The Writing Well

Putting the Creative into Corporate Communications

2011-10-12T14:39:00.000-04:00

Communication evangelist Steve Crescenzo says it’s neverbeen a more exciting time to be a corporate communicator. Why? Because of allthe new tools available for communicators – from podcasts and blogs to videos and social networks. This new world has led to a massive shift in howorganizations communicate to each and every audience – from employees tocommunities to the world at large.

“The bestthing about the new tools? They’re inexpensive to do and anybody can do them. The worstnews is anybody can do it and they’re doing it wrong,” says Steve, aplain-talking Chicago native, who was the No. 1 rated speaker at IABC's World Conference from 2008 to 2010, and is the opening keynote speaker at this week’s IABC Southern Region conference in New Orleans.

Steve and his communications partner, Cindy, recently held a one-day IABC International seminar in Atlanta that attracted communicators from across North America and Mexico. The information-packed day included a number of planning tools toguide attendees, and examples of corporate communications at its best andat its worst. Here are four insights I gleaned from their presentation:

#1 Corporatecommunications is dying – including formulatic writing, jargon, buzzwords, platitudesand top-down information flow.

Says Steve: “We have to stand upto management and say the way we’ve always done it doesn’t work -- the worldhas changed. There is a lot more information out there. The formal style, thecorporate style, the stiff style, doesn’t resonate with anyone.”

#2 Our role haschanged – we are not just “publishers” anymore; rather, we’re talentscouts, the talent itself, community organizers and conversation starters.

“We have to coachexecutives,” Steve says. To illustrate his point, Steve shared a story of howone CFO wanted to do a podcast in which he would restate the company’s earningsnumbers. Instead, the company’s communicator convinced the executive to do a briefpodcast on “Behind the numbers – what the quarterly numbers mean to you.”

“Without the communicator’s help, this guywould have run amok,” Steve says, adding, “Without trained people,organizations will create really bad communications.

#3 Stop fighting thewrong battles – namely, the battle to make the deadline and to create somethingthat will make it through the approval process.

“The only battlethat matters is the battle for our audiences’ attention,” says Steve, adding,“The dirty secret of our profession is that we are often churning out thingsthat no one pays attention to.”

#4 Take the corporateout of communications and replace it with “creative.”

- Insteadof communicating top-down, be interactive and participatory.

- Insteadof using stiff and formal language, be conversational.

- Insteadof talking policies and programs, focus on people.

- Insteadof “safe content,” try creative (so-called “risky”) content.

- And,instead of formulatic writing, do great storytelling.

Steve shared a local example -- Tim Whitehead of Children’sHealthcare of Atlanta successfully creating an employee recruitment blog titled,Are You Strong Enough to Care Enough? The site features first-person stories of staff on whatmakes working at Children’s special.

“Great web contentis built on three things – interesting stories about people, interaction andmultimedia,” says Steve, observing that the Children’s site features all threecomponents. “To me, this is what communications is all about – real peopletelling real stories.”

To conclude, Steve emphasized that the job ofcommunications is not to give employees what they want; instead, it is to givethem what they need in order to help the organization. “It’s about aligningpeople with the business strategy.”

He then asked, “What is your communicationsmanifesto? What are you here to do? If a communication piece can’t be tied to a business goalor objective or to a communication goal, why are we doing it?”

Read more about Crescenzo Communications and check outtheir blogs at: http://www.crescenzocomm.com/blogs.php

Poetry, Tolstoy and the Hard Work of Adapting a Novel to Film

2011-10-09T00:12:00.000-04:00

Last weekend I attended the Crossroads Writers Conference in Macon, Georgia. The weather was perfect togather with a group of like-minded writers. Macon’s downtown is charming, witha vital arts base. A long list of writers got their start in this gem of MiddleGeorgia.

Friday evening my friends and I attended a poetryreading and book launch for Writing on Napkins in the Sunshine Club. Edited by Kevin Cantwell, this poetry anthologywas written in, around and about Macon, Georgia.

Several featured poets answered audience questions following the readings. Poet AnyaSilver urged writers to find their voice and discover who they are. “Don’t worry so much about publication; justwrite,” she said.
Georgia State University professor David Bottoms, the poet laureate of Georgia for 11 years, explained that what brought him to writing was a search for somesignificance – something of consequence. “I thought I could find it in thewritten world,” he said. Bottoms urged the aspiring writers in the room to “readfiction, read novels.” He especially recommended 19^th centuryRussian writers such as Leo Tolstoy – “It gets no better than that.” Of all thetranslations of War and Peace, one of the most important worksof world literature, the one by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky is thebest, Bottoms said.

A highlight on Saturday was meeting another Tolstoyadmirer – distinguished novelist and biographer Jay Parini. Parini has chronicled Herman Melville, William Faulkner and RobertFrost, and wrote The Last Station: A Novel of Tolstoy's Last Year. He shared histwo-decade struggle to get his Tolstoy drama adapted into amovie. The first 10 years he collaborated with Anthony Quinn, who hadplanned to portray the famous writer.

“We wrote 18 versions of the script,” recalledParini, who commuted to New York from Connecticut on weekends to meet withQuinn.

The project lost funding support when Quinn died from throat cancer in June2001. It took another four years to raise money for the filmonce Anthony Hopkins and Meryl Streep signed to play Tolstoy and his wife,Sofya Andreyevna. However, Streep pulled out because of timingwith another project, Mamma Mia! In 2009, his tenacity was rewarded and the historical drama starring Helen Mirren and Christopher Plummer came out, later garnering two Oscar nominations.

Parini said he originally intended The Last Station to be non-fiction. Hewas living in Naples, Italy, when he came across a copy of the diary of Tolstoy’s25-year-old secretary. Parini learned that not only did Tolstoy and hissecretary keep journals, but also did others in his inner circle, including hiswife, his daughter, his personal physician and his publicist. He wrote to the London Tolstoy Society andreceived copies of all the journals and they formed the basis of his book.

“I created the novel out of sevenvoices,” says Parini, who visited Tolstoy’s two homes and other key locales. Withsuch rich first-person material, “the novel wrote itself,” he says, estimatingit took six to seven months.

“It’s useful to travel,” says the author, who visited Tolstoy’s two residences and the famoustrain station where he died while researching the novel. Asked how much is he willing tostretch truth to tell his character's stories in dramatic form, Parini said he doesn’t like to venture too far a field, preferring instead to do what he calls “hugging theshore.” “I don’t like to go out so far youcan’t see the shore,” he explained.

Parini’s current projects includecollaborating with Stanley Tucci on the film adaptation of his book, Benjamin’s Crossing, which novelizes thelife and death of Walter Benjamin, a German Jewish intellectual who died fleeingNazis into Spain. He also is workingwith Paul Giamatti on the screenplay for his Melville novel, The Passagesof H.M. Critics have called the work too contemporary.

“How do you know how people talked?You’ve got to make it available for contemporary readers,” noted Parini, whosays that it’s a delicate balance and something that Giamatti and he aregrappling with on the screenplay.

Of the three biographies Parinipenned, he was most attracted to the story of Robert Frost in part because hecould identify with Frost as a fellow New Englander. Parini admitted that hestrongly prefers writing novels to biographies.

At the conclusion of his presentation, I askedParini what he was currently reading. Besides a book of poetry, he mentioned the FDR biography, Traitor to HisClass, and Falling Upward, a bookpenned by Franciscan priest Richard Rohr that explores how one’s failings canbe the foundation for spiritual growth.

Steve Jobs' Legacy - Find What You Love and Pursue It

2011-10-05T22:45:00.000-04:00

Steve Jobs (1955-2011)

Steve Jobs was an iconic visionary who transcended technology. He was both an out-of-box thinker and a creative genius. Because of him, we are more connected thanever before with devices that feel like an extension of who we are. Much of the revolution in entertainment and mobile communications was sparked by this Californiason, who was born the same year the first radio transistor radios came on the scene and the world first heard of Velcro and Lego.

In his all-too-short 56 years, Jobs envisioned and marketed the first personal computer, the iPad, iPhone andother innovations. His goal? To make products that were at "the intersection of art andtechnology." He succeeded and along the way, helped transform Apple intothe world's most valuable company.

Jobs also bought a Lucasfilm animation property, and renamed the company, Pixar. In 1995, Pixar's Toy Story became the world's first completely computer-animated film, and sparked a new standard and market for CGI animation in films.

"Steve Jobs was an extraordinary visionary, our verydear friend and the guiding light of the Pixar family," stated JohnLasseter, Pixar co-founder and now chief creative officer at Pixar and DisneyAnimated Studios. "He saw the potential of what Pixar could be before therest of us, and beyond what anyone ever imagined. Steve took a chance on us andbelieved in our crazy dream of making computer animated films; the one thing healways said was to simply 'make it great.' He is why Pixar turned out the waywe did and his strength, integrity and love of life has made us all betterpeople."

"Theworld rarely sees someone who has had the profound impact Steve has had, theeffects of which will be felt for many generations to come,” Bill Gates said ina statement today.

What can be said that hasn't already been articulated about Jobs? An appropriate farewell is to listen to what the man himself wanted us to know, in his own words…

“No one wants to die,” Jobs told graduates at Stanford during his famous2005 Commencement address. “Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want todie to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one hasever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely thesingle best invention of Life. It is Life’s change agent. It clears out the oldto make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too longfrom now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be sodramatic, but it is quite true.

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it livingsomeone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with theresults of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinionsdrown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to followyour heart and intuition.”

Find what you love and pursue it…that is his legacy to all of us.

Cbeyond -- A True Character-driven Company

2011-09-29T21:32:00.002-04:00

Jim Geiger. Photo by Leland Holder.

Companies often say that their employees are their mostvalued asset. But, few actually live those values. I know of one exception, though -- Cbeyond, aleadingAtlanta-based IT and communications services provider to small businesses.

I’ve served as a freelance writer for Cbeyond for the lastyear, assisting with numerous internal communications writing projects. Thoseassignments gave me frequent access to employees, who I interviewed on topics rangingfrom customer retention and call center efficiency to team building andintegrity. While the story topicsvaried, one thing did not: how much Cbeyonders love their company. For someonewho had long ago left the corporate ranks of Fortune 500 behemoths for independencefrom corporate politics, I found the culture at Cbeyond inspiring.

So, when the Atlantachapter board of the International Association of Business Communicators waslooking for candidates to present on internal brand building, I could think ofno better company to present. Earlier this week our chapter had the honor to hear fromCbeyond’s founder and chief executive who spoke to a packed audience. I knew Jim Geiger was much more than asuccessful entrepreneur; he was someone who lives the values of his company. Ihave to say, his presentation did not disappoint.

Some facts about Cbeyond:

n In 12 years, the company has grown from lessthan a dozen employees to more than 2,000.

n Cbeyond sells voice, data, mobile and cloudservices as well as website hosting, and has grown into nearly a half a billion inrevenues, mostly through organic growth.

n Today it serves 60,000 US smallbusinesses, andone-third of customers are referred to Cbeyond by other customers.

“We have very deep relationships with each one of ourcustomers,” says Geiger.

The companyestablishes feedback loops in various ways to ensure communication is strongwith customers and employees. These include ongoing customer surveys and a commitment to world-class service for every customer.

In launching the company, Geiger was guided by the idea that “whatwe did was as important as what we did for a living.” He told seed investorsthat he wanted to “work with smart people I liked.” For the last 12 years, hehas focused on making the internal culture at Cbeyond driven by character andengaged employees.

Geiger frequently speaks to employees in person and throughvideocasts. He hosts employee lunches. Ina company of 2,000 employees, there are only two assistants. Everyone works incubicles. No one has job titles. When employees achieve their five-yearanniversary, they are invited to a party – at Geiger’s home.

“I am dedicated and try really hard to be a goodcommunicator to our employees,” he explains. From the beginning, Cbeyond’sentrepreneurial CEO recalled, “We had a very strong culture but it just wasn’twritten anywhere.”

That changed a few years ago, when the company developed Cbeyond’sCharacter Statements. Atthe presentation, Cbeyond’s employee ambassadors in the audience took turnsreading each character statement:

· Care Relentlessly

· Act Graciously

· Lead Courageously

· Learn Continuously

“We don’t place blame,” says Geiger, who also has found thatas employees assume positive intent in every interaction, more positivebehavior occurs and with it, a better working environment. “It’s a mindset,” he says. “It’s also okay tosay, ‘I don’t know.’”

When hiring people, Geiger assumes that candidates are smartand capable, but what he really wants to know is if they will fit inside thecharacter of the company. “If you are ajerk I am going to fire you,” says Geiger. That’s why employees go throughseveral interviews before being offered a position.

“We are trying to desperately understand who you are as aperson,” he says.

During the presentation, Geiger quoted Tom Cruise, who oncesaid, “Life feeds work and work feeds life.” He urges employees to be themselves and to share who they are personallyand professionally “because in my world I can’t separate the two.”

As Cbeyond has grown to 2,000 staff, Geiger has focusedon developing and training employees to ensure the company has a strong base ofleaders in the future given its intent to promote from within. To guide thoseefforts, Geiger created a leadership model – an eight-point star thatencompasses values such as creating vision, achieving results, demonstratingintegrity, listening and learning, and empowering and trust.

“Do what you are going to say you do” is part of the fabricof the company’s culture. As evidence ofhis inclusive style, Geiger invited audience members to shared ideas andfeedback to him directly through e-mail.

“I’m happy to learn from you,” he told the group.

A Balloon Bouquet - Letting Go of a Lifetime of Color

2011-09-28T16:02:00.001-04:00

This beautiful tribute to the late Cindy Gwynn, who passed away last January after an eight-year battle with breast cancer, was written by her younger sister, Marcia Coatsworth. Marcia graciously allowed me to post it here on The Writing Well.

I am honored to be connected with Cindy and Marcia and the rest of the Coatsworth's through my husband's family. We have enjoyed many Thanksgivings together at Marcia and Cindy's dad's home. Their mother, Marian, was one of the moms featured in a memoir I penned after losing my mom to lung cancer. If you ever have lost someone close to you, you will identify with this very personal reflection of a much-beloved and much-missed sister. Thank you, Marcia, for sharing.

*******

In my mind’s eye there is a sea of heliumballoons tied with streams of curly ribbon. Deep in color, dancing,each taking on a life of its own, collectively named Cindy.

Randomly I pick one out of the bunch,each in turn my favorite color.

Blue, her personal favorite, the colorof her eyes. Her eyes, expressive, knowing and caring. Everwatchful not to miss a small detail that could make a difference. Adifference perhaps only detected by her and that was what mattered. Look deeplyinto the baby blues and you would find a wealth of information carefully storedto be used at the right time. Eyes that smiled with softness when showneven the slightest gesture of kindness or unsolicited recognition. Asteely grey/blue when unfairness entered her line of sight or aggravated byevents beyond her control.

Gosh, I just want to hold on tight toall of the beautiful balloons. Keep them in my sight to enjoy all bymyself. Yet at the same time what a glorious sight to see all of themtake off in a gentle breeze making their way into the limitless sky,representing never ending life. Set free from the grasp of human life torejoice in a place without pain, fear, heartache and sin. A place whereeach color has its own reward and leaves behind its own memory. A longlife-short lived, serving an awesome God, finding the perfect resting place,well deserved.

Black the darkest of all the balloons,unwelcomed. The balloon that hangs the lowest because it is so heavyrepresenting Cindy’s darkest thoughts sometimes shared with me. Theregret of leaving her son and the shock of leaving so suddenly looms. Finding numerous copies of “Gone From My Sight-The Dying Experience” and” MyFriend, I Care-The Grief Experience,” both by Barbara Karnes. In anadjoining envelope countless sayings, poems and thoughts of life and deathcopied at some time or passed on from someone who knew of her struggle. The heaviest balloon takes flight the quickest because Cindy’s work and worryhere on earth are done.

9/27/11 I wrote the aboveshortly after Cindy’s passing. I stopped writing because of the pain itcaused me. I put on my “to do list” to finish “My Balloon Bouquet” when Iwas ready. I look back at the grammatical errors hi-lighted in annoyingcolors and ignore because it is how I speak and write“Mississippianease.” Look that one up in the dictionary….let me know whatyou find. Here is my attempt to finish the arrangement on a beautifulrunning day that reminds me of her. As I let the rest of the balloons go,here are my thoughts. I can’t help but notice the difference in thethoughts.

PICTURE THIS:

Pink -- a tenderness presented at times in a pricklypackage because that is how she chose to show her emotions. A softness easier seen on her facerather than in a hug from an older sister to a younger one, knowing, caring andaccepting.

Yellow -- the carefree, fleeting times of youth, health, learning andenjoying simple things. An unburdened time of discovery, growth andanticipation of “what’s next” shared like co-conspirators. It is a happy color associatedwith my sister because of the joy she brought to my life.

And then there is Green -- calming, life giving and one of mama’s favoritecolors. Thecolor of money that held less value to Cindy than time on earth with the oneshe loved.

White -- the color of angels with gold dust on their wings. Cindy, my angel, forever watching overme. She still hovers overme while sleeping, running and my daily attempt to get it right.

Purple -- vibrant, strong, a stand out in any crowd as Cindy was. She didn’tdemand respect but received it because of how she lived her life and the friendthat she chose to be.

Orange -- somehow an unnoticed contributor to a group, unsung but ever present;wow, that was my sister. Shebrightened up a group just by being there, didn’t expect to be noticed but was.

Silver -- as in there is a silver lining. I have come to believe that in mysister’s death that there is a silver lining.

She stayed with me long enough to kickme in the behind enough to say, “I can do it,” whatever that looks like. That was her job, you know! I miss her like crazy but I rest inknowing she is where I hope to be one day.

With that I say goodbye to my oldthoughts of colors and look to a renewed colored vision of the future. “Colors of Life”…a chapter or book….. yet unwritten.

