Flipping the Switch from “Introvert” to “Extrovert”

I am hugely excited to share today's wonderful post by editor Deborah Halverson. Not only is she founder of the popular Dear Editor site as well as a former editor with Harcourt, but she has written Writing Young Adult Fiction for Dummies.

What could be even cooler than that? We will be giving away a copy of Writing Young Adult Fiction for Dummies! (See give away details at the end of the post.*)

Flipping the Switch from “Introvert” to “Extrovert”

by Deborah Halverson

I am an introvert.

Over the years I’ve surprised quite a few people by saying that. I don’t act like an introvert, they say—and they’re right. I readily step up to open microphones, I eagerly shake new hands when they’re offered, I easily sit down next to random strangers at publishing functions and make new friends. I’m certainly not shy. I’m just most comfortable doing my own little thing in my own little corner with my own little family. A wedding DJ once told my now-husband and I, “If you want your guests to dance, you have to dance. They’ll do whatever you do—you’re the life of the party!” We nearly canceled the wedding and bolted for the Little White Wedding Chapel in Vegas. When the option is there, I’ll choose Fly on the Wall over Belle of the Ball every time.

But the option isn’t always there, at least not career-wise. As an in-house editor and then a freelance editor, author, and writing instructor, my career has always required me to reach out to others and get them excited about the topic at hand. I must talk to kids in schools, to other writers, to bookbuyers and booksellers and librarians and publishers. I can only do my job if I put myself out there. So I do—with one quick flip of an internal switch. Bam! Extrovert Mode.

I make it sound instantaneous, but developing that switch has been a life-long process. That’s no exaggeration. I realized my preference for the quiet side of life in late grade school. Figuring that anything I did in a future career would require me to step out of those shadows I so enjoyed, I very consciously set about making myself comfortable with activities that extroverts take for granted. For me, the secret to flipping the switch to Extrovert Mode is being comfortable with extrovert behavior. Here are six things I’ve learned to do to cultivate that comfort:

1. Be prepared. If you’re well prepared when you step out, you’re confident and thus more comfortable putting yourself out there. Preparation may mean writing your presentation well in advance, it may mean researching the people who will be present at a gathering, it may mean, on a grander scale, joining Toastmasters or volunteering for small speaking gigs in order to get used to having a roomful of eyes on you. Preparation equals comfort, and comfort helps introverts step into the spotlight and enjoy themselves while they’re there.

2. Make it personal. Engage with a specific person during every outreach. Being an introvert doesn’t mean you’re socially repressed; I love making new friends and chatting it up with people one-on-one. It’s reaching out to anonymous masses that feels yucky. Yet that kind of outreach is often what’s required in this social media-dependent world of ours. So, make the anonymous personal by aiming every outreach at a particular person. I designed my writers’ advice site DearEditor.com with that in mind—all my posts there are direct answers to questions sent to me by specific readers. Similarly, if I write a guest post on someone else’s blog, I imagine I’m writing the post for one of that blog’s commenters, whom I’ll have identified before laying down a single word. When I write my books, I have specific young readers in mind whom I’ll imagine holding my book and laughing in all the right places. If I’m facing a roomful of writers at a conference or a crowd at a schmoozing event, I immediately pick out a specific person to talk to so that I feel I’ve got a friend in the room from that moment on. That makes me more comfortable about being there—and more likely to say yes when other presentation invites or parties crop up.

3. Lead with a question. Ask questions to drive conversations at gatherings and events. This takes the pressure to be enchanting off of you, the person you’re talking to will feel as if they’ve just had a great conversation because they’ve shared so much, and you’ll get more comfortable being at that gathering because you’ve just made it personal (see #2 above). Plus, you’ll learn the most fascinating things about people! That’s reason enough to get out and about.

4. Channel Miss Manners. Pushiness has no place in an introvert’s efforts to reach out. Embrace niceness instead—it works better, anyway. Catch more flies with honey, and all that. Be respectful about contacting people; having someone’s email address doesn’t mean you can use it carte blanche. When someone reaches out to you, respond quickly, if only to say that you can’t respond fully right now but will by the end of the week. I’m a nice person by nature, so being nice makes me comfortable about reaching out and thus more likely to flip the switch to Extrovert Mode when the time is right.

5. Make it worth their while. I feel more comfortable putting myself out there if I’m giving the people listening to me something for their time. And what I can give is information, so that’s what I do give—at school events, at writing workshops, on DearEditor.com. You can do that, too. As you learn about your passions (your book themes and subjects, literacy, the craft or business of writing), you’re collecting info that others would like to know. Share it. If people like what you have to say, they’ll tell their friends about you and buy your books. Your outreach will be successful, and you’ll feel happy that you haven’t abused anyone’s time in the process. Happiness equals comfort equals willingness to continue stepping out.

6. Be sincere. One reason introverts don’t like reaching out is that they feel like fakes when they shine the spotlight on themselves. So don’t be a fake. Only promise what you can deliver, only compliment when you mean it, don’t imply friendship if you’re just looking for a sale or a connection, and only ask others to do what you yourself would do for others. If you are genuine in your outreach, then you are comfortable with it—and being comfortable is how introverts flip the switch to Extrovert Mode.

My style doesn’t make for the most aggressive kind of marketing, but as an introvert I want no part of aggressive, anyway. I’ve seen websites where authors barter each others’ mailing lists, assigning value to their list of addresses based on the number of buys they scored with that list. Perhaps this helps them sell books, but such used car salesman tactics send the introvert in me scurrying to the dark corners. I know that the only way to get myself to step out of my comfort zone is to extend my comfort zone—and I am most comfortable when I am prepared, nice, curious, giving, and sincere.


