Welcome to THE WELL-FED E-PUB!

The companion monthly ezine to the quadruple-award-winning how-to
guide, ÒThe Well-Fed Writer.Ó Serving up food for thought and tasty tips
for the prospering FLCW*. Come on in, sit anywhere and bring your appetite!

*FLCW, peppered throughout the ezine, stands for ÒFreelance Commercial
WriterÓ—anyone who freelances for businesses (vs. writing magazine
articles, short stories, poetry, etc.), typically earns $50-125+ an
hour, and is the sole focus of this e-newsletter.  

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VOLUME 13, ISSUE 6 – JUNE 2014
Publishing the first Tuesday of every month since May 2002  
Read it online HERE.

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2014 EDITION OF ÒTHE WELL-FED SELF-PUBLISHERÓ NOW AVAILABLE!
And ItÕs a DOUBLE Gold-Medal Winner! Check out various book AND ebook
(multiple formats!) products/bundles HERE!

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PARTNER WITH DESIGNERS FOR A LOW-EFFORT FLOW OF WRITING JOBS!
I did it successfully for 18+ years. Details HERE.

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NEW 1-ON-1 COACHING PROGRAMS: SAMPLE/SITE REVIEW & ÒSIDECARÓ!
Low-cost peace of mind and guidance. Details HERE.

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Check out THE WELL-FED WRITER BLOG! Weigh in on ÒPut These In Place,
and You'll Grow Your Copywriting Business Faster and with Less
StressÓ; ÒDo You Manage Your ÔTo-DoÕ List, or Does It Manage You?Ó;
ÒLiving This Crucial Sales/Marketing Principle Will Make You a Better
CopywriterÓ; & More!

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THIS MONTHÕS MENU:

I. APPETIZER: REBUILDING/STARTING A BIZ? WORRIED WHAT OTHERS THINK?
Guess What? People Just ArenÕt Spending a Lot of Time Thinking About YouÉ

II. ÒFIELDÓ GREENS: GEEKY COPYWRITER BECOMES SOCIAL MEDIA HERETIC
AZ FLCW Realizes Her Gigs All Come from Traditional Marketing, Not Social Media

III. MAIN ÒMEATÓ COURSE: WANT TO WRITE MORE? SPEAK MORE!
FL FLCW Shares How to Use Speaking to Market Your Commercial Writing Business

IV.
DESSERT: Sweet Success Stories and Tips
NO SUCCESS STORY THIS MONTH – IÕM OUT! – PLEASE SEND YOURS!
TIP: Shut Down/Disconnect Your Computer Every Night for Longer Battery Life

V. COFFEE, MINTS AND TOOTHPICKS
- MORE WORK WITH LESS EFFORT? Ebook Serves Up the ÒHow-ToÓ!  
- GOT ANY SUCCESS STORIES YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE? Email ME.
- THE WELL-FED E-PUB NEEDS ALL COURSES!
- The WELL-FED WRITER BLOG is RockinÕ!
- AWAI Copywriting (& Other) Courses: Register Here, Get Bonus CD!
- How Can My Mentoring Service Serve You?

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I. APPETIZER: REBUILDING/STARTING A BIZ? WORRIED WHAT OTHERS THINK?
Guess What? People Just ArenÕt Spending a Lot of Time Thinking About YouÉ

Recently had a coaching session with a client. HeÕd had a thriving
business some years back, went off in a completely different
direction—which hadnÕt panned out—and was now trying to rebuild that
long-since dormant practice.

It was clear that he absolutely hated being in this position, and
there was a whole lot of ego tied up in those feelings. And I
completely get it. When youÕve had a thriving business, were known as
a successful industry player, and suddenly, youÕre back to square one,
prospecting for business, it can be tough pill to swallow.   

There was an understandable desire to fast-track the process—to try to
do that ONE thing (i.e., hit a home run at your first at-bat) thatÕd
get him out of that bad place fast, never to return. But that just
wasnÕt realistic or feasible. As a rule, other than the valuable
experience of having been there before, there are no shortcuts.

He asked, ÒWhat are these people going to think if I cold-call them,
and tell them IÕm this big deal? ÔWell, if youÕre such a big deal, why
are you cold-calling me?ÕÓ

Well, for starters, who cares what they think? You canÕt let what
others think affect the actions you need to take to get where you want
to be. But, thatÕs almost beside the point. Far more important is this
ironclad truth: People are actually spending an incredibly
infinitesimal amount of time thinking about you.

YouÕre just NOT that important in most peopleÕs worldview, so donÕt
imagine you are. Sure, thatÕs a good news/bad news thing. No one wants
to think they barely register on their fellow humansÕ radar (besides
close family/friends, but even thoseÉ), but think how liberating that
is at the same time.

If you knew no one was thinking much about your struggle, how much
easier could you deal with the process (whether starting out or coming
back)? A lot, IÕd wager. ItÕs just like that great saying, ÒDance like
no oneÕs watching.Ó On that happy note, letÕs eat!   

