What Is Business Sense?

What is the principal thing you need to succeed in your business today? Money. Sure, you need it, but it is not the main ingredient for success. People .Of course they are necessary, but having them may not guarantee success. Excellent products or services. Well, this is a must to succeed. But you may have them and still not succeed. Promotions, visibility, marketing. These factors lubricate your business activities for success. So what is the principal thing?

Take this from the book of Proverbs. Wisdom is the principal thing. Therefore get wisdom. And in your getting, get understanding. Riches and honour are with me. Enduring riches and righteousness . Translate this into your business, you get what I call Business Sense. As we progress into year 2005, it is necessary we refresh our minds on what this sense is all about. That is the mission of this article.

So what is Business Sense? How you do your business. Not really. Strategies for doing business. Well you may be correct, but not quite. Doing business with the sixth sense. No you are off the mark for though Business Sense has something to do with feelings, it has more to do with wisdom.

But what exactly is Business Sense? It is the application of wisdom for today s business, or simply put, common sense in business. It is more than knowledge, facts, and figures. It is copious use of ideas especially those that are so simple, ordinary, or basic that they are disregarded. It is insight, the ability to interpret developments and the business environment differently, and to see, discern, and use differently and profitably, what others see but ignore because they look so ordinary or appear foolish. If you put your attention on those simple issues and things about they way you work and live, and use them for business, you are operating with business sense.

Business sense. Two words, So profound, readily available, so simple to learn and apply, yet largely ignored. You can call it common sense. Though it readily abounds, it is not so common in acquisition and application among the professional and managerial class who rule the corporate world.

They have studied in the best schools locally and abroad, acquired the latest technology and skills, and apply the best management methods, but are still struggling with the challenges in the marketplace. It is as if the more degrees, diplomas, and certificates our professionals acquire, the less they make use of common sense in business.

Not so for traders at the Alaba International market in Lagos. What they lack in formal education they make up with a copious supply of business sense. Little wonder, virtually all the banks flock to wherever these traders cluster to set up branches.

No economic sector or concentration of businessmen/women or professionals who exchange value have been able to attract such corporate attention from the financial services sector in Nigeria. These traders thrive while many other sectors are complaining. Do not blame the banks for chasing the traders. They badly need the cash which these traders generate daily. That is why they gravitate towards the traders. No other group maintains such a gravitational pull on a sector as formidable as the banks.

A teenage boy who moves into this market to learn the trade begins from the fundamentals- book keeping, retailing, pricing, and delivery of goods. Within four years, he has polished his negotiation skills and with the dexterity he has acquired, he can sell coal to a tourist form Newcastle in the UK. He is well equipped to deal confidently with consumers who are becoming very articulate and demanding. The hard times has made them to be very price sensitive and value conscious in their purchases. Patriotic messages may not move them anymore to vote for your brands with the dwindling value of their money. Neither will promotional hypes do that anymore.

What business sense tells you is that consumers want more promotional information to guide them in their purchases. Two decades ago, a nursing mother in Nigeria would hardly glance at the nutrition facts on a tin of baby milk. Today, before she buys, she picks up tins of SMA and other brands of baby foods to determine the one that offers the best value for her money. Now you can understand why Nestle Nigeria Plc mounted a promotional campaign to teach consumers Nutrition Facts . That beverage and baby foods maker has caught the vision of business sense.

What about Guinness Nigeria Plc.. Its premium brand Guinness stout says: Guinness brings out the action in you. But what the brewery has failed to do is to explain how the consumption of Guinness will galvanize consumers into action.

Take this from Oceanic International Bank. Its lighted billboards in Lagos metropolis sends the corporate message in two words: Experience peace . Good promo. But in these days of consolidation, banking distress and all, Oceanic Bank will definitely make more impact if it sends out detailed promotional messages on how a relationship with the bank guarantees peace. That is the latest trend in corporate communications, a shift from promotional hypes to information loaded promotions which communication experts call infomercials.

Business sense means that corporate bodies, the professional and managerial class must bend down from their ivory towers; go back to the fundamentals of doing business which we so often ignore, and get connected to the consumer. These fundamentals or common sense are readily available but hardly appreciated or used. Business sense teaches vision, mission, ethics, corporate care, charity, courage, humility and defining your business properly.

Business sense is not taught in the real sense in academic institutions and managerial courses. The approach in these places is more academic that real.. This sense is acquired more through real life experiences, insightful observation, and learning the hard way in the School of Wilderness Experience. That is the essence of this article series, to complement the teachings of these unique business schools , and prompt professionals to use common sense and what almighty God has deposited in them.

Dan Thomas, founder and president of Focus, a management consulting firm in Polo Alto, California, USA, wrote a book titled Business Sense. In the book, he shows how managers can use core management processes he calls Five Freedoms, to achieve success. As Dan s book moves through the offices of corporate America, see how Ken Blanchard, co-author of One Minute Manager, described the book: The biggest problem in business today is that common sense is seldom common practice. This book is all about using common sense in business. If you have any sense, you will read it and share it with others . No need commenting on the common sense remark of Ken. The message is clear.

