A Slip of My Pen

Rick Meets Nick

2012-02-25T14:52:00.002-08:00

GoAnimate.com: Nick Meets Rick by GHMusician

Like it? Create your own at GoAnimate.com. It's free and fun!

Music Biz Bits: How Are You With Your Controls?

2012-02-12T11:55:00.000-08:00

Music Biz Bits: How Are You With Your Social Media Controls?: Habituation means you know the buttons so well that you don't have to think about them. You can fully enjoy the game. Just the other da...

Writing About Local History - Heritage Properties

2012-01-31T12:33:00.000-08:00

The value of our home is contained not just in our own memories of living there, but in the history of the building and the property itself. In many of our established urban areas, we have neighbourhoods filled with homes that have been previously owned by the "pillars of our communities." A heritage home designation can bring with it prestige, financial value, desirability, and a sense of connection to the community.

When you know you're living in a home that has been a significant place in years gone by, you feel more than a bit proud, but also responsible for taking care of it so that it will be passed on to future owners as the priceless heritage piece that it is.

What informaton do you need to know?
Where do you find it?
Who can help you research your home's history?
What are communities doing to identify and look after heritage properties?

Ron Palangio Group: Five (5) Deadly Mistakes to Avoid When Making Vale...

2012-01-30T20:05:00.000-08:00

Ron Palangio Group: Five (5) Deadly Mistakes to Avoid When Making Vale...: Valentine's Day is a minefield of quirky expectations, coded phrases, missed hints, unexpressed feelings, and I-wish-he-could-read-my-mind f...

2012-01-26T15:52:00.000-08:00

3D Book Cover Creator http://3d-pack.com

New Subscribers - Shyyeahh Baby!

2012-01-22T11:12:00.000-08:00

It's freaking exciting to see that people actually choose to accept what I'm offering.
Freaking amazing.
Seventy-four (74) subscribers are now going to receive the next edition of Greater Hamilton Musician.
I keep getting idea tsunamis, and it's from reading The Well-Fed Writer by Peter Bowerman. The latest one is to write a white paper for musicians with a title something like:

How To Start Getting More and Better Gigs

Soon will be offered here on this site and on GBRpublications.com

Woah! Reader's Choice Award Nomination?

2012-01-17T15:50:00.000-08:00

What the ??
Someone nominated Greater Hamilton Musician Magazine for a Reader's Choice Award. This contest is sponsored by Metroland Media.

Describing the Achievement of 246% Growth Rate in Subscriptions

2012-01-12T06:43:00.000-08:00

I set up a subscription process for a startup ezine, and using my printed materials and marketing strategies the subscriptions doubled in a month.
Strategies used:

warm email marketing to known clientele
cold email contacts through published industry contact information
distribution of URL business cards in local venues where potential subscribers would be
designing and placing posters in key venues
Facebook advertising
press releases

Greater Hamilton Musician is going out in three days to 57 subscribers. Last month it was sent to 23.
Growth rate: 246%
Yeah, baby!

Targeting Yourself Strategically

2011-12-29T18:11:00.000-08:00

This one thanks to http://www.themiddlefingerproject.org/

"psychodemographics: beliefs, habits, philosophies, personality, behavior, attitudes, as well as what types of problems those group of people have in common...and what you can do to help them."

Here's another bit from same place:

"What problems keeps this person awake at night? More importantly, as the result of these problems, what emotions does this person feel? Draw a stick figure of your dude or dudette, list these things out, tack it in front of your computer, and make decisions based on what will help THEM. They are your new messiah, and they will help you make focused, informed business decisions."

Thanks, Ash

And this, from Cashandjoy.com

“Exactly! It’s so damn simple, I could hug myself with pride.” Which I then do, making small humming noises. “If you imagine your audience clearly and you say to them, “Are you this kind of person?” there are three possible responses. They could say no – which is a problem, of course – or they could say, “Yep” which is good but you’re not there yet, or they could jump out of their chair saying, “HELLS YES I AM!” That last place is the ground where you can build communities and resources that people would fight a rabid wolverine to be part of.”

