Get Known Before the Book Deal

Dear Fellow Groovers, November-December 2009 Issue of the Get Known Groove Starts Here

So here we are. The holidays have arrived. Happy holidays, everyone!

No doubt you are taking some time off. I hope you are or will.

Downtime is so important for creative people. Above all, we need to avoid that fanatical, always anxiously doing, doing, doing trap that is so much easier to fall into these days.

I spent five days not doing over the Thanksgiving holiday. Or if I was doing, it was just about vacation, family or home life. And now, I am returning to work, refreshed and clear. I'll be working pretty hard between now and Christmas...and I am looking forward to it.

Before I went away, I promised to make progress on some changes around here, and so I have. I've launched the all-new, fancy-schmancy christinakatz.com. Would you please add it to your blog reader?

I've not only launched, but filled a dream team that will run from January through May 2010. This is something I've wanted to do for a very long time and I could not be more thrilled with the positive response.

I've taken the liberty of included my list of 2010 classes with either Abigail Green or me, below. Two classes of particular interest to platform builders are Turn Your Specialty Into Course Curriculum in January, followed by Craft A Saleable Book Proposal in March. The two courses build upon each other well.

I've set a date, time and place for my three-hour Power Up Your Platform workshop here in Wilsonville on Sunday, January 31st. Hope to see anyone who is local there so we can have a three hour conversation about your platform plan for 2010.

And I'm still ticking to-dos off my list that are essentially game-changing for my career. And man-oh-man, it feels GOOD.

I mentioned that I hurt myself last year by working too hard and not paying attention to my body. Well, I've noticed that my body is humming along pretty happily since I've started making changes in earnest. So onward, full speed ahead! There are more changes on the horizon. I will make sure you are among the first to know.

I want to pause here for a moment and just say how grateful I am for all of you, for all of our 2009 contributors, and for our wonderful managing editor, Gigi Rosenberg. With assistance from Judy Miller since May, it has been my pleasure to bring you this e-zine. And I have been blown away by the quality of the advice month after month. I hope you have enjoyed it too. If so, please let our contributors know.
 
Make good things today and in the New Year!
  
Christina Katz
Publisher & Editor

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Dear Fellow Groovers, October 2009 Issue of the Get Known Groove Starts Here

Giveaways and conferences and my author series -- oh my!

Fall has been hopping so far, but I planned a little lull between now and the first of the year, and thank goodness! I'm going to put it to good use.

During November, I'll be posting the information about all that I will be offering in 2010 and I cannot wait. Here's the short list:

• A streamlined blog/website/e-zine design
• My usual classes and my new dream teams
• A third book deal? (Here's hoping!)
• Live events like my three-hour platform workshop in January
  
• Cloning myself (LOL)

Okay, so cloning myself is a joke. But not really. I have a few things up my sleeve that I will announce in the New Year.

One of the challenges of growing a writing career offline and online is how to managing all the growth.

One key thing that I've learned: don't try to do everything all the time or it will hurt your health and your ability to stay focused on what you do best.

Thanks to physical therapy, I am almost 100% recovered from a pinched nerve in my neck that was registering electric-pain down my left shoulder and arm in June of this year.

The discomfort didn't initially get my attention. But the eventual pain did. And it's taken a commitment of time, energy, and money to heal. So you can expect my advice in 2010 to be a tad more moderate,  balanced, and centered than before. If for no other reason, because I've learned if you ignore your body's signals, you could risk your livelihood...and a whole lot more.

I also feel like many of the social media leaders today are just plain manic and  are not setting an example that most writing professionals can or should follow. Don't buy into it. Focus the lion's share of your time on building your own writing career, not merely championing other people's while yours flounders.

My promise for 2010 is that I will never ask you to sacrifice your family time, your health, or your genuine callings to keep up with a pace that is unhealthy, unnatural, or something hardly anyone could imitate.

We all deserve to write our passions and have the successful and sustainable writing careers we've dreamed about. When you build writing skills slowly and steadily and stack success upon success, career growth can be deliberate and steady and your career can mesh with a happy, healthy life.