For you to acquire and apply business sense in your business, you need to humble yourself, have a large heart, be of lowly spirit, keep an eye on business fundamentals, and above all be close to your creator. That put s you in the right frame of mind to recognize and apply common sense. If you are fixated on your academic achievements, total quality management, best practices and all, you will not apply common sense. No one is jettisoning these management methods. They are very necessary. But you need to lubricate their application with common sense. That is what brings lasting results.

You may be agonizing how to deal with that management, production, or marketing problem not knowing that the solution is one common sense application which you have not considered.

As I sign off today, take this classic example of a common sense solution to a big problem from the scriptures which most of you know more than me. The story of David vs Goliath. This giant had instilled morbid fear into the entire army of Israel. The solution for Goliath was readily available, yet no Israeli soldier or General saw it. Even if they did, they must have written it off as some managers in the corporate world are doing now as they confront the many Goliaths in the marketplace today.

The Israeli soldiers who lacked faith in God put all their trust in their spears and other armoury which paled into significance against Goliath s. It took the courage and common sense of a teenage boy, David who trusted almighty God. He dipped his hands into the brook there, picked five smooth stones for his sling and ran towards Goliath. You know the rest of the rest of the story. That was a simple solution for a big problem.

The common sense approach is even more real for today s marketplace. Dear professional, this is my call to you today: begin to apply wisdom in your business today. In subsequent articles, I will share my thoughts and the insights of other professionals like you on common sense in business. Apply them and it shall be well with you.

Eric Okeke is a motivational speaker, business writer, copywriter, and corporate storyteller with more than 20 years experience. He is one of Nigeria s most experienced financial journalists. His strengths are creative writing, humor, publicity, and storytelling. His E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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What Is Your Real Worth?

Think about this. If it is possible to quote you as a person on any Stock Exchange, what would be your real worth?

Have you ever, in your wildest imagination thought that one day, it might just be possible to quote professional men and women, on the Stock Exchange? Never, you say. You in fact think it is just a figment of my imagination.

I agree with you. Getting personally quoted on any Stock Exchange might just be imagination today. But it can be real tomorrow.

Many things we see, live and work with today were imagination years ago before they became reality. Name them. Space exploration, the internet, the digital camera, and many high tech gadgets. Today, technology has compressed the world into the cell phone in your hands. Those who put their imagination to work years ago are reaping plenty harvests today irrespective of currency fluctuations and global upheavals of market forces.

So why not take a step of faith today, move ahead of your peers, trust in God who created you with the power of imagination, lean not unto your own understanding and just begin to meditate on this question: If it is possible for me to be quoted on any Stock Exchange, what would be the real value of my stock? How will friends, colleagues, the financial press and investors assess me? What is in me that will attract them to invest?

Years ago, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) was the only professional body enjoying the chartered status in Nigeria. Today, many professional bodies are seeking that status for their institutes and members.

A chartered status confers maturity, excellence, discipline, integrity, authority, added value and prestige on members. What stops professional bodies from seeking public quotation tomorrow and asking members to do same as a way of promoting professionalism and checking quackery? As a professional, what will distinguish you from professional fakes and pirates will go beyond your experience, professional and academic qualifications. It will be the real you that will determine the price of your stock in any Stock Exchange, that is, if you meet the requirements for quotation.

And doing so means submitting yourself and professional calling to the discipline and authority of a regulatory body that will seek personal quotation of professionals in the Stock Exchange.

Think about this. It will lead you to a sober reflection and thorough stock taking about yourself, your products and services, your business and relationships. Forget the amount of money you make and the position you currently occupy in your career or corporate ladder. The question again. What is your real worth? No acting, no compromises.

If it is possible to privatize you through an Initial Public Offer of shares, would investors be interested to pick up your stock, believing they will reap dividends of professionalism.

What would be your real worth per share if you are quoted? Are you sure your personal stock will sell up to $1 per share?

Do not beat your chest and quickly claim that your stock will sell more than that because investors will subject you to same considerations and criteria they do for all their investments in the stock market. Are you sure any investor will buy into you because in investment considerations, there are no emotions. Investors are real in their approach. They have real money which they want to put in real persons, real business. And they want real returns, no acting, no stories.

Dear professional, you may be handsome or pretty, very intelligent, very qualified, and well connected.

So what makes you attractive to investors that will enable them to determine your worth, per share?

If I ask you your worth you will probably monetize your personal assets, wealth, qualifications, experience and goodwill and tell me your worth.

But you will hide your deficiencies and liabilities in ethics, character and content. And if I still ask you, what is your real worth? , you may hesitate or throw the question back at me: What do you mean by your real worth? I will tell you.

Your real worth incorporates what marketing experts call demographics and psychographics. They include age, income, wealth, assets, qualifications, socio economic class, personality, values and others. You know them. But what distinguishes your real worth in my understanding are your ways, sincerity, uprightness, integrity, talent, skills, beliefs, ethics, righteousness, morals, character and your relationship with almighty God.