From Men With Pens

2011-12-28T08:11:00.001-08:00

Here's some advice from Steven Pressfield, a professional writer who wrote The War of Art:
Turning pro is a state of mind; it's a mental shift from the weekend-warrior attitude of an amateur to the hard-core self-discipline of a professional.
Quoted by James Chartrand in her excellent writer's blog-

Damnfinewords.com

Media Desk - Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board

2011-12-28T07:06:00.000-08:00

Media Desk - Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board
Anyone can submit an event or story for publication here.

More Red Head Wisdom

2011-12-26T08:04:00.000-08:00

“I would love to help you out with ______. I work in one of two ways: an hourly consulting rate of $XXX or we can define the entire scope of your needs and I can put together a project rate for you. Let me know which one sounds like a better fit for you and we’ll get you put into the production calendar and headed towards a solution!”

Bitch slapped again!

From Red Head Writing

2011-12-26T07:52:00.001-08:00

Theory is Free, Teaching Ain’t
Wanna know what I think? I’ll tell ya. You don’t even have to buy me coffee. But you need to do one thing today: you need to have a clear understanding in your professional life of where to draw the line on “theory.” I’ll tell a how I do it:

If I’m telling you some things to do that you can find on Google or are solely my thoughts about a subject, that’s theory.
If I’m telling you how to do something that’s a result of my research, my experience and my processes, that’s teaching.

From redheadwriting.com
That's one smart chick.

Facebook Badge

2011-12-19T18:07:00.001-08:00

Greater Hamilton Musician

Promote Your Page Too

First publication of GHM

2011-12-18T17:29:00.000-08:00

GHM went out last Thursday, December 15. The world did not end.
Good conversation today about how to market it next time around. Nix to the idea of printing up hard copies, and yes to the idea of buying advertisements and mailing posters to some key music stores and art venues. We shall see how things develop.
34 subscribers. woah.

What the ?? More Spam and Scam!

2011-11-30T05:18:00.000-08:00

Today I received two different email blasts from two copywriters that I subscribe to. They BOTH were touting a free video series by some guy name Ed ?? So, I signed up (my email address is becoming a real tramp these days, just like my old credit card) and watched the first video. All he did was tell his sorry life story, and how bad his luck had been for the last 10 years selling things making cold calls, and now he has discovered a way of selling that is much easier and much more successful! And, wait for this.... he'll tell us all about it in the next video!
In addition to my own take on it, a comment stream from Facebook appeared under the screen, and everyone (mostly other copywriters who already are his friends) are GUSHING about the truth in the video. Everyone, except me that is.
Why is it that when someone wants to become a writer they quickly enter the world of spam and scam?
Just sayin'
My pen slipped.
GB

Writing my writer's bio

2011-11-30T05:13:00.000-08:00

It's important not to lie on my resume, and to put myself in a proper professional light. The hardest sentence to finish is: "Glen's copy has appeared in ..." because most of my stuff is self-published. I can truthfully say that I've been published in Reader's Digest (need to get a clipping), and I have written a succesful funding proposal for an educational technology project.

Getting subscriptions ain't easy

2011-11-30T05:11:00.000-08:00

Funny how quickly I start to get second thoughts. "Is this a stupid idea?" kind of thing, or "What were you thinking? Do you think the average person gives a carp about what you've got to say? No one know who you are, and that's why they don't respond. They think they're being spammed."
Could be, could be. But forge on until every stone is turned. Lots more people to contact about signing up, and also, there's nothing wrong with starting small - right now I'm at 23 subscribers.

Telling the Family Story

2011-11-20T13:30:00.000-08:00

Today is the day I got the notion of writing our family story.

This strikes me as a huge matter of compilation: organizing, storing, assessing what key questions need to be asked, looking for interesting themes and patterns. The art of such a project would be how to make it readable and enjoyable and much more than "one damned fact after another."

