure

I bet you are thinking, what about the plot? My story has a great one!

You’re exactly right. The plot should be tied into your pitch. I recommend using the Snowflake method from Randy Ingermanson’s Advanced Fiction Writing site. Get a really good handle on your three main disasters and incorporate those into your pitch as well.
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The Short and the Long

You’ll want to have at least two different pitches for your story ready when you head to conference.

The Elevator Pitch – this pitch is short and succinct. You should be able to spout it off within about 10 seconds (the time it takes to ride the elevator from one floor to another). Try to keep it to one sentence.

5 Minute Pitch – if you’re planning to have an editor or agent appointment, you’ll want to prepare a 5 minute pitch. Why 5 minutes? Because you’ll want to allow time for pleasantries, and for the editor to ask questions if she/he has them.

Personally, I find the one-liner harder than the longer pitch. What about you?
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TIPS

Practice, practice, practice those pitches. Do it in front of a mirror, video cam, friends, family, anyone who will listen. The more you say them aloud, the easier they will get. You’ll also be able to hear if they come off naturally.

Take some 3×5 cards. Just in case you get stage fright and forget your lines, jot down the main elements in your pitch on a 3×5 card. I recommend NOT writing out the whole thing, because editors don’t want to hear you read something, they want you to tell them something about your book.

Don’t be nervous. The editors and agents want to know what your book is about. So just tell them.

Don’t panic. It’s not the end of the world if you mess up. Just keep going. Laugh at yourself if you need to. Don’t over-apologize.

Be yourself.
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OTHER RESOURCES

Meredith Efkin’s Conference Guide has section on pitching

Camy Tang’s Story Sensei blog

Check out this post on the Writer… Interrupted blog
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FINAL THOUGHTS

Philippians 4:13 is a great mantra to repeat to yourself just before you go in to your appointment.

“I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”

You might want to check out the section just before verse 13, too. It has some great advice on being content, just in case you need it.

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CONTEST

Answer one of the two following questions, either by commenting on this blog post, or by sending an email to contest@novelinspirations.com:

What is the easiest thing for you about preparing your pitch? The hardest? Share a tip that you have found helpful.

Share your pitch.

 

Enter by midnight on Sunday, August 26, 2007. Winner will be notified Monday, August 27.

Check back next week for Polishing Your Proposal and more chances to win.

Arrival: London

RESEARCHING EDITORS/AGENTS

The streets of London are muggy and crowded. You are unsure of your direction until you see the following sign:

Uh oh. A detour. Now you must choose between one of two tasks. Do you take the easy way out and skip to making your packing list, or do you choose the time consuming task of researching the editors and agents who will be at the conference you’re planning to attend?

I thought so. Of course you don’t take the easy way out. What’s that? You want to know why you should research editors and agents before you go to a writer’s conference?

Lots of reasons. Here are three:

1. You want to make a good impression. You won’t if you call the agent by the wrong name, mix up which company they work for, or haven’t followed the market happenings enough to know they’ve changed jobs. Do you homework so you can know who you’re talking to.

2. You want a chance to get your work in front of an editor who might buy it (that’s the whole point, isn’t it???). What would happen if you pitch your sci-fi novel to Ms. Editor whose publishing house only sells historical romance? Likewise if you pitch your children’s book to a house that only publishes for the adult market? Give yourself the best shot at getting your manuscript requested – do your homework and make sure you’re pitching to the right people.

3. You can tailor your pitch. After you’ve done some research related to 1 & 2 above, and you know who you want to pitch you, you can do your market homework and find out what their house has published in recent years. Use this info in your pitch. Not only will it show the editor that you have the skills to do a market analysis (which you’ll have to do for your proposal), but it is a quick and easy way to show them that you know who your target audience is. Here’s an example of how to work it in:

“Ms. Editor, my novel Burning Both Ends appeals to the same readers who enjoyed [book title here] and [book title here] that your house published last year.”

You might also want to prepare a 3×5 card with reasons why your book is similar and different than any books you use in a comparison like the one above (in case the editor asks any questions on this subject).

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RESOURCES

 

**Find out more about the Editors and Agents for the ACFW conference:

http://www.acfw.com/conference/edsnagents.shtml

**You can also check out the most recent things published by the houses represented by checking out their (respective) websites. Same goes for agents. You can see a good, but not comprehensive, list here:

http://www.novelinspirations.com/resources.html

**Where to find market info:

Publisher’s Marketplace (an awesome site and newsletter with daily and weekly recounting of the latest deals). They have both a paying site & newsletter and a free newsletter: www.publishersmarketplace.com

Predators & Editors (info on publishers, agents, and editors): http://www.anotherealm.com/prededitors/

Science Fiction and Fantasy Writer’s Beware Page (info about scam artists): http://sfwa.org/beware/

Agent Kristen Nelson’s Blog: http://pubrants.blogspot.com/

Miss Snark’s Blog: http://misssnark.blogspot.com/

Jacket Flap (Children’s Publishing Resource): http://www.jacketflap.com/

Cindi Myers Market Newsletter (weekly run down of editorial changes and new lines in the romance/women’s fiction industry): www.cindimyers.com

The Edit Café – this is a blog from three of the Barbour editors: http://editcafe.blogspot.com/

Lyn Cote’s email list lets you know about market changes:

http://booksbylyncote.com

Check out the April 2007 article of Randy Ingermanson’s Advanced Fiction Writing E-zine:

http://advancedfictionwriting.com/ezine/index.php

 

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FINAL THOUGHTS:

An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up. (Proverbs 12:25)

When you’re at the conference and you see someone in the hall waiting for their editor appointment, give them a kind word, or offer to pray with them. You’ll both benefit from it, I promise.

Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise. (Proverbs 19:20)

Even if the editor or agent does not request your proposal, learn from the experience. Take some time to jot notes from what you remember from the meeting. If they instructed you to do anything differently, consider it. You’ll be better off in the end!

 

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CONTEST

Answer one of the following questions by leaving a comment or emailing contest@novelinspirations.com:

What other resources have you used to research editors or agents?

Tell about an experience with an editor or agent appointment. What did you feel you did well? What do you wish you had done differently?

 

Drawing will be held next Monday for a free book. Watch for next week’s post on Preparing your Pitch.

Departing from New York City

“This is the final boarding call for international flight ACFW920-23 to London, England.”

It’s hard to hear the brusque gate attendant over the shuffle of faceless people rushing through the airport. Most of the travelers are businessmen and women in suits, but there are some families with screaming kids thrown into the mix.

You’re not traveling for business or pleasure.

You stand frozen in the midst of the crowded terminal. A man in a trenchcoat jostles you so that you almost spill your Starbucks latte all over your comfy travel jeans.

With a start, you realize that it is YOUR NAME being called over the loudspeaker. You have approximately two minutes to get the gate before your flight departs.

Decision time.

The butterflies in your stomach cry “Stay, stay!” It’s safe here, in your hometown, your home country. If you get on that plane, you aren’t sure where you could end up. You might get lost in a foreign country, or worse…

But…

If you don’t get on the plane, you could miss out on the adventure of your lifetime. Your chance to make your dreams come true.

You’ve dedicated years of your life to this dream. There’s no way you’ll throw it away now. With a deep breath and a prayer for help, you approach the desk and present your ticket to the gate attendant. She gives you a brilliant smile.

“Welcome to the ACFW Conference. Your order has been confirmed.”

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With just six weeks left before the ACFW conference officially begins, novelinspirations.com wants to take you on the journey of a lifetime. So find your seat, hold on to your passport, and get ready for the Amazing Race to the ACFW Conference.

Watch for these Route Markers. They’ll guide you along the way and make sure you’re on the right track.

WEEK 1: Tools of the Trade – Business Cards and One Sheets

Do you really need to take business cards to the conference?

What’s a one-sheet? Do I really need one?

The answer is… it depends.

 

BUSINESS CARDS

Do you want to be able to share your contact information with friends and new acquaintances in a quick and easy way? If so, you might want to invest in buying some business cards. Business cards can also be handy if an editor or agent requests your contact info, but take note that this is rare and may or may not happen.

What should be on your business cards?

• Your name

• Your contact phone number

• Your email address

• A website address, if it relates to your writing career

• Your picture – it can help people place you/your name in the future

What should not be on your business cards?

• Your home address, unless you plan to know and trust the people you will give them to

• Lots of gaudy designs – keep it simple

 

ONE SHEETS

Want a quick and easy way to share information about your books with editors, agents and friends? Consider a one-sheet.

What is a one-sheet?

It is a single sheet of paper (can be double-sided) that includes pertinent information about yourself and your books, such as:

• Your name and contact info

• 5 sentence summary/short synopsis for the works you are shopping

• Your speaking platform

• Your photo

• Your credentials, if any

• Target market/Market analysis (short statement)

 

EASY ONE-SHEET INSTRUCTIONS

1. Summarize the information you want to include on your one sheet. Consider the “rule of sevens” (more than 5-7 bullet point items will not hold an average person’s attention), and remember to keep it simple!

2. Think about having a professional take your picture and get it in digital format. A cheaper alternative is to have a friend help you with this step (remember to set up a solid background).

3. Try a few sketches so you know how you want to organize your information and picture on the one-sheet.

4. Put it all together – I used Microsoft Word to put together my first one-sheet. Using the Insert/Picture, Insert/Text Box and View/Header and Footer menus, you can do quite a bit on your own.

Want more? Get specialized one-sheet with background and other special effects. Do a search for these graphic designers who do one-sheets:

Dineen Miller

 

CONTEST ENTRY

Answer either of the following questions (respond as a blog comment or send an email to contest@novelinspirations.com – don’t forget to leave your email address!):

Do you plan to have business cards or a one-sheet at the upcoming ACFW conference? Where do you purchase yours from?

Describe the most memorable business card or one-sheet that you have seen in the past. What made it stand out?

 

FINAL THOUGHT

Remember Who holds your hand.

^“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

 

Drawing winner will be announced Monday. Check back next week for another chance to enter.