A Day of Remembrance

2011-09-11T15:22:00.000-04:00

A view of the Twin Towers nine days before September 11th.
Photo by Anne Wainscott

Like everyone in my generation, I remember exactly where I was when the planes hit the Twin Towers 10 years ago today. I was at home preparing for my work day when my phone rang. It was a good friend who worked at NYU, urging me to turn on CNN. My sister and I watched in disbelief with the rest of the nation as the reality of what was happening in New York, the Pentagon and in the skies above a patch of Pennsylvania farmland came into shocking focus. We learned as a nation that we are vulnerable to attack.

My friend Rebecca and I at the 2001 US Open.

Nine days earlier I was in NYC for the US Open with a good friend from Mississippi. I remember how beautiful the sky was and how much fun it was to be visiting the Big Apple -- a place I had come to know well while living in New Jersey.

On Sept. 2nd, my friends and I took the ferry to New York from New Jersey, and walked through the massive lobby of both the North and South towers to find where to stand in line to go to the top. As a group, we decided it was too beautiful a day to wait in line for two hours. Instead, we headed to Central Park. Who knew that was the last time we'd ever have a chance to see Windows of the World or to glimpse New York City's skyline from the Towers? In retrospect, I am glad I didn't go up as I would have relived the horror of the trapped people in those offices until my dying day.

A lot has happened to our country and to our view of the world in the decade since 9/11. We have seen many more Americans pay the ultimate sacrifice in the fight against terrorism. We have seen the mastermind of 9/11 brought to final justice. At the same time, the events on that Tuesday morning were a wake-up call that we cannot escape from. We will never look at air travel the same way as we did before 9/11. We are more cautious and more watchful. But the essence of our country is intact -- the American spirit -- to live our life -- and to ensure our children can live their lives -- in liberty and freedom.

I pray for everyone who lost a loved one on 9/11 and to those who continue to serve our country, whether as soldiers or as first responders. This is a day for us to pay tribute to those who lost their lives, to be thankful for our communities and our families, and to renew our sense of unity and commitment to our country. God Bless America!

My DragonCon Wrap-up: A Genre Writer's Dream

2011-09-10T12:54:00.000-04:00

I am finallytaking a breath after the long Labor Day weekend and work week to share somethoughts from this year’s DragonCon. Forthe second year, I braved the crowds of avatars, wookies, Klingons and DeathEaters at one of the country’s largest sci-fi conventions to hear from some of thebest genre writers in young adult and fantasy. Here’s just a few of the folkswho made an impression this year.

Carrie Fisher

"I wasnever that great of an actor."

Carrie shared –with self-deprecating wit – what it was really like playing the iconic PrincessLeia (“it was cool being the only girl”), being engaged to Dan Akroyd and her at-times strained working relationship with director George Lucas, who she later collaborated with as aco-writer on “The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles.”

In herbestselling memoir and one-woman show, Wishful Drinking, Fisher said, "George Lucas ruined my life." Her disgust with her StarWars costumes (including having to wrap her breasts) are well documented, withher least-favorite being the infamous metal bikini in Return of the Jedi."When I laid down, the metal bikini stayed up, so Boba Fett could see allthe way to Florida."

Fisher playedoff the energy of the standing-room only crowd of fans, who heard her talkcandidly about her struggle with bipolar disorder. Many fans thanked her forher openness, sharing that they, too, struggled with the condition.

Sherrilyn Kenyon
“I can’t writewhen it’s quiet – absolute silence makes me insane.”

So says theDark-Hunter series author, speaking on a New York Times bestselling author tell all panel,fresh from signing a movie and TV series deal earlier this summer (look out,True Blood fans). The prolific author has made the #1 spot on the New York Times bestseller list 16 times in the last three years. She told fans during the panel that she writes about 100 pages a day.

Kenyon says things were always chaoticgrowing up as a middle child with eight brothers. That’s not changed now that shehas three active sons. She told fans how her 16-year-old son has decided to start writing, telling her, "Mom, writing is hard." Her one guilty pleasure? Helping her boys find ways to kill off their Dungeon and Dragon characters.

She says making the the New York Times Bestseller List doesn’t change your life overnight. She had to work all types of jobs on her way to literary fame and found herself homeless with an infant even after writing sixbestsellers.

In chatting with the author as she signed my copy of her newest book, Retribution, I asked her about the cable TV deal for her Dark-Hunter Series. No news yet on the lucky network that will take on the book series; however, fans can rest easy knowing that Kenyon will have a say on the adaptation since she will be a producer.

Charlaine Harris

“The mostimportant message is tolerance.”

That’s what theauthor hopes readers get when they read her Sookie Stackhouse novels, which arethe inspiration for HBO’s True Blood series. She deliberately writes about characters with different sexualorientations for this reason.

During the True Blood Q and A she said how gladshe is that fellow southerner Alan Ball got the job directing True Blood. “It’s like they took my book and gave itsteroids,” she says of the HBO adaptation.

Later, during the New York TimesBestselling author panel, Harris opened up about her addiction to Facebook(“it’s a terrible use of a writer’s time”) and her daily routine as a writer,saying she writes every day and doesn’t clean her house anymore but still doesher family’s laundry. Her guiltypleasure? Watching Project Runway.

She takes her writing deadlines seriously(“getting paid is a huge inspiration to me”) and recalls being late once –after her mother died.

You can access the full video of DragonCon's first True Blood panel here.

MichaelStackpole

“Think biggerthan one story.”

Aaron Alston and Michael Stackpole.

That wasStackpole’s advice to writers during one of the more popular sessions in hishourly Writer Workshop delivered over 14 hours with fellow New York Timesbestselling author Aaron Allston. (Stackpole has said in a recent blog post that he and Aaron are returning in 2012 – this is GREAT news to writers whowant to further their craft).

The session Iattended, “Writing Careers in the Post-paper Era,” gave attendees an update onthe growing E-book market for novelists, noting that the battle betweentraditional and digital publishers is not about sales, but about “control andaccess to audiences.” Stackpole urged people to write in packages that arefriendly to consumers – instead of a 120,000-word novel, think in terms ofthree smaller 50,000-word novels. Instead of focusing on a single story, thinkabout developing “a property” where you can tell more than one story in thatworld. “Series sell. They breed loyalty– we always come back to them,” he says. I will write more about Stackpole’s presentation in a future blog post.

Aaron Allston

“Die adjective,die!”

Allston – notunlike Ernest Hemingway – sees little value in adjectives or adverbs forserious writers, calling them “insulating layers,” that do anything but givethe reader a sense of the experience being described. The phrase used todescribe this practice is “purple prose.” He urges writers on their firstediting pass to “look at every adjective and adverb and strike most of themout.”

Allston shared other advice duringhis workshop session -- from the role of pacing to balancing exposition withdialogue to tell a story memorably. He advises writers to match the length ofdescription to what their character sees.

He also says that you can fill in descriptive passages later after thefirst draft is crafted. “Backfillmotivation, description and foreshadowing. Vastly limitadjectives and adverbs. Participles are not good. Use active verbs. Keep itsimple. Keep it short. I am for transparency – don’t be too stylized."

Author of Girl Trouble Discusses the Craft of Short-story Writing

2011-08-15T14:01:00.000-04:00

Some nights, all of the things I know for sure -- should be able to count on, like gravity and oxygen and sunrise -- lose their power over me. I know who killed Felicia. I caught his eye a half-dozen times in the courtroom and simply understood, felt the guilt baking off of him like a fever, settling on me sick and damp and poisoned.

-- Excerpt from "Parts," from Girl Trouble

Holly Goddard Jones, acclaimed author of the short story collection, Girl Trouble, recently spoke with me about her writing heroes, what she loves about short story writing, the challenges of being your own editor, and a few insights into her newest project, a novel she has just completed writing and revising that is set in Roma, Kentucky -- the same locale for her 2009 short story collection. Jones will speak this Saturday at the Atlanta Writers Club, where she will address framing and issues around point of view.

In Girl Trouble, Jones examines small-town Southerners who repeatedly walk the fine line between right and wrong, good and bad, love and violence. In one story, a high school basketball coach learns that his star player is pregnant--with his child. In another, a depressed widower is forced to decide between the love of a good woman and the love of his own deeply flawed son. The linked stories "Parts" and "Proof of God" offer distinct but equally correct versions of a brutal crime--one from the perspective of the victim's mother, one from the killer's.

Q: When did you know you wanted to writer?

I was always a reader and always a writer as a kid. As far back as I can remember, I knew that was important to me. In college I thought I was going to be a journalist. I realized once I started taking classes and interning that I liked the writing part a lot more than the reporting part of it. When I transferred to University of Kentucky (with my husband), I became an English major and started taking writing workshops. I really enjoyed it.

Q. What is your favorite story from your own writing?

The last story in Girl Trouble "Proof of God" - when I do readings, I often read from it. I think one reason I would say that one is my favorite is partly because I felt I managed to execute the vision I had for the story. It's also one of the stories in the collection that I had to work the hardest on - it took me the longest to get that one right.

Q. Is it hard being your own editor?

I think I'm doing better at it -- and that's a recent development. That skill developed for me in being a teacher and reading my students' stories and having fairly good instincts on where to (make editing suggestions) in a student's story.

Q. At end of Girl Trouble, there is a published literary interview where you talk about writing in third person. What types of stories are best suited for third person versus first person?

When you want intimate knowledge of your character but the kind of intimacy that only comes from being able to observe the character without the character realizing he or she is being observed, then a really close third person that is textured with the character's voice is the best way to do it. Especially writing rural southern characters and wanting to give those characters credit for their intellect and give them dignity, it's easier for me to do that with a close third that's inflected with the character's voice than to try to write a really faithful first person perspective because voice on the page feels much more exaggerated.

First person is also intimate but it's a different kind of intimacy. With first person -- unless we're talking a pretty straight stream-of-consciousness, which can feel contrived-- you are asking questions like "In what circumstances is this character speaking and to whom?" "Can I trust this narrator?" When you have a really close third person intimate perspective, I think you tend to trust the feelings and thoughts because you are not reading them as being filtered by the narrator.

Q. What do you like about short stories as a genre versus novels?

It's been hard to be immersed in a project for years and to not know when I would finish and to not know if I would have anything worth sending out once I finished it. It's like trying to build a house from the inside-out and you can't stand outside and look to see what you actually constructed.

With a short story you can get that draft out so much more quickly and see the architecture of it and start envisioning ways you may start fixing it, which is very satisfying. As a reader, I appreciate the intensity of short stories - how practically every line in the story can be imbued with meaning and be poetic. There's an intensity in the shorter form that's really hard to sustain over 300 or 400 pages.

I am more of a novel reader than a short story reader but when I want that experience of intensity it's the short story I go to.

Q. You are good at making characters real - how hard is that to do?

For me, it's one of the things I love about writing. It's getting into a character's head and getting to know that character's emotional landscape. This is true for me to the point that I recognize it as a kind of indulgence, going into a character's head and lingering there for pages. That's some of the most fun I can have as a writer, but it's not always as fun for the reader as it is for me.

Q. Can you tell me about your novel?

A. It's set in the same town of the short stories in Girl Trouble - Roma. It's about a woman who goes missing and it's a mystery unfolding over the course of the novel of what happened to her, who was involved and what are the repercussions of her disappearance on various characters' lives. I consider this a literary suspense or literary mystery novel. It doesn't move the way a mystery novel does but I think it borrows from some of those conventions.

Q: Who are your writing heroes?

I love Margaret Atwood and for the short story, Andre Dubus was really important to the way I formed as a short story writer. His work demonstrated to me that time can move differently. He also was so good at getting into a character's head and heart in a really meaningful, tender, sincere way. I love Annie Proulx, Lorrie Moore and Cormac McCarthy. I like grittiness in literature or in the case of Lorrie Moore, that sharp sense of humor.

I'm really drawn to writers who push the boundaries of what literary fiction is - who can borrow from genres such as science fiction, fantasy, the mystery novel. There are so many examples of beautiful works of literature that draw from those genres. I don't think literary writers should be afraid of [integrating these different writing genres into their writing].

Lucille Ball Would be a Century Old Today

2011-08-06T10:25:00.000-04:00

If Lucille Ball was alive today, she would be a century old. Born in Jamestown, New York, on August 6, 1911, Ball went on to become one of America's most beloved comedic icons.

She was pivotal in creating the television series, I Love Lucy. The show co-starred her then-husband, Desi Arnaz and ended in 1957 after 180 episodes. But in the five decades since the show's ending, it has continued to attract a new generation of fans through TV syndication and video sales globally.

As Entertainment Weekly’s Adam Markowitz says in his “Pop Watch” blog tribute today featuring some of her more famous I Love Lucy clips, “There isn’t much new to be said about Ball’s legacy: How she defined the modern sitcom, how she paved the way for every female comedy legend — from Mary Tyler Moore to Roseanne to Tina Fey — who came after her, how her show’s popularity has outlasted all its 1950s rivals (Gunsmoke, The Honeymooners) and is still a daytime TV staple around the world.”

Chautauqua County Visitors Bureau.
Lucy and Desi impersonators.

USA Today reports that her hometown’s annual Lucy Fest this weekend will attempt to set a Guinness World Record for the most people dressed as the comedienne in honor of her 100th birthday.

I am devoting today’s blog post to her words -- quotes she has made about success and Hollywood, the TV series and her mantra to never give up. There is much wisdom in these insightful, self-deprecating and funny quips – enjoy!
___________________________________________

"Ability is of little account without opportunity."

"How I Love Lucy was born? We decided that instead of divorce lawyers profiting from our mistakes, we'd profit from them."

"I am a real ham. I love an audience. I work better with an audience. I am dead, in fact, without one."

"I think knowing what you cannot do is more important than knowing what you can."

"I will never do another TV series. It couldn't top I Love Lucy, and I'd be foolish to try. In this business, you have to know when to get off."

"I'd rather regret the things I've done than regret the things I haven't done."

"I'm happy that I have brought laughter because I have been shown by many the value of it in so many lives, in so many ways."

"I'm not funny. What I am is brave."

In the SEO Game, Key Words and Strong Content are King

2011-08-01T15:12:00.003-04:00

Ever wondered how to maximize your online presence through Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?

Stacy Williams, Search Advisory Net blogger and president of Atlanta-based search engine marketing firm, Prominent Placement, Inc., recently shared her best practices with an audience of Atlanta-based technologists with the International Association of Business Communicators.

The most important step, according to Williams, is generating strong and on-target keywords. “If you target the wrong keywords, then nothing else works. Use the verbiage your target audiences uses, not only what your industry or internal experts use.”

Stacy Williams, president of Prominent Placement.

Her company has a lot of B2B software clients, and many of them don’t like to talk about software; they like to talk about solutions. But their target audiences are searching for software instead.

When thinking about what keywords to use, the more detailed the better. You should think about the buying cycle of your prospects you're trying to reach. The more specific you are with key word choices, the higher probability of higher rankings and of connecting with people who want to make a purchase decision.

What do you do once you’ve figured out what keywords to target? Williams says her team then takes one or two key search terms and assigns them to the key pages of the site. “We like to work it into text headline when we can and the copy on the page – these are real important places to put your keywords.” She also points to the title tag in the blue browser bar as a key place to put keywords.

Search engines don’t just look at the web page itself when determining rankings, Williams emphasized, rather, they also assess the quantity and quality of links pointing to that web page.

“Creating a well respected, authoritative site with lots of links pointing to it is the goal. Google knows which websites (and links) people want to read.” She considers link building one of the hardest tasks any SEO firm pursues. Ideally, you want to get links from sites that are in your industry, on the same topic and are related.

“The easiest way to get links is to not go out and ask for them, but to create really good content whether it’s a widget of some type, an article a lot of people refer to – something cool, something funny, something that goes viral.”

WebStoreSEO.com

One way to build links is through so-called "optimized press releases." This is not “doing PR. But, it is taking a PR tactic – a press release – and using it for search marketing purposes. For example, using a service like PR Web, you can embed keywords in the headline and press release lead – you can dictate your anchor text. “These releases show up in search engine results and serve as search engine results agents,” Williams says.

Another factor that can affect a company’s rankings is its level of activity on social media, including posts on Twitter or blogs, as well as a company’s Facebook and LinkedIn presence.

While your search engine ranking – how high your site is referenced on a page compared with competitors -- is important, it’s not as critical as the number of visitors who actually come to your website and are converted into a customer. For this reason, Williams advises that companies invest first in the content of their website, before investing in an SEO service to drive traffic to their site.

Hear Williams' podcast on the latest in social search. The 10-minute presentation covers how social media has changed the search landscape, Google+ and what marketers think about its chance for success, and how businesses can improve the SEO value of their Facebook page.

Harry Potter Film Legacy – Great Storytelling that Made Reading Books ‘Cool’

2011-07-28T11:12:00.005-04:00

Photo credit: Warner Brothers.

I saw Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Part II a week after its record-setting opening weekend, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The opening scene begins with Harry, Ron, and Hermione continuing their quest to find and destroy the Dark Lord’s three remaining Horcruxes, the magical items responsible for his immortality. The movie's satisfying conclusion has the beloved main characters, now married with children of their own, sending off their offspring to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

It was the most anticipated film of 2011, according to a Fandango moviegoer survey, and smashed box office records, earning $168 million in North America alone. By far the best of all the Harry Potter films, Deathly Hollows II is getting early Oscar buzz and deservedly so.

But, for this muggle, the legacy won’t be the films so much as the inventive storytelling and rich color that was brought to life on the page by J.K. Rowling in her fantasy seven-book series.

I’m not alone in that view. I recently chatted with Lawson Cox, president of the Atlanta chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators, who weathered the long lines to attend a midnight showing of the movie with his two teenage daughters.

For him, the mania brought back memories of the original Star Wars movie that exploded onto the scene in 1977 followed by a series of hit sequels.

“When The Empire Strikes Back was released, people camped out for tickets and waited in line for hours to see the movies,” recalls Cox. “But I never saw anything like that surrounding a book release until Harry Potter -- especially the last book in the series,” recalls Cox, whose family attended a local Barnes and Noble book release party back in 2007.

