Events

Tips for Your First TV Appearance

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Today I was on Talk of Alabama discussing our upcoming events The Bloganista Mixer presented by Collage Designer Consignment and The Bloganista Mini-Con presented by Laura Vincent Printing & Design.

I always encourage the writers and bloggers I coach to pitch a segment idea to local TV media. And, not to brag or anything but… after using the tips I give them on how to pitch their idea they usually email me saying “I’M GOING TO BE ON TV!” (Click here to check out those tips.)

But about five minutes after sending that email they send another that reads something like this: “OMG! I’M GOING TO BE ON TV! WHAT WAS I THINKING?!?! I CAN’T DO THIS! I’M FREAKING OUT!”

If you’re a few days away from your first TV appearance and you’re having similar anxious thoughts, here are a few tips to help things go smoothly:

Practice, but not too much. Write down five questions you think a reporter might ask based on the topics you presented in your pitch. Now write down your answers to these questions. (Some TV stations will actually request that you do this and ask that you send your questions and answers to their producers.) Read over what you wrote a few times. Now get your spouse, significant other, best friend or blogging or business buddy to interview you using the questions you wrote, but also get them to throw in a few questions that aren’t on your list so you’ll have practice responding to questions off the cuff. WARNING: Don’t try to memorize every word you’ll say. If you do that you’ll sound too rehearsed and come off as inauthentic.

Choose your outfit the night before. You don’t want to feel rushed and frazzled the morning of your big television debut because you couldn’t figure out what to wear. So be sure you have your entire outfit prepped and ready to go the night before your segment. Not sure what to wear? Bright colors are best, but avoid white. Wear something that makes you feel both comfortable and confident. And remember — you have to look the part to get the role. So if you’re going on TV to give tips to aspiring entrepreneurs because you want to be a business coach, you need to look like you run something! If you’re giving fashion tips, that should be obvious the moment you walk on set and you better be the most stylish person in the room.

Arrive early, but not too early. Leave your home and head to the station early enough that you will be on time even if there’s a wreck on the road and you get stuck in traffic. But don’t get there so early that you have 90 minutes to stew in your nervousness before your segment begins.

Make small talk… or not. I’m an extrovert so talking to other people at the station — whether folks who work there or other people waiting to be interviewed — calms me. But the idea of talking to even more strangers may make you want to puke. If that’s the case, head to the restroom for some alone time before your segment. Figure out what works best for you based on your personality. And if you’re a spiritual person be sure to wake up early enough that you can get in your daily spiritual practice. This will also help you feel more centered and calm.

Forget about the cameras. OK, stop laughing. I know this sounds impossible. But try your best to just pretend you’re having a conversation with the person interviewing you and forget that you’re on TV. Most likely your segment is on something that you’re very passionate about, something you probably talk to people about all the time. Just pretend this is another one of those times when someone has shown interest in this passion of yours and wants to know more because actually that’s exactly what this is!

What tips would you offer to folks preparing for their first TV appearance? 

PS – If you’d like to see my segment on today’s Talk of Alabama, the video will be available here for a limited time.

Why Writers Must Be Entrepreneurs

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Image by GenerationBass.com via Flickr/Creative Commons

Writing and personal branding coach Nikki Woods believes that writing a book is one of the best ways to build your business as it gives you credibility. However, she also believes that writers must be business-minded.

In a recent blog post she writes, “Let’s face it, most creative people expect someone else to handle the business side of their operations. But it’s a new day.”

Even writers with book deals and especially those who self-publish must learn to market their own work. And this isn’t just about trying to sell a single book. This is about creating a long-lasting career.

Woods writes: “Royalties and book advances are great if you can get them but you can’t depend on them to sustain you. The sooner you begin to promote your book through speaking engagements, conventions, seminars, etc., the sooner you can build up an audience, your brand and your bottom line. ”

Not sure where to start? See Jane Write is here to help.

Join us at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, June 16 at the Books-a-Million in Brookwood Village for D.I.Y. Marketing for Authors. Learn how to be your own publicist and promote your book and your brand. This free workshop will feature author A.D. Lawrence and See Jane Write member Chanda Temple, who is the co-author of the Birmingham’s Best Bites cookbook.

Get more details here and RSVP via Facebook.

Lady Blogger to Boss Lady

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Last year at the See Jane Write Bloganista Mini-Con I decided that I wanted to not only be known as a blogger but also respected as a businesswoman. Six months later I was being honored as one of the city’s Top 40 Under 40 by the Birmingham Business Journal due to my work as founder and CEO ofSee Jane Write, a blog and membership organization for women writers, bloggers and entrepreneurs in Birmingham, Alabama.

