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networking

DREAM   |  Comment

A Picture is Worth 1,000 Words… in Memoir, maybe 2,000!

The crux of writing a successful (interesting, moving, powerful, life-changing) memoir is, of course, being able to remember the experiences that shaped a certain period of your life. But you have to do more than simply recall those ...READ»

DREAM   |  Comment

There’s No Place Like Home—Especially in Memoir

It’s like the girl from Kansas said: There’s no place like home… that is, to evoke hundreds of memories, stories, and emotions that you can use for writing your memoir. (The second part of the sentence, Dorothy did not say.)When ...READ»

DREAM   |  Comment

The Best Ways to Write a Crappy Memoir

There’s a lot of memoir-writing advice out there. Some of it is good, some is completely obvious (and therefore unhelpful), and some crosses the line into stupid and potentially harmful to your story. A few choice examples of the ...READ»

DREAM   |  Comment

When it Comes to Creative Boundaries, How Hard Should You Push?

The short answer: as hard as it takes for those boundaries to break.I’ve said often that if you’re not turning someone off, you’re not turning someone on. You can’t please everyone with creative work. And, in fact, you ...READ»

COACHING   |  Comment

Sending Coaching Clients To Make Their 1st Impressions

Recently, I read a blog post by uber-blogger, Chris Brogan. He made some great points on how to navigate that difficult minefield, “the first meeting at an event.” After reading it, though, I thought, I’d give my coaching ...READ»

The "Secret" to Social Media

The more online social networking changes the playing field, the more it stays the same. How traditional networking hasn't changed, and what the online social networks really offer you a chance to do. READ»

DREAM   |  Comment

What’s the Price of Powerful Creativity?

All right, seems like a vague question. So first I’ll explain my idea of creativity. To me, being creative means presenting something unique and powerful to the world—a fresh perspective on what can be a deadened landscape; a ...READ»

DREAM   |  Comment

Inspiration is for Chumps—Creativity Takes Work!

In a recent interview about his new book (a novel, mind you), James Frey was asked what hour of the day inspiration most strikes. His answer, which I’m paraphrasing, was a scoffing, “Inspiration is for chumps. I work from ...READ»

patrick-bateman-business-card
GOOGLE   |  4 comments

The iPhone vs. The Business Card

Ditch your business card; it's bad for business and the environment. With Gmail and my iPhone, every meeting follow up is personalized, conveniently archived, and facilitates networking. The experience of being cardless has turned me ...READ»

DREAM   |  Comment

The One PR Strategy That Always Works: Persistence with a Purpose

  Okay—so you’ve got a brilliant, innovative product or service. So what? If no one knows about it, no one cares about it; it may as well not exist. The only solution, everyone seems to agree, is PR. But the best ...READ»

DREAM   |  Comment

Don’t Just Keep Busy—Keep Profitable!

  Neighbor/competitor/family member/friend/postman: “So, how’s work been lately?” You (business-owner): “Oh, you know. Keeping busy.” Sound familiar? For business-owners, “keeping ...READ»

Kenan Samms
CLIENT   |  Comment

Happy July 4th from the Bridge

Rama is facing a dilemma of how to cross the ocean to Lanka, where his abducted wife, Sita, is being held captive by the demon king, Ravana. Praying to Varuna, the Lord of Oceans, does no good.  Varuna does not respond.  Rama ...READ»

DREAM   |  1 comment

Don’t Let a Tight Economy Make You Stingy About Connecting with Customers

How many times a day do you hear a radio or TV ad with rueful, obvious acknowledgement of the recession? You know, the ones with over-earnest voice-overs that begin something like this: “These days, we’re all cutting back on ...READ»

DREAM   |  Comment

Stop Yammering and Just Tell Customers Your Story Already!

What sets your business apart from the competition? Really—think about it. It’s easy to spew out generic answers like “customer service” or “attention to detail,” but don’t you think your competitors are claiming ...READ»

CAREERS   |  Comment

Why You Should Give Away Your Network

It has often been said that your network is your net worth. It can be your greatest asset in developing a successful career, social life, but more importantly, to be of service to others. All too often, people define networking, as a transactional relationship--when you connect other people together, you expect to be repaid in some form for it. In fact, the phrase, "you owe me one" is often heard.It’s discovering what you can do for someone else. In other words, networking is not about you and how others can help you. Instead, it’s about how you can help others.READ»

DREAM   |  Comment

Let’s Be Real: Why Defining Core Values is Crucial to Effective Marketing

Let’s face it. Your customers don’t want to hear that deep, echoey radio voice holler at them to get to your car dealership TODAY, TODAY, TODAY! There are better ways to get your message across. There are authentic ways ...READ»

DREAM   |  Comment

Wake Up! Marketing Isn’t Just About Bore-chures Anymore

Unless your customers live underground, they are inundated with advertisements from the moment they wake up to the moment they drop gratefully back into bed. There are bold-lettered newspaper ads and unnaturally upbeat TV ...READ»

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DREAM   |  Comment

For Authors Who Love Running in Place, the Perfect Exercise: Pursuing Commercial Publication!

If you’re counting on Random House to jump on your book, offer you a fatty advance and slave over marketing, here’s a tough little eye-opener: It’s not gonna happen. Well, okay—technically it could happen. According to ...READ»

Kenan Samms
CLIENT   |  Comment

Summertime and the Networking Is Easy

Networking is not about how many bunches of business cards you can hand out in the least amount of time. I was at an event last week and someone I didn’t know raced up to the booth, interrupted my conversation (body language ...READ»

DREAM   |  2 comments

Stop Your Whining and Sit Your Ass in the Chair!

Yeah, I said it. And I’ll say it again: Stop your whining and sit your ass in the chair. Even if you’re blocked. Especially if you’re blocked. See, the thing is that writer’s block—or whatever you call ...READ»

Kenan Samms

Making the Most Out of a Rejection

168 people applied for the opening. We interviewed 5 which means, if you do the math, that we rejected 163. Our policy was to only notify those who were interviewed but not selected—potentially leaving those 163 in limbo as to their ...READ»

DREAM   |  Comment

Stop Being So Shallow—Use Your Dirty Past to Give Your Book Depth

Let’s get one thing straight: Unless it’s a biography on a saint, readers don’t want angelic characters. Readers want characters with demons, with messy, haunted pasts that keep them from getting the present quite right. ...READ»

DREAM   |  1 comment

Commercial Publishing is Dead

I’m announcing it here.  I’m saying it now.  While commercial publishing will continue to work for mainstream authors, celebrities, and political figures with built in audiences, gone are the days of the new author being ...READ»

DREAM   |  1 comment

So You Want to Write a Book: Three Tips to Help You Get Started

Treat Writing Like a Job “When I get a minute”; “When I put the kids to bed”; “Any chance I get”; “When I’m on vacation”; “A couple times a week.” Sound familiar? These vague promises to write are the ...READ»

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