“It was an even more enthusiastic crowd than the final movie. There were literally hundreds of people, mostly teens and younger, willing to wait in line for hours and fork over their own money...for a book! In today's multimedia-focused culture, that is simply unheard of,” Cox enthuses, adding, “Harry Potter introduced a whole new generation to the excitement of reading, and proved that books are certainly not dead.”

When I think of the lasting legacy of the Harry Potter books, I don’t have to look any further than my children, who are avid fans of the book series (we are reading them together, one by one).

Here’s what one young person had to say about the book series’ impact: “To me, Harry Potter is a defining piece of culture for my generation's childhood and teenage years. Many of us who read these books as kids and then went on to read them ourselves. Some of our first real novels were the Harry Potter books. Just like ourselves, the stories matured and grew with their audience,” writes Alex Corbett, a Canadian 12th grader on a Canadian online newspaper site, This Week.

Rowling has done what another British-born author, C.S. Lewis, did with The Chronicles of Narnia -- capture the imaginations of a generation of readers, young and old. Last October, the best-selling author told Oprah that she was open to writing subsequent Potter novels, though she quickly followed up by saying, “I feel I’m done, but you never know.”

Personally, I don’t think she could do any better, except perhaps to write a prequel that more fully shapes the stories of the boy wizard’s parents and their colorful contemporaries, including the complicated character, Severus Snape, played brilliantly by English actor Alan Rickman. Such a treatment would also give fans the chance to delve into the influences that drove the young Tom Riddle into becoming the villainous Dark Lord.

I, for one, hope there's more to come.

Road trip to Remember

2011-07-10T19:21:00.002-04:00

Lake 26 from the Sargent family cabin deck. Photo by: Anne Wainscott-Sargent

3,000 miles. Four states. Nineteen cousins. That’s what my family just completed – a Midwest roadtrip that took us from Atlanta up through Tennessee and into the Midwestern US to spend time with family.

My husband and I had planned for this vacation for weeks and were excited to be underway. Our van was loaded to the gills – I had healthy snacks and plenty of DVDs packed to keep the kids entertained in the car, as well as my own cadre of books to read during the long drive. My husband serves as volunteer chauffeur during our road trips – preferring to drive than having to deal with incessant demands and chit-chat from the backseat – “Can I have a drink?” “I want something to eat.” “Ryan hit me.” “Are we there yet?” "I need to go go to the bathroom" (usually about 10 minutes after giving in to the first request).

In spite of the interruptions, I welcome my time in the passenger seat because I get to sink into my favorite pastime - reading - and can finally make a dent in the pile of neglected books that sit on my nightstand at home. For this trip, I brought an eclectic mix of non-fiction and fiction, including Manhunt: The 12-day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer by James Swanson; and Water for Elephants, Sara Gruen’s historical novel about life on a circus train during the 30s.

The first weekend of our journey was split between my two brothers, who live about 5 hours apart – one in northern Ohio, the other in Chicago. Both my siblings have three children – including new infant sons, 9 and 6 months of age. In Ohio, our kids played together in my brother’s backyard; in Chicago, they swam in a heated outdoor poor on the fifth floor of my brother’s condo in Museum Park. The pool was warm but the air was brisk as we felt the wind from surrounding skyscrapers buffet us from all sides.

Cousin Kristen and her dog, Lizzy, with Sarah, Ryan and Jeff.

From there, we visited cousins in Indiana on both my and my husband’s side of the family, picking up a speeding ticket along the way while driving through a stretch of highway surrounded by Indiana corn fields and other farm land. It was fun to meet Kristen, my husband's cousin - a free spirit and animal lover, who took us to a nearby lake and took time out to color my hair! The kids fell in love with her dog, Lizzy.

The trip culminated with a visit to a northern Wisconsin lake-side cabin that my husband’s grandfather built in the early 40s. There, we reconnected to my husband’s two cousins – Brian and Stephanie -- and met their families. Jeff hadn’t seen them in nearly 30 years! It was Friday, the start of the fourth of July weekend.

All day during our push into Wisconsin – my first to this beautiful state of lakes -- temperatures were in the 90s – too hot to spend the night in a cabin that lacks air conditioning. We decided to stay in a hotel at St. Croix Casino in Danbury, courtesy of Brian and Stephanie’s mom, who had a room voucher. After a brief visit with Brian, we first drove to Johnson Yellow Lake Lodge for dinner. Unbeknown to us, a series of fast-moving storms were brewing. The storm system spawned supercell thunderstorms and tornadoes as it moved from southwestern Minnesota northeast across the state and into Wisconsin and Upper Michigan.

We had a 30-minute wait in the crowded pub known for its view of the lake. We had just started eating dinner when the first cell hit – winds created a whirlwind of lake water that was blinding. The wind was so fierce that large trees overlooking the water blew down like matchsticks. The crowd in the bar uttered a collective “ahhh” when the trees went down. Then, a tree hit the deck just to the right where we were seated and the restaurant went dark. We spent the next 40 minutes in the pub’s dank basement along with other locals and vacationers. My husband kept trying to reach his cousin, knowing that his house did not have a basement. We connected later, and were immensely relieved to hear everyone was okay.

We had to wait for trees to be cleared before making a run for the casino, which was running on an emergency generator when we arrived. As we drove away we saw the sky behind turning black again and were glad to be going in the opposite direction!

The Georgia and Wisconsin Sargent cousins.

The next day we made the decision to go to the cabin – even though there was no electricity. Jeff had come too far not to see the place. Brian met us at the hotel, cracking a joke, “Welcome to Wisconsin,” as he picked up supplies on our way to Lake 26. The devastation from the storm was evident everywhere – trees were blocking part of the roadways and in some places, there were downed power lines. We made our way slowly until we arrived at the driveway leading to the cabin, which was blocked by several downed trees.

Not long after we pulled off the road Brian’s neighbor arrived with a chain saw and other equipment to clear the tree logs. His only payment? A Bud.

Everywhere we went we saw devastation and the hands-on helpfulness of neighbors and volunteer road crews, who worked tirelessly to clear the debris and help stranded travelers. Brian's wife, Dawn, was called into work as a spokesperson for the county, where she fielded press calls from CNN and other news outlets throughout the weekend.

Catching a fish on Lake 26.

Over the next three days, we made the best of things and got to know each other, talking late into the night by lamp and candlelight. The lake was a godsend – it was clean, serene, beautiful. My son and daughter caught their first fish at Lake 26; they took their first kayak and canoe rides; and they enjoyed picking blueberries and roasting marshmallows by fire.

Fourth of July in Webster, Wisconsin.

The cabin slept 13 in total – and we all got along remarkably well given disrupted sleep schedules, a baby, and toilets that needed an infusion of water from the lake in order to flush. All of us from Atlanta got a healthy appreciation for Wisconsin flies (they bite), and the state’s voracious mosquitoes who take over outdoors during the witching hour of twilight. On the fourth of July we drove into Webster and enjoyed a small-town parade, fire hose water contest, ice cream social and bingo.

The time flew by and concluded with a sunset cruise on Brian’s boat through the lake, with the children taking turns in the captain chair. I’ll never forget the last morning in the cabin being awoken to the sound of loons on the lake. If you have never heard their unique call, check out this YouTube video shot in Minnesota in 2006.

Two hotel stays and four books later, I found us rounding the turn into our subdivision in northern Atlanta, happy to be home with our functioning but empty refrigerator, air-conditioned house, running water and our Goldendoddle Missy. I am thankful for the time we spent with all our family this summer, especially my husband's cousins on Lake 26 – where we now share much more in common than just a last name -- but have a collective experience of being together in the aftermath of Wisconsin's summer storm of 2011.

How Life Drama at the Mall Sets the Stage for Writing

2011-06-20T07:46:00.001-04:00

Today's guest blogger is Judy Stone-Goldman, PhD, whose blog, The Reflective Writer, I first wrote about last month during my participation in the 2011 Wordcount Blogathon. I immediately was drawn to Judy's insightful and engaging posts and her blog's focus on finding personal and professional balance through writing.

“Each of us has the potential to construct a better life by uncovering and reflecting on our inner experience,” writes Judy, who spent more than 25 years teaching speech-language pathology and counseling at the University of Washington in Seattle.

Here is her post -- enjoy!

I have been here before. It’s the weekend before a trip, and I am shopping, on deadline. Will I never learn? I purchased a dress for the main event weeks ago, and that left me languid with relief. Unfortunately, I felt so good I forgot about the secondary event. So here I am in the mall, trying on every last pair of light-colored pants that exists in this almost-too-late date of June.

Shopping brings up a lot for me. I have a long history of shopping failure, or perhaps I should saying fashion failure. Style maven I am not. To go shopping is to evoke a whole library of memories—of shopping and clothes, of appearance and acceptability—memories colored by dread, body despair, low expectations, and complete lack of instinct about what might look good.

I hate to mention my mother and be a cliché of childhood calamity, but she’s behind the scenes in all these memories. She was no more skilled than I in the fashion realm, and she treated my chubby frame caustically, leaving me ashamed as well as clueless. By the time she became more comfortable with style herself and perhaps inclined to act more kindly toward me, I was older and living the clothing stories of my past.

The clothing stories of my past—suddenly they are bombarding me: the date I went on wearing a house robe because I couldn’t figure out what to wear, the events I went to in drab work clothes because I couldn’t imagine myself in any other kind of outfit, the endless cycle of hesitant purchases followed by reluctant returns.

No wonder the shopping expedition is so fraught, so laden, with each small hope hounded by fear. I am never really shopping for my life today. I am shopping for the stories of the past, telling these stories in one version or another, deepening their mythology with each repetition.

I find myself thinking about this as I gallop around the mall, parallel threads competing: defeats of the past versus necessities of the present. Which will win? My memories have turned into a drama, and I have acted in this play before. I even wrote the script.

But if I wrote the script I can rewrite it, and that is what I must do with these stories. I must write them, retell them, give them life on the page instead of life in real life. Writing gives me a space after memory but before reenactment. Writing is my opportunity to rewrite a bit of history so that what was past becomes part of a new future.

Write, retell, reflect, revise, rewrite, recreate. What do I understand about this story? What is important to me to retain and what can I release? How am I different now and how will that affect the story? As I write my way into a new version of the story, I become a combination of the old and the new—I am still myself, still shopping last minute before a trip, but somehow, something is different.

I emerge from the mall triumphant, the white pants in hand. I am balanced, not frazzled; self-accepting, not critical. This is one story I don’t have to escape, and one pair of pants I don’t want to return. I even have time to pick up that bone clutch I forgot I needed.

Questions for Reflection: How does this blog take you back into memory? What stories do you find yourself retelling and reliving? What stories from your life would you like to rewrite?

Writing Prompts: “When I read this post, I began remembering ______” (then keep writing); “One story I relive often is ______” (then keep writing); “When I write about a recurring event, I find ______” (then keep writing); “I would like to rewrite my story of ______” (then keep writing).

Masterful Storytelling - Open by Andre Agassi

2011-06-17T11:20:00.006-04:00

Good biographies chronicle a person's life, serving as honest portraits that take you through the lows and the highs of a life well lived.

Great biographies transport you there -- moment by moment -- making you laugh, smile and at times tear up as you experience the triumphs and tribulations of the person's life.

In the case of Open: An Autobiography, by Andre Agassi, you experience it all -- from Andre's early years under the tutelage of his tennis-obsessed father in Las Vegas, to his rebellious teen years spent at junior tournaments and doing time at The Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, to his bumpy ride to tennis greatness, and finally, to his notable post-tennis career as a husband, father and education crusader.

You don't have to be a tennis fan to appreciate Andre's struggles with the physical and mental demons that dogged him as an athlete (the opening of the book is him waking up, disoriented and in unspeakable back pain, in a New York City hotel bed the morning of his last U.S. Open match in 2006.)

J.R. and Andre. Photo by:
New York Times

The book is a compelling read -- filled with emotion and honesty, vivid personalities, lessons of forgiveness and acceptance and finding yourself. It also is incredibly well written -- the narrative is at times inspired, a credit to Andre's collaborator J.R. Moehringer, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist. Andre discovered and courted Moehringer for his book project after reading his memoir, The Tender Bar, about growing up fatherless in Manhasset, New York.

Andre winning the 1999 French Open.

One of the more dramatic parts in Open was Andre's nail-biting final against Andrei Medvedev to capture the 1999 French Open. Andre recalls his lackluster playing early in the match and Brad Gilbert's meltdown in the locker room during a rain delay. The experience jars Andre to get his game back, enabling a come-from-behind victory. I love the minute-by-minute recreation of the match, where the changing weather and Andre's mood are masterfully interwoven.

Here are a few of my favorite excerpts of Open. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

He steps up, well inside the baseline, sending me a message that he anticipates a softie, and when he gets hold of it he's going to ram it down my throat. He wears a look on his face that unmistakeably says: Go ahead, bitch. Be aggressive. I dare you.

This moment is the crucial test for both of us. This is the turning point in the match, perhaps in both of our lives. It's a test of wills, of heart, of manhood.

-- the pivotal moment in the third set of the 1999 French Open final against Medvedev

She smiles. Off she goes. I go tearing after her. It feels as if I've been chasing her all my life, and now I'm literally chasing her. At first it's all I can do to keep pace, but near the finish line I close the gap. She reaches the red balloon two lengths ahead of me. She turns, and peals of her laughter carry back to me like streamers on the wind.
I've never been so happy to lose.

-- racing Stefi on a San Diego beach early in their courtship

It's early evening. The sun is just disappearing behind the masts and sails of the boats at the dock. Perry and I are early, Brad is right on time. I'd forgotten how distinctive looking he is. Dark, rugged, he's certainly handsome, but not classically so. His features aren't chiseled; they look molded. I can't shake the idea that Brad looks like Early Man, that he has just jumped from a time machine, slightly out of breath from discovering fire. Maybe it's all his hair that makes me think this. His head, arms, biceps, shoulders, face are covered with black hair. Brad has so much hair, I'm both horrified and jealous. His eyebrows alone are fascinating. I think: I could make a beautiful toupee out of just that left eyebrow.

-- the first time Andre and Brad Gilbert meet and begin working together

Good luck, Andre!

2011-06-13T22:25:00.003-04:00

Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy
(Gallery photo).

I read over the weekend that tennis great-turned-education evangelist Andre Agassi has committed to finance the construction of as many as 75 charter schools in urban US cities in the next several years through a new real-estate fund he’s established with Canyon Capital Realty Advisors. He hopes to replicate the success of the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy, which he established in Las Vegas in 2001.

My husband and I, who met at a tennis round robin in Atlanta and got engaged at the US Open, are long-time Agassi fans:

We read his autobiography, Open, and found it incredibly heartfelt (more on that later).
We both are professionally involved in education (my husband is a math teacher; I'm writer for both college and non-profit educational clients).
We're also parents, concerned about the state of education in a country where the public school system continues to struggle.

If Andre’s dream becomes reality, then that will raise the bar on education and give parents, especially those with limited economic choices, more options.

During the French Open earlier this month, Agassi talked about his post-tennis career with Christopher Clarey, chief sports correspondent for the International Herald Tribune. He said in part, “I don’t know if tennis turned me into this or I was good at tennis because this is hard-wired, but I don’t revel in things very long. It’s always about tomorrow. It’s always about the next step. I’ve had so many moments. I mean my book was a proud moment for me, even the two weeks before people got to read it and they heard about it." (read the entire New York Times interview here).

Later this week The Writing Well will pay tribute to Andre as a storyteller, with a closer look at his 2009 New York Times’ bestselling book, Open, which he wrote with J.R. Moehringer, a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, and which was named one of the best books of the year by Forbes, San Francisco Chronicle, and The Washington Post.

Places that Inspire Your Inner Writer: Callaway Gardens

2011-06-10T06:52:00.000-04:00

Cecil B. Day Butterfly Center, Callaway Gardens
Pine Mountain, Georgia

According to Callaway's website, "nature's beauty floats gracefully through the air at this glass-enclosed conservatory."

Home to 50 species of tropical butterflies, this center offers the perfect venue to linger along paths surrounded by exotic tropical plants and fluttering butterflies, or to sit quietly, taking photos and journaling.

I've been to Callaway twice -- first on a wedding anniversary getaway weekend after Christmas, where my husband and I enjoyed the warm glow of Fantasy in Lights®. These photos were from a second trip --a women's retreat through my church held in the spring. A major highlight was a stop at this beautiful butterfly oasis!

There is a lot written about butterflies and their symbolism, including this Welsh website devoted to the Butterfly House in Aberystwyth, Wales.

Interestingly, the butterfly symbolizes change, resurrection, transformation, celebration, young love and the soul.

Ron Gagliardi, in his thesis on butterfly and moths in western art and design, wrote butterflies and moths are 'nature’s canvases with the gift of flight.”

An apt description of these unique gifts of nature.

Reading, Writing and Tweeting - Not a Winning Combination

2011-06-09T05:20:00.003-04:00

Judd Apatow's appearance last week on "The Tonight Show" with Jay Leno prompted a thought-provoking Ragan.com PR Junkie post, "Is Twitter bad for writers?"

Judd Apatow, courtesy of IMDb.

Apatow, a Hollywood screenplay writer behind hits such as Funny People and The 40-year-old Virgin told Leno why he's so active on Twitter, explaining, "I'm looking for any distraction not to write."

Twitter has its place for connecting and even finding sources, but it also can be a huge time drain -- especially if you are on a writing or work deadline. I have fallen prey to the lure of tweeting or online surfing ...it's even preferable to sleep sometimes (like right now as I write this post). It's documented that the internet has ‘rewired’ the way our brains absorb information. The reading experts at Reading Horizons blogged about the web's role on people's reading and writing skills back in February 2010:

"When you are searching the internet how long do you think you spend on a single page? (Hopefully you’re still on this page at this point!) Probably not very long. The internet offers so many gateways to other pages, that it has made it difficult for us to focus on one piece of information at a time. In other words: the internet is making us all a little more A.D.D."