Mine does. And I am so grateful for it. And for the reminder to keep my advice to others healthy and wise.
 
Make good things happen,
  
Christina Katz
Publisher & Editor

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Dear Groovers Fellow Groovers, the June 2009 Issue of Get Known Groove Starts Here

Even though I told the readers of my other newsletter (The Writer Mama) that I'm taking things down a few notches this summer, I'm actually still accomplishing a lot. Summer may be here, but I won't be taking the summer off by any means.

I'll just be working more efficiently than I have in a long time, while taking advantage of some extra R&R opportunities.
 
Here's what I am currently up to:

• Planning the Northwest Author Series for the 2009-2010 season (see my article below: "You Wanna Start Something?").

• Featured in a podcast interview with Deb Schneider for King County Library System (Shh! Don't tell Kati I didn't do it myself).

• Sharing a summer blog tour interview that helps me overcome writers' resistance to platform development (I think Sage will approve. Feel free to contact me if you are interested!)

• Working on a distribution plan for the book trailer for Get Known Before the Book Deal (Gregory! Look at me!).

• Gearing up to apply for a RACC grant this summer (Gigi is going to be very proud of me, I just know it!).

• All over Facebook (as evidenced by my quote in Meryl's article).

• A long-time Kelly James-Enger fan. In fact, she is referenced in both of my books because she sets such a great example for writers (Hi, Kelly!).

This platform stuff gets easier and more fun the longer you do it!
 
Make good things happen, writers!
 
Christina Katz
Publisher & Editor

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Dear Get Known Groovers (May Issue Begins):

My objective for the Get Known Groove is for the e-zine to be as helpful as possible during rapidly changing times in the industry. These are times when every writer needs to learn to how stand in their own spotlight and produce themselves. The age of writers being discovered is over and the age of 100% responsibility for your writing career is upon us.

However, it's not easy to navigate a rapidly changing playing field, especially when it concerns something you care about as much as your writing career, your reputation, and your future. So I carefully chose columnists I thought could help you keep abreast of all you need to know without overwhelming you.

I'm happy to say that I think this issue demonstrates my intention very well. I was all ready to hit Google to answer several questions in my mind that were all addressed by our contributors in this month's issue.

I was pondering questions like:

What's the best microphone to use with my computer? Kati Neville's article this month, "How to Sound Your Best" shows me where to go to find out.

Which teleconference services should I use? Gregory Kompes' article this month, "Profit from Teleconferencing" has just the suggestions I was looking for.

Should I apply for a grant even if it's the last minute? Gigi Rosenberg's article this month, "Featured Money Magnet, Michele Glazer," suggests that I go ahead and apply anyway.

I know that the Get Known Groove is pointing me in the kinds of directions I want to go in. I hope it's doing the same for you. And if it is, I encourage you to take a few seconds to forward the e-zine to your writing friends.

Make good things happen!

Christina Katz
Publisher & Editor

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Dear Get Known Groovers (March Issue Begins):

Here's something we don't hear often enough about becoming an author: you have to be almost tireless to succeed.

But shhhh. Don't tell anyone. Because apparently it's a secret.

At the same time, you must stave off exhaustion, so you can hold steady on the writing and book promotion path.

I don't think most people realize the enormous amount of energy that authors put into getting their books out in the world. We make the Energizer Bunny look like a slacker!

So when I read James Patterson's interview by Diana Page Jordan in the latest issue of Writer's Digest and he talked about teamwork being a really important part of his success, I got it. Oh, how I got it. And I want you, dear reader, to get it too.

For example, this e-zine would not exist without the dedicated team of seven (count 'em) contributors and the administrative hand and editorial eye of Gigi Rosenberg.

But don't merely take my word for it. You can read all about "We-Power" in Cindy Hudson's interview with Marc Acito, one of the most energizing authors I know.

Then check out Gigi Rosenberg's account of how author Cheryl Strayed has racked up 30,000 dollars in writing grants. Partnering with granting agencies sure sounds like We-Power to me.