The last three factors are so vital yet so neglected even by stockbrokers and investment analysts. The new challenge is, how can brokers measure these factors? Their eyes and concentration are rigidly fixed on the bottom line, profits, assets and liabilities. All on figures, and Facts behind the figures, and never on the People behind the figures. That is why there is so much crookedness in many business sectors today. .

But as business risks increase and global economic turmoil intensifies, soon, and very soon, attention will shift from figures, and the facts behind them, to people. This will herald the listing of professionals on Stock Exchanges worldwide, because the real issues are no longer figures, but the people behind the figures. So, what is your real worth?

Today, we have the Commodity Stock Exchange. One day, the Human Stock Exchange will come.

Are you prepared? Price, summarizes the value of anything. It measures the worth of any product or service. It can fluctuate, up and down, driven by quality, quantity, availability, and the market forces of demand and supply.

How can I have a price? You ask, I am a human being, good reasoning.

That was valid years ago, not now. Today, everybody has a price. You have heard it before. But you have never really considered the wisdom of that statement, because you believed it more as a cliché than something real.

You have a price. Not the amount of money with which people can bribe you or buy your conscience. Your price is your real worth which requires plenty of wisdom and common sense to discern. You have often heard men say, That girl is cheap . Why do they say that? They are not talking of monetary value. What they mean could be, that girl may be easy to manipulate, take advantage of, used, tossed about, easily dazzled with material things and easily deceived with lies. Why then do men say she is cheap?

The girl in question may well be a chartered professional with a string of degrees and professional qualifications, memberships of professional bodies, experience, good pay, drives two cars and lives comfortably in a duplex. Yet she is branded cheap by a man who does not even earn up to a quarter of her income.

So what is the cheapness ? It has to do with her dignity, self-respect, chastity, values, ways, and strength of character. She must have compromised some or all of these in her relationship with the man.

What could have caused this? Maybe it is because of the forces of demand and supply of husbands in the marriage market.

These forces are vicious, bothering a lot of aging spinsters, forcing them to compromise their values and standards in their desperation to get husbands. There are many aging spinsters in the Nigerian marriage market today. So many of them And many of them are professionals, well connected, parading intimidating credentials, good income, yet one thing still eludes them, that is to get a husband.

The plight of these professional spinsters is not helped by the paradox in the marriage market.

While the spinsters are increasing in number and are aging, the number of marriageable men is decreasing. At 35, the spinster is really desperate to get married. She falls into the hands of hit and run men, full of lies and looking for desperate ladies to panel beat.

To hook her man, our dear spinster lowers her standards, maybe compromises her chastity, and behaves in ways the man considers cheap. She picks all the bills, and even pampers the man, all to get a husband. Yet she is ditched and branded cheap. How painful. If spinster desperate was to be quoted on the Stock Exchange, and the run away lover was an investment analyst, how would he value her stock? Would he advise investors to stake their money in this spinster? Spinsters, I ask you, what is your real worth?

The case of this class of spinsters is pathetic. Men touch them and go. They fast and pray ,no husbands. Yet some men, who are not even qualified to be next in rank to them in corporate offices, have the temerity to say, That girl is cheap . The men take off to marry less qualified girls. What does this example tell you? Your real worth goes beyond your qualifications and material resources.

Dear professionals, do a personal audit of your life and your work. Are you real?

What is your relationship with God? If you establish a personal relationship with your creator, and you are real, no matter the odds, then your real worth will appreciate.

But if you begin to act and do it your own way without God, just because you want to get that thing you desire so much, your worth will depreciate.

Eric Okeke is a motivational speaker, business writer, copywriter, and corporate storyteller with more than 20 years experience. He is one of Nigeria s most experienced financial journalists. His strengths are creative writing, humor, publicity, and storytelling. His E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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What is book design, and why do I need it?

You’ve spent weeks, months – maybe a year – writing your book, and you’re now ready to release it to the world.

Wait.

Is your book professionally designed?

Huh?

Apart from the mechanical book design structure, i.e. Cover, Copyright page, Foreword, etc., are the things like paragraph length, sentence length, white space, etc., done right?

Presuming that you want to be taken seriously as an author, and you want your book to be taken seriously, professional book design can make the difference between success and failure.

Book design can be thought of as the furnishings in a home. Sure, a dull, empty house will still give us cover from the elements, but it’s the furnishings that make it comfortable, attractive, and turns a house into a home.

And that is what professional book design does for your book.

The difference between home furnishings and book design is that a professional book design can affect sales, that is, your income.

As Richard Hendel says in his book, “On Book Design”, “What the author writes in a book is not all that tells what a book is about. The physical shape of the book, as well as its typography, also defines it. Every choice made by a designer has some effect on the reader. The effect may be redical or subtle, but it is usually outside a reader’s ability to describe.”

In reality, professional book design is practically invisible, in that your reader won’t even notice the design elements – they’ll just enjoy your book (and very possibly tell friends about it).

Word-of-mouth is a powerful promotional strategy. If a book is difficult to use/read, there is little chance that the reader will tell anyone else about it – except maybe how bad it is.