It also, writes the authors, decreases our ability to comprehend what we read.

Without question, we are in a time of digital overload, 24x7. The New York Times, in their 2010 article, "Attached to Technology and Paying the Price," found that in 2008, people consumed "three times as much information each day as they did in 1960."

The constant interruptions in focus -- from work to tweeting to whatever -- leads to multi-tasking, which is bad for your mental health. "Excessive use of the internet, cellphones and other technologies can cause us to become more impatient, impulsive, forgetful and even more narcissistic," writes New York Times "Well" blogger Tara Parker-Pope.

What can be done? We need to wean ourselves off our digital addictions -- one medium at a time. For my family, we make a habit of reading. We also rid ourselves of one huge digital distraction -- satellite TV -- with all the myriad of channels (and God-awful commercials). Instead, we listen to baseball games on the radio. We read the newspaper. We've gotten into the habit of going swimming as a family before bedtime.

But we are not over the hump, yet -- not by a long shot. With two computers, two smart phones, one iPad, a Wii game system, and a movie club, my family has plenty of ways to feed our digital addictions. The computers are here to stay (job requirement), but the others need to be managed in moderation -- like other addictions like fatty foods and chocolate. I know we have a way to go, but we owe it to ourselves and our kids to set limits on technology's place in our lives.

Places that Inspire Your Inner Writer: Denali National Park and Preserve

2011-06-03T11:46:00.000-04:00

Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska.
Photo by: Thanh Cat

Few places match the majesty of Denali National Park and Preserve, created in 1917. Located near the top of the world, Denali National Park is home to more than six million acres of extreme wilderness and the tallest mountain in North America: Mount McKinley. This magnificent sub Arctic area is slightly larger than the state of New Hampshire, reports Frommers. Many have found this unique place an inspirational setting for writing. On July 26, a group of K-12 teachers will gather at the park to explore science and writing through a unique professional development program offered by the Alaska State Writing Consortium and Murie Science and Learning Center.

30 Posts in 31 Days - I Made It!

2011-05-31T06:55:00.002-04:00

Michelle Rafter

Today marks the conclusion of the 2011 Wordcount Blogathon. I was among 200 bloggers who accepted the challenge to post every day in the month of May. Michelle Rafter, a Portland-based business editor, reporter and blogger, organized this event to bring together professional writers and anyone else with a blog to help them improve their blogging skills.

"This year, people embraced the challenge with more enthusiasm and camaraderie then I've ever seen, which was evident in tweets & Google Group posts," Rafter told me over Twitter. "There's something to be said for spending an intense period of time working on blog improvements and also on doing it as a group=big rewards."

It feels great to have seen this challenge through - the only day I missed was when Blogger.com had a technical glitch that prevented me access to my blog. This experience allowed me to connect with other bloggers and writers, while also stretching my discipline and creativity. Before I started this challenge, I was fortunate if I posted every two to three weeks; now I feel confident that I can post twice a week without too much effort!

A few of the varied topics I tackled this month included:

Bonnie Daneker

I also invited colleagues to be guest bloggers. On May 23, Bonnie Daneker became my first guest, offering tips for turning your blog into a book. On June 20, I look forward to a guest post by Judy Stone-Goldman, creator of The Reflective Writer, a blog on writing to achieve personal and professional balance.

Through my participation in this year's blogathon, I wanted to more clearly find my own voice as a blogger through daily posts, and to explore what I love about writing and storytelling. I realized both of these goals.
I also improved my skills at "content curation" -- a technique where you comb the web for useful expert articles on your topic and reference them in your own blog. A third goal still in progress is expanding my blog's reach to a broader audience -- I was able to link up my blog with my Twitter and LinkedIn accounts so everything is in sync. Now, I want to find other ways to drive traffic to my blog.

While I have more to learn about this medium, I got a very big boost this month in my confidence that I have something to contribute to the blog writing community. Thanks, Michelle, for creating this opportunity. I look forward to what's in store for Wordcount blogathoners in 2012.

Advice on Writing a Family Memoir

2011-05-30T14:43:00.001-04:00

You only have to peek at bookstore displays of new titles to see how much memoir writing has grown in popularity in recent years. The desire to honor and chronicle one's family legacy and create a "living history" is compelling and drives many to the craft of memoir -- and certainly was a factor in my own family memoir, A Breath Away: Daughters Remember Mothers Lost to Smoking, which I wrote a year after losing my mother and aunt to lung cancer.

"Writers are the custodians of memory, and that’s what you must become if you want to leave some kind of record of your life and of the family you were born into," writes author William Zinsser in his post, "How to Write a Memoir." In May, HarperCollins released the 30th-anniversary edition of Zinsser's bestseller, On Writing Well, including a new chapter on memoir.

He says a memoir can take many forms -- from a formal memoir to an informal family history or even an oral history that you extract by tape recorder from an ailing parent or grandparent.

Narrow Your Topic

Zinsser says it's important that you make a series of "reducing decisions." "For example, one big decision would be to write about only one branch of the family. Families are complex organisms, especially if you trace them back several generations. Decide to write about your mother's side of the family or your father's side, but not both."

Listen First

New York-based professional writer Brian McDonald advises that memoir writers first master the art of listening. McDonald wrote My Father's Gun, his 1999 family memoir chronicling three generations of Irish-American New York City Police Department officers. The book, which came out two years before 9/11, was later made into a two-hour documentary on the History Channel.

"I was lucky I had a family of storytellers – police officers and bartenders and such are natural storytellers. I was always a great listener. Those anecdotes I heard from when I was first a child stayed with me, and later on when I decided to do a book about my family, they came to life. Then I went about reporting them, finding out where family lore stopped and where fact began."

Flesh out the Details

The details in your memoir are critical, advises Sharon DeBartolo Carmack, a certified geneologist and memoir writing instructor for WritingOnlineWorkshops.com, in her Writer's Digest post, "Write a Memoir to Remember!"

"While writing your memoir, probe as deeply as you can to fill out a scene or an event. Use photographs, letters, diaries, interviews or background research to explain, reflect and fill out your narrative. In the details, you will begin to make sense of your life experiences," Carmack states. "Some budding memoirists rush through a scene without stopping to smell the rain on the pavement. Granted, you don't want to overwhelm your readers with details; you have to keep the story moving along. If the scene or event is crucial, slow down and describe it so that the reader can experience it with you."

In McDonald's case, he got his "hands dirty" – going to halls of record and pulling research off of shelves. "Because my family were police officers, there was a lot of history of the police department – old records and first-person narratives that I pulled out," he recalls.

In the end, he was able to tell not only the stories of the men in his family, but also the behind-the-scenes stories of his family's women, who he considers "the real heroes" of the book because of the emotional toll they carried raising children while their husbands went about very dangerous work. His brother Frankie Jr. served in the Bronx during the 70s -- a period noted for the high murder rate, racial tensions and cop assassinations by members of the Black Liberation Army, McDonald recalls.

"My sister-in-law used to say every time the 11 o’clock news would come on, she’d stay up and the lead story would be a cop shot or a shootout in the Bronx, and she’d have that same feeling in her stomach -- that same dread that it was her husband. That way is a very hard way to live your life."

McDonald considers the best part of the book project was the end result -- a family record that can be shared with future generations. "Grandchildren and great grandchildren down the road are going to be able to pick this book off the shelf and say, 'That was my great grandfather.' 'That was my uncle.' 'That was my cousin,'" he says.
Links to Read More

If you want to read more about writing memoirs, check out this Squidoo post, "The Best Books for Writing a Memoir," which recommends works such as Judith Barrington's Writing the Memoir: From Truth to Art and Fearless Confessions: A Writer's Guide to Memoir by Sue William Silverman.

Revolutionary Speeches to Remember

2011-05-29T08:55:00.002-04:00

Whether it's to inform, entertain, unify or defend, speeches are a critical form of communication. Good ones know how to grab and keep the audience's attention, and great ones change thinking and inspire action. This Memorial Day, I share examples of great patriotic speeches delivered here and abroad that made a lasting impact on the public during times of trial and times of healing.

Winston Churchill was among the great orators whose war-time speeches rallied both his country and the world. In his Suite101 post, Churchill's Greatest Speeches, blog contributor Michael Rowland noted that Churchill's "ability to motivate entire nations through the spoken word proved crucial in guiding the Allies to ultimate victory in World War II and saving Western civilization from Nazi tyranny."

In June 1940, Churchill told his people and the world, "Even though large tracts of Europe and many old and famous States have fallen or may fall into the grip of the Gestapo and all the odious apparatus of Nazi rule, we shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender!”

Voices.com offers these top 10 U.S. Presidential Speeches that transformed America that were given in times of war and peace. Topping the list is of course President Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, which was delivered on Nov. 19, 1863, four months after the bloody battle, and was intended to honor the fallen on both sides, who "gave the last full measure of devotion." The president also hoped to heal the country and unify it. Lincoln's conclusion resolved "that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

FDR's famous Pearl Harbor speech following Japan's premeditated attack on our naval forces in Hawaii rallied the country in a way that few speeches by U.S. presidents have before or since. President Roosevelt words, carried over radio, began with, "Yesterday, December 7th, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan."

Toward the end of his speech, FDR declared, "No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.

With confidence in our armed forces - with the unbounding determination of our people - we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God."

Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech delivered during the March on Washington D.C. in August 1963 was a defining moment in the Civil Rights Movement. In 1999, it was ranked the best speech of the 20th century in a poll of scholars of public address.

Rev. King urged America to "make real the promises of democracy," saying, "I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."

I conclude with a lesser known speech given on Memorial Day 1884 by Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., who survived the Civil War with three wounds as a member of the Twentieth Massachusetts Infantry. Holmes would serve 30 years as a U.S. Supreme Court justice. He captured the spirit of Memorial Day in these words of remembrance for fellow soldiers gone but never far from the hearts and memories of those left behind:

"But as surely as this day comes round we are in the presence of the dead. For one hour, twice a year at least--at the regimental dinner, where the ghosts sit at table more numerous than the living, and on this day when we decorate their graves--the dead come back and live with us.

"I see them now, more than I can number, as once I saw them on this earth. They are the same bright figures, or their counterparts, that come also before your eyes; and when I speak of those who were my brothers, the same words describe yours."

Three Must-reads of the War-time Experience

2011-05-28T16:02:00.005-04:00

In observance of this Memorial Day weekend, I share three books -- two works of historical fiction and one non-fiction work-- that memorably capture a soldier's struggles and experiences in wars past and present.

The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara

"Lee raised a hand. 'General Pickett, I want you to re-form your division in the rear of this hill.'

Pickett's eyes lighted as if a sudden pain had shot through him. He started to cry. Lee said again with absolute calm, 'General, you must look to your division.'

Pickett said tearfully, voice of a bewildered angry boy, 'General Lee, I have no division.'"

Michael Shaara's Pulitzer Prize-winning Civil War classic takes you to July 1863 and the four most bloody and courageous days of our nation's history. It tells the story of soldiers on both side of the battle, and in so doing, leaves you with an indelible sense of who these men were and how they felt.

"He dreamed of Maine and ice black water; he awoke to a murderous sun." This quote in the book's second chapter on Joshua Chamberlain perfectly captures the homesickness felt by soldiers, and the stifling discomfort of that Pennyslvania summer.

In 2005, Jon Thompson, a retired English and Civil War history teacher from Ohio, argued that Shaara's masterpiece was the best Civil War book ever written at a meeting of the Cleveland Civil War Roundtable. His reasoning? The book "describes Civil War combat as no other book ever has…vividly, graphically and accurately…Because it takes the reader into the minds and hearts of the soldiers…to know their thoughts…and feel their emotions...to know their ideas and ideals….their fears and frustrations…their dedication…their courage….their sense of duty."

Ken Burns, acclaimed filmmaker of The Civil War, said this about the book, which was first published in 1974: "Remarkable...A book that changed my life...I had never visited Gettysburg, knew almost nothing about that battle before I read the book, but here it all came alive."

In November 2000, Jeff Shaara, an historical fiction writer in his own right and the son of Michael Shaara, spoke about the legacy of his father's book at the Lincoln Forum at Gettysburg. Mr. Shaara recalls that the book was originally rejected by 16 publishers -- a result no doubt of the bad timing as the country was coming out of the Vietnam War era -- before it was picked up by a small independent publisher, The David McKay Company, which was going out of business. When the book first won the Pulitzer Prize, people couldn't get a copy and were calling Shaara's house requesting a copy. Eventually, Random House acquired the small publisher.

A Soldier of the Great War by Mark Helprin

"I'm not afraid," Rafi said.
"Why not?"
"If I die tomorrow it will have been useless to have been afraid today."

This lengthy book of war, love and life, focuses on an elderly Italian professor and veteran of the Great War, who is moved to tell the story of his life to a young, illiterate Sicilian industrial worker, as they take a long walk from Rome to a village in the mountains. The boy learns about the elderly man's experience as a soldier in the First World War, of how he lost one family, gained another, and lost it, too.

Author Mark Helprin formerly served in the British Merchant Navy, the Israeli infantry, and the Israeli Air Force. His essays and articles have appeared in The New Yorker for almost a quarter of a century. His Memorial Day tribute just published in the Wall Street Journal provides clarity in regard to how, where and when to go to war.

Helprin shares his journey writing the book, including the loss of his father during its writing, in an interview with Connie Martinson Books.

Here are a few reviews of A Soldier of the Great War:

“Vast, ambitious, spiritually lusty, all-guzzling, all-encompassing.” (NY Times Book Review)
“Helprin stands bravely apart . . . taking on all comers with a tone that recalls Hemingway.” (The Boston Globe)
“An incredible tale…a fascinating story, so rich with detail that you almost think it is a factual account. Helprin does such a wonderful job of crafting the soldier's life story, you would think that he had firsthand experience as an Italian soldier in the same time period.” (Amazon.com reviewer)

WAR by Sebastian Junger

"He throws his last grenade and then sprints the remaining ground to where Brennan should be. The Gatigal spur is awash in moonlight, and in the silvery shadows of the holly forests he sees two enemy fighters dragging Josh Brennan down the hillside. He empties his M4 magazine at them and starts running toward his friend." -- WAR by Sebastian Junger

Sebastian Junger, a contributing editor at Vanity Fair and the author of The Perfect Storm, spent months shadowing an American infantry platoon deployed in Afghanistan between 2007 and 2008.

The result is War, which chronicles the 15-month deployment of a platoon in the Korangal Valley, which was considered the most hostile and dangerous valley in the country. The valley, the author explains, “is sort of the Afghanistan of Afghanistan: too remote to conquer, too poor to intimidate, too autonomous to buy off.”

Junger, who cut his teeth as a freelance wartime reporter during the Bosnia conflict in the 90s, shares details of his journey at a May 2010 meeting of The Commonwealth Club of California, the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum.

One military reviewer called WAR "the most definitive book I've ever read about soldiers in combat.” Another said, "a well-crafted story that tells the story of what our troops in Afghanistan are enduring on a daily basis....A MUST-READ!!"

Places that Inspire Your Inner Writer: Hampton Court and Gardens

2011-05-27T15:09:00.000-04:00

The Gardens at Hampton Court, Herefordshire, England.
Photo by Jeff Sargent.

This is my second Friday post themed around "Places that Inspire Your Inner Writer." Three summers ago my husband and I vacationed in England. Hampton Court, Herefordshire, is a castle on the meadows of the river Lugg, backed by a steep wooded escarpment and surrounded by woodland and grounds of 1,000 acres. Founded by King Henry in the early 15th century the castle has been completely restored.

The Gardens at Hampton Court are spectacular. Along with St. James's Palace, Hampton Court is one of only two surviving palaces out of the many owned by Henry VIII. The renaissance garden, which Henry VIII made here in the 1530s, was converted to the baroque style between 1660 and 1702.

According to Tudorhistory.org, Henry VIII spent three of his honeymoons at Hampton Court, as did his daughter Mary I when she married Philip of Spain. It was at Hampton Court that Henry VIII was told of the infidelity of Kathryn Howard, which would eventually lead to her arrest and execution (and according to some, why her ghost inhabits the Haunted Gallery.) Henry also married his sixth wife, Katherine Parr, in the Holyday or Queen's Closet at the Palace, adjoining the Chapel Royal.

The beauty and peace of this setting make it an ideal place to journal.

Photo by: Jeff Sargent.

From Screenplay Writer to Novelist: A Q&A with Jeffrey Stepakoff

2011-05-26T19:32:00.007-04:00

“The kind of work I am doing now (as a novelist) is just what I was doing in film and television, which is-- compelling, cinematic, sweeping storytelling. “

I recently had a brief discussion with veteran Hollywood writer Jeffrey Stepakoff. He has written for 14 different series and served on seven primetime staffs, producing hundreds of hours of internationally-recognized television. His credits include the Emmy-winning The Wonder Years, Sisters, C16:FBI, Sons & Daughters, Major Dad, and Dawson's Creek, where he was co-executive producer.

A few years ago, Stepakoff began pursuing his long-held dream of writing fiction. FIREWORKS OVER TOCCOA, first published by St. Martin’s Press in 2010, is his debut novel. This poignant tale of love and loss tells the story of a young, conflicted war bride in rural Georgia during World War II.

Stepakoff’s second novel, THE ORCHARD, a compelling love story between two unlikely figures -- a driven career woman and an apple farmer and widower – set against the backdrop of Elijay, Georgia, will be released in North America in July, but is already receiving positive reviews from Publisher's Weekly.

Stepakoff’s short story, love a la carte, featuring the same characters from The Orchard but in a different story treatment, is available now for free in digital format from Amazon Kindle. Here, Stepakoff shares insights on the writing craft, the differences and commonalities of writing for the screen or penning a novel, and what readers can expect from his new novel.

