Authorpreneur ... Are You Part of a Winning Team?

Are You Part of a Winning TEAM?

If you have not yet figured it out, I was a child with a vivid imagination and television was a major contributor to my fantasy world. Even today, when I am in a room with a television, it is very hard to get my attention. The sad thing is that my siblings suffer from the same malady. I was particularly fond of westerns when I was a child because I always wanted the “good guy” to win. One of my favorite shows was The Lone Ranger, a television western about a masked Texas Ranger who fought injustice on the old western frontier that entertained audiences from 1949 – 1957. The Lone Ranger wore a “white hat” like all good guys did in westerns and he always got his man. Sometimes, this required the help of his faithful Indian friend Tonto, so The Lone Ranger was not truly alone.

Unfortunately, some authors start their literary journey solo. Perhaps cost is a factor or they may be overly optimistic about their abilities to “git er done” alone. As a seasoned author, I advise you to take the path of The Lone Ranger and have a trusted companion to ride out this literary journey with you. In this case, an advisory team of support professionals may cost you a little money up front, but will save you tons of money on the back end.

The Team Makes The Dream Work!

“How does one transform a life? By reaching deep inside and pulling up courage and creativity, and who does that better than a writer who sits at a desk day in and day out digging dip into their spirit for the voice of the muse? But it takes a village for a writer to become an author. Manuscripts require a community. Think of all the people who contribute to a book’s final outcome: an agent; a writing coach; an editor; a graphics designer; a traditional, digital or self-publisher; good friends; and more.
Writers love to tell their stories. They tell the story of how they wrote their books, the content of their books, and about their writing processes. That’s what makes everyone fall in love with him or her. Everyone loves a good story. Every community needs to have regular book readings by authors and organizations that support writers. They are the fresh breath of what we take in so we can then emulate them in being courageous, creative, and transform our own stories.” Jan Marquart, Author of Kate’s Way

For years, I wrote poetry and only shared it with a few trusted friends and family members. It wasn’t until I was challenged to read it before an audience of writers that I realized my work was so much bigger than I was and the world was interested, but I would have to be more professional in my delivery. I started taking acting classes. In those classes, I found my next great love, speaking. For years, I would write poetry and perform it on stage. As I perfected my craft, I began to get requests to do presentations all over the city of Detroit. You might say “good for you,” but I was not so thrilled at the time. That’s not my calling. At the time, I did not feel I was called to the stage either, I shook in my boots every time I did a presentation. Still, I went on to perform, and learned what true courage was. I only accomplished this with the help of a team. My drama coach, the support of my family and friends and mentors were instrumental in my achieving the success that resulted from my staying the course, and as Joyce Meyers says, “doing it afraid.”

As a closeted writer, I would have been content occasionally jotting down a word here or there and showing it sheepishly to a close-knit group of fans. I was safe there and rejection was minimal, but if I’d not taken that step of faith and gotten the help and support that I needed, I honestly would not be writing this book today. I embraced my call because others validated me by coming alongside to help me reach my ultimate destination. God knew that I would need a “village” to raise me to the heights He was taking me to and as always, in His infinite wisdom, He orchestrated a plan for me to walk in His highest good for my life.

Writers are a solitary lot. It’s comfortable behind our pen, but “If I write it then they will come” is not a realistic expectation in this season for authors. The competition for the hearts of readers is fierce. They are sensationalized, anesthetized, frightened out of their wits, immortalized and seduced daily by content that only gives them a temporary fix. You have an obligation to equip yourself for the modern day playing field, because you have a calling to bring quality writing back to the forefront of the book storefront. So, let’s look at some practical reasons for building a winning support team.

Let’s start with your relational support team, those in your inner-circle who render help at the drop of a text or phone call. When my children were little, my Little Black Book consisted of phone numbers for potential babysitters, because if you have children, occasionally you will need the support of a babysitter to “git er done.” Then, there are those friends and family that you can count on to give you honest feedback on what you’ve written, no matter what. These are the people you know love you, but ain’t (excuse my slang) afraid to tell you the truth. In my case, it’s my first born, who I respect because he is very practical, wise beyond his years and doesn’t mind sharing his opinion in love. For creative folks like us, that’s brings balance to our book project.

Speaking of balance, all work and no play makes you a schizophrenic writer. Having a support team will allow you to spend more time with the people you love like your family, friends, and fellow pew warmers. In the words of Hillary Rodham Clinton, “Don’t confuse having a career, with having a life.”

I was invited to a friend’s house to preview his manuscript. He was a former runner for the mob and a casino manager in Las Vegas, and is now a born again believer who shares his testimony with everyone he meets. There were nine of us gathered together to accomplish this task, including the ghostwriter. He is writing about his exploits on the way to his spiritual “promised land.”

This was the second time I was part of a group edit. The first time was with my friend and former client, Toni Harris, The Turnaround Queen (www.toniharrisspeaks.com). In both instances the author solicited the opinions of friends and loved ones about their manuscripts before going to print. I mention Tony Gambone’s event because I learned so much about his life that I hadn’t previously known. Because I love him so much as a friend, I actually hurt because his journey sometimes seemed so hopeless. In addition to fighting those battles, he has had Crohn’s disease most of his adult life. Watching his life turn towards Christ as he told his story reminded me again of the vital importance of the written word. His life story will be extremely relevant in today’s world as an evangelistic tool for other seemingly hopeless individuals. I left that experience proud of my contribution and amazed at his courage to tell the whole truth of his journey.