And then I thought that this might be a really cool niche to explore. How many families out there would like to hire a "ghost writer" to write the story of their family, or to write a biography of a very special person in their family? How much would people be willing to pay for a limited edition book that would only be distributed to their family members?
Let's say an extended family consisted of 50 - 100 people. Would each person be willing to:
A) sit down and be interviewed, or
B) correspond with the author through email or telephone
C) be photographed or provide photographs to the author
D) purchase a nicely bound, full colour, hardcover book as a keepsake?

My e-journal - Subscriptions

2011-11-20T13:25:00.000-08:00

Well, the title was going to be Sounds Good!, then it became Bay Area Musician, and finally it has become Greater Hamilton Musician.
I sent out notices on Facebook to all my "freelance musician" friends' walls, as well as a bunch of other Facebook messages. All together about 50 notices went out. My Mailchimp sign-up form is working well, but so far only a half dozen people have responded. One person signed up and then immediately unsubscribed.
Lots to learn, I guess.

My hunch is that people think it's spam, and they don't know what they're being asked because they don't even bother to read it.

This is important

2011-11-14T17:49:00.001-08:00

Develop your brand - You need to have some brand presence before you start marketing your services. It is likely that prospective clients will want to see a website or a business card. Make sure you have all of your professional ducks in a row - register your business with the right government departments, install an invoicing or accounting software on your computer, create a website or blog to which you can refer people, have a business card made.

Do You Ever Wish You Could Read a Locally Produced Musician's Magazine?

2011-11-11T04:31:00.001-08:00

I can solve that problem!

Writing What To Instead of How To

2011-11-05T13:15:00.000-07:00

From Bob Bly-

How-To means strategies, tricks and tips for doing something better and faster.

Bly's example is telling someone that they should advertise on billboards. That is telling What not How. To go the distance, you need to tell them what layout, letter size, type of contractor, where to find a sign company, etc. Your goal is to save them time and legwork.

Don't be a lazy writer who has not done his research and homework!

If giving a sample, example or a template will save the reader time, then include it.

The Starving Audience phenomenon. People will buy what they already want, not what you think they should want.
Bly claims there are three categories of people who are ready to "eat up" all kinds of information.
1. Hobbyists
2. Make Money in Your Spare Time people.
3. People who want to invest money.

Conversational Copy.
This doesn't mean write like you talk. It means write like your prospects talk.

Here's a Wakeup Call from Ruth Zive

2011-10-31T17:35:00.001-07:00

You’re actually not a writer. Nobody really cares about your story (unless you are Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber or perhaps Bernie Madoff). In fact, as a freelance writer, you are solving your readers’ problems.

Get it through your head!

When you drill it down, you are a problem solver. I don’t care whether you write for magazines, websites, online periodicals, big corporations, marketing companies – unless your writing appeals to your audience’s needs, and offers constructive, actionable advice, you will fail.

Think Like You're Starting a Business, Because You Are

2011-10-29T05:15:00.000-07:00

I've decided I don't like the word "freelancer" because of the FREE part. Here are some negative stereotypes associated with the term.

FREE services provided by someone who is inexperienced, and will take any kind of work to build a portfolio.
Freedom to roam and choose your working conditions, like some guy who has quit his real job and is out there on the fringes of the job market, drifting FREELY from one poorly paid gig to another, blown by the winds of chance.
FREEDOM from accountability to others in their profession, like a maverick, or a nonconformist, individualist; free thinker; lone wolf.

None of these are good reasons to start a career, and so I'm hesitant to risk association with these ideas by calling myself a freelance writer.

I prefer the term Professional Writer, or Commercial Writer, or (probably not) Wordsmith.

Here's a good one: "Solo professional"

My friend (I call him my friend, although not having ever met the man, I think we would hit it off instantly) Robert Bly, author of Getting Started As a Freelance Writer, doesn't object to using the term Freelance. Nevertheless, he says that new writers must approach their work as a business, whose objective is to make money.

An income-producing career will by necessity have a solid foundation, because the proprietor of the business will have to adhere to the many principles and practices needed for financial success.

Here are a just a couple of those principles and practices:

set an income goal
set up your office deliberately and smartly
organize your time and discipline yourself to actually write
be prepared to do the hard work!