 
Deborah Halverson is the award-winning author of Writing Young Adult Fiction For Dummies and the teen novels Honk If You Hate Me and Big Mouth. Armed with a masters in American Literature, Deborah edited picture books and teen novels for Harcourt Children’s Books for ten years before leaving to write full-time. She is a frequent speaker at writers conferences and a writing teacher for groups and institutions including UCSD’s Extension Program. Deborah is also the founder of the popular writers’ advice website DearEditor.com and freelance edits fiction and non-fiction for both published authors and writers seeking their first book deals. For more about Deborah, check out her website DeborahHalverson.com.

*For a chance to win a copy of WRITING YOUNG ADULT FICTION FOR DUMMIES, just leave a comment telling us:

A) what For Dummies book would you like to see out there on the shelves (That's kind of a no-brainer for me, Introverts for Dummies, of course!)

OR

B) If  you could have an on/off switch that you could flip at will, what personal characteristic would it control? (Personally, I would love a clean-freak switch that I could flip once a week, then turn off once the house was clean.)

Debut Novel Expectations

Dear R. L.


My debut middle grade novel has been out for a few months now, and I must say, the initial numbers are discouraging. It makes me wonder if I had unrealistic expectations in the first place. What are reasonable expectations for a debut middle grade novel? Can you share some thoughts on what a successful debut might look like?

This is such a great question that I thought I’d talk about it here, because so few debut authors have any idea on what to expect, either experience-wise or sales-wise. This is made even worse by the fact that so much of official marketing and promotion is about smoke and mirrors: it’s about making the book look more popular and ‘must-have’ than perhaps it really is.

So how can authors possibly gauge how well their book is doing? As we've touched on in a couple of recent posts (one by agent Erin Murphy and another by Sarah Prineas) there are so very many expectations a publisher might have for a book, and how success is defined by your publisher (and therefore you, to some degree) will depend upon those.

Middle grade novels in particular, rarely come out of the gate with the same big splash potential that YA novels can engender. I’m trying to think if any middle grade debut novels have ever hit a bestseller list. J. K. Rowling did, and so have Rick Riordan and Jeff Kinney, but not right out of the gate with their first book. Their first books did get there eventually, but it took a while. Okay, I just quickly consulted the PW 2010 Kid's Book Sales list and there are two: Big Nate by Lincoln Peirce and The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angelberger.

This is in large part because the end user isn’t the one buying the books, and is, in fact, not very plugged into the information streams along which books news travels. It takes a while to get word out to the gatekeepers, and then passed from the gatekeepers on to young readers. Younger middle grade novels can take even longer to find their audience because their niche is so specialized (emerging, independent readers) who stay at that reading level for only a short while.

Some publishers know this and actually plan for it, knowing there will be a slow-but-steady build for a given title. Other publishers, however, do still acquire books intending to use the Spaghetti Against the Wall approach (throw a bunch of stuff out there and see what sticks). Which is one of the reasons you hear so many insistent voices saying that the authors themselves must promote, promote, promote. And why others insist that authors write such a kick @ss book that the publisher will be compelled to do something different.

Part of your expectations will have to do with the size and nature of your publisher. Some publishers are big, bestseller producers, some are more backlist builders, and others are small independent publishers trying new things. This is where the advice and knowledge of an agent can be invaluable—recognizing what sort of book yours is, then matching it to the right type of publisher.

With middle grade especially, the first book is about laying the groundwork for your career. Because middle grade builds much more slowly, there are less flashy initial expectations. Especially when in hardback, the biggest initial consumers for these books are libraries and schools, and the wheels of book purchasing in institutions move slowly.

With the huge popularity of YA, the sales expectations for those books often come closer to the immediate gratification expectations of the adult book market.

The most commonly mentioned gauge of success for books is earning out the advance. Most publishers of middle grade books will be very happy if the author earns out the advance in the first 12 months. Some are happy if it earns out in the first 12-18 months. To know how many copies your book will have to sell, divide your advance by the per book royalty rate. If your book sells for $15.99 and your royalty rate is 8%, that’s a $1.28 per book. If your advance was $7,500, you need to sell about 6,000 copies to earn that back. If you get a $2,000 advance, your sales expectations are probably more in the 1500 copy range.

However, I have also heard that publisher can make money even if your advance doesn’t earn out, but I’m guessing that is for the larger advance amounts. I really don’t know where that profit/no profit line is for any publisher or specific book.

Many times with middle grade books, publishers will give an author a couple of books to build their readership, again because the advances tend to be lower and it takes a while for the gatekeepers to become aware of the books. They also know that if readers like your second book, they will often go back and look for your first book. Note that this is not a rapid trajectory to the bestseller lists, but a slow steady way to begin building a career.

This also gives you the time to lay the groundwork/foundation of your promotional efforts through making contact with librarians and schools, doing a few visits, building your new skill set. Very little of this can be done prior to having the book out, and then these connections don’t bear fruit overnight, so again, slow and steady is the keyword here.

Another thing to keep in mind here is that, unlike adult books, which are usually given about six weeks to take off, there are many opportunities for upticks in sales for kids books. State lists, reading lists, book club sales, book fair sales, etc. all provide additional chances for something good to happen. (Can you tell I'm an optimist?)

If you have an agent, see if they can have a conversation with your editor about what in house expectations are. If the editor isn’t forthcoming, then you will just have to rely on the first print run numbers being the best indicator of their expectations. 

To show your publisher that you are, indeed, using this time to build your career, make up an overview of everything you are doing or have scheduled to promote your book. I would update them every six months on this so you keep them in the loop but don’t overwhelm.

And lastly, write that next book and see what ways you can push yourself and grow as a writer and make it even better than the first.

Talking with Cate Tiernan

I am very excited to be able to share this guest  post by Cate Tiernan with you today. You sill see that she is most definitely One of Us, an introvert to the core. I first 'met' Cate online years ago through her incredible, gripping  YA series SWEEP. Her most recent book, IMMORTAL BELOVED, was one of my favorite reads last year, on of those terrific books that make you forget you're a writer. I love when books can do that!

 I can do blog posts. I can do blog posts out the wazoo. Need a blog post? I’m your woman.

