Publishing

Inner Voice Often Dashes Dreams of Becoming a Fitness Author

What do you think is the quickest way to set yourself apart from your competition in the fitness industry?

I’ll give you a hint: It’s the same thing that can take your career and notoriety to a national or even international level almost overnight.

It’s the same thing that helped put fitness experts Bob Green, Bill Phillips, Shawn Phillips, Tom Venuto, Jon Benson, and myself, Tom Terwilliger on the map and we’re all trainers just like you.

The answer is– your own published book.

It doesn’t matter that not all of them were best sellers. What matters is that doors opened and paths were paved for each one of these authors once their books hit the market place.

How do you think your current and prospective clients would feel if they knew they were working with a bona fide fitness author using the same specialized training system you wrote about in your book? What if instead of just telling their friends and colleagues about you, they could actually give them a copy of your book? The publicity benefits are endless including the possibility of being on Oprah for goodness sake.

So I think we can agree you need to have a published book out there.

But here’s the problem. Most of us allow our own little inner voice to talk us out of taking the action steps that would propel us forward and instead we inch along month after month and sometimes year after year doing what’s comfortable.

But at least we’re doing something,right?

That’s how we justify it. And the truth, the “one small step at a time” approach does works in some cases. It’s how most of us learned to walk, and ride a bike, and how we got from the 4th grade to the 5th. It was the educational system process. We have been trained to think in terms of linear steps. We have been trained to think inside the box.

I find it interesting however that many of the ultra successful thought leaders, authors, and even entrepreneurs today never achieved the level of “formal education” that you might expect.

The amazing career of the self-help guru, Tony Robbins who has advised presidents, superstars, and sports heroes and whose personal power-building seminars have reached people in 70 countries is a prime example. Tony built a financial empire with no formal education or credentials – just an incredible drive to succeed and an ability to think outside the box.

My good friend, Harv Eker is another prime example. Harv has reached over 500,000 people worldwide with his financial blueprint training with no formal business degree, training or education.

Perhaps their ability to think outside the box is more a bi-product of not having pursued a formal education. The greatest commonality between Tony and Harv is that they are both best selling authors. And although their books didn’t launch their careers and they both had momentum already, it did help them break out of the stratosphere.

The bottom line is this, no matter how well your career is already going you can take it to a whole new level with your own published book and it doesn’t have to be a best seller.

So knowing the benefits for both you and those you need to reach–what is stopping you from becoming apublished fitness author?

Most people would answer that question with something that sounds a little like, “I don’t have time to write a book.”, or “I don’t have the money to get started.”, or “I don’t have enough experience.”, or “I don’t really have anything special to contribute of write about.”, or “I have no idea where to start.”

I would answer them with a resounding BS! All that is, is their own little inner voice pulling up all the old excuses that has kept them from taking action in the past. It shows up in the form of resistance. And in my experience the more resistance you encounter when considering a course of action the more you need to know that it is the direction you should be moving.

In his book, The War of Art author, Steven Pressfield writes of resistance, “Resistance will tell you anything to keep you from doing your work. It will perjure, fabricate, falsify, seduce, bully, and cajole. Resistance is protein in that it will assume any form, if that’s what it takes to deceive you. It will reason with you like a lawyer or jam a nine millimeter in your face like a stickup man. Resistance has no conscience. It will pledge anything to get a deal, than double-cross you as soon as your back is turned. If you take resistance at its word, you deserve everything you get. Resistance is always lying and always full of s**t.”

So the only real question is who will win– you and the people you can reach and help with your book or the little inner voice that puts up the resistance?

Tom Terwilliger is a former Mr. America, certified NLP Master Practitioner, Life Strategies and Personal Fitness Coach, Motivational Speaker and founder of Coaching Leadership Excellence. Learn more at Inner Game of Confidence and Access To Fitness Experts

Vatman Responsible For First Production Line

Step back in time to 3000BC to see where paper origins lie and thank your lucky stars that this process has evolved over the years to a point where we can whip out a sheet of paper from a ream, whack it in the printer and let the ink cartridge do its thing. Originally known as papyrus, versions of this commodity have been found throughout civilisations since the beginning of time.

Bast, would be cooked, pressed flat with a hammer and then dissolved in water until it became a pulp. A wooden framed screen with a fabric base would then be laid in a puddle with the fabric just under the surface of the water and the pulp poured on top and hand smoothed. After removing the screen from the water, the ‘paper’ would then be left to dry by an open fire or in the sun. Once dry the paper is easily peeled away.

This method was extremely time consuming as a separate frame would be needed for each individual piece of paper, or the maker would have to wait until each piece was dry before making a new sheet. Not the best method if you have lengthy documents you want to record and not a method that would have seen paper being able to be fed through a machine to be assaulted by an ink cartridge.