Then once you are good and inspired, you might want to take in Gregory Kompes' advice and get blogging and adopt some of Penny Sansevieri's tips on getting more traffic to your blog. Blogging is all about We-Power, after all.

Good strong partnerships with people you respect and trust is the key to accomplishing more, maintaining high standards of quality, and being better than you ever could become all by yourself.

Make good things happen!

Christina Katz
Publisher & Editor

Letter from the Editor, (From the February 2009 Issue of the Get Known Groove)

Thank you for subscribing to the Get Known Groove! We know that getting known and staying known for all of the right reasons is important to you as a writer and we are here to help you succeed.

I started to become known over a decade ago by writing freelance articles and then teaching others how to do the same. I eventually started publishing my first e-zine to stay connected to the increasing amount of writers I personally knew. That e-zine grew over the years and my growing platform helped me land my first book deal, Writer Mama, How to Raise a Writing Career Alongside Your Kids from Writer's Digest Books in March 2007.

Just before Writer Mama was released, I began speaking and teaching at writers conferences and, over time, I noticed a strange phenomenon: agents and editors seemed to recognize and understand the importance of author platform but most aspiring authors were completely in the dark. I asked the question, "How can writers prepare the platform that agents and editors expect them to have if nobody is telling them what platform is or how to build one?"

So I set about addressing that gap the way any professional writer or teacher would. I started writing about the topic, teaching on the topic, and speaking on the topic. Eventually, I pitched a book, Get Known Before the Book Deal, Use Your Personal Strengths to Grow an Author Platform which was published by Writer's Digest Books in November of 2008.

Joe Wikert recently called Get Known, "The Author Platform Bible" in his Publishing 20/20 blog.

Chris Brogan mentioned me in his blog as an example of a person who is "microfamous."

I just proofed the galley for my six-page feature article which will appear in the next issue of Writer's Digest Magazine.

And Get Known is now required reading in a popular MFA program class in Chicago.

Most people say they can't finish Get Known once they pick it up for all of the ideas it sparks for their platform. I love hearing this!  My mission is to help as many writers as I can learn to use the tools in Get Known so we can all take 100% responsibility for our writing careers.

This e-zine is a way of continuing the platform-development discussion because there are so many possible directions to go once you are clear and focused on your topic, niche and audiences! I hope you will pick up a copy of Get Known and see what ideas it sparks for you and your platform. I welcome your comments and feedback over at the Get Known Before the Book Deal blog.

Make good things happen!

Christina Katz
Publisher & Editor

Dear Fellow Groovers (From Issue One of the Get Known Groove),

Welcome to the premiere issue of the Get Known Groove. You are receiving this e-zine from Christina Katz because at some point during the last year or so, you subscribed or asked me to subscribe you. Please rest assured that your contact info will never be shared or sold.

Are you ready to get known? Perhaps you are already working on becoming more visible. Maybe you are just getting started developing your platform. Or maybe you are still trying to figure out what your platform is. No matter where you are in pursuit of reaching readers, I'm here to help you accomplish your goals with integrity and ease.

Special thanks to Gigi Rosenberg for taking on the role of managing editor for us. We have invited a terrific line-up of columnists to participate in all ten issues, which will be arriving in your inbox each third Monday in 2009. July/August and November/December are double issues, so you won't receive issues in August and December. I will send out occasional announcements between issues but it's unlikely you'll hear from me more than twice a month.

If you would like to hear from me more often, I have two other e-zines that you can subscribe to: Writers on the Rise and The Writer Mama. For folks who live near Wilsonville, Oregon, you are welcome to sign up for calendar alerts for The Northwest Author Series. You can sign up for any or all of these at www.christinakatz.com. Plug in your e-mail and it will tell you what to do.

So, without further ado, welcome to the Get Known Groove! If you like it, please forward this e-zine to your writer-friends. I welcome your comments over at the Get Known Before the Book Deal blog.

Make good things happen,

Christina Katz
Publisher & Editor