            If, however, you for some reason need me to speak to strangers in public . . . you’ll find me under the nearest bed, trying to self-medicate with chocolate.

            I understand that this is part of who I am, part of what makes me me. This is partly why I’m a writer, working alone at home in my bathrobe, and not, say, pursuing a career in customer service, where as soon as someone was mean to me, I would cry.

            I’m a writer. To me, being a writer is basically trying to decipher yourself and others with a whole bunch of words--in the way that being a painter can be trying to decipher yourself and others with a whole bunch of paint. Or whatever your chosen medium is. But the point of the whole bunch of words is that ultimately, I’m trying to make a connection with other people.

            I know: the irony.

            But that’s what my writing is about. I’m trying to interpret the world around me (and the world inside me), and I’m trying to express that in a way that others will understand, and perhaps come to see themselves in, at least a little bit. For that reader, and for me, that’s a connection, and it means that we’re not alone: Someone understands us.

            The trick is to do all this without someone really noticing.

            People often tell me they’d like to be writers. They ask how I do it, and how they can do it too. I wish there was an answer like, You go to a certain website, and there’s a game there, and once you get to level sixty-five, boom! You’re a writer.

            But no.

            What I do is: I try to create worlds I’d like to live in. I try to create plots that are exciting, that I can live vicariously through. I create people I’d like to meet, or be, or love. Everything I see in the real world, everything I hear, everything I learn, taste, smell, feel--all of it is the raw material for my work. I take it all in and then I smush it together into a story, into characters, and I write it all down. And afterward, when I read it, I can see myself in the words. I can see my feelings and my heart and even things I keep hidden in the real world. And I put it out there in the hopes that my words will mean something to someone else--that someone else, shaped by entirely different experiences, immersed in a different real world--will somehow, as if by magick, see themselves in my writing.

            The beauty is, everyone can do this. It is within every person to be able to connect with others this way. But--you need to know and understand yourself (at least mostly). You need to be able to understand others, put yourself in their sneakers. You need to love and value yourself and your uniqueness. You need to love and value others and their uniqueness. You need to pay attention to everything around you. And when you write, understand what you’re trying to say. Understand who you’re trying to say it to.

            For me, writing is more than putting feelings on paper and showing the paper to the world, like, Here! It’s putting feelings on paper, showing the paper to the world, and saying, Do you feel this too? Does this help you understand? Can you see me? I’m trying to see you.

            In my book Immortal Beloved, the main character, Nastasya, is someone who doesn’t understand herself, and truly does not want to understand herself--the more she digs down into her feelings, the more painful stuff she finds. The story is about her determination to keep going, to wade through the memories of her horrible past and pointless future, because she realizes how crucial it is to really know herself, really understand herself. Until she does, she won’t be able to know or understand or love anyone else.

            Nastasya is a little part of me. Can you see me? I’m trying to see you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cate Tiernan was born and raised in New Orleans. She is also the author of Penguin Speak's vastly successful (and recently reissued) Sweep series. She currently lives in Durham, North Carolina with her husband and children. Her website is www.catetiernan.org.

An Agent's View: Talking with Jennifer Laughran

Okay, I know I promised you practical tools for managing online information but I was just SO DANGED thrilled about this interview that I decided it couldn't wait another week, while practical online tips most definitely could.

I am HUGELY excited to share with you an interview with Jennifer Laughran of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency, better known to those of you on Twitter as @Literaticat.

In an industry that can often overwhelm and confuse, Jennifer is an invaluable, accessible source of publishing insight and helpful information. After reading her blog and following her on Twitter for lo these many months, I felt sure that many Shrinking Violet readers would benefit greatly from some of that insight...

SVP: Are you an introvert? How about your clients, would you say a large number of the writers you’ve met are introverts?

JL: I am sort of a mixture. I can be quite outgoing, "on" - I am quite noisy and confident when in this mode, and I'm OK with talking to large groups or strangers. But I do need a lot of time to decompress afterward. I'd say for every hour of "on" I need two of quiet alone-time.  I am not sure how my clients would define themselves in this regard. I'd imagine that most of them are kind of like me - able to be lively raconteurs, but possibly work better in solitude.

SVP: Your client list is widely varied and includes debut authors, those who have published a few books, and those who’ve been publishing for years. Can you pinpoint what qualities those authors or their writing have in common that drew you to them?

JL:  They are all at the top of their form. Their work is all totally different, but always fun to read. They are all pretty much straightforward and open communicators.

SVP: What is your agenting style? Are you a hands on agent editorially? A shark?

JL: I do read and give notes, but the are likely to be big-picture or "Meta Notes." Like, I might tell you that I feel the main character seems too young to be credible and ask you to consider aging her up a bit. But I am unlikely to give detailed line-edits or copy-edit type notes. My authors tend to give me pretty polished work (and if it wasn't almost ready, I wouldn't have taken it on to begin with.) So, yeah. I consider myself a SELLING agent.

SVP: What do you think aspiring authors would be most surprised to hear about agents in general or you in particular? 
JL: I think there is a lot of mystique surrounding agents. In fact, we are quite normal, and rarely drink writer blood.

SVP: What is the one biggest misconception authors seem to have about the publishing business?

JL: Many people think (quite erroneously) that there is some easy shortcut to publication that nobody is telling them, and that once they are published everything will be covered in rainbows and sparkledust.

In fact, getting published is mostly a very long, very slow, at times quite painful, slog. It is HARD WORK to be a great writer. Publishing is SLOW and AWFUL much of the time. I mean, don't get me wrong, it is probably better than digging ditches, and there can be moments of profound glory, but it isn't a get-rich-quick scheme by any stretch, and it won't make you happier or more fulfilled if you aren't those things to begin with. 

SVP: You are not only a literary agent, but a bookseller as well. Did one lead to the other? In what ways does the bookselling inform your agenting?