Naturally, the content of a book is what really matters, and no amount of book design features can improve a book that poorly written. It should be remembered that a book with good content but poor design can affect sales detrimentally. And if you have a guarantee on your site, you may end up getting a lot of refunds.

Some elements to consider with book design are:

* Suitable headlines (headings).
* Paragraph and sentence length.
* Suitable images that support the text (non-fiction work).
* Language that is easy to read.
* Layout that suits the type of book (e.g. children’s book vs business book).

Book design is made up of many different elements, all working together: font type, white space, headlines, page numbering, just to mention a few.

Don’t leave your success to chance.

If you are a serious author, and want your work taken seriously, and especially if you want people to buy (and keep) your book, then professional book design services could make the difference between success and failure.

Colin Dunbar has more than 30 years experience in book design. He also enjoys writing non-fiction, and is the author of "Invest in yourself" and "How to Get What You Want". You can check out his book design service at his personal web site. Copyright: you may freely republish this article, provided the text, author credit, the active links and this copyright notice remain intact.

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What Have You Learned Lately?

The other day I attended a half day program where seven presenters — all with high level positions in the IT (Information Technology) field — gave us their “take” on career opportunities. Even though each focused on their own area of expertise and how they had reached their positions, each of the seven stressed that the two most important qualities considered when hiring and promoting were interpersonal skills and continual learning. Of course, you say, with technology moving and changing so quickly, keeping up with learning is a given. But I say to you, that to succeed in any endeavor and/or career, we must be learning constantly. And there are so many ways to learn on a daily basis. Let me count the ways!

Read, read, and read some more! It is amazing to me the number of people who haven’t read a book since they earned a degree and graduated from college. They read the paper and an occasional magazine, but who has time to read? Not only should we keep ahead in our own area of telling and stories — are you up-to-date in your type or genre of storytelling? If not, I can guarantee that one of the members of your audience will be — we should also read other types of stories, even if we don’t plan to tell them, and choose completely different kinds of books.

For example, one of my favorite speakers, Lou Heckler, was recently extolling the virtues of Stephen King’s book On Writing:A Memoir of the Craft and suggesting that if we substitute the word “speaker” for “writer” and “speaking” for “writing” we would learn a plethora of ways to become a more effective speaker. I suggest we substitute the word “storyteller” and “storytelling.” You’ll be amazed how what King writes fits for us. Besides books, there are so many enlightening articles on the Internet. I know that I use a lot of paper, but when I find an article loaded with excellent information, I will print it out and slip it into my briefcase. Then when I’m waiting in line at the bank or post office or for appointment, I pull out one of those articles and learn something rather than fuming about waiting so long. I suggest that you set aside at least an hour a day just for reading and a goal to read at least one book a week. Before you know it, you will be reading two or three a week.

Attend informational meetings, programs, concerts, seminars, and workshops. Again, you may explain that you don’t have the time and/or the money to spend. I say you can’t afford not to. Oftentimes, when I attend a seminar or workshop, I hear a lot of information that I’m already familiar with, but I still attend with the belief that I will gain something — some new idea for a story or possibly an old idea with a new twist, a new perspective. And, I can honestly say, I always come away with something learned. It may even be some interactive technique to embrace or avoid when I am telling. I have read that when the senior Bill Marriott of Marriott Hotel fame attended programs he would have a pen in each hand. With his right hand he would take notes. And with his left hand he would write the ideas that were popping into his head because of some point that was being made by the speaker. He was always in the learning mode. I also suggest broadening your base by attending programs outside of your primary field of interest.

Become an audio tape fanatic. If I had to pick the single most compelling influence on my career path and learning, I would have to thank the hundreds and hundreds of tapes I have listened to — in the car, while doing chores, and in preparation for a speaking engagement or other important activity. Yes, I have spent quite a bit of money on tapes, because I like to hear them over and over again, but libraries usually have a great selection on just about any self-improvement topic, how tos in practically every area imaginable, and informational on trends, politics, finances — you name it. Just like the articles fill the time when I am waiting, the tapes fill driving time, especially if the traffic is heavy, or I have a long trip to take. And I do suggest listening to a tape more than once, because you will be amazed at the amount of information that you will miss during the first, second, and even third listening. Listen to other tellers on tapes, but don’t try to mimic them. Focus on what you can learn from them.

Sign up to take a class. Every community and school system offer some sort of continuing education in the evenings and/or on weekends. These can be well worth the small amount they usually cost, both from a stimulating and networking aspect. I had a wonderful time taking a class in drumming, and now use what I learned while I am telling. I have also discovered on-line classes in just about any topic you can imagine. I have been taking many technology classes for the past two years, and especially enjoy the interaction with students from all over the world who are at different skill levels. I recently took a fiction writing course, which was a welcome change from the intensity of computer classes, and finished a story that I had been playing around with for ages. At http://www.worldwidelearn.com you will find a directory of on-line courses in almost any subject you can think of.

