The LAST Word

    People who know me, know that I love football. I went to Eagles games as a kid with my grandfather and father. I still support my Eagles. I supported them when they didn't win games, and now, they head to divisional playoff round. However, I think we can pull some ideas from football to improve your business marketing and your writing . 1. Get First Downs -- In football, the goal is to get into the End Zone for a touchdown, but before that, you need to march down field 10 yards at a time. This relates to business. You have keep moving, being consistent with your marketing and being patient to trust your marketing will work in the long-term. Nothing happens overnight. Many people think they can get a quick score. Sometimes, in football, that happens, but usually it doesn't. Same is true in business. You can't expect people to know you and buy from you immediately. This is also true in writing. Your main goal is to finish a book, but you need to remember to break down

      January is a great time to start fresh on the year. I like to clean out my files on the computer that I no longer need, and I also move the file folders I don't need going forward in the new year. That gives me a new beginning for my writing and my business. I also re-evaluate what I do for marketing for the year. You can decide where to focus your marketing and what you can do differently. It always is a good idea to try something different in the new year. This is true whether you are an author, small business owner or employee. Although employees are told what to do every day, they do have to market themselves to land the job in the first place and to keep their job. Here are my tips for your market plans this year. 1. Do Video Marketing -- Authors often don't like being in front of the camera, but they should do some videos about their books. Having someone interview you on their podcast or YouTube channel would be great. Creating your own YouTube channel a

Writers are always looking for inspiration. They will use art, nature, family life and quotes. They even get inspired from other writers. Marketers also are looking for inspiration for blog ideas or places to sell your products or services. My favorite way to get inspired is through watching television or movies. Here are my favorites. Year Without a Santa Claus – This will inspire you to do whatever it takes to reach a goal. If you don't know the movie, Santa is sick and doesn't want to travel around the world to deliver the gifts. He thinks no one cares about him. Two elves, Jingle and Jangle, go to Southtown USA to find children who care about Santa. They have to get their reindeer from the pound, talk to the mayor and deal with the Miser brothers, but they are successful. The mayors declare a holiday for Santa and show him that children still care about him. They kept trying new ideas until they got what they needed. You can keep trying new things to be succ

Whether you write horror, fantasy, self-help or cookbooks, the process doesn't have to scare you. If you trust your abilities and your instincts, you could create the perfect book without being frightened. Here are tips on publishing so you are not scared this Halloween when writing. What to Say If you feel like you need to write a book, you also will know what to say. For example, you want to inform readers of a new technique and believe you need to write a short book about the technique. After you have done your research, your mind will help you organize your thoughts into the book. If you are writing fiction, you will hear the characters' voices in your head as you sit down to write. Your writing coach will guide you on what is important to say and what you should eliminate.  What Art to Use All books, fiction and nonfiction, print and electronic, must have a professionally designed cover. In your mind, you know what art would

  We visited Klamath Falls, Ore., at the beginning of May. We had hoped to see Crater Lake, which is about an hour from the town. Unfortunately, while we were in Oregon, a snowstorm, which was unusual for May, hit the state. The road to Crater Lake was blocked, and the National Park Service staff couldn't let cars through the gate to the lake. The staff had not plowed the road. We were disappointed, but we got to see the beautiful snow and landscape of Oregon. We were cold, but we enjoyed our trip anyway. This week in Florida, the Department of Transportation closed a highway to continue its work on the new bridge. While the roadblock was at 11 p.m. and didn't affect me, I started thinking about roadblocks. In business and in writing, you will be hit with roadblocks. How you deal with those roadblocks will determine whether you become a successful writer or business person. Figure Out a Solution When you are hit with a roadblock, take time to think through the problem. If it i

  When you visit this country, you see vistas, such as Burney Falls, Calif. This breathtaking waterfalls show you what is possible throughout the United States. The twin falls pour over five smaller falls into ice blue waters. It is surrounded by pine trees, flowers and rocks. It is difficult to believe this gem is in California. Most people think of beaches and concrete when they think of California. But, the northern parts near Oregon have waterfalls, lava beds from dormant volcanoes and trees. This is how I spent my vacation this year. My tip is to use your vacations to inspire writing and recharge your business marketing. Here are some ways vacations can help you. 1. Something New -- If you choose to go to different places for your vacations instead of always going to the same location, ( I know a family who always goes to Disney World .) you will see something new that you could use to mention in a blog or magazine article. I mentioned these falls. If you write about food , you

  I spent much of my journalism career studying and writing about the environment. Because Earth Day was on April 22, I thought I would share some of the myths associated with saving the environment. While I am in favor of saving our natural resources , I save the environment with balance, prayer and patience . You might not agree with me. That is fine. This country was founded on the principle that everyone is entitled to his or her opinion. Here are some environmental myths. 1. Go Solar -- While it is a good idea to get solar for your home and generate renewable energy, solar power is not as simple as everyone thinks. Adding solar to your home could cost you $15,000 to $50,000 up front. There are tax credits and rebates available from the states and federal government, but those programs almost always require you to shell out the money and then get reimbursed. Also, solar panels are manufactured in plants fueled with fossil fuels. They also cost a lot of money to make one panel, w