JL: Well, I've worked in bookstores since I was twelve or so. My older sister owned a bookstore for many years and I was raised in a very booksellery family. I worked in children's bookstores throughout school and college. Then when I got older, I became a buyer and events coordinator for an awesome big indie in San Francisco. All of this has definitely informed my agenting - first of all, I came to agenting already knowing a ton of people in publishing, a ton about how publishing works, and A TON about kids books. Also, a bookseller is a tastemaker. Booksellers are evangelists for books that they love and handsell them to (often initially reluctant) customers. This is basically the same thing I do now, just on a different scale.

SVP: What is the biggest mistake you see beginning authors make? 
JL: Beginning authors tend to torture themselves so much with the most minute and ridiculous things. Like endless stressing over word count, and how to format this and that and blah blah blah. While the internet is great and allows getting information to be easy, it is also awful because getting MISINFORMATION, or conflicting information, is just as easy, so many authors wind themselves up in knots. Here's the deal: Be a good writer, with good ideas. Follow the directions as best you can. When in doubt, use common sense and common courtesy. Stop freaking out. Here's a good blog post on the subject:

http://jaclyndolamore.blogspot.com/2011/01/dear-querying-writers-use-common-sense.html

SVP: Other than having a website, what other online activities and platforms do you think authors should participate in?  If an author could only do three things to promote and market their work, what, in your opinion, should those be?
 
JL: I feel like authors should focus on their writing FIRST AND FOREMOST. If that means that they do less self-promotion, well, that's just the way it crumbles. I do think it is awesome and amazing when authors are great bloggers, or have entertaining and enlightening twitter-streams, or whatever... but maybe that isn't you.

I think that if you want an online presence but are not naturally internet-savvy, it is worth exploring the options (blogging? facebook? active forum participant? twitter? vlogging? group blogging? teaching online classes?  a combo, or something else entirely?), then picking just a couple to really focus your energy on, rather than trying to become great at everything. If you have a blog you never update or that you clearly hate writing on, or a boring, self-congratulatory or irritating tweet-stream, it hurts you more than it helps you.

FURTHER, I think that when everybody does the same things to try to get attention, nobody gets attention. So while it is nice to say "yay, I am a debut author, I'm in a marketing group!" - look, there are 75 others just like you in the same "marketing group", and that kind of loses its impact. Not to say you oughtn't be in it - but I would really spend time focused on playing to your own unique strengths, and what makes your book and your point of view DIFFERENT from the other stuff out there.  (Sort of like how you have done with Shrinking Violets!)

So three things... hm. Personally, I'd get to know real live booksellers and librarians and work on really building up my mailing list with quality folk. I'd have a fun and informative website. I'd probably have a blog and twitter, because I like doing them. But your three things might be totally different - and that is a GOOD thing.

SVP: Can you tell us what author platform means to you and how much of a factor that is when deciding whether or not to take on an author? Do you see an author’s platform affecting how an editor/publisher responds to a submission? Does that vary from publisher to publisher?

JL: Platform is really something that matters a lot when you are talking about nonfiction. Like, if you have written a book about polar bear rescues, and you are the president of the Polar Bear Society and have access to their mailing list of 2 million Polar Bear devotees, this is definitely important and worth mentioning up front.

For fiction, though, I am not convinced that platform really matters all that much. Sure if you are FAMOUS (have a TV show, or a show on NPR, or similar) that is awesome and will definitely help you immensely - but other than that?  Nah.  It can be a nice bit of extra sauce to a publicity package if, for example, you've written a thriller about kids dealing with climate change and megastorms, and you are an expert in that field - but it wouldn't convince a publisher to go for the book, if the book wasn't worthy on its own.

SVP: In what way has the rise of social media and increased online avenues benefited authors? In what ways has it made things more difficult?
 
JL: Social media gives people a chance to put themselves out there more easily. But it also gives people a chance to put themselves out there TOO easily.  Sometimes the conversations we have online feel like a handful of great friends gossiping and gabbing in your kitchen... but in fact, you are in public, not at a sleepover. Personality definitely shines through and will help you stand out, but you have to figure out how to be personable and personal without being weird or offputting. It's a fine line sometimes. :-)

SVP: One thing writers hear a lot from agents is the recommendation to not compare yourself to others. While that’s most excellent advice, it is often hard to follow. Do you have any words of wisdom or tips to offer writers how to specifically guard against those unhelpful comparisons? Are there concrete ways that comparing can be detrimental, not just demoralizing?


JL: The thing to remember is, every book has its own path. Literally NO books that I have agented have been bought or published the same way. Some take a long time and lots of hard work to sell, some get snapped up in a hurry at auction. Some get a huge advance, some... don't. Some are rushed to press with very little in the way of work done, some take years. Sometimes books with a huge advance get a lot of publicity... but sometimes they get ignored. Some books are orphaned or ignored, but go on to be big successes. There is just no way to predict what will happen with any given book when you start out, and especially not once it is published and sent out into the world.

It kills me when authors compare themselves others, "my editor took longer to get back to me than she did with so-and-so, so she hates my book" or "I didn't get a good advance, so I'm doomed" or "I didn't get a pre-pub tour/get invited to BEA/have a tour set up for me, so my publisher doesn't believe in me" or whatever other insanity (and I have heard a LOT of insanity!). Authors have a tendency to be neurotic at the best of times, and the free access to too much information (via other author blogs, marketing groups, or similar) seems to exacerbate the neuroses for a lot of people, to the point where even very smart authors can make themselves sick, or stop being able to produce good work.

If you are caught up in the envy-paranoia-despair trap, I strongly recommend this blog post by Lisa Schroeder: http://www.lisaschroederbooks.com/2011/01/why-oh-well-needs-to-become-authors.html

SVP:  What three authors, other than your own, living or dead, would you like to have dinner with?

JL: E. Nesbit, Bertolt Brecht and Oscar Wilde. I don't know if they'd get along, but it would amuse the heck out of me.

