Tag: writing

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From The Author

Exceptional Customer Service

Exceptional Customer Service

For a time in my life, I had the pleasure of working as a professional speaker for Fred Pryor Seminars.

After being with the company a short time, I was given the opportunity of a lifetime. I was asked to travel to teach in the United Kingdom.

It was a few days before I was about to embark on the two-week swing, when at the last minute, I was told, “While you are there, you need to present an in-house seminar for a company.”

I had never taught the “Exceptional Customer Service” seminar before. I wanted to go on the trip, so I accepted the assignment. Soon I became comfortable with the content. As you might imagine, I spent hours practicing to be ready for the six-hour seminar.

When I finally arrived on site, I was fully prepared to speak to a large group. I quickly learned the company was very small, and less than ten people planned to attend.

Fortunately, I knew my material and related several personal stories about customer service.

I can still see the room where we met. The staff’s sole purpose that day was to take part in the training. The energy in the room was upbeat because the team did not have to work.

The rest of the trip, I taught “Coaching Skills for Managers and Supervisors,” and “Business Writing for Results.” One morning I went to a theater in the heart of London. I taught Business Writing for Results. There were five hundred people in attendance. I guess you could say, That day, I taught the English a thing or two about English.”

The trip was a success, so much so that a few months later, I was asked to go again.

Want to read more about my time with Fred Pryor? Read how a missed plane turned into a real adventure.

The Night I Drove Over the Continental Divide

Tell me what you think below and please join me every day as we pray for wisdom by taking part in the Wisdom Prayer Challenge.

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From The Author

I Love to Write. I Love to Write Books. I Love to Write Children’s Books.

I Love to Write. I Love to Write Books. I Love to Write Children’s Books.

The last several weeks I have been working with a high performance coach. One task my coach assigned has led me learn more about my competition.

Months ago, before I ever landed my seven-book publishing contract, I did an exhaustive search of comparable titles related to my first book. This ended up being one section of the book proposal that won me the contract.

Yet, once I had my list of titles I thought I was finished, so I went on to work on other things.

My coach asked me to delve deeper in to the habits of the authors of successful children’s books.  I have looked at books, the author’s websites, and the book’s and author’s presence on Amazon. Integrating these has given me a new appreciation for the interrelationship between a book, the author’s website, and book marketing.

I am excited to report that this research project has reignited my desire to rise to the occasion and be the best children’s book author I can be. Researching and learning from other great authors, who are some of the best of the best in the business, is revolutionizing how I view serving those who will eventually buy my books.

All I needed was for my coach to point me in the right direction, and I was off and running.

Let me know if you have had a similar experience.

Tell me what you think below and please join me every day as we pray for wisdom by taking part in the Wisdom Prayer Challenge.

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From The Author

What Makes a Great Mentor?

What Makes a Great Mentor?

A great mentor will listen, help a person weigh options, help them arrive at practical solutions to difficult problems, and ask probing questions that allow the mentee to make wise choices.

Have you felt like you needed a mentor who could guide you to make wise decisions?

Nearly two decades ago, I found A. Christensen. His background includes having worked for Young Life. He became a Marriage and Family Therapist. Later in his career, he served as a Fire Department Chaplin.

Since he retired, we have been getting together once a week, or every other week, over a cup of coffee.

My mentor listens.
To best use my mentor’s background and expertise, I get prepared in advance. I usually bring two copies of handouts I want to discuss. As we go through them, he is attentive and takes notes.

My mentor helps me weigh options.
When considering my preferences, I can think of more than a few different courses of action. One handout deals with personal matters. For example, given my wife had brain surgery in 2019, we talk about what are the best care options. I also usually prepare a Writing Report that chronicles my writing career. He has helped me make many important decisions. Overall, he has helped me better use my time, talent, treasure, and mental abilities as a writer.

My mentor helps me arrive at practical solutions.
Did I say that my mentor is wise? He is! Last time we met, we were discussing my hopes and dreams for the coming year. After I had shared my plans, he said, “It is great you have all these goals and plans, but the key is implementing them.” Fortunately for me, he helped me narrow the scope of  my plans. Then he helped me look at the challenges and come up with practical solutions.

My mentor asks the right questions.
He will ask questions and guide the discussion, so it will lead to me to the answers. For example, he recently asked, “Do you have too many things on your list?” This question usually makes me stop and ponder if I will be over-committed and unable to realistically accomplish all the tasks on my list. Then I adjust.

I have a great mentor. Mr. Christensen is a huge blessing in my life. He is not only my mentor, he is a great friend. I appreciate our relationship, and am thankful for all the times we have shared.

Tell me what you think below and please join me every day as we pray for wisdom by taking part in the Wisdom Prayer Challenge.

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Things I Love About Writing

Zig Ziglar and Fifteen Things I Love About Writing

Zig Ziglar and Fifteen Things I Love About Writing

Zig Ziglar inspired millions with his lectures and his books like See You at the Top. He is perhaps best remembered for his uplifting and life-affirming talks. I was fortunate to see him in person.