On June 13 I’m offering a free master class I call “Lady Blogger to Boss Lady.”

In this free seminar I will share 7 steps to help you turn your blog into business and make your transition from lady blogger to boss lady!

This event is free, but registration is required. Reserve your spot here.

Lady Blogger to Boss Lady

11:30 a.m., Saturday, June 13

Homewood Public Library in the Round Auditorium

DIY Marketing with Books-a-Million

Birmingham-based authors, learn how to be your own publicist at the next See Jane Write event.

On Tuesday, June 16 we’re partnering with Books-a-Million to bring you a FREE workshop on how to market your book. You’ll also learn more about BAM! Publishing and Books On-Demand — which could be just what you need if you’re looking to self publish your next book.

The event will feature talks by Chanda Temple, co-author of the Birmingham’s Best Bites cookbook and A.D. Lawrence, author of the book When the Lioness Roars.

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Chanda Temple worked as a journalist for nearly 20 years before switching gears to public relations in 2012. This change meant that no longer would she cover buzz-worthy events but would now be responsible for building buzz and she’s going to help you build buzz for your book, too. For the past three years Temple has crafted numerous public relations campaigns that the public and media noticed.

Her latest success was coauthoring the Birmingham’s Best Bites cookbook. The self-published paperback book sold out three times in late 2014 and earned an international gold medal award in 2015. Also in 2015, her public relations campaign for the book and the Birmingham food festival it was connected to, won a first place state award in public relations.

AD Lawrence

Although, A. D. Lawrence is new to the official writing world, she is not new to the art. She has spent a lifetime putting pen-to-paper to express her deepest feelings and thoughts and to do research.

A.D. grew up in Tennessee at a time when children were to be seen and not heard. In 1989, she moved further south where she believed blacks were treated the same. During this major transition, she wrote. This era helped to hone her writing skills by giving her an outlet for unspeakable truths, while she dealt with social changes.

Lawrence is the author of When the Lioness Roars, When the Lioness Roars…Again, and When the Lioness Roars…Again and Again. She also has two works in progress. One is entitled Life Beyond the Shadows and the other is A Coloring of Hearts. The underlying theme in both deals with personal disappointment, struggle, growth, and survival. Unlike these two, the current book uses humor, anger, fact, prayer, rhyme and reason to produce a personal journal/textbook.

Join See Jane Write and Books-a-Million as these authors share the secrets to marketing their books. Zach Kendrick of Books-a-Million will also be on site to tell you all about the Espresso Book Machine and how you could use it to self-publish your next book.

This book is free and open to the public but seating is limited so arrive early.

DIY Marketing for Authors: How To Be Your Own Publicist

Hosted by Books-A-Million, Brookwood Village in Partnership with BAM! Publishing and See Jane Write

6 – 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 16 at the Brookwood Village Books-a-Million

Do You Like TED Talks?

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Do you love TED talks as much as I do? If so, I hope you’ll meet me at TEDxBirminghamWomen on Friday, May 29 from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. While this event doesn’t feature live, local speakers, it is a live simulcast of two sessions from this year’s TEDWomen event and I can’t wait to see it! If you’d like to join me, you can purchase tickets here and then e-mail me so we can make plans to sit together! (Tickets sales end tomorrow so act fast.)

But I hope I get to see you before then! I hope to see you Tuesday at the next See Jane Write event.

Your Blog Is Your Business  will be held 5:30 to 7 p.m., Tuesday, May 19 at DISCO. Wade Kwon, director of the Y’all Connect blogging and social media conference will be discussing ways you can turn your blog into a business without relying on ads. I’ll be on hand to discuss how the methods I used to grow See Jane Write can also be used to help you transition from lady blogger to boss lady! Get tickets and more information here.

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You’ll learn more about Y’all Connect at Tuesday’s See Jane Write event, but if you’re eager to buy your tickets beforehand be sure to use the code SJW011 to get a $30 discount on tickets. One of this year’s keynote speakers is Stacey Ferguson, founder of Blogalicious — an annual blogging conference for women of color. You don’t want to miss this!

Finally, don’t forget that I’m still accepting appointments for 15-minute strategy sessions for those who are interested in learning more about the See Jane Write Mastermind program. Click here to schedule your appointment.

See you Tuesday at the next See Jane Write event!