Write down daily what you have learned. I remember hearing the late Leo Buscaglia say that every night at dinner his father would ask all of the children in the family to tell about what they had learned that day. If we know we are planning to write down something we’ve learned, we will make sure that we are learning daily. What have you learned today?

Remember that learning is not only good for you, it is also FUN! And it will definitely enhance and enrich your life and your storytelling.

If you would like to try an issue of our FREE eclectic e-newsletter, Portfolio Potpourri, sign up by clicking This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and hitting SEND. Just for trying it, you will receive "10 Tips of Ways to Develop Your Personal and Professional STYLE." We never sell names and/or e-mail addresses, and if you ever wish to "opt-out" that's never a problem. Contact Chris King at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.or at: P.O. Box 221255 Beachwood, Ohio 44122 Phone: (216) 991-8428

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Stories Are for Adults Too!

Very often when I tell someone I am a storyteller, they will say, “Oh, how nice. Do you tell stories to children in the schools and at the libraries?” Well, yes, I do tell stories to children of all ages, but I also tell stories to adults. And, in my opinion, adults need and want the stories even more than the children. In this article, I am going to address why we, as storytellers, tell to adults. I will be including some quotes and ideas from many other storytellers and story lovers.

Whether they admit it or not, it is the adults that hang on the storyteller’s words. When I have been hired to do a program at an event that will attract families — for example, a county or state fair, a museum benefit, an outdoor festival, or a family celebration — I notice as I tell my tales, that it is the adults who are hanging on every word. Yes, they use the excuse that they are there because they want their children to hear stories. Yet, when the children start to get restless or lose interest, it is the adults who seem disappointed and hesitant to leave the telling. They will often return without the child or children to hear some more for themselves. At the annual Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tennessee the first week in October, close to 90 percent of the 10,000 strong crowd is adult. And the special magic of the event is that these adults are not afraid to admit that they come back year after year to hear the stories.

Remembering and telling stories helps adults deal with life’s challenges. Isak Dinesen wrote, “All sorrows can be borne if you put them into a story or tell a story about them.” How true! If you have ever experienced an accident, an illness, a death, or some other horrible event, you know how much better you feel after telling about it — the more times, the better. And once we have shared our story or stories with other adults, they usually are reminded of a similar story that they then tell us. The beauty of the whole process is that not only do we come around to feeling better, we make new friends through the sharing. For, when you know someone’s story, you can’t help but like them. During a workshop I was giving at an O.O.P.S! (Ohio Order for the Preservation of Storytelling) on “How to Tell Personal Stories” I told the story of my son’s devastating bout with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. It was at least five years later, when a woman rushed up to me to tell me that my story had helped her so much the past year when her daughter had been diagnosed with cancer. That is the power of story.

Besides helping us deal with life’s challenges, stories guide us through the stages and thresholds we face through life. Joseph Campbell wrote, “It has been the chief function of much of mythological lore … to carry … the individual across the critical thresholds from … infancy to adulthood, and from old age to death.” As we listen to and tell the myths and legends of the past, we learn how to face the many stages and passages our lives take. In an abstract way, we can relate to the heroes and heroines of bygone times. Modern stories also help us with those same changes and passages. I am reminded of Gail Sheehy’s book New Passages which is loaded with fascinating stories to illustrate her points.

If we as adults consider our lives to be stories, what a delightful and creative life we will live.I believe strongly that adults love the idea of living a life of story. Jean-Paul Sartre wrote, “… a man is always a teller of tales, he lives surrounded by his stories and the stories of others, he sees everything that happens to him through them; and he tries to live his life as if he were telling a story.” You see, we need our stories and our family stories to give us a legacy. That legacy strengthens our tradition, our purpose, our self worth and our reason for living the life we live. After all, I want the story I leave with my children to be a story we can all be proud of.

Storytelling to adults encourages them to loosen up, remember, and then tell their stories.When I asked Donald Davis, the well known storyteller of personal stories, what he like most of all about being a storyteller, he told me that he just loved it when he heard people who had attended his program turning to companions and starting to tell their own stories. I feel that I have been successful with my telling when an audience member comes up after the session to tell me about a situation similar to one I have told about. Often, when I tell to children, they can hardly wait to tell a story back to me, but adults are a bit more resistant about telling their stories, so, if we, as storytellers, can encourage them to start, we will be enriching everyone’s lives — theirs and the people to whom they tell the stories.

Stories should also be shared with adults for the pure joy of it. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that telling to adults can also be for the pure fun of hearing them laugh — in this day and age, we all need to lighten up a bit. Also, most of us love the fantasy of fairy and folktales, which are definitely not only for children. They take us to another time and place where magic was the norm. Stories for pure enjoyment will give us all a lift and the energy we need. A perfect example for me was hearing Michael Parent, a bi-lingual storyteller who was raised French Canadian, tell The Boy Who Cried Wolf in French combined with lots of body movement. Even though I faced a long drive home that evening, I laughed so hard I cried, and didn’t feel any fatigue on my trip. I had been re-invigorated by the pure enjoyment of a story.

Yes, stories are for everyone — especially adults!

