Good morning, everyone:
I’d like to introduce Linda McGinnis. She’s a friend (we used to walk together when she lived in Ojai), and she’s a colleague. She’s a writer and a teacher. She also does page layout and design. She designed several of my books over the years. She wrote to me in response to a recent blog entry and I’d like to share it with you:
“I enjoy reading your blogs. I especially like your style; it is as if we are sitting in your living room, drinking coffee together.
Writing was the hardest thing I have ever done. I rarely write for pleasure, or the joy of writing. When I pick up a pen, it is because I am emotionally pushed to express myself. It does give me a feeling of great accomplishment.
I wanted my book, The Art of Hairdressing Success, (1995) to be successful. I wanted to sell thousands of copies. At the height of my marketing, 6 schools had made the book a requirement. I had never dreamed The Art of Hairdressing Success would be required in beauty schools or referred to as the “Senior Text.” But, as you know, I burned out from marketing. It was about the time I moved up to Northern California that I stopped book marketing. I was tired of creating newsletters, offering discount specials; doing the hundreds of mailings per month to beauty schools. Orders slowly came in, then eventually stopped. Only one school still makes my book a requirement.
I could have made more appearances, traveled more. But, I was exhausted, and wanted to focus on making a new life here.
I think that most people have big dreams for the success of their books. But, nothing ever turns out quite like you think it will. And, in my case, it all turned out better than I could have planned.
When I think of the doors that opened for me; how my life changed, and blossomed as a result of writing my book, I am grateful. I feel as though I did something really big in my life. I learned to use a computer, to write, to publish, to do page-layout. Writing a book led to getting work in the field of education and graphic design.
The work you do as a writing coach is so important. Because the writing/publishing task is so daunting, yet so rewarding.
Thank you for being there for so many. Thank you for having the confidence in my book-design skills to hire me years ago. Focusing on your books helped me to not get overly emotionally involved in the success of or lack of success of my book.
Now back to work for S’cool Moves, Inc where I use the skills of writing, editing, page layout, and marketing. Those useful skills gained over the years of working on, The Art of Hairdressing Success, and then the years of design work for your books!
Linda McGinnis”
I’d like to hear your writing/publishing stories. Send them to me at PLFry620@yahoo.com. And remember that I am offering a discount this week on all of my on demand online courses. Email me for more information.