I’ve also found it very valuable to consult fellow writers. I’ve built relationships with writers all over the country as a result of my radio show and conferences and I can find someone in any genre to render advice for FREE, simply because I’ve spent time getting to know them and celebrating their talents. Later on, I will be discussing how to build these critical relationships in the chapter on networking. Now, let’s look at the professional side of building a support team.

Consulting seasoned professionals will not only save you money, but also time. One of the things writers fail to do when they put pen to paper is consider their personal investment in the writing of their book. For example, if someone hired you to write a book, how much would you charge him or her per hour and how long would you estimate it would take you to complete the project? Once you’ve calculated your proposed asking price, attribute that same cost to the completion of your book and you will gain an added appreciation for seeking the counsel of others on this project.
Rarely will a businessperson start an entrepreneurial endeavor without at least an attorney and a CPA to assist them in the startup of their business. Yet, every day someone sits down to write a book without the counsel of anyone and ends up spinning their wheels instead of moving their project forward because they decided to things as Frank Sinatra said he did in his song, “I did it my way!” Let’s make it relate to Generation Z. You may be tempted to—in the words of Burger King— “Have it your way!” Remember, “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.”(Proverbs 15:22)

Writing a book makes you an instant businessperson. A book becomes an entity of its own once completed. It has a name, ISBN number, Library of Congress Catalog Number, assigned value, and groupies (book clubs). Like a corporation, it takes on a separate personality from its originator and acquires more worth as other people invest in it. Therefore, you should approach your project as the primary stakeholder in its success, with a business mindset.

When you establish an advisory team of support professionals, your team could look like this:

Editor —An editor reviews what you have written and makes recommendations on the general strengths and weaknesses of your manuscript. For example, an editor reviews writing mechanics such as grammar, punctuation, syntax, and language for your intended niche.
Publicist —A publicist is a person responsible for publicizing your book.
Agent —An agent is a person who represents you in the business, contractual, or management of your book.
Literary Coach —A person who specializes in motivating, training, and advising you through the completion of your book.
Writers Group —A group of people who help you perfect the craft of writing, frequently segregated by genre.
Attorney (Intellectual Property) —An individual who specializes in intellectual property. They may help you register a copyright or review a publisher’s contract.
Accountant —This individual will assist you in keeping track of financials related to your book and complete your business taxes.
Publisher —The entity that produces, distributes, markets and sells your book.

Tips On Selecting Your Support Team

? Interview Prospects
? Look for people who understand your mission and vision for the book
? Review their credentials and ask for references
? Research average costs for these services in your particular geographical area
? Query your professional network for recommendations
? Once you do your research on the prices of these services rendered by your team, stick to your allocated budget
? Conduct a minimum of one group meeting with all the members of your support team
? Schedule regular meetings as needed with your team, individually or collectively based on their availability. Skype, FreeConferenceCall.com, or Google Hangouts are great free tools that are readily available for your use to accomplish this task.
? Use your team as a resource to assist you in acquiring endorsements, your foreword, editorial contributions, etc.

Tips On Managing Your Advisory Support Team

? Clarity – Are the members of your team clear about your vision for your book? Do they understand your overall goals and objectives for your literary project? As the leader of the group, you must ensure that everyone on board has a keen understanding of what you are trying to accomplish with your book.
? Comprehension – Before you solicit team members, you must be clear about what role they will play on the team and share that with them during the recruitment process and also during the course of the project. Having a definitive job description for each member will bring clarity to the team and keep you on track during the research and development phase. I am reminded of Cuba Gooding Jr. re-educating Tom Cruise in the movie Jerry Maguire of what his role was as his manager. “Show me the money!” he told him. Well, you have to be specific about your expectations for your team members and lead by example in order to have a successful book project.
? Consistency – If a team member is too busy to participate in the process on a regular basis, frankly, they are too busy to bring the necessary intellectual capital that is required for you to have a successful finish. You, as the leader of the team, must model this mode of operation and also expect your team members to “bring it” when they are required to do so.
? Care – One of my favorite quotes from President Theodore Roosevelt is “People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.” People come to a project and stay with a project because they care about the cause, the person, or the expected outcome. If you show them that you care about them by celebrating their involvement, you’ll be able to conquer the world. At the end of the project, throw a party for your team and celebrate your magnificent achievement.
? Collaborate – A prudent business minded individual uses all the resources available. It is not unthinkable to recruit individuals to volunteer their time on your advisory team. You are worth the investment; however, you may need to sell them on the intrinsic benefits associated with being part of a winning team. Make sure you mention them in the acknowledgements and thank them profusely when the project is finished. Also, bartering is not out of the question. You are an expert in something or you would not be writing a book. Use that expertise to collaborate with someone who needs what you offer and who is willing to do an intellectual capital exchange.

Practical Application

Earlier, we discussed the relational team and professional team. Make a list of those who are already on your team that is rendering support and send them a thank you card, take them to lunch, or throw a party in their honor. Acknowledge your gratitude for their investment in your life by celebrating them.

Review the Support Team Evaluation Form for your professional support team. I recommend that you at least do a quarterly evaluation of your progress. Remember, your initial purpose for having a support team is to “git er done” with excellence. Don’t compromise, super-size your book project!

Summary

I’ve given you quite a bit to think about in this blog, but you are up to the challenge. Remember the brave escapades of The Lone Ranger and garner strength from his unshakeable courage. “A fiery horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust and a hearty ‘Hi-Yo Silver!’ Away!” The Lone Ranger rides again! (By the way Tonto was right there by his side.)