Q. You have gone from screenplay writer to novelist – are there similarities you find in those two types of writing?

Stepakoff: I find that fiction writing has as much to do with the kind of the story structure that I’ve spent most of my adult life working on in Hollywood. You sit down and structure the story in many of the same ways –

• Who is the character?

• What does the character want?

• What is the character afraid of?

• How do I peel the layers of the onion to really deal with the character?

• What’s the journey I set the character off on?

• What is the inciting incident? What is the moment (in a novel) where somebody reads the first few pages and says, “I have to see how this turns out.”?

Q. What are the differences then?

Stepakoff: In film and TV you are ultimately laying out a map for the story. And the subtext is all inherent in the dialogue. You leave it to the actors to pull the subtext out. You leave it to the directors to get the scene just right (along with costume designers, set designers, lighting designers).

In fiction, you are all of those players: You are the writer, but you are also the actors, the director, the lighting designer and the set designer and so on. The cool thing in fiction is you get it just right – just as you envision it. The other thing is all you have at your disposal is language – prose to get that across.

Q: Isn’t it true that in screenplay writing you are showing a mood or a feeling rather than telling or describing?

Stepakoff: I believe very much in writing dramatically –the kind of work I am doing now (as a novelist) is just what I was doing in film and television, which is-- compelling, cinematic, sweeping storytelling. I want to use language to convey that storytelling as much as possible. The cool thing about fiction is you also have language to convey emotion and sentiment exactly as you want. That’s where the craft comes in with fiction – how you use language. Do you use it sparingly? Do you use is poetically?

Q: What advice would you offer writers who want a career in film and television and fiction?

Stepakoff: Simultaneously master the craft and write always. What that means is always be working on your craft; always be thinking –

How do I use language to convey sentiment (in fiction)?

How will I use dialogue just right to get the story across (in film)?

Q. What is most key to the craft of writing?

Stepakoff: Inciting incident is key – the moment that really pulls the reader in. So is fleshing out the character. I think there are two reasons people want to be taken on a journey and invest in your film or television program or your (work of) fiction -- empathy and fantasy. Can I relate to this character? Have I been through something similar? Do I feel the same emotions this character feels? Or do I think what the character is going through is cool? I’ve never been through this, but I could fantasize that this would be a neat place to go. I think those are the two things that you really want to hone in on.

Q. What are you most proud of in your writing career?

Stepakoff: I’ve worked in a lot of different (areas of writing) and I’m proud of all those things at different stages of my career. I love my fiction writing now. I love connecting with readers and really getting to know the people I’m writing for. It’s very exciting.

Q. You also are on faculty at Kennesaw State University.

Stepakoff: I have a tenure track professorship here at Kennesaw State in dramatic writing. I like teaching – I think it makes you better at doing (the craft of writing) and doing makes me better at teaching. It’s a symbiotic relationship. It forces you to articulate what you are doing and frankly allows you to get out of your space every once in a while.

Passages

2011-05-25T08:15:00.004-04:00

Yesterday, my daughter graduated from our church preschool. We celebrated her special day with pictures and lunch out with the grandparents. Her brother (who I took out of his kindergarten class to attend the ceremony) congratulated her, too, with a big-brother hug.

My kids had five formative years at this school, learning the do's and don'ts of play; their ABCs; how to write their name; how to listen; how to be a friend.

Before we dispersed, we were treated to a photo montage set to the song, “Let Them Be Little,” by Billy Dean. There wasn't a dry eye in the room. I'm amazed how fast my daughter (and son) have grown since I brought them home. Dean's lyrics -- which are a great example of storytelling -- call out to parents to cherish every moment with their kids..."' cause they’re only that way for a while."

Here's the video and a few of my favorite photos of my daughter's preschool years. Enjoy!

SIx Writing Resources

2011-05-24T14:35:00.001-04:00

I maintain a "Writing tools" page on my website and blog that includes online writing communities and resources for the writer. Here are six resources that I find helpful -- I hope you do, too:

1. Visual Thesaurus - A tool for people who think visually, this online thesaurus and dictionary features more than 145,000 words that you can explore using an interactive map.

2.Eminent Quotables - What writers say about writing - this handy reference (with a pull-down menu of authors) provides succinct quotes from historic and contemporary wordsmiths, from Isaac Asimov and Jane Austen to Tom Clancy and Winston Churchill.

3.Kennessaw State University's Tools in Writing -- A comprehensive collection of online resources for writers, including grammar guides, editing information, screenwriting information, writer's organizations and web writing and design.

4.Links to Writers Organizations - This comprehensive list of writers groups compiled by http://www.forwriters.com/ includes journalist societies, international writing guilds, science fiction and fantasy, romance and other genre writing associations-- in short, virtually every group out there.

5. Writing Forward -- This site focuses on expanding the skills of creative writers (fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction), while providing insight and inspiration. Recent articles include how to deal with heartbreaking critiques of your writing; how to start a successful writers' workshop; and 23 writing tips to overcome writer's block that don't involve writing.

6. Writing Tips from Masters -- compiled by Gotham Writers' Workshop, it includes links to key writing tips from established literary figures such as George Orwell, Billy Wilder and Edgar Allan Poe.

What are some writing resources you find helpful? Share them here.

Today's Blog, Tomorrow's Book

2011-05-23T08:32:00.001-04:00

Today, I'm pleased to introduce The Writing Well's first-ever guest blogger -- publishing entrepreneur, Bonnie Bajorek Daneker. As CEO of Write Advisors, Daneker oversees the strategic direction of the company to enable its clients to express themselves digitally and in print, using the most appropriate resources to reach their goals. Formerly, she was president of BD Donaldson Publishing, Inc., an Atlanta-based publishing company that created and distributed healthcare information. Author of The Compassionate Caregiver Series^®, Daneker released her seventh book, CLIMB, in November, 2010, with Sandy Hofmann, president of Women in Technology (WIT). Here, she offers advice on how to turn your blog into a successful book.

* * * * * *

Blogging has carved out a significant place in the online community for idea exchange. Through it, we easily share knowledge and opinions. Professional blogging lead to engaging discussion and innovation. Blogging has also laid the foundation for longer, more substantive written work, including dissertations, screenplays, and books.

When carefully composed, blogs lend themselves to becoming sections or chapters on their own; and when organized, they can flow into a valuable addition to a genre – especially business books and memoirs.

Courtesy of Google images, zemalf.com

If you’re thinking about developing your blogs into a book, here are 10 things to consider:

1. Identify your passion. You’ve likely covered many topics in your blogs. Review them for threads or trends to identify the focus of your book.

2. Decide the structure and function of the book. What are your goals in publishing?

3. Know your genre. You don’t want your hard work sounding like something else already on the market.

4. Generate content. And more content. Many of my clients are actively gathering content through blogging, both self-generated and audience-generated. When you’re ready to publish a book, you’ll be able to separate the wheat from the chaff.

5. Don’t do it all yourself. Ask for guest bloggers. Interview others for quotes. Secure testimonials from other professionals. These will add texture to your overall products.

6. Follow your blog voice. You will want to reach your readers the same way in your book as your blog. Make sure the writing is consistent, and as formal as you need it to be in both places.

7. Keep your facts straight. Even if your writing is informal, treat it like a reporter treats a story. Diana Keough, CEO of ShareWIK Media, recently surfaced an old journalism school adage: “If your mother tells you she loves you, get two sources.” Look up facts and spelling. It’s an easy way to build your credibility and keep your readership.

8. Use the Rule of Threes. Another J-school rule, especially relevant in this stimulating world: Tell them what you are going to say, say it, and remind them what you said.

9. Know when to stop. Your book doesn’t have to be long. Don’t risk losing your readers’ attention.

10. Get an editor. A good one will catch your embarrassing mistakes and make you look like a star.

When you’re ready to take on a book-writing project, know that it can be a smoothly-vectored transition from blog to book. It can increase your platform as an expert, and give your blog followers a treat.

Concise Writing - Tips to Be a Wordsmith Minimalist

2011-05-22T23:20:00.001-04:00

PrimerMagazine.com

I came across this memorable graphic while putting together a writing webinar last fall for a government client. It struck me then -- and still does now -- how easy it is to be wordy. Why is concise writing so hard?

"Vigorous writing is concise," emphasized renowned Cornell English professor William Strunk, Jr., author of the first editions of The Elements of Style. "A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts."

In conversation, people often use "filler" words that add little to the meaning of their sentences. In writing, these filler words and phrases become more obvious and act as delays in getting the reader to your point.
One way to write more concisely is to study authors who are wordsmith minimalists such as Ernest Hemingway.

Also, be a good self-editor -- shorten your sentences; don't be ambiguous. If you can say something in a few well-chosen words, do it. A great resource I found online is this eHow.com article, "How to Write With Concise Words," which advocates that you build your vocabulary and practice writing -- anywhere and everywhere.

A wordiness warning sign are qualifiers such as "hopefully," "practically," "basically," "really," and "mostly."

Most individuals usually think that many kittens are generally pretty cute. (11 words)
vs.

Most individuals think that kittens are cute. (7 words)

Another common problem is overusing prepositional phrases (such as in, over, of, for, at, etc.)

The politician talked about several of the merits of after-school programs in his speech. (14 words)
vs.

The politician touted after-school programs in his speech. (8 words)

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has an excellent handout that tackles common writing style problems (including wordiness) with guidance on how to correct it.

And, if you think English teachers, journalists, bloggers, and professional communicators are alone in wanting less wordiness, think again. The federal government is legislating that agencies use plain English when communicating with the public. Check out this AP story that hit online papers nationally earlier this month, and you'll see what's coming when the Plain Writing Act goes into effect in October.

Where have you seen wordiness at its worst? Share examples here.

A Children's Book Worth a Read

2011-05-21T21:36:00.000-04:00

Ever read a book aloud to a child where you were immediately mesmerized by its lyrical quality? That doesn't happen too often in my experience. But it does whenever I pull out The Song of Celestine -- James Redfield and Dee Lillegard's children's book inspired by their 1993 bestelling book, The Celestine Prophesy.

The story provides simple lessons in spirituality told in a colorful, lyrical way. The main character -- a boy "who finds a path but loses his way" -- experiences a spiritual awakening and learns the value of what's really important, especially, to never forget to dream, share and rejoice in life's gifts.

This work reads like a poem with vivid imagery, but also has characteristics of an adventure story -- with a struggle (inner one), discovery and a climactic conclusion. At its core, the story shows and doesn't just tell, which are the building blocks for great writing.

Here are a few of my favorite passages:

A restless boy named Celestine
felt unloved, unheard, unseen.
While wandering in the woods one day,
he found a path -- but lost his way.

* * * * * *

Above the door, upon the rock --
above the door,which had no lock --
slowly appeared from first to last,
letters spelling to the past.

* * * * * *
Celestine witnessed war after war
and people struggling for more and more.
He saw that the past was important now.
But why? he wondered. Why and how?

* * * * * *

Celestine sensed a note of grace
as he gazed upon the warrior's face.
Then love began to conquer fear,
and he watched the warrior disappear.

* * * * * *
Celestine woke and leaped from bed;
the messages raced through his tousled head.
"Pay attention -- now and to the past.
To flowers. To faces." He was home at last.

Fun Friday – Places that Inspire Your Inner Writer

2011-05-20T15:09:00.000-04:00

Every Friday, The Writing Well will showcase places that inspire creativity and 'your inner writer.' Enjoy this visual journey of destinations designed to give you pause from the daily grind, think outside yourself and reinvigorate your spirit. If you are a writer wishing to share your own oasis for inspiration, send a photo with the name and location of the venue, and a brief paragraph describing what makes your place special to anne@annewainscott.com and we'll consider running it.

BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir

Lilburn, Ga., USA

I journeyed this week to this beautiful BAPS Hindu Mandir in Lilburn, Ga., with a group from my church. Mandir is the name for a Hindu place of worship and prayer. The components making up the word, Man and Dir, mean mind and still. Therefore, a mandir is a place where the mind becomes still; a place where we experience peace from worldly problems. For centuries, it has remained a spiritual, educational, social and physical cornerstone of Indian society. The ornate carvings found throughout this structure are breathtaking. The mandir is open to the public and people of all faiths are welcome to visit, learn about this sect of Hinduism, and take in the incredible architecture and stone carvings of gurus and deities of the Hindu faith. I recommend this mandir as a destination for anyone seeking a change of pace and a peaceful respite where you can journal or just rest.

'Yepisodes' -- Video as a Storytelling Tool

2011-05-19T22:43:00.002-04:00

My blog seeks to celebrate examples of great storytelling. Without question, the explosion of social media allows many ways to tell your company story.

One company that's taken video storytelling to a fun new level is Yepser, a hip, Internet marketing company started 2 1/2 years ago in Atlanta that has grown quickly and now supports the social media presence of just over 100 clients.

Earlier today I caught up with Matt Gardner, Yepser co-founder and dream weaver. Our discussion focused on a series of videos -- dubbed 'Yepisodes' -- that his team put together and posted on their Facebook page.

Inspired by the hit NBC comedy, "The Office," the video snippets take you inside Yepser's offices in north Atlanta to see what really goes on. Their video treatment is a fresh, fun and engaging way to reach customers and show a lighter side of Yepser's culture. Gardner agrees.

"That's us," says Gardner, of his company's laid back culture. The videos gave his eight-person staff a chance to showcase their creativity, while providing customers and prospects a unique "inside" view of the staffs' interplay and sense of humor.

"Our existing customer base knows us and knows our personalities and got a big kick out of it."

Gardner was surprised when prospects who saw the videos contacted him, complementing the out-of-box approach. "It's rejuvenated past relationships. Many of our clients says they want to be featured in the next Yepisode."

With three Yepisodes released, Gardner says more are coming once the busy staff find the time and the right creative spark for the next installment. No doubt, they will take their lead from their fans and customer base who want to get in on the fun.

For companies still unsure about whether social media is for them, Yepser's success makes a compelling case for getting out there and taking a few risks. And using video -- as the explosive popularity of YouTube attests -- is one of the best ways to connect, engage and talk about your brand in a way that gets attention.

"Social media is a requirement almost in order to communicate with your potential customers and keep your existing customers loyal to your brand," Gardner says.

Four Tips to Make Your Blog Guest-blogger Friendly

2011-05-18T22:50:00.000-04:00

I'm excited that The Writing Well will host three guest posters in the near future -- starting with a publishing entrepreneur next week. My participation in the 2011 Wordcount Blogathon (where I'm posting daily over 30 days) has inspired me to bring other viewpoints to my blog.

Writing Forward, a creative writing blog by website designer and copywriter Melissa Donovan, provides excellent guidelines for guest posters listed in the top navigation of her blog. The guidelines cover everything you need to know -- from the preferred format to send submissions, to the types of articles accepted, to whether you can expect payment (no). The site itself is excellent resource for anyone wanting to strengthen their writing and grammar.

Gardening and writing blogger Stephanie Suesan Smith shares proper etiquette to going about being a guest blogger in her May 5th post, Crafting a Guest Post Query. She compares it to querying a magazine about an article. She covers the importance of outlining your qualifications to write a post, and the need to demonstrate how your topic would appeal to the blog's audience. Stephanie even tackles the thorny issue of copyright.

In his "guest" Copyblogger post, 10 Proven Steps to Snag a Guest Post on an A-List Blog, professional stand-up comedian Jordan Cooper urges you do your homework (reading up on the target audience, the guest posting guidelines, and of course, the content) and then write the post, including crafting a creative post title that looks appealing and clickable. Cooper also advocates not only submitting your fully crafted post, but also recruiting a fellow blogger who follows the A-List blog to put in a good word about your guest post. No guts, no glory, as they say.

All great advice...Here are four tips for making your blog guest-blogger friendly:

1. Spell out your blog's mission so contributors know what you're about.

2. Accept guest posts that resonate with your audience and fit your focus.

3. Include blog submission guidelines -- don't make 'em guess at it.

4. Seek original posts, not re-purposed content.

Hemingway's Rules for Concise Writing

2011-05-17T22:29:00.000-04:00

Ernest Hemingway, East Africa, 1954.
Photofest

Ernest Hemingway is one of America's great and original literary figures. Known as a man's man, Hemingway lived a colorful life on his own terms -- as a member of the "lost generation" of WWI, as a war-time journalist and author, and as an avid outdoorsman. His stories of war and sacrifice and of men finding redemption in nature feature his trademark style of simple, straightforward prose.

In a letter to his publisher Charles Scribner in 1951, Hemingway described how he felt about his book, The Old Man & the Sea, a story set on the Cuban coast that tells of an old fisherman battling a swordfish for four days and four nights alone in his skiff: “This is the prose that I have been working for all my life that should read easily and simply and seem short and yet have all the dimensions of the visible world and the world of a man’s spirit.”

Hemingway would go on to win a Pulitzer Prize for that novel, whose main character exemplified the type of courageous heroes the novelist often created...men who faced danger straight on with courage and fortitude.

The name of my blog is inspired by Hemingway, who once wrote, "I learned never to empty the well of my writing, but always to stop when there was still something there in the deep part of the well, and let it refill at night from the springs that fed it."

Here are six trademarks of Hemingway’s writing approach that should make you a better, more effective writer:

•Start with the simplest things
•Boil it down
•Know what to leave out
•Distrust adjectives
•Learn to write a simple declarative sentence
•Tell a story in six words

Finding Balance Through Writing

2011-05-16T22:35:00.000-04:00

While I was unable to secure a guest blogger for The Writing Well today as part of the Blogathon (I am too much of a procrastinator), I committed myself to uncovering a writing-focused blogger who inspires me. It didn't take long for me to find that special blogger: Judy Stone-Goldman, Ph.D, an emeritus senior lecturer at the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences at the University of Washington.

Judy created The Reflective Writer to help people use writing to achieve personal and professional balance. On her blog home page, she asks readers, "Are you looking for personal-professional balance?" "Would you like a way to reduce your worries, clarify your goals, and be comfortable with your boundaries?" "Reflective Writing can help you do all this as you give voice to your thoughts and feelings. You don't have to 'be' a writer or see yourself as a writer to participate."