First Marketing Mailing

2011-10-18T21:21:00.000-07:00

Today is a momentous occasion. I mailed out 16 information letters about the Ron Palangio Group "being one of Hamilton's top cover bands." My son asked me what kind of response I thought I would get. "Maybe one response," I replied. He was surprized, and thought that there would at least be three or four.

Digging Up the Past

2011-10-18T21:19:00.000-07:00

It was called Sky to Earth, and it was one of the first significant pieces of authorship I produced. It was a proposal written to solicit money for an educational project. As such, it was persuasive. It was a sales pitch. Maybe that's what I'm going to be good at: advertising and marketing copy. There's something tantalizing about trying to convince people to smartly spend their money!

There's No Lack of Ideas

2011-10-18T21:16:00.000-07:00

It's not the subject that is hard to come up with, and it's not so hard to think of an idea within the topic. What's challenging is getting a particular SLANT on the idea, that uniquely levers my own skills, interests, curiosity, insight and connections with the topic.

A market exists, and I can get paid, if my unique circumstances, ideas and style MIX with certain topics and opportunities, to bring forth a piece of writing, such that OTHER people will read it and say WOW that can help me or entertain me in some way!

I don't think that my writing would be especially clever, or witty. It would probably be too cold and fussy, and tend toward boring the reader. I think my challenge will be to learn how to say things in a dense, efficient manner. Not rambling and vague. Pointed and clear.

Now I Have a Web Domain

2011-10-18T21:10:00.001-07:00

It's called AllWriteNow.ca

No web site as yet; no web hosting anywhere, but at least I can get email forwarded using info@allwritenow.ca

Starting to Seriously Consider a Story Idea

2011-10-18T21:09:00.000-07:00

I've now asked for contact info for an editor of the Spectator. What makes me think I can and should write this article? What makes me so knowledgeable? Even if I was, what makes me think my writing technique and style is interesting enough or picturesque enough to be published?

Oh, let the staff writer do it.

Listen to the voices of doubt and irrational fear whispering in my ear! They're there, and they're for real.

Yes, I Said it Out Loud: "I want to be a writer"

2011-10-09T08:14:00.000-07:00

"I want to be a writer."
"I can't believe that someone would actually get paid for writing." It's enjoyable all by itself. There is something I find satisfying in crafting a story, and then seeing it there on the page.
So, the journey has begun. As I read the book The Canadian Writers Market I'm impressed with how many magazines there are, just in Canada.
My first task: to go out and pick up a few copies and take a close look.

Oh, I forgot something. Do I actually know that I can write? Have I ever had any of my work critiqued by a professional writer? No. I'm just working on a gut feeling so far.

The Great Debate — How Much Should A Writer Charge?

2011-10-08T05:48:00.001-07:00


The Great Debate — How Much Should A Writer Charge? Source: angiescopywriting.com

My Journey to Becoming a Writer

2011-10-08T05:47:00.000-07:00

Surprise! I already am one. A writer, that is. I've been blogging for myself for about 10 years. I've written tons of assignments for school, written hundreds of lesson plans. I even designed an award-winning logo for our local school board.

It's just that these days I'm becoming more wrapped up in the idea that someone may actuall PAY me to write. That would be way too much fun, but I'm beginning to believe that it is actually possible.

Yesterday I Googled "writers association" and a list came up of How Much Should I Pay a Writer? My curiosity was peaked. Here are a few highlights:

A rate of $40 to $100 per hour is common.
A speech is worth $3000 to $8000.
Advertising can be worth $300 to $1000
A brochure can be worth up to $3000

So, how has this come to be? A couple of books have helped. Robert Bly's Guide to Copywriting is one of the main ones, but before that Michael Masterson's Seven Years to Seven Figures

My wife thinks we should write children's books. I like the idea of writing to persuade, which means advertising and marketing copy. Other genres? I'm not sure yet. I once tried to write a science fiction story but got bogged down very quickly. It's as if there was a road map missing in my head, and I didn't know just how many pieces there were to getting set up before starting to write.