The First Timers Club

TAYLOR’S TIPS FOR A MORE PRODUCTIVE YOU…

Dear Friend,

Have you ever felt like a duck in a dry pond? A vegetarian at a hamburger and steak tailgate party? Ever been uncomfortable in a new situation?

I remember my first writers’ conference. Green. Shy. Scared. All those people, all those successful writers, all those editors and agents. And I remember my firsts of a lot of other things: first date, first kiss, first born, first story published.

Recently, I’ve been thrust into new situations that have me shaking in my used-to-be-white sneakers: a brand new book for sale, contacting people to ask them to read it and review it, and doors opening for promotion.

I got a call. A videographer was coming over. Huh? What the heck is that? I’d done a photo shoot for a Guideposts story. Hours of standing there putting expressions on my face while a photographer snapped hundreds of photos, all for the use of just ONE for the magazine. Whew, I got through that years ago. What could be worse?

Well, video, that could be worse. It’s a photographer, but he also asks questions and shoots video. So there he stood in my family room, a big light on a tripod set up behind him, a camera on a stand, and a microphone on both of us. He asked me questions, I answered, wondering if I looked okay, and trying not to sound like a moron. I knew the questions ahead of time, but I forgot most of what I wanted to say.

That was a first. Then came the request to do a thirty-minute radio show. Live. On the Air. OMG! I received a guest prep sheet with a few questions. I wrote some notes and spread them around my desk to prompt my thoughts. I didn’t have to be on camera, hooray!, but I still had to sound coherent. What if I messed up? I was so nervous. http://bit.ly/LaWVTn

That was a first. Then came another radio show, this time for an entire hour. I felt a little bit better. Hey, I’d done this before! But guess what? They asked all sorts of different questions and I felt totally off guard.

Can I ask: what are YOU doing for the first time? Are you stepping out by submitting your written work? Are you signing up to attend a writers’ conference? Are you writing a book?

After all of these things happened, I thought back to my first writers’ conference. Green. Shy. Scared. Now, I’m a speaker. The first time I stood in front of a group in a classroom my voice wobbled, my knees wiggled, and my heart beat a drum roll in my chest. But the next time it was easier, and now I’m not nervous at all.

We can’t “get on down the road” unless we begin the journey. And if you wait for all the traffic lights to be green, you’ll never leave your driveway. Yes, it’s scary. Susan Jeffers wrote a book that I read years ago. It sits on my shelf with highlights in it, underlining, and dog-eared pages. The title? “Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway”

Happy writing and blessings on your work.

Follow your dreams…
B.J.

Here’s that book I’m promoting. You know what? You never realize how much it takes to get buzz going about a new book until you have one out. If any of you have read the book, and you feel like you have a minute or two, would you write a review on Amazon about it? That would mean a great deal to me. Send me an email afterwards, so I can thank you personally!

Charlie Bear offers a loving tribute to a rescue dog that eventually sheds his headstrong ways, becomes a loving member of a family, and ultimately changes three lives forever.

Available on Amazon: http://amzn.to/IrI4U1
Available on Publisher’s site, Inspiring Voices: http://bit.ly/HHI8zs
Available on Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/JTorap

Here’s a link to my Amazon Author page: https://www.amazon.com/author/bjtaylor

What’s Happening…

I’ve taught at four conferences in the last three months so it’s time to take a break and go on vacation soon. Hubby and I will head out on a road trip to see some sights and shortly after that we’ll fly to Wisconsin for a family reunion. 

 This was the family gang in 2011.

Hooray! Here comes summer!

Blog: www.bjtaylorblog.wordpress.com 
Website: www.bjtayloronline.com
E-mail: bj.taylor@verizon.net