What a great message! We need more bloggers like Judy, who effortlessly share milestones and struggles and then pose helpful tips (and writing prompts) to get others thinking and and journaling.

Judy states in her expanded bio that she was a professional counselor who ran workshops across North America. Many of her workshop participants - both families and individuals -- were energized after attending these workshops, but hungered for a way to keep working through their issues. Her answer was starting this blog.

I find it interesting that The Reflective Writer debuted in October 2009 -- the same month I launched my own writing blog, The Writing Well.

At the time, I expressed my feelings about joining the blogging community this way: "I am just glad to be a part of a community where everyone can have a voice, a perspective, a story to share. It's an exciting milestone for me -- and I know I am going to learn a lot from all of you who are established in this medium."

I have to say I continue to learn a lot from bloggers like Judy, who know why they're here and how to engage, share and inspire through example.

Which bloggers move you? Share them here.

Happy Birthday, Madeleine

2011-05-15T21:56:00.001-04:00

I’m devoting today’s post to a feminist, a diplomat and a role model for women around the world: Madeleine Korbel Albright, who turns 74 today. She was born in Prague under the name, Marie Jana Körbelova on May 15, 1937, the daughter of a Jewish Czech diplomat.

In 1997 -- the year that Britain ceded Hong Kong (a British colony since 1841) back to China and Princess Diana died in road accident in Paris, France -- Albright became the nation’s first female secretary of state and, at that time, the highest ranking woman in the history of the U.S. government.

During her four-year term, Albright reinforced America’s alliances; advocated democracy and human rights; and promoted American trade and business, labor and environmental standards abroad. Prior to her appointment, she served as the U.S. permanent representative to the United Nations and as a member of the President’s Cabinet from 1993 to 1997.

I know something of Albright from a close military officer friend who actually met her on numerous occasions at White House functions and dinners. He expressed to me at the time how genuinely nice she was – in fact, the regard must have gone both ways as my friend was invited to have tea at her residence not long after she retired from public service.

In an interview with Austin Woman Magazine, Albright said her greatest achievement in her term as secretary of state was accomplished in Kosovo. “In Kosovo, we were able to stop ethnic cleansing. It was a complicated effort, and satisfying when it was over,” she said. The same interview, she noted the significant progress for women globally that occurred during her time as secretary, t politically and economically empowering more women throughout the world. “That was no small feat,” she remembers, “and I’m proud to have helped spearhead that movement – a movement that continues today.”

Albright now serves as a Professor of International Relations at Georgetown University's Walsh School of Foreign Service.

Happy birthday, Madeleine! Here's to you. I leave you with some of her more memorable quotes. They reflect her sense of humor and her strengths as a woman, a politician, a world traveler and an advocate of Democratic ideals.

“I was in Europe and it was at this stage that I fell in love with Americans in uniform. And I continue to have that love affair.”

“I've never been to New Zealand before. But one of my role models, Xena, the warrior princess, comes from there.”

“To understand Europe, you have to be a genius - or French.”

“We will not be intimidated or pushed off the world stage by people who do not like what we stand for, and that is, freedom, democracy and the fight against disease, poverty and terrorism."

"While democracy in the long run is the most stable form of government, in the short run, it is among the most fragile."

Interviewing Tips Worth Remembering

2011-05-14T21:53:00.003-04:00

I do a lot of interviewing these days - as a journalist and writer. Not long ago I was on the other side of the table supporting executives in interviews with key trade and business press. PR people often have an uphill battle working with executives who have trouble staying on message or even having a coherent message!

David Frost.

The Guardian published a series of booklets in 2007 chronicling some of the greatest interviews of the 20th century.

Topping their list was David Frost's conversations with Richard Nixon, as well as Marilyn Monroe's last interview and Princess Diana's confessions to Martin Bashir.

These figures would have benefitted from some media prep before they sat on the hot seat.

Here are some tried-and-true tips to better prepare your spokespeople for a media interview -- where they can be credible and quotable, yet know how to navigate through tough questions while staying on message.

• Listen to the question and collect your thoughts before responding. (You don’t have to fill the silence).

• Be brief – less is more.

• Focus on three main points or ideas, and present these important points first.

       Steer the conversation toward those points if the interviewer detours you.

• You don’t have to answer every question. Bridge it back to what you want to talk about

       "Yes, and what's also important is ..."
       "No, but let me explain..."
       "Maybe, but it's important to understand that ..."

• If you only have time to make one key point, which is often the case, what would it be? That is your anchor.

         Get to your anchor quickly without beating around the bush.
         Repeat this key message during the conversation if possible.

• Use flagging.

          "The real issue here is..."
          "If you only remember one thing, remember this..."
          "I want to remind your readers/listeners/audience that..."

• Decide in advance what you are not going to say and stick to your decision.

         Do not assume that anything you say is "off the record."
         If you don't want to read about it in print or hear it on the air, don't say it.

• Punctuate a point with a story or an example.
• Cite positive trends.

• Avoid negative statements. Turn the thought to a positive observation, trend or concept.

• Pace your discussion points. Give the reporter or their audience time to digest complex points.

• When participating in a media interview, it helps to restate the question in your response to give the interviewer a complete quotable sentence.

• Sound bites should be brief and punchy (eight to ten seconds). They should be attention-getting and memorable: use anecdotes, analogies and personal experiences.

• Be confident, energetic, and sincere. Relax, and have fun.

Bloggers & Writers – Find Your Dream Retreat or Workshop this Summer

2011-05-13T14:27:00.000-04:00

As summer approaches, many writers are looking for ways to get away, recharge their creative batteries, and connect with peers. Every year at this time I get an e-mail from the International Women’s Writing Guild about their Summer Writing Conference.

A quick Google search brought me to “the” guide for writers wanting to get away: The Guide to Writers Conferences & Workshops. This free, searchable directory from ShawGuides lists more than 1,000 conferences with short descriptions highlighting key information of what each conference offers.

I spoke with Dorlene Kaplan, editor of ShawGuides, to find out more about the directory and things to think about as you look to find the perfect writer’s getaway.

“Now is a great time to begin planning a writing retreat or other getaway – summer is the most popular time,” says Kaplan. The three-time published author of personal finance books recalls how she struggled to learn about writing workshops.

“You could find a list of writer’s conferences in publications like Writer’s Digest but you didn’t get much information,” recalls Kaplan. Seeing an unmet market need, Kaplan began researching writing conferences and compiling them in one place in 1988. In 1995, the directory – under the ShawGuides brand -- was made available online.

Today, ShawGuides provides directories for a wide array of learning vacations – from culinary travel to photography and language vacations as well as tennis and golf schools.

Writing conferences remain the most popular directory, says Kaplan, who recommends that you should decide early on what type of experience you want from your getaway.

“A retreat doesn’t include instruction,” she says. “You should have a project in the works and be pretty secure in your writing. The whole idea of a retreat is to get away from any distractions and devote your full attention to working on a project.”

In contrast, at a workshop or conference, “you’re really going to learn.”

Kaplan has attended both and found the experiences phenomenal. “Not only do you learn, but also you make connections with agents, editors and other writers (in a non-competitive environment),” she says.

If cost is an issue, consider one-day or weekend programs offered in your community or close by.

“I read years ago and I think it’s so true – over three-quarters of the people who go to these don’t travel very far from their home. You can usually find programs in your community or not too far away,” Kaplan says.

Do you have a favorite writing workshop or conference? Share it here, and I will post the top 10 Blogathon Writer’s Getaways at the end of May.

Best Brands Create Narrative Around Customer ‘Experience’

2011-05-11T16:41:00.000-04:00

Apple has usurped Google as the world’s most valuable brand, according a new study by global brands agency Millward Brown.

The success of Apple’s brand goes beyond growth prospects and financial numbers – and is more about creating a compelling customer experience – one that makes connecting online not only easy but fun!

Anyone who has tried out an iPad knows just how fun -- and addictive -- this gadget can be. My brother never leaves home without his. My kids are enthralled with the utility and fun applications that are a few finger touches away. It’s so easy that my elementary-school aged son can navigate from a FaceTime connection with his uncle and cousins in Chicago, to watching a YouTube trailer of his favorite Harry Potter movie.

I agree with Christopher Meyer’s March 1st “Working Wider” blog post that one of the three cornerstones behind Apple’s transformation is its success in creating compelling customer experiences. Apple’s own 10K filing says it all. The company’s Business Strategy narrative states it is committed to “bringing the best user experience to its customers.”

Brands such as Coca-Cola, Nike, IBM and Google have successfully embraced this concept of creating a customer experience with their brands.

• Coca-Cola, as part of its “Happiness” campaign, videotaped what would happen if a Coca-Cola vending machine placed on a college campus could deliver “doses of happiness” – first, bottles of the beverage then anything from flowers and balloon animals to subs and pizza. The Happiness YouTube video went viral, attracting some 3.5 million hits globally to date, which has helped Coca-Cola connect more closely with its already loyal customer base.

• Nike’s “Just Do It” campaign of the 1980s made exercising hip and cool – even fun. It allowed Nike “to tap into the fitness craze of the 1980s,” with a tough, take-no-prisoners ad campaign, according to a mini-case study on the campaign published by management consulting firm, CFAR Center for Applied Research. “Nike became a self-fulfilling image prophecy: if you want to be hip, wear Nike; if you are hip, you are probably wearing Nike.”

• IBM’s brand campaign, “Let’s Build a Smarter Planet,” is ingenious in that it gets the company’s employees talking about how they’re contributing to a smarter planet whether it’s through smarter transportation systems, better designed cities or smarter communications infrastructure.

• Finally, here’s a storytelling gem from Google that’s in a class by itself -- that instantly connects dads (and daughters) everywhere.

Of course, there are talented, creative storytellers driving these customer-centric brand campaigns. Look for the brands that most inspire you online – experience them – and apply their storytelling magic to elevate your or your client’s own brand story.

Blogathon Haiku Day

2011-05-10T12:15:00.000-04:00

For day 10 of the Blogathon, I'm joining other bloggers in crafting a Haiku poem. It’s a poem encapsulating one thought in three lines of approximately 17 syllables broken down into 5 syllables, 7 syllables, 5 syllables.

Here’s my Haiku poem (my first since grade school), inspired by how I started my day today:

While Walking my Dog

I lose myself in Nature

Flowing in the Breeze

Remembering Mom

2011-05-08T20:40:00.001-04:00

Mother's Day for me is always bittersweet - it's a time to enjoy my kids (and be pampered a little). It's a time to reconnect with other moms and let them know that they're appreciated. And it's a time to thank my own mom for all she's done -- as a parent, confidante and trusted guide. This is my sixth Mother's Day without her.

A true coal miner's daughter, Billie Jo Siler was born on Sept. 17, 1939, in Pruden -- once a tiny coal mining town straddling the Kentucky-Tennessee border in the Blue Ridge Mountains. She was the youngest of seven children (six girls, one boy), and as was common during those days, began smoking when she was only 16. A tomboy and a hard worker, she joined the Air Force out of high school. She had a natural writing aptitude and was assigned to work on the base newspaper at Lackland AFB in Texas. She met my father after returning to civilian life. They married and eventually had four children. A devoted wife and mother, Mom made the holidays special and never knew a stranger. She also was my best friend. She passed away on Aug. 3, 2004, at age 64, when my son -- her first grandchild -- was only three weeks old.

I spent that first year mourning her by penning a book, A Breath Away: Daughters Remember Mothers Lost to Smoking. Each chapter featured a mother-daughter story (the common thread being the early loss of a loved one from lung cancer and other tobacco-related illnesses). Writing helped me grieve and heal; it made my loss less isolating. I discovered that many people have turned to the healing power of writing. In 2009, I attended a Wellness and Writing conference in Atlanta (see post, "Words Really Do Matter") and that conference has since blossomed into an active online community interested in the connection between overall health and expressive writing as a therapeutic practice.

A lot has happened over the intervening years since Mom's passing - including the arrival of eight grandchildren (thankfully, not all mine!). I often wonder what she would have thought of her kids as parents. I am in awe of her patience, grace and strength of character in the face of years and years of chronic illness and eventually, cancer. She never let it get in the way of what was most important to her -- family. I know she would tell us to enjoy the blessings of family and never to take anything for granted.

Here's to you, Mom -- for everything you continue to mean to me and my siblings...we miss you every day.

Mother-Writer Extraordinaire: A Salute to Erma Bombeck

2011-05-07T21:56:00.001-04:00

On the eve of Mother’s Day, I wanted to give tribute to a fellow writer and Ohio native, who touched millions of people with her unique brand of humor and observations of life as a mom.

Erma Bombeck was born on Feb. 21, 1927 and left us on April 22, 1996 at the age of 69 after undergoing a kidney transplant. In the years between her birth and untimely death, Erma would graduate from the University of Dayton, convert to Catholicism, marry and raise three children. She also devoted herself to the craft of writing – merging her love of words with her observations on life raising her family and being a woman in middle class America.

In 1949, Erma joined the news staff of the Ohio Journal Herald, and married her college sweetheart Bill Bombeck. In 1964, she started her humor column, “At Wit’s End” in the Kettering-Oakwood Times– within a year her column was nationally syndicated, running twice weekly in 500 newspapers.

In addition to her column, Erma wrote for magazines such as Good Housekeeping, Reader's Digest, Redbook and McCall's. She also published 15 books, most of which became best sellers.

Here are a few of my favorite quips and quotes from the great lady herself – enjoy!

“Housework, if you do it right, will kill you.”

“My kids always perceived the bathroom as a place where you wait it out until all the groceries are unloaded from the car.”

“I am not a glutton - I am an explorer of food.”

“I haven't trusted polls since I read that 62% of women had affairs during their lunch hour. I've never met a woman in my life who would give up lunch for sex.”

“There's nothing sadder in this world than to awake Christmas morning and not be a child."

“Shopping is a woman thing. It's a contact sport like football. Women enjoy the scrimmage, the noisy crowds, the danger of being trampled to death, and the ecstasy of the purchase.”

And, from her May 12, 1974, Mother’s Day column:

When the Good Lord was creating mothers, He was into his sixth day of “overtime” when an angel appeared and said, “You’re doing a lot of fiddling around on this one.”

And the Lord said, “Have you read the specs on this order?

• She has to be completely washable, but not plastic;

• Have 180 movable parts... all replaceable;

• Run on black coffee and leftovers;

• Have a lap that disappears when she stands up;

• A kiss that can cure anything from a broken leg to a disappointed love affair;

• And six pairs of hands.”

The angel shook her head slowly and said, “Six pairs of hands... no way.”

“It’s not the hands that are causing me problems,” said the Lord. “It’s the three pairs of eyes that mothers have to have.”

“That’s on the standard model?” asked the angel.

The Lord nodded. “One pair that sees through closed doors when she asks, ’What are you kids doing in there?’ when she already knows. Another here in the back of her head that sees what she shouldn’t but what she has to know, and of course the ones here in front that can look at a child when he goofs up and say, ’I understand and I love you’ without so much as uttering a word.”

“Lord,” said the angel, touching His sleeve gently, “Go to bed. Tomorrow...”

“I can’t,” said the Lord, “I’m so close to creating something so close to myself. Already I have one who heals herself when she is sick... can feed a family of six on one pound of hamburger... and can get a nine-year-old to stand under a shower.”

The angel circled the model of a mother very slowly. “It’s too soft,” she sighed.

“But she’s tough!” said the Lord excitedly. “You cannot imagine what this mother can do or endure.”

“Can it think?”

“Not only can it think, but it can reason and compromise,” said the Creator.

Finally, the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek. “There’s a leak,” she pronounced. “I told You You were trying to push too much into this model.”

“It’s not a leak,” said the Lord. “It’s a tear.”

“What’s it for?”

“It’s for joy, sadness, disappointment, pain, loneliness, and pride.”

“You are a genius,” said the angel.

The Lord looked somber. “I didn’t put it there,” He said.

Read about Erma’s life at http://www.ermamuseum.org/.

Meeting Deadlines

2011-05-06T15:52:00.003-04:00

As writers, deadlines are a part of life, whether you churn out copy daily for a blog or newspaper column, or you are working on your next best seller.

In addition to other writing work, I cover trends in technology for Via Satellite, a monthly satellite industry publication published by Access Intelligence Satellite Group. Today, after quote checking some details with a source, I made my submission deadline for an in-depth feature I’d been researching for weeks on the small satellite market.

Everyone knows the relief and sense of satisfaction of beating the time crunch – especially if the editorial project poses challenges – as this assignment did -- in terms of topic complexity, hard-to-reach sources and other unexpected delays. As they say, life often gets in the way of the best laid plans.

Via Satellite Managing Editor Debbie Richards juggles two monthly print magazines (with weekly and daily editions). She told me that writers meeting deadlines are critical to the many publication production schedules she manages. Richards, an editor for the last five years, encourages writers to always keep the lines of communication open.

“Keep your editor advised – if you tell me a week ahead of time I’m having trouble getting this interview then I know you will be a day or two late and I can budget for that. But if you don’t call me at all, then I’m going to hunt you down. It’s much easier if I know ahead of time something is going wrong than having it sprung on me at the last minute,” she says.

In his Nov. 10, 2010 post, “Deadlines keep the paper alive,” writing coach Don Fry estimated that 5 percent of the papers he deals with don’t have deadlines, and all of those come out late. He writes that absent or unmet deadlines further undermine the copy desk, which is under heavy strain with shrinking newsroom staffs.

“A lack of deadlines, or a culture of not meeting them, leads to ‘shoveling’ copy, the norm in most newsrooms after about 9 p.m.” In contrast, properly met deadlines keep the gears meshing. He advises newspaper editors have deadlines, and “that everybody agrees on what they mean, and everybody meets them, including you.”

So, what can you do to meet your deadlines? Start by trying these four steps:

1. Set your own internal deadlines and give yourself cushion to meet your client’s external deadlines.

2. Communicate regularly with your editor or corporate client – let them know if you need more time and why. Two-way dialogue can go a long way.