If you would like to try an issue of our FREE eclectic e-newsletter, Portfolio Potpourri, sign up by clicking This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and hitting SEND. Just for trying it, you will receive "10 Tips of Ways to Develop Your Personal and Professional STYLE." We never sell names and/or e-mail addresses, and if you ever wish to "opt-out" that's never a problem. Contact Chris King at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.or at: P.O. Box 221255 Beachwood, Ohio 44122 Phone: (216) 991-8428

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What Do I Mean By Storytelling and Storyteller Ethics?

Original source: http://www.creativekeys.net/StorytellingPower/article1047.html

Both weekly and monthly, I receive a huge number of publications that deal with business and technology. Ever since the whole Enron scandal became news, these magazines have and are featuring more and more articles dealing with ethics, honesty and trust. In every profession and career, attention to ethics, integrity, honesty and trust are paramount to ultimate success. Whether we are full-time professional storytellers or tell stories part-time professionally (for a fee), I suggest that there are ethics and principles that we, as tellers, should embrace and follow. In this article I am going to highlight and explain the storyteller’s ethics and principles in which I believe. I will warn you that in this article I am more opinionated than ever, but these are the beliefs that have worked for me over the years and have worked for those storytellers who are at the top of the storytelling profession today.

A professional storyteller honestly and accurately communicates his or her qualifications. We must never create qualifications – like programs we never gave, books we haven’t written or clients we never had – to make ourselves look more experienced than we are. I know wonderful storytellers who are in demand and have not yet been on the Jonesborough stage or told around the world or nation. It is more important to have the stories people want and need to hear along with the skills to deliver those stories effectively. It boggles my mind when I read about all of the falsification in resumes, let alone storytellers’ brochures and websites. Who would ever hire you for a storytelling gig if they found out that you were lying in your written communications?

A professional storyteller never, never uses another’s material or materials without permission. A short quotation credited to the originator is fine, but when a storyteller – and I have heard them – blatantly copies another storyteller’s words, interpretation and/or style of presentation, it is outright robbery. What makes us special as storytellers is our own uniqueness and special approach to storytelling. I feel strongly that if we have to take someone else’s words, we shouldn’t be storytelling in public (around the dinner table or at family gatherings, it is OK). Yes, we can observe and make note of what gives another storyteller power, but then we must use that power in our own unique way. If we do hear a story or an idea that we want to use and are sure that it would enhance our performance notably, then we must get permission from the person who created it, or not use it at all. (Note: on the topic of permission, be cautious about using stories from other cultures, especially the Native American tribes. Many of their stories are to be told exclusively by them at special times of the year.)

A professional storyteller can be trusted completely by his or her clients to give the best program he or she possibly can. When we are hired or asked to perform for a group, we must be willing “to give it our all.” That means proper preparation, a well-planned program with extra stories “just in case” (the unethical storyteller just “wings it”), excellent story research, loads of practice and sufficient contact and communication with the person who hires us. This also includes minute attention to details, never assuming, always confirming. It means arriving early and always “going the extra mile” to please. This effort to please, however, leads to my next opinion.

The trustworthy storyteller doesn’t agree to tell stories that he or she isn’t passionate about. Once people and groups know that we are storytellers, they often ask us to tell a story of their choice – not one of ours. I have also had groups ask for a particular theme that doesn’t hold any interest for me. I am not saying that we must never agree to follow a theme or tell a special group’s favorite story when asked. I am saying that if this isn’t in your repertoire or one of your passions (i.e. you don’t want to expend the time to work on that particular story), don’t agree to perform just because you would like to receive the fee. It is the surest way to “turn off” a client and word does travel. A much better approach that will pay off in the long run is to recommend another storyteller well-versed and well-prepared in that realm of telling. This leads to another principle that we each must decide for ourselves as tellers.

The ethical storyteller doesn’t knowingly choose to tell stories that will agitate, annoy or provoke his or her listeners. What do I mean by this? There are schools and conservative groups that don’t want certain topics like magic, ghosts, devils, witches, etc. included in our stories. There are tellers who disagree with me, saying this is taking away our freedom of speech. It may be, but I feel that when I am hired by a group, I want to please, not upset them. So I ask ahead about scary stories (how scary can I be?) and about other taboos. There are still so many terrific stories to tell besides these. I am also careful about the stories I tell for different ages, always suggesting that, if possible, that the age groups be separated.

The ethical storyteller treats all clients and other storytellers with respect and fairness. In my opinion this means never divulging confidentialities, charging different fees according to what the “traffic will bear” or speaking badly of or spreading rumors about another storyteller or client. If, for example, someone asks what you think about another storyteller’s abilities and you are not impressed by that teller, it is better to say nothing or make a suggestion of someone “I am more familiar with.” I also feel, as a storyteller, that when I attend another teller’s program or workshop, that even when I am not thrilled with the presentation, I respect the effort and act as an enthusiastic listener and participant. Just remember that not everyone in our audience will be thrilled with us either.