SVP: What was the moment you realized you wanted to be an agent?

JL: From being around the book business, of course I knew that agents existed, but I honestly didn't know what they did exactly and didn't think too much about it. Then I met a very cool agent at a book event and we went out for drinks and food after with a bunch of his clients. A bunch of happy writers and a fun, funny and smart agent. YAY! His enthusiasms and interests seemed aligned with my own and he clearly had a total dream job. So, I looked more closely at it, got an internship, worked hard (for years. for free.) while learning the ropes, and it turned out to be a really good, natural fit for me.
 
SVP: Do you believe that cream rises? That great writing will always find a home? Or in some cases does great writing overlooked due to the realities of the marketplace?

JL: I honestly think that great writing will find a home, provided it is accompanied by ingenuity, perseverance, patience and flexibility.

A person can be a talented writer, but if their work is old-fashioned and they won't or can't revise it ... or if they don't have the gumption to actually send their work out... or try another story if the first one doesn't sell... or if they get too freaked out by uncertainty or can't handle critique... well those folks might be better off in a different line of work.

Interview with Twizard Mitali Perkins

If you're very lucky, when you first begin flailing around on Twitter you will stumble upon the gracious and generous Mitali Perkins. If our experience is anything to go by, she will be all that is helpful and kind as you struggle to decipher this new world you've decided to enter.

Even better, she is an amazing example of how to be on Twitter. She does a fabulous job of making her Twitter presence be a natural, intuitive extension of who she is as an author. (She even has a mission statement!) So sit back, get comfortable, and learn from a master. 

SVP: So Mitali, did you ever, in your wildest dreams, imagine yourself as a social media expert? Why is this form of communication such a perfect fit for you?

Like most introverts, I hate the phone and prefer reading and writing notes. Social media puts me in charge of when and how and with whom to interact. I was an R.A. in college and am now a pastor’s wife, so it’s not surprising that when I do come out of my cave I enjoy schmoozing and community building – two essentials of social media.

SVP: How did you first dip your toe into the social media stream? Did you know then it was going to bring you to the attention of thousands of people?

I got on Facebook a couple of years ago to commune with my teens on their turf—it’s been a lovely way to stay connected through their adolescence as long as I respect their space and privacy. As for Twitter, one of my school librarian buddies, Linda Griset, told me she thought I was going to love it. I had no idea the tools were going to serve me so well professionally.

SVP: I saw once that you confessed on Twitter that you had tweeted 50,000 words that year. Do you feel that took those words away from your novel writing? If not, why not?

I write novels, but my broader vision statement is to get good stories to young people. Twitter serves that wider purpose. I write full-time and my kids are teenagers so I have more time than most writers—I’m still writing fiction, I promise. I also type and Tweet at furious speeds.

Last but not least, my practice of dividing my vocational year into four quarters helps to keep things in balance. During spring and fall I come into the public eye more with social media and author visits. Then, during summer and winter, I retreat to write and dream and think and pray. Of course, this summer’s a bit different because Bamboo People (bamboopeople.org) launches July 1, so I have to be more present.

SVP: I also heard you say (on Twitter) that none of your books have been picked up by the big chains. Do you think your connections through social media have helped fill in the sales gap left by those chains?

I have no idea about the actual effect on sales, but I’ve made some dear connections with indie booksellers, teachers, parents, and librarians. Twitter has helped me join and build a team of likeminded adults who share my vision statement as described above. I know it’s helped me get speaking gigs, like the BookExpo children’s breakfast and the CSLA convention where I met you face to face, Ms. Robin.

SVP: Does it ever feel like a chore? Like you have to live up to your own reputation?

It’s fun. That’s why I do it. I’m using my writing voice to promote what I love – great stories for kids and young adults. I don’t think I have any reputation to maintain. I’m being myself out there and if people don’t like it, it’s their choice to tune out. I never cared much about being popular in high school, either.

SVP: On your website, you talk about enjoying discussing “books between cultures” and the life-changing power of story, and your Twitter presence totally affirms that. What do you recommend for someone who doesn’t have such a clear delineated passion or niche?

If you’re a writer, you have a voice, right? And social media provides a venue to express that voice--humor, interests, heart, and mind. It’s tailor-made for writers; our predecessors would have envied our ability to connect with readers and showcase our talents.

SVP: I’ve heard it said that twitter and other social media is about connections. How is connecting through twitter different that connecting through your writing?

Twitter allows us to connect writing and stories to audiences outside our typical SCBWI Kid Lit world. As Bamboo People releases, I’ve met people who care deeply about child soldiers, refugees, Burma, and justice.

A novel has a life apart from me and by definition must be shared. I have to step back and let the reader own it. My twitter stream belongs more to me than any novel I write—that could be why it’s such a powerful promotional tool for marginalized voices.

SVP: What advice do you have for those authors who are unsure how to begin tweeting, or not even sure they want to?

Jump in, the water’s great. Don’t worry about making mistakes. It’s the only way to learn. On the other hand, watch your spelling and grammar – we’re professionals, remember? Skip the “hip” abbreviations and sloppy shortcuts. Social media works best if you’re good at composing pithy captions and headlines.

Here’s a post I wrote to get you started. Lastly, if it’s not fun, don’t make yourself do it. You can have a vibrant, successful career as a children’s book writer without social media.

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So there you have it, folks. I have to say, listen to Mitali talk about Twitter gives me a whole new way to look at it. Hope it does the same for you! You can find out more about Mitali on her website, her facebook page, and, of course, on Twitter.

Kathleen Duey Takes Center Stage

Please join Robin and I in welcoming the generous, multi-talented, masterful and enviably prolific author for Young Adults and Children, KATHLEEN DUEY. After letting her dream of becoming a writer germinate for twenty years, she has burst into bloom, and leaves most of us gasping at her drive and full frontal embrace of social media.

