Communicate With Confidence!®: Booher Banter

Brilliant Banter—The Value of Talking It Through

Our latest Get Your Book Published event January 10-12, 2008, wrapped up this past weekend.  Authors left here with exciting projects ready to add to their already distinguished product and service lines.  Independent consultants, employees of large organizations, novelists—they all understood the value of writing a quality book quickly and that the burden of marketing primarily falls to them as authors, not their publishers.

But the most amazing thing was NOT the gem of the book ideas presented—although there were many.  It was not the book titles created—although titles flowed readily.   It was not the clever marketing plans developed—and some were spectacular.   It was not spin-off products developed from the book ideas—although they popped like corn.

Decidedly, the real rush for all of us gathered in the room became the growing excitement in brainstorming ideas with brilliant colleagues committed to helping each other think through ideas until they became crystal clear and ripe for the writing.  The energy became thick enough to slice.  At five in the afternoon, the group felt as charged up as if they’d just arrived at 8:00 a.m.  Passionate people get pumped about communicating ideas clearly and compellingly.

Thus, the value of talk.  Talk too much and you talk your book (or any idea) away.  You spend all your energy on the talk, and have none left for the project or the book.  But focused talked with a skilled facilitator and brilliant colleagues committed to your goal can crystallize thinking on your core message, plan, or goals.

That’s what happened this weekend at our Get Your Book Published event.  And that’s why I’m dog tired today—and why I totally love my job.   

(If you have a book you’re itching to write, call for information on our fall event: 1.800.342-6621.)

The Voice of Authority Featured on Dr. Laura!

Do I have any Dr. Laura listeners out there?

If you tune in to the show today, you'll hear Dr. Laura reference my new book, The Voice of Authority: 10 Communication Strategies Every Leader Needs to Know, as her giveaway promotion of the day to the first 50 listeners who respond. (Check her site or listen online at www.DrLaura.com.)

With an audience reportedly approaching 18 million, I'm hoping the show generates a strong "buzz" about how people and organizations really CAN communicate better using the 10 communication guidelines detailed in the book.

• Is it correct?
• Is it complete?
• Is it clear?
• Is it purposefully unclear?
• Is it consistent?
• Are you credible?
• Are you concerned and connected?
• Is it current?
• Does your communication make you look competent?
• Is it circular?

If you haven't yet considered The Voice of Authority for your own library, visit www.booherdirect.com and click on the gold book cover. I welcome your feedback on the book and any communication challenges you would like to share for discussion.

The Voice of Authority Takes to the Airwaves

Forget the lazy, hazy days of summer!  With the release of The Voice of Authority: 10 Communication Strategies Every Leader Needs to Know, I've been hustling and bustling through airports and interviews galore!

Just talked to a delightful host on the Alvin Augustus Jones Show in Oxford, North Carolina (aired in the Raleigh, NC, metroplolitan area), and another earlier one with The Bill and Joel Morning Show in Gainesville, Georgia (aired in Atlanta as well).  Alvin's show is archived at www.dralvinjones.com (look for the book icon on the right).  Below, you'll see listed a couple other interviews I've done this week and the site where you can find show archives.  Each talk features communication topics and tips you may find helpful for your communication challenges at work and home.

The Michael Dresser Show, Lifestyle Talk Radio Network
www.themichaeldressershow.com

On the Money! WXEL-FM, Florida
http://www.onthemoneyradio.org

Happy listening!

Dianna

Amazon Bestsellers List: The Voice of Authority: 10 Communication Strategies Every Leader Needs to Know!

Thanks to you, The Voice of Authority made a splash on Amazon during its initial launch on Tuesday, June 26.  You, as faithful readers, helped push it to the top of several sales categories! 

Overall, among ALL Amazon books, old and new, we achieved these rankings:
# 73 Amazon Bestsellers list
# 3 “Movers & Shakers" list
# 1 Business Communication
# 2 Business Skills
# 5 Management and Leadership
# 7 Professional Business Management
# 7 General Business
# 11 Business (overall category)

Thanks for your support. I owe you!

"Get Your Book Published" Workshop—Helping Authors Create Proposals That Sell

A small group of dedicated writers gathered at the Booher Training Center April 19-21 to fine-tune their book ideas, chapter outlines, titles, and marketing plans.  In addition to the book writing process, participants learned the in's and out's of getting the best deal on their subrights, licensing arrangements, and merchandising agreements.

If you missed this event, you may want to check www.booher.com for the next scheduled workshop.  For those of you who attended this past weekend, thanks for all the great discussions during our sessions together and for your glowing comments after the event.  As you traveled back home, if any other thoughts hit you about how we can increase the value to you, please let us know.  We always love hearing your insights gained from the workshop. 

Use this blog to record comments (and keep track of other workshop attendees) and let us know of your writing successes as you sign with agents and win publishing contracts!

Authors Succeed With Queries, Agents, Proposals, Contracts!

As we gear up here for our third "Get Your Book Published" workshop in Dallas, April 19-21, I've had several past attendees "check in" with me about their ongoing successes.  I thought it might be motivating to some of you considering writing a book to launch a new product or service or to showcase a new area of expertise to hear that past attendees have taken the techniques and tips and "worked the plan" with great success. 

For instance, Laura Stack, The Productivity Pro®, attended the March 2006 event.  Although she had already published two successful books with Random House (Leave the Office Earlier and Find More Time), the workshop section on "contract pitfalls" helped her negotiate a much better deal on her third book. You may want to take a look a Laura's site for her forthcoming third book based on the proposal she wrote during our workshop.