My all-time favorite marketing guru, Robert Middleton, says that people will hire those they know, like and trust. Can you be trusted as an ethical and honest storyteller? I would love to hear from you with your opinions about my opinions and beliefs. Just send me your This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.!

Laura Backes is the publisher of Children's Book Insider, the Newsletter for Children's Writers. For more information about writing children's books, including free articles, market tips, insider secrets and much more, visit Children's Book Insider's home on the web at http://write4kids.com

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What Do Editors Want?

At a recent SCBWI conference in Denver, Melanie Cecka, Senior Editor for Viking Children’s Books, tried to answer that perennial question, “What are editors looking for?” Her answer–and this is a real kicker–is that because publishers are cutting back on the size of their lists, editors are looking for reasons not to publish your book.

Does this mean that editors are planning to hate every manuscript that crosses their desks? Certainly not. Every time an editor opens an unsolicited submission she’s hoping she’ll find a new, undiscovered talent. But because the volume of books being published has dropped in recent years, each book carries more weight for the publisher. And fiction by new authors in particular must be of the highest quality to compete with the novelizations of movies and television shows crowding the shelves, and picture books based on familiar, popular licensed characters.

When you’re revising your work and sending it out, try to think like an editor. As you attend conferences or read books on publishing, compile a list of “don’ts” that will get your manuscript routed immediately to the rejection pile. Here are some to get you started:

Unprofessional presentation. A cover or query letter that shows the writer clearly doesn’t understand the different age categories of children’s books (such as saying you’ve written a 3000 word picture book for ages 6-11), tells the editor she doesn’t have to read any further. By simply studying recently-published books written for the same age group as your work, you can learn many of the basic “rules.” Sloppy queries, those that explain the writer’s motivation for creating the work (“to teach children about _______”) instead of summarizing the work itself, or submitting five manuscripts at once are all turnoffs to an editor. For help writing query and cover letters, see the resource in the sidebar.

A weak opening. The first paragraph of your book needs to grab the editor and insist that she keep reading. The opening page should introduce your main character, establish the setting and time period, push the action forward and clue the reader into the “hook” of the story (what makes your book different). To learn how to craft strong openings, ask your librarian for award lists (especially those awards voted by children), and read only the first paragraph of the winners. Note how much information you got from this small amount of text. Also note whether you wanted to keep reading, and why.

Lack of vision. Cecka said she looks for stories that make her ask, “What if?” In other words, she wants to identify so strongly with the characters that she’ll wonder what it would be like to live their lives. Fully-developed characters coupled with a unique way of approaching an idea results in a book with vision. The author does more than tell a story–he transports the reader to another place and asks the reader to look at the world in a new way. It’s often clear to an editor from the query letter whether the author has vision, or has written the kind of book children “should” like or “need” to read.

In the end, what distinguishes a manuscript from the hundreds of others in the slush pile is the writer’s passion. If the author positions himself as bestowing a story upon children, or imparting wisdom from a distant, adult perspective, the book will fail. However, if the author is so enthralled with the characters and caught up in the plot that the experience is shared with the reader, the manuscript will shine.

Editors are very subjective critics, so besides writing a strong book the author must appeal to an editor’s tastes, sense of humor, and know enough not to submit a dog book to a cat person. The only way a writer can really know an editor’s preferences is to attend conferences and meet the editors in person, or network with other authors. Barring that, calling the children’s book department at publishers to whom you plan to submit your novel and asking an editorial assistant which editor is interested in middle grade historical fiction is a good backup strategy.

For tips on writing strong cover and query letters, check out Author to Editor: Query Letter Secrets of the Pros by Linda Arms White. It contains over 30 actual letters and book proposals authors used to sell their work, along with pointers on pitching your work to a publisher.

Laura Backes is the publisher of Children's Book Insider, the Newsletter for Children's Writers. For more information about writing children's books, including free articles, market tips, insider secrets and much more, visit Children's Book Insider's home on the web at http://write4kids.com

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What Audience’s Want From a Storyteller

When asked about the personal characteristics that best describe the “perfect storyteller”, audiences say they want a storyteller who is:

Enthusiastic. Show your audience that you are happy to be there.

Dynamic. Wow your audience with your own sense of style and delivery.

Sincere. Be believable through your words and actions.

Confident. Know your stories. Know your audience. Know the theme (if any). Know your strengths and use them. That’s the formula for confidence.

Passionate. How many boring storytellers convinced you to be excited about their stories?

Articulate. It’s not how many words you say or how fast you say them. It’s all in your word choice and how you say them.

Animated. Audiences love storytellers who aren’t afraid to move a little bit and have a personality to boot! Be yourself and enjoy yourself!

If you can’t find the time to learn how to implement the above tips into you’re your “storytelling style” you might want to think about getting other work!

Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com Mike Miller is a Full Contact Speaker and Storyteller based in Charleston, South Carolina. His fresh, unique and exciting brand of speaking and storytelling has impacted thousands of groups ranging from major industry and health care to youth and education. He can be found at www.greatstoryteller.com

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What Can I Add?

After brainstorming a great new idea for a nonfiction book, one of the most important questions to ask yourself is “What can I add to this topic?”

