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Volume 3, Number 5 October 29, 2003
Publisher: GoalMinds, Inc.
E-mail: condrill@goalminds.com http://www.goalminds.com
Copyright 2003 Jo Condrill All rights reserved
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Welcome to those of you who have recently joined us and welcome back to those of you who have been with us a while.

Thank you to the many people who have called to express concern about the fires here in Southern California. The devastation is hard to believe, yet the smell of smoke and the taste of ash are very real. No one I know personally has been harmed. I am very concerned about the writers who live in the Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear Lake areas as the fire is raging there now. When I visited there in June, they were aware of the danger brought on by the bark beetles and the dead trees. Hopefully, they and their homes have been spared.

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"Be daring, be different, be impractical, be anything that will assert integrity of purpose and imaginative vision against the play-it-safers, the creatures of the commonplace, the slaves of the ordinary."
--Sir Cecil Beaton
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IN THIS ISSUE
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1. Not So Different

2. Make a Fuss! By Dawn Josephson

3. Book Report By Bob Erdmann
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1. Not So Different
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We were in the air thirteen hours, traveled 10,000 miles, and it looked like we were landing in New York City. Beijing sparkled in the night. My first trip to China was definitely an adventure! I was a member of a trade mission sponsored by Los Angeles County and the Asia Pacific-USA Chamber of Commerce. The purpose of the trip was to establish contacts and consider the possibility of joint ventures with Chinese businesses. There are already many American firms in China: McDonalds, Wal-Mart, Kinko’s, Microsoft, and others. My hope was to get a Chinese publisher to translate and distribute my books.

The Chinese are experts at networking. Everyone, including the highest ranking officials, presented their business cards, with both hands, to each of us. I ran out of cards about half way through the nine-day trip! In Beijing we saw the Finance District where modern high-rise buildings have been built according to a grand plan. The Olympics will be staged in Beijing in 2008 and they aim to be ready. We were briefed about plans for the Finance District and had lunch hosted by the Vice Governor. I later met with two publishers and a television producer.

We next visited Qixia (pronounced she'sha), a relatively new city in Shandong Province. It is the number one apple-producing location in China. The Vice Mayor, ZHOU Jun, Ph.D. chaired a “negotiation session” between local business persons and our group. They were eager to discuss business; we were on the right track for establishing contacts. There is much to be learned. We later relaxed at a huge outdoor celebration of the apple festival where celebrity performers from all over the country entertained an audience of 10,000 with song and dance. It was tremendous! We sat fourth row, center, with the leaders of our group in the front row.

My last stop was Huangshi in Hubei Province on the Yangtze River. It is heavily industrialized and very cosmopolitan, far more modern than I anticipated. We toured a clutch-making factory, a steel plant and a clothing manufacturer. When we left the hotel at 6:30 AM the streets were crowded with school children. Entrepreneurs were in their shops and street vendors were already in full swing. In the evenings we often saw parks and wide sidewalks where groups of people were dancing.

We visited the Great Wall and the Forbidden Palace and shopped in “Silk Alley.” The most surprising thing for me was to hear people talk about dreams and God. That causes me to reevaluate what I think I know about the people of China.

I flew home with three of the group while the rest stayed and visited Shanghai. Yesterday I signed a contract with the China International Radio Press to translate and distribute my book, Take Charge of Your Life! Now to follow up with that television producer.

If you have never visited China, I’d highly recommend it. A trade mission gives you a different perspective and, if Stacy Sun is the leader of your group, you’ll get VIP treatment! Let me know if you need more information.
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Take Charge of Your Life is now available in paperback at $14.95! Ask your local bookstore or library for a copy. If you want an autographed copy for yourself or someone on your gift list, please let me know. Call 1 800 697-5680.
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The leader's primary contribution is in the recognition of good ideas, the support of those ideas, and the willingness to challenge the system in order to get new products, processes, and services adopted.
"The Leadership Challenge" James Kouzes & Barry Posner

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2. Make a Fuss! by Dawn Josephson
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As you write, be super fussy about finding the right word. Always choose specific and concrete words that adequately reveal what you're attempting to describe. Be aware of the word's sound, its rhythm, and its connotation, as well as its dictionary meaning.
Realize that even though two words are synonyms, they often evoke different images. For example, consider the words "compliant," "agreeable," and "willing." They are all synonyms, right? Well, yes and no.