A number of years later, I heard him giving a radio interview. He told the story about how he challenged members of an audience of business professionals to celebrate the positive things they liked best about where they worked. He allowed time for people to start writing their lists.

At the end of his talk, a woman approached him and said she had nothing on her list because she hated everything about her job. I recall Zig asked her several questions like the following:

– “Do you like the people where you work?”

– “No.”

– “Do you like the location of the office?”

– “No.”

– “Do you like the clients?”

– “No.”

– Finally he asked, “Do you like the pay?”

– “Oh yes. I love the pay,” she replied.

He suggested she start her list with that and add to it. His point was to start. One item would lead to others and end up being the catalyst for an improved attitude and work ethic. He told her she would probably enjoy her work more once she focused on the positive aspects of her job and what she like about it.

I felt Zig was onto something. So at that time, I wrote a list of all the things I liked about my job. It took a couple of days to make a comprehensive list.

I was surprised. Every time I reread the list, I was inspired to do my best work. I stopped taking my job for granted and started to celebrate everything about my career.

Flash forward several years: I am a full-time writer.

Here are fifteen things I love about my writing career:

1.- God has called me to write.
2.- God has blessed me with a desire to write.
3.- Although the words do not always flow easily, I feel good when I write.
4.- I am always learning something new.
5.- The process keeps my mind active and engaged.
6.- Writing for me involves the thrill of discovery.
7.- I like to edit and rewrite, so writing is like solving puzzles.
8.- Writing helps me think about problems, possible solutions, and next steps.
9.- When people read my work, they tell me they appreciate what I have had to say.
10.- It is thrilling to know that what I write can reach someone halfway around the world.
11.- When I see my writing published in print or online, I know my investment of time, talent, treasure, and brain power has been worth it.
12.- My goal of learning to write well motivates me to be the best writer I can be.
13.- I am thankful for being part of a great writing community. My circle of friends who write includes a wonderful group of very talented published and unpublished authors.
14.- I get to attend writers’ conferences. They offer a chance to network and learn the craft.
15.- I enjoy the marketing aspects of the writing profession.

As you can tell, I love what I do. I encourage you to write your own list. What do you like about your job/career?

Tell me what you think below.

Please Join me every day as we pray for wisdom by taking part in the Wisdom Prayer Challenge.

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a Cow in the Garage

There is a Cow in the Garage

There is a Cow in the Garage

When I first saw him, he was covered with dust…

My cow is a picture I drew when I was between eight and ten years old.

My parents met milking cows in rural Kansas. They grew up in Girard, in the southeast corner of the state near Pittsburg. Mom and Dad are both gone now, but I still remember taking a trip with them to visit a dairy.

When I got home, I drew a picture of a cow, colored it with crayons, and wrote a short description. My mom put it in a frame, and hung it on the wall where it remained for decades.

The text under my cow picture is written in cursive:

The Dairy Cow

We went to see a cow today. It was a Guernsey. These cows are brown and white. We saw a calf too. He was a Guernsey too. There are three different kinds of cows Guernsey, Holstein and Jersey. The cow is one of the most useful animals to man. The first cows in America were brought by Columbus from Spain on his second voyage in 1493.

Dennis Conrad

I hadn’t seen my cow for years.

Now that I write children’s books, my cow takes on greater significance.

On June 26, 2021, I spoke to members of the Diamond Valley Writers’ Guild via Zoom. My talk was called “Writing for the Children’s Market.” I showed the group my cow and read what I had written.

My cow makes me smile and makes me realize I have always been a writer.

Tell me what you think below and please join me every day as we pray for wisdom by taking part in the Wisdom Prayer Challenge.

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Giving Back

Giving Back

Diamond Valley Writers’ Guild Presentation
“Writing for the Children’s Market” – Giving Back

 

I have spent a career helping others learn to speak and write well. From personal experience, I like to say, “There is nothing more exciting for a teacher than to watch students’ preverbal light bulbs go on.” 

I remember being at writers’ conferences as speakers shared what they knew. I became a better writer as a result of listening to and learning from their lessons.

Have a story worth telling? Consider a children’s book. I will introduce the audience to the world of writing for children. Learn about appropriate language for different levels of children’s books. Open the poet’s treasure chest to discover found poetry and how to avoid rhyme crimes. Write more. Find out where to publish. Explore the resources available for continuing education.

Join me this Saturday! It is my turn to give back. 

My hope is the bulbs will light up this coming weekend. Join me and the members of the Diamond Valley Writers’ Guild as I speak to the group.

When: This Saturday, June 26, 2021

Time: 9:30 a.m.

Where: On Zoom

What: “Writing for the Children’s Market

 

To participate in this motivating discussion NON-MEMBERS please request a Zoom invitation. Please contact [email protected]