To find out, you must check Amazon.com or take a trip to a couple of bookstores to find out what’s already been published about your subject.

Agent Djana Pearson Morris says, “Take a serious look at the competition– if someone’s already done it well, or if there’s a glut of books on the subject, this may not be a book that will be able to stand out in the market, hence it will be of little interest to publishers, regardless of its attributes.”

Pay no mind to the out-of-print books, vanity-published titles, or e-books, because traditional publishers won’t consider them competition and general readers are unlikely to have read them.  But do pay close attention to anything that’s on bookstore shelves today.

Ask yourself if there’s a need and a demand for more information on the topic.  For example, even if you have great insights to add, the world probably doesn’t need more than one book about how to properly water a fern.  Sure, I’m using an absurd example, but if your book has a limited potential audience, how hungry is this audience for new information?  Would anyone buy two books about how to water a fern?

If not—and bookstores already stock one—stores will be unlikely to stock a second one.  “We already have a fern book,” they’ll tell the sales rep.  “What else have you got?”

Some topics, however, have dedicated audiences who will happily buy more than one book, provided the books each offer something the others don’t.

Take my latest book as an example—Make a Real Living as a Freelance Writer.  I knew there were already plenty of books about freelance writing.  And just the fact that I was going to write a book on the topic in my own style would not be good enough.  Just the fact that I could use some personal examples that the others hadn’t was not enough, either.

Publishers knew it was a crowded market, but they also knew that writers don’t need just one book about freelance writing; it’s likely that they’ll read a handful of books on the topic, and it’s worthwhile for them to do so.  There are plenty of ways to be successful as a freelance writer, and different perspectives on how to break in or to stay successful.

So my job was to convince a publisher (and readers) that my book would offer something substantively different from what the other books offered, or that I would take over where other books left off. 

There would be some required overlap, of course—you can’t write a book about magazine writing without ever explaining what a query letter is or what types of rights a publication may buy, so you’ll probably find that in every book for magazine writers.  But the key to selling my book was figuring out what I could add to the already-vast mounds of literature on the topic.

I realized that I found my success as a writer somewhat differently from the other authors I’d read.  I had broken most of the rules in the other books for writers, and I had bent the rest of them.  And I realized that, at the time I proposed it, no other book for freelance writers had current information about the way magazines “really” worked since the Internet came along.  No one else was discussing e-mail queries or how to figure out an editor’s e-mail address.  No one was addressing the issue of how to send out clips electronically, or what sites to visit to find interviewees and experts for articles.

On top of that, nearly all of the books were meant for beginners.  I couldn’t find books that reliably showed me how to go from getting my first few credits to moving on and actually making a career at it—becoming a columnist or a contributing editor at a major magazine, for instance.

So in my proposal, I stressed the things I would add: a more timely perspective, an alternative to the rules other books laid out, and a slant toward the intermediate writer rather than the beginner.

As an author, you don’t just do these things because it’ll help you sell a proposal to a publisher; you also do it for the reader.  I’ve been mighty frustrated when I’ve spent hard-earned money on a book, only to find that it regurgitates the same information I’ve found in other books, magazines, or online.  Your obligation as an author is to cherish your readers, and to make them happy with their decision to buy your books.  Otherwise, don’t expect them to follow you to the next book, and don’t expect to build any word-of-mouth buzz.

A few chapters of new information in a book that’s otherwise filled with information easily available elsewhere just isn’t enough to justify the cover price of books today.  So, aside from your (certainly engaging) writing style and personal anecdotes, how will you add to a reader’s knowledge in a way that justifies the hard work he put in to earn the money to buy your book? Here are some possibilities:

– Can you slant it for a specific group of people within the category’s market that the others haven’t?  For example, while there were plenty of books for screenwriters on the market, there weren’t any geared toward young people—so Christina Hamlett wrote ScreenTEENwriters just for them.

– Can you talk to people who disagree with what “experts” have said on the topic?

– Can you find out recent developments that have changed the accuracy of information in other books?

– Can you offer a significantly different perspective on the topic?

– Can you expand on a little-known or little-written-about aspect of the topic?

– Can you perform real-life experiments that show the results of theoretical discussions in other books?

– Can you make it interesting and relevant to a group of people who wouldn’t normally pick up a book on the topic?  (Adding humor to a book about punctuation, for example, helped Eats, Shoots and Leaves author Lynn Truss pique the interest of more than a million people who never would have thought of buying a book about punctuation before.)

What makes your book different is what makes it important.  Ask yourself what you can add, and you may just have yourself a bestseller in the making.

Jenna Glatzer is the editor-in-chief of Absolute Write (www.absolutewrite.com). She has written for hundreds of national and online magazines, including Physical, Woman's World, Woman's Own, Salon.com, and Contemporary Bride. She's a contributing editor at Writer's Digest and her latest book is MAKE A REAL LIVING AS A FREELANCE WRITER, which you can find at www.jennaglatzer.com. Find out how to get a FREE editors' cheat sheet with this book!

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