The Chinese were also fairly instrumental, if secretive, in the development of paper and by 105 AD had developed a method of making paper from textile waste. It seems the ancient world knew more about recycling and re-using then people put into action today. The Chinese also brought about firsts in the paper making world with dyed paper, sized and coated paper as well as paper that was resistant to the damage of insects.

Chinese paper making techniques had reached Japan by 610AD and the original methods are still largely used today, albeit now with bamboo. From Japan, paper making spread to Asia, Tibet and India and was soon picked up on by the Arabs. They evolved this method into their own. Although it was slightly inferior to begin with they finally were able to produce a fine quality paper with a starch coating that any ink cartridge could have coped admirably with.

Paper took on ever more importance as trade continued to expand and administration needed more paper to keep up. However, it was still considered to be quite a skilled art even by the 14th Century.

By the 16th Century paper mills had spread throughout Europe. Machinery was now available to make the job easier and resulted in much better paper being produced at a much speedier rate. The vatman would be responsible for making the sheet from a mould, the couch squirt worked in conjunction with the vatman and placed the sheet on felt, the layman removed the still damp sheets form the felt and the apprentice who fed material to the vat.

The Reformation towards the end of the 16th Century led to further increases in paper making and raw materials became scarce. However, thanks largely to the industrial revolution of the 1800’s, paper making done by machinery became a much finer art and paper was produced pretty much to today’s standards.

It’s easy to take paper for granted. There is no shortage, it is relatively cheap depending on the quality you want and there is always a stash by the printer ready to receive the sayings printed by an ink cartridge. But next time you grab a sheet, give a thought for the art that has gone into creating this product over the years, feel that sheets smoothness and smell that distinctive fragrance. It won’t change anything but do it anyway.

Publishing expert Catherine Harvey looks at the way modern papers are more receptive to an ink cartridge and paper improvement in general.

The Pen Knife And The Left Handed Pen

Ink cartridges have revolutionised written communications. Time and labour saving are just two of the assets of today’s ink cartridge. This is one small demonstration of the way the pace of life has picked up, to the point of not having time to hand write anything. Many people still extol the virtues of the written word, particularly older people who truly appreciate receiving a letter from a friend or relative.

Communication was more of a concern than speed before the invention of the ink cartridge. The human race have always had this built in need to leave their mark on the world, to communicate their life story and pass on useful information.

Cave men were not the Neanderthals people think, simply concerned with hunting, grunting and reproducing. They coped with every-day life just as we do but with different priorities. In a bid to leave their mark and not be forgotten, they used sharp implements to etch their memories on cave walls.

Clay tablets were developed later on to make information transportable, so much easier than lugging your cave around with you. Caveman etchings consisted of a series of pictures that any onlookers could understand and the first alphabet that was written left to right was invented by the Greeks in 400BC, all in upper case due to the rudimentary nature of writing implements fashioned from bone, ivory or metal.

They used these first ‘pens’ to mark wax coated tablets that were hinged together ‘book’ style, in order for them to close and protect the contents. I’m sure the Greeks would have appreciated the ease of ink cartridges but at least they were able to condense their communications with the first text messages without the need for pictures.

The Chinese invented ‘Indian Ink’ from a mixture of soot from pine smoke and lamp oil mixed with gelatine of donkey skin and musk. In common use by 1200BC, I’m sure this came with a fairly pungent smell! Other cultures used a mixture of natural dyes and some of these ideas have held fast until today.

Inventions of paper and ink pretty much paralleled over the years. Paper made from wood fibre came about in 105AD but was kept as a secret within the country until around 700AD, after which it rapidly spread. However, it wasn’t until the late 14th Century with the widespread building of paper mills that paper became available throughout Europe.

Reed pens made from hollow grass or bamboo stems were popular for a period but it was the quill pen that dominated for the longest. Quill pens only lasted a week, even if you chose the strongest feathers. It was well known that the strongest were taken from living birds in the spring from the five outer left wing feathers.

The left was picked because of the curvature of the quill when held in the right hand but this left the option of using quills from the right wing to make left handed pens. A special knife was used to sharpen these quills bringing about the first pen knife. Pens that last one week? What a throw away culture!

Today, of course, advancements are made all the time for different applications. Take, for example, the amount of money spent on trying to invent a pen that would work in outer space with zero gravity. I think the Russians had that one sussed by using a pencil!

And then, of course, is the invention of the disappearing biro. The one you put down and apparently morphes into its surroundings, never to be seen again. I’ve bought countless pens of that type. At least we know, when we buy an ink cartridge, that it’s just that bit too big to disappear on us.

Printing expert Catherine Harvey looks at the inventions that led up to the ink cartridges we use today. To find out more please visit http://www.inksave.co.uk/

The Truth About Book Signings

So why do it? There are obvious benefits to doing book-signings, such as meeting prospective book-buyers in person; the market research that can only come from talking directly to your audience; the local exposure you’ll experience and the overall promotion that’s part of this entire activity – but there are hidden benefits in doing book signings that are even more valuable than everything I’ve just mentioned!

