Happy Monday! It’s finally feeling like winter down here in the South (now that it’s almost spring)! My husband and I are gearing up for a wonderful couples’ retreat this coming weekend in Hendersonville, NC. We haven’t had a chance to get away since October, so we are really excited about spending some time together.

How are you doing? Since it’s tax season, now is a great time to revamp your business. Say goodbye to last year and look forward to an exciting new year of hundreds of possibilities. What can you do to make your business or writing better?

1. Start with a blank slate. Wipe away the cobwebs from last year and start with a fresh look for the new year. If you didn’t work on your novel, grab your pen and paper and head to a quiet spot where you can gather your thoughts. Go through your old files and toss away what you don’t need. Cleaning up your office is a great way to start with a fresh perspective.

2. Be creative. Don’t do all the same old things you did last year. Add a new approach to your story or come up with a fresh business plan. What can you do to grab people’s attention? You may need to revamp your website or add a new feature. You might want to add a new service to your business. Whatever you do, be original. Think of ways that you can get people to listen to you.

3. Be determined to accomplish your goals. I know that at the end of the year, it’s very easy to get offtrack from what you set out to do at the beginning of the year. Now is a great time to re-direct your focus and get back to accomplishing the goals you set out to achieve in the first place. Make note of your accomplishments and examine what you can do to accomplish your other goals. Reward yourself when you do make an achievement. You worked hard, and you deserve a pat on the back.

As you gather your tax forms together, go ahead and reorganize your office. Get rid of the old and bring in the new.

To your success,

Katie

If you have finally finished working on your story or novel, I know that you are probably wondering what to do now. My mother-in-law has asked me that very question as she just finished writing a children’s story for my nephews. With so many writers fighting for a publisher’s attention these days, it can seem almost impossible to ever become published (unless you’re a famous person such as Madonna or Jamie Lee Curtis).

However, many inexperienced, “regular” people have stories published every day. It may seem daunting, but here are some simple tips to having your dreams come true!

1. Consider finding an agent. Many large publishing houses will not even consider looking at a manuscript if a book agent is not endorsing it. Agents know the business better than you do and have connections with publishers that you would never be able to obtain by yourself. They also can help you develop your manuscript into something that is sellable. Many agents do not even charge a fee until you receive a contract from a publishing company. However, be careful in choosing an agent. Find out about their background and research their history with other writers. If your agent has never been successful in helping a writer get published, then you will probably want to find someone else who has been successful. You can look for an agent at www.writersdigest.com.

2. Submit, submit, submit. No matter how many rejections you receive, keep submitting your work to other publishers. The Writer’s Market is a valuable resource, offering listings of publishers, the type of manuscripts they accept, the kind of query letters they want, and sometimes even how much they will pay for a manuscript. Don’t give up. One publisher may not need your work at this time while another publisher may think your work is a masterpiece!

3. Consider your audience. Remember the demographic you want to read your story and re-read your manuscript from their perspective. Does the language reflect a style they would understand? Are the characters believable? You may even want to consider having someone from that group read your work and critique it for you. For example, if you are writing a children’s story, have a child read your story.

4. Be unique. If you don’t want your manuscript to wind up on the “slush pile,” you need to make sure that your manuscript and query letter stand out above the rest. In your query letter, grab the publisher’s attention with an interesting first paragraph. Bundle your manuscript in a unique package. Whatever you decide to do, make sure your work looks professional and complete.

For more help in publishing your manuscript, visit some of the websites I have listed on the lefthand column. These are excellent resources for writers to receive tips and advice from professional writers and editors. Good luck and let me know if you’ve been published! I’d be glad to announce your news on my website.

To your success,

Katie

Due to cutbacks at her company, a friend of mine is being forced to enter back into the very familiar yet very undesirable world of looking for a new job. With the economy as it is, finding the ideal job is becoming harder and harder. With an overwhelming surge of unemployed people looking for the same job you are, plus the best jobs being given to those with the highest education, the job market can seem like a scary and unfriendly place.

While some people simply start their own business and pursue their dreams of being their own boss, not everyone is suited for that path. Some people actually like working with other people and don’t want managerial responsibilities. If you are one of these people, then I am here to tell you that you can get your dream job, even if you only hold a Bachelor’s degree or high school diploma.

The key to finding a great job is hidden in impressions. The first impression you make to a potential employer is in your resume (with cover letter). Then when you are called in for an interview, you may be making another impression by how you handle the phone call. Of course, your most crucial impression is when you are actually sitting in front of your potential employer, dressed appropriately and speaking respectfully to them.

So how do you get from the first impression to the last impression to actually getting a job? Here are some tips on creating a professional resume and cover letter that will wow your employer and help you land the job of your dreams.

1. Keep it simple. I can’t emphasize this point enough. Most employers don’t have time to focus on more than the first page of your resume, so don’t include unnecessary details such as extracurricular activities or hobbies. Many job seekers also make the mistake of including every single job they have held since they were able to get a job. Most employers are only interested in the past five to ten years or last three positions. If you need to delete any jobs, then focus on the ones that actually emphasize your skills in the field in which you want to work.

2. Focus on the positive. Even if you hated your previous job, you can still emphasize some skills that you developed while working at that particular occupation. Did you learn how to train other employees? Did you work on your typing skills? Did you learn any new computer programs? Employers want to hear about your strengths. (This also applies during the interview process. Never, never, never say anything negative about your former employer as it can make your future employer nervous about hiring someone who is so willing to say negative things about their company.)

3. Make it attractive. Your resume and cover letter are the first impressions you are going to make with your potential employer, but they are probably looking at hundreds of resumes very similar to yours. Be creative with the paper on which you print your resume and letter. You can also consider using a different font style, but be sure that it is a font that can be easily read. Before submitting, make sure that everything is spelled correctly and that there are no grammatical errors.

4. Keep some secrets. Many people fall into the trap that they have to include references, computer skills, and other items on the resume. However, that only makes the resume appear cluttered. Instead, reserve revealing your computer skills to your cover letter and add something like “references available upon request.” Unless they ask, don’t divulge that information.

As “they” say, it’s a dog-eat-dog world out there! So go re-create your resume and best of luck to you as you search for your dream job!

To your success,

Katie

P.S. If you’re still frustrated with creating your resume, please email me. I specialize in creating professional resumes to fit your needs!

Can you believe it’s already 2007? Where does the time go? Have you submitted your new novel yet? A friend of mine just decided to pursue a career in writing and asked me for some advice on getting published. As you gear up for the new year and finish that novel I know you’ve so diligently been working on, follow these tips before submitting.

1. Write a query letter. Most publishing companies will not accept a manuscript unless it has a query letter attached to it. When writing a query letter, consider who your audience is, the main gist of what you are trying to say in your story, and a sample (usually just one chapter) of your book.

2. Gain a fresh perspective. If you have been looking at your manuscript for a long period of time, you will probably start to lose your focus. Consider allowing someone you trust to honestly critique your work and offer suggestions. Your mom is probably not going to be the best one for this as she probably thinks everything you do is wonderful (like mine does)!

3. Submit, submit, submit. Manuscripts are very rarely accepted on the first submission. Consider purchasing The Writer’s Market or The Children’s Writer’s Market to discover publishing houses of which you have not heard. These resources also give details of what each publishing house accepts in regards to stories, how much they pay, what they expect in your query letter, and other useful information.

Now is the time to get started! If you need assistance, please feel free to contact me or use one of the resources in the lefthand column. Now get writing!

To your success,

Katie