Month: October 2017

Since I’m spilling some of my secrets this week I thought I’d share one that’s on the minds of a lot of aspiring writers, how I got my agent. The short answer is, I just kept going. That’s not helpful so to elaborate, I kept going to workshops on the craft of writing for commercial markets, critique boot camps, and conferences. Then I kept going back to my writing hidey hole to apply the lessons I learned. Along the way I earned a mentor. I say “earned” because I’ve found that no matter the career, there are always people willing to take a person under their wing but it’s a relationship that works only when the mentee acts on the time and effort graciously provided by the mentor. My early mentor, Michael Neff, is the director of Algonkian workshops and conferences, one of them being the New York Pitch Conference (https://newyorkpitchconference.com/). Michael invited me a year before I actually took him up on the offer. Why did I wait? Because I didn’t want to blow it. I wanted to walk in confident that both my manuscript and I were ready.An unrelated aside, you’ll note my fellow Miss Demeanor, Susan Breen, is also on the faculty at the New York Pitch. If you check out the website you’ll see this particular event is something a lot of us have in common 🙂 But I digress…. In the run-up to my trip to NY I studied the faculty that would be there, the agents, editors and authors who would be helping attendees hone their pitches throughout the event. Each genre has a leader and mine was Paula Munier. Something I’ve learned throughout multiple careers is that when someone you respect is willing to give you their time and energy, you listen to what they have to say. In addition to being an excellent coach, Paula has a pedigree that opens doors. I gave her my full attention. As a result, at the end of the long weekend I received read requests from every agent and editor I pitched. Was that all Paula’s doing? In large part, yes, but also it was my approach. I took this event seriously and treated it like a job interview. In essence, that’s exactly what pitches are. Like job interviews, I’m not only hoping someone finds me suited to them. It’s a 2-way street. I look for fit & chemistry, too. It’s not that I had any issues with the other agents I met but Paula and I hit it off right away. When I got her call, I didn’t hesitate. I signed with her immediately. So I guess the secret is, there is no secret. I got my agent through hard work and careful selection. And I just kept going.  

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We’ve blogged about attending conferences. But we haven’t talked about speaking. Public speaking is a common fear. It’s anathema for most writers. We tuck ourselves away in our writing corners with a laptop or notebook. Maybe there’s a window. But there’s definitely not an audience. And that’s how we like it, right? Not if you intend to sell books.  Once a book is written, a contract is signed, and the book gets published, that’s when the “work” begins. I put “work” in quotes because, to me, writing is fun. Promotion is the part where we need to step out of our comfort zones. One form of promotion that’s never too early to start is building your brand. A great way to accomplish this is speaking at conferences.  It’s no secret I know a lot about cyber crime and technology. Thus, I look for opportunities to share my knowledge. This year, in particular, cyber-y things are a hot topic. I belong to Sisters In Crime, Mystery Writers of America and International Thriller Writers and each of those organizations hosts author events throughout the year. They send out emails and calls on social media for participants in these events. If I see any inkling of interest in educating my fellow writers about cyber crime, I raise my hand and volunteer. Heck, even if I don’t see a specific call for experts I’ve pitched ideas to conference organizers. As a result, I’m on panels at 3 conferences this fall and I’ve been invited to 2 more (so far) in 2018. I didn’t start out comfortable speaking to sometimes large groups. I have my day job to thank for helping me learn ways to get past the inevitable stage fright. I’m not shy among friends and co-workers so I’ve been tapped many, many times to give presentations on a variety of topics. It’s like anything else, the more you do it the easier it gets. I’ve learned a couple of secrets along the way. My first rule – know the subject matter inside and out. At 20 years and counting living & breathing all things cyber, I’ve got that one down. The only variable is whether or not I need to have something prepared or if the format is Q&A. I actually prefer the latter. Then it’s less like “public speaking” and more of a conversation. Some speakers don’t like being caught off guard by doing Q&As but I enjoy directly addressing what’s on the minds of participants. If I don’t know the answer to a question, which happens from time to time, I commit to find out and follow up with whoever asked. If I have to have something prepared, then I adhere to my second rule – make it fun. I’m a storyteller so this part is easy. I try to use animated images in slides rather than words (this is possible with both PowerPoint and Keynote). That probably seems counterintuitive for a writer but wordy slides put me to sleep so I create an experience that I’d find entertaining myself. Since I’m my own toughest critic, if I pass that test, I can feel good about what – and how – I present. The whole idea of speaking at conferences is to make a connection. That’s why we attend in the first place, right? Network with each other, meet agents and publishers, see or even get to meet our heroes. Participating is a great way to reach a lot of people all at once. Speaking of which (see what I did there?), you can see me during the NorCal MWA Mystery Week on October 16 and at the New England Crime Bake Nov. 10 -12 in the “Ask The Experts” session. If you attend either of these, or see me at a future event, please say hi. I’d love to meet you. 

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I’m making a slight departure from our usual writing & reading theme today to make a special plea. The last few weeks have brought a nauseating amount of pain and suffering to multiple parts of the United States and the world, between hurricanes, floods, earthquakes and now the worst mass shooting in US history in Las Vegas, NV. Many of us are angry, frustrated or feeling helpless. We’re all looking for answers, or to our leaders. That’s all well and good but, if you’ll forgive me, there’s no time for navel-gazing right now. People are suffering. We, as authors and public figures, have platforms. Please join me in using those powers for good. Given the perfect storm of events emergency supplies are stretched beyond thin. I can’t be the only one thinking “I HAVE to do something.” So I am. And you can, too. Here’s a handful of organizations that need our help to help others: https://www.oneamericaappeal.org/One American Appeal is an organization established by the 5 living former US Presidents. Cash donations ensure the right help reaches the right people to bring aid to Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, all of whom are still reeling and face monumental tasks in providing basic necessities and restoring services to those hardest hit. https://www.redcross.org/ns/apology/disaster_homepage.htmlThere was a nationwide blood shortage before any of these events occurred. Please find a blood drive near you. Giving blood is easy and – I speak from personal experience as a needle-phobe – painless. https://www.crowdrise.com/o/en/team/salmaSalma Hayek has started a Crowdrise campaign to provide aid to UNICEF’s relief effort in Mexico following the recent earthquakes. Ms. Hayek will match the first $100,000 in donations. This is but a small sampling of the number of individual and institutional efforts underway to help the millions, yes millions, of people currently impacted. Please give what you can and help spread the word through your social networks, platforms, and professional networks to address the crucial, immediate needs. 

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