How to Stand Out in a Crowd

"Four short words sum up what has lifted most successful individuals above the crowd: a little bit more. They did all that was expected of them and a little bit more." —A. Lou Vickery

May Workshop: How to Stand Out in a Crowd

When: Monday, May 11, 2009, 6:30–8:00 p.m.

Where: Stone Chapel, 280 East Woodmen Road, Colorado Springs, CO 80919

Workshop Description: As a determined writer who would like to be published, you know you face a lot of competition. Publishers of all kinds—books, magazines, Web sites, and so on—get inundated with proposals. Many won't even accept unsolicited material anymore. So how do you stand out in the crowd? How do you convince editors to take a closer look at your query or proposal and give it serious consideration?

This workshop focuses on three key, highly practical elements vital to any query or proposal.

First, how many people, besides you, are interested in your topic? And how unique or fresh is it really?

Second, is your query or proposal prepared with professional excellence? (We'll explore just what that means.) "A good message" is not enough.

Third, do you demonstrate awareness of how to connect with your audience? You don't have to have your own national TV show, but you do need to show familiarity with, and be willing to work at, effective ways of reaching readers in your intended audience.

These ideas are basic and commonsensical, yet they're often ignored, to the writer's detriment. Learn how to do these things right and you'll stand out in the crowd!

Speaker: Larry Weeden serves as Director of Book Development, Curriculum, and Acquisitions for Focus on the Family. A veteran of more than 30 years in Christian publishing, he has worked with authors such as Gary Smalley, Chuck Colson, John Maxwell, Norm Wright, Patsy Clairmont, and many others. He's also an active freelance writer, with more than 15 books to his credit, including Feeling Guilty, Finding Grace, Wired by God (with Joe White), and Breaking the Cycle of Divorce (with John Trent). He received an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Southern Evangelical Seminary.

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