3. Think twice before taking on a project with unreasonable turnaround times. It will hurt you in the long run from a stress perspective. Also, the final product won’t reflect your best work.

4. Read freelance writer and blogger Leo Babauta’s post, "14 Essential Steps for Meeting a Deadline."

Numbers Done Right

2011-05-05T22:27:00.002-04:00

One guilty pleasure I have on Sunday mornings is reading Parade Magazine. The May 1st issue was devoted to “numbers” – one nation, 50 states, over 300 million people….and a lot of anecdotal statistics covering everything from how Americans spend their money to the states with the top physical activity, high school graduation rates and recent dental visits.

I learned that Miami Beach is the most tattooed city in the country, while Springfield, Ore., has the most strip clubs in the country (a surprise to me given Atlanta's propensity for gentlemen's clubs).

As writers, we often must cite statistics and other facts to make our point credible to readers. Numbers and facts do tell a story – and when used properly within the right context, can ensure credibility and readability. When used improperly, they can cause the opposite effect: confusion and quick dismissal of the content.

Andrew Dlugan, an award-winning public speaker, and the author of the Six Minutes Public Speaking Blog, blogged about this topic back in 2008, calling statistics provided without any meaningful context “naked.”

I agree with Dlugan that numbers are often too large to grasp by themselves – especially if your intended audience is more general (not technical). For your statistic to hit home with your readers, you need context – and the more personal or immediate the context for your audience, the better. He suggests you follow any number you cite with “which means…” to link the statistic to the context/explanation.

It’s sound advice echoed by Ann Wylie, author of more than a dozen learning tools that help people improve their communication skills. “Make your statistics more meaningful by comparing them to something tangible and familiar to your audience,” she urges in her 2009 post titled, “Take the ‘numb’ out of numbers.”

I often find myself dealing with “numbers” when writing “public health in action” features for a CDC website. When reporting on last summer’s Salmonellosis outbreak that led to the largest egg recall in history, I interviewed officials in California’s state health department and CDC’s PulseNet team. PulseNet is a CDC-managed, national network of public health and food regulatory agency laboratories that helps public health officials detect foodborne disease case clusters early on. One of the interviewees noticed the numbers of this type of Salmonella infection jump in late June:

“Normally, we’d see about 300 of these monthly during summer every year, but around the third week in June, we saw that number double,” the source stated. Her comment underscored how unusual this spike was in the context of a normal summer season where people reported foodborne-related illnesses.

It’s not hard to make stats real – you can simply add another layer of detail that puts the numbers into a common frame of reference.

Instead of: In Ohio, 6,422 new cases of colorectal cancer were diagnosed annually between 2002 and 2006.

Write: More Ohioans die from colorectal cancer than any other cancer except lung cancer. Some 6,422 new cases were diagnosed annually between 2002 and 2006.

Do you have examples of writing about numbers that worked? What about ones that missed the mark? Share them here!

Writing Wisdom from Children’s Books

2011-05-04T22:46:00.006-04:00

My children know the magic of books. Since before they could talk, my husband and I have read to them nearly every night. Reading was one constant in our family’s evening routine. I found myself loving the opportunity to bond as we lost ourselves in the worlds of Narnia, Hogwarts, Whoville and the Hundred-Acre Wood.

Children’s literature goes beyond its purpose to entertain and inform; it provides youngsters with an early – and often enduring – introduction to language and the power of storytelling. I've witnessed the benefits of a regular diet of literature on my own kids' imaginations. It's most apparent when they create their own stories on the fly when we are on long drives and want to break up the monotony of the road.

Here are a few key writing fundamentals from children's stories that you can apply to improve your own writing, with examples of these techniques in action.

- Using imagery to set the stage and to bring characters to life

- Introducing alliteration and rhyme to make passages unforgettable (and fun)
- Varying sentence length for dramatic effect (simplicity works)

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling

British author J.K. Rowling is masterful at setting scenes rich with detail that come to life on the page. This excerpt comes from the fourth novel in her Harry Potter series.

"Four fully grown, enormous, vicious-looking dragons were rearing onto their hind legs inside an enclosure fenced with thick planks of wood, roaring and snorting -- torrents of fire were shooting into the dark sky from their open, fanged mouths, fifty feet above the ground on their outstretched necks.

"Mesmerized, Harry looked up, high above him, and saw the eyes of the black dragon, with vertical pupils like a cat's, bulging with either fear or rage, he couldn't tell which....It was making a horrible noise, a yowling, screeching scream..."

Fox in Socks by Dr. Seuss

This line by an exasperated Mr. Knox gets my kids giggling non-stop. It's a clever use of both alliteration and rhyme that moves the story along:

"I can't blab such blibber blubber! My tongue isn't made of rubber."

Charlotte's Web, by E.B. White

The beautiful conclusion to this classic tale underscores how you can intersperse short sentences with longer ones for dramatic effect.

"Wilbur never forgot Charlotte.
Although he loved her children and her
grandchildren dearly, none of the new
spiders ever took her place in his heart.
She was in a class by herself.
It’s not often that someone comes along
who is a true friend and a good writer. Charlotte was both."

Let the Party Begin - Targeting Key to Social Media Mastery

2011-05-03T23:16:00.004-04:00

Evidence of social media’s explosion onto the business landscape is everywhere. More than 250 million people use Facebook Connect every month. Since April, Twitter has gained 40 million users, according to ClickZ.

The time has never been better to integrate social media into your marketing efforts -- but where to begin? I spoke with Social Mediaologist Dawn Gartin on tips and tools to getting started.

“You can spend 15 minutes a day building your brand through social media – it’s easy with the tools available today. The key is to make it a part of your daily routine,” says Gartin, a 15-year speaker and trainer in the technology industry, who regularly consults with entrepreneurs and small business owners on their social media strategy and implementation.

Gartin likes to tell groups that social media is a “PARTY” – an acronym she uses to describe the five steps you need to make social media an integral part of your work life:

Plan: strategy, design and develop
Act: channel setup, SEO content
Reply: engage, fresh, feedback, listen
Test and try
You measure: what does success like?

“The most common pitfall is taking too much on without a plan,” says Gartin, who has seen instances where people think that doing social media is about “being everywhere.” But, that’s not doing social media right. According to Gartin, savvy social media users tie their online efforts to their business marketing plan. You must target those channels where you will find the influencers you need to reach. “Are they on Facebook? YouTube? LinkedIn?”

If you decide you want a broader online presence and need to keep track of conversations on multiple sites, you can use resources to manage those connections. A great dashboard management tool is Hootsuite.

For communicators just testing the social media waters, consider starting with LinkedIn since it is the leading business social media networking site.
“Join the party – be social, have fun, grow your business,” she says.

One Writer’s take on 9/11, the death of bin Laden, and Obama's defining speech

2011-05-02T23:49:00.003-04:00

World Trade Center, Post 9/11 Attack, 2001

Do you remember where you were on 9/11? I do – that bright September morning 10 years ago I was in my apartment in Atlanta, getting ready to start my work day from home. I got a call from my girlfriend who worked in PR at NYU, urging me to “turn the TV on now.” I called my sister over and together we watched in disbelief as CNN showed a plane crash into the first tower. No surprise, my workday never happened as I remained glued in front of the TV the rest of the day.

9/11 is to my generation’s collective consciousness what John F. Kennedy’s assassination was to my parents’ generation. In the years since those attacks, life went on for many of us (I met my husband, started a family and worked to build my own piece of the American Dream).

It wasn’t lost on me the sacrifices being made by our servicemen and women in the global struggle against terrorism. In recent years, the recession and other domestic concerns were front of mind rather than this war, especially as the housing market collapsed, the stock market imploded and joblessness increased.

John O'Boyle / The Star-Ledger

Doug Mills/The New York Times

So, when President Obama announced Monday night that the mastermind of 9/11 was killed by Navy SEALs in a secret raid in Pakistan, I felt elation and a sense of justice, and, above all, relief that "Geronimo" as he was called by our intelligence community, was no more.
'Images of 9/11 Seared in our National Memory'

As a writer, I thought President Obama’s speech was well crafted and hit the important points that an event of this magnitude should convey.
...His words needed historical context, clarity of purpose, and faith in the resiliency of our country to see this manhunt (and the broader terrorrism struggle) through.
...Above all, his words needed to tell a story. He was most effective as a storyteller when describing how the “images of 9/11 are seared in our national memory." He said the “worst images” were those not visible publicly – such as the homes which had “an empty seat at the dinner table” and the children forced to grow up without a parent.

“Great speeches are made on occasions of emotional turmoil,” the late political columnist William Safire wrote in his book, Lend Me Your Ears – Great Speeches in History. Safire, who was Nixon’s speechwriter, also says that at their core speeches are storytelling and the best way to begin even an informal speech is with a story.

Speech Coach: Obama Delivered
“I think President Obama did a good job,” says my colleague Carmie McCook, a Washington, D.C.-based speech and crisis communications coach.
For a speech of this importance, McCook says three things needed to be conveyed– the “what,” the “why” and the “what’s next.”

“You need to speak to your audience and address their top concern,” she told me in an informal phone interview. “In this case, the terrorist of our decade is now gone.”

She adds that you need to provide as much detail as possible – observing that as the president recounted the operation in the compound, “you were visually going there with the SEALs,” she says.

“Finally, you need to explain what’s next – where we go from there. He made it clear that this doesn’t mean our war is over but it certainly means that we’ve made a huge impact on people.”

Jon Favreau, Obama's director of speechwriting.

Obama’s speechwriter Jon Favreau certainly knows how to evoke emotions and convey the resolve that brought the country together after 9/11: “And tonight, let us think back to the sense of unity that prevailed on 9/11. I know that it has, at times, frayed. Yet today's achievement is a testament to the greatness of our country and the determination of the American people."

My One Peeve
If there was one thing I would have changed in President Obama’s remarks, it would be his use of “I” – “I directed,” “at my direction” “I repeatedly”…I understand the need to show strong leadership so close to a re-election bid, but I would have used more inclusive words like “we” and “us” every time. Afterall, it was a collective effort that achieved this mission, and it will take every one of us to be vigilant to safeguard our country from another day like September 11, 2001. I pray that Monday’s actions lead us further along that noble path.
Links to read more
Associated Press
Reuters Front Row Washington
NPR
Economic Times

Why Water for Elephants Works

2011-05-01T00:34:00.003-04:00

"When two people are meant to be together, they will be together. It's fate." - Jacob Jankowski, Water For Elephants

Tonight I accompanied my friend and dad to see the critically acclaimed Water for Elephants. The movie reflected my favorite genre, romantic drama set in an historical context. The film transports you to Depression era America and the world of a struggling circus, where you get a bird's eye view of the complex relationships between the people (and the animals) who inhabit that world.

The film, based on the New York Times' bestselling book by Sara Gruen, who grew up in Ontario, delivered the goods -- keeping me and other moviegoers transfixed. The movie had unforgettable flashes of both inhumanity and humanity, played out by Jacob (played by Rob Pattinson of Twilight fame), a young vet-in-training who flees unspeakable tragedy by hitching a ride on a traveling circus; Marlena, an orphan-turned star performer and circus wife (played by Reese Witherspoon); and of course, Christoph Waltz as the controlling, ruthless and jealous ringmaster August.

It doesn't hurt that the story takes you inside the gritty world of a struggling circus during a time when one in four Americans was jobless. I found myself asking, "Why does Marlena stay?" and "Why does Jacob?" at times when August's violent outbursts are at their most out of control.

To me, Water for Elephants is storytelling at its best -- with unforgettable (and flawed) characters. It's a story about relationships and the bonds formed by people and animals, and includes a surprising climatic conclusion. Kudos to the filmmakers in crafting the final scenes of the movie using black-and-white old home movie flashbacks.

Gruen writes in her book, "Life is the most spectacular show on earth." This movie certainly lives up to that billing.

Check out the movie trailer and a MovieJungle interview with Sara Gruen about her story and its transformation to the big screen.

Don’t Want to Bore Your Audience? Tell Stories

2011-03-31T10:17:00.000-04:00

How often do we as communicators fail to hit the mark in reaching and engaging our audiences?

Communications consultant and IABC Toronto member Donna Papacosta, owner of boutique communications firm, Trafalgar Communications, tackled this issue in a recent IABC webinar, “Telling Stories – Captivate Your Audience.”

“We’re all hard-wired for storytelling,” says the 25-year communications pro, pointing to human culture's strong oral tradition.

Papacosta says as communicators, we often are guilty of writing overly long articles that fail to draw a reader in.
According to Papacosta, some hallmarks of compelling content include:

Headlines that grab readers (short, direct, specific, ruled by a verb, not too "cute")
Copy that targets your audience (requires you to think like a reader)
Simple language
Copy that's very clear -- shorter words are better!
Copy that’s relevant, timely, and actionable
Copy that solves a problem, engages, inspires action and even entertains

She says the best way to create compelling content is to tell a story – and stories can be woven into anything, from case studies to news releases, to videos, to internal newsletters. They can even be incorporated into so-called “broccoli topics” – Papacosta’s term for those mundane subjects that communicators have to talk about. She points out that when leaders in an organization share a story, it shows their humanity and builds trust with their audience.

“Look for stories – they are everywhere,” she urges. “Ask your employees and your customers – find ways to add emotion to examples in your communications and they’ll become a story.”

Do you have examples of great storytelling in your communications? Share them here!

How to start building your brand ambassador community - iMediaConnection.com

2011-03-21T23:12:00.001-04:00

"A very cool post on building brand ambassadors and the importance of cultivating bloggers to extend your company's message."

Blogger communities can help promote -- or doom -- companies, products, and services that fall into their areas of interest. Find out how you can harness their power for the good of your brand.

View >>

Blogging the Top Media Tool of 2011

2011-01-06T07:25:00.001-05:00

According to Social Media Examiner, blogging is the top media tool for 2011, based on a survey of 1,900 marketers that the blog site interviewed in 2010. Half said they wanted to learn more about blogging.

This finding may be surprising to those of us who thought Twitter, Facebook or YouTube were the dominant social media channels. It's great news for professional communicators who want to launch a blog for their clients in 2011.

Need more motivation? A recent HubSpot study shows that companies that blog achieve far better marketing results that the ones that don't blog - attracting 55% more website visitors than non-blogging companies. (HubSpot is an innovative internet marketing company founded in 2006 by two former MITers who advise small businesses on how to leverage the disruptive effects of the internet to "get found" by more prospects). They offer some practical advice on software feature choices for those just starting a business blog.

SoCon11 Celebrates Five Year Anniversary of Social Media Networking | Atlanta Daybook

2011-01-01T08:15:00.000-05:00

SoCon11 Celebrates Five Year Anniversary of Social Media Networking Atlanta Daybook

Outlook Bright for Communications Profession

2010-11-24T09:56:00.015-05:00

Looking ahead to 2011, the outlook for the communications profession remains bright, according to a panel of thought leaders speaking Nov. 22 at the final IABC Atlanta monthly member meeting of the year.

Photo caption (photo back L to R Ken Boughrum, TUNE Communications; Debbie Curtis-Magley, UPS; front L to R: Sara Pilling, PGi and Lauren Jarrell, Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau.

The packed meeting included a large contingent of students from the IABC student chapter at University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication.

Ken Boughrum, a 25-year communications strategist who runs TUNE Communications and spent most of the past decade at PR agency, Ketchum, noted that the communications profession is finally making a metamorphosis, moving away from being an “information distribution business to being in the business of influencing the business. That really happens by establishing a relationship with all of an organization’s stakeholders whether it’s through social media tools or using tried-and-true methods,” he said.

All the panelists stressed the impact on social media on the way they communicate externally and internally to key groups. “The cool thing about being in the communications function is we get to shape that dialogue,” Boughrum said.

More Intimate Dialogue

Lauren Jarrell, director of communications for the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau, noted that the hospitality industry has always relied on deep connections with partners and customers. Social media (check out Twitter feed) “gives a louder voice to the message shaping we’ve been working on for years.” Jarrell added that the ability to communicate so quickly and so often is also exciting because it allows her team to leverage people who are influencers and who are most passionate about her organization’s “product” -- Atlanta as a destination -- to serve as voices to key audiences.

Sara Pilling, marketing director for PGi, a global application software and services company that enables real-time, virtual meetings, says social media has allowed has given her PR team new ways to tell her company’s story well. “A lot of casual tone and the approachability of influencers now give us a great opportunity to have a much closer dialogue.”

Storytelling Still King

While digital technology’s influence is evident everywhere, audiences still need strong storytelling. Boughrum agrees: “A good story, well told, trumps technology any day. Yes, there are so many channels to tell you story, but at the core it’s still about the story.”

As communicators get better at demonstrating the impact of digital and new media tools, you can gain executive buy-in and ultimately more followers.

Measurement is a big part of Debbie Curtis-Magley’s job at UPS. As corporate public relations manager, she works closely with colleagues in Customer Communications, HR and Employee Communications on several social media efforts, including content for the UPS blog, upside. Curtis-Magley describes her role as part communicator and part “data nerd.”

“The data has been helpful for us in building the business case about the importance of our participation in these channels,” she said.

Several high-profile events affected UPS’s brand in the last year, from a plane crash to the discovery of suspicious packages originating in Yemen found on UPS and FedEx planes. Curtis-Magley also recalled following the Haiti earthquake, a rumor circulating on social media sites mentioned that UPS would ship packages under 50 pounds for free to Haiti. "People didn't check our website to see that we had suspended service to the country in the wake of the earthquake," she said.

Curtis-Magley analyzes online chatter, enabling UPS to connect data to the stories and better understand which stories caught the interest of a wider audience, and which stories had shorter or longer life cycles. UPS’s PR team also generates quarterly reports on key business topics, to see the impact of the company’s messaging and to better understand the sentiment around conversations around the brand.