Kathleen and I met last month in the dazzling dowtown Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles in its revolving skytop restaurant. We both looked extremely glamorous drinking Pisco Sours, and had to work to keep the paparazzi at bay.

Interviewer's note: Para 1 is completely true. Para 2 has been embellished a tad. We were both in the state of California at the time of the interview. And, I'm certain wherever she was, she was looking completely glamorous.

And without further ado, one of the most unforgettable voices in dark fantasy, Kathleen Duey--

An Interview with Deanna Raybourn: In Which She Discusses Balance and Boundaries

Two years ago when I was attending RWA's National Conference in San Francisco, I was lucky enough to receive in my goody bag a copy of a book called Silent in the Sanctuary by Deanna Raybourn. It was just the sort of book that hit all my hot spots; great voice, great characters, dripping with atmosphere and historical detail, and an intriguing plot. I was hooked. Unfortunately, she'd written only one other book, but I inhaled that one immediately and then had to wait impatiently for the third book to come out. She's recently come out with a fourth book, a stand alone gothic, The Dead Travel Fast. Color me happy!

While I was waiting, I stumbled across her blog and was delighted to find that it was every bit as witty and charming as her books. However, the more I got to know her through her blog, the more I began to suspect she was an introvert--a charming one, to be sure, and one with killer social skills, but an introvert, nonetheless. This was confirmed for me when in response to a reader's question, she mentioned how much she loved talking with booksellers and readers, but even with as much as she adored it, she usually had to recharge in her hotel room after that. I was also hugely impressed with the boundaries she'd drawn in her life and how well she balanced all the elements of her writing life. I thought she had a lot of wisdom to share, so I invited her to pay a visit to SVP and share it with all of us!

Our Interview with Nancy Ancowitz: Part II

Self-Promotion for Introverts ®

By Laura Salas, Shrinking Violets Field Reporter

LAURA: I'm a real over-preparer when it comes to public speaking. How do you know when to stop?

NANCY: Preparation is generally a good thing, especially for introverts. It's just in the boo-hiss camp when we go over the line by wearing ourselves down with self-doubt and by focusing on minutia that don't matter to our audiences.

Recognize the downsides of over-preparing. Does it increase your anxiety around presenting? Does it mean you won’t get enough sleep? Are you neglecting another important project or a relationship because you’re so immersed in the preparation process?

Also, I've noticed that most of my public speaking clients spend most of their preparation time on content rather than delivery. However, they're already content experts. So what they really need to do more is practice how they'll speak in a strong, modulated voice, gesture effectively, and use the space.

LAURA: This part blew me away. And it’s true. I focus on that content, over and over again. When the truth is, it’s my gestures and my voice and my facial expressions that need more work. This was a revelation for me!

NANCY : Reflect on these questions:

a. How much time did you spend preparing for your last presentation and what was the outcome?

b. Had you spent less time preparing, how would that have affected your presentation?

c. What are the top five activities you typically engage in to prepare for a talk (e.g., researching, writing down your main points, fleshing out your speaker’s notes, creating visuals, rehearsing)?

d. How much time do you spend on each activity?

e. What are the time drains that produce minimal gain?

f. How could you prioritize and/or delegate your activities differently to use your energy more efficiently next time?

g. What matters most to your audience members? Prioritize what you think is most and least important to them. If you’re not sure, ask for feedback from your audience when it's appropriate.

h. How can you get support to help you rein in your tendency to over-prepare? Do you have a friend, mentor, or coach to help hold you accountable to preparing smarter, not harder?

So, I’ll tip your seat if you tip mine and we’ll both get out from under the stagnant canopy of rethinking, re-editing, and reconsidering that hovers over us when we get into over-preparation mode. Let's arrive more present for our audiences, refreshed, and light on our feet for our next presentation -- by knowing when enough preparation is enough.

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LAURA: Do you have any presentation tips specifically for school visits? I like your Framework points on pages 152-153. For school visits, though, an additional goal, on top of informing and inspiring and increasing visibility, is to entertain! If children's authors don't entertain on our school visits, we usually don't book more visits. But "performing" is so daunting to me. So, any thoughts on how an introvert can psych herself up to be entertaining?

NANCY: Adult and children audiences alike enjoy being entertained. If you focus on how you hate the spotlight and how you're not "ha-ha" funny, you might as well stay home. If instead you embrace your audience and look to brighten their day by sharing your creations with them, you'll take the focus off yourself.

Borrowing a quote from my book, from Lewis Bernstein, Ph.D., executive vice president of education and research at the Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit behind Sesame Street: "We are each an entire universe with unique value and something special to offer. So like my good friend Grover on Sesame Street who is naturally shy, we must all find ways to let our passion and potential bubble out of us so we can share them. Sometimes that takes practice, discipline, and trial and error. It is almost always worth it."

LAURA: I love this. I always thought it was better to be yourself than to put on a completely false act. At the same time, I’m realizing I can make my school visit mood more fun in 2 simple ways: 1) introduce even more interactive poetry reading techniques with the kids and 2) smile more. I’m generally a smiley person, but pictures of me doing school visits indicate that I don’t smile much during them! I’m going to work on that during my practice sessions.

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LAURA: Sometimes I naturally use my hands in my presentations, and that's great. But other times, when I'm very nervous, I just don't know what to do with my hands! Everything feels false. Is there one standard pose that I can remember as my "default pose?" So that when the hand gestures aren't coming naturally, I can fall back on that?

NANCY: The funny thing about hands is that most people don’t what to do with them in front of an audience without a little training. It feels weird to do what looks natural when you’re onstage. That's why it helps to practice in a mirror, or better yet, on videotape. There's nothing like seeing what works best on you. Try a bunch of different things and pick a few gestures that look good. Once you've practiced gesturing, your hands will know what to do no matter how nervous you feel.