While they all refer to generally the same thing (namely to a pleasant and tolerant manner), they have different connotations. "Compliant" suggests a passive nature readily molded to conform to the wishes of others. "Willing," however, stresses a more conscious decision to do something. Unlike compliant, it does not suggest an innately weak or conforming nature. "Agreeable" stresses the cheerful side of willing and a more open attitude.

So if you wrote that your techniques will help you develop compliant employees, the reader may get the impression that your techniques don’t inspire creative thinking throughout the organization, that you simply teach people to do what they're told. And if you wrote that your techniques will help you develop agreeable employees, the reader may think that you're teaching them how to get a bunch of "yes men/women" on board. However, if you wrote that your techniques will help you develop willing employees, the reader will see the optimistic nature of the word. After all, don't all businesses want willing employees who are ready to do their part?

So before you just pick a word at random and think it's a synonym, carefully analyze the word's connotation. The difference in connotation can make or break the image you’re trying to depict.
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Dawn Josephson is an excellent editor and author of Putting It On Paper: The Ground Rules for Creating Promotional Pieces that Sell Books email: dawn@cameopublications.com
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101 Ways to Improve Your Communication Skills Instantly is now available as a soft cover book in Spanish from Selector Actualidad Editorial, http://www.selector.com.mx email info@selector.com.mx Audio tapes in Spanish are available from your bookstore or library, ISBN: 09661414-0-7, or call us
1 800 697-5680.
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3. Book Report From the Frankfurt Book Fair
by Bob Erdmann
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Once again, Frankfurt was very successful for us this year. My “dance card” was filled each ½ hour, from 9AM on Wed., Oct. 8 through the closing of the Fair on Oct. 13 with appointments with publishers from more than 50 different countries from all parts of the world. The location of our booth was terrific, on a very busy corner, directly across the aisle from one of the major NY publishing houses and only a few steps from the main entrance. We’ve already reserved the same spot for next year. In order of magnitude, here is where your book(s) fits in the grand scheme of things at Frankfurt: There were more than 6800 exhibitors from 110 countries showing 350,000 titles in 173,566 sq. meters of space to more than 300,000 worldwide publishing people who attended the Fair! Yes, it is competitive!!

We had terrific results. It is highly unusual to finalize deals at or before the Fair. This year we wrote 49 rights contracts before even going to Germany, and another 44 at the Fair! Most deals are not concluded for several months after the Fair. Visitors to our booth marveled at the selection and focus of our/your titles. Compliments were abundant. Interest was foremost on titles that were well packaged in cover and interior design, easy to translate, topics of universal interest, written by notable authors, current and that have a track record of success in the U.S. and other countries. Many of our/your books received exceptional interest, most received some interest, and (truthfully) a few didn’t do well at all. Again, details about your book(s) will be sent out via snail mail later this week.

Generally, the worldwide publishing mood is good. I’ve seen better, and I’ve seen worse. But the fact still remains that most of the world is dependent on U.S. publishers for content, especially nonfiction, and rights activity is always brisk for the right books. Our focus on nonfiction (business, psychology/self-help, relationships, personal finance, personal development, parenting, education resources, etc.) continues to demonstrate that we are on the right track in attracting an excellent following among foreign publishers sincerely interested in rights activity in these categories.

Our costs skyrocketed this year as a result of substantial rate increases by the Fair and compounded by the decline of the U.S. dollar against the Euro. The cost of our booth alone increased nearly three times that of only three years ago! . . . . But in my opinion, Frankfurt remains “the place to be” for real, sustained foreign rights activity.

Finally, I want to thank you for being part of my 2003 Frankfurt/Foreign Rights Program. Results will vary from book to book. But I assure you that when one book does well and another doesn’t it isn’t a result of more effort given to the successful one and less to the other. All books get the same attention from us. We give each maximum exposure and effort. From that point the book must stand on its own merit with respect to how it does or does not fit into a foreign publisher’s program. Again, details will be sent via snail mail later this week.

As a reminder, I’ll begin to put my 2004 Frankfurt/Foreign Rights Program together in January. I hope you’ll join my Program again! You can sign up now, let me know!

Best regards,

Bob Erdmann
Bob has 40 years experience in the book publishing business.
Columbine Communications & Publications, Email: bob@bob-erdmann.com, Ph: 707/726-9200

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http://www.goalminds.com/
468 N. Camden Drive, Suite 200
Beverly Hills, California 90210
Phone: 1 800 697-5680