“It’s allowed us to show some progress in the areas of customer service and environment," she said. "We’ve been able to provide a lot of numbers to whatever situation we encounter and it’s enabled us to provide business intelligence. Whatever group has an interest, we are able to provide some data that they now connect to the business reality (of the situation being measured)."

Trust Rising, According to Edelman

All the panelists agreed that trust in organizations is important – Boughrum noted that trust and transparency in companies are “as important as quality and service.”

Panel moderator Marilyn Mobley, senior vice president and strategic counsel for Edelman, shared results of the 2010 Edelman Trust Barometer. This annual opinion leaders study found an 18 percent uptick in trust globally in business.

Employees as Brand Ambassadors

Employee engagement in telling an organization’s story will continue to grow in prominance among forward-thinking companies. Great examples of this approach are IBM’s Smarter Planet campaign, which offers a succinct global message that resonates with audiences, unifies IBM staff and celebrates the employee, noted Boughrum. He also cited Cisco’s Human Network and Intel’s Rock Star Sponsors of Tomorrow TV commercial, featuring Intel 's co-inventor of the USB being treated as a rock star by colleagues.

Curtis-Magley said that with more than 400,000 employees, UPS has a rich source of compelling stories from drivers who make deliveries to other staff, who have stories to tell that people are “interested in hearing." “It humanizes the brand and shows we’re a company made up of people just like you,” she added.

Influencers, Blogs to Follow

Concluding the discussion, panelists offered the following resources for communicators who want to stay ahead of trends in social media and communications in 2011:

Blogs/Influencers:

Web Strategy by Jeremiah Owyang Since 1996, this blog has delivered insight on disruptive technologies and their impact on how companies communicate with their customers.

Forrestor blog, Groundswell -- This blog targets readers interested in social applications and technology empowerment inside and outside companies. Its written by two Forrestor analysts --Josh Bernoff, co-author of the BusinessWeek bestseller Groundswell, who serves as senior vice president, idea development, at Forrester Research, and Ted Schadler, vice president and principal analyst in Forrester's IT Research Group.

Sarah Evans, owner of Sevans Strategy, a public relations and new media consultancy, who initiated and moderates #journchat, the weekly—and first-ever—industry live chat between PR professionals, journalists and bloggers on Twitter.

James Andrews, social media strategist, founding partner of EVERYWHERE, blogger, author, speaker, DJ, occasional CNN social media expert.

Website -- Harvard Business Review – Working Knowledge – an early look at faculty research to help communicators stay ahead of the curve of what's coming in academic research.

Book -- Drive by Daniel H. Pink -- addresses the secret to high performance and satisfaction—at work, at school, and at home—namely, the deeply human need to direct our own lives, to learn and create new things, and to do better by ourselves and our world.

Headlines on My Mind

2010-11-17T08:24:00.006-05:00

Today I will deliver a webinar on how to write success stories to public health people around the country. My presentation will focus on the basics of concise writing with some interactive exercises.

Headlines are the ultimate test of tight writing. It’s what people see first when they scan a newspaper or pick up a book. And, when done well, headlines grab attention, speak to their intended audience and deliver a complete message. Before we know it, we're drawn into the lead and are off to the races -- reading the story, article or book chapter.

Four out of five people will read a headline and skip the rest of the copy completely, according to Briitish advertising executive David Ogilvy. AP editors know the craft of headline writing intimately, as do editors at most major newspapers.

Preparing my presentation gave me an opportunity to scan some headlines that I feel perfectly capture what headlines are supposed to do -- inform, entertain and engage readers. Here are a few. I hope you enjoy!

On the Moon! -- this 1969 headline from the Wisconsin State Journal marking the Moon landing stands the test of time.

Bye, Bye Bobby - This Sports Illustrated headline marked the retirement of Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox after 21 seasons and more than 2,000 season wins. Simple, heartfelt, and targeted at baseball fans everywhere.

Dr. Seuss, man of rhyme and reason, dies at 87 -- I love this obituary headline for Theodor Seuss Geisel, who passed away on Sept. 24, 1991, after authoring and illustrating 44 children's books.

Prince picks Kate as mate -- from today's Atlanta Journal-Constitution lead feature headline observing the engagment of Britain's Prince William. The headline writer for this AP story even incorporated rhyme and alliteration in this clever heading.

Independence has its Rewards

2010-10-26T10:52:00.016-04:00

My article in the current IABC Atlanta member magazine, empart, talks about the challenges and rewards of being an independent communicator. If you've ever thought about striking out on your own, the time couldn't be better. Find out below what it takes to succeed as an independent communication pro in today's ever-changing business landscape.

Striking Out On Your Own: Self-employed Communicators Speak Out
Reprinted from empart magazine, Summer/fall 2010

One in six IABC professional members worldwide is self-employed, and I proudly count myself as one of them. My editorial and PR consulting firm was launched more than 11 years ago after signing up my first client, a wireless communications firm, and I haven’t looked back.

Going independent, for many of us, represents a chance to pursue clients and work that most interests us, with the opportunity to work on our own terms – in our pajamas if we like. Of course, the deadlines and expectations to deliver great results are just the same and maybe even tougher than in the full-time employee world, depending on the client load that’s carried.

The jump from full-time staffer to consultant isn’t as huge as it used to be, with cutbacks in full-time marketing and PR departments and in full-service PR agencies compelling many professionals to go at it alone. Eight of the 10 largest O'Dwyer-ranked independent PR firms were in the minus column for 2009. Also reporting negative years were 15 of the top 25 and 32 of the top 50.

For Audraine Jackson, it was one too many downsizings from area PR firms that finally prompted her to go independent 12 years ago.

“Despite delivering great work for agencies servicing clients like Kroger, MARTA, Orange Crush and Hardee’s, I was always targeted for layoffs when an account was lost or didn’t pay on time. As a VP/ account supervisor, my position was the first to be cut for less experienced, lower-compensated hires,” recalls Jackson, who knew something about the entrepreneurial mindset since her father always ran his own businesses while Jackson was growing up.

“Being independent is better now than when I started. Companies are more willing to contract out for services they used to have in-house,” says Jackson. A consultant brings value by getting the work done without the organization having to expand annual payroll, which is important to publicly-traded companies as well as smaller businesses that are scrutinizing bottom-line results, Jackson notes.

Her company, Jackson Communications, serves clientele in construction/real estate development, restaurant, government, healthcare and sports marketing. Jackson also is a highly-followed blogger whose ATLFalconFan rants and raves regularly appear at USA Today.com.

Attitude is Everything

For veteran communicators who have been downsized, and may be considering contract work for the first time, “Don’t be discouraged,” Jackson says. “Some layoffs should be viewed as an opportunity for new growth instead of mourning it as a loss,” she says, noting that Oprah Winfrey once said that there had been no failures in her life -- just opportunities for lessons to be learned. To be successful, according to Jackson, independents need to balance time each week on new business development, account service and operational functions. “It is a lot of work but they are all necessary to building and sustaining a livelihood.” She offers this helpful advice for communicators thinking about moving into the entrepreneurial ranks:

• Develop a solid business plan and know how to budget money and time.
• Close a few accounts before going out on your own full-time
• Assess your skill level and determine your hourly rate and identify clients who can afford to pay those fees.

“The smaller you are, the smaller your accounts may be sometimes since businesses can’t afford to expend money for failed results,” says Jackson.

Jeremy Porter, a consultant specializing in tech PR and marketing for start-ups and founder of Journalistics, an expert search engine and marketing platform, says his decision to go independent a decade ago was out of a realization that he was “never good with following rules.”

“I also saw an opportunity to help clients do more with less, track results closer to real dollar values, all while making more money than I would in a full-time gig,” he says.

'Best Time’ for Independents

Porter thinks now is the best time for communicators to go out on their own. “When I first ventured out on my own it was in the midst of the dotcom bust. Despite what you might think, it was the best time to start out. We’re in a similar place right now – companies are looking for smarter, more cost-effective resources to help them with their marketing programs. Independents are more attractive options than ever. In Atlanta specifically, there seems to be the most opportunity with entertainment, alternative energy, life sciences and the tech sectors though everything looks to be rebounding right now.”

How to keep momentum in your business going? Porter advises to stay visible. “Volunteer on boards, speak at events, get quoted in articles, share interesting information with your contacts and don’t let two months go by without at least checking in with your top contacts.”

Jackson reads biographies of successful leaders and has found IABC a huge asset to her consulting career. “The local seminars and workshops always give me new ways to solve recurring business challenges,” she says, adding that entering and winning her first Golden Flames Award in the integrated marketing category last year was a “real confidence booster.” She also has done reciprocal award judging, which has helped her understand how others are facing similar challenges in other parts of the world – and gives her a “bird’s eye view at how they are able to tackle communications issues and overcome them.”

She advises anyone who becomes an entrepreneur to stay positive and understand that business trends in cycles. “You must have vision, forecasting skills and sources of motivation to keep your attitude and approach right.”

Local Resources for Independents

PRSA/GA President Timothy Hussey says PRSA’s Independent Counselors Special Interest Group (SIG) (https://www.prsageorgia.org/sigs/Independent-Counselors/) meets monthly and is one of the largest SIGs in the Atlanta chapter.

IABC/Atlanta recently formed a new Independent Communicators Roundtable SIG, which holds meetings every other month. Organizer Debra Jacob, owner of Jacob Market Research, a web analytics and e-marketing firm in midtown Atlanta, relocated to Atlanta in November 2009 from San Francisco, where she coordinated a similar IABC independent communicators’ roundtable, while working as a marketing communications consultant.

“The premise is to pull together independent business owners so they have a forum in which to discuss critical issues to their business – that means anything from how to bill and how to use new media, to sharing tips among each other so they can learn from positive and negative experiences,” Jacob says, who tries to inspire a “collaborative spirit” to the group.

While outside speakers present at the roundtable, she keeps the group small (the target is 15 people) to ensure rich dialogue. “We want to hit those key target areas – what do I charge? Can I go on vacation and still run a business? How do I subcontract?’ These are all critical issues,” Jacob says.

A key success factor in the roundtable format is that it’s collaborative and non- competitive: “We’re not all individuals here; we can help one another out. If I am approached with business I don’t particularly do, I can pass leads on. Especially in this economy it’s important that we be resources for each other. It’s not every man or woman for him or herself.”

D.C. Area: Steady Growth in Independents, Larger Contracts

Heathere Keenan, founder of the Independent Public Relations Alliance (IPRA), a 60-member group of independents in the greater Washington, D.C. area, reports seeing continued steady growth in the number of independents but not a major uptick as a result of the economy.

“What we are seeing is larger contracts being awarded to independents, which I think speaks to the whole concept of the virtual model and the benefits it brings to clients, especially in this economy where budgets for integrated communications are being monitored and analyzed,” Keenan says. “I think the (independent practice) model offers serious benefits to clients looking for value, senior level talent and a flexible kind of team.”

Keenan, who is an 11-year independent practitioner through her company, Keenan PR, says that successful people in this industry have an entrepreneurial drive, believe and value this work model, and share a strong spirit of partnership. Winning new business “is often the result of a few independents partnering together,” Keenan concludes.

Turner Experts Share Video-over-Web Tips

2010-09-24T16:22:00.003-04:00

Turner Broadcasting’s team of new media production, photography and communications experts provided ample advice at the IABC Atlanta’s Technology Special Interest Group meeting this week. Walking the talk, the Turner folks not only provided different examples of videography equipment for us to see and handle, but also they streamed the meeting live -- capturing the presentation and Q&A from attendees using handheld flip cameras, while encouraging those of us present to the do the same.

It was an information-packed few hours on Turner’s campus as we learned the best techniques and tools for doing web-based video storytelling. I was the first one to ask about lighting– a key concern of mine as I have been accustomed to the painstaking lighting set ups from professional shoots in my years in corporate communications.

Dennis Bassarab

“The web is more impactful with tighter shots,” noted Dennis Bassarab, Emmy-award-winning videographer and director of photography for Turner Studios. Bassarab advised us to remember that a person’s eyes can capture an image much better than the sensor in any camera.

Lighting Key

“There are some simple lighting paradigms – your foreground should be brighter than your background; you try to get lighting that is pleasant and fills the face out. Not harsh lighting – you don’t want to see shadows in the background.”

If you have a flip camera, the first thing you look for is where the light is coming from. If there is a window, you open the blinds and let the natural light hit your subject. “Nature is your light. Use that. If you have overhead fluorescents – they’re not great, but you can use a white tablecloth over a chair or some kind of reflecting material to bounce light in. Use your desk lamps – those are great because they’re low,” Bassarab advised.

David Broyles

David Broyles, manager of Technical Operations, whose role includes overseeing Turner's Digital Media Group and the DVD Authoring Group, reiterated that editing and encoding video depends on what you have to work with – namely, “good lighting and good audio.”

To Stream or Not to Stream?

David Kennerly, manager of New Media Production & Development, said one of the big things you need to decide is how do you want to capture video – by streaming it live (which requires compression) so people can watch it on demand, or to capture and encode it at your computer later? How you answer will dictate what technology you use. Encoding for streaming is ideally at 750 kpbs, although 500 kpbs is also good. Kennerly recommends dual bit rate streaming where you have two streams (one at 500 kpbs and one at 200 kpbs).

David Kennerly

Turner is moving to the Flash format for all their video compression (in fact, 30 percent of all video files are Flash). The H.264/MPEG-4 standard for video compression is where the industry is headed, the Turner officials said. Not surprisingly, Windows Media Player is among the most prevalent players used on the market today.

Quick Time Pro got high marks for supporting MPG-4 formats and affordability. Others referenced included Premiere, Final Cut, Media Composer and Sony’s Vegas Pro.

What You Need to Get Started

To get started with your own video storytelling over the web, here's a basic list of what you need:

• Video camera
• Lighting kit (there are some inexpensive options and a house lamp or two can do wonders)

• Microphones (lavaliere wireless mics are great)

• Editing platform ( For Mac, consider FinalCutpro, Premiere, Media Composer, iMovie, etc.; for PC, consider Premiere, Media Composer, Vegas)

• Encoder

FinalCut, Premiere, Media Composer, Vegas and other editing platforms can encode. Dedicated encoders include QuickTimePro, Sorensen Squeeze, Adobe Media Encoder, TMPEG Encoder.

If you want to do inexpensive live video on the web, Kennerly advised that you buy a DV camera with a FireWire output and a laptop with a FireWire input. You also need to open an account with Livestream or Ustream (Livestream offers an option to stream to iPhones).

Kennerly said there are also ways to create more professional video streams. On the low end, you can transmit video using a digital DV signal over FireWire directly into a laptop. He described this approach as "a clean, easy way to capture live video for streaming to sites like Ustream or Livestream." Another option is to use an analog signal over RCA (red/white/yellow) through an external “Break Out Box” like a Pinnacle FireWire or USB capture device. This method is effective to get live video out of most vcameras, including older ones, into almost any computer with a USB 2.0 port. It also comes with software for editing and creating titles.

"Don’t forget webcams and internal cams in laptops for 'talking head' type scenarios – if you light well and get a decent microphone, this is an increasingly acceptable, inexpensive way to go," he said.

In the mid range, you can use a capture card installed in a PCI slot inside your PC, like an Osprey 230 or 300. Kennerly noted that this option is a good way to capture higher-quality video, and the card comes with some cool software that gives you options for overlaying logos on your video. Alternatively, you can invest in a higher-end external FireWire device such as the Canopus ADVC-110.

For high-end video efforts, consider an SD capture card installed in a PCI-X slot inside you PC, like an Osprey 540 or 560, or an HD capture card installed in a PCI-X slot inside your PC, like a Blackmagic Decklink or an Osprey 700. AJA also makes good cards for Macs and PCs.

Encoding Software
At this point you will be ready to encode software for live streaming. Kennerly pointed out that sites such as Ustream, Livestream, and Justin TV "offer their own proprietary encoders that are good for small, homemade shows, and they offer some flexible options." He said you can stream for free if you can tolerate the advertising. "These sites also act as your video server and CDN (content delivery network) – they are very good options for getting live video on the web quickly."

You have a number of media encoder options beyond those proprietary options. For instance, Windows Media Encoder 9 is a free download from Microsoft. A positive of that encoder is viewers can watch a stream simply by clicking on a link, and WME offers lots of production tool, while a negative aspect is that some Mac users have trouble viewing WMV streams.

Flash Media Encoder 3.1 is a free download from Adobe. Kennerly said a plus for Flash is that it is easy to view for Windows and Mac users, and is now viewable on Android devices. On the negative side, Flash files are difficult to edit (offering very limited production tools). In addition, viewers have to watch Flash in a player embedded on a web page, or in a player like VLC.

Video Servers - Windows and Flash Good Options

Running your own video server, continued Kennerly, can be difficult unless you are very tech savvy, but Windows and Flash both offer good media servers. A plus -- running your own server is good for small viewing audiences. A negative -- viewers will be reaching in and “touching” your server, so you can’t reach large audiences without crashes. Getting an account with a Content Delivery Network (CDN) is the best solution for serving live video to large audiences. SimpleCDN is an inexpensive CDN, while bigger CDNs like Akamai, Limelight, and Highwinds offer many packages and services. Peer-to-peer streaming services such as Octoshape are an increasingly relevant way to deliver live video.

Embedding Video on the Web -- HTML Skills a Must

To embed a video player in a web page, Kennerly advises that you either learn HTML or hire someone who knows it. Windows Media Players, which play live MMS streams, are easy to embed. Flash Media Players, which play live RTMP streams, are harder to embed. Open source players such as Flowplayer and JW player are available, but they require serious coding skills.

Online Sites for Bargain Hunting, Knowledge Building

The Turner speakers also recommended the following online resources to learn more and to get tips on video shooting for the web:

• CreativeCow.com -- a great place for novices and experienced video creative people

• B&H.com – for excellent deals on cameras and other products

• Cinematography Mailing List, or CML-- a free exchange of ideas with 16,000 members strong where you can gain access to some 20 different lists by specialty area