As a guideline, my favorite neutral position for a presenter’s hands is relaxed at her side. And when she’s telling a story or making a point, I like to see her hands and arms open and out, gesturing naturally. If you’re someone who gestures a lot in conversation, then use your hands plenty. If you don’t gesture much, then no need to do so in front of an audience.

LAURA: Oh, good! I always felt a little wrong or uncaring, somehow, when I would just stand with my hands at my sides. I don’t think I’ll feel so awkward now that I have official permission. Thanks!

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LAURA: When kids get roped into listening to me read my book, but they're clearly not the right audience age for the book, what should I do? My book Stampede is poems about kids at school and how they behave like animals. But at readings, I often find myself reading to toddlers or preschoolers who are too young for the poems (and the humor is over their heads).

NANCY: Since I’m a business book author, I can’t say that I’ve shared your experience on this—or on school visits that you mentioned earlier. However, here are my initial thoughts.

When your audience isn’t properly matched to the material you’d normally read, I wonder if it would be best to have a couple of fun animal exercises up your sleeve so that the toddlers and preschoolers can experience the book without reading it. This way their parents can buy your book for their older siblings.

LAURA: That’s a great idea. I usually add kid-generated sound effects after each poem, but maybe if it’s JUST preschoolers, I can have a set little activity in mind where we go through the book, identify the animals if possible and try out the animal noises. And that gives me an idea for if I’m stuck with upper elementary kids who think they’re too old for the book, too. I’m going to turn it into some kind of riddle game. Thanks! This will put me at ease some.

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LAURA: I have the world's worst memory! I know a lot of people from online or from occasional in-person meets, but I don't remember them. So I'll be at a writer's conference and people will come up to me and chat and I have no idea who they are. It's not a matter of just not knowing their name. I don't know who they are! Sometimes it's even people who have taken online classes from me and they're wearing nametags. I just don't have any idea where I know them from. I feel like they'll be insulted that I don't recognize their name or face if I've met them before. It's people that I've had more than just one casual email with or something. Any advice?

And just so you don't think I'm exaggerating, I recently asked a family member by marriage how his mom was doing. His mom died years ago, and I knew that. But when I'm chatting with people, my mind just goes blank!

NANCY: I can relate! How would you feel if we turned the tables and you greeted someone who had no clue who you were? Would you be offended if the person was polite but didn't register a glint of recognition? How about if he said something like this: “You look familiar, but amid all this hustle and bustle, I’m having trouble placing you at the moment.”

I would be understanding. How about you? When you can’t remember someone, how you react nonverbally is at least as important as what you say. Do you look guilty? Ashamed? Or more relaxed and curious?

When the acquaintance amnesia happens at book signings, you can just say, “Who would you like me to sign this book for?” If you’re unfortunate enough to get a “just write my name” type response, I suppose you can still ask how you spell it and hope it’s not something like Mary!

LAURA: I would be understanding if the tables were turned, but my bad memory really makes it hard to network comfortably. I’ve had writer friends (on a fairly regular basis) express surprise that I didn’t recognize somebody we’d all met several times before or heard speak earlier at a conference or something like that. I just feel so rude. But I’m sure you’re right about the nonverbal reaction. I get so stressed about it that that must transmit itself to the other person, too. I guess I need to accept that this is not my strong suit and try not to let it freak me out so much.

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If you’re lucky enough to live in or near NYC, you can check out Nancy’s upcoming events and classeson her website. She does do most of her presentation coaching in person, but says, “…I have done a little coaching via Skype and we can use other interactive real-time software as well. If myself and a client are meant to work together, we don't allow distance and technology to be barriers.” She’s coached authors and artists as well as many clients in the corporate world.
I’d love to hear Nancy speak in person someday—though I likely wouldn’t recognize her:>) Still, maybe I’d have my elevator speech ready by then and could try it out on her. Meanwhile, I’m grateful for all the information and encouragement in self-promotion for introverts.

Now, I’m off to read through my highlighted passages again. I have all sorts of notes written down, and I have a feeling I’ll find a few things to add to my 2010 Writing Goals List. And all year, I plan to tune in to U-ROCK Radio and tell myself, “I am writing what I am meant to write,” and “I take risks to stretch my creativity and improve my writing.” Maybe by the end of the year, I’ll completely believe both of those!

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ABOUT NANCY: Nancy Ancowitz is a business communication coach, an adjunct instructor at NYU, and the author of Self-Promotion for Introverts (McGraw-Hill), which was selected for "Best Books for 2009" by Publisher's Weekly. You can visit her Self-Promotion for Introverts blog at http://www.selfpromotionforintroverts.com; Nancy also blogs for Psychology Today.

ABOUT LAURA: Laura Purdie Salas is the author of more than 80 books for kids and teens, including STAMPEDE! POEMS ABOUT THE WILD SIDE OF SCHOOL and SHRINKING DAYS, FROSTY NIGHTS: POEMS ABOUT FALL. She loves to introduce kids to poetry and help them find poems they can relate to, no matter what their age, mood, and personality. She has also written many nonfiction books. Besides reading and writing, Laura loves racquetball, karaoke (at home), word games, and Rock Band.

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Next Monday, we will be announcing the two winners of our Self Promotion for Introverts contest. Leave a comment at either Part I or Part II of Laura's interview with Nancy Ancowitz to be entered, or email Mary off-line. Nancy has generously donated a signed copy of her book, and a 45-minute tele-coaching session. (Serious loot here.) Best of luck to you!

And, please join me in thanking both Nancy and Laura for such an excellent interview-- you two could take this show on the road! Wishing you both much continued success in all you do.

And, welcome to February, everyone!

Mary Hershey

An Interview with Nancy Ancowitz: Part I of II

Two months ago, I profiled Nancy Ancowitz's book in a post entitled "Helping Those Who Talk Less Get Heard More." We thought she sounded like someone we must interview here, and we asked for a brave volunteer. Not that we are trying to shirk our duties as your hosts, but being an interview-er is great prep for becoming an interview-ee. Laura Salas ponied right up, and contacted Nancy, who was happy to come talk to us. So, without further ado, Laura, take it away!