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II. ÒFIELDÓ GREENS: GEEKY COPYWRITER BECOMES SOCIAL MEDIA HERETIC
AZ FLCW Realizes Her Gigs All Come from Traditional Marketing, Not Social Media

Got this great little combo epiphany/success story from Tucson, AZ
FLCW Martha Retallick, in the wake of her seeing my review of a
dissenting-voice book on social media, in the April issue of the E-PUB.

No oneÕs saying social media has no merit, so please donÕt email me to
say how wrong I am and why. Different strokes, and all that. If social
media is bringing you business, wonderful.
Keep doing it. But, if
youÕre not using it, and beating yourself up about that, know that
itÕs NOT the only marketing game in town. The old ways still work fine.

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So, I was doing what so many of the social media cognoscenti said
creative types like me should be doing. I'd set up accounts on
Google+, LinkedIn, and Twitter, and became part of those communities.
But the business leads just weren't coming. So, it was time to head to
where the critical mass was (and still is): Facebook.

So, there I was, sharing status updates—most of them work-related—and
many of them provoked a flurry of likes. But again, no sales of any
significance.


I was beginning to think that a huge Òbusiness-gettingÓ party was
going on without me.

Then came the April issue of The Well-Fed E-PUB. You know the one. It
started with a review of a book called Social Media is Bullshit.

What? I'm not the only one who's thinking such a heretical thought?

To summarize the aforementioned review, many of the high-profile
Òsocial media success storiesÓ were/are largely driven by huge
corporate marketing budgets and major news coverage. Ever experienced
either of those things? Me, neitherÉ

Earlier this year, a fellow IÕd originally contacted in 2011 asked if
I could write articles about science and engineering and make these
topics interesting to a general audience. Guess what I did in my last
full-time job?

Martha, the geeky copywriter, was on her way. This man is now a steady
client. And IÕm having the time of my life while writing about
biomedical engineering, environmentally-friendly semiconductor
manufacturing, and research in microgravity.

Like so many other steady clients IÕve had over the years, he came via
old-fashioned methods. Like using the phone to make cold and warm
calls. Staying in touch via phone and e-mail, and, occasionally,
direct mail.

ThereÕs something to be said for social reality. In my case, itÕs
worked a lot better than social media.

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III. MAIN ÒMEATÓ COURSE: WANT TO WRITE MORE? SPEAK MORE!
FL FLCW Shares How to Use Speaking to Market Your Commercial Writing Business

Great piece from Ft. Lauderdale FLCW Bob Sands, about using local speaking
engagements to promote your commercial writing practice. Not a new
idea, but a good one to be reminded of! SO many groups struggle to
find decent speakers with relevant messages for their members. Given
our fieldÕs focus on helping businesses prosper, weÕre ideally equipped
to provide useful content, while getting on the radar of some ideal prospects!

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ItÕs always the same. Week after week at my service club meeting, we
endured speakers who hadnÕt prepared well and who didnÕt seem to care.
It was a waste of time for me and my fellow attendees, AND the
squandering of a great opportunity for them.

One day, after a particularly bad speaker, I asked if I could get on
the docket. I offered a talk on ÒHow to get you or your business to
the top of Google & Yahoo News within 24 hours.Ó The intriguing title
landed me a quick booking!
 
So off I went. I prepared extensively for this 15-minute talk,
planning to give away everything I knew on the topic. At the end of
meeting, I walked away with five new freelance clients and several
other promises. And, had a blast to boot!

What if you could talk for 15 minutes and even get ONE new long-term
client who viewed you as THE expert? There is only one expeditious way
to do it and thatÕs through no-fee speaking to market your services.

Here are a few techniques to help you maximize the potential of this
great strategy:

1) Find an audience. Audiences are everywhere and most will welcome
you to give a no- fee talk. Find them by searching online for Rotary,
Kiwanis, Lions Clubs, as well as Chamber of Commerce events.

Once on the service-club circuit, the opportunities are endless, given
multiple chapters of certain groups within one city. Why service
clubs, civic organizations and Chambers of Commerce? ThatÕs typically
where your communityÕs movers and shakers gather.  

2) Learn to think in outline form. Once you do, every outline can be
turned into an article, speech or even a book chapter. Most speeches
are best delivered from an outline and not a manuscript. A deep chasm
exists for many people between the written word and the spoken word.
Using an outline for your speech instead of reading a manuscript
verbatim will help you be more natural in your delivery.

3) Prepare your talk. Your theme should be so clear, you can write it
on the back of a business card. Once you've done that, it's time to
formulate your talk. Since most people think in "story" form, it's
good to structure your talk like a story.

According to Eugene Lowry in his book The Homiletical Plot (Expanded
edition), there are four movements to a story: conflict, complication,
sudden shift & unfolding.