Waldo Waldman, Your Wingman®, an alumni of the March event also, put the finishing touches on his proposal and circulated it directly to a top New York publishing house.  They've called him to make a deal this week.  If you're looking for a great speaker, check out Waldo's site.

Jessica Cox, an alumni of the December 2006 event, finished her proposal just in time to sign an agent, who's trying to close a book deal quickly before her segment on Oprah airs during the ratings period in May.  That's right. They've already taped the segment.  Jessica will be the first woman to fly a plane solo using only her feet. Read Jessica's story here at her website.

Another success story:  Lorri Allen, a March 2006 alumni.   Lorri, a journalist and TV morning talk show host, worked hard on her proposal at the workshop, and quickly signed with an agent eager to represent her.  View Lorri's site here.

Are you ready to invest the same time and effort in yourself?  If you have a book idea, a partial manuscript, or a fresh perspective on your area of expertise, I'll walk you through the writing and proposing processes that I've spent the last quarter century developing---in only three days.  The workshop is structured so that discussions focus on YOUR book idea.  The goal is for every author to have a polished, attention-grabbing proposal by the close of the third day to submit to agents or editors.

How can a published book be a gold mine for you?  Just look at the others who are doing it, like The Rich and Famous: Donald Trump, Bill Gates, Michael Eisner, Jack Welch, Queen Noor, and Harvey Mackay have used publishing to extend their power structure far beyond any prior accomplishments.

Thought Leaders are publishing books to influence others and lead a life of significance by shaping how the world thinks, change how organizations do business, and improve people’s lives.

What about the Average Joe or Josephine?  I get calls every month from lawyers, doctors, and housewives who took a great book idea, got published, and are now using their new-found credibility to build their practices or launch new home-based businesses.

Competitive corporations are hungry to receive a positive mention in a published book because of the publicity it generates.  In fact, I'm doing an interview this afternoon for a story on entrepreneurs who've launched their businesses with a book or who use books as a primary marketing tool.

These categories cover almost everyone, so no more excuses.  Stop sitting on your bestseller; start writing it.

If you or your writer friends are interested, the next publishing event begins Thursday, April 19, at 8:00 sharp, sleeves rolled up, laptop open, and ready to roll.  For details or to register, call 1-800-342-6621 or see www.GetYourBookPublished2007.com.

Another Successful Publishing Workshop Is "In the Books"

Congratulations to those brave souls who decided to WRITE their books—rather than just talk them.  Great ideas are a dime a dozen.  Book ideas included.  Far too many would-be authors talk all their passion away.  That is, they tell their friends, family, coworkers, next door neighbors and anybody else who'll listen that they plan to write a book on X "someday."  Problem is that they talk and talk and talk until their passion for the idea depletes itself, and then they no longer have the energy to actually write the book.

But last week's attendees at our Get Your Book Published event did not suffer from that malady!  On the contrary.  "Serious." "Intense"  "Determined."  "Brilliant."  "Perceptive." "Sharp."  "Career-minded." "Clever." "Fun-loving." "Engaged." "High-energy."  That's how the onlookers and assistants described those participating in the 3-day event as they gathered to prepare proposals, focus on marketing plans, and learn the in's and out's of getting the best deal on their subrights, licensing arrangements, and merchandising agreements.  And they walked out with goals achieved!

If you missed this December event, you may want to join us for the next workshop in April 2007.  Check www.booher.com for the latest workshop dates.  For those of you who attended this past weekend, thanks for all the wonderful comments after the event.  As you traveled back home, if any other thoughts hit you about how we can increase the value to you, please let us know.  We always love hearing your insights gained from the workshop, and continue to let us know of your writing successes as you sign with agents and win publishing contracts! 

Authors Converge on the Booher Training Center Today

We kicked off the fall session of the Get Your Book Published Workshop today in Grapevine, TX, where a small group of writers will discuss and draft every aspect of their new book proposal in hopes of landing a publishing contract and a big advance. 

We had a great group in March 2006 that have reported taking major steps toward getting published, and I expect the current group to have similar success.  Watch this blog for updates as various milestones are attained by our workshop attendees.

If I had been able to attend a class like this in 1980 when I was a beginning author, I could have avoided many pitfalls that hindered my publishing efforts.  If you're attempting to complete your first book, or if you're an experienced author that needs an expanded product line or fresh marketing ideas, this class is designed for you.  Bookmark the Booher home page and check for updated 2007 class dates.  You may also send me an email and I'll send you notification of the next Get Your Book Published workshop when a date is confirmed.

Publishing a Book Builds Credibility, Among Other Things

I found a great blog for those interested in sales and marketing.  It's called S&MM SoundOff (http://vnutravel.typepad.com/soundoff/2006/09/readers_soundof_1.html) and it posted one of my blogs today about the merits of professional salespeople publishing a book in their field of expertise.  This site is the online home of Sales and Marketing Magazine and provides links to several other quality publications, like Training, Incentive, Presentations, and Potentials.

In addition to credibility, the article describes how businesspeople-turned-authors can realize greater earnings, attract more speaking opportunities, watch their business grow, and receive recognition as an expert in their field.

If you're in business, the S&MM site provides excellent reading material. Share any interesting articles you discover by sending me a "comment."

Publishing Workshop Was a Hit

What a brain-trust gathered in our Booher Learning Center for the last 3 days at the Get Your Book Published event here in Dallas. At the end of the 3-day workshop, all attendees reported that they were leaving with more than 75 percent of their next book proposal ready to go to an agent—and then on to a major publisher.  Experienced authors with several books already under their belt, as well as other highly successful speakers and consultants, gathered to create an unforgettable laboratory of ideas for each other’s work.  Can’t remember when I’ve worked so hard and yet had so much fun at it!