HIDDEN VALUE #1 – DISTRIBUTION IN EVERY MARKET
It’s a known fact that distribution is a problem for publishers of all sizes. The reason is simple – with over 170,000 new books coming out each year, bookstores have to be very selective about the inventory of titles they choose to keep on their shelves. But, you can use book-signing events to force your book into distribution because when a bookstore agrees to schedule a book signing, they will automatically order a significant number of copies to sell through in their store!

HIDDEN VALUE #2 – FREE ADVERTISING AND PROMOTION
Let’s face it – stores are highly motivated to promote book signings, as these events are known to be a successful action for driving in customers and stimulating sales. Book signings after all are two way streets: they draw attention to you, but you also draw attention to the store. So promotional mailings to customers, announcements in newsletters, newspaper ads, media interviews, internet banners are all promotional actions some bookstores will take to draw attention to your arrival – priceless promotions that cost you nothing!

HIDDEN VALUE #3 – FREE MERCHANDISING
Another tool the store uses for promoting a scheduled book signing is through high profile display materials (provided by you or your publisher) that are set up at a table in front of the store, usually about a week prior to your event, with a prominent display of your book along with any other high quality promotional material you can provide them. What great positioning for you to all those customers who walk through that store.

HIDDEN VALUE #4 – WORD OF MOUTH PROMOTION
After all the advertising you do, it’s word-of-mouth marketing that will either crown or drown you. The smart author knows this and will try to infect bookstore employees every opportunity they can. When authors are at book signings they have the opportunity to meet all the store employees there at the time. Those authors smart enough to recognize the value of this opportunity will take the time to introduce themselves, shake hands, talk about their book in memorable “soundbites” and make each person feel singled out and important (as they are!).

Needless to say, the next time a customer comes into the store asking for a book on your topic they will be proud to boast about your book and that they shook your hand.

HIDDEN VALUE #5 – VALUABLE MARKET KNOWLEDGE
Going through the process of scheduling and executing successful book signings can open your eyes to not only the world of retail publishing, but also the door to the secrets of your market. You will be researching the cities that are suitable for your promotion which in turn will give you valuable marketing information. You will find out where your book is most relevant and where the most demand may be.

Finding out this information will enable you to fine tune your marketing plan and target the best markets, saving not only your valuable promotional dollars but your valuable time!
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Book signings are definitely a worthwhile investment of your time as long as you understand that they are so much more than just signing autographs! Not only are they a publicity goldmine, if executed effectively they will greatly increase your profile on a local level and create an awesome buzz.

Marsha Friedman has been a leading authority on publicity for authors for nearly two decades as CEO of Event Management Services, Inc (EMSI). If you would like to receive her free Ebook “How to Be a Great Talk Radio Guest” visit http://www.emsincorporated.com.

Finding a Good Book Agent

So finally you have finished writing the book for which you toiled hard and just like your newborn, is very close to your heart? And you thought that you have crossed the biggest hurdle? Well now comes the tougher part, which is to get your book printed and making it see the light of the day. For this, you would need the services of a book agent. Not only any book agent, but also someone who is good at his work. There are many kinds of literary agents and hence you have to be careful with who you choose to represent you.

To start with, do a background search on the area of specialization of the book agents. This is important since some agents work with fiction, some specialize in poetry whereas other love technical titles. Once you identify a list of agents who deal in your area of work, you would need to zero down on someone who can ensure that your interests are protected. This is difficult since finding agents who know their jobs is very difficult. It is almost like searching for a needle in a haystack. Do not be surprised if you keep bumping into scammers disguised as book agents. Though people like these are available in plenty, they are in it only for themselves and can be really terrible at their job.

A good book agent knows his job well, probably would have learnt it by working for some other reputed agent. That would have helped him learn the tricks of the trade by talking independently to the publishers as well as the authors. He would have the gone ahead and set up his own business. These agents toil hard and will be on your side without ever asking you for any monetary benefits. They will also do things like editing your books free of cost.

However, if you land up with a scammer, you will find that he will send you a bill even before the book hit the shelves. This is something that a genuine agent will not do. Once your book starts selling, he gets his money as a share of the amount you get from the proceeds. This can be a real-time filter of isolating a scammer from a genuine agent. Also, a scammer will make you get your revisions and editing done by a third party though it is supposed to be done by him for free. They are book agents after all and it is imperative that they should have editing skills.

In a nutshell, ensure that you do a thorough research on book agents. You should feel comfortable with them right through. However, if you feel that something is not right, switch to another one at the first opportunity. Do not panic if you find yourself doing this often since it is important that you are working with the right person. After all it is a question of making your dream come true!

To find more information about writing and finding book agents visit http://advice-books.com