Every talk you give should help your listener solve a problem. That's
the conflict. The complication part shows how bad that problem can get
if audience members don't address it in the right manner.

The sudden shift occurs when you introduce your answer to solving that
problem. The unfolding is the final step in which you reveal your
method of solving their problem and the necessary steps to take in
order to accomplish their goal.

4) Use a rating sheet. This allows you to get important feedback AND
capture their contact info. This is my key to getting business from
virtually every talk I give. If youÕd like a copy, email me, and IÕll send it on.

How do I get them to fill it out so I can get their information back?
I have a drawing of the completed rating sheets. Usually the prize is
a gift card from a national coffee chain or one of the big three
credit card companies.

You would be surprised how many successful business people will fill
it out and turn it in just to get the gift card! Often, IÕm only
spending a dollar acquisition cost per lead.

I know Peter recommends cold calling and it works. But if youÕd like
another way to build your business, this is affords a great opportunity.

Remember, if you want to write more, then speak more.

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IV. DESSERT: Sweet Success Stories and Tips
NO SUCCESS STORY THIS MONTH – IÕM OUT – PLEASE SEND YOURS!
TIP: Shut Down/Disconnect Your Computer Every Night for Longer Battery Life

IÕve skipped the success story this month as my coffers are empty! So,
whether starting out or experienced, if youÕve recently had a
noteworthy success (i.e., landed a new client—perhaps in an unusual
way—a new gig, new work from an old client, or anything else that has
a good lesson for your fellow FLCWÕs), send it on! 100-300 words is great.

And speaking of which, look for a dedicated email from me shortly (like I did
about 18 months ago) calling for submissions for ALL E-PUB courses.


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At the recommendation of my brilliant computer-techy guy, IÕve gotten
in the habit of shutting down AND unplugging my MacBook Pro every
night before going to bed. According to him, itÕs not only better in
general for the computer, but itÕll help preserve the lifespan of your
computerÕs battery.

According to this Apple discussion thread, lithium batteries
(found in both PC and Mac laptops) do not like the following:

1) Deep discharges (i.e., down to 10% or less on a frequent basis).

2) Rapid discharges such as energy-intensive gaming on a frequent
basis (if possible, do gaming on power rather than battery).

3) Constant inflation, meaning always or often in charge mode. OR,
even worse, always or often, BOTH in sleep mode AND charging.
 
So, ideally, you run your laptop without power most of the time
(without letting the battery drain too far down before reconnecting to
power); you donÕt keep it constantly Òtopped offÓ; and you shut it
down at night AND disconnect it from power.

Note: If you ever need computer help (on both PC/Mac platforms),
reach out to my knowledgeable and thorough computer guy,
Wheat Williams, who can troubleshoot and resolve issues remotely
through services like join.me.  

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V. COFFEE, MINTS AND TOOTHPICKS
- MORE WORK WITH LESS EFFORT? Ebook Serves Up the ÒHow-ToÓ!  
- GOT ANY SUCCESS STORIES YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE? Email ME.
- THE WELL-FED E-PUB NEEDS ALL COURSES!
- The WELL-FED WRITER BLOG is RockinÕ!
- AWAI Copywriting (& Other) Courses: Register Here, Get Bonus CD!
- How Can My Mentoring Service Serve You?

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MORE WORK WITH LESS EFFORT? New Ebook Serves Up the ÒHow-ToÓ!
ThatÕs not hype. ItÕs how my business has worked for the better part
of 18 years, thanks to some juicy partnerships with graphic designers.
The result? 1-2 jobs virtually every month with little or no effort on
my part. And I put all the how-to details down on paper. Check it out HERE.

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GOT ANY SUCCESS STORIES YOUÕD LIKE TO SHARE?
While my call for submissions netted a TON of stuff a few months back,
IÕm still a bit lean on success stories. Whether starting out or
experienced, if you recently had a noteworthy success (i.e., landed a
new client—perhaps in an unusual way—a new gig, new work from an old
client, or anything else that has a good lesson for your fellow FLCWÕs),
send it on to ME.
100-300 words is great.     

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IÕM SERIOUSLY LOW ON ALL WELL-FED E-PUB COURSES!
Got a great strategy, approach or specific expertise youÕre willing to
share? Turn it into a Feature (MAIN COURSE) for the EPUB (500-600
words; query first). ALSO, send your ÒGREENSÓ (200-400 words), TIPS
(100-200) and SUCCESS STORIES (150-300) to me HERE.
Archived issues HERE.  

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The WELL-FED WRITER BLOG is RockinÕ!

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AWAI COPYWRITING (& OTHER) COURSES: Register HERE, Get Your Choice of
Bonus CD Program! Six-Figure Copywriting, Graphic Design, Internet Writing,
Fundraising, Health Market and more!

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HOW CAN MY MULTIPLE MENTORING PROGRAMS SERVE YOU?
For details and testimonials, visit HERE.

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