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Self-Promotion for Introverts ®

By Laura Salas, SVP Field Reporter


Nancy Ancowitz is a business communications coach in New York City. She’s an author. A playwright. A marathoner. And, most importantly, from my point of view, an introvert.

Nancy has created the Self-Promotion for Introverts™ program, which she teaches in and around NYC. For those of us not located in the Big Apple, though, she has gathered her tips and secrets and strategies and put them into book form in self-promotion for introverts [the quiet guide to getting ahead] (McGraw-Hill, 2009).

I read this book with a highlighter and pen in hand, because I constantly had to mark the passages that spoke to me or complete the exercises I was given. Normally, I ignore exercises in books, but I had a feeling these would be actually useful to me, and they were.

Now, I’m not gonna lie. There’s no magic phrase that will suddenly make promotion easy and painless for you. I knew that going in (though don’t we always secretly wish for it anyway?). And Nancy doesn’t pretend there is. But what she does believe is that there are ways we can learn to promote ourselves that aren’t as excruciating as we initially believe them to be. And throughout the book, she offers choices and suggestions. And she challenges us to take action, even if it’s itty bitty action, to start being seen and heard.

Just a few of my favorite lessons from the book:

There are specific things I can do to make networking easier. At writer conferences and events, or even just at social gatherings, I tend to scoot off to a corner and spend the evening by myself or glom onto one poor person who I then won’t release for the rest of the night. Nancy advises:
• Choose events where you’re likely to feel welcome.
• Before going to a networking event, take stock of why someone would want to talk to you.
• Do something that makes you feel grounded just before the event (e.g., write, draw, listen to a favorite song, or call a mentor)
• Scope out the most comfortable places—possibly the quietest areas—for you in the space (just not the wall!).
And the second half of that list is just as practical.

Be kind to yourself. I was doing a lot of negative self-talk without even being aware of it. The exercises forced me to articulate the most popular songs on my U-SUCK radio station and replace them with some easy on the self-esteen affirmations.

Don’t overdo it. Too many choices can be overwhelming. Get your goals down to a smaller number. This reminded me of my marketing plan for my first trade book. I did an OK job of narrowing my wish list down. But next book, I’ll use what I’ve learned and I’ll be even more focused and realistic in my marketing plan.

When thinking of your target audience, remember to focus on What’s In It For Me?—WIIFM. That’s what everyone wants to know. I incorporated this into some flyers for a book event in December. On my flyer, I spelled out what my poetry book had to offer kids, teachers, librarians, parents/grandparents, etc. A writer friend compared this to a shopping network where I guess they say things like, “This would be the perfect thank you gift for your hair stylist,” and “Wouldn’t this make a great hostess gift!” If you can tell potential buyers how your book will help them, you might sell more books.

Expand your networking circle. I’ve already come around in my thinking on networking. I used to think it was sleazy. But over the past five years, I’ve realized it’s all about connecting with like-minded people and helping each other. I still don’t consider myself good at it, though. So Nancy’s chapter on networking, with its practical tips, was really appreciated. For instance: “My general rule when it comes to networking is this: Three tries and I’m out. If you’re a prospective client and you show interest in hearing from me, it’s our mutual loss if you don’t respond to my phone messages and e-mails. You don’t get the benefit of what I have to offer, and I don’t get the benefit of working with you. Will I let it ruin my weekend when you don’t call me back? I doubt it.”

Create an elevator pitch. I enjoyed this section a lot. I always hear about elevator pitches for specific books. BUT, this book encouraged me to work on one about me. Me as a writer. For the many, many times I get asked, So what do you do? Or, What kinds of children’s books do you write? I don’t have a finished elevator pitch yet, but I’m working on it. (Hey, this marketing stuff is hard!)

Become an effective speaker. I grabbed onto the public speaking chapter like a drowning woman grabbing a life preserver. I get good feedback on my school visits and other events, but I still get very anxious about them. Having a game plan in writing and having specific strategies to work on is going to help me, I think, stay calm before my round of spring visits. And I do plan to practice in front of a mirror before then. Maybe I’ll work my way up to videotaping myself to analyze how I’m doing. Like I said, she doesn’t let us off easy in this book. We’re challenged to go out of our comfort zone, but there’s always support and encouragement behind the challenge.

There are tons of useful pieces to this book—some inspiring and some strictly useful. In fact, the book was so thorough that I had a bit of trouble coming up with questions that weren’t already answered in the book!

But in looking at my own shortcomings in the promotion arena, I managed to find a few questions to toss Nancy’s way, questions I thought might apply to some other SVP readers, too. Here are those questions plus her replies:

Laura: Like you, I'm a real over-preparer when it comes to public speaking. So how do you know when to stop?

Nancy: Stay tuned...

Oh, NO! A cliffhanger!

~DON'T MISS PART II OF LAURA & NANCY'S INTERVIEW NEXT MONDAY~

About our SVP Field Reporter

Laurie Purdie Salas is a Florida native, a Minnesoto transplant, and a lifelong introvert. She is the author of more than 70 kids' books, including Stampede! Poems to Celebrate the Wild Side of School (Clarion, 2009) You can learn more about Laura at www.laurasalas.com and http://laurasalas.livejournal.com.

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Results from last week's raffle: Robin, Jennifer Hubbard and I are grateful to have the opportunity to send a donation to the Haitian earthquake victims. *Rebecca Ramsey* is our winner of a $50.00 donation to the relief agency of her choice. Rebecca, will you email me and let us know your preference? Jennifer, thank you again for launching this here.

This week's raffle! Nancy Ancowitz has graciously offered a complimentary 45-min coaching session with her, and a copy of her book to be raffled off. Whoa! Leave a comment and/or be one of our SVP followers and you will be entered to win. Best of luck to you each!

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Have an exceptional week, friends--

Mary